Buttonless Conveyor Belt Rods Eliminate Driving Surface Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor belts with buttonheads face issues such as wear on driving surfaces, difficulty in cleaning, and increased manufacturing time due to the protrusions and crevices created by buttonheads, which can lead to contamination and inefficiencies in industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor belt design featuring buttonless rods with links that receive rod ends through circular and elongated apertures, allowing for welding directly to the link surface without protrusions, reducing wear and enhancing cleanliness and manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buttonheads are formed on rod ends to act as stops for links, then the connection between rods and links is secured, but wear on the driving surface increases and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the buttonhead protrusion from the rod end design. Instead of forming a buttonhead that protrudes from the rod surface, the rod end remains flush or recessed relative to the link outer surface. This extraction of the harmful protrusion eliminates the source of wear on driving surfaces while maintaining connection security through alternative means such as proper welding or fitting methods.
2Ease of manufacture
If buttonheads are formed on rod ends, then links are stopped in position during assembly, but manufacturing time increases due to additional forming and cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the buttonhead formation step entirely by not creating the protrusion in the first place. Rod ends are maintained at the same level as or recessed from the rod surface, removing the need for subsequent cleaning operations to remove carbon residue. Assembly positioning is achieved through the link's internal geometry and welding processes rather than relying on buttonhead protrusions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the rod end from protruding (buttonhead) to flush or recessed. This parameter change fundamentally alters the manufacturing process by eliminating the forming step and associated cleaning requirements, while still achieving the functional requirement of link positioning through alternative design features.
3Ease of manufacture
If buttonheads protrude from rod ends, then links can be securely positioned, but cleaning effectiveness decreases due to accumulated debris in crevices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the buttonhead protrusion that creates crevices and hard-to-reach areas. By maintaining the rod end at or below the link outer surface, the design eliminates accumulated debris traps. Link positioning is achieved through the link's internal structure and welding rather than protruding rod ends, resulting in a smoother surface that is easier to clean and maintain sanitary conditions.
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
The buttonless design reduces wear on driving surfaces, simplifies cleaning, and decreases manufacturing complexity and time by eliminating the need for buttonhead formation and cleaning processes, resulting in a more sanitary and efficient conveyor belt system.
Implementation Method 1
with the first rod end being affixed to an outer surface of the link
Data Source
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AI summary
A conveyor belt is made with a series of spaced apart buttonless rods. The buttonless rods are connected to each other with a plurality of links. The buttonless ends of the rods are welded or otherwise affixed to the links so that the ends of the rods are substantially coplanar with the outer surface of the links. This forms a relatively smooth link surface, which is readily cleaned and sanitized. Additionally, wear and tear is reduced on driving grip surfaces that functionally grab onto the links.