Abstract
An opening roller for an open-end spinning device includes a drive shaft and a roller body connected to the drive shaft. The drive shaft includes a coupling element for connection to a driven shaft of a drive. The coupling element includes a form-locking element. An open-end spinning device is also provided that incorporates the opening roller.
Claims
1-17: (canceled)
18. An opening roller for an open-end spinning device, comprising: a drive shaft; a roller body connected to the drive shaft; the drive shaft comprising a coupling element for connection to a driven shaft of a drive; and the coupling element comprises a form-locking element.
19. The opening roller as in claim 18, wherein the form-locking element comprises at least one coupling surface oriented in an axial direction of the drive shaft and one of a single- or multiple-cornered profile, or a multiple-toothed profile.
20. The opening roller as in claim 18, wherein the drive shaft is fixedly connected to a bearing unit for supporting the drive shaft in the open-end spinning device.
21. The opening roller as in claim 20, the coupling surface of the form-locking element comprises a surface finishing.
22. The opening roller as in claim 18, wherein the coupling element is formed separately from and fixed to the drive shaft.
23. The opening roller as in claim 22, wherein the coupling element is replaceable independently of the drive shaft.
24. The opening roller as claim 22, wherein the coupling element and the drive shaft are formed from different materials.
25. An open-end spinning device, comprising: an opening roller, the opening roller further comprising a drive shaft and a roller body connected to the drive shaft; a drive for the opening roller, the drive further comprising a driven shaft; a coupling device connecting the drive shaft of the opening roller and the driven shaft of the drive, the coupling device comprising a coupling element configured with the drive shaft of the opening roller and a coupling piece configured with the driven shaft of the drive; and wherein the coupling element and the coupling piece each comprise a complimentary form-locking element, the form-locking elements engaging one another in a circumferential direction of the opening roller.
26. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, wherein the drive comprises an electric drive stationarily situated in the open-end spinning device.
27. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, wherein the driven shaft and the drive shaft comprise a common rotational axis.
28. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, wherein the coupling device is configured for releasing without using a tool.
29. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, wherein the coupling piece of the driven shaft is formed separately from and fixed to the driven shaft.
30. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, wherein the drive shaft is supported in the open-end spinning device by a bearing unit.
31. The open-end spinning device as in claim 30, wherein the bearing unit is separable from the driven shaft via the coupling device and is removable from the open-end spinning device together with the drive shaft and the roller body.
32. The open-end spinning device as in claim 30, further comprising a safety element for the bearing unit.
33. The open-end spinning device as in claim 25, further comprising an additional coupling device configured between the drive and the opening roller.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] Further advantages of the invention are described in the following exemplary embodiments. Wherein:
[0033] FIG. 1a shows a sectional representation of an opening roller which is connected to the driven shaft of a drive via a coupling device;
[0034] FIG. 1b shows a sectional representation of the aforementioned opening roller with a separated connection;
[0035] FIG. 1c shows a top view of the end of the drive shaft of the aforementioned opening roller;
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation of an opening roller comprising a short drive shaft, wherein the bearing unit is situated on the driven shaft of a single drive;
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation of a system comprising an opening roller, a single drive, and a bearing unit including two separate coupling devices;
[0038] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged, truncated sectional representation of an embodiment of a coupling device comprising a receiving bush; and
[0039] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged, truncated, partial cutaway view of an alternative embodiment of a coupling piece of a driven shaft comprising an attachment piece.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.
[0041] In the following description of the figures, the same reference signs are utilized for identical and/or at least comparable features in each of the various figures. The individual features, their embodiment and/or mode of operation are explained in detail mostly only upon the first mention thereof. If individual features are not explained in detail once more, their embodiment and/or mode of operation correspond/corresponds to the embodiment and mode of operation of the features already described above.
[0042] As represented in FIG. 1a, an opening roller 1, which consists of a drive shaft 2 and a roller body 3, is connected via a coupling device 4 to a driven shaft 5 of a drive, which is designed as an electric single drive 6 in this case. The drive shaft 2 and the driven shaft 5 have a common rotational axis 13. The coupling device 4 consists of a coupling element 7 on the side of the opening roller 1 and of a coupling piece 11 on the side of the single drive 6 (see FIG. 1b). The drive shaft 2 of the opening roller 1 is supported with the aid of a bearing unit 9 in a pivotable cover element 14 of the open-end spinning device 20 (represented) schematically in FIG. 1a by the dashed line component. The bearing unit 9 is fixedly connected to the drive shaft 2 of the opening roller 1. If the opening roller 1 is to be replaced or maintained, the opening roller 1 can be removed from the open-end spinning device or the cover element 14 together with the bearing unit 9 by releasing the coupling device 4. For this purpose, the cover element 14 includes a receiving borehole for the bearing unit 9, into which the bearing unit 9 can be easily slid. With the aid of a safety element 17 of the open-end spinning device, such as a wire spring, a bracket, a set screw, or the like, the bearing unit 9 can be fixed in the cover element 14, in particular, in the axial direction, during operation. In the present case, the safety element 17 is designed as a wire spring which cooperates with a safety groove 18 of the bearing unit 9.
[0043] As is now shown in FIG. 1b, which shows the same components as in FIG. 1a with a separated coupling device 4, the coupling piece 11 as well as the coupling element 7 each include a form-locking element 8, and so the coupling device 4 is a form-locking plug connection. In this exemplary embodiment, the form-locking element 8 on the coupling element 7 and on the coupling piece 11 is designed as a semi-cylinder, as may also be gathered from FIG. 1c. Each of the form-locking elements 8 comprises a coupling surface 12 for torque transmission. The coupling surface 12 is oriented in the direction of the rotational axis 13 of the drive shaft 2.
[0044] FIG. 1c shows a top view of the end of the drive shaft 2. In this case, the drive shaft is provided, on the end thereof, with a borehole, into which the form-locking element 8, as a semi-cylindrical insert, has been inserted and fastened, for example, bonded or soldered therein. The plug connection with the aid of the coupling device 4 from this exemplary embodiment permits a form-locking and, therefore, slip-free torque transmission during operation of the opening roller 1 and a tool-less and, therefore, time-saving separation of the single drive 6 and the unit of the bearing unit 9 and the opening roller 1 for maintenance purposes.
[0045] FIG. 2 shows an opening roller 1 comprising a short drive shaft 2. In this case, the bearing unit 9 is connected to the driven shaft 5 of the single drive 6. It is therefore possible to separate the opening roller 1, in an easy way, from the single drive 6 and the bearing unit 9 and to independently replace or maintain the opening roller 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the form-locking element 8 on the coupling element 7 is designed as a hexagon socket profile and on the coupling piece 11 as a hexagon insert profile, and so both form-locking elements 8 comprise multiple coupling surfaces 12. For the sake of clarity, only one of the coupling surfaces 12 is labeled in each case.
[0046] It is understood that each of the various aforementioned embodiments of the coupling device 4 or each of the various embodiments of the form-locking element 8 could be utilized in an alternative manner in each of the exemplary embodiments.
[0047] An embodiment comprising two coupling devices 4 along the common rotational axis 13 of the driven shaft 5 and the drive shaft 2 is represented in FIG. 3. The bearing unit 9 is located between the two coupling devices 4. Due to form-locking plug connections, the opening roller 1, the bearing unit 9, and, if necessary, the single drive 6 screwed into the open-end spinning device (not represented), can be replaced or maintained independently of one another.
[0048] FIG. 4 shows the coupling device 4 between the driven shaft 5 and the drive shaft 2 as a combination of the coupling piece 11 and a separate receiving bush 10 as the coupling element. The receiving bush 10 is bonded into a borehole in the drive shaft 2 and is a separate component. The material of the receiving bush 10 can be appropriately adapted to the requirements in this way. Metals and their alloys, plastics, and ceramics are options, in particular. In the event that plastics or ceramics are utilized, the occurrence of fretting corrosion on the coupling surfaces 12 of the coupling piece 11 and the receiving bush 10 can be avoided. The receiving bush 10 can be replaced, as a wearing part, independently of the drive shaft 2. Depending on the load, it can be advantageous in this regard to provide the receiving bush 10 as well as the drive shaft 2 with a thread and to connect the two components with the aid of a screw connection.
[0049] Moreover, FIG. 5 shows yet another advantageous embodiment of a coupling piece 11 of a driven shaft 5, in the case of which the coupling piece 11 is designed as an attachment piece 15. The attachment piece 15 is shown in a cutaway view in this case. The coupling piece 11 includes a multiple-toothed profile as the form-locking element 8 in this case. Other profiles, in particular, single- or multiple-cornered profiles, would also be conceivable, of course. The attachment piece 15 comprises an insertion bevel 16 in this case, which facilitates the coupling of the coupling device 4. It is understood that such an insertion bevel 16 can also be provided, alternatively or additionally, on the coupling element 7 of the drive shaft 2 of the opening roller 1 and is also advantageous, of course, in connection with form-locking elements 8 integrally formed directly on the drive shaft 2 or the driven shaft 5.
[0050] The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which have been represented and described. Modifications within the scope of the claims are also possible, as is any combination of the features, even if they are represented and described in different exemplary embodiments.
LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0051] 1 opening roller [0052] 2 drive shaft [0053] 3 roller body [0054] 4 coupling device [0055] 5 driven shaft [0056] 6 single drive [0057] 7 coupling element [0058] 8 form-locking element [0059] 9 bearing unit [0060] 10 receiving bush [0061] 11 coupling piece [0062] 12 coupling surface [0063] 13 rotational axis [0064] 14 cover element [0065] 15 attachment piece [0066] 16 insertion bevel [0067] 17 safety element [0068] 18 safety groove [0069] 20 open-end spinning device
