Overlapping Radial Covers for Conveying Device Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying devices with accordion-shaped covers between holding mechanisms face issues with cover deformation and damage due to varying distances between mechanisms, leading to ineffective prevention of foreign matter intrusion.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device with first and second covers extending from adjacent holding mechanisms, overlapping in the radial direction to cover gaps, ensuring foreign matter exclusion regardless of distance, and incorporating an interposition member to minimize sliding resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an accordion-shaped cover is provided between two holding mechanisms to cover the gap, then foreign matter prevention is improved, but the cover may deform or protrude when mechanisms move close, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The single accordion-shaped cover is divided into two separate covers: a first cover attached to the first holding mechanism and a second cover attached to the second holding mechanism. Each cover independently extends toward the other mechanism, eliminating the deformation issues of a single flexible cover while maintaining gap coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The covers are designed to overlap in the radial direction of the rotary shaft, adding a radial dimension to the coverage. This overlapping radial arrangement ensures that the gap is covered from multiple angles and prevents foreign matter intrusion even when mechanisms move relative to each other.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between holding mechanisms varies during operation, then operational flexibility is improved, but the cover may fail to maintain proper coverage, allowing foreign matter entry
Solution Approach 1:
The covering system is designed to be dynamic, with each cover attached to its respective holding mechanism and capable of moving with it. The covers maintain their extending configuration regardless of the distance between mechanisms, adapting automatically to position changes while continuously covering the gap.
Solution Approach 2:
By arranging covers to overlap in the radial direction rather than relying solely on axial coverage, the system maintains effective gap coverage across varying distances between holding mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If covers extend sufficiently to overlap when mechanisms are furthest apart, then foreign matter prevention is improved across all positions, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the covering function into two separate covers simplifies the design compared to a single complex accordion cover. Each cover has a straightforward extending structure attached to its respective mechanism, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving the same protective function.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveying device comprises: a plurality of holding mechanisms attached to a rotary shaft; a speed-changing mechanism which changes the angular speed of each of the plurality of holding mechanisms; a first cover extending from a first holding mechanism toward a second holding mechanism, such that the first cover covers a gap between the two holding mechanisms from an outside thereof in a radial direction of the rotating shaft; and a second cover extending from the second holding mechanism toward the first holding mechanism such that the second cover covers the gap from the outside thereof in the radial direction, and overlapping with the first cover. The two covers have lengths enough to be able to overlap with each other in the radial direction in a state in which the two holding mechanisms are furthest apart from each other.