Overhead Conveyor Pocket with Lateral Wing for Gravity Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead conveyor systems for bags face challenges in continuous loading and unloading due to complex mechanical designs, vertical steps, and inefficient handling of flat-packed goods, leading to low performance and potential jamming issues.
Innovation Solution
A pocket overhead conveyor system with a simply constructed, universally usable pocket that can be loaded and unloaded laterally or frontally, using a single pair of guide elements and continuous transport movement without height differences, allowing goods to be handled lying down without falling, and featuring a design that automatically opens and closes by gravity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a complex mechanical structure with multiple guide plates is used to open the bag, then the bag can be opened for loading, but the loading station becomes complex and continuous transport is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bag opening function from a complex mechanical guide plate system and integrates it into the basic structure of the pocket itself. The lateral walls are made detachably connectable to the front and rear walls, allowing the pocket to open automatically without requiring separate complex opening mechanisms, thus simplifying the loading station structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pocket is designed to open and close automatically through its own structural features. The detachable lateral walls can be separated from the front and rear walls to open the pocket for loading, and reconnected to close it, enabling the pocket to serve itself without external complex mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If a vertical step is introduced in the loading station to position the bag, then the bag can be loaded, but continuous transport is interrupted and performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates vertical steps and height differences in the loading station, maintaining the guide rail at a constant height throughout. The pocket is positioned and oriented horizontally using lateral guide elements that work at the same level as the guide rail, enabling continuous transport without interruptions for positioning.
3Ease of operation
If flat goods are fed frontally from above through a frame bracket, then loading can be performed, but goods must be inserted upright and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of feeding goods frontally from above as in conventional systems, the invention enables lateral feeding of goods into the pocket. The lateral walls can be detached to provide side openings, allowing goods to be inserted horizontally from the side, which is more efficient and allows flat goods to be inserted in their natural orientation.
4Ease of operation
If multiple separate guide rails at different heights are used, then bag orientation can be controlled, but the mechanical design becomes complex and stopping devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a single guide rail system that performs multiple functions: it supports the pocket during transport, enables horizontal positioning during loading, and facilitates continuous movement without requiring separate guide rails at different heights or additional stopping devices.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the pocket structure is simplified for universal use, then both short and long bags can be used, but the ability to control opening and closing may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pocket structure incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to adapt to different bag lengths while maintaining reliable opening and closing control. The detachable lateral walls can be connected or disconnected as needed, providing both versatility for different applications and reliable control over the opening and closing mechanism.
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 system enables continuous loading and unloading operations with high performance, gentle handling of goods, and reduced risk of jamming, supporting both short and long bags with identical loading stations, and allows for automated or manual loading and unloading without interrupting the transport movement.
Implementation Method 1
the pocket (16) rotates automatically about a horizontal axis running through the connection point of the suspension device (40) with the rear side (44) from its vertical transport position into its horizontal loading position
Implementation Method 2
The lifting device (132) is arranged to come into contact with the wing areas (66) in an unloading position, so that at least the respective lower portions of the bags (16) are oriented horizontally or oriented downwardly sloping
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 1D~1E
AI summary
The invention relates to an overhead pocket conveyor system (10) comprising: an overhead conveyor (12) for transporting pockets (16) along a guiding rail (18), said pockets (16) being oriented in a substantially horizontal manner in a loading position; a loading station (14) which has a deflecting device (21), said pockets (16) coming into contact with the deflecting device (21) while being transported in the conveying direction (20) in order to rotate the pockets (16) out of a perpendicular transporting position into the substantially horizontal loading position at least initially during a continuous transportation in the conveying direction (20); and a pocket (16). The rear face (44) of the pocket (16) has at least one wing region (66) which projects laterally relative to the front face (48), strikes the at least one pivoting element (92) while the pocket (16) is being transported through the loading station (14) in order to rotate the pocket (16), and lies on the deflecting device (21) in the loading position.