Method and apparatus for preventing material jamming and damage to a conveyor belt

Abstract

The application discloses a material conveying method and device capable of preventing material blockage and damage to a conveying belt. The method and device are characterized by arranging an infrared monitoring part and a boosting part between a material falling port and the conveying belt. The infrared monitoring part is mainly used for monitoring the state of material falling from the material falling port to the conveying belt. The number of the infrared monitoring parts is three, and the infrared monitoring parts are arranged in the shape of a Chinese character. Meanwhile, the material falling port is arranged in a split type, and four inclined side plates of the material falling port can independently move, so as to adjust the opening degree of the material falling port. When the stuck material is located in the interior of the material falling port or the stuck material cannot be pushed away after the boosting part moves, the material falling port adjusting part is started to adjust the opening degree of the material falling port or vibrate the material falling port, so that the stuck material can smoothly fall. The application has the characteristics of safety, reliability and high practicability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material conveying technology, and specifically to a material conveying method and apparatus for preventing material blockage and conveyor belt damage. Background Technology

[0002] A conveyor belt is a product made of rubber and fiber, metal composites, or plastic and fabric composites to carry and transport materials. Its bottom is driven by belts or chains that rotate rollers, thus driving the conveyor belt to transport materials. Conveyor belts are widely used in industries such as steel, cement, chemicals, and coking to transport various solid lumps and powders or packaged goods. Conveyor belts enable continuous, high-efficiency, and steep-angle transport. They are safe to operate, easy to use and maintain, and have low transportation costs. They can also shorten transportation distances, reduce project costs, and save manpower and resources. When steel mills transport various materials, a common problem encountered is that some long and slender materials can get stuck between the hopper opening and the conveyor belt. Once stuck, these obstructions typically don't resolve themselves during operation, requiring manual intervention after a shutdown, thus impacting production efficiency. Another, more serious problem is that as the conveyor belt continues to move, these obstructions can sometimes pierce it, further exacerbating the obstruction. Since all equipment is running at this time, this could potentially lead to more serious accidents or machine damage.

[0003] Chinese patent application CN201520669038.8, entitled "A Conveyor Belt," discloses a conveyor belt comprising a conveyor belt and a frame. The conveyor belt includes a bottom edge and side edges. Two symmetrical bottom rollers are provided at the lower part of the bottom edge of the conveyor belt, with each roller forming a 15-degree angle with the horizontal plane. The bottom surface of the conveyor belt has staggered anti-slip patterns. Side wheels are provided on the frame at locations corresponding to the side edges of the conveyor belt. The side edges of the conveyor belt have slots with baffles. A limiting bin is provided at the upper part of the frame. This unique frame design improves the smoothness of material conveying during the conveyor belt process, and the unique limiting bin can play a role in uniformly discharging materials and reducing material spillage. However, it does not address the issues mentioned in this application. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to overcome the deficiencies of existing technologies and provide a material conveying method and apparatus to prevent material blockage and conveyor belt damage, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A material conveying method to prevent material blockage and conveyor belt damage utilizes infrared monitoring technology to monitor the descent of material from the discharge port onto the conveyor belt. Three infrared monitoring units are installed between the discharge port and the conveyor belt, arranged in a triangular pattern. Normal material descent intermittently blocks the infrared light; this intermittent blocking is regular for specific materials. When the infrared monitoring units detect a disruption of this regularity, it is determined that material is stuck. The sticking state is determined based on changes in the signals from the three infrared monitoring units. The method to remove the sticking involves using a pusher to apply external force to intervene in the obstruction. Simultaneously, the discharge port is configured with an adjustable opening. By adjusting the discharge port opening in conjunction with the pusher, the sticking is ultimately removed, preventing it from puncturing the conveyor belt.

[0006] The aforementioned material conveying method for preventing material blockage and conveyor belt damage involves setting the discharge port as a split type, with its four inclined side plates capable of independent movement. The tilt angles of the front and rear side plates of the discharge port are adjustable. By adjusting the tilt angles, the opening of the discharge port can be controlled. When the pusher cannot push away the obstructing material or the obstructing material is completely inside the discharge port, the tilt angles of the front and rear side plates are adjusted to increase the opening of the discharge port, allowing the material to fall smoothly. At the same time, vibration devices are installed on the left and right side plates of the discharge port. When material jamming occurs, the vibration devices are activated simultaneously to accelerate the release of the jam.

[0007] The above-mentioned material conveying method for preventing material blockage and conveyor belt damage includes an infrared monitoring unit containing multiple infrared emitting tubes arranged horizontally. The infrared light from the upper infrared monitoring unit achieves full coverage scanning of the material inlet, while the two lower infrared monitoring units cooperate with the upper infrared monitoring unit to determine the material jamming status.

[0008] A conveying device for implementing the above method includes a discharge port, a conveyor belt, an infrared monitoring unit, a booster unit, a discharge port adjustment unit, a CPU, and a control circuit. The infrared monitoring unit is disposed on both sides of the conveyor belt below the discharge port, with an infrared emitting component on one side and an infrared receiving component on the other side. The booster unit is disposed on a frame on one side of the conveyor belt, and the frame is disposed on the ground. The signal output of the infrared monitoring unit is connected to the input terminal of the CPU, and the output terminal of the CPU is connected to the drive motors of the booster unit and the discharge port adjustment unit, as well as an alarm, through a relay.

[0009] The aforementioned conveying device has a discharge port consisting of four side plates: front, rear, left, and right. These four side plates are inclined and hinged to the hopper at the top. The front and rear side plates are located in front of and behind the conveyor belt in the direction of travel, respectively. The discharge port adjustment unit consists of a push-pull assembly, a vibrating motor, and springs. There are two push-pull assemblies, one end of which is connected to the middle of the front and rear side plates, and the other end is connected to the frame or to the ground via a bracket. There are two vibrating motors, which are respectively mounted on the left and right side plates. There are two springs, one end of which is connected to the left and right side plates, and the other end is connected to the frame or to the ground via a bracket.

[0010] The infrared monitoring unit of the above-mentioned conveying device consists of a first infrared monitoring unit, a second infrared monitoring unit, and a third infrared monitoring unit. The three infrared monitoring units are arranged in a triangular shape. The first infrared monitoring unit is located at the top, and its emitted infrared light fully covers the front and rear directions of the material discharge port. The second and third infrared monitoring units are symmetrically arranged below, and their emitted infrared light covers the direction of the front side plate and the direction of the rear side plate below the material discharge port, respectively.

[0011] The aforementioned conveying device comprises a first infrared monitoring unit consisting of a first infrared emitting component and a first infrared receiving component. The first infrared emitting component consists of multiple infrared emitting tubes arranged in 2-3 rows horizontally, with each row of infrared emitting tubes staggered with adjacent rows. The first infrared receiving component consists of a light-collecting component and an infrared receiving tube. The infrared light emitted by the infrared emitting tubes of the first infrared emitting component illuminates the other side of the conveyor belt and is then refracted and concentrated by a convex lens onto the infrared receiving tube. The second and third infrared monitoring units have the same structure as the first infrared monitoring unit.

[0012] The aforementioned conveying device comprises a pusher rod, a driven gear, a driving gear, and a pusher motor. The pusher motor is mounted on the frame and its output is connected to the driving gear. The driven gear is installed in a bearing on the frame and meshes with the driving gear. The pusher rod is fixedly connected to the upper end face of the driving gear.

[0013] In the aforementioned conveying device, the push-pull assembly is an electric push rod, a hydraulic cylinder, or a pneumatic cylinder.

[0014] The control circuit of the aforementioned conveying device further includes a CPU output terminal connected to the base of a transistor, the emitter or collector of the transistor connected to a control relay, and the normally open contacts of each relay connected to the drive motor of the push-pull assembly, the vibration motor, and the sound chip IC, respectively. The sound chip IC is connected to the speaker SP. Beneficial effects

[0015] Compared to existing technologies, this invention has the following advantages: First, it utilizes infrared monitoring technology to monitor the falling state of materials from the discharge port onto the conveyor belt. The infrared monitoring unit is arranged in a triangular pattern. Normal material falling will intermittently block the infrared light. This intermittent blocking has a regularity for specific materials. When the infrared monitoring unit detects that this intermittent regularity is disrupted, it determines that the material is stuck, which can quickly detect the stuck object and prevent jamming and damage to the conveyor belt. Second, the discharge port is set as a split type, with its four inclined side plates that can move independently. The tilt angle of the front and rear side plates is adjustable. By adjusting the tilt angle, the opening of the discharge port is controlled. When the pusher cannot push away the stuck object or the stuck object is completely inside the discharge port, adjusting the opening of the discharge port, while the left and right side plates vibrate, further assists in releasing the stuck object. Third, with the help of push rods set on the frame on both sides of the conveyor belt, driven by a drive motor, the push rods can be rotated to quickly release the stuck objects, such as slender pieces. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the left and right side plates of the material discharge port of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the first infrared emitting component of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the control circuit of the present invention.

[0018] The labels in the diagram represent: 1. Material discharge port; 2. Conveyor belt; 3. Infrared monitoring unit; 3-1. First infrared monitoring group; 3-2. Second infrared monitoring group; 3-3. Third infrared monitoring group; 3-11. First infrared emitting component. 4. Boosting section; 4-1. Boosting rod; 4-2. Passive gear; 4-3. Driving gear; 4-4. Drive motor; 5. Jammed object; 6. Material discharge port adjustment section; 6-1. Push-pull assembly; 6-2. Vibration motor; GD11-GD1n, 11th infrared emitting tube-1nth infrared emitting tube (first infrared emitting assembly); GD21-GD2n, 21st infrared emitting tube-2nth infrared emitting tube (second infrared emitting assembly); GD31-GD3n, 31st infrared emitting tube-3nth infrared emitting tube (third infrared emitting assembly); R1-R6, first resistor-sixth resistor; Q1-Q3, first infrared receiving tube-third infrared receiving tube; J1-J6, first relay-sixth relay; D1-D5, first motor-fifth motor; T1-T6, first transistor-sixth transistor; IC, sound chip; SP, speaker. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the present invention provides a material conveying method and apparatus for preventing material blockage that could damage the conveyor belt.

[0021] The conveying method employed is as follows: Infrared monitoring technology is used to monitor the falling state of materials from the discharge port 1 onto the conveyor belt 2. Three infrared monitoring units 3 are installed between the discharge port 1 and the conveyor belt 2, arranged in a triangular pattern. Normal material falling will intermittently block the infrared light. This intermittent blocking has a regularity for specific materials. When the infrared monitoring units 3 detect that this intermittent regularity is disrupted, it is determined that the material is stuck. The stuck state of the material is determined based on the changes in the signals of the three infrared monitoring units 3. The method to remove the stuck object 5 is to set up a booster unit 4 to apply external force to intervene. At the same time, the discharge port 1 is set to have an adjustable opening. By adjusting the opening of the discharge port 1 in conjunction with the booster unit 4, the stuck object 5 is finally removed, preventing it from puncturing the conveyor belt.

[0022] As shown in the diagram, the arrow indicates the direction of the conveyor belt's movement. Here, the conveyor belt's movement direction is defined as forward. The jamming of object 5 typically involves profiles such as angle steel or steel strips. In most cases, the lower end of object 5 is located behind the material drop outlet 1, while the conveyor belt 2 moves forward. This type of jamming worsens as the conveyor belt 2 moves and generally does not resolve itself. Another type of jamming occurs in the opposite direction, with the lower end of object 5 located in front of the material drop outlet 1. This type of jamming usually resolves itself as the conveyor belt 2 moves. For both types of jamming, booster sections 4 are installed on both sides of the conveyor belt 2, one behind and one in front of the material drop outlet 1, respectively. Alternatively, only one booster section 4 can be installed to address the first type of jamming that does not resolve itself.

[0023] Another type of jamming occurs when the material is completely stuck inside the discharge port 1 and not exposed. In this case, the opening of the discharge port 1 needs to be adjusted to release the jamming.

[0024] The method for adjusting the opening of the discharge port 1 is as follows: the discharge port 1 is set as a split type, and its four inclined side plates can move independently. The tilt angles of the front and rear side plates of the discharge port 1 can be adjusted. By adjusting the tilt angle, the opening of the discharge port 1 can be controlled. When the pusher 4 cannot push away the stuck object 5 or the stuck object 5 is completely inside the discharge port 1, the tilt angles of the front and rear side plates are adjusted to increase the opening of the discharge port 1, so that the material falls smoothly. At the same time, vibration devices are set on the left and right side plates of the discharge port 1. When material jamming occurs, the vibration devices are activated at the same time to speed up the release of the jamming.

[0025] Each infrared monitoring unit 3 contains multiple infrared emitting tubes arranged horizontally. The infrared light from the upper infrared monitoring unit 3 achieves full coverage scanning of the material inlet 1. The two lower infrared monitoring units 3 cooperate with the upper infrared monitoring unit 3 to determine the material jamming status.

[0026] The conveying device employing the above-described conveying method includes a discharge port 1, a conveyor belt 2, an infrared monitoring unit 3, a booster unit 4, a discharge port adjustment unit 6, a CPU, and a control circuit. The infrared monitoring unit 3 is located on both sides of the conveyor belt 2 below the discharge port 1, with an infrared emitting component on one side and an infrared receiving component on the other side. The booster unit 4 is mounted on a frame on one side of the conveyor belt, and the frame is mounted on the ground. The signal output of the infrared monitoring unit 3 is connected to the CPU input terminal, and the CPU output terminal is connected to the drive motors of the booster unit 4 and the discharge port adjustment unit 6, as well as an alarm, via a relay.

[0027] The material discharge port 1 consists of four side plates: front, rear, left, and right. These four side plates are inclined and hinged to the hopper at the top. The front and rear side plates are located in front of and behind the conveyor belt 2 in its running direction, respectively. The material discharge port adjustment unit 6 consists of a push-pull assembly 6-1, a vibration motor 6-2, and springs 6-3. There are two push-pull assemblies 6-1, one end of which is connected to the middle of the front and rear side plates, respectively, and the other end is connected to the frame or to the ground via a bracket. There are two vibration motors 6-2, one mounted on the left and right side plates, respectively. There are two springs 6-3, one end of which is connected to the left and right side plates, respectively, and the other end is connected to the frame or to the ground via a bracket. The push-pull assembly 6-1 can be an electric push rod, a hydraulic cylinder, or a pneumatic cylinder.

[0028] The infrared monitoring unit 3 consists of a first infrared monitoring unit 3-1, a second infrared monitoring unit 3-2, and a third infrared monitoring unit 3-3. The three infrared monitoring units are arranged in a triangular shape. The first infrared monitoring unit 3-1 is located at the top, and its emitted infrared light fully covers the front and rear directions of the material discharge port 1. The second infrared monitoring unit 3-2 and the third infrared monitoring unit 3-3 are symmetrically arranged below, and their emitted infrared light covers the direction of the front side plate and the direction of the rear side plate below the material discharge port 1, respectively.

[0029] The first infrared monitoring unit 3-1 consists of a first infrared emitting component 3-11 and a first infrared receiving component. The first infrared emitting component 3-11 consists of multiple infrared emitting tubes arranged in 2-3 rows in the horizontal direction, with each row of infrared emitting tubes staggered with the adjacent rows. The first infrared receiving component consists of a light-collecting component and an infrared receiving tube. The infrared light emitted by the infrared emitting tubes of the first infrared emitting component 3-11 illuminates the other side of the conveyor belt 2 and is then refracted and concentrated by a convex lens onto the infrared receiving tube. The second infrared monitoring unit 3-2 and the third infrared monitoring unit 3-3 have the same structure as the first infrared monitoring unit 3-1.

[0030] like Figure 4 As shown, the infrared receiver in the first infrared receiving component is Q1, whose output is connected to the P1.0 terminal of the CPU. The CPU can be a C8051F340 series chip, which has up to 40 I / O pins, fully meeting the needs of communication and control with other modules. The P2.0-P2.5 output terminals of the CPU are respectively connected to the base of the transistor, and the emitter or collector of the transistor is connected to the control relay. The normally open contacts of each relay are respectively connected to control the booster motor 4-4, the drive motor of the push-pull assembly 6-1, the vibration motor 6-2, and the sound chip IC. The sound chip IC is connected to the speaker SP. D1-D5 are the first to fifth motors, which respectively refer to the booster motor 4-4, the drive motors of the two push-pull assemblies 6-1, and the two vibration motors 6-2.

[0031] The infrared light emitted by the first infrared emitting component 3-11 can also directly illuminate the fiber optic board. The infrared light is irradiated by the fiber optic board through the fiber optic cable to the convex lens, and then refracted and concentrated by the convex lens to illuminate the infrared receiving tube. This can reduce the size of the component and save space.

[0032] The booster unit 4 consists of a booster rod 4-1, a passive gear 4-2, a driving gear 4-3, and a booster motor 4-4. The booster motor 4-4 is mounted on the frame and its output is connected to the driving gear 4-3. The passive gear 4-2 is installed in a bearing on the frame and meshes with the driving gear 4-3. The booster rod 4-1 is fixedly connected to the upper end face of the driving gear 4-3.

Claims

1. A material conveying method for preventing blockage and conveyor belt damage, characterized in that, Infrared monitoring technology is used to monitor the falling state of materials from the discharge port (1) to the conveyor belt (2). An infrared monitoring unit (3) is set between the discharge port (1) and the conveyor belt (2). There are 3 infrared monitoring units (3) arranged in a triangular pattern. Normal material falling will intermittently block the infrared light. This intermittent blocking is regular for specific materials. When the infrared monitoring unit (3) detects that this intermittent regularity is broken, it is judged that the material is stuck. The material stuck state is judged according to the changes in the signals of the 3 infrared monitoring units (3). Each infrared monitoring unit (3) contains multiple infrared emitting tubes. The multiple infrared emitting tubes are arranged horizontally. The infrared light of the upper infrared monitoring unit (3) achieves full coverage scanning of the discharge port (1). The infrared light of the two lower infrared monitoring units (3) achieves full coverage scanning of the discharge port (1). The monitoring unit (3) works in conjunction with the upper infrared monitoring unit (3) to determine the state of material jamming. The method to remove the jamming is to set up a pusher (4) to apply external force to intervene in the jammed object (5). At the same time, the discharge port (1) is set as a split type, and its four inclined side plates can move independently. The tilt angle of the front and rear side plates of the discharge port (1) can be adjusted. By adjusting the tilt angle, the opening of the discharge port (1) can be controlled. When the pusher (4) cannot push away the jammed object (5) or the jammed object (5) is completely inside the discharge port (1), the tilt angle of the front and rear side plates is adjusted to increase the opening of the discharge port (1) so that the material falls smoothly. At the same time, a vibration device is set on the left and right side plates of the discharge port (1). When material jamming occurs, the vibration device is started at the same time to speed up the removal of the jamming.

2. A conveying device for implementing the method of claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a material discharge port (1), a conveyor belt (2), an infrared monitoring unit (3), a booster unit (4), a material discharge port adjustment unit (6), a CPU, and a control circuit. The infrared monitoring unit (3) is located on both sides of the conveyor belt (2) below the material discharge port (1), with an infrared emitting component on one side and an infrared receiving component on the other side. The booster unit (4) is located on a frame on one side of the conveyor belt, and the frame is located on the ground. The signal output of the infrared monitoring unit (3) is connected to the CPU input terminal, and the CPU output terminal is connected to the drive motors of the booster unit (4) and the material discharge port adjustment unit (6) and an alarm device via a relay. The material discharge port (1) consists of four side plates: front, rear, left, and right. The four side plates are inclined and hinged to the hopper at the top. The front and rear side plates are located in front of and behind the conveyor belt (2) in the running direction, respectively. The material discharge port adjustment part (6) consists of a push-pull assembly (6-1), a vibration motor (6-2), and a spring (6-3). There are two push-pull assemblies (6-1), one end of which is connected to the middle of the front and rear side plates, and the other end is connected to the frame or connected to the ground through a bracket. There are two vibration motors (6-2), which are respectively set on the left and right side plates. There are two springs (6-3), one end of which is connected to the left and right side plates, and the other end is connected to the frame or connected to the ground through a bracket. The infrared monitoring unit (3) consists of a first infrared monitoring unit (3-1), a second infrared monitoring unit (3-2), and a third infrared monitoring unit (3-3). The three infrared monitoring units are arranged in a triangular shape. The first infrared monitoring unit (3-1) is located at the top, and its emitted infrared light fully covers the front and rear directions of the material discharge port (1). The second infrared monitoring unit (3-2) and the third infrared monitoring unit (3-3) are symmetrically arranged below, and their emitted infrared light covers the front and rear sides of the material discharge port (1) respectively. The first infrared monitoring unit (3-1) consists of a first infrared emitting component (3-11) and a first infrared receiving component. The first infrared emitting component (3-11) consists of multiple infrared emitting tubes, which are arranged in 2-3 rows in the horizontal direction. Each row of infrared emitting tubes is staggered with the adjacent row. The first infrared receiving component consists of a light collecting component and an infrared receiving tube. The infrared light emitted by the infrared emitting tube of the first infrared emitting component (3-11) illuminates the other side of the conveyor belt (2) and is then refracted by a convex lens and concentrated onto the infrared receiving tube. The second infrared monitoring unit (3-2) and the third infrared monitoring unit (3-3) have the same structure as the first infrared monitoring unit (3-1).

3. The conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The booster (4) consists of a booster rod (4-1), a passive gear (4-2), a driving gear (4-3), and a booster motor (4-4). The booster motor (4-4) is mounted on the frame and its output is connected to the driving gear (4-3). The passive gear (4-2) is installed in a bearing on the frame and meshes with the driving gear (4-3). The booster rod (4-1) is fixedly connected to the upper end face of the driving gear (4-3).

4. The conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The push-pull assembly (6-1) is an electric push rod, a hydraulic cylinder, or a pneumatic cylinder.

5. The conveying device according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the control circuit, the output of the infrared receiver tube is connected to the input terminal of the CPU, the output terminal of the CPU is connected to the base of the transistor, the emitter or collector of the transistor is connected to the control relay, the normally open contacts of each relay are connected to the drive motor of the push-pull assembly (4-4), the vibration motor (6-2), and the sound chip IC, and the sound chip IC is connected to the speaker SP.

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