Rail Conveyor Chassis with Segmented U-Profile for Height Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rail-bound conveyor systems face challenges with high overall height due to vertical structure, limited loading capacity, and difficulty in quickly removing defective bogies from the rail, especially when installed in false ceilings.
Innovation Solution
The rail design features upwardly open U-profiles for upper wheels, downwardly open U-profiles for lower wheels, and lateral U-profiles for vertical force absorption, allowing for easy removal of defective chassis and reducing overall height, along with a load carrier that can pivot and be horizontally aligned using a motor-driven actuating device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the rail has an upright cross-section with U-shaped end parts for absorbing lateral forces, then the conveyor system achieves structural stability, but the running wheels become difficult to access for quick removal of defective bogies
Solution Approach 1:
The rail is divided into separate functional components: upper running wheels engage with upwardly open U-profiles, lower running wheels engage with downwardly open U-profiles, and lateral force absorption is handled by lateral U-profiles. This segmentation allows each component to be independently accessed and maintained while preserving overall structural stability.
2Area of stationary object
If the chassis and load carrier are arranged vertically, then the conveyor system achieves compact horizontal footprint, but the overall height increases making it unsuitable for false ceiling installation
Solution Approach 1:
The load carrier is repositioned from a vertical arrangement to a lateral arrangement relative to the rail. The load carrier is now positioned at the side of the rail rather than above it, fundamentally changing the spatial dimension in which the load is carried. This dimensional shift reduces the vertical height requirement while maintaining compact horizontal dimensions.
3Strength
If the rail has massive construction with one-sided attachment for U-shaped end parts, then the rail can absorb high loads, but the overall weight increases reducing system flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the U-profiles and the central web is made detachable rather than permanent. The U-profiles can be removed from the central web when maintenance is required, extracting the running wheels and chassis from the system without requiring removal of the entire rail structure. This enables quick maintenance while preserving the strength of the rail during operation.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the conveyor system uses vertical structure for chassis and receptacle, then the system achieves stable load support, but the loading capacity in terms of volume and weight is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The load carrier is positioned laterally at the side of the rail rather than vertically above it. This lateral positioning opens up additional vertical and horizontal space, allowing for larger load carriers with greater volume and weight capacity while maintaining stable load support through the rail's structural design.
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The rail-based conveyor system is equipped with a self-propelled chassis (6) which has at least one friction wheel (20) and/or gearwheel (22), which interact or interacts with a rail (2) and can be driven by a motor (28), as well as a load bearer (40). With respect to a horizontal arrangement, the rail (2) is designed and arranged with an upright cross section, and the chassis (6) is arranged essentially at the side of the rail (2). The chassis (6) is supported on the rail (2) by upper and lower wheels (8, 10) which absorb lateral forces, and further wheels (16) which absorb vertical forces. The load bearer (40) is arranged on the chassis (6) on the side facing away from the rail (2) and such that it can pivot about an axis (42) aligned at right angles to the plane of the rail (2). An improvement to the conveyor system in particular with regard to the physical height is achieved in that the rail (2) has on the upper face a U-shaped profile (12), which is open at the top, for the upper wheels (8) and on the lower face has a U-shaped profile (14) which is open at the bottom, for the lower wheels (10), in order to absorb the lateral forces, as well as a U-shaped profile (18), which is open at the side with respect to the chassis (6, 6a), for further wheels (16) in order to absorb the vertical forces, with the wheels being in the form of running wheels.