Unitarily Molded Axles for Roller-Top Conveyor Belt Stiffness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modular plastic conveyor belts with article-supporting rollers face challenges due to the presence of cavities for steel axles, leading to reduced stiffness, increased material and manufacturing costs, higher friction, and airflow obstruction, as well as complex manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

The conveyor belt module design features hinge joints, unitarily molded axles within the module, and multi-piece rollers with interdigitating sections to simplify manufacturing and reduce support surface area, while maintaining roller functionality and stiffness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If steel axles are used in cavities to support rollers, then roller functionality is achieved, but module stiffness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller functionalityVSAvoidmodule stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The axle and module body are merged into a single unitarily molded component, eliminating the cavity and separate axle assembly. This integration maintains roller support functionality while preserving the full structural stiffness of the module body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cavity concept is extracted and replaced by directly forming the axle as part of the molded body. The functional equivalent of the axle is created through the molded structure itself, eliminating the need for a hollow cavity that would compromise stiffness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If multiple wearstrips are added to support wide roller-top belts, then belt support is improved, but material costs and friction increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebelt supportVSAvoidmaterial costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The axle support function is merged with the module body structure, eliminating the need for separate wearstrips. The unitarily molded axle provides structural support without requiring additional friction-based wearstrips, reducing both material costs and friction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If steel axles with cavities are used, then roller mounting is enabled, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller mountingVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The axle and module body are combined into a single molded part, eliminating the need for separate axle manufacturing, cavity formation, and assembly steps. Roller mounting is simplified to inserting rollers into the molded structure without handling separate axle components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The manufacturing process is segmented into a single injection molding operation that creates both the module body and axle integrated structure, replacing multiple complex steps (cavity formation, axle insertion, securing) with one straightforward molding process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8496105B2Roller-top belt with beam stiffness

Publication Date: 2013.07.30 LAITRAM LLC

AI summary

A modular roller-top conveyor belt and multi-piece rollers for the belt. The roller-top belt has axles unitarily molded with the belt modules. Each of the pieces of the multi-piece rollers can be installed radially onto an axle and joined together in a puzzle pattern to form a complete roller that can rotate on the axle. Parallel ridges extending across the width of the modules add stiffness to the belt.