Screw Conveyor Sections for Flexible Loop Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport devices for objects hanging from loops, such as sausage products, are limited to linear and horizontal transportation, making it difficult to connect them to preceding or subsequent machines with different heights, restricting flexibility and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A transport device with a first and second conveyor screw section, where the second section can be angled relative to the first, allowing for flexible length adjustment and orientation changes, enabling smooth transition and synchronization of conveying speed, and featuring a drive system integrated into the bearing rollers for efficient torque transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a linear horizontal transport device is used, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability to machines with different heights is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device is divided into multiple transport sections (first transport section, second transport section, etc.), each with independent bearing devices. This segmentation allows each section to be independently positioned at different heights and orientations, enabling adaptation to machines with varying heights while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single horizontal transport dimension to multiple spatial dimensions by allowing transport sections to be arranged at different heights and orientations. The bearing devices enable vertical and angular adjustments, adding height and orientation dimensions to the originally horizontal transport path, thus achieving adaptability to different machine heights
2Productivity
If the conveyor screw section is made longer, then the transport capacity increases, but the stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor screw is divided into multiple sections with intermediate bearing devices supporting each section. This segmentation allows the overall transport capacity to be increased by adding more sections while each individual section remains short and stable, supported by its own bearing devices, thus preventing the stability issues that would arise from a single long unsupported screw
Solution Approach 2:
Bearing devices are introduced as intermediary support elements between the conveyor screw sections. These bearing devices act as mediators that provide external support to the conveyor screw, enabling the screw to maintain stability over longer transport distances by breaking up the continuous span into shorter, supported segments
3Stability of the object's composition
If bearing devices are added to support the conveyor screw, then the stability increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing devices are designed to serve multiple functions: they support the conveyor screw sections, enable independent positioning at different heights, allow for orientation adjustments, and facilitate the connection between sections. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving stability and adaptability
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
This design enhances the flexibility of transporting objects hanging from loops, allowing for seamless integration with machines of varying heights and orientations, ensuring uninterrupted and synchronized movement, thus facilitating the connection to upstream or downstream devices.
Implementation Method 1
the drive torque acting on the outer peripheral surface of the first auger section is transferred thereto
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a transport device with a screw conveyor for transporting products, in particular sausage products (W), suspended from loops (S) or the like, comprising a first screw conveyor section (10), a drive device for the first screw conveyor section (10), wherein the drive torque is transmitted to the first screw conveyor section (10) via its outer circumferential surface, and a first bearing device (20) for the first screw conveyor section (10), wherein a second screw conveyor section (50) is provided which is directly connected to the first screw conveyor section (10) in the conveying direction.