Tilted Conveyor Belt Package Culling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual culling of envelopes from a bulk flow of packages in the postal and parcel industries is labor-intensive and prone to damage, necessitating an automated solution that can differentiate between flat and non-flat packages without causing harm.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with a tilted conveyor belt featuring a high-friction outer surface or a raised barrier to retain flat packages while allowing non-flat packages to tumble off, utilizing a combination of inclined and tilted conveyor belts with retention mechanisms to separate flat and non-flat packages effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual culling is used to separate envelopes from bulk packages, then labor intensity is high and damage risk increases, but automation can differentiate packages without damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated conveyor system that uses controlled tilting and friction-based retention. The system substitutes human labor with a mechanical conveyor belt that automatically separates flat packages from non-flat packages through gravitational forces and friction, eliminating manual plucking while minimizing damage through gentle, controlled movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the conveyor belt, specifically the tilt angle, to achieve automatic separation. By adjusting the tilt angle to a specific range, the system exploits gravitational forces to cause non-flat packages to tumble off while flat packages remain retained by friction. This parameter change enables automated differentiation and separation without direct mechanical contact or damage to the packages.
2Productivity
If a tilted conveyor belt is used to retain flat packages, then separation efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bulk flow of packages into two distinct groups: flat packages and non-flat packages. The tilted conveyor belt creates a natural segmentation point where non-flat packages tumble off due to gravity while flat packages are retained by friction. This segmentation approach achieves efficient separation with minimal additional complexity, as the division is achieved through the inherent properties of the packages and the tilted surface rather than complex sorting mechanisms.
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
Automates the separation of flat and non-flat packages, reducing labor intensity and minimizing damage, by using a tilted conveyor belt with high-friction surfaces or barriers to retain flat packages and allow non-flat packages to be diverted, thereby enhancing efficiency and safety in package sorting.
Implementation Method 1
the flat packages (F) are retained on the tilted conveyor belt with a high-friction outer conveying surface on the tilted conveyor belt
Implementation Method 2
operating the conveyor belt tilted off horizontal enough to allow non-flat articles to tumble across the conveyor belt and off its lower side edge
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A package -culling conveyor system and a method for culling flat packages from a bulk flow of flat and non-flat packages. The conveyor system includes a tilted conveyor belt (24) conveying flat packages while non-flat packages tumble off its lower side. A high - friction conveying surface or a raised barrier along the length of the conveying surface of the tilted conveyor belt (24) holds flat packages on the tilted belt. The separated packages are more fully culled in a conveyor comprising a roller conveyor belt (36) with belt rollers (38) rotated in a direction to push packages sidewise toward a culling element that extends along the belt's length. Culling elements include powered rollers (55) or vertical walls forming side guards. The culling elements block the non-flat packages from exiting off the side of the belt so that they are conveyed off the end of the belt separate from the flat packages.