Welding Mould Reinforcing Element Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The specific geometrical configurations of food containers make it difficult to correctly and completely apply reinforcing elements due to issues like beaded or corrugated surfaces, undercuts, or interspaces, which hinder the alignment of reinforcing elements on the container edges.

Innovation Solution

A welding mould with a female mould assembly and a male mould assembly, featuring a reinforcing element guide that is selectively movable, and a paper-pressing ring with inclined surfaces to ensure proper alignment and adhesion of the reinforcing element to the container edge, using resilient elements like springs to maintain the guide's position and apply pressure for secure bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a fixed reinforcing element guide is used, then the structure is simple, but the alignment precision with complex container geometries deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidmould structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcing element guide is made selectively movable relative to the female forming element walls, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position during the welding process. This enables the guide to adapt to complex container geometries and maintain precise alignment of the reinforcing element with the container edge, resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the reinforcing element guide is made movable, then the alignment precision improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidmould structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is designed with selective movability, allowing it to be positioned and adjusted during the welding process to accommodate complex container geometries, thereby improving alignment precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity through controlled flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The movable guide allows for changes in positional parameters during the welding process, enabling the system to adapt to varying container geometries and maintain optimal alignment without requiring an entirely complex reconfigurable structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If resilient elements are added to maintain guide position, then the alignment stability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment stabilityVSAvoidmould structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Resilient elements such as springs are incorporated to automatically maintain the guide's position and provide stable alignment without requiring external control mechanisms. The springs self-regulate the guide's positioning, improving alignment stability while adding minimal complexity compared to active control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

The solution allows for the constant and precise alignment of reinforcing elements with the container edges, preventing misalignment and ensuring a secure bond, even with complex geometries, facilitating efficient reinforcement of food containers.

Implementation Method 1

resilient elements like springs to maintain the guide's position and apply pressure for secure bonding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4101623B1Welding mould for welding a reinforcing element onto a food container
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 IPACK SRL
  • EP4101623B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4101623B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4101623B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

A welding mould for welding a reinforcing element onto a food container comprises a female mould assembly (40) in turn comprising a female forming element (48) comprising a pair of side walls (49), a front wall (50) and a rear wall (51), a reinforcing element guide (60) comprising one or more openings (62) delimited by a perimetral wall (64) and an internal wall (66). The at least one female forming element (48) is arranged inside said opening (62) of the reinforcing element guide (60). The mould further comprises a male mould assembly (80) in turn comprising a forming plate (90), a paper-pressing ring (100) comprising a pair of side walls (102), a front wall (104) and a rear wall (106), and a reinforcing element outer bending ring (120). The reinforcing element guide (60) is arranged selectively movable with respect to the walls (49, 50, 51) of the female forming element (48).