Helical Conveyor Reverse Guide Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helical conveyors have straight portions at the ends, which cause horizontal displacement issues when stacking and lead to speed differences and friction problems when parallel operation, resulting in inefficient product transfer and increased wear.
Innovation Solution
The helical conveyor design minimizes straight portions by using upper and lower end reverse guides to turn the conveyor belt upside down, allowing the return section to be short and non-helical, with minimal twists, enabling a more compact and efficient helical path configuration that allows for seamless stacking and reduced friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the conveyor belt follows a conventional path with straight portions at the ends, then the conveyor structure is simpler to implement, but horizontal displacement occurs when stacking conveyors and speed differences cause friction problems in parallel operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional conveyor belt path configuration by eliminating straight portions and using the belt to follow a helical path throughout, including using the return path as a helical guide. This inversion allows the conveyor to be stacked vertically without horizontal displacement and enables parallel operation with consistent speed, resolving the adaptability issues while maintaining structural feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional path with straight sections to a three-dimensional helical path that utilizes vertical stacking. By making the return section follow a helical path in the opposite direction and using it as a guide, the conveyor achieves compact vertical stacking capability and eliminates horizontal displacement between stacked units
2Volume of moving object
If the return path follows a helical path like the transport section, then the conveyor becomes more compact, but the conveyor belt length increases causing higher friction rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the helical return path serve dual functions: it acts as both the return trajectory for the conveyor belt and as a guide path for the belt. This multi-functionality allows the belt to follow a compact helical route without requiring additional guide structures, achieving space efficiency while controlling friction through proper belt tension and guide integration
Solution Approach 2:
The helical return path acts as an intermediary element that guides the conveyor belt through the return journey. By designing the return path to coincide with the helical transport section, the system uses the same structural geometry for both forward and return motion, reducing overall system volume while managing friction through the guide function
3Manufacturing precision
If straight portions are minimized using reverse rollers, then the helical path is more accurate, but the conveyor belt still requires twisting and turning that creates wear
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using reverse rollers to turn the belt at the ends of the helical path, the patent inverts the approach by making the belt follow a continuous helical path throughout both transport and return sections. This eliminates the need for sharp turning and twisting at the ends, maintaining helical path accuracy while significantly reducing mechanical wear on the conveyor belt
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
Figure 9~12
AI summary
A helical conveyor (1) having a conveyor belt between a lower end (4) and an upper end (5) and a return section (8, 9, 12) where the conveyor belt (3) follows a path between the lower end (4) and the upper end (5) outside the transport section. The conveyor (1) comprises a lower end reverse guide (6) and an upper end reverse guide (7). The return section leaves the upper end (5) through a horizontally oriented upper return section portion (8) and the return section leaves the lower end (4) through a horizontally oriented lower return section portion (9). The return section has an upwardly directed return section portion (12) which forms a connection between the upper return section portion (8) and the lower return section portion (9) and extends at least partly outside the helical path as seen from above. The return section has an upwardly directed bend between the upper return section portion (8) and the upwardly directed return section portion (12), on the one hand, and an upwardly directed bend between the lower return section portion (9) and the upwardly directed return section portion (12), on the other hand. The upwardly directed return section portion (12) bends within the plane of the conveyor belt (3).