Mail Storage Device Pivot Arm Vertical Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mail-handling machines face challenges in increasing storage capacity without expanding their footprint, particularly for horizontal storage devices, as conventional solutions like sloping surfaces lead to trapezoidal stacks that cause jamming due to uneven thrust distribution.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a pivot arm and dual rollers maintains mailpieces in a vertical position, using a friction roller to press against the conveyor belt and a holding roller to secure against the sloping surface, allowing for increased capacity without footprint expansion, and includes adjustable abutments and a flexible flap to manage varying mailpiece sizes and speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If mailpieces are stored horizontally on a conveyor belt with a sloping surface, then storage capacity is increased, but the stack becomes trapezoidal and causes jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot arm is made movable to move vertically along the conveyor belt, allowing the holding roller to dynamically adjust its position and maintain constant pressure on the mailpiece stack throughout the storage process, preventing stack collapse and trapezoidal formation
Solution Approach 2:
The holding roller acts as an intermediary element between the sloping surface and the mailpiece stack, applying continuous downward pressure to maintain vertical orientation and prevent the stack from collapsing onto the conveyor belt
2Productivity
If the conveyor belt speed is increased to match high franking rates, then productivity is improved, but storage capacity must be increased to avoid frequent loading/unloading
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device transitions from conventional horizontal stacking to vertical stacking by utilizing the vertical dimension through the movable pivot arm and holding roller mechanism, enabling increased storage capacity without expanding the horizontal footprint
3Reliability
If motor-driven rollers are used to increase friction for better accumulation, then storage reliability is improved, but device complexity and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot arm utilizes the kinetic energy and friction from the moving conveyor belt to automatically move vertically along the belt, eliminating the need for separate motor-driven rollers and reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable mailpiece accumulation
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 enables a significant increase in storage capacity while preventing stack collapse and maintaining operational efficiency, even with varying mailpiece thickness and direction, ensuring reliable and jam-free operation.
Implementation Method 1
a friction roller (26) mounted for pressing said mailpieces against said conveyor belt (14)
Implementation Method 2
a holding roller (28) mounted for pressing said mailpieces against said sloping surface (18)
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device for a mail-handling machine, said storage device comprising a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along said referencing wall from an inlet of the device towards a sloping surface against which said mailpieces accumulate, said storage device further comprising a pivot arm that is mounted to move both vertically about hinge pin and horizontally along a slide rail, on which arm firstly a friction roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the conveyor belt, and secondly a holding roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the sloping surface.