V-Shaped Conveyor Unit for Quiet Component Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor units, especially vibratory conveyors, cause noise, abrasion, and premature wear of components due to collisions and friction, making them unsuitable for conveying components with sensitive surfaces or coatings, and are inefficient for incline conveyance of oily or greasy fasteners.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor unit with a V-shaped alignment of conveying surfaces that moves components in a single direction without periodic reciprocating motion, utilizing shearing forces to align components gently and reduce friction, thereby minimizing abrasion and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If vibratory conveyors are used to convey components, then components can be conveyed in the correct position, but noise and abrasion increase due to collisions and friction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using oscillating conveyors that move back and forth, causing components to collide and generate noise and abrasion, the patent uses conveyors that move in a single direction only. This inversion of the motion pattern eliminates the harmful collisions while maintaining the ability to convey components in the correct position through V-shaped alignment of conveying surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vibration and oscillation system with a unidirectional conveyor system that uses V-shaped conveying surfaces to align components. This substitution eliminates the need for periodic reciprocating motion and the associated collisions, thereby reducing noise and abrasion while achieving proper component orientation.
2Productivity
If vibratory conveyors are used to convey components with sensitive surfaces, then components can be conveyed, but surface coatings wear out prematurely due to abrasion and impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional oscillating motion of vibratory conveyors to unidirectional motion only. This eliminates the backward movement that causes components to collide and impact each other, thereby protecting sensitive surface coatings from wear and premature failure while maintaining conveyance capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The V-shaped alignment of conveying surfaces creates a gentler conveying path that prevents harsh impacts before they occur. Components are guided smoothly along the inclined surfaces, which cushions them against collisions and protects sensitive coatings from abrasion and impact damage.
3Productivity
If conventional conveying units are used for incline conveyance of oily or greasy fasteners, then components can be conveyed, but conveyance efficiency is reduced due to limited capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric V-shaped conveying surfaces with specific inclination angles optimized for incline conveyance. The asymmetric geometry of the V-shape allows oily or greasy fasteners to be conveyed efficiently upward against gravity by creating a self-aligning effect that works particularly well with lubricated surfaces, thereby improving both productivity and adaptability for incline applications.
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
The solution enables quiet, low-abrasion conveyance of components in the correct position, extending maintenance intervals and preserving sensitive surfaces, while allowing for efficient conveyance of components with sensitive coatings or oily/greasy surfaces along inclines.
Implementation Method 1
the conveying unit comprises a drive which is designed to convey the Component to move at least the first funding without changing direction in the conveying direction
Implementation Method 2
utilizing shearing forces to align components gently and reduce friction
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a conveying unit for the orientation-correct conveying of a component, wherein the conveying unit comprises a first conveying means and a second conveying means separate from the first conveying means, which each extend at least approximately parallel to each other in a conveying direction of the conveying unit and which each have a conveying surface for supporting a section of the component, wherein the conveying surface of the first conveying means and the conveying surface of the second conveying means are aligned to each other in a V-shape at a predetermined angle in the conveying direction, and wherein the conveying unit comprises a drive configured to move at least the first conveying means in the conveying direction without changing direction for conveying the component, and wherein the second conveying means, in particular for orientation-correctly aligning the component,for a time interval in a direction opposite to the conveying direction and/or at a speed different from the speed of the first conveying device.