Conveyor Actuator Layout for Hinge Shaft Shear Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor systems experience high shear forces and wear due to restricted lateral movement of hinge shafts and actuator mounting on guiding rails, leading to potential failure.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with an actuator frame and wheels mounted transversely to the transport direction, allowing lateral movement of hinge shafts via guide wheels in a profiled recess, and a pivot mechanism to prevent horizontal and vertical displacement, combined with a driving system using concatenated driving rods and support assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If hinge shafts are mounted in the guiding rail with restricted lateral movement and the actuator is mounted on the guiding rail, then the conveyor system structure is simplified, but high shear forces occur causing wear and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is repositioned from a fixed mounting on the guiding rail to a movable mounting that can translate in the lateral direction. This introduces a new degree of freedom (lateral movement) to the system, allowing the actuator to move out of the plane of high shear forces generated by the hinge shafts, thereby reducing wear and failure while maintaining structural simplicity
2Ease of manufacture
If the actuator is fixed to the guiding rail, then the installation is simplified, but the actuator cannot accommodate lateral movement of hinge shafts causing high shear forces
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator mounting is transformed from a static fixed connection to a dynamic movable connection that can translate laterally. This allows the actuator to adapt its position dynamically to accommodate the lateral movement of the hinge shafts, reducing the transmission of shear forces to the actuator mounting while maintaining ease of installation
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
Reduces wear and failure by allowing controlled movement of hinge shafts, enhancing the durability and efficiency of the conveyor system.
Implementation Method 1
the hinge shafts of the rods being mounted in the guiding rail with restricted lateral movement
Implementation Method 2
a guide wheel is coaxially mounted on the hinge shaft and a pair of respective guide surfaces of the profiled recess prevent horizontal lateral movement of the hinge shaft
Implementation Method 3
an actuator connected to the guiding rail for moving said endless chain of concatenated driving rods in the transport direction, wherein said actuator comprises a frame with two wheels which engage said endless chain of concatenated driving rods between them
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor system for transporting items from a receiving section to an outlet section includes a plurality of assemblies for carrying and transporting the items and a driving system. The driving system is configured to move the plurality of support assemblies from the receiving section to the outlet section. The driving system includes an endless chain of concatenated riving rods that are mutually hingedly connected, and an actuator for moving the endless chain of driving rods. Each support assembly is connected to a respective rod to be moved thereby in the transport direction. The actuator has a frame with two wheels that engage with the endless chain of concatenated rods. One of the wheels is a driving wheel driven by a motor. The actuator with the frame and wheels is mounted to the conveyor system such that it is movable substantially transversely to the transport direction.