Roll unit replaceable roller lever

Abstract

To provide a roll unit replacement type roller leveler that does not require alignment around an axis when replacing a roll unit.SOLUTION: A roll unit replacement type roller leveler 1 includes: a roll unit 5 which unites several rolls 3, 4 that apply bending-back force to a belt-like body delivered from a coil; and a leveler body 7 attached with a rotation drive device 6 for rotationally driving the multiple rolls 3, 4, and is configured such that the roll unit 5 is attached to the leveler body 7 by being pushed into it. The roller leveler includes: multiple driven axes 32 that are connected to each of the several rolls 3, 4 in a manner of being capable of transmitting the power; multiple drive axes 34 that are arranged so as to correspond to the multiple driven axes 32 and are connected to the rotation drive device 6 in a manner of being capable of transmitting the power; and friction engagement means 33 that connects the driven axes 32 with the drive axes 34 by friction engagement in a manner of being capable of transmitting the power.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a roll unit exchangeable roller leveler configured to include a roll unit in which a plurality of rolls are unitized and a leveler main body to which a rotary drive device is attached, and the roll unit is attached by being pushed into the leveler main body.

Background Art

[0002] A roller leveler includes upper rolls and lower rolls arranged in a staggered pattern at a predetermined pitch so as to sandwich a strip-shaped body such as a steel strip fed out from a coil mounted on an uncoiler from above and below, and a plurality of upper and lower rolls are configured to repeatedly apply a uniform bending and straightening strain to the strip-shaped body to remove the curl and internal strain of the strip-shaped body.

[0003] In this type of roller leveler, a roll unit in which a plurality of rolls for repeatedly applying a bending and straightening strain to a strip-shaped body are unitized is made detachable from a leveler main body to which a rotary drive device is attached, and a roll unit exchangeable roller leveler is known in which the roll unit is exchanged according to the type of coil (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] In the roll unit exchangeable roller leveler described in Patent Document 1, on the power transmission path between the plurality of rolls and the rotary drive device, a roll unit side power transmission shaft (driven shaft) and a leveler main body side power transmission shaft (drive shaft) are respectively arranged so as to correspond to each roll. Further, a coupling integrally formed on the driven shaft is interposed between the driven shaft and the drive shaft.

[0005] In the above roll unit exchangeable roller leveler, the rotational driving force from the rotary drive device is transmitted to each of the plurality of rolls through the drive shaft, the coupling, and the driven shaft by engaging a key groove provided in the coupling with a key provided in the drive shaft to connect the driven shaft and the drive shaft.

[0006] In the above roll unit replaceable roller lever, positioning means is provided for positioning a key at a predetermined position around the axis of the drive shaft and positioning a keyway at a predetermined position around the axis of the coupling so as to maintain a state in which the key and the keyway can be engaged. This positioning means is configured to perform positioning by engaging a convex portion engageable with a concave portion formed in an outer peripheral portion of a flange integrally provided on the drive shaft with the concave portion and engaging a convex portion engageable with a concave portion formed in a peripheral surface portion of the coupling with the concave portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] In the above roll unit replaceable roller lever, when replacing the roll unit, a roll unit removal operation and a roll unit attachment operation are performed.

[0009] In the roll unit removal operation, the key is positioned at a predetermined position around the axis of the drive shaft so that each concave portion and each convex portion face each other by rotation control by the rotary drive device, and each convex portion is engaged with each concave portion. As a result, the key is positioned at a predetermined position around the axis of the drive shaft and the keyway is positioned at a predetermined position around the axis of the coupling so as to maintain a state in which the key and the keyway can be engaged. Thereafter, the roll unit is pulled out from the lever body, the engagement between the key and the keyway is released, and it is transported, for example, to a roll unit storage location.

[0010] In the roll unit mounting operation, a roll unit corresponding to the type of coil to be processed is pushed into the leveler body. At this time, since the key is positioned at a predetermined position around the axis of the drive shaft and the key groove is positioned at a predetermined position around the axis of the coupling, the key and the key groove can be smoothly engaged. Thereafter, if the engagement between each recess and each protrusion is released, the plurality of rolls can be driven by the rotary drive device.

[0011] According to the above roll unit exchangeable roller leveler, when exchanging the roll unit, alignment around the respective axes of the driven shaft and the drive shaft is mechanically performed, so the roll unit can be exchanged more quickly compared to manually performing the alignment operation. However, there was room for improvement in that an alignment operation was still required even though it was mechanical.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a roll unit exchangeable roller leveler that does not require alignment around the axis when exchanging the roll unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0013] The characteristic configuration of the roll unit exchangeable roller leveler according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a roll unit in which a plurality of rolls that apply a bending force to the strip-shaped body fed out from the coil are unitized, and a leveler body provided with a rotary drive device for rotationally driving the plurality of rolls, and the roll unit is configured to be attached by being pushed into the leveler body, a plurality of driven shafts each connected to the plurality of rolls so as to be capable of power transmission, a plurality of drive shafts arranged corresponding to the driven shafts and connected to the rotary drive device so as to be capable of power transmission, friction engagement means for connecting the driven shaft and the drive shaft so as to be capable of power transmission by friction engagement, and comprising the above.

[0014] According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, a plurality of driven shafts each connected to a plurality of rolls so as to be able to transmit power, and a plurality of drive shafts each connected to a rotary drive device so as to be able to transmit power are connected by frictional engagement means. Thus, in the connection structure between the driven shaft and the drive shaft by the frictional engagement means, it is not a structure that mechanically meshes and transmits power, but a structure that transmits power by frictional engagement. Therefore, the driven shaft and the drive shaft can be connected so as to be able to transmit power regardless of the phase difference (relative position in the rotational direction) between the driven shaft and the drive shaft, and alignment around the axis when replacing the roll unit becomes unnecessary.

[0015] In the roll unit replaceable roller lever according to the present invention, the frictional engagement means includes a driven-side engagement portion integrally provided on the driven shaft between the driven shaft and the drive shaft, a drive-side engagement portion that can engage with the driven-side engagement portion and is mounted on the drive shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction of the drive shaft and capable of transmitting power, and an elastic body that biases the drive-side engagement portion toward the driven-side engagement portion. It is preferably configured such that when the roll unit is attached to the lever body, the drive-side engagement portion is pushed into the axial direction of the drive shaft by the driven-side engagement portion against the elastic force of the elastic body, so that the driven-side engagement portion and the drive-side engagement portion frictionally engage with each other. According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, since the driven-side engagement portion and the drive-side engagement portion frictionally engage with each other by the elastic force of the elastic body, the state in which the driven shaft and the drive shaft are connected so as to be able to transmit power by the frictional engagement means can be stably maintained.

[0016]

[0017] In the roll unit replaceable roller lever according to the present invention, it is preferable that the elastic body is configured by alternately stacking a plurality of disc springs in the axial direction of the drive shaft.

[0018] According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, the elastic body is configured by stacking a plurality of disc springs alternately in the axial direction of the drive shaft. As a result, with the characteristics of the disc spring, which has a larger energy storage per unit volume than other types of springs, a large load can be received in a small mounting space. Moreover, by stacking the plurality of disc springs alternately, the deflection of the entire plurality of disc springs can be increased. Therefore, a large elastic force can be easily ensured with a compact configuration, and the required amount of elastic deformation can be easily ensured.

[0019] In the roll unit replaceable roller lever according to the present invention, The drive-side engaging portion has a tapered convex portion having at least a part of a conical surface that is sharp toward the driven-side engaging portion and has a central axis that coincides with the axis of the drive shaft as an outer surface. It is preferable that the driven-side engaging portion has a tapered concave portion that can be fitted with the tapered convex portion.

[0020] According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, a tapered fitting structure in which a tapered convex portion having at least a part of a sharp conical surface on the outer surface of the drive-side engaging portion and a tapered concave portion on the driven-side engaging portion are fitted is adopted. Therefore, the axial misalignment between the driven shaft and the drive shaft can be reduced, and the generation of abnormal noise and vibration can be suppressed.

[0021] In the roll unit replaceable roller lever according to the present invention, The outer surface of the tapered convex portion preferably includes a plurality of partial conical surfaces around the central axis in a frustum of a cone surface where the tip side of the conical surface is truncated, and these plurality of partial conical surfaces are brought into contact with the tapered concave portion.

[0022] According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, the outer surface of the tapered convex portion includes a plurality of partial conical surfaces around the central axis in a frustum conical surface where the tip side of the conical surface that is sharp toward the driven-side engaging portion and has a central axis coinciding with the axis of the drive shaft is truncated. Since these plurality of partial conical surfaces are brought into contact with the tapered concave portion, it is possible to increase the contact surface pressure of each of the plurality of partial conical surfaces against the tapered concave portion and to obtain a centering action of the plurality of partial conical surfaces against the tapered concave portion. Therefore, the frictional force between the tapered convex portion and the tapered concave portion can be made larger, the frictional engagement state can be maintained more stably, and the centering of the driven shaft and the drive shaft can be performed with high precision.

[0023] In the roll unit replaceable roller lever according to the present invention, It is preferable that a groove for air escape is formed along the generatrix of the conical surface in the tapered convex portion.

[0024] According to the roll unit replaceable roller lever of this configuration, when the tapered convex portion and the tapered concave portion are fitted together, the air inside the tapered concave portion is discharged to the outside through the groove for air escape. Therefore, when the tapered convex portion and the tapered concave portion are fitted together, it is possible to prevent being pushed back by the air inside the tapered concave portion, and the fitting operation of the tapered convex portion and the tapered concave portion can be performed smoothly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described below or the configurations described in the drawings.

[0027] <Schematic Explanation> FIG. 1 is a front view of a roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 is used for removing curl and internal strain of a strip-shaped body 2 such as a steel strip that is fed out from a coil mounted on an uncoiler (not shown) and conveyed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 with the plate surface facing the vertical direction.

[0028] <Overall Configuration> FIG. 2 is a side view of a roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2(a) is an overall side view of the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1. FIG. 2(b) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 2(a). In FIG. 2(a), the outlet side pinch roll 9 is not shown in order to clearly show the roll unit 5. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 includes a roll unit 5 in which a plurality of rolls 3 and 4 that apply a force for bending back the strip-shaped body 2 (see FIG. 1) are unitized, and a leveler main body 7 to which a rotation drive device 6 for rotationally driving the plurality of rolls 3 and 4 is attached. The roll unit 5 is configured to be attached to the leveler main body 7 by being pushed into the leveler main body 7 from the left side to the right side in FIG. 2(a).

[0029] As shown in Fig. 1, an inlet-side pinch roll 8 and an outlet-side pinch roll 9 are respectively attached to the upstream side (left side in Fig. 1) and the downstream side (right side in Fig. 1) in the conveying direction of the belt-like body 2 in the leveler body 7. The inlet-side pinch roll 8 is arranged vertically opposite to sandwich the belt-like body 2 from above and below so as to send it to the roll unit 5 while sandwiching the belt-like body 2 with a predetermined pressure from above and below. On the other hand, the outlet-side pinch roll 9 is arranged vertically opposite to sandwich the belt-like body 2 from above and below so as to send it to a press machine (not shown) while sandwiching the belt-like body 2 with a predetermined pressure from above and below.

[0030] <roll unit> The roll unit 5 is configured by combining an upper roll unit 5a and a lower roll unit 5b that are divided vertically. In a state where the roll unit 5 is incorporated into the leveler body 7, the upper roll unit 5a is moved up and down by a lifting mechanism 10 along a guide (not shown) provided in the leveler body 7.

[0031] The upper roll unit 5a is mainly composed of an upper bearing 11 and a roll 3 (upper work roll), and the lower roll unit 5b is mainly composed of a lower bearing 12 and a roll 4 (lower work roll). A plurality (five in this example) of the upper work rolls 3 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the conveying direction of the belt-like body 2 above the conveying path of the belt-like body 2, and a plurality (six in this example) of the lower work rolls 4 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the conveying direction of the belt-like body 2 below the conveying path of the belt-like body 2.

[0032] <work roll> The upper work roll 3 has shaft portions 13a and 13b formed at both ends, and a roll portion 14 formed between these shaft portions 13a and 13b. The lower work roll 4 has shaft portions 15a and 15b formed at both ends, and a roll portion 16 formed between these shaft portions 15a and 15b. In the upper work roll 3, each of the shaft portions 13a and 13b is rotatably supported by the upper bearing 11, and the roll portion 14 is supported by the backup roll 17. On the other hand, in the lower work roll 4, each of the shaft portions 15a and 15b is rotatably supported by the lower bearing 12, and the roll portion 16 is supported by the backup roll 18. In the roll unit 5, a plurality of work rolls 3 and 4 arranged vertically are arranged in a staggered pattern in the conveying direction of the belt-like body 2, and the upper and lower work rolls 3 and 4 arranged in this staggered pattern are configured to apply an appropriate bending return strain to the belt-like body 2 to remove the curl or the like of the belt-like body 2.

[0033] <Rotary drive device> As shown in Fig. 2(a), the rotary drive device 6 includes two drive motors 21 (only one is shown in the figure) and a gear box 22.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 2(b), the gear box 22 includes a casing 23, an input shaft 25, and an output shaft 26. The input shaft 25 is rotatably supported by the casing 23 so as to correspond to the output shaft 24 of each drive motor 21. The output shaft 26 is rotatably supported by the casing 23 so as to correspond to the shaft portions 13b and 15b on the side arranged toward the drive motor 21 in each of the plurality (11 in total in this example) of work rolls 3 and 4. Inside the casing 23, required gears (not shown) for power transmission are incorporated into the gear box 22 between the input shaft 25 and the output shaft 26.

[0035] In the rotary drive device 6, each input shaft 25 of the gear box 22 and the output shaft 24 of each drive motor 21 are connected by a shaft coupling 27, and the rotational power from the output shaft 24 of each drive motor 21 is configured to be transmitted to each output shaft 26 through the required gears in the casing 23 from each input shaft 25.

[0036] <Joint mechanism> A joint mechanism 30 is disposed between the roll unit 5 and the rotary drive device 6. The joint mechanism 30 includes a driven-side universal joint 31, a driven shaft 32, a friction engagement means 33, a drive shaft 34, and a drive-side universal joint 35 arranged in order from the roll unit 5 toward the rotary drive device 6.

[0037] <Driven shaft, drive shaft> A plurality of driven shafts 32 are arranged corresponding to the plurality of work rolls 3 and 4, and are rotatably supported by a first-side support member 36. A plurality of drive shafts 34 are arranged corresponding to the plurality of driven shafts 32, and are rotatably supported by a second-side support member 37. Here, the first-side support member 36 and the second-side support member 37 are disposed to face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween between the lever body 7 and the rotary drive device 6. The first-side support member 36 is supported by an upper frame 38 in the upper roll unit 5a and also supported by a lower frame 39 in the lower roll unit 5b. The second-side support member 37 is supported by an upper support member 41 and a lower support member 42 that project from the lever body 7 toward the rotary drive device 6 with a predetermined interval therebetween in the vertical direction.

[0038] The driven-side universal joint 31 connects the shaft portions 13b and 15b of the respective work rolls 3 and 4 and the respective driven shafts 32 so as to be capable of power transmission. On the other hand, the drive-side universal joint 35 connects the respective output shafts 26 provided in the gear box 22 and the respective drive shafts 34 so as to be capable of power transmission. In this way, the plurality of driven shafts 32 are connected to the respective plurality of work rolls 3 and 4 so as to be capable of power transmission, and the plurality of drive shafts 34 are connected to the rotary drive device 6 so as to be capable of power transmission.

[0039] <Friction engagement means> FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the friction engagement means 33. FIG. 3(a) is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2(b). FIG. 3(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of part D in FIG. 3(a). The friction engagement means 33 shown in FIG. 3(a) is configured to connect the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34 in a power-transmissible manner by friction engagement. The friction engagement means 33 includes a driven-side engagement portion 51, a drive-side engagement portion 52, and an elastic body 53.

[0040] <Driven-side engagement portion, tapered recess> As shown in FIG. 3(a), the driven-side engagement portion 51 is integrally provided on the base end side of the driven shaft 32 toward the drive shaft 34 between the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the driven-side engagement portion 51 has a tapered recess 55. The tapered recess 55 is a recess having a frustum-shaped inner surface formed by truncating the tip of a conical surface that is sharp toward the tip side of the driven shaft 32 and has a central axis L1 that coincides with the axis of the driven shaft 32, and is open toward the drive shaft 34.

[0041] <Drive-side engagement portion> The drive-side engagement portion 52 has a head portion 61, a flanged journal portion 62, a first body portion 63, a second body portion 64, and a tail portion 65 that are integrally connected in order so that their axes coincide with the drive shaft 34 in the direction from the driven shaft 32 toward the drive shaft 34 (rightward in FIG. 3(b)).

[0042] <Tapered protrusion> The head portion 61 has a tapered protrusion 70. The tapered protrusion 70 has a central axis L2 that coincides with the axis of the drive shaft 34 and has at least a part of a conical surface that is sharp toward the driven-side engagement portion 51 as its outer surface. In this example, since the groove 72 described later is provided on the outer surface of the tapered protrusion 70, strictly speaking, it is not a frustum-shaped surface formed by truncating the tip of the above conical surface. However, since the surface that envelopes the plurality of grooves 72 and the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 described later has a frustum shape, it can be said that it is formed in a substantially frustum shape close to the frustum shape.

[0043] <Divided frustum, groove for air escape> FIG. 4 is a cutaway end view of the essential part of the friction engagement means 33. FIG. 4(a) is a cutaway end view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 3(b). FIG. 4(b) is a cutaway end view taken along the line F-F in FIG. 3(b). As shown in FIGS. 3(b) and 4(a), on the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70, a plurality (three in this example, but not limited thereto) of grooves 72 for air escape extending along the generatrix of the conical surface are formed at equal pitches around the central axis L2. By providing the plurality of grooves 72 on the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70, a plurality (three in this example, but not limited thereto) of partial conical surfaces 71 adjacent to each other with the grooves 72 interposed therebetween are formed on the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 around the central axis L2. Thus, the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 includes the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 around the central axis L2 in the frustum conical surface where the tip side of the conical surface is truncated. As shown in FIG. 4(a), in this example, a cylindrical portion 61b having a plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 and a plurality of grooves 72 is externally fitted to a shaft portion 61a constituting the core portion in the head portion 61, and a key 61c is interposed between the shaft portion 61a and the cylindrical portion 61b to couple the shaft portion 61a and the cylindrical portion 61b so as to be able to transmit power, thereby constituting the head portion 61. Of course, there is also an aspect in which the head portion 61 is constituted by integrally forming the shaft portion 61a and the cylindrical portion 61b.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3(b), in the driven-side engaging portion 51 and the driving-side engaging portion 52, a tapered fitting structure in which the tapered concave portion 55 and the tapered convex portion 70 are fitted is adopted. Therefore, misalignment of the driven shaft 32 and the driving shaft 34 can be reduced, and the generation of abnormal noise and vibration can be suppressed. Moreover, the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 is formed in a substantially truncated conical shape including a plurality of partial conical surfaces 71, and the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 are brought into contact with the inner surface of the truncated conical shape in the tapered concave portion 55. Thus, the contact surface pressure of each of the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 with respect to the tapered concave portion 55 can be increased, and a centering action of the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 with respect to the tapered concave portion 55 can be obtained. Accordingly, the frictional force between the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 can be made larger, and the frictional engagement state can be maintained more stably. In addition, the centering of the driven shaft 32 and the driving shaft 34 can be performed with high precision. Note that the number of arrangements of the partial conical surfaces 71 is not particularly limited. However, since a more effective centering action can be obtained by surface contact between the tapered concave portion 55 and the tapered convex portion 70 at three locations, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 is preferably configured to be in surface contact with the tapered concave portion 55 by three partial conical surfaces 71.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3(b), the flanged journal portion 62 has a small-diameter short-axis portion 62a with a relatively small diameter and a large-diameter short-axis portion 62b with a larger diameter than the small-diameter short-axis portion 62a. The large-diameter short-axis portion 62b and the small-diameter short-axis portion 62a are arranged in order so that the axes thereof coincide with the driving shaft 34 in the direction from the driven shaft 32 toward the driving shaft 34. In the flanged journal portion 62, an outer peripheral portion of the large-diameter short-axis portion 62b that projects radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter short-axis portion 62a becomes a flange portion 62c.

[0046] The first body portion 63, the second body portion 64, and the tail portion 65 are formed of shaft members having different outer diameters. Among these first body portion 63, second body portion 64, and tail portion 65, the outer diameter of the first body portion 63 is the largest, the outer diameter of the second body portion 64 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the first body portion 63, and the outer diameter of the tail portion 65 is set to be the smallest.

[0047] On the tip side portion of the drive shaft 34 facing the driven shaft 32, a sleeve portion 34a and a flanged coupling portion 34b are formed in order so as to align the axis with the drive shaft 34 in the direction from the driven shaft 32 to the drive shaft 34.

[0048] The sleeve portion 34a has a receiving portion 75 capable of receiving the first body portion 63. The flanged coupling portion 34b has a housing portion 76 capable of housing the tail portion 65. A first bush 77 is disposed in the receiving portion 75 so as to be interposed between the first body portion 63. A second bush 78 is disposed in the housing portion 76 so as to be interposed between the tail portion 65. The first body portion 63 and the tail portion 65 are inserted into the sleeve portion 34a and the flanged coupling portion 34b slidably in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34 via the first bush 77 and the second bush 78. Thus, the driving engagement portion 52 is made movable in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34.

[0049] The sleeve portion 34a further has an insertion portion 79 into which the second body portion 64 can be inserted. A key 80 is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the second body portion 64 with a predetermined protruding amount. A key groove 79a (see FIG. 4(b)) engaging with the key 80 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion 79. Thus, by interposing the key 80 between the driving engagement portion 52 and the drive shaft 34, the driving engagement portion 52 is mounted on the drive shaft 34 so as to be capable of power transmission. The key 80 is disposed so as to extend along the axis of the drive shaft 34, and does not prevent the movement of the driving engagement portion 52 in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34, but rather guides the movement.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3(b), a cylindrical collar 81 is disposed between the flanged journal portion 62 and the flanged coupling portion 34b. One end side of the collar 81 facing the driven shaft 32 is brought into contact with the flange portion 62c of the flanged journal portion 62, while being externally fitted to the small-diameter short-axis portion 62a and the sleeve portion 34a of the flanged journal portion 62 with a predetermined gap between the flange of the flanged coupling portion 34b.

[0051] <Elastomer> The elastomer 53 is disposed between the other end side of the collar 81 and the flange of the flanged coupling portion 34b with spacers 82 interposed on one side and the other side in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34, respectively. The elastomer 53 includes a plurality (two in this example) of disc springs 85 having an insertion hole through which the sleeve portion 34a is inserted at the center. These disc springs 85 are alternately stacked in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34 with their mutually frustum conical surfaces that form the outer surface facing outward. By adopting such a configuration, the disc spring 85, which has a larger energy storage per unit volume than other types of springs, can withstand a large load in a small mounting space, and moreover, by the way of alternately stacking a plurality of disc springs 85, the overall deflection of the elastomer 53 can be increased. Therefore, a large elastic force can be easily ensured with a compact configuration, and the required amount of elastic deformation can be easily ensured.

[0052] <Roll unit replacement operation> In the roll unit exchangeable roller lever 1 configured as described above, when replacing the roll unit 5, a roll unit removal operation and a roll unit installation operation are performed.

[0053] <Roll unit removal operation> First, the rotation of the drive motor 21 is stopped by the rotation control of the drive motor 21 by a control device (not shown). Next, the lock by a roll unit fixing mechanism (not shown) that fixes the roll unit 5 to the lever body 7 is released. Then, the roll unit 5 is pulled out from the lever body 7 by a transport cart (not shown) equipped with a push-pull device having a function of pushing and pulling the roll unit 5 with respect to the lever body 7, and is transported, for example, to a roll unit storage location.

[0054] <Roll unit installation operation> Stop a transport cart (not shown) with a roll unit 5 according to the type of coil to be processed next at a predetermined position near the lever main body 7, and push the roll unit 5 into the lever main body 7.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the behavior of the friction engagement means 33 when the roll unit 5 is pushed into the lever main body 7 during the attachment operation of the roll unit 5 to the lever main body 7. FIG. 5(a) is a state diagram immediately before the drive-side engagement portion 52 engages with the driven-side engagement portion 51. FIG. 5(b) is a state diagram in which the drive-side engagement portion 52 is pushed axially of the drive shaft 34 by the driven-side engagement portion 51 against the elastic force of the elastic body 53 in a state where the drive-side engagement portion 52 engages with the driven-side engagement portion 51.

[0056] When the roll unit 5 is pushed into the lever main body 7, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the tapered convex portion 70 provided on the drive-side engagement portion 52 is inserted into the tapered concave portion 55 provided on the driven-side engagement portion 51. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the three partial conical surfaces 71 constituting the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 are brought into contact with the frustum-conical inner surface in the tapered concave portion 55. Thereby, the driven-side engagement portion 51 and the drive-side engagement portion 52 are in an engaged state.

[0057] When the roll unit 5 is further pushed into the lever main body 7, in a state where the driven-side engagement portion 51 and the drive-side engagement portion 52 are engaged, the drive-side engagement portion 52 is pushed axially of the drive shaft 34 by the driven-side engagement portion 51 against the elastic force of the elastic body 53. Then, it is locked by a roll unit fixing mechanism at a position pushed by the pushing amount S. Thereby, the driven-side engagement portion 51 and the drive-side engagement portion 52 are pressed against each other, and the driven-side engagement portion 51 and the drive-side engagement portion 52 are connected so as to be able to transmit rotational power by friction engagement that engages due to the friction generated by the pressing.

[0058] According to the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 of this embodiment, a plurality of driven shafts 32 that are power-transmittably connected to each of a plurality of work rolls 3 and 4, and a plurality of drive shafts 34 that are power-transmittably connected to a rotary drive device 6 are connected by friction engagement means 33. In this way, in the connection structure between the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34 by the friction engagement means 33, it is not a structure that mechanically meshes and transmits power, but a structure that transmits power by friction engagement. Therefore, the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34 can be power-transmittably connected regardless of the phase difference (relative position in the rotation direction) between the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34, and it becomes unnecessary to align the positions around the shafts when replacing the roll unit 5, and the roll unit 5 can be replaced quickly.

[0059] Also, according to the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1, since the driven-side engagement portion 51 and the drive-side engagement portion 52 are pressed against each other by the elastic force of the elastic body 53 and frictionally engage, the state in which the driven shaft 32 and the drive shaft 34 are power-transmittably connected by the friction engagement means 33 can be stably maintained.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 of this embodiment and the press processing line incorporating the same, the following operational effects can be obtained. (1) High-strength steel plates, aluminum plates, thick plates, thin plates, etc. can be appropriately corrected in one line. In other words, the number of lines required for correction can be reduced, the installation cost can be suppressed, and the installation space can be saved. (2) By quickly replacing the roll unit 5 that adopts the appropriate work roll diameter, roll pitch, etc. required for the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 according to the type of coil, the correction ability of the roll unit replaceable roller leveler 1 can be improved. Moreover, if the roll unit 5 is quickly replaced simultaneously with the die replacement of the press processing device, the setup time can be significantly saved. (3) Conventionally, maintenance inspections of work rolls 3, 4, etc. had to be carried out within the press working line by stopping the press working line, but the roll unit 5 can be removed from the leveler body 7 and maintenance inspections of the work rolls 3, 4, etc. can be carried out offline, enabling the work to be carried out more safely. (4) It becomes possible to update and replace the roller leveler at a low cost for different sheet thicknesses and materials from the existing roller leveler, and the performance of the press working line can be improved by retrofitting. (5) A speed switching mechanism can be incorporated in the rotary drive device 6, and operation can be performed at an appropriate speed in the high torque - low speed region (an appropriate drive motor 21 can be selected and an excessive motor output is not required).

[0061] As described above, the roll unit exchangeable roller leveler of the present invention has been described based on one embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and its configuration can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist thereof.

[0062] The friction engagement means of the present invention is not limited to the friction engagement means 33 exemplified in the above embodiment. Instead, it may include a drive - side engagement portion integrally provided on the drive shaft between the driven shaft and the drive shaft, a driven - side engagement portion that can engage with the drive - side engagement portion and is mounted on the driven shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction of the driven shaft and capable of power transmission, and an elastic body that biases the driven - side engagement portion toward the drive - side engagement portion. When the roll unit is attached to the leveler body, the driven - side engagement portion is pushed into the axial direction of the driven shaft by the drive - side engagement portion against the elastic force of the elastic body, so that the driven - side engagement portion and the drive - side engagement portion are configured to frictionally engage with each other. In short, in the friction engagement means 33 exemplified in the above embodiment, a mode in which the structure on the side of the driven shaft 32 and the structure on the side of the drive shaft 34 are reversed may also be possible.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the elastic body 53 is shown as an example configured by stacking a plurality of disc springs 85 in series so that the mutually frustoconical surfaces constituting the outer surface face outward in the axial direction of the drive shaft 34. However, it may also be configured by stacking a plurality of disc springs 85 in parallel in the same direction. Further, when the elastic body 53 is configured by stacking a plurality of disc springs 85 in series, the number of disc springs 85 installed only needs to be a multiple of 2 and is not particularly limited. On the other hand, when the elastic body 53 is configured by stacking a plurality of disc springs 85 in parallel, the number of disc springs 85 installed only needs to be an integer of 2 or more and is not particularly limited. Further, a series stack and a parallel stack of a plurality of disc springs 85 may be appropriately combined.

[0064] Regarding the spring material constituting the elastic body 53 in the above embodiment, it is not limited to the disc spring 85. Instead of the disc spring 85, a ring spring configured by alternately combining an inner ring and an outer ring having frustoconical surfaces, a compression coil spring, or the like may be used.

[0065] As described above, in the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3(b) and 4(a), each partial conical surface 71 constituting the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 abuts against the frustum conical inner surface in the tapered concave portion 55, so that the driven-side engaging portion 51 and the driving-side engaging portion 52 are engaged. Further, in a state where the driven-side engaging portion 51 and the driving-side engaging portion 52 are engaged, the driving-side engaging portion 52 is pushed axially of the drive shaft 34 by the driven-side engaging portion 51 against the elastic force of the elastic body 53. When the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 are fitted together by such engagement and pushing, the groove 72 is provided on the outer surface of the head 61 such that a part thereof (the end portion on the drive shaft 34 side) is exposed outside the tapered concave portion 55 in the driven-side engaging portion 51. Thereby, when the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 are fitted together, the air inside the tapered concave portion 55 is discharged to the outside through the groove 72. By providing such a groove 72 for air escape, it is possible to prevent the driving-side engaging portion 52 from being pushed back by the air inside the tapered concave portion 55, and the effect that the fitting operation between the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 can be performed smoothly is achieved. However, the groove provided on the outer surface of the head 61 (tapered convex portion 70) is not limited to the groove 72 of the above embodiment. Another exemplary embodiment of the friction engagement means in which a groove 100 having a different form from the groove 72 of the above embodiment is provided on the outer surface of the head 61 (tapered convex portion 70) will be described below with reference to FIG. 6.

[0066] FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of another exemplary embodiment of the friction engagement means. As shown in FIG. 6, when the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 are fitted by the above-described engagement and pushing, the groove 100 is provided along the generatrix of the conical surface on the outer surface of the tapered convex portion 70 so as to completely enter the tapered concave portion 55. In the fitted state of the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55, since a part of the groove 100 (the end portion on the driving shaft 34 side) is not exposed outside the tapered concave portion 55 in the driven-side engaging portion 51, it does not function as a vent groove like the groove 72 in the above embodiment. However, by providing a plurality of the grooves 100, a plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 are formed. Therefore, similarly to the above embodiment, the contact surface pressure of each of the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 with respect to the tapered concave portion 55 can be increased, and the centering action of the plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 with respect to the tapered concave portion 55 can be obtained. As a result, the frictional force between the tapered convex portion 70 and the tapered concave portion 55 can be increased, and the friction engagement state can be maintained more stably. At the same time, the alignment of the driven shaft 32 and the driving shaft 34 can be performed with high precision.

[0067] In the above embodiment and the alternative exemplary embodiment, an example in which the grooves 72 and 100 are provided on the outer surface of the head portion 61 so as to extend along the generatrix of the conical surface has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as a plurality of partial conical surfaces 71 can be formed, grooves having an arbitrary shape can be provided on the outer surface of the head portion 61 so as to extend from the base end to the tip of the head portion 61 without following the generatrix.

Industrial Applicability

[0068] The roll unit exchangeable roller leveler of the present invention can be used for correcting a strip in a press working line in which a roll unit is exchanged according to changes in the material and thickness of the strip.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0069] 1 Roll unit exchangeable roller leveler 3, 4 Work roll 5 Roll unit 6 Rotation drive device 7 Leveler body 32 Driven shaft 33 Friction engagement means 34 Driving shaft 51 Driven side engaging portion 52 Driving side engaging portion 53 Elastic body 55 Tapered recess 70 Tapered protrusion 71 Partial conical surface 72 Groove for air escape 85 Disc spring

Claims

1. A roll unit exchangeable roller leveler comprising a roll unit in which a plurality of rolls for applying a restoring force to a strip fed out from a coil are unitized, and a leveler body to which a rotary drive device for rotatably driving the plurality of rolls is attached, wherein the roll unit is configured to be attached by being pushed into the leveler body, a plurality of driven shafts that are connected to each of the plurality of rolls so as to be able to transmit power, a plurality of drive shafts that are arranged corresponding to the driven shafts and are connected to the rotary drive device so as to be able to transmit power, friction engagement means for connecting the driven shaft and the drive shaft so as to be able to transmit power by frictional engagement therebetween, and comprising, the friction engagement means, a driven-side engagement portion integrally provided on the driven shaft between the driven shaft and the drive shaft, a drive-side engagement portion that can engage with the driven-side engagement portion, is movable in the axial direction of the drive shaft, and is mounted on the drive shaft so as to be able to transmit power, and an elastic body that biases the drive-side engagement portion toward the driven-side engagement portion, and comprising, when the roll unit is attached to the leveler body, the drive-side engagement portion is pushed in the axial direction of the drive shaft by the driven-side engagement portion against the elastic force of the elastic body, so that the driven-side engagement portion and the drive-side engagement portion are configured to frictionally engage with each other. A roll unit exchangeable roller leveler.

2. The roll unit exchangeable roller leveler according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is configured by alternately stacking a plurality of disc springs in the axial direction of the drive shaft.

3. The drive-side engagement portion has a taper protrusion having at least a part of a conical surface that is sharp toward the driven-side engagement portion and has a central axis that coincides with the axis of the drive shaft as an outer surface, The roll unit exchangeable roller leveler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driven-side engagement portion has a taper recess that can be fitted with the taper protrusion.

4. The outer surface of the taper protrusion includes a plurality of partial conical surfaces around the central axis in a frustum of a cone where the tip side of the conical surface is truncated, and these plurality of partial conical surfaces are brought into contact with the taper recess. The roll unit exchangeable roller leveler according to claim 3.

5. The roll unit exchangeable roller leveler according to claim 3, wherein a groove for air escape is formed in the taper protrusion along the generatrix of the conical surface.

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