Radial Leaf Spring Alignment for Vibrating Spiral Conveyor Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive units for vibrating spiral conveyors experience uneven vibrating behavior and reduced service life due to asymmetrically disposed leaf spring elements, leading to varying conveying speeds and increased fatigue.
Innovation Solution
The leaf spring elements are aligned radially to the axis of rotation, reducing bending and torsional loads, and are constructed as packages with identical lengths and orientations to ensure consistent spring behavior and stress distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If leaf spring elements are disposed asymmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but the bending and torsional loads on the spring elements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it establishes a symmetric arrangement where the central transverse axis of each leaf spring element extends radially to the axis of rotation. This symmetric configuration ensures that bending and torsional loads are minimized and evenly distributed, resolving the contradiction by showing that proper symmetry rather than asymmetry achieves both manufacturability and durability
2Ease of operation
If leaf spring elements are disposed asymmetrically, then installation is easier, but the vibrating behavior becomes non-uniform across different units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the leaf spring element orientation so that the central transverse axis extends radially to the axis of rotation. This parameter change standardizes the stress distribution and vibrating behavior across all units, achieving both ease of installation and consistent reliable performance
3Device complexity
If leaf spring elements are disposed asymmetrically, then the device structure is less complex, but the service life of the spring elements decreases due to fatigue loading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an equipotential stress distribution by orienting the leaf spring elements radially, ensuring that all spring elements experience equivalent and optimized loading conditions. This eliminates localized stress concentrations that would lead to premature fatigue failure, thereby extending service life without increasing structural complexity
4Manufacturing precision
If leaf spring elements are disposed asymmetrically, then manufacturing tolerances can be wider, but the conveying speed varies between different units
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the orientation parameter of the leaf spring elements to extend radially, the patent creates a system where the vibrating behavior and conveying speed become insensitive to minor manufacturing tolerances. All units with similar construction achieve consistent performance, allowing wider tolerances while maintaining uniform productivity
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
This arrangement results in a homogeneous vibrating behavior, increased service life, and reduced tolerance width for equipment, enhancing operational reliability and conveying efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a drive device, acting between them, as a rule, an electromagnetic drive device with a magnetic core, which is fastened especially at the opposed-action part, and a magnet armature, which is disposed at the fastening part
Implementation Method 2
the leaf spring elements are disposed distributed about the central axis of rotation... the opposed-action part and the fastening part are connected flexibly with the base part over several first leaf spring elements
Data Source
AI summary
Drive unit for a vibrating spiral conveyor, consisting of a base part, with which an opposed-action part and a fastening part, the motion of which is coupled with that of a pot, are connected flexibly, the former over several first leaf spring elements and the latter over several second leaf spring elements, it being possible to bring the opposed-action part and the fastening part into an opposite, oscillating, torsionally vibrating movement about a central axis of rotation, characterized in that the leaf spring elements (10, 11) are disposed in such a manner that their central transverse axis (M), which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, intersects a leaf spring element (10, 11) essentially in the center with respect to its length and extends parallel to the lateral surfaces of the spring, is disposed essentially radially to the axis of rotation (D).