Conveyor Gap Cover With Pleated Flexible Component

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional conveyor systems face issues with small articles getting stuck in gaps between adjacent carriers, leading to productivity losses, debris accumulation, and potential breakage of fragile items, requiring frequent maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A gap cover system with a flexible, compressible component and support rods that transform to fit various gap shapes, preventing articles from getting stuck and providing cross-member support to prevent sagging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If carriers are arranged in end-to-end configuration with gaps between them, then articles can traverse the conveyor path, but small articles get stuck in the gaps causing productivity loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveyor system productivityVSAvoidarticle conveyance reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A gap cover component is introduced as an intermediary element between adjacent carriers to bridge the gap. The gap cover includes a flexible component with pleated sections that can expand and contract to fill the gap between carriers, preventing small articles from getting stuck while allowing the carriers to maintain their end-to-end configuration for article traversal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If gaps exist between adjacent carriers, then carriers can move independently, but debris accumulates in the gaps requiring regular maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier movement independenceVSAvoidmaintenance frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The gap cover acts as an intermediary barrier that covers the gap between carriers, preventing debris from entering and accumulating in the gap area. The flexible component with pleated sections allows the gap cover to adapt to carrier movement while maintaining the barrier function, thus reducing maintenance frequency without affecting carrier independence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If gaps are maintained between carriers, then the conveyor system can operate continuously, but fragile articles may break when stuck in the gap

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveyor system continuous operationVSAvoidarticle breakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gap cover serves as a protective intermediary that eliminates the harmful gap where fragile articles could get stuck and break. The flexible component with pleated sections ensures that the protective barrier is maintained while allowing the conveyor to operate continuously without interruptions for article recovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If a rigid cover is used to fill the gap, then articles cannot get stuck, but the cover cannot adapt to different gap shapes and carrier movements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegap coverage effectivenessVSAvoidgap shape adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The gap cover employs a flexible component made of pleated sections that can expand and contract. This flexible structure allows the gap cover to adapt to different gap shapes and sizes while maintaining effective coverage to prevent articles from getting stuck. The flexibility enables the gap cover to accommodate carrier movements and various gap configurations without compromising coverage effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The gap cover system effectively prevents small articles from being stuck, reduces maintenance needs, and ensures the integrity of fragile items, while maintaining system productivity by adapting to different gap configurations.

Implementation Method 1

A flexible component with plurality of pleated sections positioned in between the mounting covers and capable of expansion and contraction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10329094B1Conveyor carriers with gap cover

Publication Date: 2019.06.25 INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a gap cover including mounting covers, a flexible component, plurality of support plates and support rods. The mounting covers are attached to conveyor carriers of a conveyor system. The flexible component has a plurality of pleated sections positioned in between the mounting covers capable of expansion and contraction. The plurality of support plates are inserted in between each of the pleated sections. The plurality of support rods penetrates with a clearance through each of the pleated sections and one of the mounting covers, wherein the plurality of support plates are positioned transverse to the plurality of support rods to provide a cross member support for articles conveyed on the conveyor carriers.