Reciprocating Slat With Upward Extension Prevents Material Trapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Reciprocating slat conveyors in truck trailers often trap loose materials like gravel or rock between the outer slat and the trailer's side wall, leading to incomplete clean-out and structural grinding issues when unloading different types of loads.
Innovation Solution
The outermost reciprocating slat is designed with a laterally and upwardly extending sloped surface that directs material away from the corner area, ensuring its edge is above the normal load-carrying floor elevation, preventing material capture and facilitating better clean-out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the outer reciprocating slat is positioned adjacent to the trailer side wall, then the conveyor system can effectively carry and unload loads, but loose material becomes trapped between the slat and the trailer wall causing incomplete clean-out and structural grinding
Solution Approach 1:
The outer reciprocating slat is designed with a laterally extending portion that rises above the normal floor elevation, creating a vertical dimension barrier. This upward extension into the vertical space between the trailer wall and normal floor level prevents material from being captured in the horizontal gap, effectively using a dimensional change to eliminate the trapping problem while maintaining the slat's position adjacent to the trailer wall for effective load handling
2Device complexity
If the outer reciprocating slat remains at normal floor elevation, then the structure is simpler, but material accumulates in the corner area between the slat and trailer wall
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining the slat at normal floor elevation, the invention extends the slat laterally and upwardly into the vertical dimension. This creates a barrier that rises above the normal floor level, preventing material accumulation in the corner area. The vertical extension transforms the problem from a horizontal gap issue to a vertical barrier solution, effectively eliminating material trapping while the slat remains structurally integrated
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 design effectively prevents material from being trapped between the slat and the trailer wall, ensuring complete unloading and reducing structural damage, allowing for efficient cleaning and versatile load handling.
Implementation Method 1
The laterally and upwardly extending portion is a sloped surface that directs material away from the corner area
Data Source
AI summary
An improved outer reciprocating floor slat for use in a truck trailer or the like. The outer floor slat is located adjacent to a trailer's side wall. The floor slat has a portion that extends laterally upwardly and outwardly until it reaches the trailer's side wall at an elevation above the normal load-carrying floor elevation of the reciprocating floor slats. The upwardly extending portion facilitates material movement away from the corner region where the reciprocating floor normally intersects the trailer's side walls.