US 12,246,924 B2
Dual conveyor for autonomous guided vehicle
Joshua M. Biro, St. Charles, MO (US); and William D. Moore, Florissant, MO (US)
Assigned to Nidec Motor Corporation, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Nidec Motor Corporation, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/489,901.
Application 18/489,901 is a continuation of application No. 17/681,038, filed on Feb. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,827,455.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/154,082, filed on Feb. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0043219 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 23/08 (2006.01); B65G 39/09 (2006.01); B65G 41/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 23/08 (2013.01) [B65G 39/09 (2013.01); B65G 41/008 (2013.01); B65G 2812/02069 (2013.01); B65G 2812/02148 (2013.01); B65G 2812/02168 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveyor assembly for use with a mobile vehicle, said conveyor assembly comprising:
a conveyor module including a first roller assembly,
said first roller assembly including a first rotatable roller body and a second rotatable roller body,
said first and second roller bodies being interconnected to each other in such a manner as to share a first rotational axis yet be at least substantially rotationally independent of each other, such that each of said first and second roller bodies can rotate without causing or interfering with rotation of the other of said first and second roller bodies,
said first roller assembly further including a first coupling assembly,
said first coupling assembly including—
a first axially extending coupler,
a second axially extending coupler, and
a first connector shaft extending between and interconnecting said first and second couplers,
each of said couplers being at least in part received within the corresponding one of the roller bodies; and
a pair of tolerance rings,
each of said tolerance rings at least in part circumscribing a corresponding one of said couplers and facilitating press-in insertion of said coupler into the corresponding one of the roller bodies, such that engagement of said coupler with the corresponding one of the roller bodies via the tolerance ring results in transfer of rotation of said coupler to the roller body.