Rotating Pallet Stop Mechanism for Conveyor Fall Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional conveyors lack effective mechanisms to prevent pallets from falling off, leading to potential damage and safety hazards due to workers forgetting to reinsert stops, resulting in scrapped goods and injuries.
Innovation Solution
A pallet stop apparatus with a handle and stopper mechanism that rotates between positions to control pallet movement, preventing falls by adjusting its orientation relative to the conveyor rollers, ensuring secure loading and unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a removable stop is used at the end of the conveyor, then workers can easily unload pallets, but the stop may be forgotten to be reinserted causing pallets to fall off
Solution Approach 1:
The stop apparatus is designed to automatically maintain its protective function through self-centering mechanisms and gravity-assisted positioning. The stopper automatically returns to the blocking position after a pallet passes, eliminating reliance on worker memory and ensuring continuous protection without requiring active management.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop apparatus is pre-configured in a default protective position that automatically engages to prevent pallet falls. The system performs the protective action before any potential hazard occurs, with the stopper already in place to block pallets, and only moves away when a pallet actually needs to pass through.
2Reliability
If a fixed stop is used at the conveyor end, then pallets are always prevented from falling off, but workers cannot easily unload pallets
Solution Approach 1:
The stop apparatus transitions from a static fixed stop to a dynamic system that automatically adjusts its position. The stopper moves between a blocking position (providing reliability) and a retracted position (allowing easy unloading), with the movement triggered automatically by pallet passage or worker intervention, combining both benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus introduces an intermediary mechanism between the fixed stop and the pallet flow - a movable stopper connected to a pivoting arm assembly that mediates between the need for constant protection and the need for easy pallet removal, allowing the system to adapt its state based on operational requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If workers manually manage stops, then flexibility in pallet handling is improved, but human error causes safety hazards and scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates human error by making the stop apparatus self-managing. The automatic stopper mechanism responds to pallet presence and passage without human intervention, maintaining safety while workers retain full flexibility in their handling operations. The system serves itself by automatically resetting and positioning the stopper.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus incorporates feedback mechanisms where the position and movement of pallets automatically trigger corresponding adjustments in the stopper position. The system detects when a pallet approaches, moves the stopper accordingly, and automatically returns it to the blocking position, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents errors.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling movement of an object on a conveyor include a main body located beneath the conveyor and having a first end and a second end. A handle is connected to the second end of the main body. A stopper extends from the first end of the main body, wherein the stopper includes a thickness that is less than a width of a gap between two adjacent rollers of the conveyor. The apparatus is configured to be rotated around a longitudinal axis of the main body between a first position and a second position. In the first position the handle prevents the object from moving on the conveyor and in the second position the stopper prevents the object from moving on the conveyor.