Drive assembly for a modular conveyor

• US 10,640,293 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rexnord Indistries LLC (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Rexnord Indistries LLC (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Inventors: Gabor, Philip Michael, Stefanko, Justin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Keith R
• Application Number:
  US16/506,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20190329984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/24 comprising a series of rollers which are moved , e.g. over a supporting surface, by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/40 Chains acting as load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 39/20 attached to moving belts or chains

Abstract

A modular conveying assembly including a plurality of modules joined together, each module including a bushing housing, a coupling housed in the bushing housing, an axle coupled to the coupling and supported for rotation relative to the module, a drive pin coupled to the coupling, and a driven surface fixed to the drive pin. The modular conveying assembly also including a driving member that is in selective engagement with the driven surface to affect rotation of the axle.

Claims

1. A module for use in a modular conveying assembly, the module comprising:

a bushing housing;

a coupling housed in the bushing housing;

an axle coupled to the coupling and supported for rotation relative to the bushing housing;

a drive pin coupled to the coupling; and

a driven surface fixed to the drive pin, the driven surface configured to be selectively engaged to affect rotation of the axle.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the drive pin includes a barbed shaft and the driven surface receives the barbed shaft.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein the driven surface is a part of the drive pin.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein the drive pin has a shoulder that extends radially outward and is arranged adjacent the bushing housing.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the axle is splined.

6. The module of claim 1, wherein the coupling is rotationally engaged with the bushing housing.

7. The module of claim 1, wherein the coupling includes a coupling aperture sized to receive the axle and the drive pin.

8. The module of claim 7, wherein the coupling aperture includes a projection and the drive pin includes a recess sized to receive the projection.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the axle, the coupling, and the drive pin are rotationally fixed relative to one another.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the drive pin includes a rotor that is selectively magnetically engaged with the driving member.

11. The module of claim 1, wherein the driven surface is frustoconically shaped.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises a module body and the axle is supported above the module body.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein a plurality of roller axle supports extend upwardly from the module body to rotatably receive the axle.

14. The module of claim 12, wherein the bushing housing is positioned at a lateral side of the module body.

15. A modular conveying assembly comprising:

a plurality of modules joined together, each module including;

a bushing housing;

an axle supported for rotation by and relative to the bushing housing;

a drive pin coupled to the axle; and

a driven surface fixed to the drive pin; and

a driving member in selective engagement with the driven surface to affect rotation of the axle;

wherein the drive pin includes a barbed shaft and the driven surface receives the barbed shaft.

16. The modular conveying assembly of claim 15, wherein the driven surface is a part of the drive pin.

17. The modular conveying assembly of claim 15, wherein the drive pin has a shoulder that extends radially outward and is arranged adjacent the bushing housing.

18. The modular conveying assembly of claim 15, wherein the axle and the drive pin are rotationally fixed relative to one another.

19. The modular conveying assembly of claim 15, wherein the driving member is a rod arranged to engage a plurality of driven surfaces.

20. The modular conveying assembly of claim 15, wherein the barbed shaft comprises a plurality of annular barbs.

21. The modular convening assembly of claim 15, further comprising a coupling configured to couple the axle and the drive pin.

22. A module for use in a modular conveying assembly, the module comprising:

a bushing housing;

an axle supported for rotation by the bushing housing;

a drive pin extending axially from the axle beyond the bushing housing;

a driven surface rotatably fixed to the drive pin via axial engagement with the drive pin, wherein the driven surface is configured for selective engagement with a driving member to affect rotation of the axle relative to the bushing housing.

23. The module of claim 22 wherein the drive pin comprises a barbed shaft that is received within the driven surface.