Forming Roller Locking Ring for Fast Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet metal roll forming machines require extensive and time-consuming processes for adjusting rollers to accommodate different product widths, with existing systems being complex, expensive, or demanding significant handling of tools and parts.
Innovation Solution
A forming roller adjustment system featuring a shaft with an axially extending keyway, a roller with a matching keyway, and a rotatably attached ring that allows axial movement and locking of the roller along the shaft, utilizing transverse channels and detents for precise positioning and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If keyways and keys with spacers are used to transmit torque and position rollers, then torque transmission is achieved, but repositioning rollers for different profiles requires extensive rearrangement of spacers and tools making it highly time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The ring component enables dynamic repositioning of the roller along the shaft by rotating to different angular positions, allowing quick adjustment between different product widths without extensive disassembly or rearrangement of components
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft is divided into multiple axial positions with corresponding keyway segments, allowing the roller to be positioned at different locations along the shaft for different product widths while maintaining secure torque transmission at each position
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical connection of roller to side support structure is used for positioning, then roller positioning is achieved, but the side structures become complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The complex side support structures are eliminated by extracting the positioning function to a simpler ring component that rotates on the shaft itself, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining positioning precision
Solution Approach 2:
The ring component serves multiple functions: it positions the roller axially, transmits torque through the key connection, and enables quick repositioning by rotation, replacing the need for complex dedicated positioning structures
3Reliability
If precision fasteners threaded through pre-drilled holes are used for torque and positioning, then both functions are achieved, but changing width is highly time consuming and demands extensive handling of tools and parts
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded precision fastener system is replaced with a simpler key-and-ring mechanism that uses rotational positioning instead of threading operations, eliminating the need for tools and significantly reducing the time required to change widths
Data Source
AI summary
A forming roller adjustment system has a shaft, a key, a roller and a ring. The key fits into a keyway in the shaft and has a projecting portion that projects outwardly from the shaft. The projecting portion includes spaced, transverse channels. The ring is rotatably attached to the roller. The roller and ring each have a shaft aperture that receives the shaft, and a keyway that receives the projecting portion of the key. The ring fits into the channels in the projecting portion of the key. When the keyways on the ring and roller are aligned, the roller is movable along the shaft. When the ring is aligned with one of the channels in the projecting portion of the key and rotated into the channel, the roller is axially locked on the shaft.