Pivotable Torque Tube Roller Support for Easy Belt Roller Replacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process for replacing worn or damaged conveyor belt rollers is cumbersome, requiring mechanical assistance to lift the belt and remove the old roller and install a new one, which is inefficient and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A roller support system comprising pivotable torque tubes, arms with notches for spindle reception, and a lever mechanism that allows the torque tube to pivot between positions for easy roller removal and installation, with a pin and stop system for alignment and a ratchet wrench for deloading the pin for easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveyor belt is supported by fixed rollers on spindles in notches, then the rollers are stable during operation, but the rollers become difficult to remove and replace requiring mechanical assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The torque tube is made pivotable between a first position (where the roller supports the belt) and a second position (where the roller is spaced below the belt). This dynamic positioning allows the system to switch between stable operation and easy roller removal, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The roller support system is divided into separable components: the torque tube, the arms with notches, and the roller itself. This segmentation allows the roller to be independently removed from the support structure when the torque tube is in the second position, facilitating easy replacement while maintaining stability during operation
2Ease of repair
If mechanical assistance is used to lift the conveyor belt for roller replacement, then the roller can be removed, but the process becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The torque tube pivot mechanism enables the roller support system to facilitate its own maintenance. By pivoting to the second position, the system automatically creates the clearance needed for roller removal without requiring external mechanical lifting equipment, making the repair process self-service and eliminating complex mechanical assistance requirements
3Reliability
If the roller spindles are held in notches for stable support, then the belt is properly supported, but the spindles cannot be easily extracted for roller replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivot mechanism allows rapid transition from the first position (where spindles are secured in notches for reliable belt support) to the second position (where spindles are freed for quick removal). This eliminates the time-consuming process of manually extracting spindles while maintaining proper belt support during operation
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
Facilitates convenient and efficient removal and replacement of conveyor belt rollers by providing sufficient clearance and mechanical assistance, reducing the need for extensive mechanical aids and simplifying the process.
Implementation Method 1
a torque tube having opposite ends pivotally supported by the brackets... The torque tube is pivotable between a first position wherein the roller supports the belt and a second position wherein the roller is spaced below the belt
Implementation Method 2
a lever fixedly secured to one of the opposite ends of the torque tube... When the holes are aligned the pin is inserted through the holes to maintain the torque tube in the first position
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor comprises a belt, at least one roller supporting the belt on a lower side thereof, the roller having opposite ends and a spindle at each opposite end, and a roller support for the roller. The roller support comprises a pair of spaced apart support brackets positioned at opposite lateral sides of the belt, a torque tube having opposite ends pivotally supported by the brackets, and a pair of spaced apart arms fixedly secured to the torque tube, one of the arms located near one of the opposite ends of the roller and the other of the arms located near the other of the opposite ends of the roller, each arm having an upwardly opening notch therein for receiving a respective roller spindle. The torque tube is pivotable between a first position wherein the roller supports the belt and a second position wherein the roller is spaced below the belt and permits sufficient clearance for the roller spindles to be lifted out of the notches in the arms and the roller to be removed from the roller support.