JP7545619B2 - Chain Sprocket Wheel - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a chain sprocket wheel that moves a chain around its outer circumference in the longitudinal direction.

In a typical chain mechanism, multiple chain sprocket wheels are arranged with a chain stretched around their outer circumference, and at least one of the chain sprocket wheels is rotated by a drive device, transmitting the rotational force to the chain to move it in the longitudinal direction.
Since the chain engages with some of the teeth of the chain sprocket wheel, a large load is applied to these teeth, which makes them susceptible to breakage and wear. In particular, in chain conveyors that transport heavy objects and the chain mechanism of sludge collectors, the teeth are subject to severe damage, so the chain sprocket wheel must be replaced frequently. In this case, replacing the entire large chain sprocket wheel not only requires a lot of labor and time, but is also very costly.
The same is true for the driven chain sprocket wheel.

In view of this, Patent Document 1 discloses a chain sprocket wheel which conventionally comprises a wheel body and a fixed plate to which the wheel body is attached and fixed, the wheel body being formed as a split type that is replaceable.
If this type of split chain sprocket wheel becomes unusable due to partial tooth loss or wear, it can be repaired by simply replacing some of the segments of the wheel body while leaving the chain attached.

JP 2002-356217 A

However, in a chain sprocket wheel such as that described in Patent Document 1, the split pieces of the wheel body and the fixed plate are attached and fixed only with bolts and nuts, so if a large force is applied to one of the teeth, the split piece will rattle against the fixed plate, and there is a risk that force will not be transmitted sufficiently between the chain.
An object of the present invention is to provide a chain sprocket wheel in which only a portion of a partial wheel can be replaced without removing the chain, and in which the partial wheel is less likely to rattle against the fixed platen.

The invention according to claim 1 is a chain sprocket wheel for hanging a chain on its outer circumference, comprising a wheel portion having a number of teeth with which the chain engages, a stationary plate having one surface to which the wheel portion is joined, and a plurality of fasteners for joining and fixing the wheel portion to the one surface of the stationary plate, the wheel portion being divided into a plurality of partial wheels in the circumferential direction, each partial wheel being independently detachably attached to the one surface of the stationary plate by at least one or more of the plurality of fasteners, the one or more fasteners detachably fixing only one of the partial wheels to the stationary plate, and any of the one surface of the stationary plate and the joining surface of the partial wheel a convex portion is formed on one side and a concave portion is formed on the other side, with the convex portion and the concave portion engaging with each other, neither the convex portion nor the concave portion is formed on the surface opposite to the one surface of the fixed plate of the partial wheel, the one or more fasteners include at least a first fastener and a second fastener that is arranged rearward of the first fastener in the rotational direction of the partial wheel, the first fastener and the second fastener are arranged on a concentric circle with the rotation center of the wheel portion, the fixed plate has a cylindrical portion that is located inside the partial wheel to be attached, and the inner surface of the partial wheel abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion.
The invention according to claim 2 is the chain sprocket wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that a gap is formed between adjacent partial wheels.
The invention according to claim 3 is the chain sprocket wheel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wheel portion is divided in the circumferential direction through the valley portions of the teeth.
The invention of claim 4 is a chain sprocket wheel as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between fasteners in one of the partial wheels is the same as the distance between the fasteners in the one partial wheel that are located on the side of an adjacent other partial wheel and the fasteners in the other partial wheel that are located on the side of the one partial wheel.
As another invention, the following may also be provided.
Means 1 : The invention of claim 1 of the present application is a chain sprocket wheel that has a chain hung around its outer circumference, comprising a wheel portion having a large number of teeth with which the chain engages, and a fixed plate, the wheel portion being divided into a plurality of partial wheels in the circumferential direction, each partial wheel being removably attached to the fixed plate by a fastener, a convex portion being formed on one of the joining surfaces of the fixed plate and the partial wheel and a concave portion being formed on the other, the convex portion and the concave portion being engaged with each other, there are a plurality of fasteners that removably attach the partial wheel to the fixed plate, the plurality of fasteners including at least a first fastener and a second fastener that is arranged rearward of the first fastener in the direction of rotation of the partial wheel, and the first fastener and the second fastener are arranged concentrically with the rotation center of the wheel portion.

Means 2 is the chain sprocket wheel according to means 1 , characterized in that a gap is formed between adjacent partial wheels.

Means 3 is the chain sprocket wheel according to means 1 or 2 , characterized in that the wheel portion is divided in the circumferential direction through the valleys of the teeth.

Means 4 is a chain sprocket wheel described in any one of means 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between fasteners in one of the partial wheels is the same as the distance between the fasteners in the one partial wheel located on the side of an adjacent other partial wheel and the fasteners in the other partial wheel located on the side of the one partial wheel .

According to the present invention, if a malfunction occurs in any of the partial wheels, the partial wheel can be moved to a position where it does not engage with the chain, and only the worn or damaged partial wheel can be easily replaced without removing the chain, thereby making it possible to significantly reduce the effort and cost required for replacement.
In addition, since the partial wheel attached by the fastener has a recess and a protrusion formed on the joint surface with the fixed plate that engage with each other, even if a large force is applied to some of the teeth, the partial wheel can be prevented from rattling against the fixed plate.
Furthermore, the fasteners for removably attaching the partial wheel to the fixed platen are configured to consist of at least a first fastener and a second fastener arranged rearward of the first fastener in the direction of rotation of the partial wheel, and the first fastener and second fastener are arranged concentrically with the center of rotation of the wheel portion.This makes it possible, for example, to share the partial wheel between a driving chain sprocket wheel and a driven chain sprocket wheel, thereby making it possible to reduce the manufacturing costs of the partial wheels.

In addition, by forming a gap between adjacent partial wheels, the partial wheels are prevented from competing with each other, making it easier to attach and remove the partial wheels.

In addition, because the wheel section is divided circumferentially through the valleys of the teeth, the contact surface is smaller than when it is divided along the peaks, making it easier to attach and detach.

In addition, by making the distance between the fasteners on one partial wheel the same as the distance between the fasteners on one partial wheel located on the adjacent other partial wheel side and the fasteners on the other partial wheel located on the first partial wheel side, the partial wheels can be easily attached to the fixed platen when the chain sprocket wheel is first assembled, making the assembly work more efficient.

1 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a cross-sectional view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the fixed platen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the partial wheel according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a third embodiment of the present invention. 13A to 13C are diagrams for explaining the effects of the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a front view of a fixed platen according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a rear view of a partial wheel according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a chain sprocket wheel showing the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the chain sprocket wheel showing the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a front view of a fixed platen related to the first embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of a partial wheel related to the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the chain sprocket wheel 1 is a drive chain sprocket wheel that moves a chain (not shown) stretched around its outer periphery in the length direction.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a chain sprocket wheel 1 includes a wheel portion 2 and a disk-shaped fixed plate 3 .
The wheel portion 2 has a number of teeth 4 on its outer periphery with which a chain engages, and each tooth 4 has a crest portion 41 and a valley portion 42 .

The wheel portion 2 is divided into a plurality of (eight in this embodiment) partial wheels 5 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The number of divisions may be set to a number that allows there to be at least one partial wheel 5 with which the chain does not engage even when the chain is wrapped around in a U-turn shape.
The wheel portion 2 is divided along a dividing line extending radially through the crest portion 41 of the tooth 4, and is formed into a disk shape as a whole by combining all the partial wheels 5 in the circumferential direction. In addition, when all the partial wheels 5 are combined, a small gap 7 is formed between adjacent partial wheels 5.

The partial wheel 5 is detachably fixed to one surface of the fixed platen 3 by a bolt 8 inserted through a bolt hole 9 (see FIG. 3) in the fixed platen 3 and a bolt hole 10 (see FIG. 4) in the partial wheel 5 .
Two bolts 8 are provided for each partial wheel 5, and these bolts are composed of a first bolt 8a and a second bolt 8b that is disposed rearward of the first bolt 8a in the rotational direction of the partial wheel 5. The bolts 8, the first bolt 8a, and the second bolt 8b correspond to the fastener, the first fastener, and the second fastener of the present invention, respectively.

The distance from the rotation center of the wheel portion 2 to which the first bolt 8a is disposed is different from the distance from the rotation center of the wheel portion 2 to which the second bolt 8b is disposed.
By arranging the wheels in this manner, even if a large force is applied to the teeth 4 in the moving direction of the chain, rattling of the partial wheels 5 relative to the fixed platen 3 can be prevented more effectively.

Specifically, the distance from the center of rotation of the wheel portion 2 at which the first bolt 8a is arranged is set to be longer than the distance from the center of rotation of the wheel portion 2 at which the second bolt 8b is arranged.
As a result, since it is a drive chain sprocket wheel, it is possible to increase the resistance to the rotational moment acting on the opposite side of the rotational direction of the partial wheel 5 from the chain generated by the rotation of the chain sprocket wheel 1, thereby preventing rattling.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixed platen 3 includes a cylindrical portion 30 for passing a shaft (not shown) therethrough, and a circular flange-shaped wheel fixing portion 31 for mounting the wheel portion 2. As shown in FIG.
A fixing flange 32 is formed along the inner peripheral edge on one surface of the wheel fixing portion 31 (the surface to which the wheel portion 2 is joined), and the inner peripheral surface of the fixing flange 32 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 30 by welding or the like.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a circular convex portion 11 is formed along the entire outer circumferential edge on one surface of the wheel fixing portion 31, and as shown in Figure 4, a concave portion 12 that engages with the convex portion 11 of the fixed plate 3 is formed along the circumferential direction on the surface that is joined to the fixed plate 3 of the partial wheel 5.
When the inner circumferential surface of the partial wheel 5 is abutted against the outer circumferential surface of the fixing flange 32, the partial wheel 5 and the fixed plate 3 are positioned radially, the convex portion 11 and the concave portion 12 can be easily engaged, and the bolt holes 9, 10 can also be easily aligned.

Since the circular convex portion 11 is formed along the entire outer circumferential edge of the wheel fixing portion 31, the convex portion 11 can be easily processed.
When the chain sprocket wheel 1 is rotated to drive the chain, an uneven force is applied to the teeth 4 of the partial wheel 5, causing the partial wheel 5 to rattle against the fixed platen 3, but the protrusions 11 of the fixed platen 3 extending in the circumferential direction and the recesses 12 of the partial wheel 5 engage with each other to suppress the rattle.

When any of the partial wheels 5 is worn or damaged, the partial wheel 5 is moved to a position where it is not engaged with the chain without removing the chain from the chain sprocket wheel 1, the first bolt 8a and the second bolt 8b are pulled out, the worn or damaged partial wheel 5 is removed, and a new partial wheel 5 is attached.
At this time, a gap 7 is formed between the adjacently arranged partial wheels 5. Because the gap 7 is formed in this way, the partial wheel 5 to be removed does not compete with the adjacent partial wheel 5, and the partial wheel 5 can be easily removed without being hindered by the adjacent partial wheel 5. In addition, the installation work can be performed without being hindered by the adjacent partial wheel 5.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. Note that a description of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

The chain sprocket wheel 1 in the second embodiment is a driven chain sprocket wheel, and rotates in accordance with the movement of a chain (not shown) stretched around the outer periphery.
The chain sprocket wheel 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 5 as the chain moves. Therefore, a rotational moment in the rotational direction of the partial wheel 5 is applied from the chain, which is generated by the movement of the chain.

In response to this, the bolts 8 are arranged so that the distance from the center of rotation of the wheel part 2 to the first bolt 8a is shorter than the distance from the center of rotation of the wheel part 2 to the second bolt 8b, which is arranged behind the first bolt 8a in the rotation direction of the wheel part 2. This increases the resistance to the rotational moment acting in the rotation direction of the partial wheel 5 from the chain, which is generated by the movement of the chain.

Third Embodiment
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Note that a description of the same parts as in the first and second embodiments will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

In the third embodiment, the wheel portion 2 is divided into a plurality of partial wheels 5 along dividing lines extending radially through the valleys 42 of the teeth 4 .
When the wheel section 2 is divided at the valleys 42 of the teeth 4 in this way, the strength is somewhat lower and the partial wheels 5 are more likely to be separated than when divided at the peaks 41, but since there are fewer parts that can come into contact with the adjacent partial wheels 5 when attaching or detaching, the adjacent partial wheels 5 do not get in the way and attachment and detachment are easier. Also, since there are fewer parts that can come into contact with the adjacent partial wheels 5 when attaching or detaching, there is less chance of fingers getting pinched, making attachment and detachment safer.

The eight attached partial wheels 5 are provided so as to be flush with the joint surface of the wheel fixing portion 31, but there may be a step between adjacent partial wheels 5 when attaching or detaching them. Even in such a case, if the partial wheels 5 are divided along a dividing line extending radially through the valley portion 42 of the tooth 4, the effect of the step on the movement of the chain can be reduced, contributing to the smooth movement of the chain. This effect will be specifically explained with reference to FIG. 7.
Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining this effect, where Figure 7(a) is an enlarged plan view of the portion of the wheel portion 2 divided by the crest portion 41 of the tooth 4 (as viewed from direction A in Figure 5), and Figure 7(b) shows a third embodiment and is an enlarged plan view of the portion of the wheel portion 2 divided by the valley portion 42 of the tooth 4 (as viewed from direction B in Figure 6).

Regarding the distance of the divided peaks 41 from the step Z when adjacent partial wheels 5, 5 arranged with a gap 7 between them are divided by the peaks 41 of the teeth 4 as shown in Fig. 7(A), the distance of the divided peaks 41 is L1 of the gap 7. On the other hand, in the case where the partial wheels 5, 5 are divided by the valleys 42 of the teeth 4 as shown in Fig. 7(B), the distance of the divided peaks 41 is L2, which is larger than the gap 7 by the valleys 42, 42, and in the case where the partial wheels 5, 5 are divided by the valleys 42, the distance at which the same step Z of the peaks 41 occurs is longer.
For this reason, the effect of the step of the peaks 41 on the chain is relatively smaller in the case of Fig. 7(b) where the chain is divided by the valleys 42. Moreover, in the case of Fig. 7(a) where the chain is divided by the peaks 41, a step Z occurs between the peaks 41 that engage with one hole in the chain, but in the case of Fig. 7(b) where the chain is divided by the valleys 42, a step Z occurs between the peaks 41 that engage with two holes in the chain, and the effect of the step on the chain is smaller.

Fourth embodiment
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Note that a description of the same parts as in any of the first to third embodiments will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the outer shape of the fixed platen 3 is a regular polygon (a regular octagon in this embodiment) having the same number of sides as the number of partial wheels 5, and a regular polygonal convex portion 11 is formed along the outer periphery of the fixed platen 3.
The recesses 12 provided on the joining surface of the partial wheel 5 are bent to match the shapes of the protrusions 11 at each vertex of the regular octagon of the fixed platen 3, as shown in Figure 8, and the partial wheels 5 are attached to the positions of each vertex of the regular octagon of the fixed platen 3.
By configuring in this manner and arranging the convex portion 11 and the concave portion 12 so as to include a straight line parallel to the tangent of a circle concentric with the fixed platen 3, the partial wheel 5 is positioned radially and circumferentially relative to the fixed platen 3, so that wobbling of the partial wheel 5 can be more reliably suppressed and alignment of the bolt holes 9, 10 becomes even easier.

Fifth embodiment
A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Note that a description of the same parts as in any of the first to fourth embodiments will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

In the fifth embodiment, partial wheels 5 are attached to the fixed platen 3 of the fourth embodiment at the positions of each side of a regular octagon.
10, the surface of the partial wheel 5 that is joined to the fixed platen 3 is formed with recesses 12 that engage with the protrusions 11 of the fixed platen 3. The recesses 12 are provided linearly in accordance with the shapes of the protrusions 11 on each side of the regular octagon of the fixed platen 3, so that the partial wheels 6 can be attached to the positions of each side of the regular octagon of the fixed platen 3.
By configuring in this manner and arranging the convex portion 11 and the concave portion 12 so as to include a straight line parallel to the tangent of a circle concentric with the fixed platen 3, the partial wheel 5 is positioned radially and circumferentially relative to the fixed platen 3, so that wobbling of the partial wheel 5 can be more reliably suppressed and alignment of the bolt holes 9, 10 becomes even easier.

Sixth embodiment
A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 11. Note that a description of the same parts as in any of the first to fifth embodiments will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 5, 6, etc., the first bolt 8a (first fastener) and the second bolt 8b (second fastener) that secure the partial wheel 5 are configured to be at different distances from the center of rotation of the wheel portion 2, but as shown in Figure 11, the first bolt 8a and the second bolt 8b are each arranged on a concentric circle with the center of rotation of the wheel portion 2.

This configuration allows the partial wheel 5 to be shared between the drive chain sprocket wheel and the driven chain sprocket wheel. That is, unlike the previously described embodiment, the positions of the first bolt 8a and the second bolt 8b are not configured to be at different distances from the center of rotation of the wheel portion 2 depending on the direction of rotation of the chain sprocket wheel. Therefore, the partial wheel 5 can be shared between the drive chain sprocket wheel and the driven chain sprocket wheel, making it possible to reduce the manufacturing costs of the partial wheel 5. Note that while the partial wheel 5 shown in FIG. 11 is an example in which it is divided at the peak portion 41, it is also possible to divide it at the valley portion 42, as in the previously described embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the distance (a) between the first bolt 8a (first fastener) and the second bolt 8b (second fastener) of the partial wheel 5 is different from the distance (b) between the bolts fixing the adjacent partial wheel 5. However, this is not limited to the above configuration, and it is also possible to arrange the bolts 8 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction so that the distance (a) between the bolts fixing the partial wheel 5 located on the adjacent other partial wheel 5 side and the bolts fixing the other partial wheel 5 located on the one partial wheel side are the same. By configuring in this way, the bolt holes 9 formed in the wheel fixing portion 31 of the fixed plate 3 are at equal intervals, so that, for example, when the wheel portion 2 of the chain sprocket wheel 1 is first assembled, the partial wheel 5 can be easily attached at any position on the wheel fixing portion 31, making it possible to perform the assembly work efficiently.

[Other Modifications]
The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and may also include the following, for example.

In this embodiment, the wheel section is divided into eight partial wheels, but the number of divisions can be changed as appropriate depending on the size of the chain sprocket wheel, the angle at which the chain engages, etc.

In this embodiment, a convex portion is formed on the fixed platen and a concave portion is formed on the partial wheel, but of course, a concave portion may be formed on the fixed platen and a convex portion may be formed on the partial wheel.

In this embodiment, the circular convex portion 11 is formed along the entire outer periphery of the wheel fixing portion 31, but this is not limited to this. It may be provided intermittently rather than along the entire outer periphery. Also, the convex portion may be formed on the inner joint surface rather than on the outer periphery. The shape of the convex portion is also not limited to the embodiment. In this embodiment, it is provided so as to be curved in the circumferential direction or to be polygonal, but it may be provided so as to be long in the radial direction. In that case, it goes without saying that the engaging recess portion is also formed in a corresponding position and shape.

In this embodiment, each partial wheel is attached to the fixed platen with two bolts, a first bolt and a second bolt, but this is not limited thereto, and each partial wheel may be attached to the fixed platen with a single bolt.

In this embodiment, each partial wheel is attached to the fixed platen with two bolts, a first bolt and a second bolt, but depending on the size of the partial wheel, it may be attached with three or more bolts.

The technical aspects of any embodiment may be applied to other embodiments as examples.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Chain sprocket wheel 2 Wheel portion 3 Fixed plate 4 Teeth 5 Partial wheel 7 Gap 8 Bolt 8a First bolt (first fastener)
8b Second bolt (second fastener)
9, 10 Bolt hole 30 Cylindrical portion 31 Wheel fixing portion 32 Fixing flange

Claims (4)

A chain sprocket wheel having a chain wound around its outer periphery,
a wheel portion having a large number of teeth with which a chain engages, a stationary plate having a surface to which the wheel portion is joined , and a plurality of fasteners for joining and fixing the wheel portion to the surface of the stationary plate ,
The wheel portion is divided into a plurality of partial wheels in a circumferential direction, and each partial wheel is independently detachably attached to the one surface of the fixed platen by at least one or more fasteners among the plurality of fasteners ,
the one or more fasteners removably fasten only one of the partial wheels to the fixed platen;
A convex portion is formed on one of the surface of the fixed platen and the joint surface of the partial wheel, and a concave portion is formed on the other of the surface of the fixed platen and the joint surface of the partial wheel, and the convex portion and the concave portion are engaged with each other.
Neither the convex portion nor the concave portion is formed on a surface of the partial wheel opposite to the one surface of the fixed platen,
The one or more fasteners include at least a first fastener and a second fastener arranged rearward of the first fastener in a rotational direction of the partial wheel,
the first fastener and the second fastener are disposed concentrically with a rotation center of the wheel portion,
The fixed platen has a cylindrical portion located inside the partial wheel to which it is attached,
The inner peripheral surface of the partial wheel is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion.
A chain sprocket wheel characterized by: The chain sprocket wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that a gap is formed between adjacent partial wheels. The chain sprocket wheel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wheel portion is divided in the circumferential direction through the tooth valleys. A chain sprocket wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between the fasteners in one of the partial wheels is the same as the distance between the fasteners in the one partial wheel located on the side of the adjacent other partial wheel and the fasteners in the other partial wheels located on the side of the one partial wheel.

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