Road-Portable Conveyor Pivotable Wheel Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyors used for transporting aggregate materials over roads face challenges in efficiently supporting the structure during transport, particularly in maintaining stability and preventing skidding, while minimizing ground contact for the wheel assembly.
Innovation Solution
The conveyor system employs a pivotable undercarriage wheel assembly and a steerable wheeled support structure that allows the conveyor to be partially supported above the ground during transport, using a combination of pivoting frames, steerable axles, and a support structure that can be removably mounted to the conveyor sections, enabling radial travel and reduced ground contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the conveyor uses a traditional ground-contact wheel assembly for transport, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the wheel assembly experiences increased wear and ground contact interference during road transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the wheel assembly pivotable relative to the conveyor frame. The wheel assembly can dynamically adjust its position between a ground-contact configuration for loading/unloading operations and an elevated non-contact configuration for road transport. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize for either manufacturing simplicity or reliability depending on the operational mode, eliminating continuous ground contact wear while maintaining structural feasibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the conveyor wheel assembly maintains ground contact during transport, then stability is easier to maintain, but the wheel assembly experiences increased wear and ground contact interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary support mechanism (such as landing gear or temporary supports) that mediates between the wheel assembly and the ground during transport. This intermediary allows the wheel assembly to be elevated above the ground, preventing direct contact and wear, while the intermediary support maintains the necessary stability during road transport. The intermediary element resolves the contradiction by providing ground support without requiring the wheel assembly to contact the ground.
3Device complexity
If the conveyor uses a fixed wheel assembly configuration, then the device complexity is reduced, but the conveyor cannot efficiently adapt to different transport and operation modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a pivotable wheel assembly configuration that can dynamically transition between different operational modes. The wheel assembly is mounted on a pivot mechanism that allows it to rotate between a ground-contact position for loading/unloading and an elevated position for road transport. This dynamic capability provides adaptability to different modes without requiring multiple separate fixed configurations, resolving the contradiction by achieving versatility through a single adaptable mechanism rather than multiple fixed systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing the wheel assembly to perform multiple functions through a single configurable structure. The same wheel assembly serves both as the primary support during loading/unloading operations (ground-contact mode) and as a non-contact component during road transport (elevated mode). This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for separate specialized configurations for different modes, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Road-portable conveyors are described. In some embodiments, the conveyor is supported on a trailer in a road transport configuration. In some embodiments, a support structure is attached to the conveyor and supported on a rolling support during road transport.