Poultry Conveyor Weighing With Chain Tension Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing poultry weighing apparatuses in conveyor lines suffer from inaccuracies due to chain-induced swinging and cross-contamination, which are exacerbated by complex and costly designs that include curved track sections and pulleys, leading to compromised weight measurement accuracy and hygiene risks.
Innovation Solution
A simplified apparatus design featuring a rotatable wheel with engaging units that tension and release the driving chain at specific points, using a stationary guide ring to ensure accurate weight measurement by eliminating chain tension during the weighing process, thereby preventing swinging and cross-contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a chain tension control mechanism with two subsequent pulleys and curved track sections is used, then chain tension is controlled, but the device complexity increases and poultry swinging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the chain tension control function from the complex multi-pulley system and implements it through a single pulley mechanism combined with a spring element. The spring provides the necessary tension control while the single pulley simplifies the mechanical structure, eliminating the need for two subsequent pulleys and curved track sections while maintaining effective chain tension management during weighing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of chain tension from being actively controlled by complex mechanical means to being passively managed through spring elasticity. The spring constant and pre-compression are adjusted to provide appropriate tension control, transforming an active control system into a passive elastic support system that reduces complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If curved track sections with pulleys are used for chain tension control, then chain stability is improved, but poultry swinging increases and weight measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the curved track sections and multi-pulley arrangement that cause poultry swinging, retaining only the essential chain tension control function through a simplified pulley-spring mechanism. This extraction eliminates the source of swinging while preserving chain stability needed for accurate weighing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using curved tracks to control chain tension, the patent inverts the approach by using a straight track with a pulley-spring mechanism that provides tension control without imposing curved motion paths on the poultry carriers, thereby preventing swinging while maintaining chain stability.
3Device complexity
If a simplified chain tension control mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but chain tension control effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spring element as an intermediary between the chain and the pulley system. The spring acts as a compliant element that automatically adjusts chain tension based on load conditions, providing effective tension control without requiring complex mechanical linkages or active control systems, thus maintaining reliability while simplifying the mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for weighing poultry in a conveyor line can include carriers for the poultry, linked to each other by a driving chain. The conveyor line can include at least a curved track section and a weighing track section, wherein a weighing station is located along the weighing track section. A chain tension control mechanism can include a rotatable wheel having its circumference following the curved track section and pass the weighing track section, which rotatable wheel can support a series of engaging units that engage the chain and/or the carriers in the curved track section to tension the chain and disengage the chain and/or the carriers in the weighing track section to release tension in the chain.