Modular Conveyor Belt Slats With Side Carrier Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor toasters are ill-suited for consumer use due to their size, high manufacturing costs, power requirements, and the time needed to preheat the platen, but they are preferred by restaurants for high-volume throughput and consistent heating.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor belt design featuring a plurality of slats coupled to a side carrier, such as cables, timing belts, or timing chains, which form a continuous surface for efficient operation and easy maintenance, allowing for customizable assembly and reduced complexity in assembly and repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If wire conveyor belts with plates attached to spaced rods are used, then a flat support surface is provided, but the manufacturing cost increases and assembly becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt is divided into modular slat units that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together. Each slat is a discrete component with standardized connection features, allowing for simplified manufacturing processes and easy assembly/disassembly without requiring complex attachment of plates to spaced rods
Solution Approach 2:
The slat design integrates the support surface and connection features into a single unified component rather than separate parts. The side carriers and coupling mechanisms are combined with the slat structure itself, eliminating the need for separate plate attachments and reducing overall assembly complexity
2Productivity
If traditional conveyor belt designs are used, then continuous conveyance is achieved, but repair and replacement in the field becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt is segmented into individual slat units with standardized interfaces, allowing any damaged slat to be independently removed and replaced in the field without affecting the entire conveyor system. This modular approach enables quick field repairs while maintaining continuous operation of the remaining sections
Solution Approach 2:
The slats are designed with universal connection features that allow any slat to replace any other slat in the system. The standardized coupling mechanisms and side carrier attachments create interchangeable components that can be easily swapped in the field, simplifying repair operations
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor belt includes a conveyor belt slat having a coupling mechanism extending from a bottom of a base of the conveyor belt slat.