Belt Device Guide Member Prevents Protrusion Meandering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing belt devices with protrusions on endless belts face issues where the protrusions can run onto support rollers, both during normal operation and when external forces are applied, leading to meandering and potential misalignment.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a guide member that contacts the protrusion on the endless belt, which is nonrotatably or rotatably supported between the support roller and the protrusion, to prevent the protrusion from running onto the support roller, even under external forces, by adjusting its position relative to the belt's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rotating member with a tapered surface is used to prevent meandering, then meandering is restricted under normal conditions, but the protrusion readily runs onto the rotating member when external force is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed to be movable toward the upstream side when external force is applied to the endless belt. This dynamic adjustment allows the guide member to maintain proper contact with the protrusion under varying load conditions, preventing the protrusion from running onto the support roller while accommodating external forces that cause belt tension changes
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member acts as an intermediary element between the protrusion and the support roller. It provides controlled guidance to the protrusion, allowing the protrusion to contact the guide member in a controlled manner rather than directly contacting the support roller, thereby preventing meandering and misalignment
2Reliability
If the guide member is nonrotatably supported, then the protrusion is prevented from running onto the support roller, but the guide member cannot adjust to external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with movable support that allows it to adjust its position toward the upstream side when external force is applied to the endless belt. This dynamic capability enables the guide member to maintain effective guidance of the protrusion under varying operational conditions while preventing the protrusion from contacting the support roller
3Stability of the object's composition
If the guide member is separately provided from the support roller, then the protrusion guidance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is provided as a separate component from the support roller, allowing independent optimization of each element's function. The guide member specifically addresses protrusion guidance while the support roller maintains belt support, dividing the functions to achieve better alignment control without requiring complete redesign of the support roller
Data Source
AI summary
A belt device that is provided with an endless belt having a projection on an inner surface of the endless belt, the projection extending parallel to a running direction of the endless belt; and a support roller having a guide member that contacts the projection, the support roller supporting the endless belt so as to run the endless belt, wherein the guide member is separately provided from the support roller and nonrotatably supported between the support roller and the projection.