A return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor

Abstract

This utility model discloses a return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor, belonging to the field of bulk material conveying technology. The device includes a frame, a trough idler assembly, a drive roller, a driven roller, and a conveyor belt. Its improvement lies in that, below the horizontal return idler supporting the return section of the conveyor belt, each idler is equipped with a corresponding scraper cleaning assembly; a collection platform is provided at the bottom of the frame. The scraper cleaning assembly provides elastic force through a torsion spring, allowing the scraper blade to adaptively and continuously press against the surface of the return idler, scraping off the adhered material online. The scraped-off material is collected and discharged by the collection platform. This utility model solves the technical problem of viscous materials adhering and accumulating dirt on the surface of the return idler, effectively preventing idler dynamic balance failure, conveyor belt misalignment and abnormal wear, achieving automatic cleaning without stopping the machine, significantly improving the stability, continuity, and efficiency of equipment operation, and reducing maintenance costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of bulk material conveying technology, specifically to a return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor. Background Technology

[0002] Trough belt conveyors are key continuous conveying equipment widely used in industries such as mining, metallurgy, chemical, building materials, and grain. They utilize trough-shaped idler rollers to create a deep trough shape in the conveyor belt's load-bearing section, significantly increasing the material loading cross-sectional area, improving conveying capacity, and effectively preventing material spillage and rolling during transport. Therefore, they have become the mainstream form of bulk material conveying.

[0003] However, in practical applications, especially when conveying materials with a certain degree of viscosity or moisture (such as wet coal, clay, sludge, syrup, phosphate fertilizer, filter cake, etc.), existing trough belt conveyors have a long-standing technical problem that has not been effectively solved: the adhesion and contamination of materials to the idler rollers during the return section.

[0004] The specific problem is that after the conveyor belt transports viscous materials in the carrying section, even after unloading through the head roller, some material still stubbornly adheres to the working surface of the conveyor belt. When the conveyor belt enters the return section and passes the return idler roller, the material adhering to the conveyor belt is transferred and adheres to the outer surface of the idler roller under the squeezing action of the idler roller. Subsequently, the adhering material on the surface of the idler roller will continue to accumulate and harden, forming uneven scale.

[0005] This problem triggered a series of negative consequences: Decreased operational stability: The idler rollers lose their dynamic balance due to the accumulation of dirt on their surface, resulting in severe vibration and abnormal noise during operation. At the same time, it disrupts the normal contact relationship between the idler rollers and the conveyor belt, which can easily cause the conveyor belt to run off track, and in severe cases, it can even cause the edges of the conveyor belt to tear.

[0006] Increased energy consumption and wear: Increased operating resistance due to friction leads to increased energy consumption of the equipment. At the same time, the scale, acting as an abrasive, accelerates abnormal wear of the non-working layer of the conveyor belt and the rubber coating layer of the idler rollers, shortening the service life of critical components.

[0007] High maintenance costs: To maintain normal equipment operation, frequent shutdowns are necessary to manually clean stubborn dirt from the idler rollers by tapping and scraping. This is not only labor-intensive and creates a harsh environment, but also seriously affects the continuity and efficiency of production operations.

[0008] Currently, the industry's conventional solution to this problem mainly involves installing cleaners in the working section of the conveyor belt to remove adhering substances from the working surface. However, there is a lack of effective online treatment methods for the existing problem of adhesion and dirt accumulation on the return idler surface. Existing technologies cannot automatically and efficiently maintain the cleanliness of the return idler surface without stopping the equipment.

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new technical solution that can prevent and remove material adhesion from the surface of idlers online and automatically, fundamentally solving a series of problems caused by idler dirt accumulation and ensuring the efficient, stable and continuous operation of belt conveyors. Utility Model Content

[0010] 1. Technical problem to be solved: In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a return idler cleaning device for trough conveyors. This device can automatically and efficiently remove the adhering material on the surface of the return idler without stopping the machine, thereby solving a series of problems caused by the accumulation of dirt on the idler.

[0011] 2. Technical Solution: To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution.

[0012] A return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor includes a frame. The upper end of the frame is provided with multiple sets of trough idlers for supporting the conveyor belt. Drive rollers and driven rollers are respectively mounted on both sides of the frame via adjustable mounting plates. The conveyor belt is arranged around the trough idler sets, drive rollers, and driven rollers. The lower part of the frame is provided with multiple horizontally arranged return idlers located below the return section of the conveyor belt. A scraper cleaning assembly is located below each return idler. A collection platform is located at the bottom of the frame, below the scraper cleaning assembly. Each driven roller includes a tension shaft and multiple tension arms fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the tension shaft, with the outer ends of the multiple tension arms forming an approximately cylindrical surface. Each trough idler set includes a crossbeam fixedly installed on the upper end of the frame, two side idlers installed on the upper end of the crossbeam and symmetrically arranged on both sides, and a flat idler installed between the two side idlers.

[0013] The scraper cleaning assembly includes a mounting base fixedly installed at the bottom of the frame, a pair of first fixing sleeves symmetrically fixed to the mounting base, a scraper, a pair of second fixing sleeves fixed to the lower end of the scraper, a torsion spring, and a pin. The pair of second fixing sleeves are located between the pair of first fixing sleeves, the torsion spring is disposed between the gaps of two adjacent second fixing sleeves, and the pin passes sequentially through one first fixing sleeve, one second fixing sleeve, the torsion spring, another second fixing sleeve, and another first fixing sleeve. One end of the torsion spring abuts against the scraper, and the other end abuts against the mounting base, such that the scraping end of the scraper remains in contact with the surface of the return idler roller under the elastic force of the torsion spring.

[0014] Furthermore, the scraper cleaning assembly also includes two mounting ears fixedly connected to both sides of the mounting base, and the mounting ears are fixed to the bottom inner wall of the frame by fasteners.

[0015] Furthermore, a trapezoidal guide trough is provided inside the collection platform, and a discharge port communicating with the trapezoidal guide trough is provided on one side of the collection platform.

[0016] Furthermore, the adjustable mounting plate has multiple sets of adjustment elongated holes, and the shafts of the drive roller and the driven roller are installed in the adjustment elongated holes.

[0017] Furthermore, the groove angle of the side roller is 20°, 35° or 45°.

[0018] 3. Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by this utility model has the following advantages: (1) Online automatic cleaning to ensure continuous production: The present invention is equipped with an adaptive scraper cleaning component under each return idler roller, which can continuously and automatically scrape off the material adhering to the surface of the idler roller while the conveyor is running without stopping. This fundamentally avoids the formation and accumulation of dirt, greatly reduces downtime caused by cleaning and maintenance, and significantly improves the continuity of equipment operation and production efficiency.

[0019] (2) Adaptive adjustment, efficient and stable cleaning: The scraper cleaning assembly uses a torsion spring to provide continuous clamping force, so that the scraper blade can always maintain good contact with the surface of the return idler roller, and can adapt to the surface jump of the idler roller caused by manufacturing errors, wear or slight vibration, ensuring the continuity and stability of the cleaning effect, while avoiding excessive wear or jamming that may be caused by rigid installation.

[0020] (3) Convenient collection and improved working environment: The collection platform and trapezoidal guide trough at the bottom of the device can effectively receive and centrally guide the scraped material, avoid the accumulation of waste at the bottom of the equipment, maintain the cleanliness of the working environment, reduce the intensity and frequency of manual cleaning, and facilitate the unified recycling and processing of materials.

[0021] (4) Simple and reliable structure, easy to install and maintain: The entire device has a reasonable structural design, and the components are easy to process and standardized in production. The scraper assembly is modularly designed, making installation and replacement simple. By effectively preventing the generation of material scale, abnormal wear of idler rollers and conveyor belts is reduced, the service life of key components is extended, and the overall maintenance cost is significantly reduced.

[0022] It should be noted that the structures not described in this utility model are the same as or can be implemented using existing technology, and will not be elaborated here, as they do not involve the design points and improvement directions of this utility model. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the trough-type idler roller assembly of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional distribution of the scraper cleaning component of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the scraper cleaning assembly of this utility model.

[0024] Explanation of the labels in the diagram: 1. Frame; 2. Troughing roller assembly; 21. Crossbeam; 22. Side rollers; 23. Flat rollers; 3. Adjustable mounting plate; 4. Drive roller; 5. Driven roller; 51. Tensioning shaft; 52. Tensioning arm; 6. Conveyor belt; 7. Return idler roller; 8. Scraper cleaning assembly; 81. Mounting base; 82. First fixing sleeve; 83. Scraper; 84. Second fixing sleeve; 85. Pin; 86. Torsion spring; 87. Mounting ear plate; 9. Collection platform; 91. Trapezoidal guide chute; 92. Discharge port. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, this utility model provides a return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor. Its core function is to clean the return idler 7 online and automatically to prevent the accumulation of sticky materials. The main frame of the device is the frame 1, which is welded from steel profiles and has sufficient rigidity and strength to support the entire conveying system.

[0027] At the upper end of the frame 1, multiple sets of trough-shaped idler roller groups 2 are bolted together. These groups are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction and together form the load-bearing section of the conveyor belt 6. Each set of trough-shaped idler roller groups 2 includes a horizontal beam 21, which is directly fixed to the frame 1. The upper end of the beam 21 is equipped with two side idler rollers 22 and a flat idler roller 23 via bearing seats. The two side idler rollers 22 are symmetrically distributed from left to right, forming a deep groove with the central flat idler roller 23 at a trough angle (e.g., 35°), which supports and forms the trough-shaped cross-section of the conveyor belt 6 to increase the material loading capacity.

[0028] Adjustable mounting plates 3 are installed on both sides of the frame 1, and these mounting plates 3 have transverse adjustment holes. The shafts of the drive roller 4 and the driven roller 5 are respectively installed in the adjustment holes of the adjustable mounting plates 3 on the left and right sides. By adjusting the position of the roller shaft in the adjustment hole and locking it, the conveyor belt 6 can be tensioned. The drive roller 4 is connected to an external drive motor (not shown in the figure) via a coupling to provide it with power. The driven roller 5, or tensioning roller, has a structure including a tensioning shaft 51, on which multiple tensioning arms 52 are fixed along the axial direction. The outer ends of these tensioning arms 52 form an approximately cylindrical surface with the same diameter as the drive roller 4, which reduces the weight of the roller while ensuring effective tension. The conveyor belt 6 wraps around the trough idler group 2, the drive roller 4, and the driven roller 5, forming a continuous cycle.

[0029] The key improvement of this invention lies in the return section of the conveyor. At the lower part of the frame 1, below the return conveyor belt 6, multiple return idlers 7 are horizontally installed. These idlers are mounted on the crossbeams of the frame 1 via simple bearing seats to support the return conveyor belt 6 and ensure its smooth operation.

[0030] The key feature is that each return idler roller 7 is independently equipped with a scraper cleaning assembly 8 directly below it. The mounting base 81 of this assembly is fixedly mounted on the inner crossbeam at the bottom of the frame 1 via mounting lugs 87 on both sides and bolts, ensuring stability. The core of the scraper cleaning assembly 8 lies in its self-adaptive clamping mechanism: a pair of first fixing sleeves 82 are welded to the mounting base 81. The scraper 83 is made of wear-resistant steel (such as 65Mn spring steel or with a surface-welded tungsten carbide wear-resistant layer), and a pair of second fixing sleeves 84 are welded to its lower end. During assembly, the pair of second fixing sleeves 84 are placed between the pair of first fixing sleeves 82, and a torsion spring 86 is inserted into the gap between the two second fixing sleeves 84. Then, a pin 85 is passed sequentially through one first fixing sleeve 82, one second fixing sleeve 84, the torsion spring 86, another second fixing sleeve 84, and another first fixing sleeve 82, and axially fixed at both ends of the pin 85 with snap rings or nuts.

[0031] Its working principle is as follows: one end of the torsion spring 86 abuts against the back of the scraper 83, and the other end abuts against the mounting base 81. Under the preload torque of the torsion spring 86, the scraper 83 will be subjected to a continuous counterclockwise rotational torque (as shown in the figure). Figure 3 (View angle), thus ensuring that the scraping end at the top of the scraper is tightly pressed against the lower outer surface of the return idler roller 7. When the conveyor starts, as the return idler roller 7 passively rotates clockwise with the conveyor belt 6, the material deposits adhering to its surface are scraped off by the continuously pressed scraper blade 83. The torsion spring 86 makes the scraper blade 83 a floating mechanism, which can automatically compensate for the radial runout, uneven surface wear, or installation errors of the return idler roller 7, ensuring a constant scraping force. This avoids incomplete cleaning due to insufficient pressure and also prevents jamming or excessive wear due to rigid fixing.

[0032] The scraped-off adhering material falls downwards under gravity and is entirely caught by the collection platform 9 located directly below. The collection platform 9 is typically welded from steel plates and features an internal trapezoidal guide chute 91 with a large incline. This inclined structure ensures that the material slides downwards without any residue. Finally, all waste is discharged through the outlet 92 located on one side of the collection platform 9 into a designated collection container or area outside the machine, thus keeping the bottom of the equipment and the working environment clean and greatly reducing the labor intensity of manual cleaning.

[0033] As an optional embodiment of this utility model, the scraping end of the scraper 83 can be designed to be detachable (e.g., connected by bolts) to facilitate quick replacement after wear, reducing long-term maintenance costs. The specifications (wire diameter, number of coils, torque) of the torsion spring 86 can be selected according to the viscosity of the material and the required clamping force to achieve the best balance between cleaning effect and durability. The trough angle of the side idler roller 22 can be selected from standard angles such as 20°, 35°, or 45° according to actual conveying requirements.

[0034] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of this utility model, should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A return idler cleaning device for a trough conveyor, comprising a frame (1), wherein the upper end of the frame (1) is provided with a plurality of trough idler sets (2) for supporting a conveyor belt (6), and a drive roller (4) and a driven roller (5) are respectively mounted on both sides of the frame (1) via adjustable mounting plates (3), and the conveyor belt (6) is arranged around the trough idler sets (2), the drive roller (4) and the driven roller (5); characterized in that: The frame (1) is provided with a plurality of horizontally arranged return rollers (7) at the bottom, and the return rollers (7) are located below the return section of the conveyor belt (6). Each of the return idlers (7) is provided with a scraper cleaning assembly (8) below it; The bottom of the frame (1) is provided with a collection platform (9), which is located below the scraper cleaning assembly (8); The driven roller (5) includes a tensioning shaft (51) and a plurality of tensioning arms (52) fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the tensioning shaft (51). The outer ends of the plurality of tensioning arms (52) together form an approximately cylindrical surface. The trough-shaped idler roller group (2) includes a crossbeam (21) fixedly installed on the upper end of the frame (1), two side idlers (22) installed on the upper end of the crossbeam (21) and symmetrically arranged on the left and right, and a flat idler roller (23) installed between the two side idlers (22).

2. A return run idler cleaning device for a troughed conveyor as set forth in claim 1, wherein, The scraper cleaning assembly (8) includes: Mounting base (81) fixedly installed at the bottom of the frame (1); A pair of first fixing sleeves (82) symmetrically fixed to the mounting base (81); The scraper (83) has a pair of second fixing sleeves (84) fixed at its lower end, and the pair of second fixing sleeves (84) are located between the pair of first fixing sleeves (82); A torsion spring (86) is disposed between two adjacent second fixing sleeves (84); The pin (85) passes through one first fixing sleeve (82), one second fixing sleeve (84), the torsion spring (86), another second fixing sleeve (84), and another first fixing sleeve (82) in sequence. One end of the torsion spring (86) abuts against the scraper (83), and the other end abuts against the mounting base (81), so that the scraping end of the scraper (83) remains in contact with the surface of the return idler roller (7) under the elastic force of the torsion spring (86).

3. A return run idler cleaning device for a troughed conveyor as set forth in claim 2, wherein, The scraper cleaning assembly (8) also includes two mounting ears (87) fixedly connected to both sides of the mounting base (81), and the mounting ears (87) are fixed to the bottom inner wall of the frame (1) by fasteners.

4. A return run idler cleaning device for a troughed conveyor as set forth in claim 1, wherein, The inside of the collection platform (9) is provided with a trapezoidal guide trough (91), and a discharge port (92) connected to the trapezoidal guide trough (91) is provided on one side of the collection platform (9).

5. A return run idler cleaning device for a troughed conveyor as set forth in claim 1, wherein, The adjustable mounting plate (3) has multiple sets of adjustment holes, and the shafts of the drive roller (4) and the driven roller (5) are movably installed in the adjustment holes.

6. A return run idler cleaning device for a troughed conveyor as set forth in claim 1, wherein, The groove angle of the side roller (22) is 20°, 35° or 45°.

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