Sliding Shoe for Sorting Device Holders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sorting devices for fruits and vegetables face significant wear and damage issues due to the inverse orientation of holders during reverse movement, leading to labor-intensive maintenance and replacement.
Innovation Solution
A sliding shoe with multiple sliding surfaces and a releasable fastening mechanism is integrated onto the holders, allowing for targeted wear accumulation and easy replacement, reducing maintenance costs and increasing operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If holders are transported in inverse orientation during reverse movement, then the transport system can efficiently return holders to the starting position, but wear and damage to the holders occurs due to contact with the guide
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is divided into separate functional components: the holder body and the sliding shoe. The sliding shoe is a detachable component that can be replaced independently when worn, allowing the holder body to continue being used. This segmentation enables maintenance of only the wear-prone part rather than the entire holder assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding shoe acts as an intermediary component between the holder body and the guide surface. It absorbs the wear and damage that would otherwise affect the holder body directly, serving as a sacrificial element that protects the main holder structure.
2Reliability
If holders are replaced when worn or damaged, then the sorting device can maintain reliable operation, but the replacement process is labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the holder into a reusable holder body and a replaceable sliding shoe, the invention enables quick replacement of only the worn component. The sliding shoe can be detached and replaced without removing or damaging the holder body, significantly reducing maintenance time and labor requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding shoe is designed as a consumable component that is discarded when worn and replaced with a new one. The holder body is recovered and retained for continued use, maximizing resource utilization and minimizing waste while reducing maintenance overhead.
3Ease of manufacture
If the holder structure is simplified for easier manufacturing, then production costs decrease, but the holder becomes more susceptible to wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding shoe is designed as a separate, simple component that can be manufactured independently using cost-effective methods. Its simplicity enables easy and economical production, while its specialized function provides the necessary wear protection without requiring complex holder designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding shoe is designed as an inexpensive, replaceable component that can be manufactured at low cost. When worn, it is replaced rather than repaired, and the low manufacturing cost ensures that replacement is economically viable. This approach protects the more expensive holder body while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness.
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
The sliding shoe significantly reduces wear and maintenance efforts, enabling quicker and more cost-effective maintenance, and enhances the processing capacity of sorting devices by minimizing labor and parts replacement.
Implementation Method 1
These sliding surfaces absorb the relative movement between the holder and the guide during the backwards movement of the holder in the sorting device
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a sliding shoe (42) for a holder (12) configured to sort and/or transport products (P) with a sorting device (2), particularly for vegetables and fruit. The invention further also relates to such a holder (12), sorting device (2) and method. The sliding shoe (42) according to the invention comprises: - a fastening (60, 62, 64, 66) configured to fasten the sliding shoe releasably to the holder (12), such that the sliding shoe (42) functions as replacement part for the holder (12); and - one or more sliding surfaces (56, 58) configured to guide the holder (12) over a guide (28) of the sorting device (2) while the holder (12) is being carried back in a sorting device (2). In a possible embodiment a first sliding surface (56) is provided on or close to the front side, as seen in usual transport direction of the products (P) in the sorting device (2), and a second sliding (58) surface is provided on or close to the rear side, as seen in usual transport direction of the products (P) in the sorting device (2).