Modular Plastic Conveyor Belt A-Shaped Hinge for Tight Turns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional modular plastic conveyor belts lack the beam strength necessary to follow curved paths, especially those with tight turns, and often sag between supports due to insufficient structural support, which is a problem in applications requiring both airflow and strength, such as food handling where metal belts' black specks are not acceptable.
Innovation Solution
A modular plastic conveyor belt design featuring a central beam with a linear and tapering portion for increased strength, combined with A-shaped hinge members and hinge rods that allow the belt to collapse tightly at turns, providing enhanced beam strength and stability while maintaining airflow and collapsibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If plastic conveyor belts are designed with open area for airflow and collapsibility to negotiate turns, then airflow and turn capability are improved, but beam strength deteriorates causing sagging between supports
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt is divided into modular segments with hinge members that allow differential movement. Each module can collapse independently at turns while maintaining structural integrity through the hinge rod connections, resolving the contradiction between overall belt strength and local collapsibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The belt structure implements different properties in different locations: rigid central beam sections for strength support, flexible hinge members for turn capability, and open areas for airflow. This localized differentiation allows the belt to simultaneously achieve beam strength and collapsibility where needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If modular plastic conveyor belts replace metal belts to eliminate black specks and contamination, then food safety is improved, but beam strength deteriorates causing sagging
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt uses composite construction combining plastic materials with integrated structural elements (central beam, hinge members, hinge rods). This composite approach provides the necessary beam strength while maintaining the contamination-free surface of plastic, eliminating the black speck problem of metal belts.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conveyor belts are designed to follow curved paths with tight turns, then adaptability to conveying paths is improved, but structural stability deteriorates causing sagging
Solution Approach 1:
The belt incorporates dynamic hinge members and hinge rods that allow the structure to adapt its shape while maintaining stability. The hinge joints enable the belt to follow curved paths with tight turns, while the connected modular structure maintains overall structural stability through controlled movement.
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular plastic conveyor belt having an A-shaped edge portion in belt edge modules along each belt row for tight collapse of the belt at the inside of a turn. The A-shaped region comprises two alternating series of laterally spaced links (74), each extending from opposite ends of the edge module (24). Each of the first series of links forms an acute angle measured clockwise from the direction of belt travel. Each of the second series of links forms an acute angle measured counterclockwise from the direction of belt travel. The angles decrease monotonically with distance inward of the first side of the belt edge. Laterally extending webs (80,81) join the ends of consecutive converging links (74) along an end of the module. The lateral extent of the webs increases monotonically inward from a first side edge (16) of the belt. A cross bar (66,66') extends between each pair of web-joined links. First cross bars (66) between links joined at a first end of the module lie along a first imaginary line (82); second cross bars (66') between links joined at an opposite second end of the module lie along a second imaginary line (83). The two imaginary lines (82,83) converge inward from the first side edge (16) of the belt to form deeper gaps toward-the first side edge for tighter belt collapse at the inside of a turn.