SG188001A1

SG188001A1 - Conveyer system for clean room

Info

Publication number: SG188001A1
Application number: SG2011059920A
Authority: SG
Inventors: Yew Ann Tan
Original assignee: Hybrid Innovative Technologies Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2011-08-19
Filing date: 2011-08-19
Publication date: 2013-03-28
Also published as: MY167773A; CN102951403A

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveyor assembly having a rail having a plurality of holes along its length, a plurality of motors attached on the rail with a5 driving shaft of the motor extending through the holes, and a plurality of rollers for connecting to the driving shaft. The conveyor assembly comprises a gap defined between the motor and the rail, whereby the gap is adapted for collecting and trapping particles discharged from the motor. A cover ring adapted for the conveyor assembly is also provided. 10 (FIG. 3)

Description

CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR CLEAN ROOM

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a conveyor system. In particular, the present invention relates to a conveyor system having a conveyor assembly suitable for clean room environment.

BACKGROUND

In a [ine of production, conveyer systems have been widely used for conveying objects from one point to another. Conveyor systems are available in many forms that are catered for different needs. Whatever designs of the conveyor system are, due to their mechanical nature, the drive mechanisms of the conveyor system self-produce contaminants operationally.

In a clean room environment, the conveyor systems are carefully designed with mechanisms that minimize discharged particles within a desirable level. It would therefore require more frequent maintenance to keep the cleanness under the clean room specifications, which increases the cost of the productions.

Further, the discharged particles are very fine particles and when the discharged particles are not properly contained within a controllable area, the discharged particles are set free to move, which may potentially contaminate the clean room environment.

FIG. 1 illustrates a roller conveyer assembly 100 for conveying objects. The roller conveyor assembly 100 comprises two opposing rails 102, 104 and a plurality of rollers 106 that are spaced along the length of each rail. The opposing rails 102 and 104 are spaced apart from cach other in parallel. They are configured in a mirroring manner with the rollers 106 on each side facing each other.

Typically, each roller of the conveyor assembly 100 is attached and driven by arespective motor 108 through a shaft. The motor 108 is generally mounted on the other side of the rail with its shaft extended through the rail to support and drive the roller 106. Such conveyor assembly system 100 is commonly adapted for clean room environment,

Once example of a roller conveyor assembly can be found in US patent no. 6,959,804 issued to Magstar Technologies, Inc.

SUMMARY

Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief description of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the described embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyor assembly having a rail having a plurality of holes along its length, a plurality of motors attached on the rail with a driving shaft of the motor extending through the holes, and a plurality of rollers for connecting to the driving shaft. The conveyor assembly comprises a gap defined between the motor and the rail, whereby the gap 1s adapted for collecting and trapping particles discharged from the motor.

In one embodiment, the assembly may further comprise a cover ring for covering the holes while allowing the driving shaft to extend there through, wherein the gap 1s formed between the cover ring and the motor,

In another embodiment, the motor may further comprise an alignment profile around the driving shaft adapted for aligning the motor to attach on the rail, wherein the gap is defined between the alignment profile and the rail. The holes on the rail may be sized to fit with the alignment profile to align the motor to attach on the rail, and the cover ring is sized to fit the hole, whereby the gap is form between the cover ring and the alignment profile.

Further, the gap may be formed right beyond an opening on the motor where the driving shaft of the motor is extended there through.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a cover ring adapted for the aforesaid conveyor assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conveyor assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the conveyor assembly of FIG. 2 across line

A-A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are 9 described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated.

For the purposes of this disclosure, like reference numerals in the figures shall refer to like features unless otherwise indicated.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a conveyor assembly 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The conveyor assembly 200 comprises a rail 202, a plurality of rollers 206 and corresponding number of motors 204 for the rollers. For simplicity, only one rail 202 is provided and described herein. It is understood to a skilled person that, when desire, another rail may be 16 required in a mirroring manner to form a conveyor system for supporting and conveying objects on both sides.

I'IG. 2 is presented in a way to illustrates the conveyor assembly 200 in an exploded view 212, an assembled view 214 with a cover ring 220, an assembled view 216 without the cover ring 220, and a fully assembled view 208. Both assembled views 214 and 216 are presented without the rollers 206. The fully assembled view 208 shows two rollers 206 that are already assembled on the rail 202 and ready to convey object accordingly.

As shown in the exploded view 212 of FIG. 2, the conveyor assembly 200 further comprises a driving shaft 208, an alignment profile 209, a through hole 203 on the rail 202, the cover ring 220, a spacer/stopper 222, a fastening mean 224 and the voller 206. The conveyor assembly 200 is adapted with the motor 204 fitted on the 9 rail 202 on one side and the roller 206 fitted on the other side of the rail 202. The driving shaft 208 is extended from the motor 204. The motor 204 operationally drives the driving shaft 208 to rotate. The alignment profile 209 is defined around the driving shaft 208, and as exemplified in FIG, 2, it is a small rising circular platform around the driving shafi.

The through hole 203 is defined on the rail 202 for receiving the motor 204. It is sized to fit with the alignment profile 209 so that the motor 204 can be appropriately guided for fitting and aligning on the rail 202. When the motor 204 is fitted and aligned on the rail 202, the driving shaft 208 extends through the through hole and projected on the other side of the rail 202 as shown in the assembled view 216.

The spacer/stopper 222 is further provided for fitting through by the driving shaft 208. The rollers 206 are typical rollers for conveyors well known in the art.

Bach roller 206 are directly attached to the respective driving shaft 208 such that the driving shaft 208 directly drives the rollers 206 to rotate about the shaft’s axis. It is desired that the roller 206 has no direct physical contact with the rail 202 but in a close proximity thereto. A fastening means may further used to secure the roller 206 on the driving shaft 208. The spacer/stopper 222 may be used as spacer or stopper to keep the roller 206 a close proximity to the rail 202.

[t is of course understood that the present invention is also applicable for rollers that are not driven by the motor, which are also known as passive or idle rollers. Although these rollers are not driven by motor, therefore passive, but they too discharge particles as there are moving parts, such as rollers, bearings.

The cover ring 220 is adapted with a circumference to fit to the through hole 203 as shown in the assembled view 2104. The cover ring 220 also further defines a shaft hole 221 for allowing the driving shaft 208 to extend through. It is desired that the shaft hole 221 is sized to allow the shaft to rotate freely without any disruptions or interferences. Preferably, the cover ring 220 is made of any known anti-static material or electrostatic discharge material or the like. It can also be any material having antistatic agent. Also preferably, the cover ring 220 is also provided with a thickness whereby when it is fitted to cover the through hole 203, it has a closed proximity to the alignment profile 209 leaving a very small space/gap 223 between the alignment profile 209 and the cover ring 220, when the motor 204 is mounted on the rail 202. For example, the very small gap 223 between the cover ring and the shaft may be maintained between 0.01 mm ~ 0.50mm.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the conveyor assembly 200 of FIG. 2 across A-A. As described above, when the conveyor assembly 200 is properly assembled, motor 204 is mounted on one side of the rail 202. The alignment profile 209 provides an alignment guide to the motor 204 to mount on the rail 202 appropriately. When the motor is mounted on the rail 202, the driving shaft 208 extends through the through hole of the rail 202 to the other side of the rail 202. The cover ring 220 is fitted to cover the through hole. The roller 206 is fastened on the s driving shaft 208 through the fastening mean 224.

When the conveyor assembly 200 is assembled, a gap 250 is defined between the cover ring 220 and the alignment profile 209 of the motor 204. Preferably, the gap 250 is relatively bigger than the very smalt gap 223. Such provision space of the gap 250 with a differential in pressure relative to the gaps 223 helps in trapping of potential discharge particles. Accordingly, particles discharged from the motor 204 will be trapped within the gap 250 operationally. Accordingly, the maintenance can be easily carried out by removing the cover ring 220.

In an alternative embodiment, it is possible to avoid the cover ring 220 by fabricating the rail 202 with only small through holes that are catered for the driving shaft 208 to go through to the other side for fitting with the rollers. In such configuration, the side of the rail 202 for receiving the motor 204 may still require to provide a channel for adapting the alignment profile 209 so that the motor 204 can be properly aligned when mounted on the rail 202. Preferably, the channel is made slightly deeper relative to the height of the alignment profile; so that a gap or space is define between the motor and the rail. Such gap or space is shown to be able to effectively collect or trap the particles discharged from the motor 204; mainly through the shaft hole of the motor.

The present invention provides a solution for clean room conveyor system. In particular, the present invention provides a small gap between the motor and the rail right beyond shaft hole of the motor to collect and trap discharged particles. The shaft hole is a small opening on the motor adapted for the driving shaft to extend out from the motor to drive the rollers. Operationally, particles generated in the motor will discharge from the small opening. The gap or spaces is a relatively simple solution for collecting and trapping the discharged particles. The conveyor configured in accordance with the present invention is able to meet a cleanliness performance in a clean room up to [SO14644-1 1SO4 0.1um 10 counts.

The above description illustrates various embodiments of the present invention along with examples of how aspects of the present invention may be implemented.

While specific embodiments have been described and illustrated it is understood that many charges, modifications, variations and combinations thereof could be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. The above examples, embodiments, instructions semantics, and drawings should not be deemed to be the only embodiments, and are presented to illustrate the flexibility and advantages of the present invention as defined by the following claims:

Claims

CLAIMS:

L.A conveyor assembly having a rail having a plurality of holes along its length, a plurality of motors attached on the rail with a driving shaft of the motor extending through the holes, and a plurality of rollers for connecting to the driving shaft, the conveyor assembly comprising: a gap defined between the motor and the rail, whereby the gap is adapted for collecting and trapping particles discharged from the motor.
2. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a cover ring for covering the holes while allowing the driving shaft to extend there through, wherein the gap is formed between the cover ring and the motor.
3. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motor further comprises an alignment profile around the driving shaft adapted for aligning the motor to attach on the rail, wherein the gap is defined between the alignment profile and the rail.
4. The conveyor assembly according to claims [ and 3, wherein the holes on the vail are sized to fit with the alignment profile to align the motor to attach on the rail, and the cover ring is sized to fit the hole, whereby the gap is form between the cover ring and the alignment profile.
5. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gap is formed right beyond an opening on the motor where the driving shaft of the motor is extended there through.
6. The conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the cover ring is made up of an anti-static material or electrostatic discharge material.
7. The conveyor according fo claim 1, wherein the gap is relatively larger than a gap/space between the driving shaft and the hole on the rail.
8. The conveyor according to claim 7, wherein the cap/space between the driving shaft and the hole on the rail is in the range of about 0.01mm-0.05mm.
9. The conveyor according to anyone of the preceding claims, adapted to meet a cleanliness performance in a clean room under 1SO14644-1 1SO4 0.1um 10 counts.
10. A cover ring adapted for the conveyor assembly in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.