Conveyor Support Rail Attachment for Hygienic Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems are difficult to clean thoroughly without disassembling components, leading to time-consuming and labor-intensive processes, with risks of lost parts and contamination issues, especially in hygienic environments like the food industry.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor support rail attachment system where every second attachment means is on one side of the centre axis, allowing the support rail to be supported on one side only, enabling easy cleaning without removal and facilitating regular washing by allowing the support rail to be flexed sideways for thorough cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the conveyor system is designed with traditional support rail attachments, then the structure is stable and secure, but the cleaning process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive requiring disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The support rail is divided into multiple sections with attachment means at spaced intervals along its length. Each attachment means can independently engage with the conveyor beam, allowing the support rail to be segmented into manageable sections that can be easily cleaned or replaced without affecting the entire conveyor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment means are designed with movable elements including springs that provide resilient engagement. This dynamic design allows the support rail to be easily inserted and removed while maintaining stable engagement during operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of cleaning and structural stability.
2Reliability
If the support rail is firmly fixed to prevent movement during operation, then the conveyor operates reliably, but the support rail becomes difficult to remove for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment means are pre-configured with engagement features that automatically secure the support rail when installed. The springs are pre-compressed to provide immediate resilient engagement, ensuring reliable operation from the moment of installation without requiring additional securing steps that would complicate removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment means utilize spring force parameters that can be adjusted to provide sufficient engagement force for reliable operation while remaining within limits that allow easy manual removal. The spring constant and pre-compression force are selected to balance operational reliability with ease of maintenance.
3Strength
If traditional attachment methods are used, then the support rail is securely held, but parts must be stored and tracked during cleaning, increasing complexity and risk of loss
Solution Approach 1:
The support rail is segmented into sections with integrated attachment means at spaced intervals. This segmentation allows the support rail to be removed as complete modular units rather than requiring disassembly into smaller components, eliminating the need to track and store multiple separate parts during cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment means are integrated directly into the support rail structure rather than being separate components. This merging of the support rail and attachment means into a single removable unit eliminates the need to manage separate fasteners and connection elements, reducing parts management complexity while maintaining holding strength.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
Conveyor support rail attachment, comprising a plurality of attachment means arranged spaced apart along a longitudinal centre axis, where every second attachment means is arranged on a leftside of the centre axis and every other attachment means is arranged on a right side of the centre axis, and where each attachment means is provided with a bearing surface adapted to bear against a side section of a support rail, such that the support rail is supported only on one side at each attachment means. The advantage of the invention is that a support rail can easily be mounted to and removed from the conveyor support rail attachment, and further that the bearing surface between the support rail and the attachment means can be minimized. This allows for a support rail that is easy to clean.