Quick Release Mounting Assembly for Gearmotor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems in food processing facilities face challenges in quickly and effectively disassembling the drive motor and gearbox for cleaning, as existing solutions require complex tooling and expose components to cleaning solutions, reducing their lifespan and hindering sanitation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly with a drive motor hub and drive roller hub featuring external splines and a drive coupling with grooves allows for quick connection and disconnection, enabling the drive mechanism to be removed for cleaning with minimal tooling, and includes a housing that securely attaches to the gearbox for rotation-based disconnection and reconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gearmotor remains mounted to the conveyor frame during cleaning, then the mounting structure provides stable operation, but the cleaning solutions attack the gear box components reducing their lifespan and cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is divided into separate segments: a motor mounting portion that attaches to the conveyor frame and a roller mounting portion that attaches to the drive roller. These portions are connected through a removable coupling mechanism featuring splined interfaces and coupling bolts. This segmentation allows the drive mechanism to be detached from the conveyor frame for cleaning while maintaining stable operation during use, resolving the contradiction between component protection and cleaning effectiveness
2Ease of operation
If the mounting assembly allows quick disconnection for cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but the device complexity increases with additional coupling mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism transitions from a static permanent connection to a dynamic removable connection. The coupling bolts can be inserted and secured to create a rigid connection during operation, or removed to enable quick disassembly for cleaning. This dynamic capability allows the mounting structure to adapt between operational and cleaning states, achieving quick disconnection without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The motor mounting portion and roller mounting portion serve multiple functions: they provide structural support during operation, enable quick disconnection for cleaning, and allow reconnection after cleaning. The splined interfaces universally accommodate both the motor shaft and roller shaft, reducing the need for specialized components and minimizing overall device complexity while maintaining cleaning speed
3Strength
If complex tooling is required for disassembly, then the mounting structure provides secure connection, but the disassembly time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Coupling bolts serve as intermediary elements that mediate between the motor mounting portion and roller mounting portion. These standardized bolts provide secure mechanical connection through threaded engagement with the splined interfaces, ensuring strong and reliable attachment during operation. During disassembly, the same simple bolt mechanism that provides secure connection also enables quick removal without requiring complex specialized tools, thus maintaining both connection security and disassembly speed
Data Source
AI summary
A quick release mounting assembly for an endless belt conveyor that allows a drive motor to be connected to a drive roller of the conveyor. The quick release mounting assembly includes a drive roller hub connected to the shaft of the drive roller. A drive motor hub is connected to the drive shaft of the drive motor. Both the drive roller hub and the drive motor hub include an external series of external splines. The mounting assembly includes a drive coupling having a first receiving area that engages the drive motor hub and a second receiving area that engages the drive roller hub such that the drive coupling transfers rotation of the drive shaft to the drive roller. The drive coupling is received within a housing that is removably mounted to a gearbox of the drive motor.