Helical Conveyor Belt Auxiliary Guide Torque Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor belts on existing helical conveyors are not guided stably between helical and non-helical paths, requiring high tension forces to maintain alignment, which increases friction and complicates navigation around reversing wheels and limits vertical space.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an auxiliary guide at the helical path compensates for torque caused by articles on the conveyor belt, ensuring plates maintain a predefined vertical position during transfer between paths, with radial guides like rollers minimizing friction and supporting the plates at multiple locations for stable guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high tension force is applied to keep the conveyor belt on track between helical and non-helical paths, then the conveyor belt guidance stability is improved, but the friction between the conveyor belt and the frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
A guide rail is introduced as an intermediary element between the conveyor belt and the frame. The guide rail provides a dedicated guidance path that eliminates the need for high tension forces to maintain belt alignment. By mediating the interaction between the belt and frame, the guide rail reduces friction while ensuring stable guidance through the transition zones between helical and non-helical paths.
2Reliability
If a radial guide of relatively large height is used to guide the conveyor belt, then the conveyor belt guidance stability is improved, but the construction height increases making it difficult to guide the conveyor belt about reversing wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is designed with varying local characteristics to address different operational requirements. In the transition zones between helical and non-helical paths, the guide rail provides enhanced guidance stability. However, in areas requiring navigation around reversing wheels, the guide rail configuration is adapted to allow smooth passage, eliminating the need for uniformly large height throughout the entire structure.
3Reliability
If a radial guide of relatively large height is used to guide the conveyor belt, then the conveyor belt guidance stability is improved, but the vertical space between two neighboring helical windings is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail system is designed to be dynamically adaptable to the helical winding configuration. Rather than using a fixed large-height radial guide, the guide rail follows the helical path and adjusts its position and orientation to provide guidance stability while maintaining adequate vertical clearance between neighboring windings. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliability without compromising the vertical space required for helical winding operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor comprises a frame, an endless conveyor belt supported by the frame in a conveying direction along a helical path, a non-helical path and a transfer path. The helical path has an upright center line. The belt includes a plurality of plates movably coupled to each other. The frame comprises at least at the helical path a radial guide, wherein the radial guide supports a plate at a radial guide contact location thereof in radial direction with respect to the center line of the helical path, a bearing guide for upwardly supporting the plates, wherein the bearing guide supports a plate at a bearing guide contact location thereof, and an auxiliary guide for compensating a torque on a plate at the bearing guide contact location about an axis directed in the conveying direction. The auxiliary guide contacts a plate at an auxiliary guide contact location thereof.