Conveyor Device Lever Arm Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor devices for rod-shaped products in the tobacco processing industry face a collision issue between the arms of the longitudinal conveyor and the pivotable lever arms of the transverse conveyor, requiring complex and costly synchronization of their rotational movements to avoid collisions, which increases manufacturing costs and the risk of mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
The movement of the pivotable lever arms is controlled to avoid overlapping sections of their movement paths with the longitudinal conveyor's arms, allowing for non-contact sections, enabling separate drive devices for the conveyors and simplifying the structural design, thereby preventing collisions and reducing maintenance complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pivotable lever arms of the transverse conveyor are allowed to move freely to pick up products, then the product transfer function is achieved, but the movement paths of the lever arms cross with the arms of the longitudinal conveyor causing collision risk
Solution Approach 1:
The control cam is designed to pivot the lever arms in a predetermined sequence and position before the receptacles enter the overlapping movement zone. This preliminary action ensures that the lever arms are already in the correct position to receive products without colliding with the longitudinal conveyor arms, eliminating the need for complex synchronization while maintaining reliable operation
2Reliability
If the rotational movements of the longitudinal and transverse conveyors are synchronized to avoid collision, then the collision problem is solved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the synchronization function from the drive systems and relocates it to the control cam mechanism. Instead of synchronizing the rotational movements of the conveyors themselves, the control cam independently controls the lever arm positioning, separating the conveyance function from the positioning function and simplifying the overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The control cam acts as an intermediary mechanism between the transverse conveyor and the lever arms. It translates the rotational movement of the transverse conveyor into the appropriate lever arm pivoting action, eliminating the need for direct mechanical coupling or complex synchronization between the two conveyor systems
3Reliability
If complex coupling mechanisms are used to synchronize the conveyors, then the collision risk is reduced, but the probability of mechanical failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the synchronization function from the drive systems and relocates it to the control cam mechanism. Instead of synchronizing the rotational movements of the conveyors themselves, the control cam independently controls the lever arm positioning, separating the conveyance function from the positioning function and simplifying the overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The control cam mechanism is designed to automatically position the lever arms at the correct moments based on the transverse conveyor's rotation. The system self-regulates the lever arm movement without requiring external synchronization signals or complex coupling mechanisms, reducing mechanical failure risk while maintaining collision avoidance
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 solution prevents collisions between the conveyors' arms, allowing for separate drive systems, reducing manufacturing costs, and enhancing the precision and reliability of the conveyor device's operation, while maintaining efficient product transfer without the need for complex coupling.
Implementation Method 1
negative pressure can be applied to them by compressed air lines provided in the arms. The receptacles are aligned parallel to one another and to the product rows and, during the rotary movement of the longitudinal conveyor, pass through a transfer point where they pass the respective product line so closely that the negative pressure in the receptacles is sufficient to suck in and convey away one or more products in the product row
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The conveying device has a longitudinal conveyor with rotating arms (4), on which two parallel-aligned retainers (20,23) are provided for retaining two or multiple products. The movement of pivoted lever arms (21) is controlled such that the retainers are moved before and after immersion in an envelope (14).