Conveyor Device With Independent Sections For Stable Product Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems face challenges in continuously feeding products to downstream modules while maintaining the ordered arrangement of products, particularly when transferring groups of products from an upstream module to a conveyor, as existing solutions often result in instability and potential product deformation or falling due to friction and gaps between conveyor sections.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor device with at least two independent sections, each with its own drive means, allowing for variable speeds and independent control, enabling one section to stop and load products while the other continues to move at nominal speed, and then accelerating to catch up, ensuring continuous feeding and maintaining product order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the conveyor is stopped or reduced speed to transfer products without modifying their order, then the product arrangement is preserved, but the continuous feeding of the downstream module is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt is divided into multiple independent sections (first section, second section, third section) that can operate at different speeds and be controlled independently. This segmentation allows one section to stop for product transfer while other sections continue moving to maintain continuous feeding to the downstream module.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system implements dynamic speed control where different sections can accelerate, decelerate, or stop independently based on operational requirements. The first section can stop to receive products while the second section continues at nominal speed, and then the first section accelerates to catch up, creating a dynamic system that resolves the contradiction between stopping for transfer and maintaining continuous flow.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a first conveyor is used at lower speed to transfer products, then product stability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple conveyors and junction gaps
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conveyor sections are merged into a single integrated conveyor device with a unified support structure and control system. The first, second, and third sections form one continuous conveyor belt system rather than separate conveyors, eliminating junction gaps and simplifying the overall structure while maintaining the ability to control each section independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a temporal separation (using multiple conveyors in sequence) to a spatial integration (using one conveyor with multiple sections along its length). The conveyor belt extends continuously from the loading zone through the acceleration zone to the downstream module, with different sections operating at different speeds simultaneously rather than sequentially.
3Productivity
If the conveyor belt is extended to accommodate multiple product groups, then continuous supply is enabled, but the infrastructure footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the conveyor length to accommodate multiple product groups simultaneously, the system uses dynamic speed control. The first section stops to receive a group of products, then accelerates to catch up with the second section that is already moving toward the downstream module. This dynamic approach enables continuous supply without requiring the conveyor to be long enough to hold multiple complete product groups at once.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a conveyor device, comprising a surface for receiving products that is longitudinally wound around drive means in the form of at least one first drive roller and around at least one return roller, characterized in that said receiving surface comprises a first independent section and a second independent section, said first section extending along a first part of the length of said surface, by winding around said first drive roller and around said return roller, said second section extending along a second part of the length of said surface, distinct from said first part, by winding around a second drive roller. The invention further relates to a dedicated method for conveying products, where the advancing speeds of the sections are controlled independently of each other.