Conveying Carriage Track Roller Segmentation for Curve Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying devices with linear-motor drives experience significant wear during curved travel due to dynamic friction, primarily caused by the wide-tire effect and suboptimal geometry of track rollers, which are not designed for curved paths, leading to increased friction and wear.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates two groups of track rollers, where one group is optimized for straight travel and the other for curved travel, with the latter featuring spherical bearings that self-align to adapt to the track face, minimizing dynamic friction and wear by ensuring optimal contact only during respective travel portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If track rollers are disposed behind one another in the direction of the track for straight travel, then the conveying device can efficiently transport along straight portions, but during curved travel the track rollers generate substantial friction and heavy wear because they are not conceived for curved travel
Solution Approach 1:
The track rollers are divided into two distinct groups: a first group with rollers arranged for optimal straight-line travel, and a second group with rollers arranged for optimal curved-path travel. This segmentation allows each group to be specialized for its specific function, eliminating the compromise design where single rollers must serve both purposes poorly.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying device dynamically switches between using the first group of track rollers during straight travel and the second group during curved travel. This dynamic reconfiguration ensures that the appropriate roller geometry is always in use for the current travel condition, minimizing friction and wear.
2Device complexity
If conventional track rollers are used for curved travel, then the结构简单 (structure remains simple), but dynamic friction increases significantly due to the wide-tire effect causing heavy wear
Solution Approach 1:
Each group of track rollers is designed with locally optimized geometry for its specific function. The first group has roller arrangements optimized for straight portions, while the second group has roller arrangements optimized for curved portions. This local quality optimization ensures minimal friction and wear for each specific travel condition.
3Stability of the object's composition
If track rollers are urged to leave or run into the curve during curved travel, then the track rollers remain retained on the track, but substantial friction and high force requirements arise causing very heavy wear
Solution Approach 1:
The second group of track rollers is specifically designed to self-align and follow curved paths naturally due to their geometric configuration. This self-service capability eliminates the need for excessive retaining forces and prevents the wide-tire effect, allowing the rollers to navigate curves with minimal friction and force requirements.
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 wear on track rollers by optimizing them for specific travel paths, minimizing dynamic friction, and allowing the carriage to navigate arbitrary curve radii without causing wear, thereby extending the operational life of the conveying device.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the track rollers comprises a spherical bearing, such that a center of rotation of the track roller can automatically adapt to the track face which is assigned to the curved portion
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a conveying device comprising at least one movable carriage on which at least one first group and at least one second group of track rollers are disposed, and a track rail disposed so as to be locationally fixed for guiding the carriage. The track rail has at least one track face, at least one straight portion and at least one curved portion. The track rollers are configured in such a manner that during movement of the carriage along the straight portion, exclusively the track rollers of the first group roll on the track face assigned to the straight portion, and during movement of the carriage along the curved portion, exclusively the track rollers of the second group roll on the track face assigned to the curved portion. The invention furthermore relates to a further conveying device and corresponding carriages, as described herein.