Conveyor Carrier Alignment for Accurate Product Holder Weighing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems face challenges in precisely positioning carriers and product holders at processing stations, particularly for accurate weighing, due to mechanical play and rough tolerances, which leads to inaccuracies and force shunts during the release process.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of alignment means, including movable elements and mandrels, allows for precise alignment of carriers and product holders, enabling easy release by converting carriers into predefinable target positions and ensuring accurate positioning within specified tolerances, facilitating precise alignment and release for weighing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If carriers are transported along a conveyor line with standard mechanical coupling, then the conveyor system is simple and cost-effective, but positioning accuracy in processing stations deteriorates due to mechanical play and rough tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the carrier at a defined target position before the release operation. The first alignment means establish a precise carrier target position in advance, ensuring that subsequent product holder release achieves the required accuracy for weighing operations without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during the actual release process
2Measurement precision
If the product holder is released from the carrier for accurate weighing, then weighing precision improves, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to carrier position variations in the X-Y plane
Solution Approach 1:
The first alignment means perform preliminary positioning of the carrier to a precise target position before the release operation occurs. This pre-positioning eliminates the negative effect of mechanical play and tolerance accumulation, ensuring that when the product holder is released for weighing, both the weighing accuracy and the alignment accuracy are maintained within required specifications
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment means act as an intermediary mechanism between the conveyor system and the release mechanism. They transfer and establish a precise carrier target position that serves as a reference for both the weighing operation and the alignment of the product holder, decoupling the weighing accuracy requirement from the carrier's inherent positioning tolerances
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment means are added to achieve precise carrier positioning, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment means are applied locally only at the processing station where precise positioning is required, rather than throughout the entire conveyor system. This localized application provides the necessary positioning accuracy for the weighing operation while minimizing the overall complexity increase, as only the critical zone receives the alignment functionality
Data Source
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AI summary
Conveyor device and method for transporting products, wherein a carrier with associated product holder is movable along a conveying path by means of a conveyor element, and wherein the carrier is alignable in a processing position by means of first alignment elements, and wherein second alignment elements are provided for aligning the product holder.