Modular Conveyor Profile Units with Releasable Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems face challenges in being versatile, flexible, and easy to maintain, with existing designs often requiring significant downtime for maintenance and component replacement due to complex disassembly and assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system comprising parallel profile units connected by profile crossbeams, with releasable connections allowing for quick disassembly and assembly, featuring positive locking mechanisms such as tongue and groove connections and sliding connections, enabling easy removal and replacement of conveyor units during operation, and incorporating a lean design for reduced downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional conveyor systems use fixed and complex assembly structures, then structural stability is improved, but maintenance time and downtime increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into modular profile units that can be independently removed and replaced. Each profile unit comprises standardized components (side profiles, support profiles, crossbeams) that can be quickly disassembled and reassembled, enabling maintenance without shutting down the entire conveyor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection elements incorporate movable and adjustable features, such as adjustable connection positions on support profiles and movable side walls, allowing the structure to adapt during assembly and maintenance operations while maintaining stability during operation.
2Ease of repair
If conveyor systems use simple and quick connection mechanisms, then ease of maintenance is improved, but structural stability and strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into discrete connection elements (tongues, grooves, bolts) that can be quickly engaged and disengaged. These segmented connection points are strategically positioned to maintain overall structural integrity while enabling rapid maintenance access.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple connection functions are merged into integrated connection elements that simultaneously provide structural support, positioning, and locking capabilities. The combination of tongues, grooves, and bolts in a single connection assembly achieves both strength and ease of maintenance.
3Reliability
If the conveyor system uses fixed configuration, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability and flexibility for different applications are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The profile units and connection elements are designed with universal features that allow them to serve multiple functions and configurations. Connection positions can be adjusted to accommodate different conveyor requirements, and the modular design enables the same components to be used in various conveyor arrangements and applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements, such as movable side walls and adjustable connection positions, that allow the structure to dynamically adapt to different operational requirements while maintaining structural stability during each configured state.
4Ease of manufacture
If conveyor units are designed as integrated monolithic structures, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but disassembly complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than manufacturing a single monolithic structure, the conveyor is manufactured as separate modular profile units using standardized components. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing of individual parts while enabling easy disassembly and reassembly through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Connection elements are pre-designed and pre-positioned on profile units during manufacturing, with predetermined connection positions and standardized interfaces. This preliminary preparation of connection features simplifies both manufacturing and subsequent assembly operations, reducing on-site complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A conveyor comprising a first profile unit (1) and a second profile unit (2), wherein the profile units comprise a support profile (10, 20) and a side profile (11, 21) that can be releasably connected to each other to form a composed structure whose cross-sections comprise lateral openings (12, 22), at least one conveyor unit (4) that can be arranged between the two profile units, wherein each conveyor unit (4) comprises a first side wall (40) and a second side wall (41), and wherein conveying elements (44, 45) are arranged between the side walls (40, 41), wherein the side walls (40, 41) can be releasably arranged in the lateral openings (12, 22) of the profile units (1, 2) to form composed structures with a closed cross-section.