Tilting Conveyor Side Guide Release for High-Speed Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
In conventional conveying and sorting apparatuses, tilting conveyor units face issues with variations in tray traveling speed due to contact with side guides, leading to potential collisions and damage when switching between horizontal and tilted orientations, especially at higher speeds.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features side guides that are designed to be openable outward when a certain load is applied, using an orientation holding mechanism that allows the side guides to absorb impact by breaking under excessive force, preventing deformation or damage during the switching process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the conveying speed of the tray is increased to improve productivity, then the sorting efficiency is improved, but the variations in traveling speed of the tray increase leading to collision damage between the side guide and tray corner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a cushioning member (such as a rubber bumper or spring element) between the side guide and the tray corner. This cushioning member is installed in advance to absorb impact energy during potential collisions, preventing direct contact damage between the rigid side guide and tray corner, thereby allowing higher conveying speeds without increasing collision damage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (cushioning member) that mediates the interaction between the side guide and tray corner. This intermediary absorbs and dissipates impact forces during speed variations, preventing direct transmission of collision forces to both the side guide and tray corner, thus enabling higher productivity while maintaining reliability
2Quantity of substance
If the tray width is increased to accommodate more conveyed objects, then the quantity of conveyed objects is improved, but the tray becomes more prone to contact with side guides causing speed variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by installing cushioning members at the positions where tray corners contact the side guides. This allows wider trays to be used without causing speed variations, as the cushioning members absorb contact forces and prevent the transmission of impact forces that would otherwise cause tray speed fluctuations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cushioning members as intermediary elements between the wider tray and the side guides. These intermediaries prevent direct rigid contact, thereby allowing increased tray width for higher quantity of conveyed objects while maintaining stable traveling speed by eliminating impact-induced speed variations
3Stability of the object's composition
If the side guide is made rigid to maintain conveying path regulation, then the conveying path stability is improved, but the side guide is susceptible to bending or damage during tray contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by placing cushioning members between the rigid side guide and the tray corner. This allows the side guide to maintain its rigid structure for conveying path stability while the cushioning member absorbs impact forces, preventing bending or damage to the side guide during tray contact
4Measurement precision
If the tilting conveyor units are switched quickly to maintain sorting timing, then the sorting precision is improved, but the tray speed variations increase causing collision accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by installing cushioning members at potential collision points between the side guides and tray corners. This allows rapid switching of tilting conveyor units to maintain sorting precision while the cushioning members prevent collision damage from speed variations that occur during quick orientation changes
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 configuration effectively absorbs the impact from the tray, preventing side guide deformation and tray corner damage, ensuring smooth operation and reducing maintenance costs by using a synthetic resin bolt that breaks under predetermined load, thus facilitating assembly and safety.
Implementation Method 1
tilted orientation for discharging the conveyed object laterally with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyed object by gravity
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This conveying and sorting apparatus, which can be used as an apparatus for conveying and sorting luggage in airports, comprises a plurality of tilting conveyor units provided in a row in the conveying direction. Each tilting conveyor unit is supported so as to be able to swing to the left and right about a support shaft which is horizontal to the conveying direction of the objects being conveyed, between a horizontal conveying orientation and a tilted orientation for ejecting objects being conveyed, by means of gravity, in a lateral direction with respect to the conveying direction of objects being conveyed. Both side edges in the left and right swinging direction are provided with side guides 25a which restrict the width of the conveying path when the tilting conveyor units are in the horizontal orientation, and at least the side guide 25a on the side to which the conveyor unit swings in the tilted orientation, is supported so as to be able to open in the swinging direction towards the tilted orientation with respect to the structure 23 of the tilting conveyor unit, and is held in a standing orientation by the orientation holding means 51 until a certain load or more is applied in to said side guide 25a in the opening direction.