Motor driven roller transmission system for conveyance system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565382-B2
Application number	US-202318335471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2023
Priority date	Jun 15, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A motor driven roller transmission system for a conveyance assembly includes a transmission assembly connected between a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member, in which the first and second rotatable members are oriented at an angle from one another. The transmission assembly is adapted to efficiently transfer rotational motion of the first rotatable member to the second rotatable member. Rotation of the second rotatable member causes a conveyance surface to move in order to convey an object. The transmission assembly decreases the power required to drive the first rotatable member in order to move the conveyance surface by increasing the torque output of the first rotatable member, while also reducing the rotational speed required of the first rotatable member to drive the conveyance surface at a desired speed, thus extending the operational life of the first rotatable member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A drive assembly for driving a conveyance surface in a conveyance assembly, said drive assembly comprising:
a first rotatable member that is oriented at an angle from a second rotatable member; a transmission assembly coupled between said first rotatable member and said second rotatable member, said transmission assembly configured to transfer rotational motion from said first rotatable member to said second rotatable member to rotate said second rotatable member; a diverting member driveable by said second rotatable member and comprising said conveyance surface; and wherein said diverting member is movably coupled to said second rotatable member with, said conveyance surface being drivable in response to rotation of said second rotatable member to convey an object thereon; wherein said transmission assembly comprises a first gear coupled to said first rotatable member, and a second gear coupled to said second rotatable member, said first gear configured to movably engage said second gear to transfer rotational motion from said first rotatable member to said second rotatable member.

2 . The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first rotatable member comprises a drive roller and said second rotatable member comprises a driven roller.

3 . The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein said transmission assembly is configured to transfer rotational motion from said first rotatable member to said second rotatable member to rotate said second rotatable member at a different rate than said first rotatable member.

4 . The drive assembly of claim 3 , wherein said transmission assembly is configured to transfer rotational motion from said first rotatable member to said second rotatable member to rotate said second rotatable member at a faster rate than said first rotatable member.

5 . The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first gear comprises a worm, and said second gear comprises a worm wheel.

6 . The drive assembly of claim 5 , wherein said first rotatable member is oriented perpendicular to said second rotatable member.

7 . The drive assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first rotatable member comprises a motorized roller having a motor internal to a roller shell.

8 . The drive assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a lifting assembly adapted to selectively raise and lower said conveyance surface.

9 . A right angle transfer device comprising:
a first rotatable member comprising a drive roller and having a first longitudinal axis oriented in a diverting direction, said first rotatable member rotatably drivable about said first longitudinal axis; a worm coupled to said first rotatable member and configured to rotate synchronously with said first rotatable member about said first longitudinal axis; a second rotatable member comprising a driven roller and having a second longitudinal axis oriented in a conveyance direction at an angle relative to the diverting direction; a worm wheel coupled to said second rotatable member and configured to engage said worm; and a plurality of diverting members drivable by said second rotatable member and configured to convey an object in the diverting direction; wherein said worm is configured to engage said worm wheel to rotate said second rotatable member when said first rotatable member is rotatably driven; and wherein said diverting members are driven in response to rotation of said second rotatable member.

10 . The right angle transfer device of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of conveying members configured to be driven to convey an object in the conveyance direction.

11 . The right angle transfer device of claim 10 , further comprising a lifting assembly adapted to selectively raise and lower said diverting members relative to said conveying members.

12 . The right angle transfer device of claim 11 , further comprising a frame to which said diverting members are coupled, wherein said lifting assembly comprises a plurality of spaced-apart vertical actuators that are adapted to selectively raise and lower said frame relative to said conveying members.

13 . The right angle transfer device of claim 12 , wherein said vertical actuators comprise cylinders that are drivable in each of opposite directions by application of compressed air to opposite sides of said cylinders in order to positively drive said frame to both a raised state and a lowered state.

14 . The right angle transfer device of claim 11 , wherein said diverting members comprise drivable belts.

15 . The right angle transfer device of claim 14 , wherein said first rotatable member comprises a motorized roller having a motor internal to a roller shell.

16 . The right angle transfer device of claim 15 , wherein said conveyance direction is perpendicular to said diverting direction.

17 . The right angle transfer device of claim 16 , wherein said worm and said worm wheel are configured such that said second rotatable member rotates at a faster rate than said first rotatable member.

18 . A geared drive system for a conveyor, said geared drive system comprising:
a first rotatable member; a second rotatable member that is perpendicular to said first rotatable member; a gear assembly comprising a first gear coupled to said first rotatable member, and a second gear engaged with said first gear and coupled to said second rotatable member; and a diverting member having a conveyance surface, wherein said diverting member is movably coupled to said second rotatable member and configured to convey an object on said conveyance surface in response to rotation of said second rotatable member; wherein said first rotatable member is selectively energizable to rotate said first gear; wherein rotation of said first gear rotates said second gear; and wherein rotation of said second gear rotates said second rotatable member to drive said conveyance surface.

19 . The geared drive system of claim 18 , wherein said first and second gears are configured such that said second rotatable member rotates at a faster rate than said first rotatable member.

20 . The drive assembly of claim 1 , wherein said diverting member comprises a plurality of diverting members that are each driveable by said second rotatable member, and wherein said diverting members define said conveyance surface.

21 . The drive assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lifting assembly configured to selectively raise and lower said diverting member, wherein said lifting assembly comprises an actuator.

22 . The drive assembly of claim 21 , wherein said diverting member is disposed adjacent conveyor rollers that define another conveyance surface defining a first conveyance direction, and wherein said conveyance surface of said diverting member defines a second conveyance direction with the second conveyance direction being angled relative to the first conveyance direction.

Assignees

• Dematic Corp

Inventors

• Smith Travis
• Ernest Tyler
• German Harry T

Classifications

• B65G47/54 Primary

  at least one of which is a roller-way · CPC title

• B65G13/06 Primary

  Roller driving means · CPC title

• B65G13/10

  Switching arrangements · CPC title