Self-Damping Carrier Basket Pivot Connection for Swing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor systems for transporting food items in restaurants lack effective damping mechanisms to suppress swinging movements of carrier baskets, limiting design flexibility and stability during movement.
Innovation Solution
A self-damping carrier basket pivot connection system with connection rollers and inwardly directed protrusions that maintain the basket's horizontal position and provide resistance to movement, allowing it to pivot smoothly along the conveyor pathway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional pivot connection is used for the carrier basket, then the basket can move freely along the conveyor pathway, but the basket experiences unwanted swinging movements that reduce stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a damping mechanism into the pivot connection that anticipates and suppresses swinging movements before they fully develop. The damping element is pre-positioned in the pivot connection to provide resistance against oscillations, allowing the basket to move freely while maintaining stability through controlled energy dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element acts as an intermediary between the moving carrier basket and the fixed pivot point. It mediates the interaction by allowing necessary movement while filtering out harmful swinging motions, thus enabling both free movement and stability simultaneously through the intermediate damping mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the carrier basket is allowed to pivot freely to maintain horizontal orientation, then the basket remains stable during movement, but design flexibility and space utilization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the pivot connection dynamically responsive to the carrier basket's movement and orientation. The damping mechanism automatically adjusts its resistance based on the basket's motion, allowing free pivoting for design flexibility while maintaining horizontal stability through dynamic feedback control inherent in the damping system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If damping mechanisms are added to suppress swinging movements, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the damping function with the pivot connection structure itself, rather than adding a separate complex damping system. The damping element is integrated into the existing pivot mechanism, combining the pivoting and damping functions in a single unified component that maintains stability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
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
Enhances stability and reduces swinging movements of carrier baskets, improving design flexibility and load handling capacity while maintaining horizontal orientation during transitions.
Implementation Method 1
the carrier basket is pivotable by gravity so the product support surface is maintained generally horizontal during movement of the carrier basket along the pathway
Implementation Method 2
the at least one inwardly directed protrusion provides an increased resistance to relative movement between the housing and at least one of the connection rollers that contacts the at least one inwardly directed protrusion
Data Source
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AI summary
A self-damping carrier basket pivot connection for a carrier basket transporter system having cars configured to travel along a pathway, at least some of which have a carrier basket pivotally connected thereto. The pivot connection includes a support connection configured for attachment a car. The support connection has at least three connection rollers that define a circular envelope and a mating connection configured to be attached to a back support of the carrier basket. The mating connection includes a housing with a part circular track that generally corresponds to or is larger than the circular envelope such that the rollers can be located within the part circular track. The part circular track includes at least one inwardly directed protrusion. The connection rollers engage in the part circular track such that the carrier basket is adapted to be pivotable by gravity so a product support surface of the carrier basket is maintained generally horizontal during movement of the carrier basket along the pathway, and the at least one inwardly directed protrusion provides an increased resistance to relative movement between the housing and a roller that contacts the protrusion.