# US 9,751,709 B2 · Clearance adjusting apparatus, clearance adjusting method and conveyance device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,709 B2 - Document ID: US9751709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/094,455 - Filed: 2016-04-08 - Published: 2016-11-24 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-22 - Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Hefei Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Hefei Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kun Li; Wenjun Shen; Bin Wu; Xuequan Yu; Xiaodong Yu; Zhuyi Luo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751709B2 ## CPC - B65H 5/062: {between rollers or balls} - B65H 7/02: by feelers or detectors - B65H 2404/1441: involving controlled actuator - B65H 2511/20: Location in space - B65H 2511/224: Nip between rollers, between belts or between rollers and belts - B65H 2513/40: Movement - B65H 2515/34: Pressure, e.g. fluid pressure - B65H 2553/51: Encoders, e.g. linear - B65H 2557/264: with key characteristics based on closed loop control - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract The invention discloses a clearance adjusting apparatus, a clearance adjusting method and a conveyance device. The clearance adjusting apparatus is used for adjusting a clearance between two opposite rollers and comprises: a driver for driving the roller to move up and down, at least one of the rollers being movable relative to the other; and a controller that stores a predetermined clearance scope being connected with the driver for controlling the driver to drive the movable roller to move up and down, so that the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clearance adjusting apparatus for adjusting a clearance between two opposite rollers in a direction perpendicular to the rollers' axis, comprising a driver for driving the rollers to move up and down in the direction perpendicular to the rollers' axis, at least one of the two rollers being movable up and down relative to the other in the direction perpendicular to the rollers' axis; and a controller that stores a predetermined clearance scope being connected with the driver for controlling the driver to drive at least one of the two rollers to move up and down in the direction perpendicular to the rollers' axis, so that the clearance between the two rollers in the direction perpendicular to the rollers' axis falls into the predetermined clearance scope. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the two rollers is fixed and the other is movable and the clearance adjusting apparatus further comprises a displacement measurer disposed at a side of the movable roller for measuring a displacement of the movable roller, the displacement measurer being connected with the controller to transmit measured displacement data to the controller; and the controller can determine whether the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope according to the received displacement data, and when the controller determines that the clearance between the two rollers does not fall into the predetermined clearance scope, the controller sends a control signal to the driver, which, after receiving the control signal, drives the movable roller to continue moving until the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the displacement measurer is a grating ruler comprising a scale grating that is stationary within the clearance adjusting apparatus, and a grating reading head that is connected with the movable roller and moves synchronously with the movable roller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the two rollers include a fixed lower roller and a movable upper roller disposed oppositely, and the upper roller is disposed on an upper roller shaft around which the upper roller is rotatable, and the lower roller is disposed on a lower roller shaft around which the lower roller is rotatable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a sliding assembly comprising a slider and a linear guide rail for cooperation with the slider, wherein the slider is fixed at an end of the upper roller shaft and the linear guide rail is disposed vertically at a side of the slider opposite to the upper roller, the slider being movable up and down along the linear guide rail. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the clearance adjusting apparatus comprises two groups of the sliding assemblies respectively disposed at two ends of the upper roller shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the displacement measurer is a grating ruler comprising a scale grating that is stationary within the clearance adjusting apparatus, and a grating reading head that is disposed on the slider. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the upper roller shaft is provided with two upper rollers, and the lower roller shaft is provided with two lower rollers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a piezoelectricity sensor is provided on a circumferential surface of the upper roller for measuring a pressure between the upper roller and a substrate to be conveyed, and the piezoelectricity sensor is connected with the controller to transmit measured pressure data to the controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an O-shaped ring made of a piezoelectric material is provided on an outer surface of the upper roller to form the piezoelectricity sensor and is provided with a lead wire electrically connected with the controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the clearance adjusting apparatus comprises a transmission mechanism that includes an eccentric wheel and a first gear and a second gear being meshed with each other, the first gear is fixed on an output shaft of the driver; the transmission mechanism further includes a transmission shaft that passes through the center of the second gear, and a bracket for connecting the eccentric wheel fixed on an end of the transmission shaft and the upper roller shaft, and a rotation of the eccentric wheel is turned into ascending and descending movement of the upper roller shaft via a transmission function of the bracket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises two eccentric wheels and two brackets, the two eccentric wheels are respectively fixed on two ends of the transmission shaft and connected with two ends of the upper roller shaft via corresponding brackets thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a human-computer interactive device that is connected with the controller, and through which an operator inputs the predetermined clearance scope to the controller, the human-computer interactive device comprises a computer or touch screen. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a programmable logic controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driver comprises a motor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A clearance adjusting method utilizing the clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1 for adjusting a clearance, comprising: inputting a predetermined clearance scope to the controller; and controlling operation of the driver with the controller according to the predetermined clearance scope, so that the driver drives at least one of the two rollers to move up and down relative to the other, until the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The clearance adjusting method according to claim 16, wherein one of the two rollers is fixed and the other is movable, and the clearance adjusting apparatus further comprises a displacement measurer disposed at a side of the movable roller for measuring a displacement of the movable roller, the displacement measurer is connected with the controller to transmit measured displacement data to the controller; the clearance adjusting method further comprises the following steps: using the displacement measurer to measure a displacement of the movable roller in real time, and sending measured displacement data to the controller; using the controller to determine whether the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope according to the received displacement data; when the controller determines the clearance between the two rollers not falling into the predetermined clearance scope, using the controller to send a control signal to the driver; and using the driver to drive the movable roller to continue moving after receiving the control signal, until the clearance between the two rollers falls into the predetermined clearance scope. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The clearance adjusting method according to claim 17, wherein the two rollers include a fixed lower roller and a movable upper roller disposed oppositely, and a piezoelectricity sensor is provided on a circumferential surface of the upper roller for measuring a pressure between the upper roller and a substrate to be conveyed, and the piezoelectricity sensor is connected with the controller to transmit measured pressure data to the controller; the clearance adjusting method further comprises the following steps: using the piezoelectricity sensor to measure a pressure between the upper roller and the substrate to be conveyed in real time, and sending measured pressure data to the controller; and using the controller to optimize the predetermined clearance scope according to the pressure data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A conveyance device comprising the clearance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1.