Sorting Conveyor Polygon Effect Reduction via Articulated Hinge Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Sorting conveyors with long frames and trailing idlers experience polygon effects, leading to increased noise, wear, and reduced energy transmission efficiency, especially during bends, and are not suitable for reversing operations due to misalignment and uncontrolled idler movement.
Innovation Solution
The design features articulated cars with guide and carrier units linked by pivotable coupling and connecting hinges, where idlers are strategically positioned with guide rollers to minimize polygon effects and ensure stable guidance, allowing for precise horizontal and vertical movement, including reversing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If long frames with trailing idlers are used, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but polygon effects occur leading to increased noise and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The car is divided into two separate units: a guide unit containing guide rollers and a carrier unit containing the idler. These units are connected via a coupling hinge, allowing them to move independently. This segmentation eliminates the polygon effect by decoupling the guidance function from the load-bearing function, thereby reducing noise and wear while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Ease of manufacture
If connecting links are not at the same height as guide rollers, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but lateral forces cause idlers to lift off and strike guards
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling hinge connecting the guide unit and carrier unit is positioned at a different height than the guide rollers, utilizing the vertical dimension to resolve the conflict. This spatial separation allows the idler to remain at the optimal height for running on the rail while the connecting mechanism operates at a different elevation, eliminating lateral forces and preventing idler lift-off and striking of guards.
3Manufacturing precision
If cars are tightly guided by guide rollers, then horizontal guidance precision is improved, but chain tension relaxes during bends due to car twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling hinge between the guide unit and carrier unit is designed to be pivotable, allowing dynamic adjustment during bends. This dynamic connection accommodates the natural twisting motion of the car during curvature while maintaining proper chain tension, preventing slack formation and ensuring reliable operation throughout the bending sequence.
4Adaptability or versatility
If trailing end runners are used, then the idler orientation adapts to curves, but reversing operations cause uncontrolled idler movement and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling hinge design provides universal adaptability: it allows the carrier unit to pivot and orient the idler correctly during forward curve traversal, and simultaneously enables controlled reverse movement. The hinge acts as a universal joint that accommodates motion in both directions, making the system versatile for both forward and reversing operations while maintaining proper idler alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sorting feeder having a series of travelers (2) joined together by a hinge, and guidable and displaceable along a track (4), each comprising a guide unit (8) and a supporting unit (10) joined thereto by a hinge, wherein each guide unit (8) comprises a support roller (16) on each side at matching longitudinal positions for interacting with the track (4), and wherein each support roller (16) is associated with two guide rollers (18), of which a first is disposed at a first longitudinal position at a distance ahead of the support roller (16) and a second is disposed at a second longitudinal position at a distance behind the support roller (16), wherein a coupling hinge (12) pivotable about a pivot axis (12a) aligned perpendicular to a track plane is disposed between the guide unit (8) and the support unit (10) of each traveler (2) and a connecting hinge (26) rotatable in every direction is disposed between adjacent travelers (2), and wherein the connecting hinge (26) and the coupling hinge (12) each are disposed at longitudinal positions outside of an area between the first and the second longitudinal position of the guide rollers (18).