Transport Conveyor Vertical Return Path for Underpass Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport conveyors face challenges in securing a wide space below them in the up-down direction while maintaining a predetermined height, making it difficult to utilize this space effectively for transport vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A transport conveyor design featuring two support legs, a frame, and an endless member with specific path configurations that allow for a reduced dimension in the up-down direction, enabling a wide space below the conveyor for vehicle passage, while maintaining the conveyor's height and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the height of the transport conveyor is maintained at a predetermined height, then the object can be appropriately received and delivered, but the space below the conveyor in the up-down direction becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by reconfiguring the conveyor belt path from a traditional horizontal return under the conveyor to a vertical configuration. The endless member descends vertically at both end portions and returns horizontally below the support legs, effectively utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce the up-down space requirement below the conveyor while maintaining the predetermined conveyor height for proper object handling.
2Device complexity
If the conveyor belt is configured to return horizontally below the conveyor, then the structure is simple, but the dimension in the up-down direction becomes large, limiting space for vehicle passage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the conveyor belt configuration from a two-dimensional horizontal layout to a three-dimensional structure by introducing vertical segments. The endless member descends vertically at the end portions and returns horizontally below the support legs, creating a U-shaped cross-section path that reduces the vertical dimension below the conveyor while adding minimal structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the endless member is bent to turn back, then the path can be changed, but the bending radius creates a minimum space requirement that limits space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the bending radius requirement by configuring the endless member to form smooth curved transitions at the turn-back portions. The vertical and horizontal segments are connected through curved paths that accommodate the minimum bending radius while minimizing the space occupied, effectively integrating the curvature requirement into the overall compact design.
Data Source
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AI summary
The endless path 4 includes: a first region 41 extending linearly in the transport direction X and constituting a transport surface 4F on which the object to be transported 9 is placeable, turn-back regions 43 in which the endless path 4 is turned back downward from respective end portions of the first region 41 in the transport direction X; and a second region 42 continuous with the turn-back regions 43 and extending in the transport direction X below the first region 41, and the second region 42 has, between the two support legs 31 in the transport direction X, a specific zone 42S that is parallel with the first region 41 and in which a spacing from the first region 41 in an up-down direction is smaller than a smallest turn-back dimension Lmin corresponding to twice a smallest bending radius Rmin of the endless member 5.