Conveyor Belt Take-Up Assembly with Pivoting Swing Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spiral conveyor belts in food processing plants face damage from obstructions, increased tension, and buckling due to the existing take-up assemblies, which fail to detect and prevent these issues effectively, leading to belt and framework damage.
Innovation Solution
A take-up assembly with a pivoting swing arm assembly and an obstruction sensor that automatically shuts off the drive motor when an obstruction is detected, preventing damage by allowing normal belt movement and accommodating tension and buckling, and optionally using downstream sensors for further protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed J-arm assembly is used in the take-up assembly, then the structure is simple and rigid, but it cannot detect obstructions or excessive tension, leading to belt and framework damage
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed J-arm assembly is replaced with a pivoting swing arm assembly that can dynamically respond to belt conditions. The swing arm pivots about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the belt path, allowing it to move between a first position (when belt tension is normal) and a second position (when excessive tension or buckling occurs), enabling detection without requiring complex fixed structures
Solution Approach 2:
An obstruction sensor is coupled to the swing arm assembly to detect the arm's position. When the swing arm pivots to the second position due to excessive tension or buckling, the sensor activates and sends a signal to shut off the drive motor, providing automatic feedback control to prevent belt and framework damage
2Reliability
If the swing arm pivots only to activate the sensor, then damage is prevented, but excessive tension may still occur during motor shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm is designed to pivot beyond the position where the obstruction sensor is activated. This preliminary action allows the arm to continue moving as the belt continues to be drawn into the stack during motor coast-down, accommodating the additional tension that occurs during shutdown and preventing damage from the sudden stop
Data Source
AI summary
An improved take-up assembly used on spiral conveyor belt with interconnecting links. The take-up assembly is designed to prevent damage to the belt due to obstructions, excessive tension or excessive buckling. The take-up assembly includes a pivoting swing arm assembly coupled to an obstruction sensor that automatically shuts-off the drive motor used to move the conveyor belt when an obstruction is detected upstream from the take-up assembly. A second obstruction sensor can be used on the upper portion of the take-up assembly to detect obstructions. Also disclosed is a buckling arm located above and longitudinally aligned with the belt and pivotally attached to the distal end of the lower swing arm assembly. The swing arm is designed to pivot beyond the position where the first obstruction sensor is activated so that the amount of belt that continues to be drawn into the stack as the stack coasts to a stop.