Abstract:
The present disclosure provides belts (chains or brick-laid) having rod retains provided by way of an end module and a link cap for easier disassembly. The outer link end of the end module is altered to be narrower and furnished with a connecting structure. A separate link cap piece is produced, providing a corresponding connecting structure suitable to connect to the outer link end of the end module such that the width of the outer combined pieces is substantially the same as the other link ends of the belt. The link cap may be furnished with an opening allowing for assembly with a pivot rod.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to modular belts, including chained and brick-laid modular conveyor belts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Modular plastic belts are designed as chains (one belt module in each row of the belt) or brick-laid belts (having more than one belt module in one or more rows). The belt modules have intercalated link ends with bores for pivot rods which hingedly join the module(s) to those of the adjacent rows. Pivot rod retaining provisions are necessary to avoid the rods from escaping of the belt. 
     Many modern modular conveyor belts have a small belt pitch, often 0.5 inch or smaller. Due to this small belt pitch there is very little space available for rod retaining systems such as clips or locks. Possible solutions are known in the art such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,160 and 7,108,127. In these cases the rod ends are furnished with retaining rings, which engage in the outermost links by a press fit or abutment of a ring against the link face. Although these solutions solve the problem of retaining the rod, in small pitch belts, extraction of the rod for disassembly remains difficult. This is particularly important for cleaning, maintenance, or repair of the belt. Therefore, there is a need for a rod retaining system, which is well retaining the rod but also allows easier extraction. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure provides belts (chains or brick-laid) use rod retaining systems similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,160, but including a special end module for easier disassembly. The outer link end of the end module is altered to be narrower and furnished with a connecting structure. A separate cap piece is produced, providing a corresponding connecting structure suitable to connect to the outer link end of the end module such that the width of the outer combined pieces is substantially the same as the other link ends of the belt. The link cap is furnished with an opening allowing for assembly with a pivot rod, and in some embodiments, the link cap provides the previously known rod retaining structures. 
     The present disclosure also provide a method for assembling a modular belt, wherein the pivot rod is inserted into the link cap before the assembly is attached to the end module. The link cap provides for easier grip and more convenient removal of the pivot rod for disassembly of the module. 
     In another embodiment, the link cap includes an integrated rodlet, for more convenient assembly. 
     The disclosed belt module system may be used in a single row to assemble a belt. In other embodiments, the belt module system may be installed on every row of a belt, or any number of rows of the belt. Additionally, the belt module system may be installed on one or both side of a module row. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of a belt module system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is an orthogonal view of the belt module system of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 1C  is an orthogonal view of the belt module system of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , wherein the link cap is not attached to the end module; 
         FIG. 2  is an orthogonal view of a belt portion having the belt module system of  FIGS. 1A-1C  installed; 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of a belt module system according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top view of the belt module system of  FIG. 3A  with the link cap attached to the end module; 
         FIG. 3C  is an orthogonal view of the belt module of  FIG. 3B ; 
         FIG. 3D  is an orthogonal view of the belt module of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3E  is another orthogonal view of the belt module of  FIGS. 3B and 3C ; 
         FIG. 3F  is another orthogonal view of the belt module of  FIGS. 3A and 3D ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a top view of a pivot rod and link cap according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the assembled pivot rod and link cap of  FIG. 4A  and a belt module; 
         FIG. 5A  is an orthogonal view of the pivot rod and link cap of  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5B  is an orthogonal view of the assembled pivot rod and link cap and the belt module of  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a top view of a pivot rod and link cap according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the link cap has a bayonet-type connector; 
         FIG. 6B  is a top view of an end module and the assembled pivot rod and link cap of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is an orthogonal view of the pivot rod and link cap of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7B  is an orthogonal view of the end module and the assembled pivot rod and link cap of  FIG. 6B ; 
         FIG. 7C  is an orthogonal view of an assembled pivot rod and link cap and an assembly of belt modules, wherein the link cap has a bayonet connector; 
         FIG. 8A  is an end view of a link cap having an integrated rodlet according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8B  is an alternate end view of the link cap of  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 8C  is an orthogonal view of the link cap of  FIGS. 8A and 8B ; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial orthogonal detail of two rows of assembled modules showing the interface of a rodlet and a floating rod; 
         FIG. 10A  is an end view of the link cap of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 10B  is an end view of the end module of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 10C  is an end view of the link cap and end module of  FIGS. 10A and 10B ; 
         FIG. 11A  is an orthogonal view of a portion of a belt according to an embodiment of the present disclosure before assembly; 
         FIG. 11B  is an orthogonal view of the belt portion of  FIG. 11A  during assembly; 
         FIG. 12A  is a top view of the belt portion of  FIG. 11A ; 
         FIG. 12B  is a top view of the belt portion of  FIG. 11B ; 
         FIG. 13A  is a bottom view of the belt portion of  FIGS. 11A and 12A ; 
         FIG. 13B  is a bottom view of the belt portion of  FIGS. 11B and 12B ; 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of the assembled belt portion of  FIGS. 11A-13B ; 
         FIG. 15  is an orthogonal view of a portion of a belt according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of a portion of a belt according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  is a top view of a portion of a belt according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 18  is a flowchart depicting a method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A-1C , the present disclosure may be embodied as a belt module system  10  for use with a modular belt, such as a conveyor belt. The system  10  comprises an end module  20  having an intermediate section  22 . An outer link end  24  extends from the intermediate section  22  in a first direction, the first direction being parallel to the direction of belt travel (longitudinal direction). The outer link end  24  has a mating connector  26 , further described below. The outer link end  24  has a transverse opening  25  through its width, the transverse opening  25  being suitable for a pivot rod for lacing modules together so as to form a belt. 
     In some embodiments, for example, the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 3A-3F , the end module  70  may comprise an inner link end  78  extending from the intermediate section  72  in the same direction as the outer link end  74 —the first direction. The inner link end  78  having a transverse opening  79  through its width, the transverse opening  79  of the inner link end  78  being coaxially aligned with the transverse opening  75  of the outer link end  74 . 
     The end module  70  has an opposing link end  80  extending from the intermediate section  72  in a second direction. The second direction is parallel to the direction of belt travel but opposite to the first direction. The opposing link end  80  is configured to interdigitate (intercalate) with link ends of an adjacent module. For example, the end module  70  may be installed in a belt so that the opposing link end  80  is interdigitated between the outer link end and the inner link end of an adjacent end module. In other belts, the end module  70  may be installed in a belt such that the opposing module is interdigitated between link ends of another type of module. 
     The opposing link end  80  has a transverse opening  82  extending through its width. The transverse opening  82  is configured to be coaxially aligned with the transverse openings of any interdigitated link ends. It should be noted that coaxially aligned should not be viewed to limit the transverse openings to be circular in shape, but broadly interpreted to describe that a pivot rod may be installed through the openings of interdigitated link ends. In this way, modules may be interconnected to form a belt. 
     The belt module system  60  further comprises a link cap  90  configured to attached to the outer link end  74  of the end module  70 . The link cap  90  is used to retain a pivot rod when such a rod is installed through the transverse openings  75 ,  79  of the outer and inner link ends  74 ,  78 . The link cap  90  has a corresponding connector  92  configured to mate with the mating connector  76  of the outer link end  76 . In some embodiments, the mating connector  76  is a “female”-type connector and the corresponding connector  92  of the link cap  90  is a “male”-type connector. The connectors  76 ,  92  may engage with a press fit (sometimes referred to as a snap on), such as that depicted in  FIGS. 1A-1C . In another embodiment, depicted in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  7 A- 7 C, the connectors  126 ,  142  that engage with a bayonet connection, wherein the link cap  140  and its corresponding connector  142  must be rotated relative to the end module  120  for full engagement of the connectors  126 ,  142 . 
     The belt module system  60  may further comprise a pivot rod  100  ( FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A, and  5 B) configured to be disposed through the transverse openings of the outer and inner link ends  74 ,  78  of the end module  70 . The link cap  90  is configured to retain the pivot rod  100 . In some embodiments, the pivot rod  100  has a retaining ring  102  having a diameter D ring  which is larger than a diameter D rod  of the pivot rod  100  and the link cap  90  is configured to cooperate with the retaining ring  102  to prevent migration of the pivot rod  100  from its position when installed, as is known in the art (for example, with a ring slot  94  of the link cap  90  wherein the retaining ring  102  will be captured until urged by a removal force). In such embodiments, the link cap  90  is configured to have a transverse opening  91  which is coaxial with the transverse openings  75 ,  79  of the outer and inner link ends  74 ,  78 . The transverse opening  91  of the link cap  90  may have a diameter which provides a tight fit (i.e., an interference fit) with the retaining ring of the pivot rod  100  such that the when the retaining ring  102  engages with the link cap  90 , the pivot rod  100  must be urged into an installed position with a force. 
     In other embodiments, the link cap  90  may simply block movement of the pivot rod  100  from its position in the direction of the link cap  90 . For example, in some embodiments, the link cap  90  may not have a transverse opening  91  such that the link cap  90  serves as an abutment for the pivot rod  100 . The link cap  90  may have another type of abutment to prevent the pivot rod  100  from migrating out of the belt past the link cap  90 . In another embodiment, the link cap  90  has a transverse opening that does not span the entire width of the link cap  90 , but instead only part-way through the link cap  90 , thereby creating a pocket in which the pivot rod  100  can reside. The In such embodiments, when installed in a belt, it may be advantageous to provide link caps  90  on each side of the belt in order to prevent movement of the pivot rod  100  in either of the axial directions. 
     In other embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 8A-8C , the link cap  240  comprises an integrated rodlet  250 . For example, the link cap  240  may be molded so as to include a rodlet  250 . The rodlet  250  may be of any suitable length, including as long as the transverse width of a finished belt or longer (such that the rodlet may be trimmed to length once installed). In some embodiments, the rodlet  250  is less than the entire width of a particular belt. In such embodiments, the rodlet  250  serves to retain a floating rod  255  (“floater”) in the proper position within a belt.  FIG. 9  depicts a single module row of a belt where the rodlet  250  can be seen interfacing with a floater  255  at a point  261  within the inner link end  228  of an end module  220 . The rodlet  250  may be sized to have a length such that the interface with the floater  255  occurs at any desirable position across the width of a belt. 
     It should be noted that the end module  70  is named as such because it is thought to be advantageous (though not required) to position the end module  70  at a transverse side (edge) of a belt. In such configurations, the “outer” link end  74  is positioned to be nearest the edge of the belt. It will be recognized that the belt module system  60  may further comprise a center module  260  having an intermediate section  262 , and a plurality of first link ends  264  extending from the intermediate section  262  in the first direction. The center module  260  also includes a plurality of second link ends  268  extending in the second direction and configured to interdigitate with the plurality of first link ends  264 . Transverse openings are located in the link ends  264 ,  268  such that a pivot rod  255  may interlock the interdigitated link ends  264 ,  268 . More than one center module  260  may be used, and a wide belt may comprise many brick-laid modules. 
     In other embodiments, the end module  620  may comprise more than one inner link end and more than one opposing link end (see  FIG. 17 ). In this way, a belt may be constructed by interdigitating the end modules  620  without the need for center modules for a brick-laid configuration. This configuration is often referred to as a chain. 
     The link cap  40  may have a cross sectional shape (when viewed along a longitudinal axis of the link cap—i.e., across the width of the belt) which is substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape of the outer link end  24 . It should be noted that this may also be considered a combined cross-sectional shape of the outer link end  24  and the intermediate section  22 , but solely for convenience and without limitation, reference is made in this disclosure to the outer link end  24 . For example, in  FIG. 10A , it can be seen that the cross-section of the link cap  40  has a shape (around the circumference) that is substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape of the outer link end  24  of the belt module  20  (see  FIG. 10B ). In this context, substantially should be interpreted broadly as being only limited by function. For example, in the exemplary embodiments described herein and depicted in, for example,  FIGS. 10A-10C , link cap  40  includes a raised logo on its top surface which is not matched by the top surface of the outer link end  24 . Depending on the application for which a particular belt is designed, this should be considered within the scope of substantially the same cross-sectional shape. 
     The link cap  90  may have further comprise an indicator  93  for distinguishing a belt module having a link cap  90  from traditional belt modules. In this way, personnel needing to operate on the belt can more readily identify the link cap(s) used to disassemble the belt. The indicator  93  may be noticeable based on, for example, visual appearance, texture, etc. The indicator  93  may be an embossed surface, a raised surface, a painted surface (e.g., silk-screened, printed, etc.), a differently colored portion, an overmolded portion, an insert, or any other type of indication, including combinations of different indication. For example, in the embodiments depicted in the figures, the indicator  93  comprises a raised logo of the belt manufacturer, which may be molded with the link cap  90 . 
     In some embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1A , the outer link end  24  has a transverse width W OLE  that is less than the transverse width W Opp  of the opposing link end  30 . The link cap  40  may be designed to have a width W LC  such that when the link cap  40  is attached to the outer link end  24 , the combined width W Combined  is substantially the same as W Opp . W Combined  may be selected to be any suitable width. 
     The present disclosure may be embodied as a modular belt  300  having a belt module system as described above ( FIGS. 11A-17 , or belt  310  of  FIG. 2 ). In this way, the modular belt  300  comprises a belt module  320  having an intermediate section  322 . An outer link end  324  extends from the intermediate section  322  in a first direction, the first direction being parallel to the direction of belt  300  travel (longitudinal direction). The outer link end  324  has a mating connector  326 . In some embodiments, an inner link end  328  may extend from the intermediate section  322  in the same direction as the outer link end  324 —the first direction. The outer link end  324  and the inner link end  328  each include a transverse opening through the width of the link end  324 ,  328  for a pivot rod. As such, the transverse openings are coaxially aligned with one another. 
     The belt module  320  has an opposing link end  330  extending from the intermediate section  322  in a second direction. The second direction is parallel to the direction of belt  300  travel but opposite to the first direction. The opposing link end  330  is configured to interdigitate (intercalate) with link ends of an adjacent module. For example,  FIG. 17  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a belt  600  wherein the belt module  620  may be installed in the belt  600  such that the opposing link end  630  is interdigitated between the outer link end  624  and the inner link end  628  of an adjacent belt module  620 . In other belts, the end module may be installed in a belt such that the opposing module is interdigitated between link ends of another type of module (see, for example,  FIGS. 15 and 16 ). 
     The opposing link end  330  has a transverse opening extending through its width. The transverse opening is configured to be coaxially aligned with the transverse openings of any interdigitated link ends. It should be noted that coaxially aligned should not be viewed to limit the transverse openings to be circular in shape, but broadly interpreted to describe that a pivot rod may be installed through the openings of interdigitated link ends. 
     The belt  300  further comprises a pivot rod  350  configured to be disposed through the transverse openings of the outer and inner link ends  324 ,  328  of the belt module  320 . The belt  300  further comprises a link cap  340  configured to attached to the outer link end  324  of the belt module  320 . The link cap  340  is used to retain the rod  350  in position through the transverse openings of the outer and inner link ends  324 ,  328 . The link cap  340  has a corresponding connector  342  configured to mate with the mating connector  326  of the outer link end  324 . In some embodiments, the mating connector  326  is a “female”-type connector and the corresponding connector  342  of the link cap  340  is a “male”-type connector. The connectors  326 ,  342  may engage with a press fit (sometimes referred to as a snap on), such as that depicted in  FIGS. 16-17 . In other embodiments, such as the belt  400  depicted in  FIG. 15 , the connectors engage with a bayonet connection (such as the connectors depicted in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  7 A- 7 C), wherein the link cap and its corresponding connector must be rotated relative to the end module for full engagement of the connectors. 
     In some embodiments, the pivot rod  350  has a retaining ring  352  having a diameter D ring  which is larger than a diameter D rod  of the pivot rod  350 , and the link cap  340  is configured to cooperate with the retaining ring  352  to prevent migration of the pivot rod  350  from its position when installed, as is known in the art (for example, with a ring slot  344  of the link cap  340  wherein the retaining ring  352  will be captured until urged by a removal force). In such embodiments, the link cap  340  is configured to have a transverse opening  341  which is coaxial with the transverse openings of the outer and inner link ends  324 ,  328 . In other embodiments, the link cap  340  may simply block movement of the pivot rod  350 , from its position, in the direction of the link cap  340 . In such embodiments of belts  500 , it may be advantageous to provide link caps  540  on each side of the belt  500  in order to prevent movement of the pivot rod in either of the axial directions (see  FIG. 16 ). 
     The belt module  620  may have more than one inner link end  628  and more than one opposing link end  630  such that a belt  600  may be built up by chaining belt modules  620 , rather than bricklaying modules (see  FIG. 17 ). 
     The present invention may be embodied as a method  900  for assembling a modular conveyor belt comprising the step of inserting  903  a pivot rod into a link cap (see  FIG. 18 ). The method  900  further comprises the step of lacing  906  the pivot rod through transverse openings of interdigitated link ends of two adjacent belt modules. The link cap and pivot rod are then secured  909  to the end module of the module row. It should be noted that the order of steps in the method  900  is not fixed. For example, the modular conveyor belt may also be assembled by attaching  909  the link cap to the end module of a module row, and then lacing  906  a pivot rod through the transverse openings of interdigitated link ends, and then securing  903  the pivot rod into the link cap. 
     Although the present invention has been described with respect to one or more particular embodiments, it will be understood that other embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, the present invention is deemed limited only by the appended claims and the reasonable interpretation thereof.