Abstract:
A chain link of a transport chain of a conveyor for conveying an article hanging from a holding adapter includes a base body having lateral contact surfaces configured to enable friction rollers to be pressed there against for driving the transport chain. Arranged on the base body at ends in spaced-apart relationship in a conveying direction are coupling sections for swingable connection with a neighboring chain link. Bearings are formed on an upper side of the base body for support of running or guide rollers. A thrust member is connected vertically elastically to an underside of the base body and has an underside provided with at least one recess for formfittingly receiving a coupler of a head piece of the holding adapter for holding the article to be conveyed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2013 100 132.7, filed Jan. 8, 2013, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to the field of transport of articles. 
     The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention. 
     US 2012/0193192 describes a drive chain of an overhead conveyor for transporting hanging articles. The drive chain has a plurality of traction rod elements connected by coupling elements. Each traction rod element has a base body extending substantially along a conveying direction and having a first longitudinal end and an opposite second longitudinal end, which respectively have a connection section into which a connection bolt is insertable. The base body has a frictional engagement section for interacting in a frictional-engaged manner with a drive wheel of a friction roller drive, which drive wheel is forced against the frictional engagement section to move the drive chain in the conveying direction. The base body further includes a positive engagement section for interacting with spaced synchronization units to prevent displacement of neighboring traction rod elements in the conveying direction by a positive engagement. Arranged at the underside of the base body are follower webs for taking along adapters from which the articles are hanging in the conveying direction. 
     The use of such drive chains is problematic in regions where adapters pile up. 
     It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to obviate other prior art shortcomings, in particular to enable a reliable transport of adapters and pile-up of adapters at predefined points of the conveyor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a chain link of a transport chain of a conveyor for conveying an article hanging from a holding adapter includes a base body having lateral contact surfaces configured to enable friction rollers to be pressed there against for driving the transport chain, coupling sections which are arranged on the base body at ends in spaced-apart relationship in a conveying direction and which are configured for swingable connection with a neighboring chain link, bearings formed on an upper side of the base body and configured for support of running or guide rollers, and a thrust member connected vertically elastically to an underside of the base body and having an underside provided with at least one recess for formfittingly receiving a coupler of a head piece of the holding adapter for holding the article to be conveyed. 
     As a result of the elastic attachment of the thrust member to the base body of the chain link, the thrust member can be easily pushed upwards against the base body at the moment when holding adapters accumulate at a predefined spot of a conveyor, so that the chain link of the conveyor slides over the holding adapter to thereby allow to continue transport of further articles arranged on holding adapters on the chain link of the transport chain in a simple manner. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, the at least one recess of the thrust member has in the conveying direction a trailing edge which can be oriented transversely to the conveying direction and aligned at an obtuse angle in relation to the underside of the thrust member which underside is oriented in parallel relation to the conveying direction. Thus, when a holding adapter stops at a predefined position of the conveyor, the thrust member is pressed in the manner of a ramp upwards in the direction of the base body. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, a spring element may be provided to connect the thrust member with the base body. Advantageously the spring element is configured in the form of a spring leaf configured to extend at a slant for interconnecting the base body with the thrust member. Configuring the spring element as a spring leaf or elastic strip allows easy and cost-effective manufacture. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, the spring element can extend in relation to the base body and the thrust member at an angle between 5° and 30°. The presence of a substantially flat connection significantly facilitates elevation of the thrust members, when the holding adapters back up at a predefined position. As a result, the thus-forming back pressure applied by following adapters becomes very small so that wrinkling of, e.g., pieces of clothing guided by the adapters is avoided. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, the chain link can be made in one piece. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a transport chain of a conveyor for conveying an article hanging from a holding adapter includes a plurality of chain links swingably connected to one another, each chain link including a base body having lateral contact surfaces configured to enable friction rollers to be pressed there against for driving the transport chain, coupling sections which are arranged on the base body at ends in spaced-apart relationship in a conveying direction and which are configured for swingable connection with a neighboring chain link, bearings formed on an upper side of the base body and configured for support of running or guide rollers, and a thrust member connected vertically elastically to an underside of the base body and having an underside provided with at least one recess for formfittingly receiving a coupler of a head piece of the holding adapter for holding the article to be conveyed. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, the thrust member can have overlap portions on spaced-apart ends in the conveying direction for connection with a thrust member of an adjacent chain link. As a result, when a leading thrust member, as viewed in the conveying direction, is elevated by a backed-up holding adapter, the following thrust member is also slightly elevated so that the friction of the following thrust member on the backed up is reduced. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention, a conveyor for conveying a hanging article includes a rail profile, a transport chain having a plurality of chain links and movable in the rail profile in a conveying direction, each chain link including a base body having lateral contact surfaces configured to enable friction rollers to be pressed there against for driving the transport chain, coupling sections arranged on the base body at ends in spaced-apart relationship in a conveying direction and configured for swingable connection with a neighboring chain link, and a thrust member formed an underside of the base body and having an underside provided with at least one recess, and a holding adapter configured to hold the article to be conveyed and having a head piece which is rollingly supported in the rail profile and configured for coupling with the thrust member. 
     According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, running rollers can be supported by the head piece of the holding adapter and configured to roll in the rail profile, with the head piece having a coupler configured to extend beyond the running rollers and received in the at least one recess by a formfit when engaged with the thrust member, with the formfit between the thrust member and the coupler of the holding adapter being configured to resiliently deflect the thrust member in a direction of the base body of the chain link when the coupler of the holding adapter exerts a predefined force impact upon the thrust member, wherein the formfit to the holding adapter is releasable. The provision of such a headpiece of the holding adapter enables a low-friction disengagement of the holding adapter from the thrust member of the chain link. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side sectional view of a portion of a transport chain and connected holding adapters of a conveyor, taken along a section line I-I in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the conveyor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective illustration of two interconnected embodiments of chain links according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the chain links of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the chain links of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the chain links of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  a sectional view of the chain links of  FIG. 3 , taken along the section line VII-VII of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top and side perspective view of a holding adapter; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom and side perspective view of the holding adapter; and 
         FIG. 10  a side view of the holding adapter of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Throughout all the figures, same or corresponding elements may generally be indicated by same reference numerals. These depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. 
     For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in the illustration and position of chain link, chain, holding adapter and the like, as selected by way of example in the respective figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and components illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
     Turning now to the drawing, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a schematic side sectional view of a portion of a transport chain, which is generally designated by reference numeral  2  and taken along a section line I-I in  FIG. 2 . The transport chain  2  forms part of a conveyor of which a portion only is shown and which includes a friction roller drive. The transport chain  2  includes a plurality of chain links  21 ,  22  which are hingedly connected with one another and are received in a rail profile  6  of the conveyor for movement in a conveying direction X for conveying articles, such as pieces of clothing for example, that hang on hangers for example. The hangers are each suspended in a holding adapter  5  which is conveyed in a conveying direction X by the transport chain  2 . 
     The transport chain  2  is guided in the rail profile  6  by a running roller  3  or guide roller  4  which are arranged on each of the chain links  21 ,  22  and received in an upper cavity  63  of the rail profile  6 . The running rollers  3  are supported on respective tracks of the rail profile  6  and movable in the rail profile  6  in the conveying direction X, as shown in particular in  FIG. 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , which is a perspective illustration of two interconnected embodiments of chain links  21 ,  22 , the chain link  21  has a base body  211  and a bearing  215  formed on an upper side of the base body  211  for support of running or guide rollers  3 ,  4 . Likewise, the chain link  22  has a base body  221  and a bearing  225  formed on an upper side of the base body  221  for support of running or guide rollers  3 ,  4 . Thrust members  23  are formed on an underside of the base bodies  211 ,  221 . The base bodies  211 ,  221  and the thrust members  23  run in a central cavity  62  of the rail profile  6 , whereas a head piece  51  of a holding adapter  5  is arranged in a lower cavity  61  of the rail profile  6 . The head piece  51  of the holding adapter  5  is provided with track rollers  53  ( FIG. 2 ) which roll along a track of the rail profile  6 . 
     A pair of chain links  21 ,  22  are shown in detail in  FIGS. 3 to 7 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  clearly show the base bodies  211 ,  221  of the chain links  21 ,  22 . The base bodies  211 ,  221  have side walls which are formed as friction roller contact surfaces  25  against which drive rollers (not shown) are pressed at one or more predefined positions of the conveyor to thereby cause the transport chain  2  to move. 
     The thrust members  23  are arranged beneath the base bodies  211 ,  221  on an underside of the base bodies  211 ,  221 , with each thrust member  23  being connected vertically elastically with the base bodies  211 ,  221 , respectively. 
     To convey the holding adapters  5 , each thrust member  23  has an underside formed with a recess  232  for formfittingly receiving a coupler  54  of the head piece  51  of the holding adapter  5 . These recesses  232  are advantageously configured each in relation to the underside, i.e. side facing the holding adapter  5 , with a surface area which extends parallel thereto. The surface area defines hereby in the conveying direction X a trailing edge  235  which is oriented transversely to the conveying direction X at an obtuse angle to the underside of the thrust member  23 , extending parallel to the conveying direction X. 
     Thus, when one or more holding adapters  5  pile up, the coupler  54  of the head piece  51  is able to slide out in a ramp-like manner from the recess  232  of the thrust member  23  to thereby separate the conveying connection between the holding adapter  5  and the respective chain link  21 ,  22  of the transport chain  2 . During this separation, the thrust member  23  is pushed upwards by the depth of the recess  232  in the direction of the base bodies  211 ,  221  of the respective chain link  21 ,  22 . This is enabled by the vertical elastic connection of the thrust member  23  with the base bodies  211 ,  221 . 
     The elastic connection of the thrust members  23  with the base bodies  211 ,  221  is realized via several spring elements  24  which preferably are configured as spring leaves to connect the base bodies  211 ,  221  with the thrust members  23  at an oblique angle α in a range between 5° and 30°. Currently preferred is an angle α in a range between 5° and 15°. In view of the substantially flat connection, the thrust members  23  can be elevated in a much simpler manner, when the holding adapters  5  pile up at a predefined position. As a result, back pressure caused by following holding adapters  5  is fairly small so that wrinkling of pieces of clothing guided by the holding adapters  5  is avoided. Moreover, the flat attachment of the spring elements  24  with the base bodies  211 ,  221  and thrust members  23  allows a configuration of the spring elements  24  in the form of spring leaves with relatively thick walls so that stability of the chain links is additionally enhanced. 
     Each of the chain links  21 ,  22  can be made in one piece, for example as an injection-molded part. It is, of course, also conceivable to connect the base bodies  211 ,  221  with the thrust members  23  via the spring elements  24 . 
     To further facilitate the holding adapters  5  from sliding out from the recesses  232  of the thrust members  23 , the thrust members  23  arranged on the individual chain links  21 ,  22  are provided with overlap portions  233 ,  234  so that adjacent thrust members  23  of two chain links  21 ,  22  overlap each other with the overlap portions  233 ,  234 , respectively. 
     The overlap portions  233 ,  234  to connect adjacent thrust members  23  are so configured that an overlap portion  234  of a leading one of the thrust members  23 , as viewed in the conveying direction X, engages beneath an overlapping overlap portion  233  of a trailing thrust member  23  in the conveying direction X. 
     The individual chain links  21 ,  22  are pivotally connected to one another. Advantageously, a coupler  212  is formed on a first end of the base body  211  of one of the chain links  21  for swinging motion in a XY plane and provides with a respective coupler  222  of the neighboring chain link  22  and a pin  26  ( FIG. 7 ) a swivel joint. The other end of the base body  211  of the first chain link  21  is advantageously realized as coupler  231  for swinging motion in a XZ plane which forms a further swivel joint with a respectively configured coupler  233  of the base body  221  of the second chain link  22  for rotation about a pivot axis  214  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     To provide easy access to the pin  26 , that provides the swingable connection of the chain links  21 ,  22  in the XY plane, during assembly or in the event of repair, overlapping bores  235 ,  236  can be provided in the overlap portions  233 ,  234  so that the pin  26  is reachable from underneath. 
       FIGS. 8 to 10  show various views of an embodiment of a holding adapter  5 . As shown in particular in  FIG. 8 , the holding adapter  5  essentially includes a head piece  51  on which track rollers  53  are mounted and received in a lower receiving zone  63  of the rail profile  6 , and a receiving frame  52  in which a wire hanger can be suspended for example. The receiving frame  52  is connected to the head piece  51  via a tapering neck  56  and a receiving zone  55  which is arranged below the neck  56  for placement of an identification piece, e.g. a RFID-chip. 
     The head piece  51  extends beyond the track rollers  53  upwards and form a coupler  54  which projects beyond the track rollers  53  and is formfittingly received in one of the recesses  232  of the thrust member  23  when engaged with the thrust member  23 . The formfitting connection between the trust member  23  and the coupler  54  of the holding adapter  5  is configured such that the thrust member  23  moves in the direction of the base body  211 ,  221  of the respective chain link  21 ,  22  of the transport chain  2 , when the coupler  54  of the holding adapter  5  applies a predefined force upon the thrust member  23 , so that the connection to the holding adapter  5  is releasable. The end faces  541  of the coupler  54 , which extend transversely to the conveying direction X, are slanted such that the coupler  54  is received formfittingly in the recess  232  of the thrust member  23  and is pressed via the slanted end faces  541  upwards, when the holding adapter  5  stops to thereby liberate the holding adapter  5 . 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims and includes equivalents of the elements recited therein: