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A conveyor roller includes at least one axle cartridge and is mounted at opposite sidewalls of a conveyor. The axle cartridge includes a bearing assembly at an outer end and an inner support at an inner end. The bearing assembly provides rotational support of a roller portion about the axle portion,

A conveyor roller includes at least one axle cartridge and is mounted at opposite sidewalls of a conveyor. The axle cartridge includes a bearing assembly at an outer end and an inner support at an inner end. The bearing assembly provides rotational support of a roller portion about the axle portion, while the inner support is spaced from an inner end of the axle portion during normal use of the roller. The inner support may provide contact support at the inner axle portion in response to loading induced deflection of the roller, whereby the inner support limits flexing or bending of the roller portion and may limit binding of the bearing assembly during such loading conditions. The axle portion may include one or more guide members arranged along a generally tapered or conical-shaped axle end for guiding the axle portion into a correspondingly formed opening in the conveyor sidewall.

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1. An axle bearing cartridge configured to be received within an end of a roller portion of a conveyor roller, said axle bearing cartridge comprising:a housing adapted to be inserted at least partially into an end of the cylindrical roller portion, said housing comprising an inner end and an outer e

1. An axle bearing cartridge configured to be received within an end of a roller portion of a conveyor roller, said axle bearing cartridge comprising:a housing adapted to be inserted at least partially into an end of the cylindrical roller portion, said housing comprising an inner end and an outer end, said inner end comprising an inner support;a stub axle positioned partially within said housing, said stub axle having a longitudinal axis, said stub axle extending at least partially through said inner support such that said inner support defines a gap circumferentially around said stub axle; anda bearing assembly positioned generally at said outer end of said housing and between said stub axle and said housing to provide rotational support of said housing about said stub axle, wherein a portion of said inner support of said housing closes said gap and provides contact support for said stub axle in response to loading induced deflection at said roller portion in a direction generally normal to said longitudinal axis of said stub axle. 2. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein said inner support of said housing defines said circumferential gap during operation of the roller conveyor. 3. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein said portion of said inner support closes a portion of said circumferential gap in response to loading induced deflection induced by overloading of said roller portion of the roller, said overloading being greater than a threshold amount of loading of said roller portion. 4. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein said inner support defines an inner wall at said inner end of said housing, said inner wall defining an inner opening therethrough for receiving said stub axle at least partially therethrough. 5. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein said inner support defines an inner opening for receiving an inner axle portion of said stub axle at least partially therethrough. 6. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 5, wherein said inner axle portion comprises a generally cylindrical inner axle portion, said inner opening having a diameter which is greater than a diameter of said inner axle portion. 7. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1 including a biasing member for biasing said stub axle such that an outer axle portion of said stub axle extends outwardly from said housing. 8. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 7, wherein said biasing member comprises a coil spring generally wrapped around said stub axle. 9. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 7, wherein one end of said biasing member engages a raised portion of said stub axle and the other end of said biasing member engages said inner support. 10. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1 including an inner adapter positioned around said axle and an outer adapter at said outer end of said housing, said bearing assembly being positioned between said inner adapter and said outer adapter to provide rotational support of said outer adapter, said housing and said roller portion around said inner adapter and said stub axle. 11. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 10, wherein said stub axle comprises a raised shoulder which engages said inner adapter to limit longitudinal outward movement of said stub axle relative to said inner adapter. 12. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 1, wherein said stub axle comprises an outer axle portion having a hexagonal-shaped cross section and a generally conical-shaped outer end. 13. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 12, wherein said conical-shaped outer end comprises at least one raised rib therealong. 14. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 13, wherein said at least one raised rib is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said stub axle along said longitudinal axis of said stub axle and between opposite corners of said hexagonal-shaped outer axle portion. 15. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 13, wherein said conical-shaped outer end comprises a pair of raised ribs therealong. 16. Th e axle bearing cartridge of claim 15, wherein said pair of raised ribs comprise generally straight ribs extending along a surface of said conical-shaped outer end. 17. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 15, wherein each of said pair of raised ribs is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said stub axle along said longitudinal axis of said stub axle and between opposite corners of said hexagonal-shaped outer axle portion. 18. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 17, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to be non-parallel to one another. 19. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 18, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to define an angle between them, said angle being approximately 60 degrees. 20. The axle bearing cartridge of claim 18, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to define an angle between them, said angle being approximately 120 degrees. 21. A conveyor roller for mounting at and between opposite sidewalls of a conveyor, said conveyor roller comprising:a roller portion; andan axle portion positioned at least partially within said roller portion and rotatable relative thereto, said axle portion defining a longitudinal axis and extending from at least one end of said roller portion, said axle portion having a generally conical-shaped axle end defining a generally conical-shaped surface, said axle end having at least one raised rib positioned along said generally conical-shaped surface of said axle end. 22. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said at least one raised rib is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along said longitudinal axis. 23. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said axle portion has a hexagonal-shaped cross-section, said at least on raised rib extending from a tip region of said conical-shaped axle and toward a corner of said hexagonal-shaped axle portion. 24. The conveyor roller of claim 23, wherein said at least one raised rib is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along said longitudinal axis of said axle portion and between opposite corners of said hexagonal-shaped axle portion. 25. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said at least one raised rib comprises a generally straight rib extending along said conical-shaped surface. 26. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said at least one raised rib comprises a pair of raised ribs positioned along said generally conical-shaped surface. 27. The conveyor roller of claim 26, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along said longitudinal axis. 28. The conveyor roller of claim 26, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to define an angle between them. 29. The conveyor roller of claim 28, wherein said angle is approximately 60 degrees. 30. The conveyor roller of cl aim 28 , wherein said angle is approximately 120 degrees. 31. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said at least one rib comprises a generally rounded cross section. 32. The conveyor roller of claim 21, wherein said axle portion is axially movable relative to said cylindrical roller portion. 33. The conveyor roller of claim 32, wherein said axle portion is movably mounted at an axle bearing unit positioned within said roller portion. 34. The conveyor roller of claim 33, wherein said axle bearing unit comprises a housing adapted to be inserted at least partially into said roller portion, said housing comprising an inner support at an inner end portion of said housing, said axle portion extending at least partially through said inner support, said inner support defining a gap circumferentially around said axle portion. 35. The conveyor roller of claim 34 including a bearing positioned generally at an outer end of said housing a nd between said axle portion and said housing to provide rotational support of said housing about said axle portion. 36. The conveyor roller of claim 35, wherein a portion of sai d inner support closes a portion of said circumferential gap and provides contact support of said axle portion in response to loading induced deflection at said inner end of said housing in a direction generally normal to said longitudinal axis of said axle portion. 37. The conveyor roller of claim 36, wherein said inner support defines an inner opening for receiving an inner axle portion at least partially therethrough, said inner opening having a diameter which is greater than a diameter of said inner axle portion. 38. A conveyor roller for mounting at and between opposite sidewalls of a conveyor, said conveyor roller comprising:a roller portion; andan axle portion positioned at an end of said roller portion and rotatable relative thereto, said axle portion extending from at least one end of said roller portion, said axle portion having a generally tapered axle end defining a generally tapered surface, said axle end having at least one raised rib positioned along said generally tapered surface of said axle end, said at least one raised rib having a generally rounded cross section. 39. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said a t least one raised rib is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along a longitudinal axis of said axle portion. 40. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said axle portion has a hexagonal-shaped cross-section, said at least on raised rib extending from a tip region of said tapered axle end and toward a corner of said hexagonal-shaped axle portion. 41. The conveyor roller of claim 40, wherein said at least one raised rib is arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along said longitudinal axis of said axle portion and between opposite corners of said hexagonal-shaped axle portion. 42. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said at least one raised rib comprises a generally straight rib extending along said generally tapered surface. 43. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said axle end comprises a pair of raised ribs positioned along said generally tapered surface. 44. The conveyor roller of claim 43, wherein said pair of raised ribs comprise generally straight ribs extending along said tapered surface. 45. The conveyor roller of claim 43, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to be skewed relative to a plane bisecting said axle portion along a longitudinal axis of said axle portion. 46. The conveyor roller of claim 43, wherein said pair of raised ribs are arranged to define an angle between them. 47. The conveyor roller of claim 46, wherein said angle is approximately 60 degrees. 48. The conveyor roller of claim 46, wherein said angle is approximately 120 degrees. 49. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said axle portion is axially movable relative to said roller portion. 50. The conveyor roller of claim 49, wherein said axle portion is movably mounted at an axle bearing unit positioned within said roller portion. 51. The conveyor roller of claim 50, wherein said axle bearing unit comprises a housing adapted to be inserted at least partially into said roller portion, said housing comprising an inner support at an inner end portion of said housing, said axle portion extending at least partially through said inner support, said inner support defining a gap circumferentially around said axle portion. 52. The conveyor roller of claim 51, wherein a portion of said inner support closes said gap and provides contact support of said axle portion in response to loading induced deflection at said inner end portion of said housing in a direction generally normal to a longitudinal axis of said axle portion. 53. The conveyor roller of claim 38, wherein said generally tapered end comprises a generally conical-shaped end and said generally tapered surface comprises a generally conical-shaped surface.