Conveyor Stop Mechanism With Braking for Precise Pallet Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor systems lack flexibility and efficiency in stopping and slowing down pallets of varying weights and sizes, leading to excessive impact forces and undefined stop positions, especially when handling heavy objects.
Innovation Solution
A stop device with an actuator element controlled by an electric motor and transmission, featuring a braking surface that adjusts to the weight and speed of the object, allowing for controlled deceleration and precise stopping or bypassing, using a stop, braking, and bypass positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a stop member with damping function is used to reduce impact on heavy pallets, then the impact force on the pallet is reduced, but the stop position becomes less well-defined
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping process is divided into two distinct phases: a braking phase that reduces speed and impact, and a stopping phase that provides precise positioning. The actuator element is segmented into a braking surface for deceleration and a stop surface for precise positioning, allowing each surface to optimize its function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The braking surface performs a preliminary action by reducing the speed of the pallet before it reaches the stop surface. This preliminary deceleration minimizes the impact force on the pallet while ensuring that the pallet arrives at the stop surface at a controlled, lower speed for accurate positioning.
2Reliability
If a damper element is manually adjusted for specific product weights, then the stop device performs optimally for that product, but the system lacks flexibility for different products
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator element is made dynamically adjustable through electric motor control, allowing the braking surface position and angle to be changed in real-time based on the weight and dimensions of the conveyed object. This dynamic adaptability replaces manual adjustment mechanisms and enables the system to optimize performance for different products automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (braking surface position, angle, and motor control settings) based on the conveyed object's characteristics. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the stop device maintains optimal performance across varying product weights and sizes without requiring physical reconfiguration.
3Reliability
If conventional stop devices are used for synchronous operations, then the system is easy to predict, but the system is not flexible for varying operation times
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that provide information about the conveyed object's weight and dimensions to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the actuator element's braking surface position and angle, allowing the system to adapt to varying operation times while maintaining predictable and controlled stopping behavior.
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
Minimizes impact forces on both the stop device and the conveyed objects by ensuring gentle deceleration and well-defined stopping, accommodating objects of different weights and sizes, enhancing system flexibility and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor operably connected to the actuator element such that the electric motor can control the position of the actuator element
Implementation Method 2
the object will bear against the braking surface and such that the speed of an object will slow down from a first speed to a standstill
Data Source
AI summary
Stop device (1) for a conveyor system (40) where objects (43) are conveyed on a conveyor (41), where the stop device (1) comprises a housing (2), an actuator element (3) having a stop surface (12), and an electric motor (4) operably connected to the actuator element (3) such that the electric motor (4) can control the position of the actuator element (3), where the stop device comprises a stop position (20) in which the stop device (1) will hold an object (43) in a fixed position by the stop surface (12), and a bypass position (22) in which the stop surface (12) is positioned outside of a contact plane (42; 96) of the object (43) such that the object (43) can pass the stop device (1), where the actuator element (3) is provided with a braking surface (13), where the stop device (1) comprises a braking position (21) in which the braking surface (13) is positioned in the contact plane (42; 96) such that the object (43) will bear against the braking surface (13) and such that the speed of an object (43) will slow down from a first speed to a standstill, and where the electric motor (4) can move the actuator element (3) between the stop position (20), the braking position (21) and the bypass position (22). The advantage of the invention is that a reliable and cost-effective stop device comprising a brake function for an object such as a product or a pallet conveyed in a conveyor system is provided. The application also includes a conveyor system comprising a stop device.