Pivoting Drive Roller Assembly for Quiet Conveyor Diversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor systems face limitations in efficiently diverting objects by changing the orientation of conveyor belt rollers to route or position them for processing, as they often require complex mechanisms that are noisy and difficult to assemble.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with a drive roller assembly that includes pivotable roller carriers, an upper and lower support plate, and a movable orientation plate, allowing drive rollers to pivot and engage conveyor belt rollers through an arc-shaped path, enabling precise diversion of objects by altering the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt travel direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex mechanisms are used to change the orientation of conveyor belt rollers, then object diversion capability is improved, but noise level increases and assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive roller orientation is made dynamically adjustable through a pivotable mounting mechanism. The drive roller can rotate about a vertical axis to change its orientation relative to the conveyor belt travel direction, enabling flexible object diversion angles. This dynamic adjustment replaces complex fixed mechanisms with a simpler rotational degree of freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system is divided into modular components: conveyor belt sections with rollers, drive roller assemblies with pivotable mountings, and support structures. Each module can be independently assembled and positioned, simplifying the overall assembly process while maintaining versatile object diversion capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex mechanisms are used to change the orientation of conveyor belt rollers, then object diversion capability is improved, but noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable drive roller mounting replaces complex mechanical linkages and actuators with a simpler friction-based or gravity-assisted pivot mechanism. This substitution reduces the number of moving parts, lubrication points, and mechanical interactions that generate noise, while maintaining the ability to adjust drive roller orientation for effective object diversion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex mechanisms are used to change the orientation of conveyor belt rollers, then object diversion capability is improved, but assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into pre-assembled modules: conveyor belt sections, drive roller assemblies with integrated pivotable mountings, and support structures. Each module is designed to be self-contained and easily connected to others, reducing assembly complexity while preserving the versatile object diversion functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable drive roller mounting incorporates self-aligning features or gravity-assisted positioning that enable automatic orientation adjustment during assembly, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures or specialized assembly tools. This self-service characteristic simplifies the assembly process while maintaining precise orientation control for effective object diversion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves accurate and quiet object diversion with simplified assembly, reducing noise and complexity while maintaining operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
drive rollers for selectively engaging and activating the conveyor belt rollers
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of article-diverting conveyor belt rollers. An underlying drive roller assembly includes a plurality of pivotable rollers carriers, each having a freely rotatable drive roller that contacts the conveyor belt rollers from below. An actuator moves a movable orientation plate along an arc-shaped path to pivot the carriers and change the orientation of the drive rollers. The drive rollers may also move into and out of engagement with the conveyor belt rollers as their orientation changes. The movable orientation plate is sandwiched between upper and lower support plates to adjust the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt rollers.