Conveyor Belt Central Support for Glass Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional conveyor belt systems for transporting glass articles in high-temperature environments suffer from sagging, vibration, and collision issues due to thermal expansion, leading to positional loss and damage, especially for lightweight glassware, and existing solutions either increase energy consumption or fail to address high-temperature vibrations effectively.

Innovation Solution

A conveyor belt system with a central support featuring a rolling connection between the belt and the device's bottom, which reduces friction losses and prevents sagging and vibrations, allowing for wider belts and increased throughput by halving the unsupported length and minimizing deflection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the conveyor belt width is increased, then the throughput capacity is improved, but the conveyor belt sags and vibrates causing objects to lose position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethroughput capacityVSAvoidposition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor belt system is segmented by introducing a central support structure that divides the continuous belt into separate supported sections. This segmentation reduces the span length between supports, preventing sagging and vibration while allowing the overall belt width to be increased for higher throughput capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the conveyor belt is stiffened to reduce sagging, then the position stability is improved, but the volume and weight increase leading to higher energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition stabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of stiffening the entire conveyor belt structure, the invention extracts and isolates the support function to a separate central support component. This allows the belt itself to remain lightweight and flexible while still achieving position stability through the external support structure, thereby reducing energy consumption for heating and moving the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the conveyor belt is stiffened to prevent sagging, then the position stability is improved, but thermal stress causes increased temporary deformation and bending

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition stabilityVSAvoidstructural stability under thermal stress

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by providing support only at specific critical locations (central support points) rather than uniformly stiffening the entire belt. This localized support approach maintains position stability where needed while allowing the belt to flex and accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, preventing structural deformation under thermal stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Stability of the object's composition

If sliding connections are used to support the conveyor belt, then the structural stability is improved, but friction losses increase and the system is not suitable for high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidfriction losses

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the sliding mechanical connection with a rolling connection system. This substitution reduces friction losses significantly while maintaining structural stability. The rolling mechanism is also designed to withstand high temperatures, making it suitable for furnace applications where sliding connections would fail or generate excessive friction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 central support system enables stable, vibration-free transport of glass articles across wider conveyor belts, reducing positional deviations and collisions, while maintaining energy efficiency and preventing thermal deformation-related issues.

Implementation Method 1

The center support has a rolling connection between the conveyor belt and the base of the device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling connection: Roller

Implementation Method 2

This effect is further exacerbated by thermal expansion at the temperatures prevailing in an oven, which can reach 750°C to 780°C

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP3356301B1Device for transporting objects, in particular glass articles

Publication Date: 2020.05.27 ERNST PENNEKAMP

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AI summary

The invention relates to a device (10) for the precise transport of objects, in particular of glass articles in heated spaces such as furnace installations. Here, a transport belt (11) is provided, on which the objects can be arranged, while the transport belt (11) is driven by laterally arranged chains (hereinafter referred to as drive chains 14) and is arranged in cantilevered fashion on said chains. The invention now proposes that the transport belt (11) has at least one central support (20) which supports the transport belt (11) from below against the base (13) of the device (10), wherein the central support (20) absorbs or prevents oscillations and/or vibrations that can be caused by the movement of the transport belt (11).