Conveyor Blowing Device Prevents Product Sliding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing product conveyor systems struggle to efficiently convey a wide variety of products, particularly light ones, due to sliding issues during acceleration or deceleration, which affects reliability and capacity.

Innovation Solution

The system incorporates a blowing device that generates an air stream to force products against the carrying surface, combined with a control device that manages the supply drive and blowing device to ensure precise positioning and movement of products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the conveying speed is increased to improve capacity, then productivity increases, but light products slide relative to the carrying surface during acceleration or deceleration, worsening reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveying speedVSAvoidproduct positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies pneumatic principles by introducing a blowing device that generates an air stream to force light products against the carrying surface during acceleration and deceleration phases. This pneumatic action prevents sliding without requiring mechanical contact or increasing friction, allowing high conveying speeds to be maintained while ensuring reliable product positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Reliability

If mechanical friction is increased to prevent sliding, then product stability improves, but the complexity of the system increases due to additional mechanical components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct stabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces potential mechanical solutions (such as friction-based mechanisms or mechanical clamps) with a pneumatic field-based approach. The blowing device uses controlled air streams to achieve product stabilization, eliminating the need for complex mechanical friction-based systems while maintaining product stability during conveying operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the conveying speed is increased to improve capacity, then productivity increases, but light products may come away from the carrying surface and land next to the conveyor, worsening reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveying speedVSAvoidproduct transfer reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using the blowing device to counteract the tendency of light products to lift off the carrying surface during acceleration and deceleration. The air stream is directed to press products against the surface in advance of any potential lifting, preventing the harmful effect before it occurs and ensuring reliable product transfer even at high conveying speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 effectively conveys even light products by preventing sliding, enhancing system reliability, and increasing capacity by allowing higher conveying speeds while maintaining reliable product transfer.

Implementation Method 1

a blowing device, configured for generating, in operation, under the influence of the control device, an air stream from above the supplying carrying surface in the direction of the supplying carrying surface at the location of the positioning portion, for forcing, in operation, products against the supplying carrying surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir stream: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentEP4173999B1System for conveying products
Publication Date: 2025.01.22 VANDERLANDE IND
  • EP4173999B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4173999B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention provides a method and a system for conveying products, said system comprising a conveyor (4) with a drive device for moving products (3), a supply conveyor (10), which connects to the conveyor (4) for moving products (2) in a supply direction (18) and transferring these products (2) to the conveyor (4), a control device (20) to control the drive device of the supply conveyor (10) in such a way relative to the drive device of the conveyor (4) that a product is transferred from the supply conveyor (10) at a predetermined position onto the conveyor (4). The supply conveyor (10) comprises a positioning portion (24) to speed a product (2) up or to slow it down. The system further comprises a blowing device (32) for generating in operation, under the influence of the control device (20), an air stream from above the carrying surface (14b) of the supply conveyor (10) in the direction (18) of the carrying surface (14b) at the location of the positioning portion (24), for forcing, in operation, products (2) against the carrying surface (14b).