Modular Bristle Conveyor Belt for Small-Radius Turning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor belts formed from bristle brushes suffer from high manufacturing costs, weight, and require significant power to move due to rigid support plates, and experience micro-separations during flexible material handling, especially at small turning radii.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor belt composed of bristle brushes with flexible support plates featuring complementary polygonal leading and trailing edges and coupling elements like anchors or flanges, allowing staggered assembly and distribution of tensile stress through traction rods, enhancing flexibility and reducing micro-separations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single axis is used to join modules, then the structure is simple, but micro-separations occur between modules during directional changes
Solution Approach 1:
The single axis joining structure is segmented into two separate axes. The first axis joins modules in the longitudinal direction, while the second axis joins modules in the transverse direction. This segmentation distributes mechanical stresses across multiple independent joining points, preventing micro-separations that occur when all stresses concentrate on a single axis during directional changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The joining system transitions from a one-dimensional single axis to a two-dimensional grid of axes. By adding the transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the structure gains an additional dimension for stress distribution, allowing modules to accommodate directional changes without creating micro-separations along a single line of connection.
2Strength
If rigid support plates are used, then bristle fixation is strong, but the conveyor belt weight increases and requires higher power to move
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate transitions from a rigid thick structure to a flexible thin-walled box section. This thin-walled structure maintains sufficient mechanical strength to secure bristles while dramatically reducing the mass of each module. The flexibility of the thin-walled design also allows the conveyor belt to bend smoothly around rollers, reducing the power required to move the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate employs a composite construction with a hollow box section, combining structural rigidity where needed with overall weight reduction. The box section geometry provides high strength-to-weight ratio, maintaining bristle fixation capability while minimizing the mass that contributes to the total conveyor belt weight and power requirements.
3Strength
If thick support plates are used, then bristle fixation is proper, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate adopts a thin-walled box section design that eliminates the need for thick solid plates. This thin-walled construction reduces material consumption and manufacturing complexity while maintaining adequate fixation strength through the hollow structural geometry, thereby lowering production costs.
4Adaptability or versatility
If highly flexible materials are used, then turning radius is reduced, but micro-separations occur between modules
Solution Approach 1:
The joining system is segmented into two perpendicular axes that independently handle different stress components. This segmentation allows the flexible material to bend and accommodate small turning radii without concentrating stresses that would cause micro-separations, as the loads are distributed across multiple joining points in both longitudinal and transverse directions.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The bristle brush comprises a support plate (1), a plurality of flexible bristles (2) emerging from one of the surfaces thereof, the ends of the bristles (2) furthest from the support plate (1) defining a support surface intended to receive a part to be transported and/or cut, wherein said support plate (1) comprises a leading edge (11) and a trailing edge (12), said leading (11) and trailing (12) edges comprising complementary shapes. It enables a conveyor belt formed by said brushes to achieve very small turning radii.