Roller Conveyor Blocking Lever With Locking Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gravity-actuated roller conveyor systems face challenges in reliably separating and removing items of varying weights, particularly when a heavy product follows a light one or vice versa, and in preventing contact between items during delayed removal, which can lead to damage.
Innovation Solution
A roller conveyor module with a movable blocking lever, locking element, and actuating lever mechanism that ensures reliable blocking and release of items, using a coupling mechanism to transition between locking and unlocking positions, allowing for controlled movement and separation of items across the conveyor section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a separation mechanism is added to maintain gap between products, then product damage is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation mechanism is divided into multiple functional components: a blocking lever with blocking surface, a locking element with locking surface, and an actuating lever with actuating surface. Each component performs a specific function in the sequence of blocking, locking, and releasing products, thereby managing complexity through functional segmentation while achieving reliable product separation
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element acts as an intermediary between the blocking lever and the actuating lever. It transfers and controls the mechanical interaction between these components, enabling reliable transmission of blocking and releasing actions while maintaining a clear functional hierarchy that manages overall system complexity
2Reliability
If blocking lever is used to stop products, then product separation is achieved, but conveying speed decreases due to additional blocking and releasing cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking lever is positioned upstream to block products before they reach the removal point, allowing controlled separation to occur in advance. The locking element pre-locks the blocking lever in position, ensuring reliable separation without requiring continuous active control during conveying, thereby maintaining conveying speed while achieving reliable separation
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism operates in periodic cycles: the blocking lever blocks products periodically, the locking element locks and releases periodically, and the actuating lever triggers these actions periodically. This rhythmic operation allows the system to maintain high conveying speed while ensuring reliable product separation at each cycle
3Reliability
If locking element is added to prevent blocking lever movement, then separation reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is integrated with the blocking lever assembly, sharing the same structural space and coordinate system. The locking surface of the locking element engages with a corresponding surface on the blocking lever, merging their functions into a compact unit that achieves reliable separation without adding significant overall complexity to the mechanism
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
The module effectively stops and releases items of any weight combination, preventing damage by maintaining separation and ensuring controlled movement, even during delayed removal, thus ensuring reliable and safe conveying.
Implementation Method 1
a blocking lever (10) which can be moved or more particularly can be pivoted between a blocking position in which a blocking surface of the blocking lever extends across the support surface and causes a conveyed item on the support surface to be blocked, and a release position in which the blocking surface of the blocking lever does not cause a conveyed item on the support surface to be blocked
Implementation Method 2
a locking element (20) which in a locking position prevents movement of the blocking lever out of its blocking position in the direction of the release position, and in an unlocking position allows movement of the blocking lever out of its blocking position in the direction of the release position
Implementation Method 3
an actuating lever (40) disposed downstream from the blocking lever in the conveying direction of the conveyor module, comprising an actuation portion which extends in a trigger position across the support surface, and in a holding position lies below or in the support surface
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a roller conveyor module provided with a separation mechanism for a gravity-actuated roller conveyor system, comprising: a conveyor section, a movable blocking lever (10) comprising an arresting face (13) and a blocking portion (11), a movable locking element (20) comprising a locking face (21) and a movable actuating lever (40) disposed downstream from the blocking lever (10) in the conveying direction of the conveyor module, a coupling mechanism (30) for mechanically coupling the actuating lever to the locking element (20) in such a way that, as a result of said coupling action, said locking element is moved into the unlocking position when the actuating lever is in the trigger position and is moved into the locking position when the actuating lever is in the holding position.