Vibrating Feed Tray with Pivotable Chute for Weight Filling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weight filling equipment for small objects, such as berries, faces challenges in efficiently metering product near the desired weight, switching between product bins, and accommodating differently sized and shaped containers, due to cumbersome and inflexible design.
Innovation Solution
A weight filling device featuring a vibrating feed assembly with separate large and small feed portions, a pivotable chute assembly for bin selection, and an adjustable conveyor system to accommodate various container sizes and heights, allowing independent control of vibration frequencies and bin switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single feed tray is used for both quick feed and slow feed rates, then the equipment structure is simple, but it is difficult to optimize both feed rates independently
Solution Approach 1:
The single feed tray is segmented into a large feed portion and a small feed portion that operate independently. The large feed portion handles quick feed operations while the small feed portion handles slow feed operations, allowing both feed rates to be optimized independently without compromising structural simplicity.
2Productivity
If multiple product bins are used to feed containers, then continuous filling is enabled, but bin switching becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The chute assembly is made dynamically adjustable with pivotable selectors that can be repositioned between different feed portions and bins. This dynamic configuration allows seamless bin switching without requiring complex mechanical switching mechanisms, maintaining continuous filling capability while reducing equipment complexity.
3Device complexity
If conveyors are structurally configured for narrow range of container lengths, then the structure is simple, but adaptability to differently sized containers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is designed with adjustable components that can accommodate a wide range of container lengths and heights. The vertical adjustment assembly and independently adjustable conveyors allow the same structure to handle multiple container types, providing universal functionality without requiring multiple specialized conveyor configurations.
4Device complexity
If container height is fixed relative to bin position, then the structure is simple, but accommodation of differently sized containers is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical positioning system is made dynamically adjustable, allowing the conveyor and bin positions to be reconfigured for different container heights. The vertical adjustment assembly enables the system to adapt to various container dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the efficiency of filling small objects by optimizing feed rates, facilitating seamless bin switching, and accommodating diverse container dimensions, thereby improving productivity and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
A vibrating device imparts vibration to the feed tray at a predetermined frequency
Data Source
AI summary
A weight filling device for filling small objects comprising a vibrating feed assembly, at least two bins in a side by side orientation, and a chute assembly. The feed assembly includes feed stations having a feed tray with a large feed portion and a small feed portion in a side by side orientation, either integrally formed along a part or all of the length thereof, and each extending to a distal end thereof and vibrating at a predetermined frequency. The bins are positioned so as to be placeable in communication with the distal end of the at least one feed tray. The chute assembly is positioned below the distal end of the at least one feed tray, and has at least one directing chute station having a large feed selector positioned below the large feed portion of the feed tray and a small feed selector positioned below the small feed portion of the feed tray. The large feed selector and the small feed selector are independently pivotable relative to each other between a first position and a second position to direct small objects into the proper bin. The frame for holding the containers to be filled is also vertically adjustable.