Roller Force Sensor With Spring Cushioning for Peak Load Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing force sensors in rollers used to measure bearing forces on materials like paper and textiles are prone to damage from high force peaks, leading to reliability issues and short lifespan due to the inability to effectively absorb and manage sudden, intense loads.
Innovation Solution
The roller incorporates a force sensor with a pressure piece loaded via a spring to reduce peak loads on the sensor element, and a stop mechanism to limit excessive forces, combined with a strain gauge for precise deformation measurement, and additional springs or elastic components to absorb impacts, ensuring the sensor element's protection and maintaining measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the force sensor directly measures bearing force without protection mechanisms, then measurement precision is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to damage from high force peaks
Solution Approach 1:
A spring element is introduced between the pressure piece and the sensor element to cushion high force peaks before they reach the sensor. The spring absorbs impact energy during sudden load events (such as web tears or lap formations) while allowing accurate measurement of mean bearing forces, thereby protecting the sensor element from damage without significantly compromising measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element acts as an intermediary component between the pressure piece and the sensor element. It mediates the force transmission by filtering out extreme force peaks while transmitting the mean bearing force for measurement. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by protecting the sensor from damaging loads while maintaining measurement capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the roller is supported on an elastically flexible plate to allow position change, then the roller can adapt to bearing forces, but device complexity increases due to additional measurement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical measurement system (plunger-type coil arrangement for position measurement) with a direct force sensing approach using strain gauges on a rigid base element. This substitution maintains the roller's adaptability to bearing forces while significantly reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for position measurement and calculation.
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 configuration significantly increases the lifespan of the force sensor by reducing peak loads and absorbing high-impact energies, while maintaining accurate measurement of mean bearing forces, albeit with tolerable measurement errors during rare severe impacts.
Implementation Method 1
the force is introduced into the pressure piece via at least one spring. This spring is in this case designed such that, considered in the force direction, it has a greater spring movement for the same load than the elastically deformable plate. When a shock occurs on the roller, the roller bearing can thus deflect this force, as a result of which the maximum value of the force peak on the sensor element is correspondingly reduced.
Implementation Method 2
This elastic deformation is converted by means of at least one force pickup, preferably a strain gauge, to an electrical measurement signal, in particular a resistance change.
Implementation Method 3
the pressure piece can be pressed against a stop on the base element in order to limit the force acting on the sensor element. This stop therefore limits the maximum movement of the pressure piece to a value which in general cannot damage the sensor element.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a force sensor for measuring a bearing force of a roller deviating a web of material. The force sensor includes a base element on which at least one sensor element is supported. The sensor element has at least one plate which can be elastically deformed by the bearing force and is provided with at least one force transducer. The sensor element is loaded by a pressure piece into which the bearing force is introduced by means of a spring. The spring has a larger range of spring—in the direction of the force—than the elastically deformable plate for the same load. In order to limit the action of the force on the sensor element, an annular abutment is provided, against which the pressure piece can be pressed flat. The abutment is provided around the sensor element.