Roller suitable for conveyor belts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a roller (1) suitable for a conveyor belt comprising a hollow body (5), a shaft (2) at least partially housed in the hollow body (5), bearings (3) on which the shaft (2) rests, and respective seats (4) of the corresponding bearing (3). The hollow body (5) is made of a plastic material and the roller (1) comprises bushings (7) which retain the hollow body (5) against the seats (4) preventing the hollow body (5) from opening radially due to deformation in the area surrounding the seats (4).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Roller adapted for conveyor belts

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] The object of the invention is a roller adapted for conveyor belts.

[0005] PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

[0006] Rollers are one of the main components of a conveyor belt. ES 1071611 U discloses a roller for conveyor belts comprising a steel tube, a shaft coaxial to the steel tube, bearings housed at the ends of the steel tube, housings at the ends of the tube for the corresponding bearing, and sealing means that protect the bearings from various contaminants such as dust, water, etc., to which the rollers may be exposed during operation.

[0007] EP 1103495 A1 discloses a friction roller comprising a fitted plastic body that rotates freely on an axis. The plastic body has a reinforcement of non-slip elastic material (plastic or elastomer) inserted into the exterior of the plastic body and protruding relative to the plastic body.

[0008] DE 10 2006 040 883 A1 discloses a roller configured to withstand high loads. The roller body is a solid body made of plastic. Furthermore, the roller may comprise an inner tube arranged inside the roller body, surrounding the roller axis, and an outer tube surrounding the roller body on the outside. Both the inner and outer tubes may be made of a more rigid plastic material or a metallic material and are glued, pressed, or extruded onto the roller body.

[0009] Finally, EP 19019801 A1 describes rollers comprising a hollow metal tubular body with sections at the end for housing bearings, and a shaft mounted on two bearings. The metal tubular body includes a reinforcement in the central section that prevents the tubular body from deforming when subjected to high stresses and / or speeds.

[0010] EXPOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of the invention is to provide a roller adapted to a conveyor belt, as defined in the claims.

[0012] The roller according to the invention comprises a hollow body, a shaft housed at least partially in the hollow body, bearings housed at the ends of the hollow body on which the shaft is supported, and a seat for each bearing coupled inside the hollow body.

[0013] When the roller is subjected to high loads, the hollow body, which is made of plastic, tends to deform radially or transversely at its ends, splitting radially. When the ends split radially, not only does the bearings become unprotected, but they also function incorrectly. This creates play in the bearing area, which must be avoided.

[0014] To avoid this problem, the roller according to the invention comprises bushings that retain the hollow body against the seats, preventing said radial / transverse deformation.

[0015] This creates a simple, optimized roller, which, with a hollow body made of plastic, can be used in applications where the rollers are subjected to high loads without the problems mentioned above.

[0016] These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the figures and the detailed description of the invention.

[0017] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a roller according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the roller shown in Figure 1.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a front view of the roller section shown in Figure 2.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a detail A of the roller shown in Figure 3.

[0021] DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] An embodiment of a roller 1 according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 4. The roller 1 is adapted for use on conveyor belts not shown.

[0023] The roller 1 comprises a tubular body or hollow body 5, a shaft 2 partially housed in the hollow body 5, bearings 3 on which the shaft 2 is supported and a seat 4 for each bearing 3. The hollow body 5 is a cylindrical body. The shaft 2 passes through the hollow body 5, the hollow body 5 being rotatable with respect to the shaft 2 by means of the bearings 3 each arranged at one end of the hollow body 5.

[0024] The seats 4 of the bearings 3 are independent elements of the hollow body 5, not being integrated into said hollow body 5.

[0025] The roller 1 comprises bushings 7 that retain the hollow body 5 against the seats 4, preventing said hollow body 5, in particular the ends of said hollow body 5, from opening radially due to deformation in the area in which it surrounds the seats 4 when the roller 1 is subjected to high loads.

[0026] Each bushing 7 externally surrounds one end of the hollow body 5. In particular, each bushing 7 externally surrounds at least partially the corresponding seat 4 and at least partially the corresponding bearing 3.

[0027] Each bushing 7 has a maximum outer diameter equal to or less than the maximum outer diameter of the hollow body 5 and does not protrude radially with respect to the hollow body 5. The hollow body 5 comprises at each of its two ends a housing 8 in which the corresponding bushing 7 is housed. In the embodiment shown in the figures, each housing 8 is a recess in the corresponding end of the hollow body 5, the housing 8 being delimited by surfaces 8a and 8b of the hollow body 5 and a surface 8c of the seat 4. The bushings 7 have an outer diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the hollow body 5 and are completely housed in the corresponding radial housing 8. Each bushing 7 is preferably fixed to the hollow body 5 by pressure.

[0028] The hollow body 5 is made of a plastic material. The bushings 7, for their part, are made of a material that is more resistant to radial or transverse deformations than the plastic material of the hollow body 5.

[0029] Finally, the roller 1 also comprises sealing means 10 configured to protect the bearings 3 against contaminants to which they may be exposed, such as dust, water, etc.The sealing means 10 are known in the state of the art, and comprise a deflector 11 adjusted to the axis 2, a bushing 12 with a “Z” shaped profile housed in the corresponding seat 4 and which closes against the seat 4 to prevent the entry of solid and liquid contaminants, a contact retainer 13 concentric to the axis 2, which seals against the deflector 11 allowing air to escape to the outside but not the entry of air to the inside of the roller 1, a chamber 14 delimited by the deflector 11, the contact retainer 13 and the bushing 12, filled with grease and configured to trap the contaminating particles, and a labyrinthine collar 15 housed in the seat 4 configured to efficiently expel the solid and / or liquid contaminating particles, depositing them in the chamber.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Roller adapted to a conveyor belt, comprising a hollow body (5), a shaft (2) housed at least partially in the hollow body (5), bearings (3) on which the shaft (2) is supported, and a seat (4) for each bearing (3), characterized in that the hollow body (5) is made of a plastic material and the roller (1) comprises bushings (7) that retain the hollow body (5) against the seats (4) preventing the hollow body (5) from opening radially due to deformation in the area in which it surrounds the seats (4).

2. Roller according to the preceding claim, wherein each bushing (7) externally surrounds one end of the hollow body (5).

3. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each bushing (7) externally surrounds at least partially the seat (4) and at least partially the corresponding bearing (3).

4. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each bushing (7) has a maximum outer diameter equal to or less than the maximum outer diameter of the hollow body (5).

5. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow body (5) comprises at each end a housing (8) in which the corresponding bushing (7) is housed.

6. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each bushing (7) is made of a material that is more resistant than the material of the hollow body (5) with respect to transverse or radial deformations.

7. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each bushing (7) is fixed to the hollow body (5) by pressure.

8. Roller according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the seats (4) are independent elements of the hollow body (5).

9. Conveyor belt comprising a plurality of rollers (1) according to any of the preceding claims.

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