Conveyor Belt Fastener Applicator for Skipping Fouled Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor belt fastening tools require sequential operation along the belt, limiting flexibility and efficiency, especially when encountering fouled fasteners, as they must replace and re-secure all fasteners after a single failure, which can interfere with previously secured ones.
Innovation Solution
A manually-powered applicator with a rotary drive shaft and movable components allows for intuitive and flexible fastener securing, enabling the user to skip over fouled fasteners and secure others independently, using a cam plate to coordinate the anvil, pusher, and swiper operations for efficient staple placement and bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sequential fastening apparatus is used that moves along the conveyor belt to secure fasteners, then the apparatus can secure multiple fasteners along the belt, but the apparatus must start from one end and cannot skip to intermediate positions, reducing operational flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening apparatus is divided into separate functional modules: a positioning system that can independently locate any fastener position along the belt, and a fastening mechanism that operates at each position. This segmentation allows the apparatus to jump between positions rather than moving sequentially, enabling operators to start at any location and skip fouled fasteners without re-securing previously processed ones.
2Productivity
If the apparatus processes multiple fasteners in sequence, then efficiency is improved, but when a fouled fastener is encountered, all previously secured fasteners must be replaced and re-secured, increasing time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning and fastening functions are extracted as independent capabilities. The apparatus can position at any fastener location independently of previous operations, allowing operators to bypass fouled fasteners by simply moving to the next valid position without backtracking or re-securing previously processed fasteners.
3Extent of automation
If a complex sequential mechanism is used to secure fasteners along the belt, then automated fastening is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus uses the fastener bed structure itself as a guide and positioning reference. The fastener bed's geometry and fastener locations provide natural alignment features, eliminating the need for complex external positioning mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the workpiece structure to define its own positioning references.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a system is provided for securing fasteners to a conveyor belt end. The system includes a fastener bed to support fasteners, the fastener bed including a plurality of aligned fastener holes configured to receive staples of lower plates of the fasteners. The system further includes an applicator comprising a plurality of operating members operable to interface with the fastener holes of the fastener bed to advance the applicator along the fastener bed, secure the applicator relative to the fastener bed, and drive legs of the staples through the conveyor belt and into apertures of upper plates of the fasteners. The applicator is operable to urge upper plates of the fasteners against the conveyor belt end and bend the staple leg end portions against the upper plates of the fasteners to secure the fasteners to the conveyor belt end.