초록 ▼

A low profile steerable power drive unit assembly (10) comprises a cylindrical frame member (22) having an annular ledge (42) extending inwardly therefrom. The ledge (42) includes a flat upper race (46), a frustoconical lower race (48) and gear teeth (82) disposed along the ring-like interface betwe

A low profile steerable power drive unit assembly (10) comprises a cylindrical frame member (22) having an annular ledge (42) extending inwardly therefrom. The ledge (42) includes a flat upper race (46), a frustoconical lower race (48) and gear teeth (82) disposed along the ring-like interface between the upper (46) and lower (48) races. A support bracket (24) is rotatably supported in the frame member (22) about a vertical axis (A) by a plurality of outwardly extending wheels (34, 36) freely rollable along the upper race (46) and the lower race (48). A motor (52) is supported in the support bracket (24) and, through a gear train, operatively engages the gear teeth (82) on the ledge (42) to rotate the support bracket (24) within the frame member (22). The support bracket (24) receives two modular power drive units in side-by-side orientation. The frame member (22) includes a subjacent mounting surface (30) which is attached directly to a floor structure (12) for supporting the assembly (10) entirely above the floor structure (12).

대표청구항 ▼

A steerable low profile power drive assembly (10) of the type for conveying articles (18) along a conveyor path, said assembly (10) comprising: a frame member (22); a support bracket (24) rotatably connected to said frame member (22) for rotation about a substantially vertical axis (A); roller means

A steerable low profile power drive assembly (10) of the type for conveying articles (18) along a conveyor path, said assembly (10) comprising: a frame member (22); a support bracket (24) rotatably connected to said frame member (22) for rotation about a substantially vertical axis (A); roller means (26, 26′) supported by said support bracket (24) for independent rotation about a substantially horizontal axis for rotatably engaging the underside of an article (18) to be conveyed; drive means (28, 28′) operatively connected to said roller means (26, 26′) for rotating said roller means (26, 26′) about said horizontal axis; and characterized by said frame member (22) including a subjacent mounting surface (30) disposed below said roller means (26, 26′) for attachment to a floor structure (12) for supporting said roller means (26, 26′) entirely above the floor structure (12), and stabilizer means (32) at last partially disposed above a plane parallel to said horizontal axis and tangent to the lowermost surface of said roller means (26, 26′) for rotatably stabilizing said support bracket (24) relative to said frame member (22) to prevent movement of said support bracket (24) relative to said frame member (22) in directions axially and laterally of said vertical axis (A).