Single Motor Drives Tilting Conveyors via Interlocking Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveying and sorting apparatuses require multiple conveyor driving motors and complex power feeding systems, leading to high costs and potential failures due to the need for flexible power feeders that hinder the swinging motion of tilting conveyor units.
Innovation Solution
A conveying and sorting apparatus with a single interlocking transmission shaft supporting multiple tilting conveyor units, where the conveyor driving motor drives all units via this shaft, eliminating the need for individual power feeders and reducing the number of necessary parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conveyor driving motor is attached to each tilting conveyor unit, then each unit can be driven independently, but the equipment cost and power feeding system complexity become extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple conveyor driving functions into a single conveyor driving motor located on the ground. This motor drives all tilting conveyor units through a common transmission shaft, eliminating the need for multiple motors and their associated power feeding systems. The transmission shaft rotates to transmit power to all units simultaneously, simplifying the overall system while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission shaft serves multiple functions: it acts as both the support shaft for the tilting conveyor units and the transmission shaft for power delivery. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, as the same structural element performs both mechanical support and power transmission roles.
2Reliability
If flexible power feeders are used for motors on swinging units, then power can be supplied during motion, but the cost becomes extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power feeding problem from the moving tilting conveyor units and relocates the motor to the stationary ground level. By doing so, the complex flexible power feeding system required for moving units is eliminated, replaced by a simple stationary motor connected through the rotating transmission shaft that naturally handles power transmission during the swinging motion.
3Productivity
If multiple conveyor driving motors are used, then each tilting conveyor unit can be driven, but the number of necessary parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple conveyor driving functions into a single conveyor driving motor. This motor drives all tilting conveyor units through a common transmission shaft, reducing the number of motors from multiple (one per unit) to just one, while maintaining the ability to drive all units simultaneously.
4Reliability
If arc-shaped current-carrying rails are used, then power can be fed to swinging units, but the cost becomes extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power feeding function from complex arc-shaped rails and implements it through a simpler system: a stationary motor on the ground connected to a rotating transmission shaft. This approach achieves the same power feeding capability during swinging motion but with significantly lower manufacturing cost and simpler implementation.
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 significantly reduces equipment and power feeding system costs, simplifies the design, and minimizes the risk of power feeding system failures by using a single motor to drive all conveyors and leveraging the support shaft as a transmission shaft.
Implementation Method 1
each of the tilting conveyor units (10, 11) supported so as to be swingable about a support shaft (7) parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyed object between a horizontal conveying orientation and a 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 utilized as an apparatus for conveying and sorting luggage in airports comprises: tilting motors 12 and 13 which switch tilting conveyor units 10, 11, which are supported so as to be able to swing about a support shaft 7 that is parallel with the conveying direction, between a horizontal conveying orientation and a tilted orientation; and a conveyor driving motor 20 which drives the conveying conveyors 24a and 24b that are provided to the tilting conveyor units 10 and 11. The support shaft 7 comprises a single interlocking transmission shaft 19 having a length which covers the entire area of the plurality of tilting conveyor units 10, 11. The conveying conveyors 24a, 24b of each tilting conveyor unit are interconnected by the interlocking transmission shaft 19. One conveyor driving motor 20 is provided for the plurality of tilting conveyor units 10, 11 supported by the interlocking transmission shaft 19. This single conveyor driving motor 20 drives the conveying conveyors 24a and 24b via the interlocking transmission shaft 19.