Pivoting Guide Rail for Hygienic Conveyor Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor systems are difficult to clean efficiently, requiring partial disassembly and risking lost fasteners or malfunctions, especially in hygienic environments where thorough cleaning is crucial, such as in the food industry.
Innovation Solution
A guide rail for conveyors that can pivot between a straight and folded position, allowing for easy access and cleaning without removal, made from two materials for stiffness and low friction, with a snap-action attachment mechanism for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveyor system is enclosed with protective covers to prevent contact with moving parts, then safety is improved, but cleaning becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is designed to be movable between a first position (supporting the conveyor chain) and a second position (folded away from the protective cover). This dynamic repositioning allows the guide rail to adapt its location based on operational needs versus cleaning needs, enabling easy access to the interior of the conveyor for cleaning while maintaining safety during operation
2Ease of operation
If parts of the conveyor system are removed to facilitate cleaning, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but the risk of lost fasteners and malfunction increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing parts, the guide rail dynamically changes position by folding away from the protective cover. The guide rail remains connected to the conveyor structure through a pivot connection, ensuring it cannot be lost or misplaced. This eliminates the risk of lost fasteners and malfunction while still providing easy access to the interior of the conveyor for cleaning
3Strength
If the guide rail is made stiff to support the conveyor chain, then structural strength is improved, but friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is constructed as a composite structure with an inner section made of a stiff material (such as metal) and an outer section made of a low-friction material (such as plastic or polymer coating). The stiff inner section provides the necessary structural strength to support the conveyor chain, while the low-friction outer section reduces friction between the guide rail and the chain, allowing smooth operation
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
Facilitates regular and thorough cleaning of conveyors by minimizing disassembly and reducing the risk of lost parts, ensuring a secure and hygienic operation while maintaining conveyor functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The guide rail is further provided with a stiff inner section and a low friction outer section
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Guide rail for an easy to clean conveyor, where the guide rail is adapted to have a straight position, in which position the guide rail is adapted to support a conveyor chain, and a folded position spaced apart from the straight position, where the guide rail comprises an upper support part adapted to glidingly support a conveyor chain, and a lower attachment part adapted to attach the guide rail to a holder, where the lower attachment part is adapted to allow the guide rail to pivot in the holder between the straight position and the folded position. In this way, a guide rail that allows for an easy cleaning of a conveyor is provided for. Such conveyors are e.g. used in the food industry.