System and method for setting roller skew

Abstract

A system and method for reducing roller skew, which involve ascertaining first and second thrust load properties applied to a roller while a rotary body rotates in opposing rotational directions, and adjusting an orientation of at least one bearing assembly for the roller until an amplitude difference between the first and second thrust load properties is below a predetermined threshold.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for monitoring roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the system comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to measure a first thrust load property applied to a first roller of the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a first rotational direction, and to measure a second thrust load property applied to the first roller from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction, wherein the at least one sensor is further configured to transmit signals relating to the first and second thrust load properties; and   a computer system configured to receive the transmitted signals, wherein the computer system is further configured to determine a difference between the first and second thrust load properties, and to compare the determined difference to a threshold to determine whether the first and second thrust load properties are substantially the same.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , and further comprising at least one communication line interconnecting the at least one sensor and the computer system, the at least one communication line comprising a physical signal line, a wireless signal line, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a tilt sensor, wherein the first thrust load property applied to the first roller is a first tilt value of a bearing assembly for the first roller while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein the second thrust load property applied to the first roller is a second tilt value of the bearing assembly for the first roller while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the computer system is configured to determine the difference between the first and second thrust load properties as an amplitude difference between the first tilt value and the second tilt value, and wherein the threshold is an amplitude threshold. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the computer system is configured to determine the difference between the first and second thrust load properties based on averages of multiple measurements of the first and second thrust load properties. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , and further comprising an auxiliary drive motor configured to engage the rotary body to rotate the rotary body in the first and second rotational directions. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , and further comprising at least one communication line connecting the computer system and the auxiliary drive motor, wherein the computer system is further configured to control operation of the auxiliary drive motor. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the auxiliary drive motor is configured to rotate the rotary body in the first and second rotational directions at substantially the same rotational rates. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , and further comprising at least one control mechanism configured to communicate with the computer system, wherein the computer system is further configured to adjust orientations of a bearing assembly for the first roller with the at least one control mechanism in response to the comparison of the determined differences to the threshold. 
     
     
         30 . A system for monitoring roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the system comprising:
 a plurality of sensors configured to measure first thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a first rotational direction, and to measure second thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction, wherein the plurality of sensors are further configured to transmit signals relating to the first and second thrust load properties; and   a computer system configured to receive the transmitted signals, wherein, for each of the plurality of sensors, the computer system is further configured to determine differences between the first and second thrust load properties based on averages of multiple measurements of the first and second thrust load properties, and to identify whether the determined differences are less than a threshold.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , and further comprising an auxiliary drive motor configured to engage the rotary body to rotate the rotary body in the first and second rotational directions. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , and further comprising at least one communication line connecting the computer system and the auxiliary drive motor, wherein the computer system is further configured to control operation of the auxiliary drive motor. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , and further comprising a plurality of control mechanisms configured to communicate with the computer system, wherein the computer system is further configured to adjust orientations of bearing assemblies for the rollers with the plurality of control mechanisms in response to the identification of whether the determined differences are less than the threshold. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , and further comprising at least one lubricant applicator, wherein the computer system is further configured to initiate an application of a lubricant onto bearing assemblies for the rollers with the at least one lubricant applicator in response to the identification of whether the determined differences are less than the threshold. 
     
     
         35 . A system for monitoring roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the system comprising:
 a tilt sensor configured to measure a first tilt value of a bearing assembly for a first roller of the plurality of rollers while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and to measure a second tilt value of a bearing assembly for the first roller while the rotary body rotates in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction, wherein the tilt sensor is further configured to transmit signals relating to amplitudes of the first and second tilt values; and   a computer system configured to receive the transmitted signals, wherein the computer system is further configured to determine a difference between the amplitudes of the first and second tilt values, and to compare the determined difference to an amplitude threshold.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the computer system is configured to determine the amplitude difference based on averages of multiple measurements of the first and second tilt values. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , and further comprising an auxiliary drive motor configured to engage the rotary body to rotate the rotary body in the first and second rotational directions. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , and further comprising at least one communication line connecting the computer system and the auxiliary drive motor, wherein the computer system is further configured to control operation of the auxiliary drive motor. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35  and further comprising a second tilt sensor configured to measure a third tilt value of a bearing assembly for a second roller of the plurality of rollers while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and to measure a fourth tilt value of the bearing assembly for the second roller while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction, wherein the second tilt sensor is further configured to transmit signals relating to amplitudes of the third and fourth tilt values to the computer system. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the computer system is further configured to determine a difference between the amplitudes of the third and fourth tilt values, and to compare the determined difference between the amplitudes of the third and fourth tilt values to the amplitude threshold.