Reciprocating Conveyor Bed Diversion Without Mechanical Gates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vibratory conveyors with mechanical gates face issues such as debris accumulation, operational slowdown, and sanitation problems due to food products adhering to gate surfaces, making them difficult to clean and limiting their versatility in handling different products.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor assembly with a reciprocally moveable conveyor bed supported by elongated springs and driven by electromagnets, allowing for adjustable paths of travel without mechanical gates, which reduces debris accumulation and facilitates easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical gates are incorporated into the conveyor bed to divert product streams, then product diversion capability is improved, but debris accumulation and sanitation problems occur on the gate surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical gate assembly from the conveyor bed structure. Instead of having gates that can accumulate debris, the design uses the natural vibration of the conveyor bed to divert products off the end, eliminating the harmful surfaces where debris would collect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical gate system with a vibration-based diversion mechanism. The conveyor bed's reciprocating motion creates a vibrating surface that directs products off the end without requiring separate mechanical diversion components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical gates are used for product diversion, then path selection capability is improved, but operational slowdown occurs due to debris interference
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the mechanical gates entirely, the patent eliminates the source of operational slowdown. The vibration-based diversion mechanism has no moving parts that could be interfered with by debris, maintaining consistent operational speed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical gates are incorporated into the conveyor bed, then product diversion function is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases due to adhering food products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mechanical gates that would trap and adhere food products. The vibration-based diversion mechanism has no surfaces where food could accumulate, making cleaning trivial or unnecessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration mechanism naturally prevents food accumulation through its oscillating motion, which prevents adhering and simplifies cleaning requirements compared to static mechanical gates.
4Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical gate assemblies are used, then product stream diversion is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex mechanical gate assembly and replaces it with a simpler vibration-based diversion mechanism that uses the conveyor bed's natural oscillation to direct products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical diversion components with a vibration-based system that leverages the conveyor bed's existing motion characteristics, reducing overall device complexity.
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
The solution enables efficient movement of products along adjustable paths, reduces debris accumulation, and simplifies sanitation, enhancing the conveyor's versatility and operational efficiency by eliminating the need for complex mechanical gates.
Implementation Method 1
a multiplicity of elongated springs having a longitudinal axis, and which support the moveable conveyor bed in spaced relation relative to the base frame, and wherein at least some of the elongated springs can resiliently flex in all directions which are perpendicular to their respective longitudinal axes
Implementation Method 2
a pair of drive assemblies which individually cooperate with each of the base frame, and the conveyor bed, and which, when selectively and periodically energized, imparts a predetermined reciprocal motion to the conveyor bed to effect the product movement in a predetermined direction along the conveying surface
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor assembly is described and which includes a reciprocally moveable and elongated conveyor bed; a drive assembly which imparts reciprocal motion to the elongated conveyor bed; and a controller for selectively energizing the drive assembly and which is operable to move a product deposited on the conveyor bed along a selectively adjustable path of travel.