Conveying Device Connecting Member With Weakened Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying devices for smoking articles face premature wear and breakage due to manufacturing tolerance deviations, leading to internal stresses and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device with Schmidt joint-type connecting members that feature a weakened portion allowing controlled deformation to align and compensate for manufacturing deviations, ensuring constant orientation and reducing internal stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid connecting members are used to connect the first rotor to the second rotor, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the device becomes sensitive to manufacturing tolerance deviations, leading to internal stresses and premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting member transitions from a rigid structure to a flexible structure by introducing a weakened portion that can deform. This parameter change in rigidity allows the connecting member to adapt to manufacturing tolerance deviations while maintaining connection functionality, thereby reducing internal stresses and improving operational reliability without sacrificing structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting member incorporates dynamic characteristics through the weakened portion that enables controlled deformation. This dynamic flexibility allows the structure to adjust its configuration in response to manufacturing variations, preventing forced couplings and internal stresses that would otherwise lead to premature wear and failure
2Reliability
If high manufacturing precision is required to ensure correct coupling of connecting members, then the operational reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting member's flexibility parameter is changed to compensate for manufacturing tolerances. The weakened portion allows the structure to deform and adapt to variations in coupling positions, enabling reliable operation with standard manufacturing precision rather than requiring high-precision manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of manufacturing tolerance deviations into a beneficial feature. The flexible connecting member uses controlled deformation of the weakened portion to absorb and accommodate these deviations, transforming what would be a source of internal stress and failure into a mechanism that ensures reliable coupling without demanding excessive manufacturing precision
3Stability of the object's composition
If the connecting members are made rigid to maintain constant orientation, then the positional stability is improved, but the device cannot accommodate manufacturing deviations, leading to forced couplings and internal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting member incorporates dynamic flexibility through the weakened portion, allowing it to deform and adjust its orientation while maintaining functional stability. This dynamic characteristic enables the structure to accommodate manufacturing deviations without creating forced couplings, achieving both positional stability and tolerance compensation
Solution Approach 2:
The rigidity parameter of the connecting member is modified by introducing the weakened portion. This parameter change allows the structure to maintain sufficient stability for functional operation while gaining the flexibility needed to accommodate manufacturing variations, preventing internal stresses from developing
Data Source
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AI summary
A device is described for conveying smoking articles or parts of smoking articles, comprising: - a first rotor (2), rotatable about a first rotation axis (I1); - a second rotor (4), rotatable about a second rotation axis (12) parallel to the first rotation axis (I1) and moved away with respect to the latter along a reference axis (R); and - a plurality of conveying members (6) for receiving smoking articles or parts of smoking articles, which are mounted on the second rotor (4), according to a arrangement in series around the second rotation axis (12), and each one is rotatable about a respective rotation axis (Ii) parallel to the second rotation axis (12) of the second rotor (4); - a plurality of members (8) for rotationally connecting the first rotor (2) to the second rotor (4), which are arranged in series around the first and the second rotation axis (I1, 12), and each have a first end (82) that is coupled in a rotatable manner to the first rotor (2), and a second end (81) that is coupled in a rotatable manner to the second rotor (4), and is fixed to a respective conveying member (8) of the plurality of conveying members. The device is characterized in that each connecting member (8) comprises a weakened portion (84) such that it causes a privileged deformation of the connecting member (8) inducing a movement of the first end (81) with respect to the second end (82), along a direction parallel to the reference axis (R).