Conveyor Switching Mechanism for Hermetic Decompression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems for reflow soldering apparatuses face challenges in maintaining mechanical components under decompressed atmospheres, leading to increased maintenance frequencies and costs, especially when separate conveyors are required for degassing processes.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor apparatus with first and second conveyance mechanisms using rotating conveying rods and a switching mechanism, allowing for intermittent pusher engagement and retraction, enables efficient conveyance through various processes, including decompression, while maintaining a hermetically sealed decompression chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate conveyors are installed in the decompression chamber and in conveyance paths, then the decompression process can be performed hermetically, but mechanical components become expensive to withstand decompressed atmosphere and maintenance frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into two separate mechanisms: a first conveyance mechanism outside the decompression chamber and a second conveyance mechanism inside the decompression chamber. The switching mechanism allows workpieces to be transferred between these two mechanisms, enabling the decompression chamber to be hermetically sealed while using simple, maintenance-friendly conveyor components outside the chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching mechanism acts as an intermediary device that transfers workpieces between the first conveyance mechanism (outside decompression chamber) and the second conveyance mechanism (inside decompression chamber). This mediator allows the system to maintain hermetic sealing while using cost-effective, easily maintainable conveyor components in the non-decompressed regions.
2Ease of operation
If air cylinders are used to move pushers up and down, then pusher reciprocation is achieved, but maintenance frequency increases and components need to be moved in conveyance direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces air cylinder-based mechanical systems with a rod-based reciprocating mechanism driven by the conveyance motion itself. The conveying rod moves back and forth in the conveyance direction, directly pushing the pusher forward and using the return motion to retract it, eliminating the need for air cylinders and their associated maintenance requirements.
3Device complexity
If a single conveyor is installed over the entire board conveyance path including the decompression chamber, then conveyance is simplified, but mechanical components become expensive to withstand decompressed atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is segmented into a first conveyance mechanism located outside the decompression chamber and a second conveyance mechanism located inside the decompression chamber. This segmentation allows the majority of the conveyor system to use inexpensive, easily manufactured components, while only a small portion (the second mechanism inside the chamber) needs to be compatible with decompressed atmosphere conditions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(D)
Figure 3
AI summary
A conveyor apparatus includes a pusher piece 19 fixed to a conveying rod 18 adapted to reciprocate along a board conveyance path, and a switching mechanism adapted to switch the pushing piece, by turning the conveying rod a predetermined angle, between an engaged position where the pusher piece 19 engages with a rear end face of a board 7 and a retracted position where the pusher piece 19 does not interfere with the board 7. The switching mechanism includes a guide member 23 provided with a guide hole 24 adapted to guide a guide rod 22. The guide hole 24 is made up of first and second guide holes 25 and 26 configured to extend in parallel to each other in a conveyance direction and slanted coupling guide holes 27, 27 adapted to couple ends of the first and second guide holes 25 and 26. When the conveying rod 18 reciprocates, the guide rod 22 makes a round of the closed-loop guide hole 24. When the guide rod 22 is guided by the first guide hole 25, the pusher piece 19 is positioned at the engaged position. When the guide rod 22 moves from the first guide hole 25 to the second guide hole 26, the conveying rod 18 axially rotates a predetermined angle, thereby positioning the pusher piece 19 at the retracted position.