Material handling unit with multidirectional helical roller assemblies

A multidirectional helical roller assembly comprising:

• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a generally circularly-shaped central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a roller rotatably supported on a shaft that is fixedly mounted on the inner ring member and extends transverse across the central opening along a chord which is parallel to but offset from a centerline defined by the central opening;
• wherein said roller comprises a concave surface extending between two end surfaces which are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length of the chord.

A material handling unit comprising:

• a substantially planar platform having a longitudinal direction on which pallets and cargo containers are transported;
• and
• a plurality of multidirectional helical roller assemblies positioned transverse across and longitudinally along the planar platform, each of said multidirectional helical roller assemblies comprising:
• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a generally circular central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a concave roller rotatably mounted on a shaft which is supported on the inner ring member along a chord of the central opening that is parallel to but offset from the centerline of the central opening;
• wherein said roller has an outer concave surface having a point of surface contact that extends past a horizontal plane defined by a top surface of said outer ring member;
• and
• wherein said outer concave surface defines a radius of curvature that is about 6.5 times the radius of the roller at its greatest diameter.

A material handling unit comprising:

• a substantially planar platform having a longitudinal direction on which pallets and cargo containers are transported;
• and
• a plurality of multidirectional helical roller assemblies positioned transverse across and longitudinally along the planar platform, each of said multidirectional helical roller assemblies comprising:
• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a generally circular central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a concave roller rotatably mounted on a shaft which is supported on the inner ring member along a chord of the central opening that is parallel to but offset from the centerline of the central opening;
• wherein said inner ring member further comprises upper and lower ring plates secured together.

A multidirectional helical roller assembly comprising:

• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a generally circular central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a roller rotatably supported on a shaft that is fixedly mounted on the inner ring member and extends transverse across the central opening along a chord which is parallel to but offset from a centerline defined by the central opening;
• wherein said roller comprises an outer concave surface extending between two end surfaces;
• and
• wherein said outer concave surface comprises a radius of curvature that is about 6.5 times the radius of the roller at its greatest diameter.

A multidirectional helical roller assembly comprising:

• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a generally circular central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a roller rotatably supported on a shaft that is fixedly mounted on the inner ring member and extends transverse across the central opening along a chord which is parallel to but offset from a centerline defined by the central opening;
• wherein said roller comprises an outer concave surface extending between two end surfaces;
• and
• wherein said inner ring member comprises upper and lower ring plates which are secured together.

A roller assembly comprising:

• an outer ring member having an inner bearing race;
• an inner ring member having an outer bearing race cooperating with the inner bearing race such that said inner ring member is freely rotatable relative to said outer ring member, said inner ring member defining a central opening extending completely through the helical roller assembly;
• and
• a roller rotatably supported on a shaft that comprises a central axis, said shaft being fixedly mounted on the inner ring member and extending transverse across the central opening along a chord which is parallel to but offset from a centerline defined by the central opening;
• wherein said roller comprises a concave surface extending between two end surfaces which are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length of the chord;
• and
• wherein and the end surfaces of said roller each comprise a radius which is approximately the same as or less than the distance between the central axis and a top surface of the outer ring member.