Installation for product flow regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing installations for regulating product flow in continuous manufacturing, such as those for biscuits or pizzas, face challenges in increasing conveyor numbers due to difficulties in cleaning and maintenance, which hinder productivity and require significant height adjustments, increasing transfer times and costs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates movable conveyors that can adjust height independently, allowing for a compact configuration during use and a maintenance configuration with increased spacing, utilizing a master conveyor system driven by a hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic actuator, and coupling systems to facilitate easy cleaning and maintenance without the need for additional lifting platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of conveyors is increased to provide sufficient storage space, then product accumulation capacity is improved, but cleaning and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the conveyor belts movable rather than fixed. Each conveyor belt can be independently raised or lowered along vertical guides, transforming the static conveyor system into a dynamic one. This allows operators to adjust the vertical position of each conveyor belt to create adequate working clearance for cleaning and maintenance activities, thereby resolving the contradiction between having multiple conveyors for product accumulation and maintaining ease of cleaning.
2Ease of operation
If significant vertical space is left between conveyors to allow cleaning, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but transfer time between product feed station and conveyors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle enables the conveyor belts to change their vertical positions dynamically. During normal operation, the conveyors are positioned close together to minimize transfer time and maintain compact installation footprint. During cleaning operations, the conveyors can be raised or lowered to create the necessary vertical clearance for operators to access and clean each conveyor belt surface, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning accessibility and transfer time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The preliminary action principle is applied by positioning the conveyor belts in advance to optimal locations. Before cleaning operations begin, the conveyors are raised or lowered to predetermined positions that provide adequate working clearance. This pre-positioning allows cleaning personnel to immediately access the conveyor surfaces without needing to create space during the cleaning process itself, thereby maintaining both cleaning accessibility and operational efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If a platform is added to clean top conveyors, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but installation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding a fixed platform structure to the installation, the patent uses the dynamics principle by equipping each conveyor belt with independent vertical movement capability through motors and guide mechanisms. This allows the conveyor belts themselves to become the adjustable elements, eliminating the need for external platforms. The dynamic adjustment capability provides cleaning accessibility at the same level as platforms would, but without the additional structural complexity and cost of building and maintaining fixed platforms.
4Productivity
If conveyors are kept close together, then productivity is improved, but cleaning accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle resolves this contradiction by enabling the conveyor belts to change their vertical spacing dynamically. During production operations, the conveyors are positioned close together to minimize product transfer distances and maximize productivity. When cleaning is required, the conveyors can be independently raised or lowered to create the necessary working clearance for operators to access and clean each conveyor surface, thus maintaining both high productivity during operation and adequate cleaning accessibility when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces transfer times between the product supply station and conveyors, enhances productivity, and lowers installation costs by allowing for efficient cleaning and maintenance without the need for additional lifting equipment, while maintaining a compact footprint.
Implementation Method 1
hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic actuator
Implementation Method 2
hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic actuator
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an installation (1) for regulating a flow of products, comprising a stack of at least three conveyors (2), and a product supply station (20), each conveyor (2) delimiting a path (17) for driving the movement of the products, the path (17) of at least one conveyor, and preferably of each of the conveyors (2), being capable of being supplied with products from the product supply station (20), said conveyors (2) being arranged on a base frame (15), and the conveyor or conveyors (2) that are between the bottom end conveyor (2), that is to say the lowest conveyor (2) of the stack of conveyors (2), and the top end conveyor (2), that is to say the topmost conveyor (2) of the stack of conveyors (2), being referred to as intermediate conveyors (2). At least two of the conveyors (2) of the stack of conveyors (2) are mounted on the base frame (15) such that they can move upwards and downwards to move apart from or closer to one of the end conveyors (2).