Conveyor device and conveying-direction changing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097899-B2
Application number	US-201916607184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An objective is to develop a conveyor device capable of conveying a conveyance object in a plurality of directions. The conveyor device includes a roller portion (rotating body) 30 and a driving body 50. The rotating body 30 is rotatable around at least a first rotation axis 60, and the rotating body is rotatable around a second rotation axis 61 in a direction intersecting with the first rotation axis 60, and changes an attitude by rotating to change a direction of the first rotation axis 60. The driving body 50 is rotated by power around a third rotation axis 62, and the third rotation axis 62 extends in a direction intersecting with the first rotation axis 60. The driving body 50 is in contact with the rotating body at a position eccentric to one end in the direction of the first rotation axis 60 relative to the second rotation axis 61 regardless of attitude-changing of the rotating body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conveyor device comprising:
a rotating body that energizes a conveyance object; and
a driving body that gives a rotating force to the rotating body to thereby energize a conveyance object,
wherein the rotating body is rotatable around at least a first rotation axis,
the driving body giving the rotating force to the rotating body to thereby cause the rotating body to rotate around the first rotation axis,
the rotating body being rotatable around a second rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting with the first rotation axis, thereby changing an attitude of the rotating body to change a direction of the first rotation axis,
wherein the driving body is rotated around a third rotation axis with power, the third rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting with the first rotation axis,
wherein the driving body is in contact with the rotating body at a position eccentric to one end in the direction of the first rotation axis relative to the second rotation axis, and
wherein regardless of attitude-changing of the rotating body, the rotating body is rotated around the first rotation axis to thereby energize a conveyance object with rotation of the driving body around the third rotation axis.

2. The conveyor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second rotation axis and the third rotation axis are aligned approximately on a same straight line, and
wherein a center of the rotating body in the direction of the first rotation axis is eccentric relative to the third rotation axis.

3. The conveyor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotating body is spherical, barrel-shaped, or columnar, and
wherein regardless of attitude-changing of the rotating body, a circumference of a part of the rotating body in an axial direction is in contact with the driving body and other parts are substantially not in contact with the driving body.

4. The conveyor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the driving body includes an annular contact portion,
wherein the contact portion is in contact with a part of the rotating body, and
wherein the rotating body is rotated with rotation of the contact portion.

5. The conveyor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein in plan view of the rotating body, the rotating body and the driving body are in contact with each other at a specific coordinate position, and
wherein in response to attitude-changing of the rotating body, the coordinate position where the rotating body and the driving body are in contact with each other changes.

6. The conveyor device according to claim 1 , wherein when the rotating body is rotated around the second rotation axis, a movement trajectory of a center point of the rotating body in the direction of the first rotation axis draws a whirling trajectory around the second rotation axis.

7. The conveyor device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a supporting member that supports the rotating body rotatably around the first rotation axis; and
a second power transmitting member piece that receives power transmission from another member and rotates the supporting member around the second rotation axis.

8. A conveying-direction changing device comprising planarly a plurality of the conveyor devices according to claim 7 , wherein power is transmitted between the second power transmitting member pieces of the adjacent conveyor devices, the power causing the rotating bodies of the plurality of the conveyor devices to change the attitude.

9. The conveying-direction changing device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the second power transmitting member piece is a gear,
wherein another gear is interposed between the second power transmitting member pieces of the adjacent conveyor devices so that power is transmitted between the second power transmitting member pieces of the adjacent conveyor devices,
wherein a number of teeth of the gear that is the second power transmitting member piece is a multiple of 6, and
wherein a number of teeth of the another gear is a multiple of 3.

10. The conveyor device according to claim 1 , comprising a first power transmitting member piece that receives power transmission from another member to rotate the driving body.

11. A conveying-direction changing device comprising planarly a plurality of the conveyor devices according to claim 10 ,
wherein power is transmitted between the first power transmitting member pieces of the adjacent conveyor devices, the power rotating the rotating bodies of the plurality of the conveyor devices.

12. A conveying-direction changing device comprising planarly a plurality of the conveyor devices according to claim 1 .

13. A conveyor device comprising:
a rotating body that energizes a conveyance object; and
a driving body that gives a rotative force to the rotating body to thereby energize a conveyance object,
wherein the rotating body is rotatable around at least a first rotation axis,
the driving body giving the rotating force to the rotating body to thereby cause the rotating body to rotate around the first rotation axis,
the rotating body being rotatable around a second rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting with the first rotation axis, thereby changing an attitude of the rotating body to change a direction of the first rotation axis,
wherein the driving body is rotated with power around a third rotation axis,
wherein the driving body includes an annular contact portion, the contact portion being in contact with the rotating body in a manner of a partial contact, and
wherein regardless of attitude-changing of the rotating body, the rotating body is rotated around the first rotation axis to thereby energize a conveyance object with rotation of the driving body around the third rotation axis.

14. The conveyor device according to claim 13 , wherein the driving body is in contact with the rotating body at a position eccentric to one end in the direction of the first rotation axis relative to the second rotation axis.

15. The conveyor device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the rotating body is spherical, barrel-shaped, or columnar, and
wherein regardless of attitude-changing of the rotating body, a circumference of a part of the rotating body in an axial direction is in contact with the driving body and other parts are substantially not in contact with the driving body.

16. The conveyor device according to claim 13 ,
wherein in plan view of the rotating body, the rotating body and the driving body are in contact with each other at a specific coordinate position, and
wherein in response to attitude-changing of the rotating body, the coordinate position where the rotating body and the driving body are in contact with each other changes.

17. The conveyor device according to claim 13 , wherein when the rotating body is rotated around the second rotation axis, a movement trajectory of a center point of the rotating body in the direction of the first rotation axis draws a whirling trajectory around the second rotation axis.

18. The conveyor device according to claim 13 , comprising:
a supporting member that supports the rotating body rotatably around the first rotation axis; and
a second power transmitting member piece that receives power transmission from another member and rotates the supporting member around the second rotation axis.

19. The conveyor device according to claim 13 , comprising a first power transmitting member piece that receives power transmission from another member to rotate the driving body.

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Assignees

• Itoh Denki Co Ltd

Inventors

• Itoh Kazuo
• Nakamura Tatsuhiko
• Itoh Takahiro

Classifications

• F16H1/20

  involving more than two intermeshing members · CPC title

• B65G39/02

  Adaptations of individual rollers and supports therefor · CPC title

• B65G13/04

  all rollers driven · CPC title

• B65G39/18

  for guiding loads · CPC title

• B65G13/10 Primary

  Switching arrangements · CPC title