Elastomer Damping Seam for Laundry Carrier Drivers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for transporting textile objects on carriers in commercial laundries generate high levels of noise due to the transmission of vibrations and sounds between the conveyor line and support line, and are difficult to assemble.
Innovation Solution
The device features drivers composed of multiple parts connected by a damping seam made of elastomer, which effectively separates the drivers acoustically and vibrationally, reducing noise transmission by creating a barrier between the support and conveyor lines, and allows for easy assembly through a locking attachment mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carriers are moved along the support line by coupling to specific carriers on a continuously driven conveyor track, then transport functionality is achieved, but high noise levels are generated due to vibration and sound transmission between the conveyor line and support line
Solution Approach 1:
A damping seam made of elastomer is introduced as an intermediary element between the driver parts of the conveyor line and the support line. This elastomer seam acts as a mediator that mechanically connects the driver parts while acoustically and vibrationally isolates them, preventing noise transmission between the conveyor line and support line.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver body is constructed as a composite structure combining rigid driver parts with a flexible elastomer damping seam. This composite construction allows the driver to maintain mechanical integrity for power transmission while the elastomer component provides vibration and sound damping properties.
2Strength
If driver parts are connected to form a complete driver body, then mechanical strength is improved, but acoustic separation and vibration damping are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The driver body uses a composite construction where rigid driver parts are joined by a flexible elastomer damping seam. This composite structure maintains mechanical strength for power transmission while the elastomer provides vibration and sound isolation, allowing the driver to be both structurally sound and acoustically separated.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the driver body have different material properties: the driver parts are made of rigid material for strength and power transmission, while the damping seam is made of flexible elastomer for vibration and sound damping. This local differentiation of material qualities allows simultaneous achievement of mechanical strength and acoustic separation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a damping seam is introduced to separate drivers acoustically and vibrationally, then noise reduction is achieved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping seam is integrated directly into the driver body construction, merging the noise reduction function with the structural driver component. This integration eliminates the need for separate damping elements and simplifies assembly, as the elastomer seam is formed as part of the driver body rather than being added as a separate component.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver body is manufactured as a composite structure where the elastomer damping seam is incorporated during the same forming process as the rigid driver parts. This unified composite construction reduces assembly steps and complexity while maintaining the noise reduction benefits of the damping seam.
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 significantly reduces noise levels and facilitates assembly by ensuring that the drivers remain acoustically separated while being mechanically connected, preventing sound and vibration bridges between the support and conveyor lines.
Implementation Method 1
the damping seam preferably serves to dampen sound and/or vibrations
Implementation Method 2
As a result of the damping seam, the respective driver is separated from an acoustic and vibration point of view, whereby noises, especially vibrations and/or sound, are not transmitted
Implementation Method 3
a damping seam made of elastomer, which effectively separates the drivers acoustically and vibrationally
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Devices with a support beam (20) from which the support beams (11) are suspended and a conveyor beam (21) with a continuously driven conveyor chain (24) are used to transport textile items suspended from carriers (11) through laundries. Drivers (27) are attached to the conveyor chain (24) and can be coupled to each carrier (11) to be transported further. The drivers (27) transmit sound and vibrations from the conveyor chain (24) to the support beam (20). This results in disruptive operating noise. The invention provides for the drivers (27) to be formed from two driver parts (31, 32) connected by a damping seam (33). The damping seam (33) interrupts the transmission of sound and vibrations from the conveyor chain (24) to the support beam (20), resulting in effective noise reduction.