Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Rollerways – Rollers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-09-25
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Rollerways
Rollers
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293384
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a transporting roller for conveying paths in systems for transporting objects, in particular items of clothing, containing two parallel spaced-apart, end-side flanges and a central part, located therebetween, and a through-passage opening which passes through centrally between the flanges and the central part.
Such a transporting roller is described in EPA 0 220 380 A2 and essentially comprises a single-piece roller part and a coding part. The precondition for use is that both the roller part and the coding part are fixedly assigned to the carrier element, the entire roller part rolling on the conveying path. While, during operation, the coding part is always in the same position in relation to the associated carrier element, and thus has identically positioned coding information for at least one read device provided in the conveying system, the single-piece roller part, which comprises the two parallel flanges and the central part, which firmly connects the two flanges, moves on at least one conveying path, as may be assigned to clothing, in particular, in production workshops and in distribution systems in warehouses and larger department stores.
The flange which has its end side directed toward the carrier element, which is bent in relation of the item of clothing, constitutes a solid disk, whereas the flange which has its end side directed away from the carrier element has an end-side, cylindrical recess into which the disk-like coding part can be fitted, the coding part, by way of its adapted-diameter sleeve part which is attached to it and passes through the central through-passage opening of the roller part, being firmly secured on the carrier element on the other side, in front of the solid-disk flange, by a split pin. In this case, high outlay in terms of precise mechanical machining is necessary for the design and assignment of the transporting roller. On the other hand, the braking behavior in the region between the inner surface of the through-passage opening and the outer surface of the sleeve part, and in the contact region between the split pin and the end side of the solid-disk flange, is of such a magnitude that, in some circumstances, there is undesired friction during the conveying operation. Moreover, the internal lubrication between the friction-producing surfaces poses a large problem as far as sealing is concerned.
The central part comprises smaller-diameter side elements, which are each attached to the flanges, and an intermediate element which connects the side elements to one another, the side elements each having a sloping surface which is inclined in relation to the center axis. The transporting roller rests on the conveying path, by way of the sloping surfaces, with the carrier element hanging downward. The two end-sides rotating disk flanges may additionally serve as side guides when the transporting rollers move on the conveying path.
On the conveying paths, there is usually a large number of transporting rollers, which are each assigned a carrier element in a defined manner and thus also the item of clothing which is to be transported to the code-defined working stations or sales areas.
A further transporting roller is known from EPA 0 203 290 A2. In this document, the transporting roller is in a single piece and likewise comprises two end-side flanges and a central part which is located therebetween and comprises an intermediate element and two smaller-diameter side elements which are each assigned to the flanges and are attached there. The center axis is assigned a coaxial opening or a through-passage opening it which the carrier element is fitted. Provided on the disk flange which is directed away from the hanging carrier element are coding devices which rotate with the flange and comprise, for example, counting coding elements. When the coding elements move past the associated read devices, the information can be read.
There is a problem in that, here too, the carrier elements or hooks are fixedly assigned to the coding on the coding flange in a coding-related manner in order that there are no misroutings on the conveying paths.
Another known transporting roller is described in German Laid-open Application 1 781 310, in which, as with the first-mentioned, known transporting roller, both a single-piece roller part and a non-rotating coding part, which is adapted into and/or onto the flange, are provided. The coding part is fixedly connected to the carrier element and has a keyboard which preferably projects beyond the flange end side, can be actuated manually and by means of which the coding can be changed, depending on the location of the transporting roller in the conveying system. The central part is firmly connected to the smaller-diameter side elements and the flanges. Here too, the transporting roller rolls on the conveying path by way of its side elements without coming into contact with the intermediate element. The two side-element-mounted disk flanges constitute additional side guides.
A problem with all the known transporting rollers is that, for example, in the case of jamming between two or more transporting rollers, respectively associated flanges come into contact following the impact. Since, in the contact region, the transporting rollers execute oppositely directed rotational movements as they start to roll again, this produces friction which accumulates depending on the number of the rollers jammed, it being possible, in unfavorable circumstances, for transporting rollers to lift one another off the conveying path. The mutual lifting-off/lifting-out operation, also referred to as the climbing effect, may result in at least one of the transporting rollers tipping off the conveying path or possibly in one transporting roller jamming over the adjacent one, which may develop into extensive disruption throughout the transporting sequence of the conveying system.
Also common to all the known transporting rollers is the fact that the carrier elements have designs made specifically for the respective transporting roller. The adaptations mean that first of all the production of the individual parts and secondly also the installation thereof are associated with high outlay.
The object of the invention is thus to specify a transporting roller for conveying paths which is designed suitably such that, in the case of jamming of at least two transporting rollers, the climbing effect is avoided and it is ensured that the transporting roller is compatible for use in all conveying systems.
The object is achieved by the features of claim
1
. In the transporting roller, according to the preamble of claim
1
, the central part has at least one peripheral, annular circumferential part which can rotate separately from the two flanges, the two flanges being connected to one another, and to the circumferential part, such that, when the circumferential part is being rotated as a result of resting on the conveying path, the two flanges are located in a rest state irrespective of the rotation.
The central part has at least one annular web which is directed toward the other flange, is extended on one side and belongs to at least one of the two flanges with a uniform diameter with respect to the through-passage opening, the annular circumfrential part enclosing the annular web with the support of roller-contact bearings.
The end-side flanges are designed such that, in terms of dimensions, they project belong the annular circumferential part by in each case at least one impact-specific subregion and at least one conveying-path-specific subregion.
The flanges are preferably disk-like, and project beyond the circumferential part all the way round.
There may optionally be located in through-passage opening a cylindrical securing part which holds the two flanges and the central part together.
The securing part, which is located in the through-passage opening, is preferably a cylindrical bushing which has a minimum length corresponding approximately to the length of the through-passage opening and of which the free end regions are ea
Bidwell James R.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
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