Patent Application
20060049023
The present disclosure is directed to a conveyor belt cleaner including a rotational biasing mechanism and a scraper blade removably attached to the biasing mechanism, wherein the biasing mechanism includes an inner coupler member having a plurality of outwardly extending fins, an outer coupler member located concentrically about the inner coupler member and including a plurality of inwardly extending fins, and a biasing member formed from a resilient elastomeric material disposed between the inner coupler member and the outer coupler member.
Conveyor belt cleaners include one or more scraper blades that are adapted to scrape adherent material from a moving conveyor belt. The scraper blades are often either linearly or rotationally biased into scraping engagement with the conveyor belt such that the scraper blades engage the conveyor belt with a desired amount of scraping pressure and force, and such that the scraper blades maintain contact with the conveyor belt as the blades wear. When scraper blades are rotationally biased into engagement with a conveyor belt in a first rotational direction, it is also desirable for the scraper blades to be capable of rotating in an opposite second rotational direction in case the direction of movement of the conveyor belt is reversed whereby the conveyor belt may force the scraper blades to rotate in the second rotational direction. It is also desirable for the scraper blades to be movable relative to one another in a direction generally transverse to the rotational axis of the scraper blades such that the scraper blades may respectively position themselves to take into account variations in the configuration of the surface of the conveyor belt.
A conveyor belt cleaner including a support member having a central axis, one or more biasing mechanisms coupled to and supported by the support member, and one or more scraping members removably attached to each biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes an inner coupler member having a longitudinal axis, a base that extends around the support member and a plurality of inner fins extending outwardly from the base. The biasing mechanism also includes an outer coupler member located concentrically about the inner coupler member. The outer coupler member includes a peripheral wall extending around the inner coupler member and a plurality of outer fins extending inwardly from the peripheral wall. Each outer fin of the outer coupler member is located between a pair of adjacent inner fins of the inner coupler member, such that a cell is respectively formed between each adjacent inner fin and outer fin. The biasing mechanism includes a biasing member formed from a resilient elastomeric material that includes one or more first lobes and one or more second lobes. The first and second lobes are located alternately with respect to one another, with each lobe located in a respective cell.
The scraping member is removably mounted on the outer coupler member of the biasing mechanism such that that outer coupler member and the scraping member are conjointly rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the inner coupler member with respect to the inner coupler member between a first position and a second position. The inner fins and the outer fins place the first lobes of the biasing member in compression, and place the second lobes of the biasing member in tension, as the outer coupler member and scraping member rotate with respect to the inner coupler member from the first position toward the second position, such that the first and second lobes are adapted to resiliently bias the outer coupler member and scraping member from the second position toward the first position. The scraping member includes a blade holder having an arm and a mounting member adapted to receive a post extending outwardly from the outer coupler member of the biasing mechanism such that the scraping member is conjointly rotatable with the outer coupler member. The scraping member also includes a scraper blade adapted to engage the conveyor belt. The mounting member of the blade holder comprises a generally C-shaped sleeve having opposing flexible legs which allow the scraping member to be snap-fit on the outer coupler member while being conjointly rotatable with the outer coupler member.
As shown in the drawing figures the conveyor belt cleaner 20 is adapted for use in scraping adherent material from a conveyor belt 22. The conveyor belt 22 includes an interior surface 24 and an exterior load-carrying surface 26. The conveyor belt cleaner 20 includes an elongate support member 28, one or more biasing mechanisms 30 coupled to and supported by the support member 28, and one or more scraping members 32 removably attached to each biasing mechanism 30.
As shown in
The biasing mechanism 30 includes an inner coupler member 48, such as a ring, having a base 50 that extends from a first end 52 to a second end 54. The base 50 includes a generally planar end wall 56 at the first end 52 and a spaced apart and generally parallel planar end wall 58 located at the second end 54. The base 50 also includes a generally cylindrical outer surface 60 extending between the end walls 56 and 58. If desired the outer surface 60 of the base 50 may be formed in other cross-sectional configurations, such as square or other polygonal shapes. As shown in
The inner coupler member 48 also includes a plurality of inner fins 76 extending generally radially outwardly from the outer surface 60 of the base 50 with respect to the axis 70. Each inner fin 76 includes a bottom end attached to the outer surface 60 of the base 50 and an elongate generally linear tip 78 located radially outwardly from the outer surface 60 of the base 50 and generally parallel to the axis 70. Each inner fin 76 includes a generally planar first surface 80 and a spaced apart and generally parallel planar second surface 82. Each surface 80 and 82 extends from adjacent the outer surface 60 of the base 50 to the tip 78. Each inner fin 76 extends between the end walls 56 and 58 of the base 50 generally parallel to the axis 70. The inner fins 76 are generally uniformly and equally spaced apart from one another about the outer surface 60 of the base 50 such that the inner fins 76 are generally symmetrically located about the axis 70. As shown in
The biasing mechanism 30 also includes an outer coupler member 88, such as a ring, having an annular cylindrical peripheral wall 90 that extends between a first end 92 and a second end 94. The peripheral wall 90 includes a generally cylindrical outer surface 96 and a spaced apart generally cylindrical inner surface 98. The surfaces 96 and 98 extend between the first and second ends 92 and 94. The peripheral wall 90 is located generally concentrically about the inner coupler member 48 and the axis 70 such that the base 50 and the inner fins 76 of the inner coupler member 48 are located within the peripheral wall 90. The connector member 6-vof the base 50 projects outwardly beyond the first end 92 of the peripheral wall 90 along the axis 70. The end wall 56 of the base 50 is generally coplanar with the first end 92 of the peripheral wall 90 and the end wall 58 of the base 50 is generally coplanar with the second end 94 of the peripheral wall 90.
The outer coupler member 88 includes a plurality of outer fins 100. Each outer fin 100 extends from a bottom end attached to the inner surface 98 of the peripheral wall 90 to a tip 102. Each outer fin 100 includes a generally planar first surface 104 and a spaced apart and generally parallel planar second surface 106. If desired, each outer fin 100 may include one or more apertures extending between the surfaces 104 and 106. Each outer fin 100 extends from its bottom end to the tip 102 generally radially inwardly from the inner surface 98 of the peripheral wall 90 toward the longitudinal axis 70. The tip 102 is generally linear and extends generally parallel to the axis 70. Each outer fin 100 extends between the first end 92 and the second end 94 of the peripheral wall 90 generally parallel to the axis 70. The tips 78 of the inner fins 76 are spaced apart from the inner surface 98 of the outer coupler member 88, and the tips 102 of the outer fins 100 are spaced apart from the outer surface 60 of the inner coupler member 48. The outer fins 100 are generally uniformly spaced apart from one another and are generally symmetrically located about the inner surface 98 and about the axis 70. Each outer fin 100 is located between a pair of adjacent inner fins 76. A cell 108 is respectively formed between each adjacent inner fin 76 and outer fin 100, and between the base 50 of the inner coupler member 48 and the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88.
As shown in
The outer coupler member 88 also includes a post 114. The post 114 includes a base 116 attached to the outer surface 96 of the peripheral wall 90 and extends generally radially outwardly to a distal end 118. The post 114 includes an inclined generally planar first wall 120 and an inclined generally planar second wall 122. The walls 120 and 122 extend generally parallel to the axis 70 and are arranged in a generally inverted V-shaped arrangement such that the walls 120 and 122 converge toward one another as they extend from the base 116 toward the distal end 118. The post 114 also includes a generally planar side wall 124 and a generally planar side wall 126 that are spaced apart and parallel to one another. The side walls 124 and 126 are generally perpendicular to the axis 70 and to the first and second walls 120 and 122. The side walls 124 and 126 extend between the first wall 120 and second wall 122. The post 114 includes a hollow receptacle 128 in communication with an aperture 130 in the distal end 118 of the post 114. The receptacle 128 has a generally rectangular cross section formed by a generally planar internal wall 132 that is spaced apart from and generally parallel to a generally planar internal wall 134. The receptacle 128 extends inwardly into the post 114 from the aperture 130 to a bottom wall located adjacent the base 116. The outer coupler member 88 may be formed from a material such as metal or a rigid plastic or elastomeric material.
The biasing mechanism 30 also includes a resilient biasing member 200 located between the inner coupler member 48 and outer coupler member 88 concentrically about the inner coupler member 48 and axis 70. The biasing member 200 includes a plurality of first lobes 202 and a plurality of second lobes 204. The lobes 202 and 204 are located in a circular manner about a central bore 206 that extends from a first end 208 to a second end 210 of the biasing member 200. The first lobes 202 and second lobes 204 are located alternately with respect to the one another about the bore 206 and axis 70. Each lobe 202 and 204 includes an end wall that is in engagement with and attached to an inner fin 76 of the inner coupler member 48 and an opposing end wall that is in engagement with and attached to an outer fin 100 of the outer coupler member 88. Each lobe 202 and 204 also includes an inner surface that is in engagement with the outer surface 60 of the inner coupler member 48 and an outer surface that is in engagement with the inner surface 98 of the outer coupler member 88. Each cell 108 formed between the inner coupler member 48 and outer coupler member 88 is respectively filled with a lobe 202 or 204 of the biasing member 200. The lobes 202 and 204 are connected to one another such that the biasing member 200 is formed as an integral one-piece member. The biasing member 200 may be molded in place between the inner coupler member 48 and outer coupler member 88.
The biasing member 200 may be formed from a resilient elastomeric material. A resilient elastomeric material from which the biasing member 200 may be formed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,411, issued Aug. 25, 1998, for Compressible Polyurethane Compositions Having Minimal Tack and Articles Therefrom, which is incorporated herein by reference. This resilient elastomeric material is formed from a polyurethane composition which may comprise 140 parts by weight of a polyol, wherein polyols include diols, from about 50 to 70 parts by weight of a diisocyanate compound, the polyols, diols and diisocyanate compounds being selected from the group consisting of reactants capable of forming polyurethanes, from about one to about thirty percent by weight of a plasticizer based upon the weight of the polyurethane composition, and from about 0 to about 100 parts by weight of a mineral filler, based upon 100 parts by weight of the polyurethane composition. The plasticizer may comprise mineral oil. The mineral filler may be selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate and clays. This biasing material is available from The Hygenic Corporation of Akron, Ohio, which is the assignee of U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,411.
One composition of the resilient biasing material that is available from The Hygenic Corporation as formulation reference number WO3301 comprises 140 parts by weight polyol, 62.5 parts by weight diisocyanate, and 13 parts by weight mineral oil. A two inch diameter ball of this resilient material can be compressed to one inch with the application of seventeen pounds of force. A two inch diameter ball of this material can be compressed to less than forty percent of its diameter. A two inch diameter ball of this material takes about twenty seconds to recover from a fifty percent compression. Another composition of the resilient biasing material that is available from The Hygenic Corporation comprises 140 parts by weight polyol, 60 parts by weight diisocyanate, and 7 parts by weight mineral oil. A two inch diameter ball of this resilient material can be compressed to one inch with the application of eight pounds of force.
This resilient biasing material will not take a set when deformed by compression under a load and resiliently returns to its original shape when the load is removed. The resilient material has a retarded resilience in that its rate of recovery after deformation by compression is gradual and not rapid. The biasing force generated by the return of the biasing material to its original configuration is not sufficient to cause the scraping member 32 to resonate in engagement with the conveyor belt 22. The composition of the resilient material that forms the biasing member 200 may be varied depending on the scraping application with which the biasing mechanism 30 will be used to make the biasing member 200 stiffer or softer as may be needed while retaining retarded resilience. The fluid-like nature of the biasing member 200 in its ability to deform allows the outer coupler member 88 and the scraping member 32 to move vertically and/or horizontally and to pivot in any direction from a center of rotation. The biasing member 200 provides a floating pivot point such that the scraping member 32 is able to pivot in multiple directions about the pivot point and to move vertically and/or horizontally.
The scraping member 32 includes a blade holder 138 having a generally C-shaped mounting member 140 that extends in a generally circular manner from a first end 142 to a second end 144. The mounting member 140 includes a sleeve 146 that extends in a generally circular manner from the first end 142 to the second end 144 and that includes a generally cylindrical-shaped inner wall 148. The sleeve 146 includes a resiliently flexible first leg 150 that extends to and includes the first end 142 and a resiliently flexible second leg 152 that extends to and includes the second end 144 of the mounting member 140. The first and second legs 150 and 152 are located on opposite sides of a hollow seat 154 formed within the sleeve 146. A slot in communication with the seat 154 is located between the ends 142 and 144 of the legs 150 and 152. The legs 150 and 152 are resiliently flexible such that the ends 142 and 144 may be resiliently flexed apart from one another to increase the width of the slot opening therebetween.
The blade holder 138 also includes an arm 158 having a first end 160 and a second end 162. The first end 160 of the arm 158 is attached to the exterior surface of the sleeve 146. The first leg 150 of the mounting member 140 extends from adjacent the arm 158 to the first end 142 of the mounting member 140, and the second leg 152 extends from the arm 158 to the second end 144 of the mounting member 140. The second end 162 of the arm 158 is located radially outwardly from the sleeve 146. The arm 158 includes a recess 164 that is in communication with the seat 154 and that is adapted to matingly receive the post 114 of the outer coupler member 88 as shown in
The scraping member 32 also includes a blade insert member 180. The blade insert member 180 includes a tongue 182 having a first end 184 and a second end 186. The blade insert member 180 also includes a blade insert 188 attached to a second end 186 of the tongue 182. The blade insert 188 is generally plate-like and includes a generally linear tip 190. The blade insert member 180 or its scraping end, may be formed from a metal material and may be formed from a wear-resistant material such as, for example, tungsten carbide, stainless steel, or ceramic materials. The blade insert 188 is adapted to be molded within and enclosed within the scraping blade 170 of the blade holder 138. The tongue 182 of the blade insert member 180 is adapted to extend inwardly into the recess 164 of the arm 158 of the blade holder 138. The tongue 182 is adapted to fit matingly within the receptacle 128 of the post 114 of the outer coupler member 88 as shown in
Each inner fin 252 is positioned generally midway and equally between an adjacent pair of outer fins 260. Similarly, each outer fin 260 is positioned generally midway and equally between an adjacent pair of inner fins 252. A cell 262 is formed between each adjacent pair of inner fins 252 and outer fins 260. The biasing mechanism 246 also includes a resilient elastomeric biasing member 264 that is located between the inner coupler member 248 and outer coupler member 256. The biasing member 264 includes a plurality of lobes that are of generally uniform size and that are respectively located in the cells 262.
An extension member 294, including a first end 296 and a second end 298, is attached to each mounting bracket 284. The first ends 296 of the extension members 294 are attached to the mounting brackets 284. The extension members 294 are located generally coaxially with respect to the central axis of the support member 28. The extension members 294 are adapted to mount the conveyor belt cleaner 280 to a structure.
As shown in
In operation, one or more biasing mechanisms 30 are slid longitudinally onto the support member 28, with the support member 28 being inserted through the bores 68 of the inner coupler members 48 such that the axes 40 and 70 are coaxial with one another. The biasing mechanisms 30 are located adjacent to one another such that the connector member 62 of an inner coupler member 48 is located within the receptacle 66 of the inner coupler member 48 of an adjacent second biasing mechanism 30. The inner coupler members 48 of the biasing mechanisms 30 are thereby attached to one another for conjoint rotation about the longitudinal axis 40 of the support member 28 and the longitudinal axis 70 of the inner coupler members 48. However, the biasing mechanisms 30 may be separated from one another by movement in a longitudinal direction along the support member 28 parallel to the axes 40 and 70. The inner coupler member 48 of the biasing mechanism 30 may be rotatable about the axes 40 and 70 with respect to the support member 28. The outer-most located biasing mechanism 30 at each end of the support member 28 is removably attached to a mounting hub 268. The support member 28 is also attached at each end to a respective mounting hub 268. The inner coupler members 48 are biased together on the support member 28 by the retainer members 42 and the mounting hubs 268. The support member 28, and a plurality of inner coupler members 48 interlocked with one another and supported on the support member 28 as shown in
A scraping member 32 is removably attached to a respective biasing mechanism 30. The mounting member 140 of the blade holder 138 is placed over the post 114, such that the post 114 is inserted into the seat 154 between the first and second ends 142 and 144 of the mounting member 140. As the width of the slot between the first and second ends 142 and 144 of the mounting member 140 is narrower than the diameter of the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88, the first and second ends 142 and 144 of the mounting member 140 will engage the outer surface 96 of the peripheral wall 90. Continued movement of the scraping member 32 toward the biasing mechanism 30 will resiliently flex the legs 150 and 152 outwardly and spread the first and second ends 142 and 144 of the mounting member 140 apart from one another, such that the first and second ends 142 and 144 of the mounting member 140 will pass over the widest part of the peripheral wall 90 and will resiliently return toward their original unbiased position once the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88 is located within the seat 154.
When the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88 is located within the seat 154 of the mounting member 140 of the blade holder 138, the post 114 is located matingly within the recess 164 of the arm 158 of the blade holder 138. The inner wall 148 of the sleeve 146 of the mounting member 140 closely engages the outer surface 96 of the peripheral wall 90. The sleeve 146 of the mounting member 140 extends between the first end 142 and the second end 144 about the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88 more than one-hundred eighty degrees. The resiliently flexible legs 150 and 152 of the mounting member 140 of the blade holder 138 resiliently grip the peripheral wall 90 of the outer coupler member 88 thereby retaining the blade holder 138 in engagement with the outer coupler member 88, while allowing removal of the blade holder 138 from the outer coupler member 88 upon the application of sufficient force in a direction generally parallel to a central axis of the arm 158 of the blade holder 138 generally transverse to the axis 70. The blade holder 138 is snap-fit onto the outer coupler member 88. The post 114 couples the blade holder 135 to the outer coupler member 88 for conjoint rotation with the outer coupler member 88.
As shown in
The scraping members 32 may be placed into biased scraping engagement with the exterior surface 26 of the conveyor belt 22 by moving the support member 28 and inner coupler members 48 of the biasing mechanisms 30 generally linearly toward the conveyor belt 22, or by rotating the inner coupler members 48 about the axis 70 in a generally counter-clockwise direction as viewed in
As the scraping blade 170 of the blade holder 138 wears due to its scraping engagement with the conveyor belt 22, the tip 190 of the blade insert 188 will come into scraping engagement with the conveyor belt 22. The material of the blade holder 138 that initially forms the scraping edge 172 of the scraping blade 170 allows the scraper blade insert 188 to wear in gradually and thereby avoid damaging the conveyor belt 22. As the scraping blade 170 and blade insert 188 wear, the biasing mechanism 30 will rotate the scraping member 32 into continuing biased engagement with the conveyor belt 22. When the scraping blade 170 is worn, the scraping member 32 can be removed from the biasing mechanism 30 and a new scraping member 32 can be attached to the biasing mechanism 30.
As viewed in
When the outer coupler member 88 is rotated in the clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48, each outer fin 100 of the outer coupler member 88 rotates away from the inner fin 76 that is located adjacent to the outer fin 100 in a counter-cloc-wise direction. The second lobes 204 of the biasing mechanism 200 are located between the inner fin 76 of the inner coupler member 48 and the outer fin 100 of the outer coupler member 88 that is located adjacent to the inner fin 76 in the clockwise direction. As the outer coupler member 88 rotates from an unbiased neutral position in a clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48, the outer fins 100 place the second lobes 204 in tension. As the outer coupler member 88 rotates in the clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48, the first lobes 202 of the biasing member 200 are placed in compression and the second lobes 204 of the biasing mechanism 200 are placed in tension, such that the first lobes 202 and the second lobes 204 all resiliently bias the outer coupler member 88 and scraping member 32 in a counter-clockwise rotational direction about the axis 70 from a rotationally biased position toward a neutral unbiased position.
Each scraping blade 170 of the conveyor belt cleaner may be biased into engagement with the conveyor belt 22 with a uniform scraping force or pressure. Scraping members 32 having short arms 158 must therefore be provided with a larger rotational biasing force than are the scraping members 32 having long arms 158, in order for the short arm scraping members 32 to be biased into engagement with the conveyor belt 22 with the same force and pressure as are the scraping members 32 having long arms 158. The rotational biasing force that each biasing mechanism 30 provides for a given angle or increment of rotation of the outer coupler member 88 with respect to the inner coupler member 48 can be selectively adjusted or tuned by forming each biasing member 200 from different selected resilient elastomeric materials. For example, an elastomeric material having a first durometer of hardness may be used in connection with the long arm scraping members 32 and a elastomeric material having a different durometer of hardness may be used in connection with the long arm scraping members 32. The width and length of the fins 76 and 100 determine the cross sectional area of the lobes 202 and 204 that is placed into compression or tension. The rotational biasing force provided by the biasing member 200 in response to an incremental rotation of the outer coupler member 88 with respect to the inner coupler member 48 may be selectively adjusted or tuned by adjusting the length of the inner fins 76 from their base to their tips 78, by adjusting the length of the outer fins 100 between their base and their tips 102, by varying the width of the fins 76 and 100, and by varying the position of each outer fin 100 with respect to the pair of inner fins 76 between which the outer fin 100 is located. The length of each lobe 202 and 204 between their adjacent inner fin 76 and outer fin 100 may be adjusted to provide a selected biasing force by changing the position of the outer fins 100 with respect to the adjacent pair of inner fins 76.
The biasing mechanism 30 will also provide a clockwise rotational biasing force to the outer coupler member 88 if the outer coupler member 88 is rotated from a neutral unbiased position in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48. In this case the first lobes 202 will be placed in tension and the second lobes 204 will be placed in compression. The biasing member 200 also allows for limited vertical and/or horizontal movement of the outer coupler member 88 and scraping member 32 with respect to the inner coupler member 48.
The force with which each scraping member 32 is biased into the engagement with conveyor belt 22 for a given increment of rotation of the outer coupler member 88 with respect to the inner coupler member 48 can be varied and tuned to provide either more biasing force or less biasing force by changing the composition of the resilient elastomeric material that forms the biasing member 200, by changing the length of the arm 158 of the scraping member 32, changing the offset angles of the long arm scraping members 32 with respect to the short arm scraping members 32, reducing or increasing the number of cells 108 in each biasing mechanism, changing the length of the cells 108 and lobes 202 and 204 between the fins 76 and 100, and/or by reducing or increasing the length of the fins 76 and 100.
While rotation of the outer coupler member 88 in the clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48 has been referred to herein, such rotation is equivalent to the inner coupler member 48 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the outer coupler member 88 in regard to compressing and tensioning the lobes of the biasing member 200. Similarly, rotation of the inner coupler member 48 in a clockwise direction with respect to the outer coupler member 88 is equivalent to the outer coupler member 88 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the inner coupler member 48 in regard to compressing and tensioning the lobes of the biasing member 200.
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiments of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.
