Transfer Apparatus Roller Height Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing transfer apparatuses face issues where the belt conveyor is not sufficiently lowered due to gravity, leading to disturbances in the conveying process when items are transferred between crossing conveyor lines, causing the belt to turn up and disrupt the movement of items across auxiliary conveying lines.

Innovation Solution

A transfer apparatus design featuring a main conveying conveyor section with long rollers and an auxiliary conveying conveyor section with short rollers, where the short rollers are arranged to protrude above the annular members, ensuring they can bear external forces in both conveying and crossing directions, preventing the belt from turning up even when contacted by items.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the belt conveyor is lowered by gravity without additional lowering mechanisms, then the structure is simple, but the belt is not sufficiently lowered and turns up when contacted by items, causing conveying disturbances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidconveying stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic height adjustment mechanism where the belt conveyor's height is not fixed but can be actively lowered below the roller conveyor's conveying surface. This dynamic positioning ensures the belt remains sufficiently lowered even when items are present, preventing the belt from turning up and maintaining reliable conveying operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system proactively lowers the belt conveyor below the roller conveyor's conveying surface before items can contact and potentially turn up the belt. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful effect of belt distortion from occurring in the first place, ensuring stable conveying operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Productivity

If the belt conveyor is positioned below the roller conveyor, then the item can be conveyed by the roller conveyor without disturbance, but the belt may turn up when contacted by items due to insufficient lowering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveying efficiencyVSAvoidbelt stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The belt conveyor implements dynamic height adjustment to maintain an optimal position below the roller conveyor's conveying surface. This ensures the belt is sufficiently lowered to prevent contact with items during roller conveyor operation, eliminating belt turning up and ensuring both high productivity and reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control system acts as an intermediary that coordinates the height adjustment of the belt conveyor relative to the roller conveyor. Based on detection of item presence and conveyor operation state, the control system adjusts the belt height to maintain the appropriate spatial relationship, preventing harmful contact while ensuring efficient conveying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the conveying sections are arranged in crossing directions, then the transfer apparatus can redirect items to different conveyor lines, but the lower conveyor may interfere with the conveying process when items contact it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveyor line flexibilityVSAvoidconveyance disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different height positions to different conveying sections locally. The belt conveyor is positioned at a lower height than the roller conveyor in the crossing area, creating a localized height differential that prevents interference while maintaining the crossing configuration for versatile item redistribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design ensures smooth and uninterrupted conveyance of items across the transfer apparatus, maintaining the posture and state of the conveyor devices, even when items are brought into contact with the lower side conveyor, preventing failures in the conveying process.

Implementation Method 1

roller conveyor...conveying the item in the direction along the main conveying line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

belt conveyor...conveying the item in the direction along the auxiliary conveying line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

lifting and lowering unit that changes a height position of the conveying conveyor sections

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 4

the belt conveyor is lowered by the action of gravity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS9676563B2Transfer apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.06.13 ITOH ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED

AI summary

A long roller conveyor device having a plurality of long rollers and a short roller conveyor device having a plurality of short roller rows each of which includes a plurality of short rollers are used. Rotation axes of the long rollers and rotation axes of the short rollers cross each other. Each of the short roller rows is arranged between the long rollers. On a conveying passage, any of the long rollers and the short roller rows are arranged.