Conveyor Driver Devices for Product Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for conveying lumpy products are complex, costly, and often damage sensitive items due to the need for multiple conveyor belts and rigid driver devices, which are not effective for irregularly shaped products without sufficient gaps between them.
Innovation Solution
A method and device using multiple conveyor belts with driver devices that accelerate and decelerate products to separate them from a stream, align them precisely, and transfer them to a second conveyor at a higher speed, allowing for controlled alignment and gentle handling of irregularly shaped products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple individual conveyor belts are used to separate and synchronize products, then product alignment precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual conveyor belts into a single continuous conveyor belt that can selectively accelerate and decelerate products using driver devices. This consolidation reduces the number of separate conveyor devices while maintaining the capability to precisely control product spacing and alignment through localized speed variations on the unified belt.
Solution Approach 2:
The single conveyor belt system performs multiple functions that previously required separate devices: it conveys products continuously, separates individual products from the stream, aligns them at precise intervals, and synchronizes their positions. The driver devices enable the belt to selectively accelerate or decelerate products, providing multi-functional capability within a unified structure.
2Productivity
If rigid driver devices are used to separate products from the stream, then product separation efficiency is improved, but product damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driver devices are designed with dynamic characteristics, being resilient rather than rigid, allowing them to flex and adapt when contacting products. This dynamic design enables effective product separation while reducing impact forces that cause damage. The driver devices can deform elastically during the separation process, absorbing shock and minimizing harm to sensitive products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the driver devices from rigid to resilient, altering their mechanical properties to be more compliant. This parameter change allows the driver devices to maintain separation efficiency while reducing the harmful impact on products. The resilient nature of the drivers enables them to recover their shape after contact, ensuring repeated use without loss of effectiveness.
3Device complexity
If driver devices are fixed and radially aligned, then structural simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different product shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The driver devices are made resilient and capable of dynamic deformation rather than being fixed and rigid. This dynamic design allows them to adapt their contact surface and orientation to match various product shapes, including irregularly shaped items. The ability to flex and deform enables effective engagement with different product geometries while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
4Use of energy by moving object
If products are conveyed at constant speed, then energy consumption is reduced, but ability to create uniform spacing decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system employs periodic acceleration and deceleration cycles through driver devices that intermittently interact with products. Rather than maintaining constant speed, the belt periodically speeds up to separate products and slows down to position them uniformly. This periodic action achieves uniform product spacing while minimizing overall energy consumption by maintaining baseline constant speed and only applying variable speed when necessary for separation and alignment.
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 approach enables precise alignment and gentle handling of lumpy products, including irregularly shaped ones, by creating gaps and using driver devices to manage their movement, reducing damage and operational complexity while maintaining efficient synchronization.
Implementation Method 1
The products are conveyed on a first conveyor device at a first speed
Implementation Method 2
the driver device engaging in the conveying direction on the foremost product in the product stream is accelerated to the second conveyor device and is thereby separated from the product stream
Implementation Method 3
which picks up the products and conveys them further at a second speed that is greater than the first speed
Implementation Method 4
the at least one driver device engaging on the separated product and braking the separated product or conveying it further or accelerating it further in the conveying direction
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for conveying piece products (P; P1 to Pn) on one or more tracks arranged adjacent to each other and substantially parallel to each other, in such a way that the products (P; P1 to Pn) are isolated from from a product flow (PS) on each of the tracks and are then conveyed further while uniformly spaced apart and/or aligned in groups (PG). This occurs using a speed difference of two conveying apparatuses (T1, T2) arranged one after the other and using an entraining apparatus (M1, M2), which acts on the separated product (P; P1 to Pn). The entraining apparatus (M1, M2) moves forward in a conveying direction in such a way that the product (P; P1 to Pn) is braked or is conveyed further at the same speed or is accelerated further.