Patent Publication Number: US-2018037415-A1

Title: Conveyor Belt and Platform for Conveyor Belt

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims filing benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,421, having a filing date of Apr. 16, 2013, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/250,703, having a filing date of Apr. 11, 2014, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the field of conveyor belts. More particularly, the disclosure relates to conveyor belts with removable tops. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conveying systems are well known in the art and have any number of useful applications, such as the transportation of objects in various stages of manufacturing, storage, and shipping. Typical conveying systems utilize a flat conveying belt, generally formed of interconnected links, driven by motors that engage with the conveyor belt. Sometimes belts made of such links are also called chains. Such conveying systems are commonly employed in the transportation of manufactured goods and articles. With these typical systems, the motor drives a toothed drive sprocket that engages with complimenting driving recesses or “dogs” formed on the conveyor belt. 
     Link type conveyor belts are sometimes designed in a knuckle/socket joint arrangement wherein one end of the link is a rounded knuckle and the opposite end is a socket formed by two extending edges. The knuckle of one link fits into the socket of a neighboring link. The knuckle is able to move in various directions within the socket, which allows for the conveyor system as a whole to curve and move. 
     The interconnected links typically have a platform member connected to or formed at the link&#39;s upper surface. The platform member is generally shaped to match the neighboring platform members on other links such that the links can turn while moving around curved sections of the conveying system, yet are also shaped such that the cracks and spaces formed between the links are minimized. The platform members can be connected to the links in several different ways. For instance, the platforms may have pegs extending therefrom which match corresponding slots on the links. Alternatively or additionally, the platforms can have snap springs which lock into place on corresponding sections of the links. Such a knuckle link with a snap-on platform surface member is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,716. 
     The platform surface member on the conveyor links of that patent has a substantially flat upper surface with no substantially vertical end walls. Such structure works well for most conveyances. U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,697 discloses an alternate platform with vertical walls in the form of a rail member. Such end walls can be useful in preventing articles from shifting laterally, especially due to tangential or centrifugal forces when going around bends and/or travelling non-horizontally. 
     Some conventional “drink boxes” are made of sheets of material that are folded and welded or glued together to form a box shape. U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,810, entitled “Sealed Package for Pourable Food Products,” shows such a drink box in  FIG. 4 . Such drink boxes have been successfully introduced and are in great use in many countries worldwide. The description of such drink box (“package  15 ”) of that patent is incorporated herein. As shown therein, the bottom of the box includes a widthwise seal and triangular side edges folded inward. The boxes are often slightly concave on the bottom side, with the four corners of the bottom comprising points that extend the furthest downward. It can be sometimes more difficult to handle and convey such slightly irregular drink boxes than it would be, for example, to handle and convey a flat bottomed box with no seals, edges, or concavities on the bottom side. Such difficulties can manifest themselves in particular when conveying at high speeds and/or around bends. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to certain aspects of the disclosure, a conveyor belt for conveying articles having a width includes an interconnected series of relatively pivotable body members and a plurality of platform members. Each platform member is attached to a respective one of the body members, each platform member having an upper surface and a substantially vertical rail member extending upward at one side of the upper surface. The upper surface has a first portion adjacent the rail member, a second portion adjacent the first portion, and a third portion adjacent the second portion. The first portion extends substantially horizontally from the rail member toward the second portion at least to a center of the platform member, and the second portion extends upward in a direction from the first portion toward the third portion. The first and second portions are configured relative to the width of the article such that when placed on the platform member in contact with the rail the article extends to and no further than the second portion. The second portion extends upwardly less than a height of the rail member relative to the first portion. Various options and modifications are possible. 
     According to certain other aspects of the disclosure, a surface platform member for a conveyor belt may include an upper surface and a substantially vertical rail member extending upward at one side of the upper surface. The upper surface has a first portion adjacent the rail member, a second portion adjacent the first portion, and a third portion adjacent the second portion. The first portion extends from the rail member substantially horizontally toward the second portion at least to a center of the platform member, and the second portion extends upward in a direction from the first portion toward the third portion. The first and second portions are configured relative to the width of the article such that when placed on the platform member in contact with the rail the article extends to and no further than the second portion. The second portion extends upwardly less than a height of the rail member relative to the first portion. Again, various options and modifications are possible. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one surface platform for a conveyor according to certain aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an alternate perspective view of the surface platform of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a close-up perspective view of the surface platform of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an alternate close-up perspective view as in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a number of surface platforms as in  FIG. 1 , as installed on a conveyor. 
         FIG. 6  is a close-up perspective view of the surface platforms of  FIG. 5  in a first position. 
         FIG. 7  is a close-up perspective view of the surface platforms of  FIG. 5  in a second position. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of a surface platform as in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of a surface platform as in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  an exploded perspective view of a number of surface platforms and a conveyor as in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an alternate conveyor surface platform according to certain aspects of the disclosure carrying an article. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a conveyor including platforms as in  FIG. 11  carrying articles. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of another alternate conveyor surface platform according to certain aspects of the disclosure carrying an article. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield still a third embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations. 
     Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-10  shows one example of a conveyor belt having body members with detachable surface platform members in accordance with the present disclosure.  FIG. 10  shows a portion of such conveyor  10  including three surface platform members  12  and three interconnected body members  14 . Body members  14  are similar to the knuckle drive links shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,716, discussed above. However, it should be clear that body members  14  could have many forms according to the present disclosure. 
     One surface platform member  12  is attachable to the upper side of each body member  14 . As can be seen in  FIG. 10 , the perimeter shape of each surface platform member  12  may be substantially the same as that of the corresponding knuckle drive link body member  14 . This correspondence allows the platform members and body members to move generally together maintaining a consistent conveying surface the as conveyor  10  moves through a conveying path, in particular around bends. Surface platform members  12  may accordingly be shaped such that the leading edge of one surface platform member  12  is configured to be nested within and accepted by a trailing edge of the next surface platform member  12 . For instance, leading fingers  24  of one surface platform member  12  are configured to be adapted into trailing grooves  26  of the next surface platform member  12 . Additionally, a nose portion  30  of one surface platform member  12  is adapted to fit within a void  36  of an adjacent surface platform member  12 . 
     Articles are placed on top of surface platform members  12  and are conveyed as the plurality of body members  14  move along a supporting structure (not shown). The body members  14  are fitted with flanges  20  on either end in order to ride the supporting structure. Drive indentations  32 , sometimes known as “drive dogs”, are provided between the flanges  20  and the surface members  12 . A drive wheel (not shown) engages drive indentations  32  and propels conveyor belt  10  along the supporting structure. 
     A set of bifurcated legs  34  on surface platform members  12  form void  36  into which nose portion  30  of an adjacent surface platform member  12  can mate. Conveyor belt  10  may curve along a curved section of supporting structure  16  due to the loosely mated nose portion  30  and void  36 . Also, the loose mating connection between the leading fingers  24  and the trailing grooves  26  allow for substantial conveyor belt  10  curvature while not allowing gaps too large to cause issues with conveyed items on the platforms. Providing such spacing thus allows for a substantially continuous transport surface along the length of the conveyor belt  10 . The configuration of surface platform members  12  with nose portion  30  and leading fingers  24  results in a surface that does not have a sharp dividing line running laterally across. Such a surface is advantageous because a sharp dividing line may serve as a greater impediment to movement of articles longitudinally upon conveyor belt  10 , as is potentially undesirable. However, the present disclosure may be modified in order to produce a series of surface platform members  12  having a sharp dividing line running laterally across if it is desirable for a specific application. 
     The surface platform members  12  are provided with a substantially vertical rail member  28  along one side. One end of rail member  28  has an undercut portion  22  having a height a above the platform top  38  and a depth b from the forward edge  40  of the rail member. Above undercut portion  22 , rail member  28  extension  42  has a height c. The opposite end of rail member  28  has a slot  44  sized with a height just large enough to receive extension  42  (i.e., about height c is or greater). A bottom edge  46  of slot  44  is located above platform top  38 . In other words, slot  44  is sized to receive extension  42  when two adjacent platform members are attached to body members  14 . 
     The slot  44  and extension  42  allow adjacent platform members to pivot with body members  14  as conveyor travels around a rightward or leftward bend, while still maintaining a substantially continuous rail.  FIG. 5  shows a turn to the right and  FIG. 6  shows a turn to the left. In both configurations, there is no gap between adjacent platform members along the rail edge due to the overlap between the extensions  42  and slots  44 . Because the bottom edge  46  of each slot  44  is located above the platform surface  38 , at least some wall exists along the conveyor in any rightward turn.  FIG. 6  shows a closeup view of two surface platforms at the mating area between extension  42  and slot  44  in a leftward turn. It can be imagined that without the undercut  22  and slot  44 , ends of rail members  28  would simply extend downward vertically. In the orientation of  FIG. 6 , such structure would not present a problem as to rail continuity. However, one could imagine that a gap would exist in the orientation of  FIG. 7  in area  48 , were it not for the portion of rail member  28  below bottom edge  46  that extends above surface  38 . Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a structure that maintains at least some wall structure formed by different portions of rail members  28  at an outside of a turn. Such wall structure forms a substantially continuous guide surface for items, and can be especially important if articles being conveyed are items such as boxes with corners. Such continuous structure prevents corners or other portions of conveyed items from entering or being interfered with by such gaps by preventing or substantially eliminating such gaps. 
     Platform members  12  may have attachment and alignment structure of various types. For example, spring tabs  50  with locking members  52  may be provided to mate with openings  54  on body members  14 . Also, alignment extensions  56  may also be provided to mate with structure such as edges or openings  68 . Thus, platform members  12  and body members  14  may be ready assembled and disassembled for service, conveyed item change out, or cleaning. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show an alternate surface platform having a slanted top sized to securely hold an article. As shown, belt  110  includes platform members  112  that are attached to body members (not shown, but configured as above). Rail member  128  is located along one side of platform member. Platform member  112  has an upper surface including a first portion  113  adjacent rail member  128 , a second portion  115  and a third portion  117 . Spring tabs  150  extend from the bottom of platform member  112 . 
     Second portion  115  may be configured askew, angled and/or not parallel to first portion  113 . As shown, first portion  113  is planar and second portion  115  is also planar, angled upwardly relative to first portion  113 . For example, first portion  113  may be horizontal, and second portion  115  may be at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees relative to first portion  113 . Third portion  117  may be horizontal, as shown. Alternately, to help items slide toward rail member  128  when introduced to platform member  112  from the right side (as illustrated), the third portion may be slanted downward in the direction of rail member  128 . For example, the third portion could be altered to follow dotted line  137 , so that a plane coplanar with third portion  137  would intersect the line along which rail member  128  intersects first portion  113 . 
     The first and second portions  113 , 115  are sized so that when an article A is placed on platform member  112  with one side  129  in contact with rail member  128 , a second side  131  contacts the angled second portion  115 . Accordingly, the upward slant of second portion  115  relative to first portion  113  helps urge carried article A in a direction toward and into contact with rail member  128 . Rail member  128  may if desired extend upwardly a higher distance than with previous designs. Rail member  128  may have a height of about 0.25 to about 1.00 inches relative to first surface  113 . To accommodate article A, first portion  113  may extend from rail member  128  to at least about a center portion of the platform member  112 .  FIG. 11  shows first portion extending 80-90% of the width of article A, although that could vary depending on the size, weight, shape of the articles to be carried. 
       FIG. 13  shows another modification of platform member  212  that is particularly useful for, but not limited to use with, articles that do not have a substantially planar bottom surface, such as package  15  of U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,810, described above. As shown, platform member  212  includes an upper surface including a first portion  213  adjacent a rail member  228 , a second portion  215  and a third portion  217 . First portion  113  is curved in a convex fashion, with a radius of curvature selected to substantially match the curvature of the bottom concavity C of box B. Second portion  215  is planar and slanted upward toward third portion  217 . Third portion  217  is reduced in size so that second portion  215  ends nearer the edge of platform member  212  than does second portion  115  of platform  112 . Also, first portion  213  is at least about half as wide as the entire platform member  212 . Spring tabs  250  extend from the bottom of platform member  212 . 
     The curvature of portion  213  generally assists in maintaining the stability and orientation of box B. Because third portion  217  is smaller in platform  212  and tabs  250  are moved toward the center of platform member  212 , center of gravity of box B is closer to the center of platform member  212  than is that of article A on platform member  112 . Accordingly, the reduced size of portion  217  makes box B less likely to tip going around a curve with rail member  228  to the outside. This is because boxes B will be travelling a shorter distance along the curve, and will therefore be travelling at a smaller relative speed difference as compared to the speed of the centers of the platforms, which is in turn controlled by the speed of the conveyor body members to which the platforms are attached. The smaller dimension of the third portion and moved tabs can be applied to the previous embodiments above, if desired. 
     Accordingly, platform members  112  and  212  can provide a more secure holding of articles, wherein less tilt from vertical is created than with other available platforms. The secure holding of the articles between rail member  128 , 228  and second portion  115 , 215  allows for faster movement of conveyor for higher article throughput. The higher degree of slant of portion  115 , 215  helps position and then hold the articles in contact with rail member  128 , 228 . The curved nature of portion  213  also provides added stability. The reduced size of third portion  217  and re-centering of platform  212  so that box B is more centrally located on the conveyor also assists with stability. This may be particularly important in curved and non-horizontal paths where reliable transport of articles at faster speeds may be desired. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.