Patent Description:
A cleaner device for a belt conveyor is used for removing various foreign substances that remain adhered to a surface of a belt of the belt conveyor. Generally, such a cleaner device is configured to remove foreign substances from a surface of a belt by using a scraper that is close contact with the surface of the circulating belt.

However, as the scraper is gradually worn out due to friction with the belt, a foreign substance removal effect may be reduced. In addition, since a close contact state of the scraper to the surface of the belt is required to be adjusted to an optimum level according to the wear of the scraper, inconvenience is inevitable in terms of maintenance, and work efficiency may be reduced. Meanwhile, when the surface of the belt is not uniform and is in a curved state, the scraper cannot be in close contact with the surface of the belt, so that there is a problem that removing of foreign substances cannot be smoothly performed.

As related arts, <CIT>), <CIT>), <CIT>), <CIT>), <CIT>), <CIT>), and <CIT>) may be referred to. In addition, <CIT>) may be referred to.

Equally, <CIT>) is referred to, disclosing the preamble of claim <NUM>.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a cleaner device for a belt conveyor, the cleaner device being capable of automatically bringing a scraper into close contact with a surface of the belt of the belt conveyor with a predetermined pressure.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a cleaner device for a belt conveyor, the cleaner device having a plurality of scrapers and being capable of smoothly moving the plurality of scrapers such that the plurality of scrapers corresponds to a curve of a surface of a belt.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a cleaner device for a belt conveyor, the cleaner device including: a body <NUM>; a movable member <NUM> provided on the body <NUM> such that the movable member <NUM> is capable of being moved in a vertical direction; a vertical moving unit <NUM> for moving the movable member <NUM>; a scraper <NUM> which is disposed below the movable member <NUM> and which extends in a horizontal direction such that the scraper <NUM> has a predetermined length, the scraper <NUM> having a lower end part that is in contact with a surface of a circulating belt <NUM> of a belt conveyor <NUM>, thereby removing foreign substances from the surface of the belt <NUM>; and a pressing unit <NUM> including at least one of pressing units <NUM> provided on the movable member <NUM> and being configured to press the scraper <NUM> from above the scraper <NUM>, the pressing unit <NUM> being configured to automatically maintain a pressing force on the scraper <NUM> so that the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is in close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>. In the cleaner device configured as described above, the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> may be in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> when the scraper <NUM> is moved downward, and the scraper <NUM> may be mounted on a side of the belt conveyor <NUM> such that a longitudinal direction of the scraper <NUM> intersects (for example, orthogonal to) a circulation direction of the belt <NUM>.

The vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the cleaner device may be directions (see <FIG>) with respect to the cleaner device. Therefore, when the cleaner device is mounted upside down on the side of the belt conveyor <NUM> (see <FIG>), the movement of the scraper <NUM> in a downward direction performed such that the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> may be regarded as the movement of the scraper <NUM> in an upward direction when viewed from the belt conveyor <NUM> as a standard.

In the cleaner device, the body <NUM> may be provided with a guide hole <NUM> that extends in the vertical direction, a fastener <NUM> may be inserted into the guide hole <NUM> such that the fastener <NUM> is capable of being moved in the vertical direction along a guide of the guide hole <NUM>, and the movable member <NUM> may be detachably coupled to the fastener <NUM>.

The vertical moving unit <NUM> may include: a bracket <NUM> provided on the body <NUM> above the movable member <NUM>; and a position controller <NUM> having an upper portion rotatably provided on the bracket <NUM> and having a lower portion screw-coupled to the movable member <NUM>, the position controller <NUM> being configured to move the movable member <NUM> in the vertical direction according to a rotation direction thereof.

The pressing unit <NUM> may include: a moving shaft <NUM> that penetrates the movable member <NUM> such that the moving shaft <NUM> is capable of being moved in the vertical direction, the moving shaft <NUM> having an upper region that protrudes upward from an upper portion of the movable member <NUM> and having a lower region that protrudes downward from a lower portion of the movable member <NUM>, and the moving shaft <NUM> having a lower end part of the lower region connected to the scraper <NUM>; a stopping member <NUM> provided on the upper region of the moving shaft <NUM> and configured to limit a downward movement of the moving shaft <NUM> by being in contact with the upper portion of the movable member <NUM>; a catching member <NUM> provided on the lower region of the moving shaft <NUM>; and an elastic body <NUM> inserted into an outer side of the moving shaft <NUM> while being in a state in which both end parts of the elastic body <NUM> are supported by the lower portion of the movable member <NUM> and the catching member <NUM>.

The scraper <NUM> includes a plurality of scrapers <NUM>, and the plurality of scrapers <NUM> is adjacent to each other horizontally and is pressed by the pressing unit <NUM>. In the scrapers <NUM> that are adjacent to each other, a left scraper 160A has a right side end provided with a first inclined part <NUM> in which the right side end faces a left side end of a right scraper 160B, and the right scraper 160B has a left side end provided with a second inclined part <NUM> which corresponds to the first inclined part <NUM> and which is in close contact with the first inclined part <NUM> in which the left side end faces the right side end of the left scraper 160A. Any one of the left scraper 160A and the right scraper 160B that are adjacent to each other has a lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> and may have a passage <NUM> for supplying a lubricating liquid from the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> to a space between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>. In the left scraper 160A and the right scraper 160B that are adjacent to each other, a storage part <NUM> for storing the lubricating liquid is formed between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>. A packing <NUM> is provided between the right side end and the left side end that are facing each other from the left scraper 160A and the right scraper 160B that are adjacent to each other.

Here, the lubricating liquid may be injected through an inlet of the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM>, the injected lubricating liquid may be stored in the storage part <NUM> by passing through the passage <NUM> and then the injected lubricating liquid may permeate between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM> that are in close contact with each other, and the injected lubricating liquid may be supplied to a surface of the first inclined part <NUM> and a surface of the second inclined part <NUM>. The lubricating liquid stored in the storage part <NUM> may be continuously supplied between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>.

In the left scraper 160A and the right scraper 160B that are adjacent to each other, the first inclined part <NUM> or the second inclined part <NUM> may have a surface provided with a plurality of recessed grooves 162a having intervals so as to be spaced apart from each other.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is brought into close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> with a constant pressure by an automatic pressure maintaining action of the pressing unit <NUM>, foreign substances may be effectively removed from the surface of the belt <NUM> without leaving any residue.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by adjusting a close contact angle of the scraper <NUM>, work efficiency may be improved.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of scrapers <NUM> (160A and 160B) are connected to each other, and the scrapers 160A and 160B are capable of removing foreign substances by smoothly moving in the vertical direction according to the curve of the surface of the belt <NUM>.

[Description of Reference Numerals] <NUM>: belt conveyor, <NUM>: roller, <NUM>: belt, <NUM>: body, <NUM>: guide hole, <NUM>: fastener, <NUM>: movable member, <NUM>: vertical moving unit, <NUM>: bracket, <NUM>: position controller, <NUM>: pressing unit, <NUM>: moving shaft, <NUM>: stopping member, <NUM>: catching member, <NUM>: elastic body, <NUM>: mounter, <NUM>: scraper, <NUM>: first inclined part, 162a: recessed groove, <NUM>: second inclined part, <NUM>: packing, <NUM>: lubricating liquid injection part, <NUM>: passage, <NUM>: storage part.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An example of a cleaner device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a cleaner device for a belt conveyor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body <NUM>, a movable member <NUM> provided on a first side of the body <NUM> such that the movable member <NUM> is capable of being moved in a vertical direction, a vertical moving unit <NUM> for moving the movable member <NUM> in the vertical direction, a scraping module (see reference numerals <NUM> and <NUM>) disposed below the movable member <NUM>, and at least one pressing unit <NUM> pressing the scraping module downward from the movable member <NUM>. The scraping module includes a mounter <NUM> provided on the pressing unit <NUM>, and includes a scraper <NUM> supported by the mounter <NUM>. The mounter <NUM> and the scraper <NUM> extend in left and right directions and have predetermined lengths. The mounter <NUM> is disposed on an upper side of the scraper <NUM>. The scraper <NUM> may be detachably coupled to a lower portion of the mounter <NUM>. A lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is in contact with a surface of a circulating belt <NUM> of a belt conveyor <NUM>, thereby removing foreign substances from the surface of the belt <NUM>.

The body <NUM> is mounted on a side of the belt conveyor <NUM> such that the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> and a longitudinal direction of the scraper <NUM> orthogonally intersects a circulation direction of the belt <NUM>. For example, the body <NUM> may be mounted on a position adjacent to a roller <NUM> on which the belt <NUM> is wound, so that the lower and part of the scraper <NUM> may be in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>.

The body <NUM> includes a plurality of bodies <NUM>, and the plurality of bodies <NUM> may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions by a predetermined distance.

The movable member <NUM> may be moved with respect to the body <NUM> that is fixed. To this end, as illustrated in <FIG>, at least one guide hole <NUM> which extends in the vertical direction and which has a predetermined length is provided in the body <NUM>, at least one fastener <NUM> is inserted into the guide hole <NUM> such that the fastener <NUM> is capable of being moved in the vertical direction along a guide of the guide hole <NUM>, and the movable member <NUM> is detachably coupled to the fastener <NUM>.

The fastener <NUM> may include a bolt and a nut. In the fastener <NUM>, the bolt may penetrate the movable member <NUM> while being in a state in which the bolt is inserted into the guide hole <NUM>, and the nut may be coupled to the bolt that penetrates the movable member <NUM>. When the nut of the fastener <NUM> is tightened, the movable member <NUM> is coupled to the bolt of the fastener <NUM>, and the movable member <NUM> is capable of being fastened to the body <NUM>. When the nut of the fastener <NUM> is loosened and a fastening force of the movable member <NUM> to the body <NUM> is relieved, the movable member <NUM> is capable of being moved in the vertical direction together with the bolt of the fastener <NUM> along the length of the guide hole <NUM>. When the nut of the fastener <NUM> is completely loosened, the movable member <NUM> is capable of being separated from the bolt of the fastener <NUM>.

According to the vertical moving unit <NUM>, a vertical position of the scraper <NUM> is capable of being adjusted by moving the scraper <NUM> in the vertical direction so that the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the vertical moving unit <NUM> includes a bracket <NUM> disposed above the movable member <NUM>, and includes a position controller <NUM> having an upper portion rotatably provided on the bracket <NUM> and having a lower portion screw-coupled to the movable member <NUM>, the position controller <NUM> being configured to move the movable member <NUM> in the vertical direction according to a rotation direction thereof.

A bolt may be used as the position controller <NUM>. The bolt as the position controller <NUM> is applied such that the bolt is capable of idling around an axis in the vertical direction while the bolt is in a state in which the bolt penetrates the bracket <NUM> in the vertical direction. Furthermore, as the bolt is screw-coupled to the movable member <NUM>, the vertical position of the movable member <NUM> is capable of being adjusted to a required position by moving the movable member <NUM> in the vertical direction according to the rotation direction.

The pressing unit <NUM> may press the scraper <NUM> from above the scraper <NUM> with a predetermined pressure. The pressing unit <NUM> may automatically maintain a pressing force on the scraper <NUM> so that the scraper <NUM> having the lower end part that is in contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> by the vertical moving unit <NUM> is always in close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the pressing unit <NUM> includes a moving shaft <NUM>, a stopping member <NUM>, a catching member <NUM>, and an elastic body <NUM>.

The moving shaft <NUM> penetrates the movable member <NUM> such that the moving shaft <NUM> is capable of being moved in the vertical direction, and has an upper region that protrudes upward from the upper portion of the movable member <NUM> and has a lower region that protrudes downward from a lower portion of the movable member <NUM>. The mounter <NUM> is coupled to a lower end portion of the lower region of the moving shaft <NUM> in which the lower region protrudes downward, so that the moving shaft <NUM> is connected to the scraper <NUM> through the mounter <NUM>.

The stopping member <NUM> is provided on the upper region of the moving shaft <NUM> in which the upper region protrudes upward, and limits a downward movement of the moving shaft <NUM> by being in contact with the upper portion of the movable member <NUM>. The stopping member <NUM> is screw-coupled to the upper region of the moving shaft <NUM>, and is capable of being moved in the vertical direction along the moving shaft <NUM> according to the rotation direction thereof. By rotating the stopping member <NUM> and adjusting the position of the stopping member <NUM>, a distance at which the moving shaft <NUM> is capable of being downward may be changed.

The catching member <NUM> is provided on the lower region of the moving shaft <NUM>. The catching member <NUM> may be formed in a flange shape. Both end parts of the elastic body <NUM> are supported by the lower portion of the movable member <NUM> and the catching member <NUM>, and the elastic body <NUM> provides an elastic force to the moving shaft <NUM> in a downward direction. The elastic member <NUM> is a spring, and is capable of being inserted into an outer side of the moving shaft <NUM> such that the elastic member <NUM> is positioned between the lower portion of the movable member <NUM> and the catching member <NUM>.

By a pressing action of the elastic member <NUM> using the elastic force, the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> is capable of being maintained in a state of being constantly in close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>.

The mounter <NUM> supports the scraper <NUM> while being in a state in which the upper portion of the scraper <NUM> is coupled to a lower inner side of the mounter <NUM>, thereby being capable of preventing the scraper <NUM> from being deformed such as being bent during a foreign substance removing process.

The scraper <NUM> may have a material and/or a structure advantageous in terms of adhesion to the surface of the belt <NUM> and a foreign substance removal efficiency. For example, a material of the scraper <NUM> may include rubber or a synthetic resin.

Another example of the cleaner device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, in another example of the cleaner device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, all other configurations and actions are the same comparing with the example illustrated in <FIG>. However, in order to more easily perform maintenance and replacement of the scraper <NUM> and to more smoothly remove foreign substances by bringing the lower end part of the scraper <NUM> into closer contact with the surface of the belt <NUM> even if the surface of the belt <NUM> is curved, another example of the cleaner device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is different in that a plurality of scrapers <NUM> is provided and is adjacent to each other left and right, the plurality of scrapers <NUM> is pressed by a plurality of pressing units <NUM>, each scraper <NUM> is more naturally moved in the vertical direction (downward movement by the elastic force of the elastic body <NUM>, and upward movement by overcoming the elastic force of the elastic body <NUM>) in response to the curve of the surface of the belt, and so on. This configuration will be described below.

Since the scrapers <NUM> are respectively pressed by the pressing units <NUM>, the scrapers <NUM> may be independently moved in the vertical direction according to the curve of the surface of the belt <NUM> when the surface of the belt <NUM> is curved.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in <FIG>. That is, <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of a part between a left scraper 160A and a right scraper 160B in the scrapers <NUM> that are adjacent to each other, the portion being viewed from above.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the scrapers <NUM> that are adjacent to each other, a right side end of the left scraper 160A and a left side end of the right scraper 160B face each other. In the scrapers <NUM> that are adjacent to each other, a first inclined part <NUM> is formed on the right side end of the left scraper 160A, and a second inclined part <NUM> which is in close contact with the first inclined part <NUM> and which corresponds to the first inclined part <NUM> is formed on the left side end of the right scraper 160B. The first inclined part <NUM> may be formed in a shape that is inclined to a left side or a right side from a frontward to a rearward, and the second inclined part <NUM> may be formed at an angle that corresponds to the first inclined portion <NUM>. By the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>, as the independent vertical movement of the scrapers <NUM> that are adjacent to each other is allowed, a close contact state of the scrapers <NUM> adjacent to each other may be actively prevented from being released.

In the scrapers <NUM> adjacent to each other, any one of the first inclined part <NUM> of the left scraper 160A and the second inclined part <NUM> of the right scraper 160B has a surface provided with a plurality of recessed grooves <NUM> spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. As the recessed grooves 162a reduce a close contact area of the corresponding first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>, when the surface of the belt <NUM> is curved, each of the scrapers <NUM> may be guided to be naturally moved in the vertical direction according to the curve of the surface of the belt <NUM> during the foreign substance removing process while the scrapers <NUM> are brought into close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>.

In the scrapers <NUM> adjacent to each other, any one of the left scraper 160A and the right scraper 160B has an inner portion provided with a lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> and has a passage <NUM> for supplying a lubricating liquid from the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> to a space between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>. As the lubricating liquid supplied between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM> performs a lubricating action, when the surface of the belt <NUM> is curved, each of the scrapers <NUM> may be guided to be more naturally moved in the vertical direction according to the curve of the surface of the belt <NUM> during the foreign substance removing process while the scrapers <NUM> are brought into close contact with the surface of the belt <NUM>.

For example, the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> extends from an upward to a downward such that the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> has a predetermined depth inside the right scraper 160B, and the passage <NUM> is capable of being connected to the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> from inside the right scraper 160B. An inlet at an upper side of the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> is in communication with the outside, and is capable of being opened and closed by a plug. By opening the plug such that the inlet of the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> is opened, the lubricating liquid is capable of being injected into the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM>. By closing the plug such that the inlet of the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM> is closed, the lubricating liquid is prevented from being discharged or foreign substances are prevented from being introduced through the inlet of the lubricating liquid injection part <NUM>.

In the scrapers <NUM> adjacent to each other, a storage part <NUM> for storing the lubricating liquid is formed between the first inclined part <NUM> of the left scraper 160A and the second inclined part <NUM> of the right scraper 160B. The storage part <NUM> is a predetermined space provided between the corresponding first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>, the lubricating liquid from the passage <NUM> is stored in the storage part <NUM>, and the lubricating liquid stored in the storage part <NUM> is capable of being supplied between the first inclined part <NUM> and the second inclined part <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A cleaner device for a belt conveyor, the cleaner device comprising:
a body (<NUM>);
a movable member (<NUM>) provided so as to be capable of being moved vertically;
a vertical moving unit (<NUM>) for moving the movable member (<NUM>);
a scraper (<NUM>) which is disposed below the movable member (<NUM>) and which extends horizontally, the scraper (<NUM>) having a lower end part that is in contact with a surface of a belt (<NUM>) of a belt conveyor (<NUM>), thereby removing foreign substances from the surface of the belt (<NUM>); and
a pressing unit (<NUM>) comprising at least one of pressing units (<NUM>) provided on the movable member (<NUM>) and being configured to press the scraper (<NUM>), the pressing unit (<NUM>) being configured to automatically maintain a pressing force on the scraper (<NUM>) so that the lower end part of the scraper (<NUM>) is in close contact with the surface of the belt (<NUM>),
wherein the scraper (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of scrapers (<NUM>) and the plurality of scrapers (<NUM>) is adjacent to each other horizontally and is pressed by the pressing units (<NUM>), and
in the scrapers (<NUM>) that are adjacent to each other, a left scraper (160A) has a right side end provided with a first inclined part (<NUM>) and a right scraper (160B) has a left side end provided with a second inclined part (<NUM>) which corresponds to the first inclined part (<NUM>) and which is in close contact with the first inclined part (<NUM>),
characterized in that
any one of the left scraper (160A) and the right scraper (160B) that are adjacent to each other has a lubricating liquid injection part (<NUM>) and has a passage (<NUM>) for supplying a lubricating liquid from the lubricating liquid injection part (<NUM>) to a space between the first inclined part (<NUM>) and the second inclined part (<NUM>),
a storage part (<NUM>) for storing the lubricating liquid is formed between the first inclined part (<NUM>) and the second inclined part (<NUM>), and
a packing (<NUM>) is provided between the right side end and the left side end that are facing each other from the left scraper (160A) and the right scraper (160B).