Take-up frame system and method with force feedback

• US 6,200,036 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baldor Electric Company (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies LLC (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Girardey, Greg F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/406,365
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 384/247, 384/252, 384/253, 384/256, 384/257, 384/258, 384/259, 384/260, 474/102, 474/136
• US Class Current: 384/260
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/44 Belt or chain tensioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0891 Linear path

Abstract

A take-up frame assembly is instrumented with a sensor for detecting tensile or compressive loading on the assembly during adjustment. A visual readout of the loading is provided as feedback to an operator in making system adjustments. The readout may be resident at the take-up frame, or part of a portable module coupled to the sensor during adjustment. In systems including a pair of take-up frames on either side of a machine, such as a pulley-driven belt conveyor, the sensor and feedback arrangement can be used to balance forces on both sides of the system to achieve the desired operational belt tension.

Claims

1. A bearing take-up frame assembly comprising:

a take-up frame including a force transmitting member and an adjustment member secured to the force transmitting member;

a bearing set coupled to the force transmitting member for movement by adjustment of the adjustment member;

a sensor assembly coupled to the force transmitting member and configured to produce feedback signals representative of force applied to the force transmitting member; and

a visual readout coupled to the sensor assembly for providing a visual indication of the force applied to the force transmitting member.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly is secured between the force transmitting member and the bearing set.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the force transmitting member includes a rod threaded into the sensor assembly.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the sensor assembly is coupled to an interface member disposed between the sensor assembly and the bearing set.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the visual readout is resident at the take-up frame.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the visual readout includes a plurality of visual indicators activated upon attaining a corresponding plurality of threshold force levels on the sensor assembly.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the visual readout includes a numerical display adapted to provide a quantitative readout of force applied to the sensor assembly.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the force transmitting member and the sensor assembly are adapted for compressive or tensile loading.

9. A take-up frame system comprising:

a machine system including a rotating component supported on first and second bearing sets;

first and second take-up frames supporting the first and second bearing sets, respectively, each take-up frame including a force transmitting member and an adjustment member, the adjustable member being coupled to the force transmitting member for regulating force on the respective bearing set; and

a force feedback system including a sensor linked to the force transmitting member of each take-up frame for generating feedback signals representative of forces applied to the respective force transmitting member, and a visual readout configured to provide a visual indication of the force based upon the feedback signals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each sensor of the force feedback system is coupled directly between a respective force transmitting member and a respective bearing set.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the force transmitting member of each take-up frame is placed in tension during operation of the machine system, and each sensor provides a feedback signal representative of tensile force on the respective force transmitting member.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each force transmitting member includes a threaded rod threadingly coupled to the adjustment member.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual readout is separable from the sensors.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual readout includes a plurality of visual indicators activated upon attaining a corresponding plurality of threshold force levels on the sensor assembly.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual readout includes a numerical display adapted to provide a quantitative readout of force applied to the sensor assembly.

16. A method for regulating force on a take-up frame assembly of a mechanical system, the take-up frame assembly including a support frame, a bearing set supported by the support frame, a force transmitting member for transmitting force from the bearing set to the support frame, and an adjustment member coupled to the force transmitting member for adjusting force exerted on the bearing set, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing force exerted on the force transmitting member via a sensor assembly mechanically coupled to the force transmitting member, and generating a feedback signal representative thereof, and

(b) providing a visual indication of the force exerted on the force transmitting member based upon the feedback signal.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising the further step of adjusting the force exerted on the force transmitting member by reference to the visual indication.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the mechanical system includes two take-up frame assemblies for supporting a rotating member on sides thereof, and wherein the method includes repeating steps (a) and (b) on both take-up frame assemblies to balance forces applied by the force transmitting members on the machine system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the visual indication of the force is provided via a module resident at the take-up frame assembly.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor assembly is adapted to sense either tensile or compressive loading on the take-up frame assembly, and wherein step (b) includes providing a quantitative indication of the tensile or compressive loading on the sensor assembly.