Rodless Hook-Hinge Conveyor Belt for Faster Modular Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modular conveyor belts with hinge joints require substantial assembly time due to the difficulty in aligning and inserting hinge rods, which can deform under tension, making it hard to connect and disconnect the belts properly.
Innovation Solution
The design features a conveyor belt module with complementary hooks and channels that allow modules to connect without hinge rods, distributing tension uniformly and facilitating easier assembly and disassembly by using hooks and channels that guide each other's movement at hinge joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hinge rods are used to connect adjacent conveyor belt modules, then the modules can be interconnected at hinge joints, but the assembly time increases substantially and the hinge rods deform under belt tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinge rod component entirely from the connection system. Instead of using separate hinge rods that require alignment and insertion, the invention integrates the connection function directly into the module structure through complementary hooks and channels that interlock without additional fasteners, thereby eliminating assembly time loss associated with hinge rod installation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the connection function with the module structure itself. The hooks and channels are integral parts of adjacent modules that interlock to form hinge joints, merging the previously separate connector (hinge rod) with the module body, thereby eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing overall assembly time
2Strength
If hinge rods are used to connect conveyor belt modules, then the modules can be interconnected, but the hinge rods deform into cam-shaft shape under tension causing weakened rods and stretched belt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the hinge rod component that is prone to deformation. By removing this vulnerable element entirely and replacing it with an integrated hook-channel connection system, the invention prevents the deformation problem at its source while maintaining hinge joint reliability through the interlocking geometry of the replacement structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a new connection geometry that copies the hinge joint function without replicating the vulnerable hinge rod form. The complementary hooks and channels replicate the articulation and connection functions of traditional hinge rods but with a geometry that distributes tension uniformly and prevents the cam-shaft deformation mode
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional hinge rod connection method is used, then modules can be connected, but removing and installing the belt requires pulling and pushing hinge rods which is difficult in wide belts and deformed rods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinge rod component that creates operational difficulty during belt removal and installation. By eliminating this separate fastener and using an integrated interlocking structure, the invention allows for easier belt handling, removal, and reinstallation without the difficulty of manipulating hinge rods in wide or deformed conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by making the connection inherent to the module structure rather than requiring separate fasteners. The hooks and channels are designed to interlock automatically when modules are joined, and can be separated by reversing the connection action, thereby simplifying belt removal and installation operations
4Force
If hinge rods are used for connection, then modular conveyor belts can be assembled, but the belt tension concentrates at hinge eyes causing rod deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the hook and channel structures with geometry optimized for tension distribution. The curved surfaces and interlocking shapes of the hooks and channels are specifically shaped to distribute belt tension uniformly across the connection interface, preventing concentration of force at single points and eliminating the deformation mechanism that affects traditional hinge rods
Data Source
AI summary
Conveyor belt modules having rodless hook hinges and modular conveyor belts constructed of those modules. Hooks on opposite ends of belt modules hook into complementary hooks on adjacent modules to interconnect the modules at hinge joints into an endless belt. The geometry of the modules enables them to be manufactured by extrusion.