Mobile Stockpiling Conveyor Telescopic Pivot Arc Swing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile stockpiling conveyors require significant maneuvering and time to align and position for stockpiling, especially when collapsing and extending for safety and operational efficiency, which is inconvenient and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A mobile stockpiling conveyor with a telescopic support strut and link arm system, secondary mobile support elements that pivot to allow lateral movement of the conveyor, and a pivot mount for swinging the conveyor through an arc, enabling efficient stockpiling with minimal chassis maneuvering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the conveyor is collapsed and extended for safety and operational efficiency, then safety and operational efficiency are improved, but the time and effort required for positioning and alignment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidtime for positioning and alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the support struts telescopic rather than fixed, allowing the conveyor to be quickly extended and collapsed. The telescopic struts with pins and slots enable rapid deployment and retraction without complex manual assembly, resolving the contradiction between safety (requiring full extension) and time consumption (requiring quick deployment).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning the telescopic struts in a retracted state during transport, and automatically extending them upon arrival at the stockpiling location. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming manual assembly and alignment operations, while ensuring safety through pre-extension before operation begins.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the conveyor is maneuvered into a desired position by means of the chassis, then positioning capability is improved, but the time and effort for maneuvering increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning capabilityVSAvoidtime for maneuvering
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the positioning function into two independent systems: the chassis for transport movement and the telescopic struts with pivot mounts for precise conveyor positioning. This segmentation allows the chassis to handle rough transport while the telescopic mechanism handles fine positioning, reducing overall maneuvering time and effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces telescopic struts as intermediary elements between the chassis and the conveyor. These struts act as mediators that absorb the complexity of positioning operations, allowing the chassis to perform simple transport while the struts handle the complex task of aligning and positioning the conveyor at the stockpiling location, thereby reducing chassis maneuvering time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the conveyor is collapsed prior to maneuvering, then safety is improved, but the time required for collapsing and extending increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by using telescopic struts that can be rapidly extended and collapsed through mechanical action rather than manual assembly. The pins, slots, and hydraulic or manual extension mechanisms enable quick transitions between collapsed and extended states, maintaining safety through proper extension while minimizing the time lost during these transitions, thus improving operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Facilitates quick and efficient stockpiling by allowing the conveyor to be swung through an arc with minimal chassis movement, reducing the time and effort required for positioning and alignment.

Implementation Method 1

a conveyor mounted on the chassis by a telescopic support strut and an associated fixed length link arm which extend outwardly at opposite sides of the chassis, both extending between the chassis and the conveyor and being pivotally connected to both the chassis and the conveyor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPivoting: Hinge

Implementation Method 2

secondary mobile support elements, such as wheels or tracks, which are movable between a raised disengaged position on the chassis and a lowered ground-engaging operating position in which the primary mobile support elements are lifted clear of the ground, characterised in that a telescopic pivot adjusting link extends between the chassis and the link arm, being telescopically adjustable to pivot the link arm on the chassis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArc motion: Hinge

Implementation Method 3

a telescopic pivot adjusting link extends between the chassis and the link arm, being telescopically adjustable to pivot the link arm on the chassis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTelescopic adjustment:

Data Source

PatentEP2883819B1A mobile stockpiling conveyor
Publication Date: 2016.10.19 PORTAFILL INT
  • EP2883819B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2883819B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2883819B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile stockpiling conveyor (1) has a mobile chassis (2) mounted on tracks (3). A conveyor (4) is mounted on the chassis (2) by a telescopic strut (5) and an associated link arm (6). A pivot mount (7) pivotally supports an infeed end of the conveyor (4) when in use. For stockpiling, auxiliary wheels (8) are mounted on the chassis (2) and are movable between a raised inoperative position and a lowered ground-engaging operating position in which they lift the tracks (3) clear of the ground. In this operating position, the auxiliary wheels (8) cooperate with the pivot mount (7) to swing the conveyor (4) laterally through an arc about the pivot mount (7) to build up a series of stockpiles of material.