A chain-and-disc coupling mechanism and drive mechanism for a pipeline conveyor

Abstract

This invention discloses a chain conveyor connection mechanism and a drive mechanism. The chain conveyor connection mechanism includes a wire rope, a metal sleeve, and a chain disc. The inner wall of the metal sleeve has inclined toothed areas at both ends with the tooth tips facing the center. A film layer is pressed between both ends and the wire rope, and connecting ribs are provided on the outer periphery. The chain disc is integrally injection molded to encapsulate the metal sleeve, with a pushing plane on one side and a truncated cone-shaped inclined surface on the other. The drive mechanism includes a drive disc and an actuating element with a wire rope slot. The end of the slot has an actuating part and an expansion guide part. A linkage vibration mechanism is provided between the actuating part and the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface. This invention achieves zero connection failure, impact-free drive, and online self-vibration cleaning, significantly improving equipment reliability and conveying efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of material conveying equipment, specifically relating to a connection mechanism between a wire rope and a chain disc in a pipeline conveyor, and a drive mechanism for driving the chain disc to move. Background Technology

[0002] A tubular chain conveyor is a continuous conveying device that uses a circulating steel wire rope and its spaced chain discs to propel materials forward within a closed pipe. One of its core components is the connecting mechanism that fixes the chain discs to the steel wire rope, and the drive mechanism that drives the entire rope and chain assembly in a cyclical motion.

[0003] In practical applications, this device faces two main technical challenges: Firstly, the reliability of the connection mechanism. During the conveying process, the wire rope is subjected to large traction forces and alternating bending stresses. The connection between the chain and the wire rope is prone to axial movement and circumferential slippage. After long-term operation, gaps are easily generated, leading to connection failure.

[0004] Secondly, the smoothness of the drive mechanism. The drive disc transmits power by engaging the wire rope with an actuating element. The instant the actuating element contacts the wire rope often involves a rigid impact, which not only generates noise but also exacerbates localized wear on the wire rope. Furthermore, when conveying powdery or viscous materials, residues easily adhere to the chain disc surface, requiring machine shutdown for cleaning and impacting conveying efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive technical solution that can achieve a firm connection between the chain and the wire rope, provide smooth drive, and have a self-cleaning function. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a chain disc connection mechanism for a pipeline conveyor. Through structural innovation, it completely eliminates axial movement and circumferential rotation between the metal sleeve and the wire rope at the source, and significantly enhances the connection strength between the chain disc and the metal sleeve.

[0007] Another objective of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism for driving the aforementioned connecting mechanism. By introducing a flexible guide and a linked vibrating material design, not only can the wire rope enter the groove smoothly without impact, but it can also automatically shake off the adhering material while driving, achieving maintenance-free operation.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A chain conveyor chain connection mechanism includes a steel wire rope, a metal sleeve fixed to the steel wire rope, and a chain disc injection molded on the outer periphery of the metal sleeve. The inner wall of the metal sleeve is provided with a first toothed area and a second toothed area at both ends, and the tooth tips of the first toothed area and the second toothed area are inclined towards the middle of the metal sleeve.

[0009] This design constitutes a two-way wedge-shaped self-locking structure. When the metal sleeve is subjected to an axial force to the left, the inclined tips of the right-side teeth actively bite into the wire rope, generating a wedge force that resists the displacement; the reverse is also true. This two-way interlocking effect ensures that the metal sleeve cannot move left or right under axial loads in any direction. A coating layer is also pressed between both ends of the metal sleeve and the wire rope.

[0010] During the metal sleeve pressing process, the coating layer is squeezed and deformed, densely filling all the microscopic irregular gaps between the tooth grooves and the wire rope strands. This is equivalent to constructing a high-friction intermediate medium layer, completely eliminating the microscopic space that may cause relative sliding, and increasing the axial and circumferential holding force by an order of magnitude.

[0011] The outer periphery of the metal sleeve is provided with multiple connecting ribs; the chain disc is integrally injection molded, wraps around the metal sleeve and fills the spaces between the connecting ribs.

[0012] During injection molding, molten polymer material flows into the outer periphery of the metal sleeve under high pressure, solidifies to form the chain disc matrix, and completely encloses the connecting ribs within it. This structure achieves a structural composite of two dissimilar materials (metal / plastic) at the macroscopic mechanical interlocking level, rather than simple surface adhesion. The connecting ribs act as the internal skeleton of the chain disc; any force that causes the chain disc to rotate or disengage relative to the metal sleeve is resisted by the sides of the connecting ribs, and the one-piece injection molding also greatly improves production efficiency.

[0013] Furthermore, one side of the chain disc is a plane for pushing materials, and the other side is a truncated sloping surface.

[0014] The flat surface ensures the maximum pushing area and efficiency; the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface serves a dual purpose, acting as both the force-introducing surface when driven and providing a carrier for the subsequent vibration cleaning function.

[0015] Preferably, the coating layer is a rigid adhesive layer. The use of a rigid adhesive layer distinguishes it from flexible materials. Under high pressure during bonding, the rigid adhesive layer will not completely retract, but will instead undergo brittle fracture or plastic flow. This characteristic allows it to be forcefully squeezed into the microscopic defects between the strands and in the grooves of the steel wire rope, forming an extremely strong mechanical lock, rather than relying on adhesive chemical connections. This results in stronger resistance to aging and creep.

[0016] Furthermore, the rigid adhesive layer is an epoxy resin adhesive layer or an anaerobic adhesive layer, with a thickness of 0.5–2 mm. This thickness range is the optimal range verified by experiments. If the thickness is less than 0.5 mm, its filling effect is limited; if it is greater than 2 mm, the adhesive layer is too thick, and after curing, it may form a weak interlayer, which will reduce the connection stiffness. The epoxy resin adhesive or anaerobic adhesive has high hardness and high compressive strength after curing.

[0017] Preferably, the connecting rib is a long strip extending along the axial direction of the metal sleeve, or an annular rib extending circumferentially along the metal sleeve, with its height gradually decreasing from the center of the metal sleeve to both sides. The long strip rib mainly provides resistance to torsional moment, while the annular rib mainly provides resistance to axial pull-out force. The two can be used in combination to achieve all-round mechanical locking. This causes the injection molded material to tightly hug the connecting rib like a hook after cooling and shrinking, forming a pre-stressed locking effect that tightens as it is pulled.

[0018] Preferably, the teeth in the first and second toothed areas are asymmetrical serrations with a tooth tip angle of 45° to 75°, and the axial lengths of the two toothed areas are equal or unequal. The asymmetrical serration design can be matched to the twist direction of the wire rope, making the bite more in line with the wire's grain and minimizing damage. The 45° to 75° tooth tip angle is both sharp enough for embedding and strong enough to prevent breakage.

[0019] A second aspect of this application provides a drive mechanism for a pipeline conveyor, used to drive the chain conveyor connection mechanism described in any of the above claims. The mechanism includes a drive disc and a plurality of actuating members evenly distributed on the sides of the drive disc. One end of each actuating member is fixed to the periphery of the drive disc, and the other end is provided with a wire rope groove. One end of the wire rope groove is provided with an actuating portion, and both ends of the wire rope groove are provided with expanding guide portions. A linkage vibration mechanism is provided between the actuating portion and the truncated conical inclined surface. As the actuating member rotates with the drive disc, the expanding guide portion provides a capture range much larger than the diameter of the wire rope, greatly reducing the requirements for manufacturing and assembly precision. The engagement of the actuating portion with the truncated conical inclined surface transforms the rigid radial thrust force into a gentle sliding lift along the inclined surface, allowing the wire rope to slide into the groove with near-zero impact, solving the impact problem of hard meshing.

[0020] The linked vibrating material mechanism cleverly utilizes the inevitable contact motion between the contact part and the inclined surface during the driving process, using it as the power source for vibration. Without any additional energy consumption or independent vibrator, it endows the driving mechanism with the additional function of vibrating and cleaning materials, demonstrating outstanding creativity. During the rotation of the driving disc, the contact part gradually contacts the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface, guiding the wire rope into the wire rope groove, while simultaneously causing the chain disc to vibrate through the linked vibrating material mechanism.

[0021] Preferably, the linked vibrating mechanism includes at least one annular protrusion disposed on the truncated conical inclined surface. The actuating part, upon contacting the truncated conical inclined surface, crushes the annular protrusion, causing the chain to generate a composite axial and radial vibration. The annular protrusion ensures that the actuating part reliably crushes the protrusion regardless of whether the chain itself rotates, guaranteeing the deterministic nature of the vibrating function. The crushing process is a process of potential energy accumulation and instantaneous release; the generated pulsed excitation force has both axial and radial components, and the resulting composite vibration mode has excellent stripping effect on viscous and powdery materials.

[0022] Furthermore, the annular protrusions are closed-loop ridges extending circumferentially along the truncated pyramidal slope, numbering 2 to 6, with a height of 1 to 2 cm and a cross-section of semi-circular, wedge-shaped, or semi-trapezoidal. The 1 to 2 cm height generates sufficient amplitude excitation force without hindering the normal sliding of the contacting part. The number of 2 to 6 ensures that each chain disc experiences multiple effective vibration excitations during one rotation of the drive disc, resulting in short cleaning intervals and continuous effectiveness.

[0023] Preferably, the guide portion is an arc-shaped guide surface that gradually expands outward from the end face of the slot, and its inlet width is 2 to 3 times the diameter of the wire rope; the working surface of the actuating portion is an arc surface that mates with the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface. The inlet width of 2 to 3 times ensures both high fault tolerance and structural strength of the actuating component. The arc surface contact ensures line contact or surface contact, resulting in low contact stress and uniform wear.

[0024] Preferably, the number of actuating elements is 10 to 12, and they are integrally formed with the drive disc or detachably connected. A larger number of actuating elements can distribute the driving force, reduce the load on each tooth, and improve transmission smoothness. Detachable connections facilitate replacement for locally worn parts.

[0025] Beneficial effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Zero connection failure: The combination structure of bidirectional wedge-shaped teeth and hard rubber layer filler completely locks the path of the steel wire rope from microscopic gaps to macroscopic displacement, achieving axial holding force and circumferential torsional resistance far exceeding traditional connections, fundamentally eliminating the problems of chain loosening, displacement, and detachment.

[0026] 2. Integrated structure: The connecting ribs, especially the dovetail groove or the T-shaped cross-section design of the opposite connecting ribs, form a prestressed interlock between the injection-molded chain and the metal sleeve, resulting in extremely high bonding strength that will not loosen due to temperature changes or long-term loads.

[0027] 3. Impact-free driving: Utilizing the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface of the chain disc as the guide surface, and in conjunction with the expansion guide of the actuating component, the method of the wire rope entering the groove is changed from impact capture to sliding guidance, eliminating noise and impact wear, which is extremely friendly to the life of the wire rope.

[0028] 4. Online self-vibrating material cleaning: It uniquely integrates a linkage vibration mechanism consisting of a trigger part and an annular protrusion on the drive path, realizing the active cleaning function of vibrating while conveying without adding any driving force or independent components, keeping the conveying efficiency at a high level and eliminating the need for manual shutdown for cleaning. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is an axial cross-sectional view of the chain disk connection mechanism of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional external schematic diagram of the chain disk connection mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a half-sectional structural diagram of the metal sleeve of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the wire rope and the metal sleeve of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection mechanism between the chain disk connection mechanism and the drive disk of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the steel wire rope groove of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the chain disk structure with a linkage vibration mechanism of the present invention.

[0030] The markings in the diagram are: 1-steel wire rope, 2-metal sleeve, 21-first toothed area, 22-second toothed area, 23-connecting rib, 3-chain disc, 31-plane, 32-conical inclined surface, 33-annular protrusion, 4-coating layer, 5-drive disc, 6-actuator, 61-steel wire rope groove, 62-touch part, 63-guide part. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the term axial direction refers to the direction along the length of the wire rope, radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the wire rope, and circumferential direction refers to the direction around the axis of the wire rope. The term connection should be interpreted broadly, and can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrally formed connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] I. Detailed Structure of the Chain Link Mechanism like Figures 1-4 As shown, the chain connection mechanism of the pipeline conveyor provided by the present invention mainly consists of three parts: a steel wire rope 1, a metal sleeve 2 fixed on the steel wire rope 1, and a chain disc 3 injected into the outer periphery of the metal sleeve 2.

[0034] The wire rope 1, as the core of traction and load-bearing in the entire conveying system, is typically made of multiple strands of high-strength steel wire twisted together with a specific twist direction and pitch. Its surface naturally exhibits regular uneven texture due to the spiral arrangement of the strands. The connecting mechanism of this invention utilizes this texture feature, rather than attempting to circumvent it as in traditional solutions.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The metal sleeve 2 is a key transition element of the connecting mechanism. It is precision-machined from high-quality carbon structural steel (such as No. 45 steel) or alloy steel through processes such as turning, drilling, and tapping. The metal sleeve 2 is cylindrical in shape, and its inner diameter is slightly smaller than the nominal diameter of the wire rope 1 to ensure that sufficient clamping force can be generated after radial compression.

[0036] Reference Figure 3 The inner wall of the metal sleeve 2 has a first toothed area 21 and a second toothed area 22 at both ends. These two toothed areas are one of the core features that distinguish it from existing technologies. The tips of the teeth in the first toothed area 21 are inclined towards the center of the metal sleeve 2, and the tips of the teeth in the second toothed area 22 are also inclined towards the center of the metal sleeve 2. In simple terms, if we take the axial midpoint of the metal sleeve 2 as a reference, the tips of the teeth in the left toothed area are inclined to the right, and the tips of the teeth in the right toothed area are inclined to the left, forming a layout that points towards each other. This design constitutes a two-way wedge-shaped self-locking structure. Its anti-slip principle can be clearly explained through force analysis: when the wire rope is pulled to the left due to traction, or pushed to the right due to material resistance, the direction of the axial frictional force on the metal sleeve 2 is also determined accordingly. Assuming the metal sleeve 2 is subjected to an axial force to the left, the tooth tips on the left side (first toothed area 21), being in the same direction as the force, tend to loosen. Simultaneously, the tooth tips on the right side (second toothed area 22), tilted towards the center of the metal sleeve, will actively and deeply engage with the surface strands of the wire rope 1 as the metal sleeve is pulled to the left, generating a strong wedging force that resists this leftward displacement, acting like a barb to prevent the metal sleeve from sliding to the left. Conversely, when the metal sleeve 2 is subjected to an axial force to the right, the left toothed area 21 will perform the same self-locking function. This bidirectional interlocking effect ensures that the metal sleeve cannot move left or right under any axial load generated by the conveyor's forward or reverse operation or material back-pushing, fundamentally solving the industry problem of axial movement.

[0037] Reference Figure 4A coating layer 4 is also pressed between the two ends of the metal sleeve 2 and the wire rope 1. Before pressing, the coating layer 4 is pre-attached to the sections of the wire rope 1 corresponding to the two ends of the metal sleeve 2 in the form of a coating, film, or adhesive, or pre-coated on the inner wall and toothed area of ​​the two ends of the metal sleeve 2. When the metal sleeve 2 is compressed under high pressure in a dedicated radial pressing mold, the coating layer 4 is strongly squeezed and deformed, undergoing plastic flow and densely filling all the microscopic, irregularly shaped gaps between the toothed grooves and the strands of the wire rope. This is equivalent to forming an intermediate medium layer that perfectly matches both the inner wall of the metal sleeve 2 and the outer surface of the wire rope 1 through high-pressure injection molding, which are two surfaces that would otherwise not be able to fit perfectly together. This intermediate medium layer greatly increases the effective contact area and the coefficient of friction, completely eliminating the microscopic space that may cause relative sliding, which is equivalent to locally fusing the metal sleeve 2 and the wire rope 1 into a whole, increasing the axial holding force and circumferential torsional resistance by an order of magnitude. In addition, the coating layer 4 can also protect the surface of the wire rope from being excessively scratched by the hard teeth during the pressing process, thus balancing the connection strength and the fatigue life of the wire rope.

[0038] The outer periphery of the metal sleeve 2 is provided with multiple connecting ribs 23. The connecting ribs 23 are protruding structures integrally formed on the outer circumference of the metal sleeve 2 by turning, milling, or rolling. The chain disc 3 is integrally injection molded, encasing the metal sleeve 2 and filling the spaces between the connecting ribs 23. During injection molding, the steel wire rope 1, with the metal sleeve 2 already fixed to it, is placed as an insert into the cavity of the injection mold. Molten polymer material (such as reinforced nylon, polyurethane, etc.) is injected at high speed into the cavity under the high pressure of the injection molding machine screw, completely encapsulating the outer surface of the metal sleeve 2, and penetrating and filling every groove and concave corner formed between adjacent connecting ribs 23 under high pressure, solidifying to form the final shape of the chain disc 3. This structure achieves a structural composite of two heterogeneous materials: metal and engineering plastic at the macroscopic mechanical interlocking level, rather than the simple surface adhesion or low-strength encapsulation of traditional solutions. The connecting rib 23 acts as the internal skeleton of the chain disc 3. Any force attempting to cause the chain disc 3 to rotate relative to the metal sleeve 2 or to axially disengage will be directly resisted by the side of the connecting rib 23, distributing and transmitting torque and tension evenly, rather than relying on the friction between the plastic and the smooth metal surface. At the same time, one-piece injection molding also greatly improves production efficiency and ensures product consistency.

[0039] Reference Figure 7One side of the chain disc 3 is a flat surface 31 for pushing materials, and the other side is a truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32. The flat surface 31 ensures maximum pushing area and pushing efficiency when conveying materials, so that materials can only be pushed forward and are difficult to overturn. The truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 has a dual function: firstly, as the force guide surface when the driven mechanism is actuated, it can convert the radial movement of the actuating component into a smooth axial and radial composite displacement, which is the key to achieving impact-free entry into the groove; secondly, the existence of the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 also provides an ideal implementation carrier and space for the vibration cleaning function, which will be described in detail later.

[0040] II. Detailed Description of the Preferred Solution In a preferred embodiment, the coating layer 4 is a rigid adhesive layer. The present invention specifically chooses a rigid adhesive layer, rather than a flexible material, based on a deep understanding of its working mechanism. Under the high pressure of compression, flexible materials undergo recoverable compressive deformation, failing to effectively fill the rigid microscopic gaps, and are at risk of stress relaxation in the future. In contrast, the rigid adhesive layer does not completely yield under high pressure, but rather undergoes brittle fracture or plastic flow. This characteristic allows it to act like countless tiny wedges, forcefully squeezed into the microscopic defects between the strands of the wire rope and the tips of the teeth at the peak of the compression force, forming an extremely strong mechanical lock after curing. This connection relies primarily on microscopic mechanical interlocking, rather than on chemical bonding based on surface adhesion, thus exhibiting stronger resistance to aging, creep, and temperature changes, and a more reliable lifespan.

[0041] Furthermore, the rigid adhesive layer is preferably an epoxy resin adhesive layer or an anaerobic adhesive layer, with a thickness preferably between 0.5 and 2 mm. This thickness range is the optimal range determined based on theoretical analysis and extensive comparative experiments. If the coating layer thickness is less than 0.5 mm, the amount of adhesive is insufficient, and after compression expansion, it cannot completely fill all the gaps of varying depths between the teeth and the wire rope, resulting in limited filling effect and difficulty in forming a continuous locking interface. If the coating layer thickness is greater than 2 mm, the adhesive layer is too thick. Although the excess adhesive will be squeezed out under high pressure, the residual adhesive layer is too thick, and after curing, it may form a weak interlayer with significantly different mechanical properties from the metal, which will reduce the macroscopic stiffness of the connection and become a source of creep or slippage. Epoxy resin adhesive or anaerobic adhesive, after curing, has high hardness, high compressive strength, and good dimensional stability, making it very suitable for use as a rigid adhesive layer in this application.

[0042] In another preferred embodiment, the connecting rib 23 is a long strip rib extending axially along the metal sleeve 2, or an annular rib extending circumferentially along the metal sleeve 2. Its height decreases from the center of the metal sleeve 2 to both sides. The long strip rib extends axially, and its side surface is orthogonal to the circumferential force, thus mainly providing the ability to resist circumferential torsional moments. The annular rib extends circumferentially in a closed manner, and its entire annular surface resists axial forces, thus mainly providing the ability to resist axial pull-out forces. Most preferably, the long strip rib and the annular rib can be used in combination to form a grid-like or lattice-like structure on the outer circumferential surface of the metal sleeve 2, thereby achieving extremely strong mechanical locking in both axial and circumferential degrees of freedom, achieving all-round safety protection. It is particularly important to note the ingenuity of the dovetail or T-shaped cross-section. Both of these cross-sectional shapes are wider at the outside and narrower at the inside, that is, the width of the free end away from the axis of the metal sleeve body is greater than the width at the root connection. When the injection-molded chain disc 3 material cools from the molten state to room temperature, the material volume will shrink. Because the connecting rib 23 has a profile that is wider on the outside and narrower on the inside, after the injection molding material cools and shrinks, it will not form a gap with the metal sleeve 2. Instead, due to the tensile stress generated by the shrinkage, it will tightly hold the connecting rib 23 and the metal sleeve 2 from the outside like a hook, forming a prestressed mechanical locking effect that gets tighter as it cools and tighter as it is pulled. Its connection strength is far greater than that of ordinary straight ribs or knurled ribs.

[0043] In another preferred embodiment, the teeth of the first toothed area 21 and the second toothed area 22 are asymmetrical sawtooths with a tooth tip angle of 45° to 75°. The axial lengths of the two toothed areas can be designed to be equal or unequal depending on the actual working conditions (e.g., the main conveying direction is unidirectional). A significant advantage of the asymmetrical sawtooth design is that it can be matched to the specific twist direction of the wire rope 1 (left-hand interlocking or right-hand interlocking), making the tooth cutting direction more consistent with the grain direction of the wire. This achieves the deepest effective engagement with minimal pressing stress, minimizing microscopic damage to the wire rope 1 during the pressing process. This is crucial for maintaining the fatigue resistance and overall lifespan of the wire rope. The tooth tip angle design of 45° to 75° is an optimized choice after careful consideration. If the tooth tip angle is less than 45°, the teeth are too sharp and easy to embed, but their own strength is insufficient and they may break or bend under high loads; if the tooth tip angle is greater than 75°, the teeth are too blunt and the required pressing force increases sharply, and it is difficult to embed deeply into the hard steel wire rope strands, and the biting force and self-locking effect will be greatly reduced.

[0044] III. Detailed Structure of the Drive Mechanism like Figures 5-7 As shown, the second aspect of the present invention provides a drive mechanism for a pipeline conveyor, which is specifically designed to drive the chain conveyor connection mechanism described in any of the above embodiments. It mainly consists of a drive disk 5 and a plurality of actuating elements 6 evenly arranged on the sides of the drive disk 5.

[0045] Reference Figure 5 The drive disc 5 is a disc-shaped or spoke-shaped metal component that is mounted on the output shaft of the geared motor by means of key connection, expansion sleeve, etc. It is the power receiving and distribution base of the entire drive mechanism.

[0046] The actuating component 6 is an actuator that directly contacts the chain 3 and the wire rope 1, transmitting driving force. One end (root) of the actuating component 6 is fixed to the periphery of the drive disc 5. The fixing method can be integral casting or forging, or it can be detachably connected by bolts, pins, etc. The other end (suspended end, i.e., working end) of the actuating component 6 is provided with a wire rope groove 61 for accommodating and dragging the wire rope 1. Most importantly, the end of the wire rope groove 61 facing the forward direction of the chain 3 is provided with a specially shaped triggering part 62. At the same time, at both ends of the wire rope groove 61 along its extension direction, there are guide parts 63 in the shape of expanding openings. Furthermore, a linkage vibration mechanism is also provided between the triggering part 62 and the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32.

[0047] During operation, the drive disc 5 rotates, causing all the actuating components 6 to revolve synchronously. The expanding guide section 63 provides a wide capture inlet much larger than the diameter of the wire rope 1, greatly reducing the requirements for coaxiality and positional accuracy during manufacturing and assembly, and also tolerating the shape and position changes that occur after long-term operation of the equipment. As the actuating component 6 gradually approaches the chain disc 3 during rotation, the first thing to play is the contact part 62 and its mating truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32. The cooperation between the contact part 62 and the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 cleverly transforms the radial thrust and impact of the traditional drive component on the rigid wire rope into a lifting force that slides smoothly along the inclined surface. The contact part 62 acts like a cam, smoothly and gradually lifting the chain disc 3 and the wire rope 1 fixed to it from a low position to the height at which the entrance of the wire rope slot 61 is aligned with the wire rope 1 during the sliding process on the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32, allowing the wire rope 1 to slide into the slot with almost zero impact. The entire engagement process is smooth and silent, completely solving the problems of hard meshing impact and noise that have plagued traditional tubular chain conveyors for many years, and fundamentally protecting the surface of the wire rope and the edge of the groove from repeated impact damage. During the rotation of the drive disc 5, the actuating part 62 gradually contacts the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 and guides the wire rope 1 into the wire rope groove 61, completing the power engagement. Simultaneously, the linked vibrating mechanism causes the chain disc 3 to vibrate, completing the material clearing process; the entire operation can be completed quickly.

[0048] IV. Detailed Description of the Linked Vibration Mechanism The linkage vibration mechanism is one of the original features of this invention. It does not require any external power or independent excitation device and is cleverly integrated into the drive path.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the linkage vibration mechanism specifically includes at least one annular protrusion 33 disposed on the truncated conical inclined surface 32. During its entire process of contacting and sliding relative to the truncated conical inclined surface 32, the actuating part 62 sequentially presses against these annular protrusions 33, causing the chain disc 3 to generate a combined axial and radial vibration.

[0050] Choosing a ring shape as the extension form of the protrusion 33 has significant engineering implications. During the operation of the wire rope conveyor, the wire rope 1 itself will slowly rotate due to twisting and bending, which in turn will cause the chain disc 3 to rotate uncontrollably in the circumferential direction. If the protrusion 33 is not a continuous ring shape, but several arc segments or point protrusions, then when the chain disc 3 rotates to a certain angle, the actuating part 62 may slip through the gap between two protrusions, causing the crushing pressure to disappear during this drive and the vibration function to fail. However, a circumferentially continuous closed-loop ridge forms a 360° crushing path without dead angles. No matter what angle the chain disc 3 rotates to, the actuating part 62 will definitely crush the protrusion 33, ensuring the certainty and reliability of the vibration function.

[0051] The physical essence of the compaction process is a dynamic process of potential energy accumulation and instantaneous release. When the actuating part 62 of the arc surface slides along the truncated cone-shaped slope 32 and encounters the annular protrusion 33, the bulge of the protrusion 33 is equivalent to setting an obstacle ramp on the smooth path. The actuating part 62 must overcome the resistance to climb this ramp. During the climbing process, the actuating element 6 does work on the chain wheel 3 through the actuating part 62, and the energy is stored in the form of elastic potential energy between the actuating element 6, the wire rope 1, and the chain wheel 3. When the actuating part 62 passes the highest point of the protrusion 33, the accumulated elastic energy is released instantaneously, thereby exciting a decaying pulse vibration. The excitation force generated in this process has components along the normal and tangential directions of the truncated cone-shaped slope, so the vibration has composite components of axial and radial directions, forming a complex multidimensional vibration mode. This composite vibration is extremely effective for peeling off materials with different adhesion mechanisms (such as electrostatically adsorbed powder, wet and sticky mud, and particles embedded in corners).

[0052] Furthermore, the annular protrusions 33 are closed-loop ridges extending circumferentially along the truncated conical slope 32. The number of these protrusions is preferably set to 2-6, and the height of each protrusion is preferably 1-2 cm. The cross-sectional shape can be semi-circular, wedge-shaped, or semi-trapezoidal. The protrusion height of 1-2 cm is a key parameter for generating effective vibration amplitude. If it is less than 1 cm, the obstacle slope is too small, and the accumulated potential energy is insufficient to generate a vibration strong enough to bounce off firmly adhered materials. If it is greater than 2 cm, although the vibration force is stronger, it will increase the resistance of the contact part 62 sliding, which may cause movement jamming or aggravate wear on the contact surface. Excessive vibration force may also have an adverse effect on the conveyed brittle materials. The setting of 2-6 protrusions ensures that each moving chain disc 3 will experience multiple independent vibration excitations during one full rotation of the drive disc, resulting in a high overall cleaning frequency, short intervals, and continuous and stable effect for the system. The semi-circular cross section slides smoothly with little stress concentration, making it suitable for general working conditions; the wedge-shaped or semi-trapezoidal cross section, due to the presence of a more sudden potential energy release point, generates more intense and crisp vibration pulses, making it suitable for highly viscous and difficult-to-clean materials.

[0053] V. Other Preferred Options Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In another preferred embodiment, the guide portion 63 is an arc-shaped guide surface that gradually expands outward from the end face of the wire rope groove, and the entire guide portion 63 has a continuous and smooth curved surface. Its outermost inlet width is designed to be 2 to 3 times the diameter of the wire rope 1. This value is determined by considering two factors: a width less than 2 times the diameter, while resulting in a more compact structure, has too small a tolerance range for capture, requiring high manufacturing and installation precision, and is prone to misalignment and failure to guide when the wire rope position fluctuates due to changes in tension; a width greater than 3 times the diameter, while offering extremely high tolerance, results in an excessively large working end size for the actuating component 6, weakening its strength, and occupying too much space during rotation. An inlet width of 2 to 3 times provides a sufficiently wide capture window in practical engineering while ensuring the overall structural strength of the actuating component. Correspondingly, the working surface of the actuating portion 62 is a precisely designed arc surface that matches the taper and curvature of the truncated conical inclined surface 32. The contact between arc surfaces is theoretically a line contact or surface contact, with a large contact area, low stress and uniform distribution. Compared with sharp corner contact, its wear resistance and service life are greatly extended.

[0054] In another preferred embodiment, the number of actuating elements 6 is specifically designed to be 10 to 12, significantly more than that of a traditional drive disc. The direct benefit of a larger number of actuating elements is that the total driving force of the entire wire rope and chain system is distributed among more actuating elements 6. The driving load and contact stress borne by each actuating element 6 and each wire rope groove 61 are significantly reduced, resulting in a smoother and quieter transmission process and effectively delaying fatigue and wear of various components. Simultaneously, a larger number ensures that a greater proportion of actuating elements are in an effective driving engagement state at all times, resulting in better transmission continuity. The connection between the actuating elements 6 and the drive disc 5 can be integrally cast, resulting in high strength and good consistency; or it can be a detachable connection using bolts or other methods, which facilitates partial replacement of individual actuating elements 6 due to wear in the future, reducing maintenance costs.

[0055] VI. Overall Work Process and Collaborative Effects To more fully demonstrate the working principle of the present invention, the connecting mechanism and the driving mechanism will be described in detail as a cooperating whole, and a complete working cycle will be described in detail below.

[0056] At the material conveying site, the steel wire rope 1 is first cut to the length of the conveying line, and the installation position of the metal sleeve 2 is marked at the predetermined position on the steel wire rope 1. A coating layer 4 (such as epoxy resin) is evenly applied to the surface of the installation position. The metal sleeve 2 is then placed on the coated position of the steel wire rope 1, and a special multi-lobed radial pressing mold is used to apply uniform and strong radial pressure to the entire outer circumference of the metal sleeve 2. Under the pressure, the metal sleeve 2 undergoes a slight radial shrinkage deformation, and the bidirectional inclined tooth tips of the first toothed area 21 and the second toothed area 22 on its inner wall deeply embed into the strand texture of the steel wire rope 1. Simultaneously, the coating layer 4 is squeezed in and fills all microscopic gaps under high pressure. After the pressure is removed, the metal sleeve 2 slightly rebounds due to elastic recovery, but its inner wall teeth have been firmly locked together with the steel wire rope 1 by the coating layer 4.

[0057] The entire steel wire rope 1, with several pre-fixed metal sleeves 2, is placed as an insert into the injection mold cavity of the chain disc 3, with each metal sleeve 2 corresponding to one cavity of the chain disc 3. After mold closing, molten engineering plastic (such as reinforced nylon) is injected, and the material quickly fills and completely encapsulates the metal sleeve 2 and its surrounding connecting ribs 23. After cooling, the mold is opened, and the chain disc 3, metal sleeves 2, and steel wire rope 1 form a precise integral assembly. The position and orientation of the plane 31 and the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 of the chain disc 3 are ensured by the mold, guaranteeing accuracy.

[0058] The completed rope reel assembly is inserted into the conveying pipe to form a closed loop, and the drive disc 5 and the assembly with 10 to 12 actuating elements 6 are installed at one end of the pipe. The motor is started, and the drive disc 5 begins to rotate. As the disc rotates, an actuating element 6 gradually approaches a chain disc 3. First, the smooth arc surface of the actuating part 62 of the actuating element 6 contacts the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32 of the chain disc 3. This is the beginning of a gentle introduction. As the drive disc 5 continues to rotate, the actuating part 62 slides along the truncated cone-shaped inclined surface 32, gently lifting the chain disc 3 and the wire rope 1 fixed to it upwards. Just as the wire rope 1 is lifted to a height aligned with the wire rope slot 61, the wire rope 1, guided by the wide flared guide part 63, smoothly slides into the bottom of the slot 61.

[0059] Almost simultaneously with the completion of the insertion of the wire rope 1 into the groove, the rotational torque of the drive disc 5 is converted into a traction force that pulls the entire rope disc assembly in a linear motion via the actuating element 6, the wire rope slot 61, and the wire rope 1. The plane 31 of the chain disc 3 on the wire rope 1 begins to push the material in the pipeline forward. Meanwhile, the linkage vibration mechanism also works synchronously during this process: as the actuating part 62 continues to slide on the truncated cone-shaped inclined plane 32, it successively rolls over the 2 to 6 pre-set annular protrusions 33 on the inclined plane 32. Each time it passes over a protrusion 33, it excites a pulse-like axial and radial composite vibration on the chain disc 3. This vibration is rapidly transmitted to the entire body of the chain disc 3, especially the pushing plane 31, causing any powdery material attempting to adhere to or already adhering to the plane 31 and the inclined plane 32 to be forcibly bounced off and returned to the material flow to be conveyed forward. In this way, the three functions of driving, conveying, and self-cleaning work perfectly in synergy through a series of precisely designed mechanical interactions, operating continuously.

[0060] Finally, as the drive disc 5 continues to rotate, the actuating element 6 disengages from the wire rope on the other side of the pipe, completing one drive cycle. The next set of actuating elements then seamlessly connects to begin a new drive process.

[0061] In summary, through the systematic and innovative design of the chain conveyor connection mechanism and the drive mechanism, this invention not only solves the performance bottlenecks of individual components, but also achieves a perfect combination of the two major functions of connection and drive. It achieves the comprehensive technical effect of zero connection failure, no drive impact, and online self-vibration material clearing, which significantly improves the reliability, maintenance-free nature and conveying efficiency of the pipeline conveyor.

[0062] It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not exhaustive. Those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A chain disc connecting mechanism of a pipe line conveyor, characterized by: It includes a steel wire rope (1), a metal sleeve (2) fixed to the steel wire rope, and a chain disc (3) injection molded on the outer periphery of the metal sleeve. The inner wall of the metal sleeve (2) is provided with a first toothed area (21) and a second toothed area (22) at both ends, and the tooth tips of the first toothed area (21) and the second toothed area (22) are inclined toward the middle of the metal sleeve (2); A coating layer (4) is also pressed between the two ends of the metal sleeve (2) and the wire rope (1). The outer periphery of the metal sleeve (2) is provided with multiple connecting ribs (23); The chain disc (3) is integrally injection molded, and wraps the metal sleeve (2) and fills the space between the connecting ribs (23). One side of the chain disc (3) is a plane (31) for pushing materials, and the other side is a truncated sloping surface (32).

2. The chain disc connecting mechanism of a pipe line conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating layer (4) is a rigid adhesive layer.

3. The chain conveyor connection mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rigid adhesive layer is an epoxy resin adhesive layer or an anaerobic adhesive layer, with a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm.

4. The chain conveyor connection mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting rib (23) is a long strip rib extending along the axial direction of the metal sleeve (2), or an annular rib extending circumferentially along the metal sleeve (2).

5. The chain conveyor connection mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tooth shape of the first tooth pattern area (21) and the second tooth pattern area (22) is asymmetrical sawtooth, with a tooth tip angle of 45° to 75°, and the axial lengths of the two tooth pattern areas are equal or unequal.

6. A drive mechanism for a pipeline conveyor, used to drive the chain conveyor connection mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: It includes a drive disk (5) and multiple toggle pieces (6) evenly distributed on the sides of the drive disk (5); One end of the actuating element (6) is fixed to the periphery of the drive disk (5), and the other end is provided with a wire rope groove (61). One end of the wire rope groove (61) is provided with an actuating part (62), and both ends of the wire rope groove (61) are provided with guide parts (63) in the shape of expanding openings. A linkage vibration mechanism is provided between the actuating part (62) and the truncated inclined surface (32). During the rotation of the drive disc (5), the actuating part (62) gradually contacts the truncated inclined surface (32) and guides the wire rope (1) into the wire rope groove (61), while the chain disc (3) vibrates through the linkage vibration mechanism.

7. The drive mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The linkage vibration mechanism includes at least one annular protrusion (33) disposed on the truncated inclined surface (32). The actuating part (62) crushes the annular protrusion (33) during the contact with the truncated inclined surface (32) so that the chain disc (3) generates a composite vibration of axial and radial directions.

8. The drive mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 7, characterized in that: The annular protrusion (33) is a closed-loop ridge extending circumferentially along the truncated pedestal (32), with a number of 2 to 6, a height of 1 to 2 cm, and a cross-section of semi-circular, wedge-shaped, or semi-trapezoidal.

9. The drive mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The guide part (63) is an arc-shaped guide surface that gradually expands outward from the end of the slot, and its entrance width is 2 to 3 times the diameter of the wire rope (1); the working surface of the trigger part (62) is an arc surface that cooperates with the truncated inclined surface (32).

10. The drive mechanism of the pipeline conveyor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The number of the toggle element (6) is 10 to 12, and it is integrally formed or detachably connected to the drive disk (5).

Images