Idle wheel and application

Abstract

The invention relates to an idle wheel and application, the idle wheel comprises an outer ring, an inner ring and a rolling part, and the inner ring and the outer ring are both cylinders; the inner ring is arranged in the outer ring and is coaxial and concentric with the outer ring; the outer ring comprises a first end part and a second end part, a first inner groove and a second inner groove are formed in the inner surfaces of the first end part and the second end part, and a first outer groove and a second outer groove which correspond to each other are formed in the positions, corresponding to the first inner groove and the second inner groove, of the outer surface of the inner ring; the first inner groove and the first outer groove form a first groove, the second inner groove and the second outer groove form a second groove, the rolling component is arranged in the first groove and the second groove, and the outer ring can rotate relative to the inner ring under the driving of the rolling component. The outer ring and the inner ring which are coaxial and concentric and are nested are arranged, the length or height of the inner ring is set to be the same as or different from that of the outer ring, the operation stability is improved, noise is reduced, and the service life is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of structural technology, and in particular relates to an idler wheel and application thereof. Background Art

[0002] Existing 3D printers generally use synchronous belt transmission solutions. For example, as described in the existing patent CN216182817U, 3D printers need to use a large number of idler wheels. However, existing idler wheels have many processing parts, poor processing consistency, and are prone to jamming, stagnation, and high operating noise after assembly. In addition, the outer ring material of the idler wheel used has low surface hardness and poor wear resistance. Therefore, the existing technical solutions affect the service life and performance of 3D printers. Figure 1 As shown, when the two bearings 2 are pressed into the matching hole of the idler outer ring 1, the interference fit causes the bearings to deform due to force, resulting in a reduction in the radial clearance between the rolling elements of the deep groove ball bearing and the inner ring and outer ring of the bearing. The inner rings of the two bearings are not coaxial due to the tilt during pressing, which can easily cause noise problems and even lead to accelerated wear and failure of the bearings. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to overcome the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides an idler wheel and application thereof, which are used to overcome the existing defects.

[0004] An idler wheel, comprising an outer ring, an inner ring and a rolling component, The inner ring and the outer ring are both cylindrical; The inner ring is arranged inside the outer ring, coaxially and cocentrically with the outer ring, and the inner ring and the outer ring have the same or different heights; The outer ring includes a first end and a second end, and the first inner groove and the second inner groove are arranged on the inner surfaces of the first end and the second end, and the corresponding first outer groove and the second outer groove are arranged on the outer surface of the inner ring at the positions corresponding to the first inner groove and the second inner groove, the first inner groove and the first outer groove form a first groove, and the second inner groove and the second outer groove form a second groove, the rolling component is arranged in the first groove and the second groove, and the outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring under the drive of the rolling component.

[0005] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation manner, an implementation manner is further provided, wherein at least two parallel first grooves or second grooves are provided.

[0006] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, there is further provided an implementation, wherein the rolling component comprises a rolling body and a retaining frame, the retaining frame is embedded in the groove, and the rolling body is fixed on the retaining frame.

[0007] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, there is further provided an implementation, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are made of bearing steel or stainless steel.

[0008] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, there is further provided an implementation, wherein the rolling body is a plurality of balls, and the balls are made of bearing steel, stainless steel or ceramic material.

[0009] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, there is further provided an implementation, wherein the outer ring is a cylindrical structure, and flanges are provided on the outer sides of the first end and the second end.

[0010] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein the outer ring is a cylindrical structure without a flange, a gear-shaped structure, a synchronous wheel tooth structure, or a sprocket-shaped structure.

[0011] According to the aspects described above and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein the retaining frame is provided with a plurality of flexible retaining rings, each of which is provided with a ball, and the diameter of the ball is larger than the gap width between the outer ring and the inner ring at the location.

[0012] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation manner, an implementation manner is further provided, wherein a seal is further provided, and the seal is provided between the inner ring and the outer ring above the groove.

[0013] The present invention also provides an application of the idler wheel in a synchronous belt transmission mechanism in a 3D printer and the medical industry or the automation industry.

[0014] Beneficial effects of the present invention The idler wheel of the present invention comprises an outer ring, an inner ring and a rolling component, and the inner ring and the outer ring are both cylinders; the inner ring is arranged inside the outer ring, coaxially and cocentrically with the outer ring, and the height of the inner ring is the same or different from that of the outer ring; the outer ring comprises a first end and a second end, and the inner surfaces of the first end and the second end are both provided with a first inner groove and a second inner groove, and the outer surface of the inner ring at a position corresponding to the first inner groove and the second inner groove is provided with corresponding first outer grooves and second outer grooves, the first inner groove and the first outer groove form a first groove, and the second inner groove and the second outer groove form a second groove, the rolling component is arranged in the first groove and the second groove, and the outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring under the drive of the rolling component. Compared with the traditional two deep groove ball bearings only arranged at the two ends of the outer ring, the present invention is arranged as a coaxial and cocentric nested outer ring and inner ring, and the length or height of the inner ring is set to be the same or different from the outer ring, so that when the idler is used, the inner ring and the outer ring can move coaxially, reduce noise, slow down wear, and improve the stability of operation, solve the problem of relative position error of the inner ring axis generated by the assembly of two deep groove ball bearings in the prior art, and extend the service life of the idler. The inner ring and outer ring structure of the present invention are more compact, and the inner ring and the outer ring adopt an independent integrated structure scheme, which reduces the number of parts and is easier to realize fully automated processing and assembly. Especially in the 3D printer industry, the demand is particularly huge. After adopting the new scheme, it is easier to realize fully automated production and assembly, with higher production efficiency and higher production yield, and reduced production costs. At the same time, the present invention sets a groove in the inner ring, which can increase the diameter of the rolling body set therein, improve the load capacity of the idler, and make it less likely to get stuck or stuck; and the outer ring material adopts bearing steel or stainless steel, which can further improve the wear resistance of the idler. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the idler wheel structure of the prior art; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an idler wheel of the present invention; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of the idler wheel; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the idler wheel; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the outer ring of the idler wheel; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the inner ring of the idler wheel; Figure 7 For the cage Figure 1 ; Figure 8 For the cage Figure 2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the content of the present invention includes but is not limited to the specific implementation methods described below, and similar technologies and methods should be considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention. In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and advantages to be solved by the present invention clearer, the following will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0017] It should be clear that the embodiments described in the present invention are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] like Figure 2-Figure 8 As shown, the idler wheel provided by the present invention includes an outer ring 3, an inner ring 4 and a rolling component, the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 3 are both cylinders; the inner ring 4 is arranged inside the outer ring 3, coaxially and cocentrically with the outer ring 3, the inner ring 4 is sleeved in the outer ring 3, the diameter of the outer ring 3 is larger than the diameter of the inner ring 4, a gap is formed between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring 4, and the height of the inner ring 4 is the same or different from that of the outer ring 3. When they are different, the height of the inner ring 4 can be lower or higher than that of the outer ring 3. The inner ring and the outer ring are both made of bearing steel or stainless steel, which are both cost-effective general bearing materials, and can optimize the cost.

[0019] like Figure 5 As shown, the outer ring 3 includes a first end and a second end, and a first inner groove 31 and a second inner groove 31' are provided on the inner surfaces of the first end and the second end. Figure 6 As shown, the outer surface of the inner ring 4 at the positions corresponding to the first inner groove 31 and the second inner groove 31' is provided with corresponding first outer groove 41 and second outer groove 41', the first inner groove 31 and the first outer groove 41 cooperate to form a first groove, the second inner groove 31' and the second outer groove 41' cooperate to form a second groove, the rolling components are respectively arranged in the first groove and the second groove, and the outer ring 3 can make relative rotational motion relative to the inner ring 4 under the support of the rolling components.

[0020] Furthermore, the first groove or the second groove is provided with at least two parallel ones, such as the first groove is provided with two parallel ones, and the rolling components are respectively arranged in the two first grooves, forming three parallel rolling parts with the second groove and the rolling components arranged therein. This structure can further improve the load capacity of the idler wheel and be applied in scenarios with higher loads.

[0021] Furthermore, if Figure 3 and 4As shown, the rolling component includes a rolling body 5 and a cage 6, wherein the cage 6 is embedded in the groove, and the rolling body 5 is fixed on the cage 6, wherein the rolling body 5 is realized by a ball, and the ball is made of bearing steel, stainless steel or ceramic material, and each ball is arranged in the cage to form a row of balls. When the first groove and the second groove are provided in plurality, a row of balls is arranged in each groove, and the diameter of these balls is greater than or equal to the gap width between the outer ring and the inner ring at the position. Therefore, the arrangement of multiple rows of balls allows the balls to fill the entire groove when the idler is in use, and its outer ring can rotate more flexibly relative to the inner ring without getting stuck or stuck.

[0022] Preferably, the retainer 6 is used to fix the rolling elements 5 so that the plurality of rolling elements 5 maintain a relatively stable position, and the retainer 6 is located in the groove between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring 4. Figure 7 As shown, the retaining frame 6 is provided with a plurality of flexible retaining rings 61, each of which is provided on a circular ring. When the retaining frame 6 is embedded in the groove, since the retaining frame 6 as a whole is flexible and can be stretched and changed, each ball can rotate relative to the retaining ring, thereby increasing the flexibility of the idler wheel during operation. Figure 8 As shown, the retainer 6 is provided with a plurality of grooves 61', which are spherical grooves so as to accommodate the spherical balls embedded therein to rotate freely. The number of grooves provided is 5 or more, and a ball is placed in each groove 61'. When the outer ring 3 rotates relative to the inner ring 4, the retainer 6 follows the movement of the balls and rotates coaxially relative to the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 3, and at the same time, the balls rotate in the grooves where the retainer 6 is located. The retainer 6 is made of metals such as copper or nylon, and other mature materials in the industry, or a general structure. The retainer 6 can be replaced by different forms, and the material of the retainer 6 can also be changed, such as using copper or nylon, or the form of the retainer 6 can be changed, such as using Figure 7 or Figure 8 The structural form shown can further reduce the cost, or reduce the running noise of the rolling body 5 by optimizing the cage structure or material.

[0023] Furthermore, in order to prevent foreign matter or dust from entering the groove, the present invention further provides a seal 7 in the idler wheel. The seal 7 is located between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring 4. To be precise, the seal 7 is provided in the gap between the first end and the second end of the outer ring 3 and the inner ring, specifically, between the groove and the ends of the outer ring and the inner ring, to prevent foreign matter from entering between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring 4. At the same time, lubricating oil or grease is applied to the rolling element 5, the retaining frame 6, the inner grooves 31, 31' of the outer ring 3, and the outer grooves 41, 41' of the inner ring 4 to ensure smooth movement of the idler wheel during operation and reduce movement noise. The seal 7 can be made of mature industry materials and general structures such as stainless steel and nylon.

[0024] Preferably, if Figure 2-Figure 5 As shown, the outer ring is set as a structure with a flange, that is, at the external position of the first end and the second end of the outer ring, preferably, the present invention can also set the outer ring 3 as a cylindrical structure without a flange, which can further simplify the structure of the outer ring 3 and further reduce the cost; preferably, the present invention can also change the outer ring 3 into a synchronous toothed structure, which is set in the middle part or both ends of the outer side of the outer ring 3. The use of the synchronous belt toothed structure can be applied to high-precision transmission occasions, reduce the wear of the synchronous belt and the outer ring, and ensure the high-precision operation of the synchronous belt for a long time; preferably, the present invention can also change the outer ring 3 into a gear-shaped structure, which is set in the middle part or both ends of the outer ring 3, and can be used in gear transmission as an idler wheel with a gear; preferably, the present invention can also change the outer ring 3 into a sprocket-shaped structure, which is set in the middle part or both ends of the outer ring 3 and is used as an idler wheel of a chain drive.

[0025] Under the same size space constraint, the idler of the present invention has an inner groove and an outer groove respectively provided on the outer ring and the inner ring to form a groove for accommodating the retaining frame. Since the inner groove is provided on the outer ring, the inner diameter of the outer ring 3 is increased or enlarged at the positions of the inner grooves at the two ends of the outer ring. Similarly, since the outer groove is provided on the inner ring 4, the outer diameter of the inner groove is also increased or enlarged at the outer groove of the inner ring 4, thereby increasing the size difference between the inner diameter of the outer ring 3 and the outer diameter of the inner ring 4. Therefore, the diameter of the rolling element 5 on the retaining frame 6 can be increased accordingly. Compared with the traditional solution in which two layers of wall thickness are provided, the radial dimension is occupied, and the ball cannot be increased, the diameter size of the rolling element of the present invention can be increased by 30% or even 100%, and the large-sized rolling element 5 can greatly improve the static load and dynamic load performance parameters, improve the load capacity and service life of the idler, and meet the 3D printer using higher acceleration and larger and more complex load conditions.

[0026] By comparing the idler wheel of the present invention with the accelerated life test on a 3D printer, it can be seen that the idler wheel of the present invention has a significantly increased bearing dynamic load and static load capacity due to the increased diameter of the rolling element 5, so its equivalent life can be as high as 10 years, which is much longer than the 3-year service life of the existing idler wheel. At the same time, due to the increased diameter of the rolling element 5, the ball rotation speed is reduced, and the relative movement speed of the ball, inner ring 4, outer ring 3 and cage 6 is reduced, which reduces the movement noise. Therefore, the high-speed running noise of the idler wheel can be reduced by 5dB. At the same time, since the number of parts is also greatly reduced, the production cost can be reduced.

[0027] As an embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the present invention also provides an application of an idler wheel, which can be applied to 3D printers, automation equipment, medical equipment and other equipment or mechanical systems that use gears, sprockets or synchronous belt transmissions, thereby greatly improving the performance and life of the idler wheel, improving production efficiency, and at the same time greatly reducing the cost of the idler wheel.

[0028] The terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular forms "a", "said" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present invention and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings.

[0029] The above description shows and describes several preferred embodiments of the present invention, but as mentioned above, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form disclosed in the present invention, and should not be regarded as excluding other embodiments, but can be used in various other combinations, modifications and environments, and can be modified within the scope of the application concept of the present invention through the above teachings or the technology or knowledge of the relevant field. The changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art shall not deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and shall be within the scope of protection of the claims attached to the present invention.

Claims

1. An idler wheel, characterized in that: The idler wheel comprises an outer ring, an inner ring and rolling elements, The inner ring and the outer ring are both cylindrical; The inner ring is arranged inside the outer ring, coaxially and cocentrically with the outer ring, and the height of the inner ring is the same or different from that of the outer ring; The outer ring includes a first end and a second end, and the first inner groove and the second inner groove are arranged on the inner surfaces of the first end and the second end, and the corresponding first outer groove and the second outer groove are arranged on the outer surface of the inner ring at the positions corresponding to the first inner groove and the second inner groove, the first inner groove and the first outer groove form a first groove, and the second inner groove and the second outer groove form a second groove, the rolling component is arranged in the first groove and the second groove, and the outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring under the drive of the rolling component.

2. The idler wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that At least two of the first grooves or the second grooves are provided in parallel.

3. The idler wheel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The rolling component comprises a rolling body and a retaining frame, wherein the retaining frame is embedded in the groove, and the rolling body is fixed on the retaining frame.

4. The idler wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner ring and the outer ring are made of bearing steel or stainless steel.

5. The idler wheel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rolling body is a plurality of balls, and the balls are made of bearing steel, stainless steel or ceramic material.

6. The idler wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that The outer ring is a cylindrical structure, and flanges are arranged on the outer sides of the first end and the second end.

7. The idler wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that The outer ring is a cylindrical structure without a flange, a gear-shaped structure, a synchronous wheel tooth structure or a sprocket-shaped structure.

8. The idler wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that The retaining frame is provided with a plurality of flexible retaining rings, each of which is provided with a ball, and the diameter of the ball is larger than the gap width between the outer ring and the inner ring at the position.

9. The idler wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that A seal is also provided, which is disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring above the groove.

10. Application of the idler wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in a synchronous belt transmission mechanism in a 3D printer, medical industry or automation industry.

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