Indexing drive roll carrier system and method
A drive roll carrier includes a hub coupled to and extending axially from a gear along a rotational axis, an engagement feature coupled to and extending axially from the gear, and a retainer disposed about the hub. The gear is rotatable via a wire feed motor. The engagement feature is configured to engage the drive roll and urge rotation of the drive roll as the gear is rotated. The retainer includes an alignment feature configured to receive the drive roll. The retainer may be selectively locked into one of a first position relative to the hub and a second position relative to the hub. The alignment feature and the engagement feature are aligned in the first position and not aligned in the second position, and the retainer may be transitioned between the first and second positions without being translated along the hub in a direction of the rotational axis.
1. A welding wire feeder, comprising:
a drive roll carrier, comprising:
a hub coupled to and extending from a gear along a rotational axis, wherein the gear is configured to be rotated via a motor of the welding wire feeder;
an engagement feature coupled to and extending from the gear, wherein the engagement feature is configured to engage a drive roll and to urge rotation of the drive roll as the gear is rotated; and
a retainer disposed about an outer surface of the hub, wherein the retainer comprises an alignment feature configured to receive the drive roll onto the drive roll carrier;
wherein the retainer is configured to be selectively locked into one of a first position relative to the hub and a second position relative to the hub, wherein the alignment feature and the engagement feature are substantially aligned in the first position and not aligned in the second position, wherein the retainer is configured to be transitioned between the first and second positions without being translated along the hub in a direction of the rotational axis, and wherein the retainer and the drive roll are offset from one another along the rotational axis when the retainer is in the second position.
2. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the hub is integral with the gear.
3. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is configured to be transitioned between the first and second positions via rotation of the retainer about the hub.
4. The welding wire feeder of claim 3 , wherein the retainer is configured to be rotated between the first and second positions only in response to an external force.
5. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the drive roll carrier is configured to allow the drive roll to pass between the alignment feature of the retainer and the engagement feature when the retainer is disposed in the first position.
6. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the drive roll carrier is configured to secure the drive roll against a surface of the gear when the retainer is disposed in the second position.
7. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , comprising a retaining element configured to block the retainer from translating along the hub in a direction of the rotational axis.
8. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is removable from the welding wire feeder without removing the gear from the welding wire feeder.
9. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the retainer and the hub comprise complementary indexing features configured to selectively lock the retainer into the first and second positions.
10. The welding wire feeder of claim 9 , wherein the indexing features comprise at least one complementary detent and indentation.
11. The drive roll carrier of claim 10 , wherein the detent comprises a semi-spherical detent.
12. The drive roll carrier of claim 10 , wherein the detent comprises a semi-cylindrical detent.
13. The drive roll carrier of claim 10 , wherein the indentation comprises a groove.
14. The drive roll carrier of claim 9 , wherein the indexing features of the retainer are arranged circumferentially along an inner circumference of the retainer at a constant angle relative to each other, and wherein the indexing features of the hub are arranged circumferentially along an outer circumference of the hub at a constant angle relative to each other.
15. A drive roll carrier, comprising:
a hub coupled to and extending axially from a gear along a rotational axis, wherein the gear is configured to be rotated via a wire feed motor;
an engagement feature coupled to and extending axially from the gear, wherein the engagement feature is configured to engage a drive roll and to urge rotation of the drive roll as the gear is rotated; and
a retainer disposed about an outer surface of the hub, wherein the retainer comprises an alignment feature configured to receive the drive roll onto the drive roll carrier;
wherein the retainer is configured to be selectively locked into an indexed position relative to the hub, wherein the alignment feature and the engagement feature are aligned in the indexed position to allow insertion or removal of the drive roll relative to the engagement feature, and wherein the retainer and the drive roll are offset from one another along the rotational axis when the retainer is out of the indexed position.
16. The drive roll carrier of claim 15 , wherein the retainer is configured to be transitioned into and out of the indexed position without being translated along the hub in a direction of the rotational axis.
17. The drive roll carrier of claim 15 , wherein the retainer comprises an indexing feature disposed along an inner circumference of the retainer, the hub comprises an indexing feature disposed along an outer circumference of the hub, and the indexing features of the retainer and the hub are configured to interface for selectively locking the retainer in the indexed position.
18. The drive roll carrier of claim 17 , wherein the indexing features of the retainer and the hub comprise a detent and an indentation, wherein the detent is configured to be captured in the indentation.
19. The drive roll carrier of claim 15 , wherein the retainer cannot rotate relative to the hub without being urged by an external force.
20. The drive roll carrier of claim 15 , wherein the gear is integral with the hub.
21. A method, comprising:
receiving a drive roll via an alignment feature of a retainer disposed about an outer surface of a hub of a drive roll carrier, wherein the retainer is rotatable relative to the hub about a rotational axis and configured to be selectively locked into a first position relative to the hub and into a second position relative to the hub;
receiving the drive roll onto an engagement feature of the drive roll carrier from the alignment feature when the retainer is disposed in the first position relative to the hub, the engagement feature being configured to urge rotation of the drive roll when a motor rotates the drive roll carrier; and
securing the drive roll on the engagement feature when the retainer is disposed in the second position relative to the hub, wherein the retainer is configured to be transitioned between the first and second positions without being translated along the hub in the direction of the rotational axis, and wherein the retainer and the drive roll are offset from one another along the rotational axis when the retainer is in the second position.
22. The method of claim 21 , comprising blocking the retainer from translating along the hub in a direction of the rotational axis via a retaining element.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein securing the drive roll comprises maintaining the alignment feature in a non-aligned position relative to the engagement feature when the retainer is disposed in the second position relative to the hub.