Adjustable Pressure Piece for Selective Drive Engagement in Conveying Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveying devices for hanging objects require high energy consumption and wear due to permanently driven feed points, especially when only a few are actively transferring objects, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device with a first rail profile featuring a continuously movable conveyor chain and a second rail profile for guiding holding adapters, incorporating an adjustable pressure piece that allows the drive roller to be engaged only when necessary, reducing energy usage and enabling weaker drive requirements by only activating feed points as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all feed points are permanently driven in conventional conveying devices, then all feed points are always ready to transfer objects, but energy consumption and wear increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drive engagement of feed points adjustable rather than fixed. The pressure piece can be positioned to engage or disengage the conveyor chain from the drive roller, allowing the system to dynamically adapt drive activation to actual operational needs, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining readiness when required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of drive engagement by introducing an adjustable pressure piece that can shift between active and inactive positions. This parameter change allows the system to transition from permanent drive engagement to selective drive engagement, optimizing energy usage based on actual transfer requirements
2Productivity
If all feed points are permanently driven, then object transfer capability is maintained across all points, but wear on components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable pressure piece enables dynamic control over which feed points are actively driven. By selectively engaging only the necessary feed points, the system maintains object transfer capability where needed while reducing wear on other components, thereby extending overall system duration and component lifespan
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple feed points are arranged along the rail profile, then flexibility in object transfer locations is improved, but the force required to drive all feed points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive system by allowing individual feed points to be independently engaged or disengaged through the adjustable pressure piece mechanism. This segmentation enables the system to activate only the specific feed points needed for current operations, reducing the total drive force required while maintaining flexibility in transfer locations
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustability of the pressure piece allows the system to flexibly activate only the necessary feed points along the rail profile. This dynamic selection reduces the cumulative drive force needed compared to permanently driving all feed points, while preserving the adaptability to transfer objects at multiple locations as required
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 design significantly reduces energy consumption and extends the lifespan of components by ensuring that only active feed points are driven, resulting in cost savings and reduced wear, while allowing for the potential elimination of unnecessary drives along the conveyor chain.
Implementation Method 1
a conveyor chain (7) with lateral friction roller pressure surfaces (72), against which friction rollers can be pressed to drive the conveyor chain (7)
Implementation Method 2
a drive belt (43) for conveying the holding adapters (8) along the third rail profile (46) and a drive roller (42) that drives the drive belt (43)
Implementation Method 3
a pressure piece (32) that can be adjusted between an active position and a passive position. The adjustment path of the pressure piece (32) is dimensioned such that in the active position of the pressure piece (32) the conveyor chain (7) is in contact with the drive roller (42)
Data Source
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AI summary
A conveying device for transporting hanging objects (6), comprising: - a first rail profile (2) with a first, upper raceway (21) and a second raceway (22) arranged below the first raceway (21); - a conveying chain (7) with lateral friction roller contact surfaces (71, 72) against which friction rollers can be pressed to drive the conveying chain (7), wherein the conveying chain (7) is continuously movable in the first raceway (21) of the rail profile (2) in a conveying direction (x1); - holding adapters (8) for holding objects (6) to be conveyed, each with a head section (81) mounted to roll in the second raceway (22) of the rail profile (2) and coupled to the conveying chain (7); - at least one feed switch (4) via which the holding adapters (8) can be transferred from a second rail profile (9) into the first rail profile (2); - wherein the feed switch (4) connects to a third rail profile (46) with a career (47),The conveyor chain (7), which has a drive belt (43) for conveying the holding adapters (8) along the third rail profile (46) and a drive roller (42) driving the drive belt (43), is designed such that a pressure piece (32) adjustable between an active position and a passive position is arranged on one side of the conveyor chain (7) opposite the drive roller (42), wherein the adjustment travel of the pressure piece (32) is dimensioned such that in the active position of the pressure piece (32) the conveyor chain (7) is in contact with the drive roller (42) and in the passive position of the pressure piece (32) the conveyor chain (7) is not in contact with the drive roller (42), wherein in the active position the drive roller (42) can be driven by the conveyor chain (7).