Independently Rotating Carrier Arms Timber Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transfer apparatuses for sawn timbers often cause damage and disorder during transfer due to uneven timber lengths, leading to compression stress and displacement of timbers, requiring manual reorganization.

Innovation Solution

The transfer apparatus features independently rotatable carrier arms with measuring sensors to detect timber ends, allowing controlled rotation and preventing unnecessary movement of timbers, ensuring they remain in order during transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the carrier arms are rotated to have the second rough surface facing upwards to support sawn timbers, then the timbers can be carried from the feed conveyor, but the carrier arm may dislodge timbers with uneven lengths by encountering their ends during rotation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetimber carrying capabilityVSAvoidtimber position stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the carrier arms independently rotatable rather than rotating them all simultaneously. Each carrier arm can be rotated independently based on the position of timbers it encounters, allowing dynamic adaptation to uneven timber lengths while maintaining stable support for timbers of equal length

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the carrier arms into independently controllable units. Instead of treating all carrier arms as a single rotating assembly, each carrier arm can be rotated independently based on local timber conditions, preventing dislodging of timbers while maintaining overall transfer functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the transfer fork moves sawn timbers from the first position to the second position, then transfer efficiency increases, but compression stress in timbers increases causing them to be flung and disordered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer speedVSAvoidcompression stress and timber displacement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by enabling independent rotation of carrier arms during the transfer process. When a carrier arm encounters the end of a timber, it can rotate independently to avoid compression, allowing continuous transfer operation without stopping for manual reorganization while preventing timber flinging

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by having carrier arms independently detect and respond to timber ends before compression stress can cause flinging. The independent rotation capability allows preemptive avoidance of harmful compression forces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Device complexity

If all carrier arms are rotated simultaneously, then the structure is simpler, but timbers with uneven lengths cannot be handled properly causing disorder

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotating mechanism structureVSAvoidhandling of uneven timber lengths
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the rotating mechanism into independent units for each carrier arm. This segmentation allows the system to handle uneven timber lengths adaptively while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through modular independent rotation mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the rotation parameter from simultaneous fixed rotation to independent variable rotation. Each carrier arm can rotate independently based on the specific timber conditions it encounters, providing adaptability to uneven lengths while maintaining overall system functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2236443B1Transfer apparatus and method for operating the transfer apparatus
Publication Date: 2012.02.22 HEINOLAN SAHAKONEET
  • EP2236443B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2236443B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2236443B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a transfer apparatus for carrying sawn timbers or the like pieces. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer fork (1), comprising a set of side-by-side spaced-apart carrier arms (2; 21, 22,..., 26, 27) and means (4; 41, 42) for traversing the transfer fork in a longitudinal direction (C-C) of the carrier arms from a first position to a second position and back. The transfer fork enables carrying one or more side-by-side sawn timbers (T; TJ1) from a first position (D), from a feed conveyor (9) or the like, to a second position (E). The transfer fork's carrier arms (2; 21, 22,..., 26, 27) are rotatable in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction (C-C) and comprise at least two substantially straight surfaces (21, 22), which are co-directional with the carrier arm and which in a lateral plane are at an angle (α) relative to each other, and of which surfaces the first one (21) is slick and the second one (22) is rough. According to the invention, at least some of the transfer fork's (1) carrier arms (2) are provided with separate designated rotating devices (8), such that a particular carrier arm (e.g. 25) is rotatable independently of the other carrier arms (2; 21, 2, 23, 24; 26; 27) rotatable in a plane transverse relative to the longitudinal direction.