Conveyor Belt Diagonal Gap for Symbol Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor systems face issues with small articles getting stuck in gaps between belts, hindering conveyance when trying to read symbols like barcodes or two-dimensional codes, especially when the articles are small and the gap is too narrow.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with a first and second conveyor belt arranged in a non-contact state, where the second belt has an inclined surface meeting the first belt, allowing a reading unit to read symbols through a gap between them, preventing articles from getting stuck by maintaining a diagonal gap that allows smooth passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If two conveyors are arranged with a gap between them to enable symbol reading from below, then symbol reading capability is improved, but small articles get stuck in the gap and conveyance is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a height dimension offset between the two conveyor belts, where the first conveyor belt is positioned higher than the second conveyor belt. This vertical dimensionality change creates a diagonal gap that allows reading units to access symbols from below while providing sufficient clearance for articles to pass through without getting stuck, thus resolving the contradiction between reading capability and conveyance smoothness
2Device complexity
If the gap between conveyors is made narrow to enable compact design, then device complexity is reduced, but small articles cannot pass through and conveyance is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
By offsetting the conveyor belts in the vertical dimension rather than only horizontally, the patent creates a diagonal gap that is both compact in overall footprint and sufficiently large for articles to pass through. This dimensional approach allows narrow gap design without blocking article conveyance
3Measurement precision
If reading units are positioned to read symbols through the gap, then symbol reading is enabled, but the gap must be maintained which may affect conveyance stability
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical offset between conveyor belts creates a stable diagonal gap that maintains consistent spacing throughout the conveyance path. This dimensional arrangement ensures that reading units can accurately access symbols from below while the structured gap geometry maintains conveyance stability and prevents articles from deviating or getting stuck
Data Source
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AI summary
A conveyor (1) includes a first conveyor belt (10) with a first surface along which an article (M) is conveyed in a conveyance direction from an upstream end to a downstream end, the first surface has an upstream end and a downstream end along the conveyance direction. A second conveyor belt (20) is directly downstream of the first conveyor belt in the conveyance direction and has a second surface along which the article is conveyed in the conveyance direction from an upstream end to a downstream end. The downstream end of the first surface is at a height greater than the upstream end of the second surface. A first reading unit (L) is positioned to read a symbol (BK) on the article through a gap (31) left between the first and second conveyor belts.