Conveying Device Swing Support for Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing conveying devices face issues with holding unit inclination and shaking during elevating operations due to variable thickness errors or dimensional errors in belts and rolling elements, leading to instability and reduced transfer efficiency, especially with longer elevating strokes.

Innovation Solution

The conveying device incorporates a swing support unit that allows the holding unit to pivot, with belt members connected to support the holding unit above its centroid, and an inclination detection unit to control the elevating mechanism, ensuring the holding unit remains horizontal and stable by guiding it with interlocking guide units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the holding unit is hung and supported by multiple belts connected to rolling elements, then the elevating operation can be performed, but variable thickness errors in belts or dimensional errors in rolling elements cause the holding unit to become inclined

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelevating operationVSAvoidholding unit inclination
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is designed to be pivotable relative to the holding unit, allowing dynamic adjustment to compensate for belt thickness variations and rolling element dimensional errors. This pivoting capability enables the system to self-correct inclination issues during operation, maintaining proper holding unit orientation despite manufacturing tolerances in the belts and rolling elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the holding unit is supported by telescopic elevating mechanisms, then the elevating operation can be performed, but adjustment is required to synchronously operate the mechanisms and the overall weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelevating operationVSAvoidsynchronization adjustment and weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the support and guiding functions into a single integrated support member structure. This unified design eliminates the need for separate telescopic elevating mechanisms, thereby removing the synchronization adjustment requirement and reducing the overall device weight while maintaining the elevating capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the holding unit is supported at three points with a swing arm, then the elevating operation can be performed, but vibrations increase and stabilization time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelevating operationVSAvoidholding unit stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the swing arm component from the system, replacing it with a direct pivotable support member connection. This removal of the swing arm intermediate structure reduces vibration amplification and eliminates the stabilization delay associated with swing arm oscillation, while maintaining the necessary elevating functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3584211B1Conveying device
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 HIRATA CORPORATION
  • EP3584211B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3584211B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3584211B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A conveying device (1) of the present invention includes a holding unit (10) configured to hold a conveying object (T), a support member (30) swingably supporting the holding unit, a plurality of hanging members (21a and 21b), each distal end of which is connected to the support member so as to hang the holding unit via the support member, reel units (23a, 23b) to which each proximal end of the plurality of hanging members is connected so as to be capable of feeding and wounding, a base part (14) on which the plurality of reel units are mounted, a guide unit (40) configured to engage with the holding unit, and guide the holding unit to be elevated, and a control unit configured to perform operation control on the reel units so as to feed and wind the hanging member.