A cross chain drive

Abstract

This utility model discloses a cross chain drive device, including a cross chain, a main shaft, and an overload clutch assembly. A bushing is fixedly fitted onto the surface of the main shaft, and the bushing surface has retaining teeth. The overload clutch assembly includes a rotating sleeve seat, a sprocket, a pressure ring cover, a threaded ring, and several springs and retaining balls. The rotating sleeve seat is fixed to one side of the sprocket, and its inner side has a bearing ring that fits onto the surface of the bushing. A groove for engaging with the retaining balls is opened on one side. During normal operation, the main shaft transmits torque to drive the sprocket to rotate through the retaining balls and the groove. When the transmission system is overloaded, the retaining balls disengage from the groove, automatically breaking off to prevent mechanical damage. After the overload is released, the retaining balls automatically reset under the action of the springs. This device has advantages such as sensitive overload protection, adjustable pressure, smooth clutch engagement, and compact structure, and is suitable for the safety drive system of medium and heavy-duty chain drive equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of conveyor technology, specifically to a cross chain drive device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, chain drive systems are widely used in various conveying equipment, automated production lines, and industrial transmission mechanisms, especially in medium and heavy-duty conveying and cross-chain transmission equipment, due to their simple structure, high load-bearing capacity, and high transmission efficiency. However, existing chain drive devices still have significant safety hazards and structural limitations during operation, mainly concentrated in insufficient overload protection, sluggish clutch response, and inflexible pressure regulation.

[0003] In existing technologies, common overload protection methods include friction plate clutches, shear pin protection structures, and one-way clutches. For example, friction plate clutches rely on frictional torque to transmit power, and slippage occurs when the load exceeds a set value to prevent overload. However, this structure relies on the clamping force between friction pairs to transmit torque, and the friction surfaces are prone to wear, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement after long-term use. Furthermore, the disengagement and re-engagement process is not smooth enough, easily causing transmission shock. Although shear pin structures can achieve physical disengagement under severe overload, once activated, parts need to be manually replaced, and automatic re-engagement is not possible, making them unsuitable for continuously operating equipment. One-way clutches can only provide protection in one direction and cannot cope with bidirectional load fluctuation conditions.

[0004] Furthermore, while some existing chain drive devices employ a ball bearing and groove-type torque transmission structure as a mechanical overload clutch, their structures are mostly fixed spring-loaded, unable to flexibly adjust according to changes in the working environment and load. This type of structure lacks precision in torque setting, and when the equipment operates under significant load fluctuations or temperature changes, the set pressure is prone to instability, leading to premature or delayed clutch engagement, affecting production continuity. Simultaneously, the reset method of such devices is mostly passive mechanical return, lacking flexible buffering, resulting in significant reset impact. Long-term operation can easily lead to accelerated wear of the ball bearings and grooves, shortening their lifespan.

[0005] In view of this, this paper studies and improves upon the existing problems, and provides a cross-chain drive device to solve the current problems. The aim is to solve the problems and improve the practical value through this technology. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model aims to solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.

[0007] Therefore, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a cross chain drive device, including a cross chain, a main shaft, and an overload clutch assembly. A bushing is fixedly sleeved on the surface of the main shaft, and the outer surface of the bushing is provided with several teeth for engaging with the retaining balls in the overload clutch assembly to achieve torque transmission. The overload clutch assembly includes a rotating sleeve seat, a sprocket, a pressure ring cover, a threaded ring, and several leaf springs and retaining balls.

[0008] The swivel base is fixed to one side of the sprocket, and a bearing ring is provided on its inner side. The bearing ring is sleeved on the surface of the bushing to support rotation and maintain coaxiality. One side of the swivel base is provided with several grooves for engaging with the retaining balls to form torque transmission points.

[0009] The threaded ring is fitted onto the surface of the bushing, and one side is elastically abutted against the surface of the pressure ring cover via a spring. The pressure ring cover rotates and fits onto the surface of the bushing, covering the outer area of ​​the retaining teeth and retaining balls. It is used to press and limit the range of movement of the retaining balls in the engaged state, thereby ensuring the stability of the clutch transmission.

[0010] Through the above structural configuration, controllable torque transmission from the main shaft to the sprocket is achieved, and the transmission is automatically disengaged under overload conditions, thereby playing a mechanical protection role.

[0011] In a preferred example, the sprocket surface has several circumferentially distributed drive grooves for engaging with the cross chain to achieve drive output. The ends of the main shaft and bushing slide against one side of the sprocket, and low-friction rotational support is achieved through the swivel seat and bearing ring.

[0012] Specifically, this structure can reduce rotational friction while maintaining stable meshing, improve transmission efficiency, and ensure smooth chain operation with minimal wear.

[0013] In a preferred example, the leaf spring is a ring-shaped elastic structure used to provide variable elastic pressure between the threaded ring and the pressure ring cap. The threaded ring can be screwed in or out of the bushing's outer surface to flexibly adjust the pressure of the pressure ring cap on the retaining ball.

[0014] Specifically, the structure can set overload disconnection thresholds according to different load conditions, enabling the device to maintain precise torque control and safe disconnection performance under high load, high speed or light load conditions, thereby improving the applicability and reliability of the device.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the inner side of the pressure ring cover is provided with a slip ring groove corresponding to the meshing groove of the rotating sleeve seat, and several retaining balls are partially embedded in the slip ring groove. Under normal operating conditions, the retaining balls are fixed in the meshing groove by the pressure of the pressure ring cover to realize torque transmission; when the transmission torque exceeds a set threshold, the retaining balls slide along the slip ring groove and disengage from the meshing groove, completing the overload disconnection.

[0016] Specifically, this structure enables flexible guidance during the clutch engagement and reset process, ensuring a smooth and shock-free overload disengagement process. It avoids tooth surface peeling and jamming caused by traditional rigid clutches, thereby improving the clutch assembly's lifespan and operational stability.

[0017] In a preferred example, a bushing ring is provided on the outer periphery of the swivel base. The bushing ring is fixedly installed to the conveyor frame by screws to provide stable support for the overload clutch assembly.

[0018] Specifically, this fixing method ensures accurate axial positioning of the clutch assembly under high-speed rotation or vibration conditions, avoiding meshing misalignment or ball wear due to unstable support, and improving the overall structural rigidity and durability of the device.

[0019] In a preferred example, the sprocket and the swivel housing can be a single-piece structure or assembled by high-strength bolts.

[0020] Specifically, the one-piece molded structure can effectively reduce connection errors and improve torsional rigidity, while the bolted connection facilitates disassembly and maintenance, and makes it easy to replace sprockets of different specifications, thereby improving adaptability and maintenance efficiency.

[0021] In a preferred example, the outer surface of the screw ring is marked with graduations to indicate the screw-in depth and overload setting pressure. Operators can quickly adjust the clamping force of the pressure ring cap on the retaining ball using the graduations, achieving visual control of the overload release threshold.

[0022] Specifically, this design facilitates rapid on-site commissioning and dynamic monitoring, improves the intelligence level and ease of operation of the device, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0023] The beneficial effects achieved by this utility model are as follows: 1. In this utility model, by setting an overload clutch structure composed of a retaining ball and a meshing groove, when the transmission system experiences abnormal obstruction or a sudden increase in load, the main shaft and the rotating sleeve can be automatically disengaged, quickly cutting off the transmission torque and preventing damage to key components such as the motor, sprocket, and main shaft due to overload, thereby significantly improving the safety and reliability of the system operation. After the overload is released, the retaining ball automatically resets under the elastic restoring force of the spring, achieving transmission recovery without manual intervention and ensuring continuous and stable operation of the equipment.

[0024] 2. In this invention, the adjustable preload structure formed by the combination of the screw ring and the spring can flexibly set the axial pressure of the pressure ring cover on the retaining ball according to different working conditions, thereby achieving precise control of the overload release threshold. The scale markings on the outer surface of the screw ring make the adjustment process visible, facilitating quick on-site setting and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of one embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the overload clutch assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an overload clutch assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating sleeve seat and pressure ring cover structure according to one embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sprocket and toothed structure of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure label: 100. Cross chain; 200. Main spindle; 210. Bushing; 220. Clamping gear; 300. Overload clutch assembly; 310. Sliding sleeve seat; 311. Bearing ring; 312. Groove; 320. Sprocket; 330. Pressure ring cover; 340. Threaded ring; 350. Leaf spring; 360. Clamping ball. Detailed Implementation

[0027] 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 specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features of the present utility model can be combined with each other.

[0028] It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0029] The following describes, with reference to the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the present invention, providing a cross chain drive device.

[0030] Combination Figures 1-5 As shown, the present invention provides a cross chain drive device, including a cross chain 100, a main shaft 200, and an overload clutch assembly 300.

[0031] The main spindle 200 is used to connect to an external drive motor to realize the input of drive power. A bushing 210 is fixedly sleeved on the outer surface of the main spindle 200. The bushing 210 can be a high-strength alloy steel structure, and its surface is precision machined with a number of annularly distributed locking teeth 220. These locking teeth 220 serve as the inner part of the overload clutch transmission and are used to cooperate with a number of locking balls 360 to realize the transmission of drive torque.

[0032] The overload clutch assembly 300 includes a rotating sleeve 310, a sprocket 320, a pressure ring cover 330, a screw ring 340, several leaf springs 350, and retaining balls 360. Specifically: the rotating sleeve 310 is fixed to one side of the sprocket 320 and can be bolted or integrally formed to ensure structural rigidity and concentricity; the inner side of the rotating sleeve 310 is provided with a bearing ring 311, which is sleeved on the surface of the bushing 210 to support the rotation of the main shaft 200; one side of the rotating sleeve 310 is provided with several grooves 312, each of which engages with the surface of the retaining ball 360 to achieve torque locking before overload; the retaining balls 360 are distributed circumferentially on the inner side of the retaining teeth 220 to form a multi-point torque transmission structure with the grooves 312.

[0033] The threaded ring 340 is threaded onto the outer surface of the bushing 210, and one side of the threaded ring 340 elastically abuts against the pressure ring cover 330 via a spring 350. The spring 350 is used to provide buffering and constant force transmission in the axial direction, so that the axial pressure generated by the threaded ring 340 is stably transmitted to the pressure ring cover 330.

[0034] The pressure ring cover 330 is sleeved on the outside of the bushing 210, covering the area of ​​the retaining teeth 220 and the retaining ball 360. It is used to press the retaining ball 360 into the groove 312 in the rotating sleeve seat 310, ensuring stable meshing between the retaining ball 360 and the groove 312, and realizing normal transmission.

[0035] Through the above structure, controllable torque transmission between the main shaft 200 and the rotating sleeve 310 is realized, thereby driving the sprocket 320 to drive the cross chain 100 to run.

[0036] In this embodiment, the sprocket 320 has several transmission grooves along the circumferential direction on its surface. Each transmission groove meshes with a link of the cross chain 100 to convert the rotational motion of the main shaft 200 into the linear transmission of the cross chain 100.

[0037] The ends of the main shaft 200 and bushing 210 slide against one side of the sprocket 320, achieving smooth transmission through bearing support during rotation. This structure effectively reduces rotational friction torque, improves transmission efficiency, and makes the rotation of the sprocket 320 more stable during driving.

[0038] In this embodiment, the leaf spring 350 is made of a ring-shaped elastic material, such as a disc spring or a wave spring, to provide elastic force transmission between the screw ring 340 and the pressure ring cap 330.

[0039] The operator can adjust the clamping force of the pressure ring cover 330 on the retaining ball 360 by screwing in or out the screw ring 340 to change the compression degree of the spring spring 350.

[0040] When the screw ring 340 screws inward, the retaining ball 360 receives greater preload, resulting in tighter engagement, suitable for high-load conditions. When the screw ring 340 screws outward, the preload decreases, suitable for light-load or low-friction conditions. This adjustable mechanism allows for precise control of the overload clutch assembly 300's disengagement threshold, ensuring good safety protection performance of the system under different operating conditions.

[0041] In this embodiment, the inner side of the pressure ring cover 330 is machined with a slip ring groove opposite to the meshing groove 312 of the rotating sleeve seat 310, for accommodating a portion of the spherical surface of the retaining ball 360. Under normal transmission conditions, part of the retaining ball 360 is embedded in the meshing groove 312, and the other part is pressed into the slip ring groove, forming a stable contact point. When the torque exceeds a set threshold, the retaining ball 360 slides radially out of the meshing groove 312 under the guidance of the slip ring groove, automatically separating the spindle 200 from the rotating sleeve seat 310, thus achieving overload protection. When the load returns to normal, the leaf spring 350 pushes the pressure ring cover 330 back into position, and the retaining ball 360 re-enters the meshing groove 312, achieving automatic reset. This structural design makes the clutch and reset process smooth and stable, effectively avoiding impact and noise.

[0042] In this embodiment, the outer periphery of the rotating sleeve 310 is provided with a bushing ring for fixing to the conveyor frame by screws.

[0043] The bushing is a one-piece cast structure with high coaxiality and installation rigidity, ensuring that the axis of the overload clutch assembly 300 is concentric with the main shaft 200 during assembly. After installation, the rotating sleeve 310 maintains a stable axial position during driving, preventing poor clutch engagement due to vibration or uneven load.

[0044] In this embodiment, the sprocket 320 and the rotating sleeve 310 can be integrally molded or fixed by high-strength bolts. The integrally molded design is suitable for high-load, high-frequency transmission applications and can effectively improve the overall torsional stiffness and impact resistance; the bolted connection structure facilitates maintenance and replacement and is suitable for modular design of multi-specification sprockets. This design ensures that the sprocket 320 maintains structural stability and transmission accuracy even when rotating at high speed.

[0045] In another embodiment, the outer surface of the screw ring 340 is machined with scale markings to indicate the screw-in depth and overload setting pressure. The operator can precisely adjust the screw-in angle of the screw ring 340 according to load requirements using the scale readings.

[0046] For example, under high torque conditions, the clutch ring can be screwed into the high-pressure zone position, and under light load conditions, it can be screwed out to the low-pressure zone position, thereby quickly setting the appropriate clutch torque threshold. This structure enables visual adjustment and highly reliable control, facilitating on-site maintenance and dynamic adjustment.

[0047] Working principle and usage process of this utility model: Under normal operating conditions, the main shaft 200 is powered by an external drive motor, causing the bushing 210 and its surface teeth 220 to rotate together. Several retaining beads 360 distributed inside the teeth 220 precisely engage with the grooves 312 on the inner wall of the rotating sleeve 310, achieving reliable torque transmission under the elastic clamping action of the pressure ring cover 330. At this time, the rotating sleeve 310 and the sprocket 320 rotate synchronously as a single unit, driving the cross chain 100 to perform continuous chain drive output, achieving normal drive operation.

[0048] The threaded ring 340 is threaded onto the outside of the bushing 210. By screwing it in or out, the axial pressure on the pressure ring cover 330 can be adjusted, thereby changing the preload of the leaf spring 350. This pressure determines the engagement tightness between the retaining ball 360 and the groove 312, thus setting the overload release threshold of the system. When the transmitted torque does not exceed the set threshold, the retaining ball 360 is always pressed into the groove 312 by the pressure ring cover 330, and the system maintains a stable transmission state.

[0049] When the cross chain 100 is overloaded due to foreign object jamming, chain blockage, or abnormal load during operation, the transmission torque instantly exceeds the set threshold. Under the force, the locking ball 360 disengages from the meshing groove 312 along the slip ring groove, and the overload clutch assembly 300 automatically cuts off the power transmission between the main shaft 200 and the rotating sleeve 310, thereby preventing the main shaft, sprocket, drive motor and other components from being subjected to excessive impact or damage.

[0050] Once the overload is removed, the spring 350 pushes the pressure ring cover 330 back into place under the action of elastic restoring force, and the retaining ball 360 is pressed back into the meshing groove 312 under the axial pressure of the screw ring 340, realizing automatic transmission reset and the entire system returns to normal operation without manual intervention.

[0051] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0052] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cross-chain drive device, characterized in that, The system includes a cross chain (100), a main shaft (200), and an overload clutch assembly (300); a bushing (210) is fixedly fitted onto the surface of the main shaft (200), and the bushing (210) has retaining teeth (220) on its surface; the overload clutch assembly (300) includes a rotating sleeve seat (310), a sprocket (320), a pressure ring cover (330), a threaded ring (340), and several leaf springs (350) and retaining balls (360); the rotating sleeve seat (310) is fixed to one side of the sprocket (320), and its inner side is provided with a bearing ring (311) fitted onto the surface of the bushing (210); the rotating sleeve seat ( A groove (312) is provided on one side of the 310 for engaging with the surface of the retaining bead (360); each retaining bead (360) is distributed on the inner side of a plurality of retaining teeth (220); the threaded ring (340) is threaded onto the surface of the bushing (210), and one side is elastically abutted against the surface of the pressure ring cover (330) through the spring spring (350); the pressure ring cover (330) is rotatably sleeved on the surface of the bushing (210) and covers the outer side of the retaining teeth (220) and the retaining bead (360), for engaging with the groove (312) on the surface of the retaining bead (360) and the rotating seat (310).

2. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sprocket (320) has several transmission grooves on its surface that mesh with the cross chain (100) for transmission. The ends of the main shaft (200) and the bushing (210) slide against one side of the sprocket (320) to realize power input transmission.

3. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring (350) is a ring-shaped elastic material structure used to realize the elastic transmission of pressure between the threaded ring (340) and the pressure ring cover (330); the threaded ring (340) adjusts the clamping force of the pressure ring cover (330) on the retaining ball (360) by screwing in or out of the thread on the surface of the bushing (210), thereby changing the overload disengagement threshold of the overload clutch assembly (300).

4. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner side of the pressure ring cover (330) is provided with a slip ring groove opposite to the meshing groove (312) of the rotating sleeve seat (310). Several of the retaining beads (360) are partially embedded in the slip ring groove and roll mesh with the meshing groove (312) when subjected to force, so as to realize the smooth switching between clutch and reset.

5. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer circumference of the rotating sleeve (310) is provided with a bushing ring, which is used to be installed on the conveyor frame by screw connection to ensure the axial stability of the overload clutch assembly (300) during transmission.

6. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sprocket (320) and the rotating sleeve (310) adopt an integral molding structure or a high-strength bolt fixed connection structure to enhance the overall rigidity and torsional performance.

7. The cross chain drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the screw ring (340) is marked with scales to display the screw depth and overload setting pressure, so that the operator can make precise adjustments according to the working conditions.

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