Method for producing guide and / or alignment elements of continuous conveyors for washing machines and continuous conveyor for washing machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guiding and aligning elements for continuous conveyors in laundry machines are complex and prone to failure, requiring dynamic adjustment devices and being costly to maintain due to wear and tear.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of a continuous, flowable material to the drum surface, which is then hardened to form a circumferential strand that acts as a guide and alignment element, eliminating the need for dynamic adjustment devices and providing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dynamic adjustment devices are used to guide and align conveyor belts, then the conveyor belts can maintain their intended position, but the device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to moving parts prone to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces dynamic mechanical adjustment devices with a static circumferential strand made of curable material applied to the drum surface. This strand creates friction-based guidance without moving parts, eliminating the reliability issues and complexity associated with dynamic mechanical systems while maintaining the belt alignment function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential guidance function from complex dynamic adjustment mechanisms and implements it through a simple static circumferential strand. By removing unnecessary moving parts and complexity, the solution retains only the core alignment capability through friction contact between the strand and conveyor belt
2Reliability
If dynamic adjustment devices are used for belt alignment, then position control is achieved, but maintenance costs increase due to wear and tear
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential strand is made from cost-effective curable material that can be easily applied and replaced. Rather than maintaining expensive dynamic adjustment mechanisms, the solution uses an inexpensive static strand that provides reliable position control and can be quickly reapplied when worn, significantly reducing maintenance costs and effort
3Device complexity
If a circumferential strand is applied to the drum surface, then dynamic adjustment devices are eliminated, but manufacturing precision is required for proper strand application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase change of the curable material from flowable to solid state to achieve precise strand formation. By controlling the curing process, the material self-regulates its shape and position on the drum surface, reducing the need for high manufacturing precision in the application process while ensuring proper alignment functionality
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
The solution ensures precise and long-term guidance of transport belts, maintaining their intended position without moving parts, leading to reliable and cost-effective operation of continuous conveyors.
Implementation Method 1
at least one preferably continuous and/or gapless strand of a flowable and/or pasty material, or of a material made flowable and/or pasty, is applied to the outer surface of at least one drum... After this at least one circulating strand has been applied to the outer surface of at least one drum, it is cured
Data Source
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AI summary
Laundry machines have at least one continuous conveyor (16). The continuous conveyor (16) has several adjacent narrow transport belts (21) that are guided around drums (18, 19, 20), one of which is designed as a drive drum and the others as deflection drums. It is necessary to hold the narrow belts in their desired position on the drums (18, 19, 20) by means of at least one guide and/or alignment element. Guide and/or alignment elements are known that must be constantly adjusted so that the transport belts (21) maintain their desired position on the drums (18, 19, 20). The invention provides for the guide and/or alignment elements of the continuous conveyor (16) to be applied by strands (25) made of a curable plastic to the outer surface (26) of the respective drum (18, 19, 20). Such guiding and/or alignment devices are easy to manufacture and resistant to malfunctions.