Milling Machine Conveyor Lifting Device with Deflection Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional road surface milling machines with conveyors face challenges in pivotability and safety due to protruding lifting cylinders, which hinder machine movement and pose a risk to operators, especially during storage and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a lifting device with a deflection element that redirects the pivoting force via a tension element, allowing for improved pivotability and safety by integrating the actuating element in an axis-parallel arrangement, minimizing protrusion and enhancing load distribution, using a block and tackle system for amplified movement with reduced relative movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a lifting cylinder is attached to the road milling machine, then the conveyor can be elevated to load trucks, but the protruding lifting cylinder prevents the machine from reversing towards obstacles and poses a safety hazard to operators

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor elevation capabilityVSAvoidsafety hazard to operators and obstruction to machine movement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting cylinder is extracted from the road milling machine and transferred to the conveyor itself. This removes the protruding hazard from the machine body, allowing the machine to reverse close to obstacles without safety risks to operators while maintaining the conveyor elevation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting cylinder is repositioned from a protruding external location on the machine to an integrated position on the conveyor structure. This spatial reorganization eliminates the protrusion hazard while preserving the vertical elevation function needed for loading trucks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If a lifting cylinder with very long stroke is attached to the conveyor, then the conveyor can be lowered and aligned parallel to the belt, but the cylinder must be mounted near the upper conveyor belt which negatively affects lifting characteristics and requires the lifting mechanism to support high loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor alignment capabilityVSAvoidload on lifting mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

A tensioning element (cable or chain) is introduced as an intermediary between the lifting cylinder and the road milling machine. This allows the lifting cylinder to be mounted on the conveyor away from the upper belt area, improving lifting characteristics while the tensioning element transmits the lifting force over the necessary distance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the conveyor is equipped with a lifting cylinder and tensioning element, then the conveyor can be elevated and lowered, but the tensioning element must be shortened in additional steps using an auxiliary cable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor height adjustmentVSAvoidadditional shortening steps with auxiliary cable
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tensioning element is designed with dynamic adjustment capability integrated into the lifting mechanism. This allows the tensioning element length to be adjusted automatically or more simply during operation, eliminating the need for separate shortening steps with auxiliary cables while maintaining adaptability for different truck heights.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 ensures safer and more effective pivotability of the conveyor, allowing for complete pivoting range without auxiliary cables and reducing the risk of injury, while optimizing load conditions and protecting sensitive components.

Implementation Method 1

using a block and tackle system for amplified movement with reduced relative movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Data Source

PatentEP3216920B1Milling machine with a conveyor
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 BOMAG GMBH
  • EP3216920B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3216920B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3216920B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a conveyor (2) or similar conveying means for mounting on a construction machine (1), and in particular a road surface milling machine, which can be pivotally attached to the construction machine (1) by means of a pivoting section (4) and can be pivoted against the construction machine (1) via a lifting device (6) with a loading section (8), wherein the lifting device (6) comprises at least one actuating element (10) which is attached to the conveyor (2) with a fixed section (12) and can be brought into operative contact with the construction machine (1) via at least one traction element (16) with an actuating section (14) that is actively movable relative to the fixed section (12) such that the loading section (8) pivots relative to the fixed section (12) when the actuating section (14) is moved, wherein a first deflecting element (18) is provided on the conveyor (2) via which the traction element (16) supplied by the actuating section (14) of the actuating element (10) can be deflected and can be led to the construction machine (1),and that a mounting bridge (69) is provided which substantially spans a conveying area of ​​the conveyor, forming a clear conveying space, and on which the first deflection element (68) is arranged. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a construction machine (1), and in particular a road surface milling machine, to which a conveyor (2) or similar conveying means of the aforementioned type is articulated.