Height-Adjustable Baggage Conveyor with Pivoting Feed Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current baggage conveyor systems face challenges in quickly and efficiently loading and unloading luggage from aircraft, particularly due to the need for precise height adjustments and manual handling, which can result in damage to aircraft and inefficiencies in handling multiple luggage trolleys.
Innovation Solution
A baggage conveyor system with a height-adjustable rear end and pivoting feed conveyor, utilizing an intermediate table that can be level with the main and feed conveyors, allowing for adaptable inclination and automatic height adjustments to match the aircraft hatch, while minimizing contact risks and enabling efficient unloading of multiple trolleys without shunting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rear end of the main conveyor is fixed at a high position, then the conveyor is stable and less prone to damage, but it cannot adapt to different luggage trolley heights and requires more manual work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the rear end of the main conveyor height-adjustable through telescopic support legs with locking mechanisms. This allows the conveyor to adapt its height to match different luggage trolley levels, reducing manual handling work while maintaining stability when locked in position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the height parameter of the main conveyor's rear end by providing adjustable support legs that can be extended or retracted to different positions. This parameter adjustment enables the conveyor to accommodate varying trolley heights without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If a feed conveyor is added to lower the loading position, then manual work is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the conveyor system into a main conveyor and a separate feed conveyor that can be independently adjusted. The feed conveyor is positioned at an angle and can be lowered closer to the trolleys, reducing manual lifting work while keeping the main conveyor structure relatively simple through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed conveyor acts as an intermediary element between the luggage trolleys and the main conveyor. It bridges the height gap and transfers luggage with minimal manual intervention, thereby reducing operational effort without requiring complete redesign of the main conveyor system.
3Length of moving object
If the feed conveyor is made shorter and less stable, then it can be lowered closer to the ground, but the conveyor stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed conveyor is pre-positioned at an optimized angle and height before luggage loading begins. Its support structure is preliminarily adjusted to provide sufficient stability for its reduced length, allowing it to extend closer to the ground while maintaining operational stability through proper structural design.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the main conveyor is positioned precisely in the hatch, then aircraft damage risk is minimized, but the conveyor cannot be repositioned easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by providing the main conveyor with adjustable and movable support legs that allow repositioning along the chassis. The support legs can be locked at different positions, enabling the conveyor to be precisely positioned in the hatch to minimize aircraft damage risk while retaining the capability to be repositioned if loading conditions change.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The conveyor has a supply conveyor (3) with a front end (3a), which is adjacent to a rear end (2b) of a main conveyor (2). A rear end (3b) of the supply conveyor is vertically adjusted, and an intermediate table (4), is arranged between the main conveyor and supply conveyor. A main conveyor is arranged in a longitudinal direction of a chassis (1). The front end of the supply conveyor is vertically adjusted together with the rear end of the main conveyor or intermediate table. The intermediate table and/or the supply conveyor are fastened at the rear end of the main conveyor. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating i.e. adjusting, a baggage conveyor.