Direct-drive roll and roll-type conveyor device

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a direct-drive roll and a roll-type conveyor device. The direct-drive roll comprises a roller, an electric motor, and a coupler arranged between the roller and the electric motor. The electric motor comprises an output shaft, and the coupler is sleeved on the output shaft; a plurality of first components and a plurality of second components are arranged at an outer edge of the coupler, and the first components and the second components are alternately distributed in the circumferential direction of the coupler; and the first components are rigid components, the second components are elastic components, and the rigidity of the first components is greater than that of the second components. The roller is annularly sleeved on the coupler, the first components are in clearance fit with the roller, and the second components elastically abut against an inner wall of the roller, such that the whole structure of the direct-drive roll is simple, assembly is facilitated, and the transmission efficiency is high.

Description

Direct drive rollers and roller conveyors Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of mechanical transmission technology, and in particular to a direct-drive roller and a roller conveying device. Background Art

[0002] Roller conveyors are widely used in industrial production, warehousing and distribution, port logistics, and other fields. They are fast, efficient, and reliable, saving significant manpower and material resources. Roller conveyors typically consist of several direct-drive rollers arranged along a specific direction. Each direct-drive roller includes a motor, a roller, and a coupling element positioned between the motor and roller.

[0003] In existing technology, the coupling typically consists of two axially aligned plates, one positioned inside the motor and the other outside. A rubber ring is placed between the two plates. During the alignment process, the rubber ring is squeezed and deformed axially, increasing its radial dimension and allowing it to come into close contact with the inner wall of the roller. When the motor rotates, friction between the rubber ring and the roller causes the roller to rotate accordingly. During operation, the direct-drive rollers of the roller conveyor rotate simultaneously, driving the object to be conveyed along the direction of their arrangement.

[0004] The coupling of the direct-drive roller of the above structure is composed of multiple components, which is not only complex in structure and difficult to assemble, but also has limited power transmission capacity, and needs further improvement.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, a direct-drive roller and a roller conveying device with a simple structure and high transmission efficiency are provided.

[0007] On the one hand, the present application provides a direct-drive roller, comprising a roller, a motor, and a coupling member arranged between the roller and the motor, wherein the motor comprises an output shaft, and the coupling member is sleeved on the output shaft; a plurality of first components and a plurality of second components are provided on the outer edge of the coupling member, and the first components and the second components are alternately distributed in the circumferential direction of the coupling member; the first component is a rigid component, and the second component is an elastic component, and the rigidity of the first component is greater than the rigidity of the second component; the roller is sleeved on the coupling member, the first component is loosely fitted with the roller, and the second component elastically presses against the inner wall of the roller.

[0008] On the other hand, the present application provides a roller conveyor device comprising a plurality of the above-mentioned direct-drive rollers arranged in sequence.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the coupling of the direct-drive roller of the present application alternately arranges a rigid first component and an elastic second component in the circumferential direction. The first component provides rigid support, and the second component forms an elastic abutment with the roller. The overall structure is simple, easy to assemble and has high transmission efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a direct-drive roller according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0011] FIG. 2 is an axial side view of the direct drive roller shown in FIG. 1 .

[0012] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view of the direct-drive roller shown in FIG2 along line III-III.

[0013] FIG4 is an exploded view of the direct drive roller shown in FIG1 .

[0014] FIG. 5 is a further exploded view of the motor of the direct-drive roller shown in FIG. 4 .

[0015] FIG. 6 is another angle view of the coupling member of the direct drive roller shown in FIG. 4 .

[0016] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the coupling member shown in FIG. 6 .

[0017] FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of a direct-drive roller according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0018] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the coupling member of the direct drive roller shown in FIG8 .

[0019] FIG10 is an exploded view of the coupling member shown in FIG9 .

[0020] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the roller conveyor device of the present application.

[0021] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0022] 100, direct drive roller; 200, frame;

[0023] 20. Roller; 22. Space;

[0024] 30. Motor; 32. Stator; 321. Magnetic core; 323. Coil; 325. Circuit board; 34. Rotor; 341. Permanent magnet; 343. Output shaft; 345. Rotor housing; 346. End cap; 347. Notch; 348. Bearing seat; 349. Raised strip; 36. Magnet; 38. Bearing;

[0025] 40. Coupling member; 42. Connecting portion; 421. Connecting hole; 423. Spoke plate;

[0026] 44 / 44a / 44b, first component; 441, pivot hole; 443, first interval; 445, second interval;

[0027] 46 / 46a / 46b, second component; 461, rib; 463, first wheel disc; 465, second wheel disc; 467, first hole; 469, second hole; 48, shaft.

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] To facilitate understanding of the present application, a more comprehensive description of the present application will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings provide exemplary embodiments of the present application to provide a more accurate and thorough understanding of the technical solutions disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the present application can be implemented in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0030] The same or similar numbers in the drawings of this application correspond to the same or similar parts; in the description of this application, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "up", "down", "left", "right", etc. indicating directions or positional relationships, they are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, the terms describing the positional relationship in the drawings are only used for illustrative purposes and cannot be understood as limiting this application. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0031] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present application, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel schemes. Taking "a and / or b" as an example, it includes scheme a, or scheme b, or a and b simultaneously satisfied scheme.

[0032] In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the fact that ordinary technicians in this field can implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this application.

[0033] The present application provides a direct-drive roller, preferably for use in a mechanical transmission device, such as a belt transmission device. Figures 1-4 illustrate a specific embodiment of the direct-drive roller of the present application. The direct-drive roller 100 includes a roller 20, a motor 30, and a coupling member 40 disposed between the roller 20 and the motor 30.

[0034] As shown in Figures 4-5, the roller 20 is generally an elongated cylindrical structure with a hollow interior, forming a space 22 for mounting the motor 30, coupling 40, etc. The motor 30 includes a stator 32 and a rotor 34 that rotates relative to the stator 32. The rotor 34 is connected to the roller 20 via the coupling 40. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the stator 32 typically includes a magnetic core 321 and a coil 323 wound around the core 321. The rotor 34 typically includes a permanent magnet 341. When energized, the coil 323 generates a periodically changing magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 341, causing the rotor 34 to rotate continuously, thereby driving the roller 20 to rotate.

[0035] In this embodiment, the motor 30 is preferably an external rotor motor, meaning that the rotor 34 is disposed around the stator 32. The roller 20 is directly sleeved onto the exterior of the rotor 34, with a clearance fit between the rollers 20 and the stator 32. As shown in FIG5 , the rotor 34 extends outwardly to form an output shaft 343 for pivotal connection with the coupling 40. The cross-section of the output shaft 343 is preferably non-circular, such as a polygon, star, or D-shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the output shaft 343 is an octagon.

[0036] Please refer to Figures 6 and 7 simultaneously. The coupling member 40 includes a connecting portion 42 that is sleeved on the output shaft 343 and a plurality of first components 44 and second components 46 arranged around the connecting portion 42. A connecting hole 421 is formed in the center of the connecting portion 42 for inserting the output shaft 343. The shape of the connecting hole 421 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the output shaft 343. For example, in this embodiment, the connecting hole 421 is an octagonal hole. After assembly, the output shaft 343 and the coupling member 40 are limited in the circumferential direction through shape matching, and the two can rotate synchronously. It should be understood that the output shaft 343 and the connecting hole 421 can also be circular. In this case, the circumferential limit can be formed by other means, such as keying.

[0037] The first and second components 44, 46 are alternately distributed around the circumference of the coupling member 40 and sequentially connected to form an annular coupling portion surrounding the connecting portion 42. The first component 44 has a greater rigidity than the second component 46. Specifically, the first component 44 can be a rigid component, and the second component 46 can be an elastic component. In a natural state, the outer diameter of the coupling portion at the first component 44 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the roller 20, while the outer diameter at the second component 46 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the roller 20. In other words, the second component 46 convex radially outward relative to the first component 44. When subjected to external forces, the first component 44 will not deform substantially, while the second component 46 can undergo some elastic deformation.

[0038] When the motor 30 and coupling 40 are assembled into the roller 20, because the outer diameter of the coupling 40 at the second component 46 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the roller 20 and the second component 46 is elastic, the second component 46 is compressed and deforms slightly, causing its radial dimension to slightly decrease, thereby adapting to the inner diameter of the roller 20. After assembly, the deformed second component 46 remains slightly deformed and elastically abuts against the inner wall of the roller 20, forming a tight fit. When the rotor 34 of the motor 30 drives the coupling 40 to rotate, the static friction between the coupling 40 and the roller 20 causes the roller 20 to rotate accordingly. In this way, the torque of the motor 30 is transmitted to the roller 20 through the coupling 40.

[0039] The direct-drive roller 100 of the present application alternately comprises a rigid first component 44 and an elastic second component 46 on its outer edge. Compared to the prior art coupling unit's rubber ring, which deforms as a whole, the first component 44 enhances the overall rigidity of the coupling 40. The second component 46 elastically deforms to abut against the roller 20, enabling power transmission. The deformation of the second component 46 is limited by the rigid structure, effectively improving the stability of the coupling 40 and the roller 20, and enhancing the efficiency of power transmission between the two. Preferably, the first component 44 is formed by the connecting portion 42 extending radially outward as a single unit, further enhancing overall strength and simplifying the assembly process.

[0040] As shown in Figure 7, the coupling member 40 is constructed as a universal wheel as a whole, and the second component 46 is rotatably connected to the first component 44. Preferably, the second component 46 is an elastic roller, such as a rubber roller, which is rotatably pivoted between two circumferentially adjacent first components 44 via a shaft 48. Correspondingly, each first component 44 is formed with a pivot hole 441 on both sides of the circumference for inserting the shaft 48. When the coupling member 40 is assembled into the roller 20, the second component 46 can roll along the inner wall of the roller 20, effectively reducing assembly resistance and improving the convenience of product assembly. Preferably, ribs 461 are formed on the outer surface of the second component 46 to increase the friction between the second component 46 and the roller 20, thereby improving the transmission efficiency between the motor 30 and the roller 20.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3-4, two coupling members 40 are stacked on the output shaft 343 of the motor 30, and the two coupling members 40 are offset circumferentially, so that the second component 46 of one coupling member 40 is opposite the first component 44 of the other coupling member 40, and the second components 46 of the two coupling members 40 are alternately distributed in the circumferential direction. In other embodiments, there may be three or even more coupling members 40 as needed. Providing multiple coupling members 40 can effectively increase the contact points between the coupling members 40 and the inner wall of the roller 20, so that the force between the two is more evenly distributed in the circumferential direction. The multiple coupling members 40 can be independent structures or integrated structures, such as the connection portion 42 of each coupling member 40 can be integrated.

[0042] Figures 8-10 illustrate another embodiment of a direct-drive roller of the present application. The direct-drive roller 100 shown also includes a roller 20, a motor 30, and a coupling 40. The coupling 40 includes a connecting portion 42 that is sleeved with the output shaft 343 of the motor 30, and a plurality of first components 44 and second components 46 disposed around the connecting portion 42. The first components 44 and the second components 46 are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction, and the outer diameter of the second components 46 of the coupling 40 is larger than the outer diameter of the first components 44. The first components 44 are rigid components that have a clearance fit with the inner wall of the roller 20; the second components 46 are elastic components that, after a certain degree of deformation, elastically abut against the inner wall of the roller 20, with transmission between the two components occurring via static friction.

[0043] The coupling member 40 can efficiently transmit the rotation of the motor 30 to the roller 20, thereby driving components connected to the roller 20, such as belts. The main differences between the coupling member 40 in this embodiment and the previous embodiment are:

[0044] As shown in Figures 9-10, in this embodiment, a radially outwardly extending web 423 is formed at the axial midpoint of the connecting portion 42 of the coupling member 40. A plurality of first components 44 are formed on either axial side of the web 423 (e.g., side A and side B, as shown). For ease of description, these components are referred to as side A first components 44a and side B first components 44b, respectively. The side A first components 44a are spaced circumferentially, with first gaps 443 formed between adjacent sides of the side A first components 44a. The side B first components 44b are similarly spaced circumferentially, with second gaps 445 formed between adjacent sides of the side B first components 44b. The side A first components 44a, side B first components 44b, and web 423 are preferably integrally formed. The side A first components 44a and side B first components 44b may be circumferentially offset from each other, thereby causing the first gaps 443 and second gaps 445 to be misaligned.

[0045] Correspondingly, a plurality of second components 46 are provided on either side of the spoke 423. For ease of description, these components are referred to below as the A-side second components 46a and the B-side second components 46b. The A-side second components 46a are embedded in the first gaps 443 between the A-side first components 44a. This means that the A-side first components 44a and the A-side second components 46a are located on the same side of the spoke 423 and are alternately distributed circumferentially. The B-side second components 46b are embedded in the second gaps 445 between the B-side first components 44b. This means that the B-side first components 44b and the B-side second components 46b are located on the same side of the spoke 423 and are alternately distributed circumferentially. In this embodiment, the A-side second components 46a and the B-side second components 46b are both deflected by a certain angle relative to the radial direction of the coupling member 40, and the deflection directions are different.

[0046] In one specific embodiment, as shown in Figure 10 , the A-side second component 46a can be deflected counterclockwise relative to the radial direction of the coupling 40, while the B-side second component 46b can be deflected clockwise relative to the radial direction of the coupling 40. The A-side second component 46a and the B-side second component 46b are deflected in different directions to accommodate rotation of the motor 30 in different directions (i.e., clockwise or counterclockwise), increase friction with the roller 20, and improve transmission efficiency. It should be understood that, depending on different design requirements, the A-side second component 46a and the B-side second component 46b can be deflected in the same direction relative to the radial direction of the coupling 40; alternatively, they can extend radially along the coupling 40 without deflection.

[0047] In this embodiment, several A-side second components 46a are formed by integrally extending outward from the edge of the first disc 463, forming a gear structure. Similarly, several B-side second components 46b are formed by integrally extending outward from the edge of the second disc 465, forming a gear structure. A first hole 467 is centrally defined in the first disc 463, and a second hole 469 is centrally defined in the second disc 465. The shapes and dimensions of the first and second holes 467 and 469 match those of the connecting portion 42. During assembly, the first and second discs 463 and 465 are placed on either side of the spoke 423 and respectively sleeved onto the axial ends of the connecting portion 42. The A-side second components 46a snap into the corresponding first gaps 443, and the B-side second components 46b snap into the corresponding second gaps 445, thereby assembling the coupling 40.

[0048] It should be understood that in other embodiments, the first component 44 and the second component 46 may be provided on only one side of the web 423 , without being limited to the specific embodiment.

[0049] Referring to Figures 3 and 5 , the rotor 34 of the motor 30 further includes a rotor housing 345 and an end cap 346 axially abutting the rotor housing 345. The output shaft 343 extends vertically outward from the center of the end cap 346. The output shaft 343 and the end cap 346 can be integrally formed or separately molded and assembled together. A space is formed within the end cap 346 for mounting electronic components such as a circuit board 325. The circuit board 325 is electrically connected to the coil 323 to control the magnitude and direction of the current flowing through the coil 323. Preferably, a sensor, such as a Hall sensor, is provided on the circuit board 325. A magnet 36 is disposed within the end cap 346. As the end cap 346 rotates, its magnetic field changes. The sensor determines the position of the rotor 34 based on this magnetic field change, thereby controlling the operation of the motor 30, including starting, stopping, reversing, and speed regulation.

[0050] In this embodiment, the rotor housing 345 is a cylindrical structure with two open ends. The permanent magnet 341 is attached to the inner wall of the rotor housing 345. The stator 32 is inserted into the rotor housing 345, with its magnetic core 321 and coil 323 radially opposed to and spaced from the permanent magnet 341. Preferably, bearing seats 348 are provided at each end of the rotor housing 345. Bearings 38 are disposed within the bearing seats 348 to support the rotation of the rotor 34, thereby improving the smooth operation of the motor 30 and reducing noise generation. The outer wall of the bearing seat 348 is formed with a protruding ridge 349. The rotor housing 345 and the end cover 346 are formed with notches 347 corresponding to the protruding ridge 349. The engagement of the notches 347 with the protruding ridge 349 connects the rotor housing 345, the end cover 346, and the bearing seat 348 together and forms a circumferential limit to enable synchronous rotation. It should be understood that the rotor housing 345 , the end cover 346 , the bearing seat 348 , etc. may also have other connection methods and are not limited to the specific embodiment.

[0051] The coupling member 40 used in the direct-drive roller 100 of the present application has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, and has high transmission efficiency, thereby forming an efficient roller transmission device. In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG11 , a plurality of direct-drive rollers 100 are sequentially arranged along a straight line on a frame 200 to form a roller conveyor device. During operation, each direct-drive roller 100 rotates simultaneously, driving the object to be conveyed to move along a straight line. As shown by the arrow in the figure, the direct-drive roller 100 rotates counterclockwise, driving the object to move forward along a straight line. In other embodiments, depending on the different paths along which the objects are to be conveyed, the direct-drive rollers 100 may be arranged in other ways, such as arranging the direct-drive rollers 100 in a ring to form a circular conveying path for the objects; or arranging the direct-drive rollers 100 along a curve to form a curved conveying path for the objects, without being limited to the specific embodiments.

[0052] It should be noted that the above embodiments merely represent preferred implementations of the present application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the present application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art may, without departing from the spirit of the present application, make various modifications and improvements, such as combining different features from the various embodiments, and all of these modifications and improvements should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A direct drive roller, comprising a roller, a motor and a coupling member arranged between the roller and the motor, characterized in that: The motor includes an output shaft, and the coupling piece is sleeved on the output shaft; a plurality of first components and a plurality of second components are provided on the outer edge of the coupling piece, and the first components and the second components are alternately distributed in the circumferential direction of the coupling piece; the first component is a rigid component, and the second component is an elastic component, and the rigidity of the first component is greater than that of the second component; the roller is sleeved on the coupling piece, the first component is loosely matched with the roller, and the second component elastically presses against the inner wall of the roller.

2. The direct drive roller according to claim 1, characterized in that The coupling member further comprises a connecting portion sleeved with the output shaft, and the first component integrally extends outward from the connecting portion.

3. The direct drive roller according to claim 1, characterized in that The second component is rotatably connected between two of the first components adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

4. The direct drive roller according to claim 3, characterized in that The second component is an elastic roller, which is pivotally connected between two adjacent first components in the circumferential direction through a shaft.

5. The direct drive roller according to claim 4, characterized in that The outer surface of the second member is formed with ribs.

6. The direct drive roller according to claim 3, characterized in that: There are multiple coupling members and they are stacked along the axial direction of the output shaft. The second component of each coupling member is directly opposite to the first component of the adjacent coupling member.

7. The direct drive roller according to claim 2, characterized in that The connecting portion has a spoke plate extending radially outward, the first component is respectively arranged on two opposite outer edges of the spoke plate; the second component is respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the spoke plate, and the second component and the first component located on the same side of the spoke plate are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction.

8. The direct drive roller according to claim 7, characterized in that The second components located on the same side of the web are deflected in the same direction by a certain angle relative to the radial direction of the coupling member.

9. The direct drive roller according to claim 8, characterized in that The second components located on different sides of the web are deflected in opposite directions relative to the radial direction of the coupling member.

10. The direct drive roller according to claim 8, characterized in that The coupling member further comprises a first wheel disc and a second wheel disc respectively located at opposite sides of the web, and second components located at opposite sides of the web are respectively integrally formed at outer edges of the first wheel disc and the second wheel disc.

11. The direct drive roller according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The motor is an external rotor motor, comprising a stator and a rotor arranged around the stator; an end cover is connected to one end of the rotor facing the coupling member, and the output shaft extends outward from the center of the end cover; the roller is encircled by the rotor of the motor.

12. A roller conveyor, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of direct-drive rollers arranged in sequence, wherein the direct-drive rollers are the direct-drive rollers according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images