Conveyor Roller Cone Sleeve Locking for Sealed Axial Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor rollers with frustoconical sleeves face issues with axial support, particularly at the tip of the cone, where traditional friction-based solutions are unreliable under sudden forces, and in the food processing industry, clamping mechanisms can lead to contamination and maintenance challenges due to oil or grease leakage.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device with a radial projection extending into a recess on the sleeve provides a form-fitting axial fixation, preventing sleeve detachment and ensuring a sealed environment, using a welded or integral connection that avoids creating a connection between the roller body's interior and exterior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If friction-based axial support is used at the cone apex, then the sleeve can be simply fitted, but the support becomes unreliable under sudden forces
Solution Approach 1:
A projection element is introduced as an intermediary component between the roller body and the frustoconical sleeve. This projection extends radially from the roller body into the sleeve, providing a positive mechanical interlock that mediates the axial support function. The intermediary projection transforms the unreliable friction-based support into a reliable form-fitting connection while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If clamping mechanisms are used to secure the sleeve, then axial position is fixed, but contamination and maintenance issues arise in food processing
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful clamping mechanism is extracted and replaced with a cleaner solution. The projection extending into the sleeve provides axial fixation through a form-fitting connection without requiring complex clamping structures. This extraction eliminates the sources of contamination (oil, grease, loose fasteners) while maintaining reliable axial position fixation, making the conveyor roller suitable for food processing applications.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed environment is required, then clamping mechanisms create leakage paths, but sealing is necessary for food industry applications
Solution Approach 1:
The axial fixation function and the sealing function are merged into a single integrated solution. The projection extending into the sleeve simultaneously provides axial position fixation and maintains the sealed environment by eliminating the need for separate clamping mechanisms and fasteners that would create potential leakage paths. This merging simplifies the device while achieving both objectives.
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
This solution provides a reliable axial fixation that withstands greater forces without compromising the sealed environment, preventing contamination and damage, and simplifies maintenance by eliminating the need for additional fastening means.
Implementation Method 1
A positioning device with a radial projection extending into a recess on the sleeve provides a form-fitting axial fixation
Implementation Method 2
using a welded or integral connection that avoids creating a connection between the roller body's interior and exterior
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a conveyor roller (1) for conveyor systems for conveying containers, pallets, and the like, comprising a cylindrical roller body (2) with a rotational axis (Z), said roller body being provided for rotatably assembling in a frame or the like. One or more substantially truncated cone-shaped sleeves (12) are arranged on the roller body (2). The conveyor roller (1) according to the invention is characterized by a positioning device, by means of which the sleeve (12) is axially fixed at least along the rotational axis (Z) and in the direction of the sleeve cone tip (16), wherein the positioning device comprises a projection (40) which extends radially on the roller body (2) and into a recess (42) formed in the sleeve (12). The invention additionally relates to a method for producing such a conveyor roller (1).