Merging Conveying Channels for Large Unit Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for merging piece goods streams at different heights face challenges in conveying large pieces, leading to jamming issues due to mismatched channel widths, resulting in operational disruptions.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a second conveying surface with a width less than half the total channel width, allowing larger pieces to protrude and be conveyed without jamming, with a gradient and free side edge, and a lower conveying channel with a width greater than half the total channel width to accommodate pieces up to the total width, ensuring smooth transfer to a discharge channel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conveying channels are brought together side by side with each channel having width corresponding to half the total channel width, then the device structure is simple and compact, but piece goods with largest dimension greater than half the total channel width become jammed during ejection
Solution Approach 1:
The upper conveying channel is divided into two sections with different widths: the first conveying surface has width corresponding to half the total channel width, while the second conveying surface has width less than half the total channel width. This local variation in width allows piece goods to protrude beyond the side wall without jamming, while maintaining overall system compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The second conveying surface is arranged at an angle to the first conveying surface, creating a three-dimensional configuration. This angular arrangement allows piece goods to be conveyed at an angle, enabling them to protrude beyond the side wall boundary and be deposited onto the lower conveying channel without causing jamming in the merging area.
2Reliability
If conveying channels are designed to accommodate large piece goods, then jamming is reduced, but the device width and overall size increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the width of the entire conveying channel system, the invention locally reduces the width of the second conveying surface to less than half the total channel width. This localized width variation allows large piece goods to protrude and be conveyed at an angle, accommodating large items without increasing the overall device width.
Solution Approach 2:
The angular arrangement of the second conveying surface relative to the first conveying surface utilizes the vertical and angular dimensions to accommodate large piece goods. By conveying items at an angle rather than increasing horizontal width, the system handles large dimensions without expanding the device's footprint.
Data Source
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AI summary
Device for merging at least two streams of unit loads arranged at different heights, comprising an upper conveying channel for receiving unit loads from an upper stream, and a lower conveying channel for receiving unit loads from a lower stream, wherein the conveying channels extend between a first vertical plane and a parallel second vertical plane, the mutual distance of which corresponds to a total channel width at the end point, wherein the upper conveying channel has a first conveying surface between a first side wall extending in the first vertical plane and a second side wall, wherein the second side wall extends in the second vertical plane at least at an upstream end section, and a second conveying surface which adjoins the first conveying surface downstream adjacent to a third side wall extending in the first vertical plane and has a widthwhich is less than half the total channel width, wherein the second conveying surface terminates freely at a vertical distance above the lower conveying channel at a side edge running parallel to the first vertical plane, wherein the lower conveying channel has a third conveying surface bounded by a fourth side wall and a fifth side wall running in the second vertical plane, wherein a width of the third conveying surface at a downstream end of the lower conveying channel corresponds to the total channel width less the width of the second conveying surface.