Sensor-Driven Alignment Fingers for Conveyor Product Centering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-lane conveyor systems face issues with product misalignment, leading to unsteady stacks and increased production costs due to the need for manual alignment, which is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
An alignment system comprising arms with fingers, a linkage bar, and a sensor-driven controller that adjusts the fingers' position to align products with a predetermined centerline, ensuring accurate positioning on the conveyor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment is used to correct misaligned products, then alignment accuracy is improved, but production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment fingers perform preliminary alignment action on products as they move along the conveyor, correcting misalignment before products reach the stacking position. This prevents the need for later manual intervention and maintains continuous production flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor detection to automatically identify misaligned products and triggers the alignment mechanism to self-correct the positioning without human intervention. The feedback loop enables the system to service itself continuously.
2Stability of the object's composition
If manual alignment is implemented to fix misaligned stacks, then stack stability is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment fingers correct product positioning in advance before stacking occurs, ensuring that only properly aligned products are stacked. This preliminary action guarantees stack stability from the outset and eliminates the need for costly post-stack manual realignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated sensor-controlled mechanical system. The sensor detects product positions and automatically actuates the alignment fingers, substituting expensive manual labor with a cost-effective automated mechanism.
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment fingers are continuously positioned in the conveying path, then alignment capability is improved, but product damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment fingers operate periodically rather than continuously - they are positioned in the conveying path only when a misaligned product is detected by the sensor. When no misalignment is detected, the fingers are retracted, allowing products to pass freely without contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides real-time feedback about product alignment status, which controls the positioning of the alignment fingers. This feedback mechanism ensures fingers are only active when needed, preventing unnecessary contact with properly aligned products and reducing damage risk.
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment system is disclosed. The system includes at least one arm including a plurality of fingers, and a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm. A sensor is adapted to detect a presence of a product. A controller is configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor such that the plurality of fingers are driven between: (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to extend into a conveying path of a product conveyor, and (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to be positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor.