Polymeric Roller Conveyor Jam Break Tool with Arcuate Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller conveyor jam break tools are prone to falling between adjacent rollers, causing difficulty in extraction and potential damage to the conveyor, leading to costly maintenance and system downtime, and often require excessive strain on operators due to their lightweight and thin design.
Innovation Solution
A roller conveyor jam break tool featuring a molded head member made from lightweight, durable polymeric materials with an arcuate blade and enlarged protuberance, designed to remain tangent to conveyor rollers, preventing lodging and facilitating easy lifting and jam clearance without damaging the rollers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the head member is made thin and lightweight, then the operator can easily lift the tool, but the head member easily slips between adjacent rollers making it difficult to extract
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the head member by adding an enlarged protuberance that increases the thickness in the critical region. This protuberance ensures the head member thickness exceeds the gap between adjacent rollers, preventing insertion while maintaining overall lightweight construction for operator comfort.
2Weight of moving object
If the head member is made thin and lightweight, then the operator can easily lift the tool, but severe stress is placed on the operator's lower back when lifting from distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction combining lightweight materials (such as aluminum or fiberglass) for the handle and shaft with a strategically designed protuberance. This composite approach maintains overall light weight while providing localized structural reinforcement where needed, reducing operator strain during lifting and manipulation.
3Strength
If the head member is made of metal, then it is durable and strong, but it commonly causes damage to the conveyor rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to polymeric material for the head member. This material substitution maintains sufficient strength for jam-busting operations while eliminating the harmful effect of roller damage, as the polymeric material is non-marring to the conveyor roller surfaces.
4Reliability
If the head member is made thick, then it cannot lodge between rollers, but it becomes difficult for the operator to lift and handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the increased thickness only in the form of an enlarged protuberance at the specific location needed to prevent roller insertion. The rest of the head member maintains a thinner, lighter profile, achieving reliability without excessive overall weight.
5Ease of manufacture
If prior art tools are fabricated from available materials with flat plates, then manufacturing is simple, but the tools become difficult to extract when lodged between rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the head member by adding an enlarged protuberance that increases the thickness in the critical region. This protuberance ensures the head member thickness exceeds the gap between adjacent rollers, preventing insertion while maintaining overall lightweight construction for operator comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a roller conveyor jam break tool having a molded head member that is configured to clear a conveyor jam without the risk of the head member falling between two adjacent rollers and becoming lodged between those adjacent rollers. The molded head member is constructed of a lightweight durable, polymeric material, and the molded head member can be integrally fabricated with or selectively attached to a terminal end of an elongate handle.