Optical fiber passive stepless material flow sensor

Abstract

The utility model relates to an optical fiber passive stepless material flow sensor which comprises a support, an optical switch, an ejector rod and a driving assembly for driving the ejector rod to eject an optical switch trigger rod. The driving assembly comprises a fixed block which is fixedly arranged relative to the support, a cam shaft which is rotationally connected with the fixed block, and a swing rod which is fixedly connected with the cam shaft and extends in the radial direction of the cam shaft, and a cam which is in contact transmission with the ejector rod is fixedly arranged on the cam shaft; one end of the push rod abuts against a trigger rod of the optical switch, and the other end of the push rod abuts against the wheel surface of the cam. The beneficial effects of the utility model are that through the arrangement of the swing rod, the cam shaft and the cam, the up-and-down displacement of the bearing edge of the conveyer belt is converted into the displacement of the trigger rod of the photoelectric switch, so that the state of the optical switch is changed, and the state of the quantity of materials conveyed by the conveyer belt is reflected through the state of the optical switch; the material quantity on the conveying belt can be mastered in real time, measures can be taken in time when the material quantity is too large, and the conveying belt is prevented from being damaged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material flow sensor technology, and in particular to a material flow sensor based on an optical switch, specifically a fiber optic passive stepless material flow sensor. Background Technology

[0002] A belt conveyor is a device that transports materials by rotating a conveyor belt. Because conveyor belts can be set to a long length, they can achieve long-distance transportation and ensure the continuity of transportation. Therefore, the method of transporting materials by conveyor belts is used in various fields.

[0003] Because conveyor belts feed materials by rotating, and their sides need to be angled to prevent spillage, they are typically made of rubber. However, excessive transport volume can cause irreversible damage to rubber conveyor belts. To avoid this, the amount of material on the belt is often visually assessed and adjusted based on experience. This method requires constant monitoring and supervision, which is often insufficient for real-time control, especially when dumping material onto the belt. This can lead to large amounts of material falling onto the belt, making it difficult to control the amount fed and increasing the risk of overloading. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a fiber optic passive stepless material flow sensor that can monitor the amount of material on the conveyor belt in real time and achieve stepless continuous monitoring.

[0005] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor is provided, including a bracket and an optical switch mounted on the bracket, a push rod slidably connected to the bracket, and a drive assembly for driving the push rod to actuate the trigger rod of the optical switch; the drive assembly includes a fixed block relatively fixed to the bracket, a camshaft rotatably connected to the fixed block, and a rocker arm fixed to the camshaft and extending radially along the camshaft, the camshaft being fixedly provided with a cam that contacts and drives the push rod; one end of the push rod actuates the trigger rod of the optical switch, and the other end actuates the wheel surface of the cam.

[0006] In this design, the end of the rocker arm furthest from the camshaft is positioned below and in contact with the conveyor belt of the belt conveyor. When the amount of material on the conveyor belt increases, the conveyor belt presses down on the rocker arm, thereby driving the camshaft to rotate. During the rotation of the camshaft, the cam's variable radius characteristic is utilized, and the cam's wheel surface pushes the push rod. The push rod pushes the trigger rod of the photoelectric switch, thereby changing the state of the photoelectric switch. This allows the change in the amount of material on the conveyor belt to be monitored through the change in the state of the photoelectric switch.

[0007] As an optimization, the camshaft is connected to the fixed block via a torsion spring. This optimized solution, by incorporating a torsion spring, allows the conveyor belt to move upwards under its own elasticity when the amount of material on the conveyor belt decreases. The spring force then causes the camshaft to reverse, ensuring the rocker arm remains in contact with the conveyor belt, thus achieving continuous, stepless monitoring of the material quantity.

[0008] As an optimization, the camshaft is rotatably connected to the fixed block via a bearing, and the bearing and torsion spring are located on opposite sides of the camshaft along its axial direction. This optimization reduces the frictional resistance during camshaft rotation by using a bearing, and improves the stability of the camshaft by placing the bearing and torsion spring on opposite sides of the camshaft.

[0009] As an optimization, the fixing block includes a block body with an inner hole and a torsion spring adjusting seat fixed to one end of the inner hole. The torsion spring and cam are located in the inner hole of the block body, and a through hole adapted to the cam is opened on the side wall of the block body. The torsion spring adjusting seat is fixed to the block body by a number of bolts distributed circumferentially, and the end of the torsion spring away from the camshaft is connected to the torsion spring adjusting seat. The fixing block structure of this optimized solution is simple. By setting the torsion spring adjusting seat, the preload of the torsion spring can be easily adjusted, which is convenient to adapt to different materials. At the same time, the block body provides protection for the torsion spring.

[0010] As an optimization, a bearing housing is fixed to the end of the block away from the torsion spring adjusting seat. The bearing is located inside the bearing housing, and a sealing ring is provided between the camshaft and the bearing housing. The sealing ring is located on the side of the bearing away from the camshaft. This optimization scheme, by setting a bearing housing, facilitates the installation of the bearing and the sealing ring, and prevents dust from entering between the bearing housing and the camshaft.

[0011] As an optimization, a roller is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm, and the axis of the roller is parallel to the axis of the camshaft. This optimization reduces the frictional resistance of the rocker arm to the conveyor belt by setting the roller, while preventing the rocker arm from scratching the conveyor belt.

[0012] As an optimization, the bracket is provided with a mounting slot adapted to the optical switch. A pressure plate for pressing the optical switch is detachably fixed to the opening of the mounting slot. An adjusting bolt that pushes the optical switch through the side wall of the mounting slot opposite to the optical switch trigger rod is threaded to the side wall of the mounting slot. This optimized design allows adjustment of the position of the optical switch, thereby adjusting the range of optical signal readings.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: by setting up the swing arm, camshaft and cam, the up and down displacement of the conveyor belt bearing side is converted into the displacement of the trigger rod of the photoelectric switch, thereby changing the state of the photoelectric switch. This allows the state of the amount of material conveyed by the conveyor belt to be reflected by the state of the photoelectric switch, making it easy to monitor the amount of material on the conveyor belt in real time and take timely measures when the amount of material is too large to avoid damage to the conveyor belt. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the installation of the camshaft and torsion spring;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the optical switch installation.

[0017] Figure 4 Top view of the optical switch installation;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the usage state of this utility model;

[0019] As shown in the figure:

[0020] 1. Roller, 2. Swing rod, 3. Drive assembly, 4. Housing, 5. Optical switch fixing and adjusting mechanism, 6. Gland head, 21. Torsion spring adjusting seat, 22. Fixing block, 23. Torsion spring, 24. Camshaft, 25. Bearing, 26. Sealing ring, 31. Top rod, 32. Bracket, 33. Pressure plate, 34. Optical switch, 35. Adjusting bolt, 41. Upper belt, 42. Intermediate frame, 43. Lower belt, 44. Mounting bracket, 45. Fiber optic passive stepless material flow sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To clearly illustrate the technical features of this solution, the following detailed implementation method will be used to explain the solution.

[0022] like Figure 1The optical fiber passive stepless flow sensor shown includes a bracket 32, an optical switch 34 mounted on the bracket 32, a push rod 31 slidably connected to the bracket 32, and a drive assembly 3 that drives the push rod 31 to actuate the trigger rod of the optical switch. The push rod is positioned along the triggering direction of the trigger rod. When the drive assembly is activated, it pushes the push rod to move, which in turn pushes the trigger rod of the optical switch to move, thereby causing a change in the state of the optical switch. The optical switch uses existing technology, and its structure will not be described in detail. The bracket is provided with guide holes that fit the push rod, providing support and guidance for the push rod.

[0023] The drive assembly 3 includes a fixed block 22 fixedly disposed relative to the bracket 32, a camshaft 24 rotatably connected to the fixed block 22, and a rocker arm 2 fixedly connected to the camshaft 24 and extending radially along the camshaft. A cam is fixedly disposed on the camshaft 24 and in contact with the push rod 31 for transmission. When the cam rotates forward, it pushes the push rod to move toward the side where the light switch is located, so that the push rod pushes the trigger rod of the light switch to move toward the inside of the light switch. When the cam rotates in reverse, the return spring of the trigger rod of the light switch makes the trigger rod move away from the light switch, so that the trigger rod of the light switch pushes the push rod, so that the push rod keeps in contact with the wheel surface of the cam.

[0024] One end of the push rod 31 is pushed to the trigger rod of the optical switch, and the other end is pushed to the wheel surface of the cam. The end of the push rod that pushes to the cam is set to a spherical surface to reduce the contact area between the push rod and the cam, thereby reducing the frictional resistance between the cam and the push rod.

[0025] The camshaft 24 is connected to the fixed block 22 via the torsion spring 23. When the material on the conveyor belt increases, the conveyor belt presses down on the rocker arm, which drives the camshaft to rotate forward and compresses the torsion spring. When the amount of material on the conveyor belt decreases, the conveyor belt moves upward and uses the rebound force of the torsion spring to make the camshaft rotate in reverse, so that the rocker arm is always in contact with the conveyor belt.

[0026] A roller 1 is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm 2. The axis of the roller 1 is parallel to the axis of the camshaft 24. When the conveyor belt conveys materials, it drives the roller to rotate, converting the sliding friction between the rocker arm and the conveyor belt into rolling friction, reducing the frictional resistance to the conveyor belt, and preventing the rocker arm from scratching the conveyor belt.

[0027] The camshaft 24 is rotatably connected to the fixed block 22 via a bearing 25. Along the axial direction of the camshaft 24, the bearing 25 and the torsion spring 23 are located on opposite sides of the cam. The fixed block 22 includes a block with an inner hole and a torsion spring adjusting seat 21 fixed to one end of the inner hole. The torsion spring 23 and the cam are located within the inner hole of the block, and a through hole adapted to the cam is provided on the side wall of the block to facilitate contact between the cam and the push rod. The torsion spring adjusting seat 21 is fixed to the block by several bolts evenly distributed circumferentially. The end of the torsion spring away from the camshaft is connected to the torsion spring adjusting seat. After removing the bolts, the preload of the torsion spring can be adjusted by rotating the angle of the torsion spring adjusting seat. After adjustment, the torsion spring adjusting seat can be fixed again with bolts. The rotation angle of the torsion spring adjusting seat each time can be the central angle corresponding to two adjacent bolts circumferentially.

[0028] A bearing housing is fixed to one end of the block away from the torsion spring adjusting seat 21. The bearing 25 is located inside the bearing housing. A sealing ring 26 is provided between the camshaft and the bearing housing. The sealing ring 26 is located on the side of the bearing 25 away from the cam to prevent dust from entering the bearing from between the bearing housing and the camshaft.

[0029] The bracket 32 ​​has a mounting slot adapted to the optical switch 34. A pressure plate 33 is detachably fixed to the opening of the mounting slot to press the optical switch 34. An adjusting bolt 35 is inserted through the side wall of the mounting slot opposite to the optical switch trigger rod, pressing against the optical switch. The adjusting bolt 35 is threaded to the side wall of the mounting slot, and the axis of the adjusting bolt is consistent with the axis of the trigger rod. An adjustment gap is provided between the optical switch and the side wall of the mounting slot where the adjusting bolt is located. The pressure plate 33 and the adjusting bolt 35 form the optical switch fixing and adjusting mechanism 5. The pressure plate 33 is used to fix the optical switch 34. The adjusting bolt 35 is installed on the bracket 32 ​​to press the optical switch 34. After loosening the pressure plate, the position of the optical switch can be adjusted to effectively adjust the reading value range of the optical signal.

[0030] In use, the bracket portion containing the optical switch is housed inside the housing 4, while the drive assembly is located on the outside of the housing. A gland 6 is provided on the housing for easy wiring. In this embodiment, the fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor 45 is fixed to the intermediate frame 42 of the conveyor via a mounting bracket 44, positioned above the lower belt 43. Figure 5As shown, the intermediate frame is a component of the conveyor. The mounting bracket 44 is welded from steel plates and steel pipes. The mounting bracket, intermediate frame, and fiber optic passive stepless material flow sensor are fixed together with bolts. When the conveyor transports materials, the weight of the materials acts on the upper belt 41 of the conveyor belt. The upper belt 41 sinks and acts on the roller 1, driving the swing arm 2 and camshaft 24 to rotate around the axis of camshaft 24 in direction A. Camshaft 24 drives push rod 31 to slide along the guide hole of bracket 32, which actuates the trigger rod of optical switch 34, causing the optical signal of optical switch 34 to change. The swing arm 2 and camshaft 24 rotate at the same angle, and the rotation angle is proportional to the displacement of push rod 31. The larger the amount of material transported by the conveyor, the greater the displacement of the belt sinking, the greater the swing angle of swing arm 2 and the displacement of optical switch trigger rod, resulting in a smaller optical signal of optical switch. Thus, the amount of material transported by the conveyor can be directly read by the magnitude of the optical signal.

[0031] This invention utilizes a stepless material flow sensor to directly read the conveyor's transport volume, effectively controlling the conveyor's transport process. The optical switch fixing and adjusting mechanism effectively adjusts the range of optical signal readings, and the roller structure that contacts the conveyor belt minimizes damage. The optical sensor is compact, well-sealed, and adaptable to various environments.

[0032] Of course, the above description is not limited to the examples above. Technical features of this utility model not described can be implemented by or using existing technology, and will not be repeated here. The above embodiments and drawings are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model. This utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that any changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of this utility model do not depart from the spirit of this utility model and should also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor, comprising a bracket (32) and an optical switch (34) mounted on the bracket (32), characterized in that: It also includes a top rod (31) that slides with the bracket (32), and a drive assembly (3) that drives the top rod (31) to actuate the light switch trigger rod. The drive assembly (3) includes a fixed block (22) fixed relative to the bracket (32), a camshaft (24) rotatably connected to the fixed block (22), and a rocker arm (2) fixed to the camshaft (24) and extending radially along the camshaft. A cam that contacts and drives the push rod (31) is fixed on the camshaft (24). One end of the push rod (31) is pushed against the trigger rod of the optical switch, and the other end is pushed against the wheel surface of the cam.

2. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camshaft (24) is connected to the fixed block (22) via a torsion spring (23).

3. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The camshaft (24) is rotatably connected to the fixed block (22) via a bearing (25). Along the axial direction of the camshaft (24), the bearing (25) and the torsion spring (23) are located on both sides of the cam.

4. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixed block (22) includes a block with an inner hole and a torsion spring adjusting seat (21) fixed to one end of the inner hole. The torsion spring (23) and the cam are located in the inner hole of the block, and a through hole adapted to the cam is opened on the side wall of the block. The torsion spring adjusting seat (21) is fixed to the block by a number of bolts distributed in the circumferential direction. The end of the torsion spring away from the cam shaft is connected to the torsion spring adjusting seat.

5. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that: A bearing housing is fixed to one end of the block away from the torsion spring adjusting seat (21). The bearing (25) is located inside the bearing housing. A sealing ring (26) is provided between the camshaft and the bearing housing. The sealing ring (26) is located on the side of the bearing (25) away from the cam.

6. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: A roller (1) is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm (2), and the axis of the roller (1) is parallel to the axis of the camshaft (24).

7. The fiber optic passive stepless flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket (32) is provided with a mounting groove adapted to the optical switch (34). A pressure plate (33) for pressing the optical switch (34) is detachably fixed to the opening of the mounting groove. An adjusting bolt (35) that pushes the optical switch is provided on the side wall of the mounting groove opposite to the optical switch trigger rod. The adjusting bolt (35) is connected to the side wall of the mounting groove by a thread. The axial direction of the adjusting bolt is consistent with the axial direction of the push rod. An adjustment gap is provided between the optical switch and the side wall of the mounting groove where the adjusting bolt is located.

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