Conveyance Roller Gap Rail for Diverting Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diverting equipment experiences instability in conveying small articles due to gaps between rollers and complicates maintenance, especially in branching sections where dense roller placement makes cover installation difficult.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating rails with low frictional properties in the gaps between conveyance rollers to support articles along the conveyance direction, ensuring continuous support and preventing article fall, while maintaining the openness of the branching section for easier maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conveyance rollers are disposed at predetermined intervals in the conveyance direction and lateral direction, then the conveyance path is formed, but gaps are created between adjacent rollers causing small articles to fall into gaps and become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
A rail member is introduced as an intermediary element between the conveyance rollers to bridge the gaps. The rail extends in the conveyance direction and provides continuous support for small articles, preventing them from falling into gaps while maintaining the roller-based conveyance mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is extended from the roller surfaces (one-dimensional contact) to include the rail member (adding another dimensional element). The rail provides support along the conveyance direction, creating a two-dimensional support surface that prevents article instability.
2Reliability
If a cover is placed over the conveyance path to prevent articles from falling into gaps, then article stability is improved, but maintenance becomes complicated due to removal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The rail member serves as an internal support structure that eliminates the need for external covers. By providing continuous support within the roller arrangement, the rail prevents article fall without requiring enclosing covers that would complicate maintenance.
3Productivity
If conveyance rollers are densely disposed in the branching section, then conveyance control is improved, but cover placement becomes difficult and gaps remain exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The rail member adds another dimensional element of support that runs through the densely arranged rollers. This allows the rollers to be closely spaced for precise control while the rail provides continuous support along the conveyance direction, preventing gaps from being problematic.
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 configuration stabilizes article conveyance in branching sections by preventing falls into gaps and simplifies maintenance by allowing unobstructed access, even with densely placed rollers.
Implementation Method 1
a rail capable of supporting the conveyed article is extended along the conveyance direction of the conveyed article in the conveyance path... the rail has an end on the conveyance upstream side such that the end is formed at a lower position than a contact position that comes into contact with the conveyed article on the conveyance roller
Data Source
AI summary
Diverting equipment for conveying an article on a conveyance path to a branching path formed so as to branch from the conveyance path. In the conveyance path, a branching section to the branching path has a plurality of conveyance rollers disposed in a conveyance direction H of the article in the conveyance path and a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction H of the article in the conveyance path, the conveyance rollers forming the conveyance surface of the conveyance path and being rotatable around the axes of vertical shafts. Between the adjacent conveyance rollers disposed in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction H of the article, a gap is formed along the conveyance direction H of the article. In the gap, a rail capable of supporting the article is extended along the conveyance direction H of the article.