A biasing device for a conveyor

Abstract

This utility model discloses a conveyor alignment device, relating to the field of conveyor alignment technology. It includes a frame, a support frame, first idlers, a conveyor belt, first electric push rods, second idlers, and a return belt. Support frames are installed at the bottom of both ends of the frame. Two symmetrically distributed first idlers are installed on the upper side of the frame, with conveyor belts mounted on them. The inner ends of the two first idlers are hinged to the center of the top surface of the frame via hinge supports. First electric push rods are connected to both sides of the top surface of the frame via hinge supports, with the top ends of the two first electric push rods respectively hinged to the outer ends of the two first idlers. A second idler is located below the frame, with a return belt mounted on it. The device also includes a conveyor section deviation prediction component, a return section alignment execution component, and a collaborative control component. This device monitors the tension difference between the two sides of the conveyor belt using a tension sensor, and can predict the deviation trend before the belt offset reaches the specified limit, initiating early adjustment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of conveyor alignment technology, and in particular to an alignment device for conveyors. Background Technology

[0002] Conveyor equipment is material handling machinery that continuously transports materials along a defined path; it is also known as a continuous conveyor. Conveyor equipment can perform horizontal, inclined, and vertical transport, and can also form spatial transport lines, which are generally fixed. According to the specifications for belt conveyors, the allowable belt deviation is 5% of the belt width. When the deviation exceeds 5%, adjustment measures must be taken. Belt deviation causes friction between the belt edge and the support, resulting in edge rubber wear, and in severe cases, it can be scratched by sharp parts of the support, leading to tearing accidents.

[0003] A search revealed a Chinese utility model patent (patent number CN202320858054.6) disclosing a conveyor belt misalignment device. This device uses a two-section, inclined idler roller structure, utilizing the height difference of the push rod and gravity to correct belt misalignment and reduce lateral friction. However, this device has significant drawbacks: First, it can only passively correct belt misalignment after it has occurred, lacking the ability to predict misalignment trends in advance, resulting in a correction lag and still causing short-term belt friction loss. Second, it does not control the misalignment of the return belt, which can easily lead to uneven belt tension, exacerbating the misalignment in the conveyor section and creating a vicious cycle of "correction-imbalance-recorrection." Third, there is no linkage adjustment mechanism between the conveyor and return sections; unilateral correction can easily cause system tension disturbances, affecting the stability of the misalignment.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a deviation adjustment device that can predict deviation trends in advance, achieve full-stroke correction, and has linkage adjustment function, in order to solve the problems of delayed correction, incomplete stroke coverage, and system imbalance in the existing technology. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a belt alignment device for conveyors to overcome the problems of belt alignment lag, lack of correction in the return section, and adjustment conflict in the main and return sections of existing belt conveyors, so as to achieve prediction of belt deviation trend, accurate correction throughout the entire stroke, and stable coordinated operation of the system.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is as follows: a conveyor alignment device, including a frame, a support frame, a first idler roller, a conveyor belt, a first electric push rod, a second idler roller, and a return belt; support frames are installed at the bottom of both ends of the frame; two first idler rollers symmetrically distributed on the upper side of the frame are installed, and conveyor belts are provided on the two first idler rollers; the inner ends of the two first idler rollers are hinged to the center of the top surface of the frame through a hinge support; the two sides of the top surface of the frame are connected to the first electric push rods through hinge supports, and the top ends of the two first electric push rods are respectively hinged to the outer ends of the two first idler rollers; a second idler roller is arranged below the frame, and a return belt is provided on the second idler roller; it also includes a conveyor section deviation prediction component, a return section alignment execution component, and a collaborative control component.

[0007] Furthermore, the material conveying section deviation prediction component includes a tension sensor and a sensor mounting bracket. The two sensor mounting brackets are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the top of the frame. Each sensor mounting bracket has a tension sensor installed on it, and the sensing ends of the two tension sensors are respectively attached to the edge surfaces of the left and right ends of the conveying belt.

[0008] Furthermore, the sensor mounting bracket consists of a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, and a slide rail. The first connecting rod is a telescopic structure, with its bottom end bolted to the top surface of the frame. The top end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the second connecting rod, and the bottom surface of the second connecting rod is bolted to the slide rail. The body of the tension sensor is mounted on the slide rail, and the body of the tension sensor is connected to the sensing end via a wire. Since the angle of the first idler roller can be adjusted by the first electric push rod, the sensing end of the tension sensor can be made to fit against the edge surface of the conveyor belt by adjusting the length of the first connecting rod, the angle of the second connecting rod, and the position of the tension sensor body on the slide rail.

[0009] Furthermore, the return section offset adjustment execution component consists of a second electric push rod and an infrared sensor. The two second electric push rods are symmetrically installed on the lower side of the frame at both ends corresponding to the second idler roller. The top of the two second electric push rods is hinged to the bottom surface of the frame, and the bottom of the two second electric push rods is respectively hinged to the left and right ends of the second idler roller. The axes of the two second electric push rods are parallel. The two infrared sensors are symmetrically installed on the bottom surface of the frame on both sides of the return belt, and the emitting ends of the two infrared sensors are flush with the left and right edges of the return belt, respectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the collaborative control component is a shared controller, which is installed on the side of the frame. The input end of the shared controller is electrically connected to the tension sensor and the infrared sensor, respectively, and the output end is electrically connected to the drive motors of the first electric push rod and the second electric push rod, respectively.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: (1) By monitoring the tension difference between the two sides of the conveyor belt through the tension sensor, the belt deviation trend can be predicted before the belt deviation reaches the specified limit, and the adjustment can be started in advance. This solves the problem of the lag in the correction of the belt deviation in the existing technology, significantly reduces the friction loss between the belt edge and the support, and extends the service life of the belt.

[0012] (2) The return section adjustment mechanism achieves precise correction of the return belt through the cooperation of the second electric push rod and the infrared sensor, filling the gap in the existing technology for control of return section deviation; at the same time, the shared controller realizes the linkage adjustment of the main and return sections, avoids the system tension imbalance caused by unilateral correction, and ensures the stable operation of the belt throughout the entire stroke. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of this utility model.

[0015] The diagram shows: 1. Frame, 2. Support frame, 3. First idler roller, 4. Conveyor belt, 5. First electric push rod, 6. Second idler roller, 7. Return belt, 8. Tension sensor, 9. Sensor mounting bracket, 10. Second electric push rod, 11. Infrared sensor, 12. Shared controller. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0017] Reference Figure 1This embodiment provides a conveyor alignment device, including a frame 1, a support frame 2, first idlers 3, a conveyor belt 4, a first electric push rod 5, a second idler 6, and a return belt 7. Support frames 2 are installed at the bottom of both ends of the frame 1. Two first idlers 3, symmetrically distributed from left to right, are installed on the upper side of the frame 1, and conveyor belts 4 are mounted on the two first idlers 3. The inner ends of the two first idlers 3 are hinged to the center of the top surface of the frame 1 via hinge supports. The first electric push rods 5 are connected to both sides of the top surface of the frame 1 via hinge supports, and the top ends of the two first electric push rods 5 are respectively hinged to the outer ends of the two first idlers 3. A second idler 6 is arranged below the frame 1, and a return belt 7 is mounted on the second idler 6. In addition, the alignment device also includes a conveyor section deviation prediction component, a return section alignment execution component, and a collaborative control component.

[0018] In this embodiment, the material conveying section deviation prediction component includes a tension sensor 8 and a sensor mounting bracket 9. The two sensor mounting brackets 9 are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the top of the frame 1. Each sensor mounting bracket 9 is equipped with a tension sensor 8. The sensing ends of the two tension sensors 8 are respectively attached to the edge surfaces of the left and right ends of the conveying belt 4, and the tension data on both sides of the conveying belt 4 are collected in real time and sent to the shared controller 12 through the signal transmission module.

[0019] Preferably, the sensor mounting bracket 9 consists of a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, and a slide rail. The bottom end of the first connecting rod is bolted to the top surface of the frame 1, the top end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the second connecting rod, and the bottom surface of the second connecting rod is bolted to the slide rail. The body of the tension sensor 8 is mounted on the slide rail, and the body of the tension sensor 8 is connected to the sensing end via a wire. Since the angle of the first idler roller can be adjusted by the first electric push rod 5, in order to make the sensing end fit against the conveyor belt 4, the length of the first connecting rod, the angle of the second connecting rod, and the position of the body of the tension sensor 8 on the slide rail can be adjusted to make the sensing end of the tension sensor 8 stably fit against the edge surface of the conveyor belt 4. An extra length of wire can be reserved in advance so that the sensing end is not affected when the angle of the first idler roller 3 is adjusted.

[0020] Preferably, the tension sensor 8 is a contact strain gauge sensor. The strain gauge inside the sensor undergoes slight deformation as the belt tension changes. When the tension increases, the strain gauge stretches, and when the tension decreases, it contracts. The deformation causes a linear change in the resistance value of the strain gauge. Through the Wheatstone bridge circuit inside the sensor, the change in resistance is converted into a measurable voltage signal. After the voltage signal is processed by the signal transmission module (such as an A / D converter), it is converted into a digital quantity and transmitted to the shared controller 12, realizing the accurate conversion of "tension physical quantity → electrical signal → digital signal". The tension sensors 8 on both sides synchronously collect tension data and calculate the difference between "left tension value - right tension value" in real time. When the absolute value of the difference exceeds a preset threshold, such as a tension difference corresponding to 2% of the belt width, the pre-judgment program is immediately triggered.

[0021] The core value of tension sensor 8 lies in converting the "tension difference signal" into "adjustment action in advance," breaking the lag of the traditional "correction after deviation" approach. The specific process is as follows: When the device starts up, the controller automatically collects the tension values ​​on both sides of the belt under no-load and rated load conditions, and establishes a "normal operating tension reference library" - for example, the tension on both sides under rated load is 500N, and the reference difference is ±5N. During operation, the controller continuously compares the real-time data from the sensors on both sides: if the tension on the left is 502N and the tension on the right is 498N, with a difference of 4N (≤ threshold 5N), it is determined to be "normal fluctuation" and no adjustment is triggered; if the tension on the left is 510N and the tension on the right is 490N, with a difference of 20N (> threshold 5N), it is determined to be "excessive tension on the left, with a tendency to deviate to the left". Based on the direction and magnitude of the tension difference, the controller sends a fine-tuning command to the drive mechanism of the first electric push rod on the corresponding side: for a tension difference of "left high and right low", the controller controls the left push rod to extend slightly (the extension is 30%-50% of the normal correction amount; for example, if the original correction requires an extension of 20mm, here it only extends by 8mm); the extension of the push rod causes the end of the first idler roller on the left to be slightly raised, forming a small height difference of "left high and right low"; The gravitational force generated by the slight height difference (the lateral component of the weight of the material and the belt itself along the inclined surface of the first idler roller) will push the belt to move slightly to the right where the tension is lower, so that the tension on both sides gradually approaches equilibrium. The tension on the right side increased from 490N to 498N, while the tension on the left side decreased from 510N to 502N, with the difference returning to 8N. After the controller detected that the tension difference had returned to normal, it immediately controlled the push rod to stop extending and retracting and locked the current length to avoid over-adjustment.

[0022] In this embodiment, the return section offset adjustment execution component consists of a second electric push rod 10 and an infrared sensor 11. The two second electric push rods 10 are symmetrically installed on the lower side of the frame 1 at both ends corresponding to the second idler roller. The top of the second electric push rod 10 is hinged to the bottom surface of the frame, and the bottom of the two second electric push rods 10 is respectively hinged to the left and right ends of the second idler roller 6. The axes of the two second electric push rods 10 are parallel. The two infrared sensors 11 are symmetrically installed on the bottom surface of the frame 1 on both sides of the return belt 7. The emitting ends of the two infrared sensors 11 are flush with the left and right edges of the return belt 7, respectively, and are used to monitor the offset state of the return belt 7.

[0023] Preferably, the infrared sensor 11 accurately identifies the edge position of the return belt by emitting infrared light and receiving reflected / transmitted signals, converting the "edge offset" into an electrical signal output. Its core function is to detect whether an object deviates from a preset path, and it is a commonly used component for "edge positioning and deviation monitoring" in industrial automation. In this embodiment, industrial-grade sensors such as the E3Z-LS63 (Omron) or WT150-P430 (SICK) can be selected, possessing dustproof and vibration-resistant characteristics, and are suitable for the dusty and impact environments of belt conveyors.

[0024] The operation of infrared sensor 11 relies on the "difference between infrared light blocking and reception," and the specific process is as follows: The infrared sensor incorporates an infrared light-emitting diode (LED) that continuously emits modulated infrared light (typically 850nm near-infrared, resistant to visible light interference) towards the monitored target (the edge of the return conveyor belt), forming a narrow "infrared monitoring beam" (spot diameter ≤5mm, ensuring positioning accuracy). In this scheme, the infrared sensor's emitting end is flush with the edge of the return conveyor belt, and the beam is perpendicularly illuminating the upper surface of the belt edge, establishing a "reference signal when the belt is centered."

[0025] The photodetector (such as a photodiode) of the infrared sensor is coaxially mounted with the transmitter to receive infrared signals reflected by the return belt. When the return belt is centered, the edge of the belt just blocks part of the infrared beam, and the intensity of the reflected signal received by the receiver tube is stable within the "reference threshold range". When the belt shifts to the left, the edge moves to the left, the area of ​​the beam blocked increases, and the intensity of the reflected signal increases (exceeding the upper threshold). When the belt shifts to the right, the edge moves to the right, the area of ​​the beam blocked decreases, and the intensity of the reflected signal decreases (below the lower threshold).

[0026] The sensor integrates a signal amplification module and a comparator: it converts the optical signal from the receiving tube into a voltage signal and compares it with a pre-stored "centering reference threshold"; it calculates the difference between the voltage signal and the reference value and converts it into an "offset value" (e.g., an offset of 1mm corresponds to a voltage change of 0.1V); it determines the offset direction based on the sign of the difference (positive difference indicates left offset, negative difference indicates right offset); and it transmits the "offset and direction" data to the shared controller via an analog (4-20mA) or digital (RS485) interface.

[0027] When the sensor detects a misalignment of the return belt, the shared controller's response process is as follows: Receive the sensor's "offset direction (left / right) + offset amount (e.g., 12mm)" data; compare it with the pre-stored "back offset threshold (10mm)" to determine if correction needs to be initiated; Based on the direction of the offset, an adjustment command is sent to the second electric push rod on the corresponding side (e.g., if the right side offsets by 12mm, the right push rod is extended by 8mm and the left side is shortened by 8mm). During the correction process, the sensor continuously feeds back the offset data, and the controller dynamically adjusts the extension and retraction of the second electric push rod until the offset is ≤2mm (reset complete).

[0028] In this embodiment, the collaborative control component is a shared controller 12, which is installed on the side of the frame 1. The input terminals of the shared controller 12 are electrically connected to the tension sensor 8 and the infrared sensor 11, respectively, to receive data from each sensor. The output terminals of the shared controller 12 are electrically connected to the drive motors of the first electric push rod 9 and the second electric push rod 10, respectively, to control the adjustment action. The shared controller 12 has a pre-stored tension difference threshold set to 2% of the corresponding belt width, and a return offset threshold set to 1% of the belt width. The linkage adjustment parameter library pre-stores the correspondence between "material conveying section adjustment amount - return section collaborative amount", and the return section adjustment amount is 20%-30% of the material conveying section.

[0029] The specific working process of the alignment device for this conveyor is as follows: Material conveying section deviation prediction and early correction: During normal operation, the tension values ​​on both sides of the conveying belt 4 are consistent, and the shared controller 12 determines that there is no deviation trend; when the material is unevenly loaded, causing the tension on the left side to be higher than that on the right side and the difference reaches the threshold, the shared controller 12 determines that there is a potential deviation on the left side, controls the extension of the first electric push rod 5 on the left side, and the first idler roller 3 forms a small height difference. The conveying belt 4 moves to the right under the action of gravity, thus eliminating the risk of deviation in advance.

[0030] Real-time correction of the return section: When the infrared sensor 11 detects that the return belt 7 has shifted to the right and exceeded the threshold, the shared controller 12 controls the right second electric push rod 10 to extend and the left second electric push rod 10 to shorten, which drives the right side of the second idler 6 to rise. The return belt 7 moves to the left and resets under the action of tension and gravity. During the correction process, the shared sensor 12 provides real-time feedback on the position, and the shared controller 12 dynamically adjusts the extension and retraction of the second electric push rod 10.

[0031] Main-return section linkage and coordination: When the first electric push rod 5 on the left side of the material conveying section extends for correction, the shared controller 12 synchronously controls the second electric push rod 10 on the left side of the second idler roller 6 to be slightly raised, and assists the material conveying section in correction through the tension transmission of the return belt 7, so as to avoid reverse pulling; when the return section is corrected, the height of the first electric push rod 5 in the material conveying section is similarly fine-tuned to ensure the tension balance of the system.

[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 conveyor alignment device, comprising a frame (1), a support frame (2), a first idler roller (3), a conveyor belt (4), a first electric push rod (5), a second idler roller (6), and a return belt (7); the support frame (2) is installed at the bottom of both ends of the frame (1); two first idler rollers (3) are symmetrically distributed on the upper side of the frame (1), and conveyor belts (4) are provided on the two first idler rollers (3); the inner ends of the two first idler rollers (3) are hinged to the center of the top surface of the frame (1) through a hinge support; the first electric push rods (5) are connected to both sides of the top surface of the frame (1) through hinge supports, and the top ends of the two first electric push rods (5) are respectively hinged to the outer ends of the two first idler rollers (3); a second idler roller (6) is provided below the frame (1), and a return belt (7) is provided on the second idler roller (6); characterized in that, It also includes a material transport section deviation prediction component, a return section deviation adjustment execution component, and a collaborative control component.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The material conveying section deviation prediction component includes a tension sensor (8) and a sensor mounting bracket (9). The two sensor mounting brackets (9) are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the top of the frame (1). Each sensor mounting bracket (9) has a tension sensor (8) installed on it. The sensing ends of the two tension sensors (8) are respectively attached to the edge surfaces of the left and right ends of the conveying belt (4).

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The sensor mounting bracket (9) consists of a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod and a slide rail. The bottom end of the first connecting rod is connected to the top surface of the frame (1) by bolts. The top end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the second connecting rod. The bottom surface of the second connecting rod is connected to the slide rail by bolts. The body of the tension sensor (8) is mounted on the slide rail. The body of the tension sensor (8) is connected to the sensing end by wires.

4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The return section offset adjustment execution component consists of a second electric push rod (10) and an infrared sensor (11). The two second electric push rods (10) are symmetrically installed on the lower side of the frame (1) corresponding to the two ends of the second idler roller (6). The top of the second electric push rod (10) is hinged to the bottom surface of the frame (1), and the bottom of the two second electric push rods (10) is respectively hinged to the left and right ends of the second idler roller (6). The axes of the two second electric push rods (10) are parallel. The two infrared sensors (11) are symmetrically installed on the bottom surface of the frame (1) on both sides of the return belt (7). The transmitting ends of the two infrared sensors (11) are flush with the left and right edges of the return belt (7).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that The collaborative control component is a shared controller (12). The shared controller (12) is installed on the side of the frame (1). The input end of the shared controller (12) is electrically connected to the tension sensor (8) and the infrared sensor (11) respectively, and the output end is electrically connected to the drive motors of the first electric push rod (5) and the second electric push rod (10) respectively.

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