Intelligent adjusting device and method for apron board of conveyor

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent adjusting device and method for an apron board of a conveyor, the device comprises a mounting bracket, a guide chute, an apron board assembly and a driving assembly, a plurality of flexible connecting pieces are additionally arranged, the flexible connecting pieces are connected between the driving assembly and the apron board assembly, and pressure sensors are packaged in the flexible connecting pieces. The elastic body of the flexible connecting piece is used for transmitting the adjusting driving force output by the driving assembly and can deform based on the counter-acting force of the belt, so that the apron board assembly can carry out passive self-adaptive following on the dynamic deformation of the belt, and meanwhile, a high-fidelity pressure signal for filtering vibration interference is provided for the sensor. Through the unique flexible sensing and force transmission integrated design, the problems that in the prior art, a sensor signal is prone to being interfered, the service life is short, and the apron board cannot be dynamically self-adapted are solved, and stable, accurate and self-adaptive adjustment of the sealing pressing force of the apron board is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of conveyors, and more specifically to an intelligent adjustment device and method for the skirts of a conveyor. Background Technology

[0002] Belt conveyors are core equipment for the continuous transport of bulk materials in industrial production. The sealing performance of their feed troughs directly affects material loss, dust pollution control, and the cleanliness and safety of the working environment. In the feed trough system, skirts, as key sealing elements, are installed on both sides of the trough. Through continuous and moderate compression with the conveyor belt, they form a dynamic sealing interface to prevent leakage of powdery or fine particulate materials during transport.

[0003] To achieve and maintain an effective seal, adjusting the skirt clamping force is crucial. For a long time, this adjustment has relied primarily on manual methods, using operator experience to adjust the skirt position by tapping with tools or adjusting with bolts. This method has inherent drawbacks: adjustment precision is difficult to quantify, consistency is poor, and uneven clamping force is easily caused—too little pressure leads to seal failure and dust escape; too much pressure accelerates wear between the skirt and the conveyor belt, increases operating energy consumption, and cannot be dynamically adjusted in real time during equipment operation.

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of manual adjustment, automated compensation technology has gradually developed. For example, Chinese utility model patent CN202320514442U discloses an automatic compensation device for a chute skirt. This device rigidly embeds a pressure sensor within the skirt body and is equipped with a vertical drive mechanism consisting of a nitrogen spring and a horizontal drive mechanism consisting of a cylinder and a push rod. Its working logic is as follows: when the sensor detects that the contact stress is below a threshold, the system first drives the horizontal mechanism to move the skirt outward, then uses the nitrogen spring to press the skirt down to compensate for the gap, and finally resets and tightens the skirt.

[0005] While this type of solution introduces the concept of automated compensation, it still exposes a series of fundamental technical limitations caused by the sensor embedding method in practical applications, severely restricting the accuracy, real-time performance, and reliability of the seal adjustment: Signal distortion leads to inaccurate adjustment benchmarks: As a wear-resistant component in direct contact with the high-speed belt, the skirt plate continuously endures vibration, impact, and material friction. With the pressure sensor directly embedded in the skirt plate, a rigid, integral structure is formed between the sensor and the skirt plate. This causes dynamic interference from the belt's high-frequency vibration and instantaneous impacts to be transmitted directly to the sensor without attenuation, resulting in a noisy output signal and a low signal-to-noise ratio. Using this distorted signal as the adjustment benchmark, the control system struggles to accurately identify the true attenuation trend of the sealing pressure, easily leading to misjudgments, unnecessary malfunctions, or compensation lags, severely limiting adjustment accuracy.

[0006] The sensing unit is vulnerable to damage and difficult to maintain, making it hard to guarantee system reliability: As a precision electronic component, the pressure sensor's typical lifespan is far shorter than that of the wear-resistant skirt plate. Embedding the pressure sensor inside the skirt plate exposes it directly to a harsh environment of high wear and high mechanical impact, making it highly susceptible to failure before the skirt plate itself. Once the pressure sensor fails, the entire automatic compensation system loses its sensing function and becomes paralyzed. More importantly, replacing the sensor requires disassembling the entire skirt plate, resulting in cumbersome maintenance procedures and long downtime, significantly impacting system availability and long-term operational economy, making it difficult to guarantee the continuous reliability of automated regulation.

[0007] In summary, existing skirt adjustment devices have significant shortcomings in terms of adjustment accuracy and long-term maintainability. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent adjustment device and method for the skirt of a conveyor, so as to improve the accuracy and reliability of the sealing performance of the guide chute.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A smart skirt adjustment device for a conveyor includes a mounting bracket, a guide chute, a skirt assembly, and a drive assembly, and further includes: Multiple flexible connectors are connected between the drive assembly and the skirt assembly to transmit the driving force output by the drive assembly and to deform based on the reaction force of the belt on the skirt assembly, so that the skirt assembly can adaptively follow the dynamic deformation of the belt. The flexible connector is equipped with a pressure sensor to detect the clamping force of the skirt assembly on the conveyor belt in real time. The controller has its signal input terminal electrically connected to the pressure sensor and its signal output terminal electrically connected to the drive assembly, and is used to generate a control signal based on the clamping force to adjust the action of the drive assembly.

[0010] The skirt assembly includes a support base, multiple skirt brackets, and a skirt. The support base is connected to the guide groove, the skirt brackets are hinged to the lower end of the support base, and the skirt is mounted on the skirt brackets. The flexible connector is hinged to the skirt brackets. When the drive assembly drives the flexible connector to move, the flexible connector causes the skirt brackets to swing with the hinge point between them and the support base as the fulcrum.

[0011] The skirt assembly also includes a canvas seal, one side of which is connected to the support base, and the other side is clamped between the skirt bracket and the skirt.

[0012] The drive assembly includes a stepper motor and an adjustment mechanism driven by the stepper motor. The adjustment mechanism is hinged to one end of the flexible connector. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment rod and a slider. One end of the adjustment rod is connected to the stepper motor, and the other end is connected to the slider.

[0013] The support base is provided with a first connecting plate connected to the guide trough and a second connecting plate connected to the skirt bracket. The first connecting plate and the second connecting plate form an L-shaped structure. Multiple sets of slide rails are provided below the first connecting plate. Multiple sliding parts are provided on the slider, and the sliding parts are engaged with the slide rails.

[0014] The slider is provided with a plurality of first hinge seats, and the skirt bracket is provided with second hinge seats that correspond one-to-one with the first hinge seats. The two ends of the flexible connector are respectively hinged to the corresponding first hinge seats and second hinge seats.

[0015] The flexible connector includes a body made of elastic material, and the pressure sensor is encapsulated within the body.

[0016] A method for intelligent adjustment of the skirt of a conveyor, which is based on the intelligent skirt adjustment device of a conveyor as described above, specifically includes the following steps: Step 1: Set the pressure threshold range for normal operation of the skirt panel [X1, X2], and set the high-pressure adjustment target value X0, low-pressure adjustment target value X4, overload pressure value X3, interference adjustment value X5, and adjustable judgment value X6, where X6... <X5<X1<X2<X3,X1<X0<X2,X1<X4<X2; Step 2: Data acquisition and fluctuation filtering anomaly detection; After the conveyor starts, the controller samples all pressure sensor data at a fixed frequency; reads the instantaneous pressure value at a single point; when the instantaneous pressure value at a single point exceeds the range of [X1, X2], the system does not act immediately, but instead starts fluctuation filtering; retrieves N consecutive sampled values ​​centered on the abnormal moment from the memory circular buffer, and calculates its average value Mi; If Mi returns to within [X1, X2], it is determined to be a transient fluctuation and the event is ignored; if Mi still exceeds the limit, it is confirmed as a valid anomaly, and proceed to step 3 to perform pressure regulation. Step 3: Pressure adjustment; Step 3.1: If one or more abnormal points are found, and the pressure values ​​of all abnormal points are lower than the lower limit of the threshold X1, then the overall pressure value is increased with the target value of low pressure adjustment X4 as the target. Step 3.2: If one or more abnormal points are found, and the pressure values ​​of all abnormal points are higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, then the overall pressure value will be lowered with the high pressure adjustment target value X0 as the target. Step 3.3: If more than one abnormal point is found, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the overload pressure value X3, then the overall pressure value is reduced with the upper limit of the threshold X2 as the target value. Step 3.4: If two or more abnormal points appear, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the upper threshold X2 and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is lower than the lower threshold X1, then the overall pressure value is lowered with the upper threshold X2 as the target value, and then the overall pressure value is raised with the lower threshold X1 as the target value.

[0017] In step 3.1, the operation of adjusting the overall pressure value is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn), where n is the number of pressure sensors, which corresponds to the number of flexible connectors; then start the drive component to increase the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the target value X4. During the pressurization process, the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt are acquired in real time and it is determined whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the upper limit of the threshold X2. If the pressure value at any point reaches the upper limit of the threshold by 2 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt board is abnormal and an alarm is triggered. If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after pressurization, check whether Max(M1,M2,...,Mn) is greater than or equal to X2-a. If it is greater than or equal to, then fine-tune and reduce the pressure by b points, and then the adjustment ends; if it is less than, then the adjustment ends. In step 3.2, the specific operation of lowering the overall pressure value is as follows: The adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the target value X0. During the pressure reduction process, the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt are obtained in real time and it is determined whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1. If the pressure value at a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt has an abnormality and material interference is handled. In step 3.3, the specific operation of lowering the overall pressure value is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn); then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2; After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined whether the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range. If Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than the lower limit of the threshold, the skirt board is determined to be abnormal and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the pressure reduction continues, and the pressure values ​​of the adjustment points are reduced to the target value X0, and the overall pressure reduction operation procedure in step 3.2 is followed. The specific operation of step 3.4 is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2; After the pressure is reduced, it is determined whether Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is less than the adjustable judgment value X6. If it is less, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is obtained, and the drive component is started to pressurize the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the lower limit of the threshold X1. Then, it is determined whether Max(M1,M2,……,Mn) is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2. If it is not higher, the adjustment is completed, it is determined that there may be danger, and the record is kept; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2. After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered.

[0018] In step 3.2, the material interference handling is as follows: Obtain the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn), then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the interference adjustment value X5, pause for c seconds, and then increase the pressure again to the lower limit of the threshold X1; after the pressure is increased, if the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range, the adjustment ends; if the pressure value of any point is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered; If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after the pressure reduction is completed, determine whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is close to the lower limit of the threshold (i.e., whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than or equal to X1+a). If it is close, then fine-tune by adding b pressure points and the adjustment ends; if it is not close, then the adjustment ends.

[0019] By adopting the above solution, this invention, through its unique flexible connector design, completely encapsulates the pressure sensor within the flexible connector, constructing a "flexible sensing interface." This structure, on the one hand, utilizes the damping properties of elastic materials to effectively filter out interference from high-frequency vibrations and instantaneous impacts generated during belt operation, outputting a stable, high-fidelity signal that accurately reflects the average clamping force, fundamentally solving the problem of signal distortion. On the other hand, the flexible connector acts as a physical barrier, isolating the core sensing element from harsh working conditions such as wear and impact, significantly improving the sensor's lifespan and reliability. Simultaneously, this flexible connector, combined with the ball joint structures at both ends connected in series in the transmission chain, allows the skirt assembly to passively adapt to the dynamic deformation of the belt, achieving a smooth fit and self-adaptive sealing, significantly reducing the risk of abnormal wear.

[0020] Furthermore, this invention employs a multi-level pressure threshold system and intelligent judgment logic. First, through a fluctuation filtering mechanism of "single-point instantaneous triggering - time interval averaging confirmation," it accurately distinguishes between instantaneous interference and actual pressure anomalies, greatly reducing erroneous actions. Then, for different identified anomaly patterns, differentiated adjustment strategies are triggered. These strategies not only achieve precise closed-loop adjustment of the clamping force but also embed safety monitoring (such as preventing over-adjustment) and fault-tolerant handling (such as material interference) logic, making the adjustment process safe and reliable. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the device of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The main view; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the interaction between the skirt assembly and the drive assembly; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention.

[0022] Label Explanation: Mounting bracket 10; 20 feed chute; Skirt assembly 30; support base 31; first connecting plate 311; slide rail 3111; first hinge base 3112; second connecting plate 312; skirt bracket 32; second hinge base 321; skirt 33; canvas seal 34; Stepper motor 41; Adjusting rod 42; Slider 43; Sliding part 431; Flexible connector 50; Belt 60. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail and completely below in conjunction with specific application scenarios of conveyor belt systems and accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can fully understand and implement this invention.

[0024] This invention discloses an intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor, comprising a mounting bracket 10, a guide chute 20, a skirt assembly 30, a drive assembly, and multiple flexible connectors 50. The intelligent skirt adjustment device is installed in pairs on both sides of the conveyor belt and below the guide chute 20. Its core function is to ensure that the skirt 33 on the side wall of the guide chute 20 maintains an optimal and stable sealing pressure between itself and the continuously running belt 60 below, thereby effectively preventing leakage of conveyed materials such as coal powder and ore powder during dynamic processes.

[0025] The mounting bracket 10 is fixed to both sides of the conveyor belt frame, providing a stable installation reference for the entire adjustment device. The guide chute 20 is bolted to the upper part of the mounting bracket 10 and spans across the belt 60. In the conveyor belt system, the guide chute 20 is responsible for receiving and guiding the falling material. Its precise positioning establishes a reliable spatial and geometric reference for the dynamic sealing adjustment of the skirt 33.

[0026] The skirt assembly 30 is the actuator that directly contacts and seals the moving belt 60. The skirt assembly 30 includes a support 31, a skirt bracket 32, a skirt 33, and a canvas seal 34.

[0027] The support base 31 provides a sturdy hinge fulcrum for the swing of the skirt bracket 32, while also bearing all the adjustment reaction forces transmitted by the drive mechanism. The support base 31 is L-shaped and consists of a vertically arranged first connecting plate 311 and a horizontally downward extending second connecting plate 312. The first connecting plate 311 is fastened to the side wall of the guide trough 20 by bolts, thereby suspending the entire assembly below the guide trough 20.

[0028] The upper end of the skirt bracket 32 ​​is connected to the lower end of the second connecting plate 312 of the support base 31 via a hinge, forming a hinged relationship that allows rotation around this axis. The skirt 33 is detachably installed on the lower side (i.e., the side facing the belt 60) of the skirt bracket 32 ​​via a pressure plate and locking bolts. As a wear-resistant component that directly performs sealing, the detachable design of the skirt 33 allows for quick and individual replacement after long-term wear and tear from material erosion, greatly simplifying the maintenance process of the core vulnerable parts of the conveyor belt system and significantly reducing downtime.

[0029] The canvas seal 34 is located outside the hinge area formed by the skirt bracket 32 ​​and the support base 31. One side of it is fixed to the side of the support base 31 by a pressure strip and screws, while the other side is clamped between the skirt bracket 32 ​​and the pressure plate that fixes the skirt 33. When the skirt bracket 32 ​​swings around the hinge point, the flexible canvas seal 34 deforms accordingly, always tightly covering the hinge gap, fundamentally solving the problem of powdery materials escaping from this moving part and ensuring the integrity of the dynamic seal.

[0030] The drive assembly includes a stepper motor 41 and an adjustment mechanism driven by the stepper motor 41. The stepper motor 41 is mounted on the mounting bracket 10 via a motor mount, and the adjustment mechanism is hinged to one end of the flexible connector 50.

[0031] The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment rod 42 and a slider 43. One end of the adjustment rod 42 is connected to a stepper motor 41, and the other end is connected to the slider 43. Considering the dusty and humid environment of the conveyor belt site, and the possibility that the mechanism may be subjected to uneven lateral forces caused by belt 60 deviation, the present invention provides multiple sets of slide rails on the lower surface of the first connecting plate 311 of the support base 31. The slider 43 is provided with multiple sliding parts 431, which cooperate with the slide rails. This arrangement can disperse the force exerted by the slider 43 on the first connecting plate 311, making the sliding smoother, thereby ensuring the long-term reliability and repeatability of the adjustment action.

[0032] Each of the multiple flexible connectors 50 comprises a body made of elastic material, which completely encapsulates the pressure sensor. The two ends of the flexible connector 50 are hinged to the first hinge seat 3112 on the slider 43 and the second hinge seat 321 on the skirt support 32 via ball joint structures. As a key link in the transmission chain, the flexible connector 50 converts the precise linear displacement of the slider 43 into a tension or thrust force on the skirt support 32 without interference via the ball joints. During operation, the conveyor belt often experiences belt 60 vibration, local bulging (such as when passing idler joints), or momentary deviation. In such cases, a rigid connection would force the skirt 33 to scrape the belt 60, exacerbating wear and even causing jamming. The elastic body of the flexible connector 50 can undergo slight compression, tension, or shear deformation, allowing the skirt 33 and support to produce localized, passive adaptive deflection, thereby significantly reducing abnormal wear and operating resistance. High-frequency vibration of the conveyor belt and material impact are the main causes of high pressure signal noise. The material properties of the flexible connector 50 enable it to effectively absorb and attenuate these high-frequency mechanical energies. Therefore, the internal sensor detects a smoothed stress signal after physical filtering by the flexible connector 50. This signal accurately reflects the average tension of the skirt 33 on the belt 60 over time, providing an accurate and stable data source of on-site operating conditions for subsequent intelligent control.

[0033] The controller's signal input terminal is electrically connected to the pressure sensor, and its signal output terminal is electrically connected to the drive assembly, used to generate a control signal based on the clamping force to adjust the action of the drive assembly.

[0034] Working principle: When it is necessary to increase the clamping force of the skirt plate 33 on the belt 60, the controller drives the stepper motor 41 to rotate forward, pushing the slider 42 to move closer to the guide chute 20. The slider 43 pushes the upper part of the skirt plate bracket 32 ​​through the flexible connector 50, causing it to swing around the hinge point towards the belt 60, thereby pressing the skirt plate 33 down. The pressure change is detected in real time by the pressure sensor in the flexible connector 50 and fed back to the controller, forming a closed-loop control. The elastic deformation of the flexible connector 50 not only buffers the vibration of the belt 60 and improves the detection accuracy, but also allows a single skirt plate bracket 32 ​​to produce a slight adaptive deflection when the belt 60 has local bulges or deviations, avoiding hard scraping and achieving dynamic sealing.

[0035] Based on the above-mentioned intelligent adjustment device, such as Figure 4 As shown, the present invention also discloses an intelligent adjustment method for the skirt of a conveyor. This method uses a set of sophisticated logic to convert high-fidelity sensor signals into safe, accurate and fault-tolerant adjustment actions.

[0036] Step 1: Establishing a multi-threshold system to adapt to conveyor belt operating conditions. Based on the belt tension 60, material characteristics, and allowable pressure of the skirt 33, set the normal operating pressure threshold range of the skirt 33 [X1, X2]. Set the high-pressure adjustment target value X0, low-pressure adjustment target value X4, overload pressure value X3, interference adjustment value X5, and adjustable judgment value X6, where X6... <X5<X1<X2<X3,X1<X0<X2,X1<X4<X2。

[0037] Step 2: Data acquisition and fluctuation filtering anomaly detection; After the conveyor starts, the controller samples all sensor data at a fixed frequency (e.g., 100Hz).

[0038] The system reads the instantaneous pressure value at a single point. When the instantaneous pressure value at a single point exceeds the range [X1, X2], the system does not act immediately but instead initiates fluctuation filtering. It retrieves N consecutive sampled values ​​centered at the abnormal moment from the memory circular buffer and calculates their average value Mi.

[0039] If Mi returns to within [X1, X2], it is determined to be a transient fluctuation (such as caused by the impact of a large piece of material), and the event is ignored. If Mi still exceeds the limit, it is confirmed as a valid anomaly and enters the adjustment decision process. This step 2 effectively distinguishes between transient impacts commonly seen on conveyor belts and real pressure trend changes (such as wear), greatly reducing the false trigger rate, ensuring the necessity and seriousness of each adjustment initiation, and extending the life of the mechanism.

[0040] Step 3: Multi-mode intelligent adjustment.

[0041] Step 3.1: If one or more abnormal points are found, and the pressure values ​​of all abnormal points are lower than the lower threshold limit X1, then obtain the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn); then start the drive component to increase the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the target value X4. During the pressurization process, obtain the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt 33 in real time and determine whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the upper threshold limit X2. If the pressure value at a certain point reaches the upper limit of the threshold X2 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt 33 is abnormal and an alarm is triggered.

[0042] If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after pressurization, determine whether Max(M1,M2,...,Mn) approaches the upper limit of the threshold (i.e., whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is greater than or equal to X2-a). If it approaches, then fine-tune and reduce the pressure by b points, and the adjustment ends; if it does not approach, then the adjustment ends.

[0043] Step 3.2: If more than one abnormal point appears, and the pressure value of all abnormal points is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, then the pressure value of the adjustment point is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), where n is the number of pressure sensors, which corresponds to the number of flexible connectors 50; then the drive component is started to reduce the pressure value of the adjustment point Mk to the target value X0. During the decompression process, the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt 33 are obtained in real time and it is determined whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1.

[0044] If the pressure value at a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt 33 is abnormal and material interference processing is performed.

[0045] Material interference is handled as follows: Obtain the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn), then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the interference adjustment value X5, pause for c seconds, and then increase the pressure again to the lower limit of the threshold X1; after the pressure is increased, if the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range, the adjustment ends; if the pressure value of a certain point is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt 33 and an alarm is triggered.

[0046] If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after the pressure reduction is completed, determine whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is close to the lower limit of the threshold (i.e., whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than or equal to X1+a). If it is close, then fine-tune by adding b pressure points and the adjustment ends; if it is not close, then the adjustment ends.

[0047] Step 3.3: If more than one abnormal point occurs, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the overload pressure value X3, then the adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), where n is the number of pressure sensors, which corresponds to the number of flexible connectors 50; then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2.

[0048] After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined whether the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range. If Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than the lower limit of the threshold, the skirt 33 is determined to be abnormal and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the pressure reduction continues, and the pressure values ​​of the adjustment points are reduced to the target value X0, and the process is carried out according to the procedure in step 3.2.

[0049] Step 3.4: If two or more abnormal points appear, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is lower than the lower limit of the threshold X1, then the adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the driving component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2.

[0050] After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined whether Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is less than the adjustable judgment value X6. If it is less than that, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt 33 and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is obtained, and the drive component is started to pressurize the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the lower limit of the threshold X1.

[0051] Then, it is determined whether Max(M1,M2,……,Mn) is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2. If it is not higher, the adjustment is completed, it is determined that there may be danger, and the record is kept; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2. After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt 33 and an alarm is triggered.

[0052] To better illustrate the above method, an example will be given below.

[0053] Five pressure detection points are set on a skirt plate 33, and the pressure threshold range [X1,X2] for normal operation of the skirt plate 33 is set as [45,55], X6=40N, X5=43N, X3=65N, X0=X4=50N, a=1N, b=2N.

[0054] When the average values ​​M1-M5 of the five pressure detection points are 43N, 45N, 44N, 50N, and 48N respectively at a certain moment, there are two outliers, and the pressure values ​​of both outliers are less than the lower threshold X1. At this time, the adjustment point pressure value is 43N, and the drive component is activated to increase the overall pressure from 43N to 50N. During the adjustment process, the following situations may occur: (1) If the pressure value at the adjustment point reaches 50N, and the pressure values ​​at the five pressure detection points are all within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 50N, 50N, 49N, 49N and 48N respectively, then the adjustment ends.

[0055] (2) If the pressure value at the adjustment point reaches 50N, the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point approaches the lower limit of the threshold. For example, the five pressure values ​​are 50N, 51N, 50N, 54N, and 52N. At this time, the overall pressure is adjusted downward by 2N (b), and the pressure values ​​at each pressure detection point after adjustment are 49N, 50N, 49N, 52N, and 51N, respectively.

[0056] (3) If the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point reaches 55N before the adjustment point pressure value reaches 50N, the upward adjustment stops. At this time, if the pressure values ​​at all five pressure detection points are within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 46N, 50N, 49N, 55N, and 51N respectively, the adjustment ends. If the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point is not within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 44N, 48N, 49N, 55N, and 51N respectively, the skirt panel 33 is determined to be abnormal, and an alarm is triggered.

[0057] When the average values ​​M1-M5 of the five pressure detection points are 58N, 54N, 55N, 50N, and 49N respectively at a certain moment, there are two outliers, and the pressure values ​​of both outliers are greater than the upper limit of the threshold X2. At this time, the adjustment point pressure value is 58N, and the drive component is activated to lower the overall pressure from 58N to 50N. During the adjustment process, the following situations may occur: (1) If the pressure value at the adjustment point reaches 50N, and the pressure values ​​at the five pressure detection points are all within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 50N, 50N, 50N, 53N, and 52N respectively, then the adjustment ends.

[0058] (2) If the pressure value at the adjustment point reaches 50N, the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point approaches the upper limit of the threshold. For example, the five pressure values ​​are 50N, 50N, 49N, 49N, and 46N. At this time, the overall pressure is slightly adjusted upward by 2N (b), and the pressure values ​​at the individual pressure detection points after adjustment are 52N, 51N, 50N, 50N, and 48N, respectively.

[0059] (3) If the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point reaches 45N before the adjustment point pressure value reaches 50N, stop adjusting. At this time, if the pressure values ​​at all five pressure detection points are within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 52N, 50N, 49N, 49N, and 45N respectively, then the adjustment ends. If the pressure value at a certain pressure detection point is not within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 56N, 50N, 49N, 49N, and 45N respectively, then material interference processing is performed.

[0060] The material interference handling is as follows: Select the minimum value of 45N as the adjustment point pressure value, start the drive component to adjust the overall pressure downward, from 45N to 43N. After a 2-second pause, adjust the overall pressure upward again, making the minimum of all pressure values ​​45N. At this point, if the pressure values ​​of all five pressure detection points are within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 54N, 50N, 49N, 49N, and 45N respectively, the adjustment ends; if the pressure value of any pressure detection point is not within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 56N, 50N, 49N, 49N, and 45N respectively, then the skirt plate 33 is determined to be abnormal, and an alarm is triggered.

[0061] When the average values ​​M1-M5 of the five pressure detection points are 66N, 54N, 52N, 51N, and 54N respectively at a certain moment, there is one abnormal point, and the pressure value at this abnormal point is greater than the overload pressure value of 65N. At this time, the adjustment point pressure value is 65N, and the drive component is activated to lower the overall pressure from 65N to 55N. During the adjustment process, the following situations may occur: (1) When the adjustment point pressure value reaches 55N, the pressure values ​​of the five pressure detection points are all within the threshold range. For example, the five pressure values ​​are 55N, 48N, 47N, 47N, and 50N. At this time, select the adjustment point pressure value as 55N, and start the drive component again to adjust the overall pressure down to 55N→50N. During the adjustment process, follow the overall adjustment in step 3.2.

[0062] (2) If the pressure value of a certain pressure detection point is not within the threshold range, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 55N, 48N, 45N, 44N and 50N respectively, the skirt 33 is determined to be abnormal and an alarm is triggered.

[0063] When the average values ​​M1-M5 of the five pressure detection points are 58N, 52N, 47N, 46N, and 42N respectively at a certain moment, there are two outliers. One outlier's pressure value is greater than the upper threshold limit X2, and the other outlier's pressure value is less than the lower threshold limit X1. At this time, the adjustment point pressure value is 57N. The drive component is activated to lower the overall pressure from 58N to 55N. After the adjustment is completed, the following situations may occur: (1) If the minimum value among all the pressure values ​​after adjustment is less than the adjustable judgment value of 40N, for example, if the five pressure values ​​are 55N, 50N, 45N, 44N and 39N respectively, the skirt 33 is judged to be abnormal and an alarm is triggered.

[0064] (2) The minimum value among all pressure values ​​after adjustment is not less than the adjustable judgment value of 40N. For example, the five pressure values ​​are 55N, 50N, 45N, 44N, and 40N. At this time, the adjustment point pressure value is selected as 40N, and the drive component is started to pressurize the whole system, so that 40N→45N. After pressurization, if the maximum value among all pressure values ​​does not exceed the upper limit of the threshold, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 55N, 53N, 49N, 48N, and 45N, the adjustment is completed, it is judged that there may be danger, and a record is kept; if the maximum value among all pressure values ​​exceeds the upper limit of the threshold, for example, the five pressure values ​​are 56N, 53N, 49N, 48N, and 45N, the drive component is started to depressurize the whole system, so that 56N→55N, the skirt 33 is judged to be abnormal, and an alarm is triggered.

[0065] In summary, this invention constructs a closed-loop system that deeply integrates mechanical transmission, flexible sensing, and intelligent control, encompassing "perception-decision-execution-adaptation." Its core working cycle is as follows: (1) A pressure sensor embedded in the elastic body of the flexible connector 50 continuously detects the internal stress changes caused by the clamping force of the skirt plate 33 on the belt 60. Due to the damping characteristics of the flexible material, the high-frequency vibration and instantaneous impact during the operation of the belt 60 are effectively filtered out, and the sensor outputs a stable and true average clamping force electrical signal, which solves the fundamental problem of signal distortion in traditional rigid installation.

[0066] (2) The controller receives multiple pressure signals in real time. First, it runs the "fluctuation filtering" logic to distinguish between instantaneous interference and real anomalies by calculating short-term average values. Then, it compares and analyzes the confirmed valid anomaly data with the preset multi-level pressure threshold system (including normal range, overload threshold, interference adjustment value and adjustable judgment value, etc.) to intelligently determine the anomaly type, such as uniform wear, local material blockage, severe overload or structural imbalance.

[0067] (3) Based on the decision results, the controller generates precise instructions. Taking increasing the clamping force as an example, the controller drives the stepper motor 41 to rotate forward, and pushes the slider 43 to move smoothly through the adjusting rod 42. The linear displacement of the slider 43 is transmitted through multiple flexible connectors 50, pulling the upper part of the skirt support 32, causing it to swing around the fixed hinge point towards the belt 60, and finally driving the skirt 33 to press down. During this process, the pressure change is detected by the sensor in real time and fed back to the controller, forming a closed-loop control circuit to ensure that the clamping force is precisely adjusted to the target range.

[0068] (4) The elastic deformation of the flexible connector 50 not only buffers the vibration of the belt 60 and improves the detection accuracy, but its combination with the ball joint structure at both ends also allows a single skirt bracket 32 ​​to generate a slight passive adaptive deflection when the belt 60 experiences local bulging or deviation, thereby avoiding hard scraping and achieving dynamic sealing. At the same time, the controller implements safety monitoring throughout the adjustment process. For example, during pressurization, it monitors the entire system to prevent any pressure from exceeding the limit, and when extreme distortion of the pressure distribution is detected, it automatically initiates fault-tolerant processes such as material interference or triggers a fault alarm.

[0069] Based on the aforementioned collaborative working mechanism, this device achieves comprehensive technical effects: The unique design of the flexible sensing interface effectively resolves the long-standing contradiction between inaccurate signal perception and sensor fragility; the combination of a precision drive mechanism and an intelligent multi-threshold control algorithm enables precise and safe closed-loop adjustment of the sealing clamping force at the millimeter / Newton level, replacing the crude manual or simple mechanical compensation mode; the system's inherent passive adaptive characteristics allow it to smoothly respond to dynamic changes in the conveyor belt, significantly reducing wear while ensuring sealing; finally, through data accumulation and intelligent diagnosis, the system possesses preliminary fault warning and condition assessment capabilities, promoting the upgrade of maintenance mode to predictive maintenance. Through systematic integration, this invention enables the skirt 33 seal to autonomously adapt to complex working conditions and intelligently maintain its optimal state.

[0070] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any limitation on the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart skirt adjustment device for a conveyor, comprising a mounting bracket, a guide chute, a skirt assembly, and a drive assembly, characterized in that, Also includes: Multiple flexible connectors are connected between the drive assembly and the skirt assembly to transmit the driving force output by the drive assembly and to deform based on the reaction force of the belt on the skirt assembly, so that the skirt assembly can adaptively follow the dynamic deformation of the belt. The flexible connector is equipped with a pressure sensor to detect the clamping force of the skirt assembly on the conveyor belt in real time. The controller has its signal input terminal electrically connected to the pressure sensor and its signal output terminal electrically connected to the drive assembly, and is used to generate a control signal based on the clamping force to adjust the action of the drive assembly.

2. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The skirt assembly includes a support base, multiple skirt brackets, and a skirt. The support base is connected to the guide groove, the skirt brackets are hinged to the lower end of the support base, and the skirt is mounted on the skirt brackets. The flexible connector is hinged to the skirt brackets. When the drive assembly drives the flexible connector to move, the flexible connector causes the skirt brackets to swing with the hinge point between them and the support base as the fulcrum.

3. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The skirt assembly also includes a canvas seal, one side of which is connected to the support base, and the other side is clamped between the skirt bracket and the skirt.

4. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a stepper motor and an adjustment mechanism driven by the stepper motor. The adjustment mechanism is hinged to one end of the flexible connector. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment rod and a slider. One end of the adjustment rod is connected to the stepper motor, and the other end is connected to the slider.

5. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support base is provided with a first connecting plate connected to the guide trough and a second connecting plate connected to the skirt bracket. The first connecting plate and the second connecting plate form an L-shaped structure. Multiple sets of slide rails are provided below the first connecting plate. Multiple sliding parts are provided on the slider, and the sliding parts are engaged with the slide rails.

6. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The slider is provided with a plurality of first hinge seats, and the skirt bracket is provided with second hinge seats that correspond one-to-one with the first hinge seats. The two ends of the flexible connector are respectively hinged to the corresponding first hinge seats and second hinge seats.

7. The intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible connector includes a body made of elastic material, and the pressure sensor is encapsulated within the body.

8. A method for intelligent adjustment of the skirt of a conveyor, characterized in that, Based on the intelligent skirt adjustment device for a conveyor as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method specifically includes the following steps: Step 1: Set the pressure threshold range for normal operation of the skirt panel [X1, X2], and set the high-pressure adjustment target value X0, low-pressure adjustment target value X4, overload pressure value X3, interference adjustment value X5, and adjustable judgment value X6, where X6... <X5<X1<X2<X3,X1<X0<X2,X1<X4<X2; Step 2: Data acquisition and fluctuation filtering anomaly detection; After the conveyor starts, the controller samples all pressure sensor data at a fixed frequency; reads the instantaneous pressure value at a single point; when the instantaneous pressure value at a single point exceeds the range of [X1, X2], the system does not act immediately, but instead starts fluctuation filtering; retrieves N consecutive sampled values ​​centered on the abnormal moment from the memory circular buffer, and calculates its average value Mi; If Mi returns to within [X1, X2], it is determined to be a transient fluctuation and the event is ignored; if Mi still exceeds the limit, it is confirmed as a valid anomaly, and proceed to step 3 to perform pressure regulation. Step 3: Pressure adjustment; Step 3.1: If one or more abnormal points are found, and the pressure values ​​of all abnormal points are lower than the lower limit of the threshold X1, then the overall pressure value is increased with the target value of low pressure adjustment X4 as the target. Step 3.2: If one or more abnormal points are found, and the pressure values ​​of all abnormal points are higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, then the overall pressure value will be lowered with the high pressure adjustment target value X0 as the target. Step 3.3: If more than one abnormal point is found, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the overload pressure value X3, then the overall pressure value is reduced with the upper limit of the threshold X2 as the target value. Step 3.4: If two or more abnormal points appear, and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is higher than the upper threshold X2 and the pressure value of at least one abnormal point is lower than the lower threshold X1, then the overall pressure value is lowered with the upper threshold X2 as the target value, and then the overall pressure value is raised with the lower threshold X1 as the target value.

9. The intelligent adjustment method for the skirt of a conveyor according to claim 8, characterized in that, In step 3.1, the operation of adjusting the overall pressure value is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn), where n is the number of pressure sensors, which corresponds to the number of flexible connectors; then start the drive component to increase the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the target value X4. During the pressurization process, the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt are acquired in real time and it is determined whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the upper limit of the threshold X2. If the pressure value at any point reaches the upper limit of the threshold by 2 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt board is abnormal and an alarm is triggered. If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after pressurization, check whether Max(M1,M2,...,Mn) is greater than or equal to X2-a. If it is greater than or equal to, then fine-tune and reduce the pressure by b points, and then the adjustment ends; if it is less than, then the adjustment ends. In step 3.2, the specific operation of lowering the overall pressure value is as follows: The adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the target value X0. During the pressure reduction process, the pressure values ​​of multiple points on the skirt are obtained in real time and it is determined whether the pressure value of a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1. If the pressure value at a certain point reaches the lower limit of the threshold X1 during the adjustment process, the pressure reduction is stopped; then it is determined whether the pressure values ​​at all points are within the pressure threshold range. If they are all within the pressure threshold range, the adjustment ends; otherwise, it is determined that the skirt has an abnormality and material interference is handled. In step 3.3, the specific operation of lowering the overall pressure value is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn); then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2; After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined whether the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range. If Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than the lower limit of the threshold, the skirt board is determined to be abnormal and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the pressure reduction continues, and the pressure values ​​of the adjustment points are reduced to the target value X0, and the overall pressure reduction operation procedure in step 3.2 is followed. The specific operation of step 3.4 is as follows: Get the adjustment point pressure value as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2; After the pressure is reduced, it is determined whether Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is less than the adjustable judgment value X6. If it is less, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn) is obtained, and the drive component is started to pressurize the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the lower limit of the threshold X1. Then, it is determined whether Max(M1,M2,……,Mn) is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2. If it is not higher, the adjustment is completed, it is determined that there may be danger, and the record is kept; otherwise, the adjustment point pressure value is obtained as Mk=Max(M1,M2,……,Mn), and then the drive component is started to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the upper limit of the threshold X2. After the pressure reduction is completed, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered.

10. The intelligent adjustment method for the skirt of a conveyor according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step 3.2, the material interference handling is as follows: Obtain the adjustment point pressure value Mk=Min(M1,M2,……,Mn), then start the drive component to reduce the adjustment point pressure value Mk to the interference adjustment value X5, pause for c seconds, and then increase the pressure again to the lower limit of the threshold X1; after the pressure is increased, if the pressure values ​​of all points are within the threshold range, the adjustment ends; if the pressure value of any point is higher than the upper limit of the threshold X2, it is determined that there is a problem with the skirt board and an alarm is triggered; If all pressure values ​​are within the pressure threshold range during the adjustment process, after the pressure reduction is completed, determine whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is close to the lower limit of the threshold (i.e., whether Min(M1,M2,...,Mn) is less than or equal to X1+a). If it is close, then fine-tune by adding b pressure points and the adjustment ends; if it is not close, then the adjustment ends.

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