Conveyor Chain Link With Rolling Guide Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor chains experience high frictional forces and wear and tear due to sliding interactions with wear strips and guide surfaces, leading to increased power consumption and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor chain link design featuring three guide member arrangements with rotatable rollers and castors that reduce friction by allowing the chain to roll instead of slide, including cylindrical rollers on the top plate, substantial wheels on the sides, and a wheel or castor that rotates parallel to the top plate, enabling smooth movement and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional conveyor chains use sliding contact with wear strips and guide surfaces, then the chain can be supported and guided, but high frictional forces and wear and tear occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the sliding mechanical contact system with a rolling contact system. Three guide member arrangements with rollers and castors are introduced to convert the sliding interaction between the conveyor chain and wear strips/guide surfaces into rolling contact. This substitution dramatically reduces frictional forces and wear, as rolling friction is significantly lower than sliding friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of contact type from sliding to rolling. By introducing rotatable rollers and castors as guide members, the contact regime transitions from high-friction sliding to low-friction rolling, thereby reducing the friction coefficient and associated wear between the chain components and support structure.
2Ease of operation
If sliding contact is used between conveyor chain and support assembly, then the chain can be guided, but high power consumption is required to overcome friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-friction sliding mechanical system with a low-friction rolling system. The three guide member arrangements with rollers and castors enable the conveyor chain to roll along wear strips and engage with guide surfaces, significantly reducing the force required to overcome friction and thereby lowering power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary rolling elements (rollers and castors) between the conveyor chain and the support assembly. These intermediary guide members facilitate smooth rolling contact, reducing direct sliding friction and the associated power requirements while maintaining effective guiding capability.
3Productivity
If sliding contact is used between conveyor chain components, then the chain can function, but frequent maintenance and replacement are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the wear-prone sliding contact system with a rolling contact system featuring three guide member arrangements. This substitution minimizes wear and tear on chain components, extending their service life and reducing maintenance frequency, thereby enabling more continuous operation with fewer interruptions.
4Device complexity
If conventional chain links are used without guide members, then the structure is simple, but frictional forces are high and wear is severe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the guiding function into three distinct guide member arrangements: (1) rollers on the top plate for rolling along wear strips, (2) side guide members for engaging side edges of wear strips, and (3) a wheel or castor for additional support and guidance. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific guiding function efficiently, reducing overall friction and wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary guide members (rollers, side guides, and castors) between the chain links and the support assembly. These intermediaries facilitate smooth rolling contact and proper alignment, reducing direct sliding friction and wear on the chain components while maintaining structural functionality.
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
Significantly reduces frictional forces and wear, lowering the power required to drive the conveyor chain and minimizing downtime due to reduced maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
the first, second and third guide member arrangements can work independently or in combination to reduce frictional force between the contact positions of the conveyor chain with the conveyor chain support assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor chain link a main body, a top plate to which a handling product or part thereof is Testable thereupon; said main body having a front portion and a rear portion; said front portion and rear portion having means to be interconnected such that one link can be connectableto another in order for the establishment of a multi-linked conveyor chain; a first guide member arrangement including a pair of rotably-supported laterally extending on opposing sides of an underneath side of said top plate, adapted to roll in the direction of movement of said conveyor chain, wherein said rollers of the first guide member arrangement are adapted to rest and rotate along a corresponding top face of a wear strip as part of a conveyor assembly support structure for the conveyor chain; a second guide member arrangement, including two rotably-supportable guide members on opposing sides of said main body, rotably about a longitudinal axis, perpendicular to the top plate, wherein the peripheral edge of the respective guide members are adapted to engage a side edge of a wear strip face of the conveyor support assembly or a similar such configured structure arrangement of said conveyor support assembly; a third guide member arrangement, including a roller member adapted to rest and rotate upon a conveyor bed of the conveyor assembly support or other similar structure of the conveyor support assembly, wherein said roller of the third guide member arrangement is laterally rotatably-supported by an axis substantially in parallel to the top plate; such that the first, second and third guide member arrangements can work independently or in combination to reduce frictional force between the contact positions of the conveyor chain with the conveyor chain support assembly, resulting in a reduced level of power required to drive the conveyor chain upon the conveyor support assembly during operation, along with reduced wear and tear of the link against the conveyor support assembly.