Conveyor Belt Cleaner Blade With Tool Engagement Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor belt cleaner blades made of flexible material are high wear items and require frequent replacement, with existing methods for removal being time-consuming and dangerous due to the need for manual handling and limited access for engaging and removing blades.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a conveyor belt cleaner blade with end faces and an abutment surface accessible for applying force to move the blade longitudinally along a support for easy installation and removal, featuring a passage with a slot for tool engagement, allowing for safer and more efficient blade replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling and sliding of blades along the support is used for blade replacement, then the blades can be removed and installed, but the process is time-consuming and dangerous due to limited access and the need for operators to reach into the housing
Solution Approach 1:
A removal tool is introduced as an intermediary device to engage with the blade through the passage and abutment surface. This tool acts as a mediator between the operator and the blade, enabling force application without direct manual handling inside the housing, thus resolving the contradiction by making the operation easier and faster while eliminating the dangerous reaching-in requirement
Solution Approach 2:
The passage and abutment surface create a new dimensional access path through the blade structure. Instead of accessing the blade end face directly from the side (requiring reaching into the housing), force can be applied through the passage from the opposite side, changing the dimension of access and enabling safer, quicker blade removal
2Ease of operation
If manual handling and sliding of blades along the support is used for blade replacement, then the blades can be removed and installed, but the process is dangerous due to limited access and the need for operators to reach into the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The removal tool serves as a safety intermediary, allowing operators to apply force to the blade through the passage without placing their hands inside the housing. This eliminates direct exposure to potential pinching or cutting hazards while still enabling effective blade removal
Solution Approach 2:
The blade's own structure (passage and abutment surface) is designed to facilitate its own removal when engaged by the tool. The blade essentially removes itself from the support when force is applied through the passage, reducing the need for complex manual manipulation and enhancing operator safety
3Adaptability or versatility
If hooks or wedges are used to engage and remove blades, then blade removal is possible, but only the very end blade is easily engaged and operators still need to reach into the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure is segmented with a dedicated passage and abutment surface that provides a specific engagement point. This segmentation allows the removal tool to engage any blade individually through its unique passage, making all blades equally accessible and removable without requiring operators to reach into the housing or use complex wedge mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor belt cleaner blade (16) having a blade portion (36) with a tip (37) that is to scrap against a conveyor belt (10). The blade (16) also has a mounting portion (38) that mounts the blade (16) on a support beam (17) that is to extend longitudinally transverse of the belt (10). The blade (16) has a transverse passage (41) providing internal abutment services (46) that are engaged by a tool (47) so that an operator may remove a selected one of the blades (16).