Egg Distributing Conveyor with Buffer and Sorting Stages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional egg distributing and arranging devices face challenges in reliably preventing congestion and damage to eggs during transport, as eggs are often unevenly divided and can pile up, leading to pressure on downstream eggs and potential breakage.
Innovation Solution
The device employs a three-conveyor system where the second conveyor has a stronger force to limit egg movement, acting as a buffer when eggs exceed its capacity, while the first conveyor sorts eggs in the width direction to prevent congestion and the third conveyor efficiently divides eggs into predetermined lines, ensuring smooth processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If eggs are transported by a supply conveyor to a processing device, then the processing device can perform predetermined processes such as washing, drying and grading, but eggs may become congested and piled up at particular lines, causing damage or breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The first conveyor performs preliminary sorting of eggs in the width direction before eggs reach the second conveyor. This preliminary arrangement prevents congestion at the third conveyor and processing device, allowing eggs to be evenly distributed across multiple lines before the high-speed processing stage begins
Solution Approach 2:
The second conveyor acts as an intermediary buffer between the first and third conveyors. It has a limited transport ability Q2 that is lower than both the first conveyor Q1 and third conveyor Q3, creating a bottleneck that prevents overload. The second conveyor's stronger limiting force on egg movement stabilizes the egg flow and prevents congestion from propagating through the system
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of eggs transported varies depending on laying conditions, then the system can adapt to different production volumes, but eggs cannot be evenly divided into predetermined lines and congestion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic control of conveyor speeds to adapt to varying egg supply. The control portion adjusts the driving speeds of the first, second, and third conveyors based on the actual egg flow rate, maintaining optimal distribution even when the number of eggs varies. This dynamic speed adjustment ensures eggs are evenly divided into predetermined lines regardless of production volume fluctuations
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides eggs into multiple lines across three separate conveyors, with each conveyor handling a portion of the distribution task. The first conveyor sorts eggs in the width direction, the second conveyor stabilizes the flow with limited capacity, and the third conveyor divides eggs into final processing lines. This segmented approach ensures even distribution even when total egg numbers vary
3Reliability
If a sensor is used to sense congestion and control conveyor speed, then congestion can be detected, but eggs are already congested when sensed making it difficult to reliably eliminate congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The first conveyor performs preliminary sorting and distribution of eggs before they reach the second conveyor. This proactive arrangement prevents congestion from developing in the first place, rather than reacting to it after detection. By organizing eggs in the width direction early in the transport chain, the system eliminates the need for reactive speed control based on sensor feedback
Solution Approach 2:
The second conveyor serves as an intermediary buffer with limited transport capacity Q2. This bottleneck prevents overload from propagating to the third conveyor and processing device. The second conveyor's constrained capacity acts as a natural flow regulator, ensuring that even if the first conveyor delivers variable amounts of eggs, the third conveyor receives a stable, manageable flow that prevents congestion
Data Source
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AI summary
An egg distributing and arranging device (10) includes a first conveyor (1), a second conveyor (2) and a third conveyor (3). The first conveyor (1) includes a mesh belt (1a) for transporting eggs supplied by a supply conveyor (20) to the second conveyor (2). The mesh belt (1a) is formed of a resin, for example, to reduce friction against the eggs. The second conveyor (2) includes a bar conveyor (2a) for transporting the eggs transported by the first conveyor (1) to the third conveyor (3). The third conveyor (3) includes a mesh belt (3a) for transporting the eggs transported by the second conveyor (2) to a predetermined processing device. A plurality of guide plates (3b) are provided to guide the transported eggs while dividing the eggs into twelve groups in the width direction. Thus, a distributing and arranging device for agricultural and livestock products (10) for dividing agricultural and livestock products such as eggs without congestion for feeding them into a predetermined processing device can be obtained.