Indexing System for Coating Apparatus Spindle Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior coating machines and part conveyors face issues such as unreliable spring detent mechanisms, high costs due to electric components, limited spindle speed options, and inability to selectively lock or fix part orientations, leading to quality control issues and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A coating apparatus with a conveyor mechanism and indexing system that includes a rotatable spindle shaft and indexing members engaging guide surfaces to change the product's orientation, along with a spindle lock assembly for locking the spindle against rotation, allowing for precise control of spindle orientation and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring detent mechanism is used to maintain part orientation throughout the conveyor path, then the part orientation is maintained, but the system becomes unreliable when the detent fails or the part is bumped
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous orientation maintenance function is segmented into discrete indexing points along the conveyor path. Instead of relying on a single spring detent mechanism to maintain orientation throughout the entire path, the system uses multiple stationary indexing members positioned at specific locations. Each indexing member provides orientation correction only when needed at its specific location, eliminating the need for continuous spring detent engagement and reducing the harmful effects of detent failure.
2Measurement precision
If electric components such as sensors, motors, and servos are used to locate and reorient parts, then part positioning precision is improved, but the system becomes highly expensive and prone to reliability issues in harsh environments
Solution Approach 1:
The indexing system operates autonomously without requiring external power or control systems. The stationary indexing members with guide surfaces automatically engage the rotatable indexing members on the spindles through pure mechanical interaction as the spindles pass by. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for electric sensors, motors, and servos, providing reliable positioning in harsh coating and heat curing environments while significantly reducing system cost.
3Speed
If a gear or sprocket system is used to reorient the spindle, then the spindle rotational speed can be controlled, but the range of speeds is limited by the pitch diameter ratios of the driving components
Solution Approach 1:
The indexing system replaces the fixed gear/sprocket ratio system with a dynamic indexing mechanism. The stationary indexing members have guide surfaces with varying profiles that can engage with the rotatable indexing members at different positions along the conveyor path. This allows the spindle rotation speed and orientation changes to be dynamically adjusted based on the guide surface geometry and the position where indexing occurs, providing a much wider range of effective speeds beyond what fixed pitch diameter ratios can achieve.
4Device complexity
If a constant diameter sprocket is used in the chain-on-edge system, then the sprocket structure is simple, but it turns at the same speed regardless of its position along the conveyor path
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary indexing members are pre-positioned at specific locations along the conveyor path with guide surfaces configured to achieve desired spindle orientations at those specific points. This preliminary positioning and configuration allows selective locking and orientation control of spindles at predetermined locations without requiring complex variable-speed sprockets. The system achieves position-dependent speed and orientation control through the strategic placement and geometric design of the stationary indexing members rather than through complex moving parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A coating apparatus for coating an associated product includes a conveyor mechanism for advancing the associated product, and an indexing system configured to index the associated product as it is advanced by the conveyor mechanism. The indexing system includes a product support member coupled to the conveyor mechanism for supporting the associated product during movement through the coating apparatus. The product support member includes a rotatable spindle shaft and an indexing member rotationally interlocked with the rotatable spindle shaft. The indexing member is configured to engage a guide surface of an adjacent first guide member as the product support member is advanced by the conveyor mechanism past the guide member to change an orientation of the rotatable spindle shaft. A locking mechanism is also included for locking rotation of the rotatable spindle.