Body movement along the surface of an inertial conveyor chute under combined friction

Abstract

The main problem of inertial conveyors is the presence of friction between the load and the conveyor chute when the load moves in the needed direction. Transverse oscillations of the chute or other force factors are commonly used to reduce the force of friction when the body moves in the required direction. The article aims to develop a mathematical model for cargo movement in an inertial conveyor’s chute. In the proposed model, the walls with different friction coefficients were considered. The action of harmonic vibrations directed at a certain angle to the axis of the conveyor chute was also considered. The results obtained were verified experimentally. Theoretical studies were conducted using the fundamental laws of theoretical mechanics. Experimental studies were performed on a prototype of an inertial conveyor. The inclination angle for the axis of the conveyor chute to the direction of oscillations and the average transportation speed were evaluated depending on the friction coefficients between the chute walls and bottom, as well as the amplitude and frequency of oscillations. Theoretical and experimental studies help design inertial conveyors with improved technical characteristics.