Conveyor Pinch-Point Guard With Shaft-Locked Protective Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor guards fail to effectively protect against pinch points between rollers and belts, are prone to accidental disassembly, and cannot adapt to varying roller spacings.
Innovation Solution
A protective component with a base and extending walls that interpose between rollers and side profiles, secured by fastening means that require the roller to be partially removed for disassembly, ensuring a physical barrier and secure attachment regardless of roller spacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the protective element clips onto the roller shaft, then it is easily mounted on the roller, but it does not prevent accidental removal and may shift angularly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mounting plate as an intermediary component between the roller shaft and the protective element. The mounting plate is fixed to the roller shaft, and the protective element is then attached to this plate. This intermediary structure provides a more secure connection than direct clipping, preventing accidental removal while maintaining ease of installation through the standardized plate interface.
2Reliability
If the guard is fixed to the conveyor profile, then it is securely positioned, but it cannot be easily repositioned when rollers are moved
Solution Approach 1:
The protective system is segmented into separate components: the mounting plate attached to the roller shaft, and the protective element attached to the mounting plate. This segmentation allows the protective element to move with the roller when repositioned, while the mounting plate provides secure fixation. The modular design enables easy adaptation to different roller positions without requiring the entire guard system to be permanently fixed to the conveyor profile.
3Reliability
If the protective element is designed for fixed roller spacing, then it provides adequate protection, but it cannot adapt to different roller center-to-center distances
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate is designed with adjustable positioning capabilities, allowing it to be mounted at different locations along the roller shaft. This dynamic adjustability enables the protective element to adapt to various roller center-to-center distances while maintaining adequate protection. The plate can be repositioned along the shaft to accommodate different spacing requirements, making the system versatile for different conveyor configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The invention relates to a protective piece (10), intended to equip a conveyor comprising: - two lateral profiles between which a plurality of rollers extend transversely, - each roller being pivotally mounted on the lateral profiles via a mounting shaft, at least one of the rollers being motorized, - at least one drive belt connecting two of the rollers, and defining pinch zones, said protective piece (10) comprising: - a base (11) comprising an opening (111) through which the roller shaft passes, the base (11) being then interposed between the roller and the profile, - two protective walls (12) extending on either side of said roller (2) from said base (11), to prevent access to the pinch zones, - a fastening means (14) for retaining said protective piece (10) on the lateral profile.