Rotary Milking Platform Roller Geometry for Stress Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rollers supporting rotary milking platforms face issues with uneven load distribution due to angular deviations between rail members, leading to stress concentrations, damage, and reduced lifespan, especially when manufactured from materials like nylon.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a circumferential recess connecting the rolling surface to the inner flange surface, reducing stress concentrations by keeping the edge portions out of contact with the recess bottom, and a convex rolling surface to distribute load centrally, along with angled flanges to prevent side surface contact, all made from a wear-resistant material like nylon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rollers with flanges are used to support the rotary platform, then positioning and vertical support are provided, but stress concentrations occur at the edge portion between the running surface and flange inner surface leading to quick wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic edge portion between the running surface and flange inner surface by creating a circumferential recess. This extraction eliminates the stress concentration zone that caused rapid wear and damage in conventional rollers, directly improving reliability without compromising the positioning function of the flanges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the sharp edge geometry with a curved circumferential recess having a bottom surface with radius of curvature R. This curvature distributes stresses evenly across the recess bottom surface rather than concentrating them at a sharp edge, significantly improving the roller's strength resistance and lifespan.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flat running surfaces of rail members are arranged with angular deviation, then positioning tolerance is accommodated, but uneven load distribution occurs on the roller rolling surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a circumferential recess that adds a dimensional feature to the roller geometry. This recess creates a load distribution zone that can accommodate angular deviations between rail members by distributing the load across the curved bottom surface of the recess rather than concentrating it at the edge, thus maintaining load distribution uniformity while tolerating positioning variations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If rollers are manufactured from plastic material like nylon, then wear resistance is provided, but stress concentrations still cause cracks and deformations in the edge portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful stress concentration at the edge portion into a beneficial load distribution zone by creating a circumferential recess. The curved bottom surface of the recess transforms the stress concentration problem into a stress distribution solution, allowing the nylon material to utilize its wear resistance properties while avoiding crack initiation from sharp edges.
Data Source
AI summary
A roller is provided that is configured to support of a rotary platform. The roller includes at least one side flange including an inner surface, a rolling surface to be in contact with a flat running surface of an upper rail member fixedly connected to the rotary platform and a flat running surface of a lower rail member stationary arranged. The roller includes a circumferential recess connecting the rolling surface to the inner surface of the side flange and that the circumferential recess has a depth such that the flat running surfaces of the upper rail member and the lower rail members are out of contact with a bottom surface of the circumferential recess at a potential angle deviation between the flat running surfaces of the rail members and a rotation axis of the roller.