Inclined Conveyor Belt Synchronization via Adaptive Drive Strain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steep conveyor systems experience increased wear and reduced service life due to varying strains and misalignment of conveyor and drive belt profiles, leading to inefficient power transmission and potential system failure.
Innovation Solution
A control unit synchronizes the conveyor and drive belts by determining the weight and strain of conveyor belt sections, adjusting the distance between coupling and tooth profiles to ensure precise engagement, reducing wear and extending service life through adaptive pretensioning and strain adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the conveyor belt is stretched differently over the conveyor line due to varying loading conditions and pretension, then the tooth profiles of the conveyor belt can no longer fit optimally into the coupling profiles of the conveyor drive system, but this results in increased wear and reduced service life of the coupling system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drive belt tension adjustable and controllable in real-time. The control unit modifies the tension of the drive belt dynamically based on detected tooth profile positions and loading conditions, allowing the system to adapt to varying operational requirements while maintaining optimal engagement and preventing wear-related failures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the tension parameter of the drive belt to optimize engagement. By adjusting the tension force of the drive belt through the control unit, the system compensates for variations in conveyor belt stretching caused by different loading conditions, ensuring that tooth profiles consistently fit optimally into coupling profiles
2Ease of operation
If several conveyor drive systems are installed along the conveyor line to move the conveyor belt over certain sections, then the required drive forces can be initiated in a dosed manner, but the complexity of the drive system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling a single drive belt to serve multiple drive functions at different locations along the conveyor line. The flexible drive belt can be tensioned and controlled to provide drive forces at various sections, replacing the need for multiple independent rigid drive systems while maintaining controlled drive force distribution
3Adaptability or versatility
If the conveyor belt is made more flexible to accommodate varying strains, then the tooth profiles can better adapt to different loading conditions, but the precision of power transmission may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using sensors to detect the actual positions of tooth profiles on the conveyor belt and feeding this information back to the control unit. The control unit then adjusts the drive belt tension accordingly to maintain precise engagement and accurate power transmission, compensating for any deviations caused by belt flexibility or loading variations
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 solution significantly reduces wear and extends the service life of conveyor system components, ensuring low-friction operation and preventing system failures by maintaining optimal engagement between belt profiles.
Implementation Method 1
adjust a strain of the drive belt in such a way that a synchronized and adapted division of the coupling profiles to the tooth profiles results
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling a steep conveyor, comprising a control unit (15), a conveyor drive system (5) for driving a conveyor belt (2), and a sensor unit for determining a weight G1-n of the material to be conveyed (4) assigned to a predetermined section T1-n of the conveyor belt (2), wherein the sensor unit is adapted to transmit information about the weight to the control unit (15), wherein the control unit (15) is adapted to determine from the information about the weight G1-n a length L1-n assigned to the predetermined section T1-n in a steep conveyor region S of the conveyor belt (2) and to adjust a strain of a drive belt (2) of the conveyor drive system (5) based on the determined lengths L1-n assigned to the predetermined sections T1-n.