Spring-Loaded Feeding Roller Mechanism for Uneven Workpieces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional feeding devices with spring-loaded rollers for elongated workpieces face complexity and high costs due to intricate transmitting units, and issues with uneven workpiece thickness causing disparate roller speeds, which affect machining processes and restrict machine dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A feeding device design featuring a housing with power, driving, and feeding modules, along with couplers, utilizing pivotally mounted driving and feeding shafts, universal joints, and a torsion spring for consistent pressure and speed, simplifying construction and maintenance while accommodating uneven workpieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual transmitting units with springs are used for each feeding roller, then each roller can continuously press the workpiece to maintain stable feeding, but the construction becomes complicated resulting in high manufacturing and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual transmitting units into a single integrated transmitting mechanism. One motor drives a common transmitting mechanism that simultaneously controls multiple feeding rollers, eliminating the need for separate motors and spring assemblies for each roller. This reduces structural complexity while maintaining the continuous pressing function through a shared power transmission system with common spring loading.
2Power
If chain and gear assemblies are used to transmit power to two driving shafts simultaneously, then power transmission is achieved, but the two feeding rollers rotate at different speeds when feeding uneven thickness workpieces, adversely affecting machining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic speed adjustment mechanism where each feeding roller is independently adjustable in speed while being driven by a common power source. The transmitting mechanism includes variable transmission ratios that allow each roller to rotate at different speeds according to the local thickness of the workpiece, ensuring consistent feeding speed across uneven surfaces while maintaining overall power transmission efficiency.
3Force
If turnable mounting bodies are disposed between driving shaft and roller shafts for spring abutment, then pressing and feeding work is performed, but the dimension and application of the feeding machine are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal mounting structure that can accommodate different spring positions and orientations without requiring specific turnable mounting bodies. The transmitting mechanism and roller supports are designed with adjustable and interchangeable components that can adapt to various workpiece sizes and machine configurations, enabling the same pressing mechanism to be used across different feeding machine models and applications.
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
The solution ensures stable and consistent feeding of workpieces with reduced manufacturing costs, maintaining constant roller speed and feeding rate, enhancing machining efficiency and adaptability to various workpiece lengths.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member which is disposed to bias the bearing portion downwardly
Implementation Method 2
a first universal joint interconnecting an end of the transmitting shaft and the driving shaft of a respective one of the feeding modules, and a second universal joint interconnecting an opposite end of the transmitting shaft and the driven shaft of the respective one of the feeding modules
Data Source
AI summary
A feeding device includes a plurality of driving modules, a plurality of feeding modules and a plurality of couplers. Each driving module has a driving shaft pivotally mounted on a housing and driven by a power module to be rotated about an axis. Each feeding module includes a pivoting shaft substantially coaxial with the driving shaft, a suspending unit journalled on the pivoting shaft to be pivotable and having a bearing portion which is disposed to be biased downwardly by a spring member, a driven shaft mounted rotatably on the bearing portion, and a feeding roller driven by the driven shaft. Each coupler includes a transmitting shaft having two ends connected to the driving shaft and driven shaft by universal joints, respectively.