Direction change axis, and Frieza

Abstract

To reduce malfunctions that occur in conveyor belts. [Solution] A direction changing shaft according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a direction changing shaft for changing the direction of movement of a belt conveyor using a mesh belt, and comprises a shaft body extending in the width direction of the mesh belt, and a plurality of rollers arranged in the width direction, having through holes into which the shaft body is loosely fitted, and configured to contact the mesh belt. The plurality of rollers are provided to be rotatable independently of each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a direction conversion shaft and a freezer.

Background Art

[0002] As a freezer capable of cooling or freezing an object to be cooled, particularly food, there is known a freezer capable of cooling or freezing an object to be cooled placed on the forward path portion of a conveyor belt for conveyance by cold air (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The conveyor belt is desired to travel without causing problems such as meandering, skewing, or only a part in the width direction leading. However, such problems may occur, and it is desired to prevent them from occurring.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure aims to reduce problems occurring in a belt conveyor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The direction conversion shaft according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a direction conversion shaft for converting the moving direction of a belt conveyor using a mesh belt, a shaft body extending in the width direction of the mesh belt, a plurality of rollers provided so as to be arranged in the width direction and having through holes into which the shaft body is loosely fitted and configured to contact the mesh belt, and includes The plurality of rollers are provided so as to be able to rotate independently of each other.

[0007] (2) Frieza according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is The aforementioned belt conveyor is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled inside Frieza. Direction change axis of the above configuration (1), It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, malfunctions occurring in a belt conveyor can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an overall configuration diagram of Frieza as seen from the side according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a conveyor belt for a belt conveyor according to one embodiment. [Figure 3A] This is a view of the driven shaft within the direction-changing shaft according to one embodiment, seen from the upstream side in the conveying direction, and shows a portion in the width direction. [Figure 3B] This is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 3A, showing the area near the center in the width direction. [Figure 4] This is a view of the idler shaft within the direction changing shaft according to the embodiment, seen from the radially outside of the idler shaft, and a portion in the width direction is shown. [Figure 5] This is a side view of a toothed roller, corresponding to the VV arrow in Figure 3B of the driven shaft according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a side view of the smooth roller, corresponding to the view from arrow VI-VI in Figure 3B of the direction change axis according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a side view of the cylindrical member corresponding to the view taken by arrow VII-VII in Figure 3B of the direction changing axis according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 3B. [Figure 9]It is a perspective view of the support part.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described as embodiments or shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure thereto, but are merely illustrative examples. For example, expressions representing relative or absolute arrangements such as "in a certain direction", "along a certain direction", "parallel", "orthogonal", "center", "concentric", or "coaxial" not only strictly represent such arrangements, but also represent states in which there are tolerances or relative displacements with angles and distances such that the same function can be obtained. For example, expressions representing that things such as "identical", "equal", and "homogeneous" are in an equal state not only strictly represent an equal state, but also represent states in which there are tolerances or differences such that the same function can be obtained. For example, expressions representing shapes such as a rectangular shape or a cylindrical shape not only represent shapes such as a rectangular shape or a cylindrical shape in a geometrically strict sense, but also represent shapes including concave and convex portions, chamfered portions, etc. within a range where the same effect can be obtained. On the other hand, the expressions "comprising", "having", "including", or "possessing" a component are not exclusive expressions that exclude the existence of other components.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram when the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment is viewed from the side. The refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment is a refrigerator capable of cooling or freezing an object to be cooled, particularly food, and includes a housing 3 that houses the main component devices of the refrigerator 1 inside, a belt conveyor 5 for conveying an object to be cooled (not shown), a heat exchanger (not shown) for cooling air, and a fan (not shown) for circulating the cooled air (cold air) cooled by the heat exchanger inside the refrigerator 1.

[0012] In the freezer 1 according to one embodiment, the housing 3 separates the interior and exterior of the freezer 1 and is configured to hold cold air inside. The freezer 1 according to one embodiment is configured to cool an object to be cooled (not shown) by blowing cold air from a fan (not shown) from at least one of above or below the object to be cooled (not shown) placed on the forward path portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7 of the belt conveyor 5. In the following description, the conveyance direction of the object to be cooled (not shown) by the conveyor belt 7 is also referred to as the conveyance direction of the conveyor belt 7 or simply the conveyance direction. In the following description, the object to be cooled (not shown) is also simply referred to as the object to be cooled.

[0013] In the freezer 1 according to one embodiment, a part of the region on the upstream side in the conveyance direction within the forward path portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7 is exposed outside the housing 3 for placing the object to be cooled on the conveyor belt 7. In the freezer 1 according to one embodiment, a part of the region on the downstream side in the conveyance direction within the forward path portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7 is exposed outside the housing 3 for sending the object to be cooled on the conveyor belt 7 to the next process.

[0014] (Belt conveyor 5) In the freezer 1 according to one embodiment, the belt conveyor 5 includes a conveyor belt 7 for conveying the object to be cooled, a drive motor (not shown) for driving the conveyor belt 7, a drive shaft 9 for driving the conveyor belt 7 by the driving force of the drive motor (not shown), and a direction conversion shaft 11 for converting the moving direction of the conveyor belt 7. The direction conversion shaft 11 includes a driven shaft 13 disposed at the upstream end of the forward path portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7 and at least one idler shaft 15 disposed to contact the conveyor belt 7 from the inside of the conveyor belt 7 looped around the drive shaft 9 and the driven shaft 13 in the return path portion 7b of the conveyor belt 7 (or from the outside of the conveyor belt 7 depending on the layout of the trajectory of the conveyor belt 7 due to the direction conversion of the conveyor belt 7). In the freezer 1 shown in FIG. 1, two idler shafts 15 are provided inside the conveyor belt 7 in a state of being spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction. In the following explanation, when the direction changing shaft 11 and the driven shaft 13 are not distinguished, or when the direction changing shaft 11 and the driven shaft 13 are referred to collectively, the direction changing shaft 11 and the driven shaft 13 will simply be referred to as the direction changing shaft 11.

[0015] In one embodiment of the belt conveyor 5, the conveyor belt 7 is routed from the driven shaft 13 downwards in the conveying direction to the drive shaft 9. The region above the driven shaft 13 and the drive shaft 9 becomes the forward portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7, and the region below the driven shaft 13 and the drive shaft 9 becomes the return portion 7b of the conveyor belt 7.

[0016] For example, if the conveyor belt 7 is configured to blow out cold air from below an object to be cooled (not shown) placed on the forward portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7, it is necessary to place an air outlet (not shown) for blowing out the cold air between the forward portion 7a and the return portion 7b of the conveyor belt 7. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a certain distance between the forward portion 7a and the return portion 7b of the conveyor belt 7. In such cases, for example, as shown in Figure 1, the conveyor belt 7 can be wrapped around an idler shaft 15 that is positioned below the drive shaft 9 and driven shaft 13 in the height direction, thereby ensuring a certain distance between the forward portion 7a and the return portion 7b of the conveyor belt 7. In this embodiment of the belt conveyor 5, the conveyor belt 7 is made to pass through a desired position by appropriately arranging a direction changing shaft 11 for changing the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 7.

[0017] Figure 2 shows an example of a conveyor belt 7 of a belt conveyor 5 according to one embodiment. The conveyor belt 7 is, for example, an endless strip of mesh belt made by weaving metal wires into a mesh pattern, and can support objects to be cooled. For example, the conveyor belt 7 has a plurality of reinforcing ribs 71 that extend in the width direction Drw of the conveyor belt 7 and are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the width direction Drw, and a helical portion 73 that is arranged to spirally wrap around two adjacent reinforcing ribs 71 from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the width direction Drw. Therefore, the helical portion 73 includes a helical portion 73a located on the front side in Figure 2 with respect to the reinforcing ribs 71 and a helical portion 73b located on the rear side in Figure 2 with respect to the reinforcing ribs 71, and the helical portion 73a located on the front side and the helical portion 73b located on the rear side are arranged alternately along the width direction Drw. The ends of the reinforcing ribs 71 in the width direction Drw are connected to the ends of the helical portion 73 in the width direction Drw, for example, by welding. For the sake of explanation, the outer side of the endless conveyor belt 7 is the foreground side of the page in Figure 2, and the inner side of the endless conveyor belt 7 is the background side of the page in Figure 2.

[0018] In one embodiment of the conveyor belt 7, the length of one link of the conveyor belt 7 is the arrangement pitch of two adjacent force ribs 71 in a direction perpendicular to the width direction Drw. In the following explanation, the width direction Drw of the conveyor belt 7 will also be simply referred to as the width direction Drw.

[0019] The conveyor belt 7 is driven by a drive shaft 9 driven by a drive motor (not shown), and is capable of transporting the object to be cooled placed on the forward path portion 7a of the conveyor belt 7 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction. Furthermore, the conveyor belt 7 of the belt conveyor 5 according to one embodiment is not limited to the structure shown in Figure 2, as long as it has a structure that allows cold air to pass through in the thickness direction of the conveyor belt 7 with relatively little pressure loss, and can wrap around the drive shaft 9 and the direction changing shaft 11 relatively easily, and has a structure that meshes with the teeth provided on the toothed roller 51, such as the teeth 51t of the toothed roller 51 described later.

[0020] (Regarding the direction change axis 11) Figure 3A is a view of the driven shaft 13 within the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, as seen from the upstream side in the conveying direction, and shows a part of the width direction Drw. Figure 3B is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 3A, illustrating the area near the center of the width direction Drw. Figure 4 is a view of the idler shaft 15 within the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, seen from the radially outside of the idler shaft 15, and shows a part of the width direction Drw. According to one embodiment, the direction changing shaft 11 comprises a shaft body 41 extending in the width direction Drw, and a plurality of rollers 50 arranged in line with the width direction Drw, each having a through hole 50h into which the shaft body 41 is loosely fitted, and configured to contact the conveyor belt 7. The plurality of rollers 50 are provided to be rotatable independently of each other.

[0021] In one embodiment, the driven shaft 13 further includes a support portion 30, which will be described later. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the plurality of rollers 50 include at least one toothed roller (sprocket) 51 having teeth 51t that can penetrate the mesh of the conveyor belt 7, and a plurality of smooth rollers 53 that do not have teeth and have no irregularities on their outer circumferential surface 53o. In the following explanation, when toothed rollers 51 and smooth rollers 53 are not distinguished, or when toothed rollers 51 and smooth rollers 53 are referred to collectively, toothed rollers 51 and smooth rollers 53 will simply be referred to as rollers 50.

[0022] In one embodiment of the idler shaft 15, the plurality of rollers 50 are a plurality of smooth rollers 53 with no irregularities on their outer circumferential surface 53o.

[0023] In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, a plurality of rollers 50 are arranged with spacing in the width direction Drw, and cylindrical members 55 are placed between adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw. As will be described later, the outer diameter of the cylindrical members 55 is smaller than the outer diameter of the rollers 50. The cylindrical member 55 is provided so as to be rotatable independently of each of the multiple rollers 50.

[0024] In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the roller 50 and the cylindrical member 55 are mounted on the shaft body 41 in such a manner that they can rotate relative to each other around the central axis AX of the shaft body 41. In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the roller 50 is positioned from near one end to near the other end in the width direction Drw of the conveyor belt 7. The roller 50 and the cylindrical member 55 are mounted on the shaft body 41 in such a manner that they can move relative to the shaft body 41 in the direction of extension of the shaft body 41 (width direction Drw).

[0025] (Shaft body 41) In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the shaft body 41 is an axial member extending in the width direction Drw, and is supported non-rotatably by a frame (not shown) of the housing 3. In the figures from Figure 5 onward, described later, the shaft body 41 is shown as a solid member for the sake of explanation, but the shaft body 41 may be a hollow member or a solid member. The shaft body 41 is formed of, for example, stainless steel, but it may be made of a metal other than stainless steel, or of resin, or of carbon fiber. Furthermore, for reasons to be described later, it is preferable that the shaft body 41 is supported so as not to rotate relative to the frame (not shown) of the housing 3, but it may also be pivotally supported relative to the frame (not shown) of the housing 3.

[0026] (Toothed roller 51) Figure 5 is a side view of the toothed roller 51, corresponding to the VV arrow in Figure 3B of the driven shaft 13 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the toothed roller 51 is a member having a plurality of teeth 51t that protrude radially outward from the tooth root surface 51a. Note that the toothed roller 51 shown in Figures 3A and 3B is depicted schematically. Note that in Figures 3A and 3B, the corresponding circle 51b that corresponds to the top of the teeth 51t of the toothed roller 51 is represented by a dashed line, and the tooth root surface 51a is represented by a solid line. The toothed roller 51 has a widthwise Drw dimension equivalent to that of the smooth roller 53 described later, but it may also have a widthwise Drw dimension that is relatively significantly different from that of the smooth roller 53. The toothed roller 51 is made of, for example, resin.

[0027] The teeth 51t of the toothed roller 51 are arranged in multiple rows with spacing between them in the direction of extension of the central axis AX of the shaft body 41 (width direction Drw). The teeth 51t of the toothed roller 51 are formed to fit into the mesh of the conveyor belt 7, specifically, the portion enclosed by two adjacent helical portions 73b in the width direction Drw and two adjacent force ribs 71 in the conveying direction on the inside of the endless belt-shaped conveyor belt 7.

[0028] As described above, the toothed roller 51 is mounted on the shaft body 41 in such a manner that it can move in the direction of extension of the shaft body 41 (width direction Drw).

[0029] In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the inner circumferential surface 51i of the toothed roller 51, that is, the inner circumferential surface 50i of the through hole 50h of the roller 50, is in contact with the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 so as to be able to move toward and away from it. The inner diameter Dis of the toothed roller 51 (inner diameter of the through hole 50h) is larger than the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41, and the dimensional difference (Dis-Dos) between the inner diameter Dis of the toothed roller 51 and the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41 is larger than, for example, the clearance fit in the JIS standard. In other words, in the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the toothed roller 51 is loosely fitted to the shaft body 41.

[0030] In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, two toothed rollers 51 are arranged near the center of the width direction Drw of the conveyor belt 7, spaced apart in the width direction Drw. Between these two toothed rollers 51, there is one smooth roller 53 and two cylindrical members 55 arranged on one side and the other side of the width direction Drw of the one smooth roller 53. In one embodiment, the driven shaft 13 is equipped with two toothed rollers 51, but it may be equipped with one toothed roller 51, or with three or more toothed rollers 51. When the driven shaft 13 is equipped with multiple toothed rollers 51, it is preferable that smooth rollers 53 be arranged between adjacent toothed rollers 51 in the width direction Drw, and that cylindrical members 55 be arranged between the toothed rollers 51 and the smooth rollers 53.

[0031] (Smooth Roller 53) Figure 6 is a side view of the smooth roller 53, corresponding to the view from arrow VI-VI in Figure 3B of the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment. In the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the smooth roller 53 is a roller with no irregularities on its outer peripheral surface 53o, as described above, and is configured to support the conveyor belt 7 by contacting the inner surface of the conveyor belt 7 with its outer peripheral surface 53o. The smooth roller 53 is made of, for example, resin.

[0032] The width dimension Drw of the smooth roller 53 may be the same or different for the smooth roller 53 provided on the driven shaft 13 and the smooth roller 53 provided on the idler shaft 15. The outer diameter Dor of the smooth roller 53 may be the same or different for the smooth roller 53 provided on the driven shaft 13 and the smooth roller 53 provided on the idler shaft 15.

[0033] In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the inner circumferential surface 53i of the smooth roller 53, that is, the inner circumferential surface 50i of the through hole 50h of the roller 50, is in contact with the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 so as to be able to move toward and away from it. The inner diameter Dir of the smooth roller 53 (inner diameter of the through hole 50h) is larger than the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41, and the dimensional difference (Dir-Dos) between the inner diameter Dir of the smooth roller 53 and the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41 is larger than, for example, the clearance fit in the JIS standard. In other words, in the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the smooth roller 53 is loosely fitted to the shaft body 41. The inner diameter Dir of the smooth roller 53 may be the same as or different from the inner diameter Dis of the toothed roller 51.

[0034] (Cylindrical member 55) Figure 7 is a side view of the cylindrical member 55, corresponding to the view taken by arrow VII-VII in Figure 3B of the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the cylindrical member 55 is a cylindrical member having an outer diameter Doc smaller than the tooth root surface 51a of the toothed roller 51 and the outer circumferential surface 53o of the smooth roller 53. The outer diameter Doc of the cylindrical member 55 is set so that the outer circumferential surface 55o of the cylindrical member 55 does not come into contact with the conveyor belt 7 supported by the toothed roller 51 or the smooth roller 53. The cylindrical member 55 is made of, for example, resin.

[0035] In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the inner circumferential surface 55i of the cylindrical member 55 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 in a manner that allows for separation and retraction. The inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 is larger than the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41, and the dimensional difference between the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 and the outer diameter Dos of the shaft body 41 is larger than, for example, the clearance fit in the JIS standard. In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 is preferably different from the inner diameter Dis of the toothed roller 51 and the inner diameter Dir of the smooth roller 53.

[0036] In the following description, the cylindrical member 55 used in the driven shaft 13 will also be referred to as the first cylindrical member 55A, and the cylindrical member 55 used in the idler shaft 15 will also be referred to as the second cylindrical member 55B. When the first cylindrical member 55A and the second cylindrical member 55B are not distinguished, or when the first cylindrical member 55A and the second cylindrical member 55B are referred to collectively, the first cylindrical member 55A and the second cylindrical member 55B will simply be referred to as the cylindrical member 55.

[0037] In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the first cylindrical member 55A has a widthwise Drw dimension smaller than the widthwise Drw dimension of the toothed roller 51 and the smooth roller 53. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the widthwise Drw of the first cylindrical member 55A is, for example, 1 / 2 or less of the widthwise Drw of the toothed roller 51 and the smooth roller 53. In one embodiment of the idler shaft 15, the second cylindrical member 55B has a widthwise Drw dimension equivalent to that of the smooth roller 53 or toothed roller 51, but may also have a widthwise Drw dimension greater than that of the smooth roller 53 or toothed roller 51. In one embodiment of the idler shaft 15, one second cylindrical member 55B may be positioned between two adjacent smooth rollers 53 in the widthwise Drw, or multiple second cylindrical members 55B may be positioned side by side in the widthwise Drw. For example, in the example shown in Figure 4, the idler shaft 15 has three second cylindrical members 55B positioned side by side in the widthwise Drw between two adjacent smooth rollers 53 in the widthwise Drw.

[0038] Note that Figure 7 shows the side view of the first cylindrical member 55A, but the side view of the second cylindrical member 55B is similar. The dimensions of the first cylindrical member 55A and the second cylindrical member 55B are the same except for the width dimension Drw, but they may be different. In one embodiment of the idler shaft 15, adjacent second cylindrical members 55B in the width direction Drw are rotatable independently of each other.

[0039] (Support part 30) Figure 8 is a view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 3B. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the support portion 30. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the support portion 30 is configured to support at least one cylindrical member 55 from below in a rotatable state, and to restrict the range of movement of at least one toothed roller 51 and at least one smooth roller 53 in the width direction (width direction Drw). In one embodiment, the support portion 30 has a support plate portion 31 positioned between one toothed roller 51 and one smooth roller 53 adjacent to each other in the width direction Drw. The support plate portion 31 has a support recess 32 formed therein that can support the outer circumferential surface 55o of the first cylindrical member 55A from below. The support recess 32 has an arc shape that extends in the circumferential direction of the first cylindrical member 55A along the outer circumferential surface 55o of the first cylindrical member 55A. The thickness of the support plate portion 31, i.e., the widthwise Drw dimension, is smaller than the widthwise Drw dimension of the first cylindrical member 55A supported by the support plate portion 31.

[0040] In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the support portion 30 has two support plate portions 31 that can support from below a single smooth roller 53 located near the center of the conveyor belt 7 in the width direction Drw, and two first cylindrical members 55A located on one side and the other side of the smooth roller 53 in the width direction Drw. The two support plate portions 31 are connected to the connecting plate 33 at their upstream ends in the transport direction. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, the support portion 30 is fixed by attaching the connecting plate 33 to a frame (not shown) of the housing 3.

[0041] In the driven shaft 13 according to one embodiment, in each of the two support plate portions 31, as shown in Figure 8, at least a portion of the support plate portion 31 overlaps with at least a portion of the side surface of the smooth roller 53 when viewed from the width direction Drw. Similarly, in each of the two support plate portions 31, at least a portion of the support plate portion 31 overlaps with at least a portion of the side surface of the toothed roller 51 when viewed from the width direction Drw. Therefore, the toothed roller 51 and the smooth roller 53, which are positioned on either side of the support plate portion 31 in the width direction Drw, have their sides in contact with the support plate portion 31, thereby restricting their movement toward the support plate portion 31 in the width direction Drw.

[0042] In one embodiment, the driven shaft 13 is equipped with a support portion 30, which reduces the deflection of the shaft body 41 and reduces problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7. Furthermore, according to the driven shaft 13 in one embodiment, it is possible to move the shaft body 41 of the toothed roller 51 in the extending direction (width direction Drw) in response to small fluctuations in the position of the conveyor belt 7 in the width direction Drw, while limiting the amount of movement, thereby limiting the amount of movement of the conveyor belt 7 in the width direction Drw.

[0043] In one embodiment, the driven shaft 13 may have at least one support portion 30 having one support plate portion 31, or it may have at least one support portion 30 having two or more support plate portions 31. In one embodiment of the driven shaft 13, if it is provided with a plurality of support portions 30, it is preferable that at least one support plate portion 31 of the support portion 30 is adjacent to the toothed roller 51 in the width direction Drw, allowing the shaft body 41 of the toothed roller 51 to move in the extending direction (width direction Drw) while limiting the amount of movement.

[0044] (Challenges in Belt Conveyor 5) In general, belt conveyors are prone to problems such as the conveyor belt meandering or becoming skewed, or, in the case of mesh belts, problems such as only a portion of the belt in the width direction leading the other. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent such problems from occurring.

[0045] Therefore, in the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the occurrence of problems related to the conveyor belt is reduced by doing the following. For example, in the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the multiple rollers 50 are made rotatable independently of each other.

[0046] For example, variations in the speed at which the conveyor belt 7 moves depending on its position in the width direction Drw can cause differences in the rotational speeds of rollers 50 positioned at different locations in the width direction Drw. If rotational driving force is transmitted between two rollers 50 due to this difference in rotational speed, torque will be generated on each of the two rollers 50 to reduce the difference in rotational speed between them. If this torque applies an undesirable force to the conveyor belt 7, it can induce meandering or diagonal movement of the conveyor belt 7.

[0047] According to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, since the multiple rollers 50 can rotate independently of each other, even if there is variation in the speed at which the conveyor belt 7 moves in the direction of movement due to the position of the rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, for example, even if a difference in rotational speed occurs between rollers 50 positioned at different locations in the width direction Drw, the difference in rotational speed makes it difficult to transmit rotational driving force between the rollers 50. Therefore, according to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7 can be reduced.

[0048] One embodiment of the belt conveyor 5 is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled inside the Freezer 1. This reduces problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7 in the belt conveyor 5 used to transport objects to be cooled inside Frieza 1.

[0049] In the Freezer 1 according to one embodiment, as described above, the belt conveyor 5 is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled within the Freezer 1. The Freezer 1 according to one embodiment is equipped with the direction changing shaft 11 described above. This reduces problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7 in the belt conveyor 5 used to transport objects to be cooled inside Frieza 1.

[0050] In the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the inner circumferential surface 50i of the through hole 50h of the roller 50 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 so as to be able to move away from it. As a result, the inner circumferential surface 50i of the roller 50 and the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 can slide relative to each other, and multiple rollers 50 can rotate relative to the shaft body 41 with a relatively simple configuration. Furthermore, according to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, if the direction changing shaft 11 is the direction changing shaft 11 used in Frieza 1, there are no other components between the inner circumferential surface 50i of the roller 50 and the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41, making it easier to maintain a state in which the multiple rollers 50 can rotate relative to the shaft body 41 even in a low-temperature environment.

[0051] In the direction changing shaft 11 according to one embodiment, the shaft body 41 is preferably arranged so as to be non-rotatable, as described above. As a result, even if there is a difference in rotational speed between rollers 50 positioned at different locations in the width direction Drw, the transmission of rotational driving force between the rollers 50 via the shaft body 41 will not occur, thereby reducing problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the direction changing shaft 11 includes a support portion 30 having the above-described support plate portion 31 as a restricting member that restricts the range of movement of at least one toothed roller 51 in the width direction Drw. As a result, the toothed roller 51, whose range of movement in the width direction Drw is restricted, restricts the range of movement of the conveyor belt 7 in the width direction Drw, thereby reducing problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7.

[0053] In one embodiment, the direction changing shaft 11 is arranged between adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw and comprises at least one cylindrical member 55 whose outer diameter Doc is smaller than the outer diameter Do of the rollers 50. Furthermore, the outer diameter Do of the roller 50 is defined as Dosb, the outer diameter of the tooth root surface 51a that defines the distance between the shaft body 41 and the conveyor belt 7 when the conveyor belt 7 is closest to the shaft body 41, for example, if it is a toothed roller 51. The outer diameter Do of the roller 50 is defined as Dor, the outer diameter of the smooth roller 53, if it is a smooth roller 53.

[0054] According to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, the sides of adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw no longer come into direct contact with each other. Therefore, even if there is a difference in the rotational speed of adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, it becomes difficult for rotational driving force to be transmitted between adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, thus reducing the possibility of inducing meandering or skewing of the conveyor belt 7.

[0055] If the outer diameter Doc of the cylindrical member 55 is equal to or greater than the outer diameter Do of the roller 50, then when there is variation in the speed at which the conveyor belt 7 moves depending on its position in the width direction Drw, rotational driving force is transmitted between adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, generating torque on both the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 to reduce the difference in rotational speed between them. If this torque applies an undesirable force to the conveyor belt 7, it may induce meandering or skewing of the conveyor belt 7.

[0056] In this respect, according to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, since the outer diameter Doc of the cylindrical member 55 is smaller than the outer diameter Do of the roller 50, the cylindrical member 55 does not come into contact with the conveyor belt 7, and the rotational speed of the cylindrical member 55 is less affected by the moving speed of the conveyor belt 7. Therefore, the possibility of the above-mentioned problems occurring is reduced, and the possibility of inducing meandering or skewing of the conveyor belt 7 can be reduced.

[0057] In one embodiment of the direction changing shaft 11, the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 is different from the inner diameter Di of the roller 50. Note that the inner diameter Di of roller 50 is the inner diameter of the through hole 50h, and if it is a toothed roller 51, it is the inner diameter Dis of the toothed roller 51. If it is a smooth roller 53, the inner diameter Di of roller 50 is the inner diameter Dir of the smooth roller 53.

[0058] When the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 and the inner diameter Di of the roller 50 are the same, adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw tend to rotate synchronously, thus facilitating the transmission of rotational driving force between the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50. Furthermore, since the direction change shaft 11 is a direction change shaft used in low-temperature environments, when adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw tend to rotate synchronously, freezing and sticking of the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 becomes more likely, facilitating the transmission of rotational driving force between the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50. According to the direction changing shaft 11 of one embodiment, the transmission of rotational driving force between the cylindrical member 55 and the roller 50 becomes difficult, and the possibility of inducing meandering or diagonal movement of the conveyor belt 7 can be reduced.

[0059] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also includes modified forms of the embodiments described above, as well as forms that combine these forms as appropriate.

[0060] The contents described in each of the above embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows: (1) A direction changing shaft 11 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a direction changing shaft for changing the direction of movement of a belt conveyor 5 using a mesh belt (conveyor belt 7). The direction changing shaft 11 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a shaft body 41 extending in the width direction Drw of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), and a plurality of rollers 50 arranged in line with the width direction Drw, having through holes 50h into which the shaft body 41 is loosely fitted, and configured to contact the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7). The plurality of rollers 50 are provided to be rotatable independently of each other.

[0061] According to the configuration described in (1) above, since the multiple rollers 50 can rotate independently of each other, even if there is variation in the speed at which the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) moves in the direction of movement due to the position of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) in the width direction Drw, and a difference in rotational speed occurs between the rollers 50 positioned at different locations in the width direction Drw, the difference in rotational speed makes it difficult for rotational driving force to be transmitted between the rollers 50. Therefore, according to the configuration in (1) above, problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) can be reduced.

[0062] (2) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (1) above, the inner circumferential surfaces 50i of the through holes 50h of the multiple rollers 50 are in contact with the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 so as to be able to move away from it.

[0063] According to the configuration described in (2) above, the inner circumferential surface 50i of the roller 50 and the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41 become slidable relative to each other, and multiple rollers 50 can rotate with a relatively simple configuration. Furthermore, according to the configuration in (2) above, if the direction changing shaft 11 is the direction changing shaft used in Frieza 1, the possibility of the roller 50 becoming stuck to the shaft body 41 due to the contraction of the roller 50, or the possibility of the roller 50 becoming stuck to the shaft body 41 due to freezing between the inner circumferential surface 50i of the roller 50 and the outer circumferential surface 41o of the shaft body 41, can be reduced. This ensures that sliding between the shaft body 41 and the roller 50 can be maintained for a relatively long period of time.

[0064] (3) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (1) or (2) above, the shaft body 41 may be positioned so as not to rotate.

[0065] According to the configuration in (3) above, since the shaft body 41 is immobile, even if there is a difference in rotational speed between the rollers 50 which are positioned at different locations in the width direction Drw, the transmission of rotational driving force between the rollers 50 via the shaft body 41 will not occur, and problems such as meandering or slanting of the conveyor belt 7 can be reduced.

[0066] (4) In some embodiments, in any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the plurality of rollers 50 may include at least one toothed roller 51 having teeth 51t that can penetrate the mesh of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), and a plurality of smooth rollers 53 that do not have teeth, and may be provided with a restricting member (support plate portion 31) that restricts the range of movement of at least one toothed roller 51 in the width direction Drw.

[0067] According to the configuration described in (4) above, the toothed roller 51, whose range of movement in the width direction Drw is restricted, restricts the range of movement of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) in the width direction Drw, thereby reducing problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7).

[0068] (5) In some embodiments, the configuration of (1) to (4) above may include at least one cylindrical member 55 positioned between adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, the cylindrical member having an outer diameter Doc smaller than the outer diameter Do of the rollers 50.

[0069] According to the configuration in (5) above, the sides of adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw will not come into direct contact with each other. Therefore, even if there is a difference in the rotational speed of adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, it will be difficult for rotational driving force to be transmitted between adjacent rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, thereby reducing the possibility of inducing meandering or skewing of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7).

[0070] If the outer diameter Doc of the cylindrical member 55 is equal to or greater than the outer diameter Do of the roller 50, then when there is variation in the speed at which the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) moves depending on its position in the width direction Drw of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), rotational driving force is transmitted between adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw, generating torque on both the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 to reduce the difference in rotational speed between them. If this torque applies an undesirable force to the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), it may induce meandering or skewing of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7).

[0071] In this respect, according to the configuration of (5) above, since the outer diameter Doc of the cylindrical member 55 is smaller than the outer diameter Do of the roller 50, the cylindrical member 55 does not come into contact with the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), and the rotational speed of the cylindrical member 55 is less affected by the moving speed of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7). Therefore, the possibility of the above-mentioned problems occurring is reduced, and the possibility of inducing meandering or skewing of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) can be reduced.

[0072] (6) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (5) above, the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 may be different from the inner diameter Di of the roller 50.

[0073] If the inner diameter Dic of the cylindrical member 55 and the inner diameter Di of the roller 50 are the same, adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw are more likely to rotate synchronously, thus facilitating the transmission of rotational driving force between the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50. Furthermore, if the direction change shaft 11 is a direction change shaft used in a low-temperature environment, when adjacent cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 in the width direction Drw are more likely to rotate synchronously, freezing and sticking of the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50 becomes more likely, thus facilitating the transmission of rotational driving force between the cylindrical members 55 and rollers 50. According to the configuration described in (6) above, it becomes more difficult for rotational driving force to be transmitted between the cylindrical member 55 and the roller 50, thereby reducing the possibility of inducing meandering or diagonal movement of the conveyor belt 7.

[0074] (7) In some embodiments, the configuration of (5) above may include a support portion 30 that supports at least one cylindrical member 55 from below in a rotatable manner.

[0075] According to the configuration described in (7) above, the deflection of the shaft body 41 can be reduced, and problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) can be reduced.

[0076] (8) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (7) above, the plurality of rollers 50 may include at least one toothed roller 51 having teeth 51t that can penetrate the mesh of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7), and a plurality of smooth rollers 53 that do not have teeth. The support portion 30 may restrict the range of movement of at least one toothed roller 51 in the width direction Drw.

[0077] According to the configuration described in (8) above, the toothed roller 51, whose range of movement in the width direction Drw is restricted, restricts the range of movement of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) in the width direction Drw, thereby reducing problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7).

[0078] (9) In some embodiments, in any of the configurations (1) to (8) above, the belt conveyor 5 may be a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled within the freezer 1.

[0079] According to the configuration described in (9) above, problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) in the belt conveyor 5 for transporting objects to be cooled inside Frieza 1 can be reduced.

[0080] (10) In the Freeza 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the belt conveyor 5 is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled within the Freeza 1. The Freeza 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a direction changing shaft 11 having any of the configurations (1) to (8) above.

[0081] According to the configuration described in (10) above, problems such as meandering or slanting of the mesh belt (conveyor belt 7) in the belt conveyor 5 for transporting objects to be cooled inside Frieza 1 can be reduced. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1. Frieza 3 Housing 5 Belt conveyor 7 Conveyor belt 9 Drive shaft 11 Directional change axis 13 Driven shaft 15 Idler axis 30 Support part 31 Support plate part 41 Shaft Body 41o Outer surface 50 Laura 50h through hole 50i inner surface 51 Toothed roller (sprocket) 53 Smooth Roller 55 Cylindrical member

Claims

1. A direction changing shaft for changing the direction of movement of a belt conveyor using a mesh belt, The shaft body extends in the width direction of the mesh belt, A plurality of rollers are provided arranged in the width direction, each having a through hole into which the shaft body is loosely fitted, and configured to contact the mesh belt, Equipped with, The plurality of rollers are provided to be rotatable independently of each other. Direction change axis.

2. The inner circumferential surfaces of the through holes of the plurality of rollers are in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the shaft body in a manner that allows them to move toward and away from each other. The direction change axis according to claim 1.

3. The shaft body is positioned so as not to rotate. The direction change axis according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The plurality of rollers include at least one toothed roller having teeth that can penetrate the mesh of the mesh belt, and a plurality of smooth rollers that do not have teeth. The system includes a restricting member that restricts the range of movement of at least one toothed roller in the width direction. The direction change axis according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The system comprises at least one cylindrical member positioned between adjacent rollers in the width direction, the cylindrical member having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the rollers. The direction change axis according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The inner diameter of the cylindrical member is different from the inner diameter of the roller. The direction change axis according to claim 5.

7. Support portion that supports the at least one cylindrical member from below in a rotatable state Equipped with The direction change axis according to claim 5.

8. The plurality of rollers include at least one toothed roller having teeth that can penetrate the mesh of the mesh belt, and a plurality of smooth rollers that do not have teeth. The support portion restricts the range of movement of the at least one toothed roller in the width direction. The direction change axis according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned belt conveyor is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled inside Frieza. The direction change axis according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The aforementioned belt conveyor is a belt conveyor for transporting objects to be cooled inside Frieza. Direction change shaft according to claim 1 or 2, Equipped with Frieza.

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