Conveyor Belt Rip Detection Insert Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing conveyor belt rip detection systems do not continue to monitor rip detection inserts after damage, leading to increased downtime, replacement costs, and repair costs, as they often completely disable damaged inserts rather than allowing for limited longitudinal damage detection.

Innovation Solution

A conveyor belt monitoring system that filters out damaged sections of rip detection inserts, allowing continued monitoring of non-damaged sections by detecting the magnitude of damage and using magnetic field imaging and threshold comparisons to determine the extent of damage, enabling continued operation and reducing unnecessary shutdowns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the monitoring system completely disables damaged rip detection inserts, then false damage alerts are eliminated, but the conveyor belt must be shut down for replacement and downtime increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring reliabilityVSAvoidconveyor belt downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the rip detection insert into multiple independent monitoring segments. When damage is detected in one segment, only that specific segment is disabled while other intact segments continue to provide monitoring coverage. This segmentation allows the conveyor belt to remain operational with partial monitoring capability rather than complete shutdown.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of completely disabling the entire rip detection insert when any damage is detected, the system applies partial action by selectively disabling only the damaged portion. This maintains sufficient monitoring coverage for the remaining operational belt sections, reducing unnecessary downtime while still providing reliable damage detection where applicable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If the monitoring system triggers an alarm for any detected damage, then early warning is provided, but unnecessary shutdowns occur for minor damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage detection reliabilityVSAvoidconveyor belt productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different response qualities to different damage scenarios. Minor localized damage allows continued operation with partial monitoring, while extensive damage triggering complete insert failure warrants shutdown. This localized quality approach matches the response intensity to the actual damage severity, avoiding unnecessary productivity loss from minor incidents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses partial action by allowing continued conveyor operation when only portions of the rip detection insert are damaged. The alarm system triggers selectively based on the extent of damage, providing early warning for significant damage while permitting operation during minor damage events, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If rip detection inserts are spaced closely for comprehensive coverage, then monitoring accuracy improves, but the cost of replacing multiple damaged inserts increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage location precisionVSAvoidreplacement cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The closely spaced rip detection inserts are treated as independent monitorable segments. When damage occurs, the system identifies and disables only the specific damaged segment rather than requiring replacement of all inserts. This segmentation approach maintains the precision benefits of close spacing while reducing replacement costs by isolating damage to individual segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system recovers value from partially damaged rip detection inserts by continuing to use undamaged segments. Instead of discarding the entire insert assembly when one segment is damaged, the system recovers and maintains functionality of remaining intact segments, thereby reducing the frequency and cost of replacements while preserving measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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

This approach reduces downtime and costs by allowing the conveyor belt to continue operating with partially damaged rip detection inserts, enabling early detection of significant damage and minimizing unnecessary repairs through selective monitoring and alarm triggering.

Implementation Method 1

A conveyor belt rip detection system includes a pulley system, a field generator for generating a magnetic field in the rip detection wires of the rip detection inserts as the conveyor belt moves along the pulley system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

A sensor for measuring the magnetic field of the rip detection inserts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field detection: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 3

The rip detection wires are made of a magnetically permeable material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic permeability: Ferromagnetism

Data Source

PatentEP3445682B1Conveyor belt monitoring system
Publication Date: 2022.04.06 CONTITECH TRANSPORTBANDSYSTEME GMBH
  • EP3445682B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3445682B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3445682B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A method for monitoring the condition of a rip detection insert (1) embedded in a conveyor belt (7), the rip detection insert having a plurality of rip detection wires (2) comprised of a magnetically permeable material; the method including the steps of: inducing a magnetic field (8) within the rip detection wires of the rip detection insert; measuring at least one magnetic characteristic of the rip detection insert; monitoring the at least one magnetic characteristic of the rip detection insert for changes in the magnetic characteristic; determining the rip detection insert has been damaged when a change in at least one magnetic characteristic of the rip detection insert deviates beyond a predetermined threshold for the rip detection insert; and, filtering out a region (10) of the rip detection insert containing the damage to the rip detection insert.