Elastomeric Conveyor Belt Wiper Blade with T-Slot Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor belt cleaners are costly to maintain and replace due to frequent wear and tear, and existing designs often waste material by incorporating metal and requiring complex manufacturing processes, leading to high operational and disposal costs.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor belt cleaner with a mounting bar featuring T-slots and elastomeric wiper members that are easily adjustable and replaceable, eliminating the need for internal metal and reducing material waste, allowing for simpler manufacturing and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If polymer blades with internal aluminum extrusion are used, then the blade provides support to securely attach the polymer blade, but the manufacturing process becomes time consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the internal aluminum extrusion from the polymer blade, extracting the metal component that caused manufacturing complexity. The blade is made entirely of polymer with a foam core, eliminating the need for bonding operations and reducing manufacturing time while maintaining structural integrity through the foam core design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite polymer blade structure with a foam core material. This composite construction provides the necessary support and rigidity without requiring metal reinforcements, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining blade strength and security of attachment.
2Strength
If polymer and metal combined blades are used, then the blade provides secure attachment, but disposal cost increases and recycling becomes more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the metal component from the blade assembly, making the blade entirely polymer-based. This eliminates the disposal and recycling complexities associated with mixed materials, reducing disposal costs and improving recyclability while maintaining adequate attachment security through the foam core structure.
3Strength
If weldments are used to mount the blade, then the blade can be securely attached, but the weldments are prone to damage from contact with the belt
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the metal weldments from the mounting system, replacing them with a polymer-based attachment mechanism. The blade is mounted through holes in the foam core using polymer retainers or screws, eliminating the vulnerability of metal weldments to belt contact damage while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the mounting system from metal weldments to polymer materials. This parameter change eliminates the durability issues of metal weldments while providing sufficient mounting security through the polymer foam core structure and attachment mechanisms.
4Strength
If larger portion of material is used for mounting, then the blade can be securely attached, but more material is thrown away than used to clean the belt
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using a foam core material that provides sufficient structural support and mounting capability throughout the blade body. This distributed structural approach eliminates the need for concentrated metal reinforcements and mounting hardware, reducing material waste while maintaining secure attachment.
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 reduces maintenance and operational costs by extending the life of the wiper members, minimizing material waste, and simplifying the manufacturing and disposal processes, while ensuring effective cleaning without the need for tools or complex assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The blade is allowed to rub against the moving conveyor belt with a predetermined force to thereby remove the majority of the bulk product that would adhere to the conveyor belt
Implementation Method 2
The head of the T comprises a square opening of a first dimension and the stem of the T is rectangular and of a width less than the square head. This stem is, of course, contiguous with the head and centered relative to it
Data Source
AI summary
A wiper blade for removing material from a conveyor belt attached to the conveyor belt frame near the nose roller such that the belt will not have material on the belt during the return portion of the loop. The wiper blade is easily attached to and removed from the conveyor frame for installing and replacing the wiper blades when they become worn. The wiper blade is slid out from its slot on the support bar and a new blade inserted into the slot and slid into a locking position for a quick and low cost change of blades. The support bar is rotatably attached to the conveyor frame to adjust the edge of the wiper blade to be proximate the conveyor belt. The wiper blade is made of an elastomeric material without any metal parts for ease of recycling.