Egg Dosing Roller Conveyor Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatus for dosing round products like eggs on roller conveyors are complex, space-intensive, and difficult to maintain and clean, especially in hygienic environments, as they often require multiple parts and auxiliary systems for sorting and conveying.
Innovation Solution
A simplified apparatus with a feed belt, dosing apparatus featuring axles with fixed intervals of side-by-side rollers forming rows, and a control device to synchronize the speeds of the feed belt and roller conveyor, ensuring each product is on a separate pair of rollers, reducing contact and complexity, and incorporating a robot for further simplification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple auxiliary means and cell wheels are used to transfer products discretely onto the roller conveyor, then the dosing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex auxiliary means and cell wheels from the system. Instead of using multiple auxiliary conveyors and discrete transfer devices, the invention uses a single roller conveyor where products are directly positioned onto pairs of rollers, eliminating unnecessary intermediate components while maintaining dosing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using auxiliary means to add products to the conveyor, the invention inverts the approach by having the roller conveyor itself perform the dosing function through its paired roller configuration, where each pair acts as an independent dosing unit without requiring additional transfer mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple auxiliary means and transfer devices are implemented, then the dosing accuracy is improved, but the ease of maintenance deteriorates due to more parts requiring replacement and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the cell wheels and auxiliary transfer devices that create maintenance burden. The simplified system with direct roller pairing reduces the number of parts that require maintenance while preserving dosing accuracy through the controlled roller configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the dosing function and conveyor function into a single integrated system. The roller conveyor simultaneously performs both conveying and dosing operations through its paired roller design, eliminating the need for separate auxiliary means and reducing overall system complexity and maintenance requirements.
3Reliability
If a complex system with multiple pairs of rollers and auxiliary conveyors is used, then the hygiene standard is improved through better control, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes auxiliary conveyors and complex transfer mechanisms that create hygiene challenges. The simplified roller conveyor system with direct product placement reduces surfaces requiring cleaning and minimizes areas where contamination could occur, while maintaining hygiene through the controlled paired roller configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller conveyor performs multiple functions simultaneously - conveying, dosing, and maintaining hygiene standards - without requiring separate auxiliary systems. The paired roller design provides both product support and controlled positioning in a single integrated structure, reducing the number of components that require hygiene maintenance.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
This invention relates to an apparatus for dosing substantially round products (P), for instance eggs, on an endless roller conveyor (3), comprising - a feed belt (1) for supplying the products located thereon in a conveying direction (T), - a dosing apparatus (2) for arranging, further down the conveying direction (T), the products supplied via the feed belt, - an endless roller conveyor (3), wherein the rollers located one behind the other in conveying direction form at least two rows, and spaces between pairs of rollers (30) located one behind the other form a conveying location, and - a control device for controlling and mutually gearing the speeds of the feed belt (1), of the dosing apparatus (2), and of the roller conveyor (3) to each other, wherein, with a given number of conveying locations, the roller conveyor comprises twice the number of rollers, while, for each product, a corresponding, separate pair of rollers is comprised, so that each roller is never in contact with more than one product at the time.