Offset Conveyor Pockets for Stable Preform Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ascending conveyors in the beverage industry experience fluctuations in container throughput and misalignment issues, leading to operational disruptions in blow molding systems, as they convey preforms in large quantities at intervals, causing preforms to get stuck together.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of two parallel conveyor tracks with offset conveyor pockets allows for consistent container distribution, reducing the risk of misalignment and jamming by conveying smaller quantities at more frequent intervals, achieved through either a common conveyor belt design or separate belts with adjustable drives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conveyor pockets are made large to increase container throughput, then more containers can be transported per cycle, but container throughput becomes subject to significant fluctuations and containers may become entangled
Solution Approach 1:
The single conveyor track is divided into multiple parallel conveyor tracks (e.g., two tracks). Each track carries containers independently, distributing the total throughput across multiple streams. This segmentation reduces the number of containers per pocket while maintaining overall throughput, preventing entanglement and fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-dimensional conveyor stream to a multi-dimensional arrangement with parallel tracks. By adding the track dimension, containers are distributed across multiple spatial paths, reducing concentration in any single pocket and enabling more consistent flow to downstream equipment.
2Productivity
If containers are conveyed in large quantities at intervals, then throughput is increased, but misalignment occurs causing containers to get stuck in downstream equipment
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conveyor tracks create separate streams that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows better distribution of containers across tracks, improving alignment as containers are fed into downstream equipment in a more organized, less chaotic manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The parallel track configuration preliminarily organizes containers into separate streams before they reach downstream equipment. This preliminary arrangement prevents misalignment and entanglement by ensuring containers are already positioned and spaced appropriately before entering the next processing stage.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to an inclined conveyor for conveying containers, in particular preforms (8), with a plurality of conveying pockets (5) which are movable along a conveying track (6, 10) in a conveying direction (F) and wherein the conveying pockets (5) are formed one after the other on a continuously driven conveyor belt (2). According to the invention, at least two adjacent conveying tracks (6, 10) are provided, wherein the conveying pockets (5) in the at least two conveying tracks (6, 10) are offset from one another and movable in the conveying direction (F).