Friction Drive Conveyor Angled Storage Biasing Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assemblies consume valuable space as they lack an efficient method to store objects like car doors, which are typically moved in a direction parallel to the conveyor, preventing effective offline biasing.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a biasing mechanism with a conveying rail and a biasing rail, where the leading tow bar is driven by friction drivers, allowing trailing tow bars to pass underneath, enabling objects to be angled relative to the direction of motion, thus allowing adjacent carrier assemblies to be moved closer and objects to be efficiently stored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If objects are moved in a direction parallel to the conveyor, then the conveyor can transport objects through work stations, but the conveyor consumes valuable space and cannot efficiently store objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a biasing rail positioned at an angle to the conveying rail, allowing objects to be stored in a diagonal/angled configuration rather than purely parallel. This dimensional change in the storage orientation enables more efficient use of space while maintaining the parallel transport function for active objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system is segmented into distinct functional zones: an active conveying section for transporting objects through work stations and a biasing section for storing objects at an angle. This segmentation allows each section to optimize its specific function without interfering with the other.
2Ease of operation
If friction drivers engage all tow bars, then all carrier assemblies are driven, but trailing tow bars cannot pass underneath friction drivers in biasing section
Solution Approach 1:
The friction drivers are designed with selective engagement capability, where only the leading tow bar of each carrier assembly is engaged by the friction drivers in the biasing section. This local quality differentiation allows the system to drive carriers efficiently while permitting trailing tow bars to pass underneath without engagement.
3Area of stationary object
If leading tow bar is driven and trailing tow bars pass underneath, then objects can be angled for efficient storage, but friction drivers must be positioned higher
Solution Approach 1:
The friction driver design is made universal to handle both biasing and non-biasing operations. By positioning friction drivers higher to engage only the leading tow bar, the same friction driver configuration serves dual purposes: enabling efficient angled storage in biasing sections while maintaining effective carrier driving in non-biasing sections.
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 configuration allows for more efficient storage of objects by angling them relative to the conveyor rails, minimizing additional costs and maintaining conveyor operation, as the same type of friction driver can be used for both biasing and non-biasing sections.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of stationary friction drivers are disposed along the biasing section of the conveying rail for moving the carrier assembly, and the stationary friction drivers are configured to only engage the leading tow bar
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assembly including a biasing section for biasing objects such as car doors. The conveyor assembly includes a conveying rail and a biasing rail extending in spaced and parallel relationship with the conveying rail. The conveyor assembly also includes at least three trolleys and at least two tow bars extending between and interconnecting the trolleys. A biasing mechanism allows at least two of the trolleys to remain on the conveying rail and guides at least one trolley onto the biasing rail so that one of the tow bars extends between the biasing rails. The object is disposed on the tow bar extending between the biasing rails. A plurality of friction drivers are disposed on the conveying rail for only driving the tow bar extending between the trolleys on the conveying rail.