Winder Assembly for Can Necking Machine Maintenance Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing container manufacturing processes face challenges in accessing and performing maintenance on rotating components due to their close proximity, leading to interference and awkward postures required for maintenance access.
Innovation Solution
A multi-stage can necking machine with a manual winder assembly that allows for the rotation of gear trains in small, controllable increments, enabling components to be positioned for easy maintenance by manually actuating a handle connected to the winder shaft, facilitating access without interference from neighboring components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If rotatable components are disposed in close proximity to each other to save space, then device compactness is improved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates due to interference between components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the support structure rotatable, allowing the assembly of rotatable components to be rotated as a unit. This enables maintenance personnel to access previously obscured components by rotating the entire assembly to different angular positions, thereby resolving the accessibility issue while maintaining the compact footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If rotatable components are disposed in close proximity to each other, then device compactness is improved, but maintenance requires awkward postures due to component interference
Solution Approach 1:
By making the support structure rotatable, the invention allows maintenance personnel to rotate the assembly to positions that provide ergonomic access to components. This eliminates the need to assume awkward postures to reach around or between closely spaced components, while the compact design is preserved.
3Ease of repair
If manual rotation of rotatable components is performed, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but time is lost due to manual positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rotation function with the existing motorized drive system by coupling the support structure to the motor assembly. This integration allows the same motor that drives the can necking operation to also rotate the support structure for maintenance access, eliminating the need for separate manual positioning operations and reducing maintenance time.
Data Source
AI summary
A winder assembly is provided for rotating a component of a can necking machine to a desired angular position suitable for performing maintenance on the component. The winder assembly includes a shaft coupled to a motor of that drives the components of the can necking machine during operation. A handle can be removably connected to the shaft, such that rotation of the handle in a rotational direction correspondingly causes the shaft to rotate. The shaft causes the motor to rotate, which drives a gear train that rotates the components of the necking machine that are coupled to the gear train.