Bin Sweep Motor Coupling Assembly with Arcuate Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive shaft engagement devices face challenges in aligning and engaging misaligned motor and bin sweep drive shafts due to the hexed ends or splined ends, which are complicated by the gear mechanisms of bin sweeps, making proper indexing difficult or impossible.
Innovation Solution
A drive shaft engagement device with a housing and sprocket hubs that include arcuate slots and non-round drive hubs with pins, allowing for limited rotation and engagement of misaligned drive shafts, facilitated by a continuous belt and adjustable chain tensioner, enabling energy transfer between the motor and bin sweep drive shafts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional drive shaft engagement devices are used with hexed or splined ends, then the connection between motor and bin sweep is structurally simple, but the alignment and indexing of misaligned drive shafts becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic indexing mechanism where the drive hub can rotate relative to the sprocket hub within arcuate slots. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to accommodate misaligned drive shafts by permitting rotational movement until proper engagement is achieved, thereby improving adaptability without requiring a completely complex engagement mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary indexing mechanism between the motor drive shaft and the bin sweep drive shaft. This intermediary system includes the drive hub, sprocket hub, and arcuate slots that mediate the connection, allowing for alignment adjustment of misaligned shafts while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If the motor is permanently fixed to a specific bin sweep, then the structural configuration is simple, but the operational flexibility and reconfigurability between different bin sweeps is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive system into separable components: the motor assembly with its drive hub and the bin sweep with its sprocket hub. This segmentation allows the motor to be easily removed and reconfigured onto different bin sweeps, improving operational flexibility while minimizing reconfiguration time through simple attachment and detachment operations
3Adaptability or versatility
If arcuate slots with pins are used in the sprocket hubs, then the alignment tolerance for misaligned drive shafts is improved, but the manufacturing complexity of the sprocket hubs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sprocket hub by incorporating arcuate slots instead of traditional circular configurations. This parameter change allows for alignment tolerance accommodation while maintaining manufacturability through standard machining operations for creating arcuate features and inserting pins
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick and releasable engagement of misaligned drive shafts, reducing operational costs by allowing easy reconfiguration and movement of the motor between different bin sweeps, while maintaining effective energy transfer.
Implementation Method 1
A continuous belt is positioned on and engages the pair of sprocket hubs
Implementation Method 2
The inner surfaces each have a plurality of pins thereon each is extendable into one of the slots such that each of the sprocket hubs is engaged by one of the drive hubs. Each of the slots has a length to allow limited rotation of the sprocket hubs with respect to the drive hubs.
Data Source
AI summary
A drive coupling assembly includes a housing having a first wall, a second wall, a first end and a second end. A first aperture extends through the second wall adjacent to the first end and a second aperture extending through the second wall adjacent to the second end. The first aperture receives a motor drive shaft and the second aperture receives a sweep drive shaft. Each of the first and second apertures has one of a pair of sprocket hubs aligned therewith. A pair of drive hubs each has an opening extending therethrough and each opening engages one of the motor or sweep drive shafts. The drive hubs have a plurality of pins thereon extending into corresponding slots in the sprocket hubs. A continuous belt engages the sprocket hubs. The slots each have a length allowing limited rotation of the sprocket hubs with respect to the drive hubs.