Conveyor Belt Splice Frame for Fast Cable-Reinforced Repairs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for connecting the ends of cable-reinforced conveyor belts are time-consuming, require skilled labor, and result in discontinuities that weaken the mechanical tensile strength and flexibility of the splice, leading to high maintenance costs and downtime.
Innovation Solution
A splice frame with retaining members and anchoring members that distribute tensile stress across multiple cables, reducing the need for extensive cable stripping and allowing for easier installation, while maintaining flexibility and structural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cable stripping and entanglement methods are used to connect conveyor belt ends, then the cables can be joined, but the maintenance time becomes excessively long (over one day or several days) and requires highly qualified specialists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a splice plate as an intermediary component that connects the cable ends. Instead of directly entangling and joining the cables through complex manual operations, the splice plate serves as a mediator that simplifies the connection process. The cables are secured to the splice plate using simple fastening operations, which dramatically reduces maintenance time while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention divides the splice into separate functional components: the splice plate (body) and the cable anchoring elements (U-shaped clips). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall assembly process, enabling faster installation without requiring highly skilled labor for complex cable manipulation.
2Reliability
If extensive cable stripping is performed to create entanglement of cable ends, then the cables can be connected, but the complexity of the operation increases and requires highly qualified specialists
Solution Approach 1:
The splice plate acts as an intermediary that eliminates the need for complex cable entanglement operations. Instead of manually stripping and entangling cables over several meters, the cables are simply secured to the splice plate using U-shaped clips, dramatically reducing operational complexity while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the complex cable entanglement and stripping operations from the splicing process. By using the splice plate as a separate component to which cables are attached, the patent removes the need for highly skilled manual cable manipulation, reducing both complexity and skill requirements.
3Strength
If cable ends are arranged in a longitudinally staggered manner over several meters to avoid alignment, then the tensile strength is maintained, but the splice requires a very long length (5-10 meters) and a vulcanizing press on site
Solution Approach 1:
The splice plate serves as a compact intermediary structure that consolidates the cable connection into a small localized area. Instead of distributing cable entanglement over 5-10 meters, all cable connections are concentrated on the splice plate, reducing the splice length to a few centimeters while maintaining tensile strength through the plate's structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a longitudinal distribution of cable connections (over several meters) to a compact two-dimensional arrangement on the splice plate. The U-shaped clips anchor cables to the plate in a concentrated pattern, achieving the same tensile strength function in a much smaller space by utilizing the plate's rigid structure.
4Reliability
If a vulcanizing press is used to perform vulcanization over the entire splice length, then the splice is finalized, but the equipment requirement and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The splice plate serves as a rigid intermediary that provides structural support for the cable connections without requiring vulcanization. The plate's inherent rigidity replaces the need for thermal bonding, eliminating the requirement for expensive vulcanizing presses while ensuring reliable cable anchoring through mechanical fastening with U-shaped clips.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal-vulcanization system with a mechanical fastening system. Instead of using heat and pressure to bond cables over a long splice length, the U-shaped clips provide mechanical anchoring to the splice plate, eliminating the need for vulcanizing equipment while achieving reliable cable connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A splice frame intended to be attached to at least a first end portion of a conveyor belt of a type including a body made of flexible material, inside of which is housed a reinforcement including cables. The splice frame includes retaining members having at least one body configured to extend at least partially transversely with respect to the conveyor belt and anchoring members configured to engage with at least part of the cables so as to secure the body of the retaining members to the first end portion of the conveyor belt. The retaining members include a retention interface for retaining one or more fasteners of a splicing device intended for splicing the first end portion with a second end portion of the conveyor belt when a tensile force is applied between the splicing device and the conveyor belt.