Pair of connectable portions for connecting a transmission shaft and a roller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12292087-B2
Application number	US-201916966077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A transmission shaft and a roller comprising a pair of connectable portions (M, F) for connecting a transmission shaft ( 5, 8 ) and a roller ( 4, 7 ) to be driven by torque exerted through the transmission shaft ( 5, 8 ). The pair of connectable portions (M, F) comprise a male portion (M) provided on one of the transmission shaft ( 5, 8 ) and roller ( 4, 7 ) and a complementary female portion (F) provided on the other of the roller ( 4, 7 ) and transmission shaft ( 5, 8 ). The male portion (M) has a longitudinal axis of rotation (X) and tapers inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end. The male portion (M) has a non-circular cross section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transmission shaft and a roller comprising a pair of connectable portions for connecting the transmission shaft and the roller to be driven by torque exerted through the transmission shaft, the transmission shaft and the roller attached by a central screw threadably engaging a central bore defined by the transmission shaft;
the pair of connectable portions comprising a male portion provided on one of the transmission shaft and roller and a complementary female portion provided on the other of the roller and transmission shaft,
the male portion having a longitudinal axis of rotation and tapering inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end by an angle of between 2.5 and 25 degrees,
wherein the male portion has a non-circular cross section, wherein the central bore extends through and along the entire length of the transmission shaft.

2. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion is provided on the transmission shaft and the female portion is provided in the roller.

3. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the male portion remains constant along at least 50% of the distance from the proximal end to the distal end.

4. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion has an order of rotational symmetry from 1 to 20.

5. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion has an elliptical or polygonal cross section.

6. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion has a polygonal cross section and wherein the vertices are curved.

7. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion has a rectangular cross section.

8. A roller set comprising a transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 wherein the transmission shaft engages a first end of the roller and further comprising a second shaft for engaging a second end of the roller.

9. A roller set according to claim 8 , wherein the roller and the second shaft comprise a second pair of connectable portions having a second male portion located on one of the roller and the second shaft and a complementary second female portion located on the other of the second shaft and the roller, wherein the second male portion has a non-circular cross section.

10. A roller set according to claim 8 , wherein the roller and the second shaft comprise a second pair of connectable portions having a second male portion located on one of the roller and the second shaft and a complementary second female portion located on the other of the second shaft and the roller, wherein the second male portion has a circular cross section.

11. A pair of roller sets for passing a sheet material therebetween, the first roller set according to claim 8 .

12. A pair of roller sets according to claim 11 , wherein the second roller set comprises a pair of connectable portions according to claim 1 .

13. A pair of roller sets according to claim 12 , wherein the pair of connectable portions of the second roller set comprises a male portion with a different cross-sectional shape to that of the male portion of the pair of connectable portions of the first roller set.

14. A pair of roller sets according to claim 11 , wherein the pair of roller sets is arranged to process a cast leaf tobacco sheet between the roller of the first roller set and the roller of the second roller set.

15. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 1 , wherein the male portion has an elliptical or polygonal cross section.

16. A method of forming a connection between a transmission shaft and a roller to be driven by torque exerted through the transmission shaft, the method comprising:
axially aligning a male portion provided on one of the transmission shaft and roller with a complementary female portion provided on the other of the roller and transmission shaft;
moving the transmission shaft and roller relatively toward one another axially, such that the male portion engages within the complementary female portion; and
attaching the transmission shaft and the roller using a central screw threadably engaging a central bore defined by the transmission shaft;
wherein the male portion has a longitudinal axis of rotation, tapers inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end by an angle of between 2.5 and 25 degrees and has a non-circular cross section, wherein the central bore extends through and along the entire length of the transmission shaft.

17. A transmission shaft and a roller comprising a pair of connectable portions for connecting the transmission shaft and the roller to be driven by torque exerted through the transmission shaft,
the pair of connectable portions comprising a male portion provided on one of the transmission shaft and roller and a complementary female portion provided on the other of the roller and transmission shaft,
the transmission shaft and the roller attachable by a central screw threadably engaging a central bore defined by the transmission shaft, and
the male portion having a longitudinal axis of rotation and tapering inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end,
wherein the male portion has a non-circular cross section, and wherein the central bore extends through and along the entire length of the transmission shaft.

18. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 17 , wherein the male portion is provided on the transmission shaft and the female portion is provided in the roller.

19. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 17 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the male portion remains constant along at least 50% of the distance from the proximal end to the distal end.

20. A transmission shaft and a roller according to claim 17 , wherein the male portion has an order of rotational symmetry from 1 to 20.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Del Borrello Michele
• Prestia Ivan

Classifications

• A24B3/14

  Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products (delustering A24C1/40) · CPC title

• F16D2001/102

  the torque is transmitted via polygon shaped connections · CPC title

• F16D1/10

  Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially · CPC title

• F16D1/092 Primary

  the pair of conical mating surfaces being provided on the coupled hub and shaft · CPC title

• F16D1/0882 Primary

  the key being axially tapered and tightening when loaded axially · CPC title