Dimpled Tray Uphill Transport and Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current differential impulse conveyors struggle to reliably move goods uphill and accurately determine the quantity of goods being transported due to varying travel rates affected by changing bed heights, which is critical for downstream processing and seasoning adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a tray with upward-projecting dimples, featuring a pusher portion for forward movement and a tapered ramp portion with angled sides to deflect goods laterally, ensuring consistent travel rates and reliable uphill movement, combined with load cells and sensors for weight and volume determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flat tray floor is used in a differential impulse conveyor, then the structure is simple and easy to clean, but the conveyor cannot reliably move goods up substantial inclines
Solution Approach 1:
The tray floor is segmented into multiple dimples instead of being flat, creating discrete engagement points that provide mechanical advantage for moving goods uphill while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The dimples are strategically positioned and shaped with specific geometries (pusher portions and tapered ramp portions) to provide localized functionality for uphill movement without complicating the entire tray structure
2Measurement precision
If goods are transported on a differential impulse conveyor with varying bed heights, then the conveyor can handle different product volumes, but the travel rate varies making quantity determination inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
A speed sensor provides feedback on the actual travel rate of goods, allowing the system to measure and account for variations in speed caused by different bed heights, thereby enabling accurate quantity determination despite adaptability to varying volumes
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical variation in travel rate due to bed height changes is replaced by an electronic measurement system (speed sensor) that detects and quantifies the actual speed, allowing computational correction rather than mechanical uniformity
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
This design enables reliable uphill transport and a uniform travel rate of goods, enhancing the accuracy of quantity determination by maintaining consistent speed despite varying bed depths, thus improving operational efficiency and product handling.
Implementation Method 1
a tapered ramp portion extending upward from the product supporting surface and engaging the pusher portion for moving goods in front of the pusher portion during backward movement of the conveyor tray
Data Source
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AI summary
A differential impulse conveyor (10) is provided for moving goods, including a tray (12) having a tray floor (14) supporting goods, with the tray movable in a forward direction and a backward direction. A drive motor (16) is provided for moving the tray floor in the forward direction and the backward direction. The tray floor includes plurality of dimples (20) each projecting upward from an adjacent product supporting surface (22) of the tray floor. Each dimpie (20) includes an upwardly projecting pusher portion (24) for pushing goods forward during the forward movement of the tray, and a tapered ramp portion (26) extending upward from the product supporting surface and engaging the pusher portion for moving goods in front of the pusher portion.