Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Unit load conveying surface means moved about an endless or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-04
2001-11-27
Valenza, Joseph E. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Unit load conveying surface means moved about an endless or...
C198S867140, C198S690200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321904
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a conveyor apparatus having a conveyor belt, and more particularly to a conveyor apparatus having interchangeable holder elements removably interlocked with the conveyor belt.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conveyor belt systems are widely used to transport items in various industrial and automation applications. It is generally known to provide conveyor belts with holder elements for supporting items conveyed by the belt. For instance, numerous suppliers such as Brecoflex Co. have marketed polyurethane timing belts with welded on working profiles. With wide based profile applications, various working profiles are provided on belt systems with reliefs incorporated therein to retain the flexibility in the conveyor belt. Generally, however, the working profiles have been permanently welded to the belt. Thus, in order to change the profile, the entire belt needs to replaced and re-tensioned on the conveyor apparatus. It will be appreciated that welding the working profiles on the belt may be prohibitively expensive since an entire new belt would have to be purchased for each profile application. Moreover, significant downtime would be required to breakdown the conveyor apparatus and replace the belts each time a new application was implemented.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,183 to Lapeyre discloses a conveyor belt having insertable and selectable conveying members. For example, Lapeyre describes a conveyor belt which includes a plurality of individual modules joined together by pivot rods. As shown in
FIG. 3
, a conveying member has an attaching portion for being located within the recess of the module.
FIGS. 19A and 19B
show another structure for attaching a conveyor member to a base member of the module. As shown and described by Lapeyre, a conveyor member is permanently and securely bonded to a deformable member that is in turn crimped at the edges around the protrusions formed on the module. Lapeyre, however, does not provide an endless conveyor belt formed from a material having bending flexibility, but rather, discloses a plurality of individual modules joined together by pivot rods. Lapeyre apparently required a certain amount of rigidity in its individual modules in order to prevent failure of the joint connections between the conveyor member and the module. The embodiment shown in
FIGS. 19A and 19B
of Lapeyre also are not particularly adapted for convenient removal from the conveying module once attached. In addition, Lapeyre apparently fails to disclose at least one holder element removably interlocked with a locking member provided on a belt wherein the locking member provides a downward force on the holder element to hold the holder element against the outer surface of the belt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate problems and shortcomings of conventional conveyor systems used to transport items from one location to another. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor apparatus including removable and/or interchangeable holder elements.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conveyor apparatus allowing rapid insertion and removal of holder elements without decreasing the tension in the conveyor belt.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conveyor apparatus that maintains a holder element in a precise position.
It is a further object of the invention to increase the life of a joint connection between a holder element and the conveyor belt.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conveyor apparatus that minimizes holder element height variations.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved conveyor arrangement that facilitates reduced wear on a conveyor belt.
It is a further object of the invention to reduce the manufacturing and replacement costs of a conveyor belt apparatus including holder elements.
It is a further object of the invention to allow an end user to customize a conveyor apparatus by using various combinations of holder elements.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved holder element that is maintained in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor belt.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conveyor system where the holder element can be formed from a nonresilient material.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a removable holder element having a high-strength structural connection to a conveyor belt.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conveyor apparatus that automatically realigns the holder elements as they travel about the pulleys.
Still other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description wherein there are shown and described alternative exemplary embodiments of this invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different, obvious aspects and embodiments, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
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Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Valenza Joseph E.
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