Twin Strand Conveyor Corner Assembly with Ball Transfer Gliding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Twin strand chain conveyors face challenges in navigating corners and turns due to their design, which requires a secondary means of changing direction and often necessitates a separate power source for pallets to be lifted and transferred.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with a corner assembly that includes a powered drive for injection and pickup units, utilizing a low friction gliding support and guides to smoothly transition pallets through turns without requiring powered driving within the corner assemblies or a separate power source, using ball transfers and rollers for support and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a twin strand chain conveyor is used for transporting pallets, then the conveyor is cost-effective and low noise, but it cannot effectively navigate corners and turns without additional powered driving mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
A powered roller intermediary section is introduced between the straight conveyor sections to enable corner navigation. This intermediary section acts as a mediator that transfers pallets from straight-line motion to curved-path motion, resolving the contradiction by adding localized functionality without redesigning the entire conveyor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system is segmented into distinct functional zones: straight conveyor sections for efficient linear transport and a powered roller corner section for directional changes. This segmentation allows each segment to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system cost-effectiveness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a lift and transfer system is used to change direction at corners, then pallets can be redirected, but the system complexity increases and additional power sources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The corner section merges the functions of support and propulsion into a single integrated unit. The powered rollers both support the pallet weight and provide the driving force needed for directional changes, eliminating the need for separate lift mechanisms and transfer systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The powered roller section serves multiple functions simultaneously: it supports pallet weight, provides propulsive force, and guides pallets through the corner. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to specialized separate mechanisms for each function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional powered driving mechanisms are added to corner assemblies, then pallets can be driven through turns, but the number of power sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
Pallets are accelerated to the appropriate speed and positioned correctly on the powered rollers before entering the corner section. This preliminary preparation ensures that the existing motorized drives can effectively transfer power to the corner section without requiring additional independent power sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The powered roller section acts as an intermediary that transfers power and motion from the straight conveyor sections to the corner path. By serving as a power transfer intermediary rather than an independent driven system, it enables corner navigation without multiplying the total number of power sources.
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
Enables uninterrupted pallet movement through corners using existing motorized drives, reducing complexity and cost by eliminating the need for additional power sources and ensuring efficient handling of heavy payloads.
Implementation Method 1
The corner assembly has a plurality of ball transfers forming an unpowered gliding support for the pallets
Data Source
AI summary
A twin strand conveyor uses roller chains to move pallets along straight conveyor sections and an unpowered corner assembly that enables the pallets to glide around corners of the conveyor. The pallets are transferred from an upstream conveyor section into the corner assembly using a corner injection unit that includes powered rollers that lift the pallets off the roller chains an onto a set of ball transfers that support the pallets as they glide through the corner assembly. A pickup unit having powered rollers draws the pallets off the ball transfers and onto the roller chains of the downstream conveyor section. Side guides are used to direct the pallets around the turn and onto the downstream conveyor section. One or more movable guides can be used in conjunction with a third or more conveyor sections to permit selective diverting of the pallets between the different conveyor sections.