Friction Wheel Drive Patents (Class 198/781.04)
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Patent number: 11597604Abstract: Conveyor safety guard modules that are configured to be inserted between adjacent rollers in motor driven roller conveyor systems and shield drive bands or belts coupled between the adjacent rollers so as to protect workers from having their work gloves, loose hair, loose clothing, etc. becoming entangled in the drive bands or belts and causing injury.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2022Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Inventor: Jakob Simon
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Patent number: 9169079Abstract: The conveyance rollers are arranged at a predetermined roller pitch in the conveyance direction and arranged in rows so as to be capable of supporting at least the side ends of an object being conveyed. The conveyance rollers are formed along the conveyance direction by a repetition unit composed of the drive rollers and the free rollers. The roller pitch of the conveyance rollers is set based on the dimension of the object, and the smaller of distances from respective ends in the conveyance direction of the object to the position of the center of gravity of the object. The arrangement ratio of the drive rollers in the conveyance rollers is set based on the smaller of the distances from the respective ends in the conveyance direction of the object to the position of the center of gravity of the object, and the roller pitch.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Kazunaka Nishitsuji
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Patent number: 8978880Abstract: A conveyor system includes pulleys spaced mutually along a length of the conveyor system; and roller assemblies, each roller assembly aligned with one of the pulleys, including a first ring driveably connected to one of the pulleys, a second ring surrounding the first ring, and a third ring located radially between and contacting the first and second rings, and alternately transmitting rotary motion from the first ring to the second ring and discontinuing said transmission of rotary motion depending on presence and absence of frictional engagement between the third ring and at least one of the first ring and the second ring.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2012Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Thomas E. Heinemeier
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Patent number: 8485349Abstract: A system and method for coating substrates includes transporting rolls and a collecting container for collecting coating material.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2012Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Michael Hentschel, Steffen Lessmann, Michael Huhn, Reinhard Jaeger, Ricky C. Powell
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Patent number: 8292056Abstract: This invention provides a roller assembly including a rotary member including a driving shaft portion and a convey roller portion provided with the driving shaft portion, a driving wheel including a hole portion and attached to the driving shaft portion, the driving wheel being driven to rotate, a transmission receiving portion radially extending outward from the driving shaft portion and rotated together with the driving shaft portion, a friction transmission member clamped between the transmission receiving portion and a side surface of the driving wheel and frictionally transmitting a rotational force of the driving wheel to a rotary member, and a biasing portion applying a clamping force between the transmission receiving portion and the side surface of the driving wheel.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Hirata CorporationInventor: Hitoshi Tsugawa
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Patent number: 8276744Abstract: A method and a tool are provided for adjusting a skillet conveyor drive having a motor-driven drive wheel mounted on an adjustable mounting mechanism including a threaded rod that is biased toward the skillet by a spring mechanism and wherein the compression of the spring is adjusted by rotating an adjusting nut. The method includes pulling on the threaded rod, measuring the force required for the pulling by reading a load cell indicator, using a look up table to correlate the measured force with a desired force, and then adjusting the nut to achieve the desire force. The tool can be removed and then moved to another skillet conveyor drive.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Christopher E. Bacalia
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Patent number: 8240462Abstract: The transport device especially for transporting flat substrates through a coating installation comprises a plurality of transporting rolls, which are arranged transversely in relation to the transporting direction, and supporting rolls are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignees: First Solar, Inc., Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik GmbHInventors: Michael Hentschel, Steffen Lessmann, Michael Huhn, Reinhard Jaeger, Ricky C. Powell
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Patent number: 8196736Abstract: A roller conveyor includes a drive member whose path and the end of the overlying portions of the rollers sortation conveyor is configured to avoid substantial contact between certain rollers and the drive member. The roller conveyor is depicted in an embodiment as an accumulation conveyor with skewed roller sections.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2007Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLCInventor: Ronald G. Wagner
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Publication number: 20110253508Abstract: This invention provides a roller assembly including a rotary member including a driving shaft portion and a convey roller portion provided with the driving shaft portion, a driving wheel including a hole portion and attached to the driving shaft portion, the driving wheel being driven to rotate, a transmission receiving portion radially extending outward from the driving shaft portion and rotated together with the driving shaft portion, a friction transmission member clamped between the transmission receiving portion and a side surface of the driving wheel and frictionally transmitting a rotational force of the driving wheel to a rotary member, and a biasing portion applying a clamping force between the transmission receiving portion and the side surface of the driving wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2011Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: HIRATA CORPORATIONInventor: Hitoshi TSUGAWA
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Publication number: 20100006399Abstract: A conveyor device is formed with roller units arranged continuously on conveyor frames (10, 10?). Each of the roller units includes a rotating body (110) having a cylindrical part (111) rotatably supported around a predetermined axis (A) and being rotationally driven, a roller (120) rotatably supported by an outer periphery of the cylindrical part to carry an object being conveyed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, a pair of thrust plates (140, 150) arranged so as to be capable of pressing both side surfaces of the roller while holding the roller therebetween and rotating integrally with the cylindrical part; and a pressing force adjusting mechanism (160, 170, 180, 190) arranged inside the cylindrical part to adjust a pressing force with which the paired thrust plates press the roller while holding the roller therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2007Publication date: January 14, 2010Inventor: Hiroyuki Shiga
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Patent number: 7503450Abstract: A slip roller conveyor has a frame comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart side plates. Secured to each of the side plates is a plurality of annular rollers with a predetermined pitch distance between adjacent rollers. The annular rollers have tubular sleeves of a lesser diameter projecting outward from a side surface thereof. The tubular sleeves on an opposed pair of annular rollers fit into the lumen of a longer tubular roller with a clearance fit. The annular rollers on each of the side plates are driven by an endless belt that also surrounds a motor-driven nose roller.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: MagStar Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David E. Helgerson, Steven A. Jensen, Joshua D. Krause, Brian D. Koenig, Robert J. Robinson
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Patent number: 7290649Abstract: The invention relates to a roller arrangement (7) for a stowing roller conveyor, comprising a stationary roller axle (20) arranged in a support frame (4) of the stowing roller conveyor, with a driving roller (9) and a conveying roller (10) adapted to be driven and/or braked, if necessary, being rotationally supported on said roller axle; as well as a clutch system (12) arranged between said driving and conveying rollers and comprising clutch components (14, 15) adjustable in relation to one another via a setting device (13), whereby at least one of the clutch components (14, 15) is axially adjustably arranged on the roller axle (20) and adjustable against at least one spring element (36), from a switching position in which it is engaged, into a switching position in which it is disengaged, and whereby the first clutch component (14) is drive-connected with the conveying roller (10), and the other clutch component (15) with the driving roller (9).Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2003Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: TGW TransportgerÃĪte GmbHInventor: Christoph Wolkerstorfer
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Patent number: 7125012Abstract: A feed wheel includes a hub and a discontinuous tread removably fitted about the hub. At leading and trailing ends of the discontinuous tread are mateable non-planar female and male surfaces which interfit with one another and tend to interlock the tread ends together. The tread has locking lugs formed under leading and trailing ends and an intermediate segment of the tread which fit into holes configured and located in the hub complimentarily to the locking lugs. The holes and locking lugs are oriented relative to one another so as to enable the tread to be retained about the hub with the tread ends interlocked together during operation of the feed wheel.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2004Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Inventors: Gregory James Newell, James H. Tippett
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Patent number: 6935486Abstract: The invention provides an improved live roller conveyor system for preventing damage to conveyed cases of goods when stopped upon live rollers. In an embodiment of the invention, a live roller comprises a drive shaft with a plurality of roller members rotatably affixed thereto. One or more bushings are provided between an inner surface of each roller member and an outer surface of said drive shaft. When a conveyed case is stopped along the conveyor, for example, during case layer formation for loading onto a pallet, the rollers underneath the case stop rotating relative to the drive shaft due to slippage between the bushings and drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2002Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: Production Automation, Inc.Inventor: O'Neal Wright Davis
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Patent number: 6868961Abstract: A roller conveyor which includes idler rollers which are drivable in a driving direction in response to rotational driving of a drive portion of the rollers, and which are freely rotatable in the driving direction relative to the drive portions of the rollers, in order to allow for coasting of articles or products on the roller conveyor. The rollers include one-way clutch devices which may drive the rollers in the driving direction in response to activation or engagement of a drive means to convey products along the conveyor. The clutch devices also allow the rollers to continue to rotate in the driving direction after the driving means has been deactivated or disengaged from the rollers. The roller conveyor thus may convey articles along multiple zones of the conveyor and may accumulate articles on the zones, such as in response to article sensors positioned along the roller conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2003Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.Inventors: Ronald C. Ehlert, Kenneth J. Kooistra
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Publication number: 20030192775Abstract: A roller conveyor which includes idler rollers which are drivable in a driving direction in response to rotational driving of a drive portion of the rollers, and which are freely rotatable in the driving direction relative to the drive portions of the rollers, in order to allow for coasting of articles or products on the roller conveyor. The rollers include one-way clutch devices which may drive the rollers in the driving direction in response to activation or engagement of a drive means to convey products along the conveyor. The clutch devices also allow the rollers to continue to rotate in the driving direction after the driving means has been deactivated or disengaged from the rollers. The roller conveyor thus may convey articles along multiple zones of the conveyor and may accumulate articles on the zones, such as in response to article sensors positioned along the roller conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2003Publication date: October 16, 2003Inventors: Ronald C. Ehlert, Kenneth J. Kooistra
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Publication number: 20030168319Abstract: A conveyor for transporting objects sensitive to electrostatic discharge. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a roller conveyor with conductive rollers in electrical communication with an electrical ground. The rollers preferably have about 105 ohms resistance from the outer diameter to the inner diameter to ensure that electrostatic charges built up on the conveyed object can flow to ground, yet not flow too quickly. In another embodiment, the roller shafts are supported on highly conductive bushings that provide a path to electrical ground that is preferably less that 104 ohms. In yet another embodiment, the roller shafts are driven by a conductive pulley that minimizes the build-up of electrostatic charge as a result of a triboelectric effect with the drive belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2003Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Steven L. Hart, Klaus P. Daenzer, Brent R. Howard
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Patent number: 6523677Abstract: A dual helical conveyor system, is disclosed having a conveyor belt adapted to move in a first direction along a first helical path and thereafter in a second direction generally opposite the first direction along a second helical path generally concentric with said first helical path. The conveyor belt is further movable through a cross-over section along a cross-over path which connects the first and second helical paths, and a conveyor belt drive mechanism is provided in the cross-over section to frictionally drive the conveyor belt along the cross-over path and between the first and second helical paths. The conveyor belt is driven by friction/slip drive mechanism along the first and second helical paths. The conveyor in the first and second paths may be a single continuous belt or it may be alternatively be comprised of two separate and independent belts.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Tarpaulin.COM, Inc.Inventors: Ronald J. DeGennaro, Jerome J. Finazzo, Jr., Paul Priebe, Thomas Wedell
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Patent number: 6454082Abstract: A roller conveyor system is disclosed having a frame with a pair of spaced apart rails and at least one roller assembly having an elongated shaft. A first bearing assembly is secured to one rail while a second bearing assembly is secured to the other rail so that the bearing assemblies are aligned with each other and each bearing assembly includes an inner and outer race. The elongated roller shaft extends through the inner races of the bearing assemblies so that a flat formed on the shaft is radially aligned with the inner race of one of the bearing assemblies. A threaded fastener is then threadably secured to the bearing inner race and has one end adapted to abut against the shaft flat. With the fastener in abutment with the shaft flat, the other end of the fastener is substantially flush with an outer surface of the bearing race.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2000Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Valiant CorporationInventors: Michael Douglas McTaggart, Andrew Noestheden