Conveyor Rejection Paddle with Lateral Wall and Way Cover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor systems in sorting facilities face challenges in handling parcels that exceed size or weight limitations, and those with 'hidden' edges can be misidentified by vision systems, leading to incomplete singulation and potential trapping during the transfer process.
Innovation Solution
A rejection mechanism featuring a paddle mounted on a linear actuator with a lateral wall portion that moves across the conveyor to push parcels off, accompanied by a way cover to prevent falling and a brush for engaging flat parcels, allowing for controlled movement between engaged and disengaged positions to avoid trapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robot singulator with vision and control subsystem is used to transfer parcels, then singulation accuracy is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to hidden edges and anomalies that cause misidentification
Solution Approach 1:
A rejection mechanism acts as an intermediary safety net between the vision-based robot singulator and the conveyor system. When parcels with hidden edges or anomalies are misidentified and fail to transfer properly, the rejection mechanism with its paddle and lateral wall portion provides a backup to catch and remove these problematic parcels, preventing them from causing system failures downstream.
2Productivity
If parcels are pushed off the conveyor using a fixed barrier, then rejection is achieved, but parcels may be trapped behind the barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The rejection mechanism employs a dynamic paddle mounted on a linear actuator that can move between engaged and disengaged positions. The lateral wall portion of the paddle is configured to move with the conveyor belt motion, creating a dynamic barrier that pushes rejected parcels off the conveyor while the disengaged position allows trapped parcels to be released, preventing them from becoming permanent obstacles.
3Productivity
If the paddle lateral wall portion is always engaged to push parcels, then rejection is effective, but the mechanism cannot release trapped parcels
Solution Approach 1:
The linear actuator operates the paddle in a periodic cycle, alternating between engaged and disengaged positions synchronized with the conveyor belt's motion cycles. During the engaged phase, the lateral wall portion pushes rejected parcels off the conveyor; during the disengaged phase, it allows trapped parcels to be released and carried away by the conveyor, creating a rhythmic push-release pattern that handles both rejection and release functions.
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
Effectively handles 'unconveyable' parcels by pushing them onto a rejection chute, ensuring they are not trapped and maintaining system efficiency by preventing interference with subsequent processing.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral wall portion of the paddle moves across the rejection zone. Parcels located in the rejection zone are thus pushed across the rejection zone and off of the conveyor by the lateral wall portion
Implementation Method 2
The way cover expands and contracts with movement of the paddle, such that the way cover provides a trailing wall that fills in the space behind the lateral wall portion as the paddle moves from the first position to the second position
Implementation Method 3
the paddle further includes a brush mounted to the lateral wall portion of the paddle, which fills in any gap existing between the lateral wall portion of the paddle and an underlying surface, such as an upper surface of a conveyor
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A rejection mechanism for a conveyor system, which pushes parcels across a surface, includes a linear actuator and a paddle mounted to the linear actuator for movement between a first position and a second position. The paddle includes a bracket portion, an upright portion, and a lateral wall portion. The lateral wall portion is configured to push parcels across a surface positioned below the lateral wall portion as the paddle is moved from the first position to the second position. In some embodiments, the rejection mechanism can further include a way cover which expands and contracts with movement of the paddle. In some embodiments, the lateral wall portion can be configured to rotate about an axis of rotation defined by a hinge to transition between an engaged and a disengaged position.