Patent Description:
Modular plastic conveyor belts are widely used in various industries to convey products. Modular plastic conveyor belts are constructed of a series of rows of belt modules. Hinge eyes along opposite ends of each row interleave with hinge eyes of consecutive rows. A hinge rod inserted in the interleaved hinge eyes connects the rows together at hinge joints into an endless conveyor belt loop. In addition, some conveyor belts integrate accessories, such as lane dividers and hold-down tabs.

<CIT> discloses a lane divider according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. In particular, the document discloses a modular drive system for a self-stacking conveyor belt adapted to travel at least along one non-linear path segment including at least one drive cassette adapted to removably engage sidelinks on an edge of the conveyor belt and preferably at least a first drive cassette engaging the conveyor belt sidelinks at an inner curve of the segment and at least a second drive cassette engaging the conveyor belt sidelinks at an outer curve of the segment.

<CIT> discloses a conveyor belt module according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. In particular, the document discloses a lane divider for a pitch belt conveyor.

<CIT> discloses a battery formation table according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. In particular, the document discloses a cooling water groove used for internalizing plumbic acid storage battery acidification.

In one aspect, the present invention is directed towards a lane divider for a conveyor belt, in accordance with claim <NUM>.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed towards a conveyor belt module suitable for forming a conveyor belt having a plurality of lanes, in accordance with claim <NUM>.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed towards a battery formation table, in accordance with claim <NUM>.

These aspects and features of the invention, as well as its advantages, are described in more detail in the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:.

A conveyor belt integrates lane dividers to divide a conveying surface into a plurality of lanes to constrain conveyed products while allowing transverse fluid flow through the lane dividers. The invention will be described relative to certain illustrative embodiments, though one skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to these illustrative embodiments.

Referring to <FIG>, a conveyor system <NUM> comprises a conveyor belt <NUM> trained around and driven by one or more drive sprockets or other suitable guides. The conveyor belt <NUM> is in the form of a circuit with an upper conveying portion, forming a carryway for conveying product, and a lower returnway portion below and generally parallel to the conveying portion. The carryway extends from an infeed <NUM> to an outfeed <NUM>. The illustrative conveyor system is a formation table used to charge batteries, though the invention is not so limited. The formation table comprises a water-filled, open top tank that conveys batteries through the tank. The carryway of the conveyor belt <NUM> is submerged to bathe the batteries in water or other cooling fluid during conveyance, but the invention is not so limited.

The illustrative carryway is divided into a plurality of lanes 22a-f to divide and separate product being conveyed through the system from the infeed <NUM> to the outfeed <NUM> in the direction of the conveying arrows <NUM>. The illustrative lanes are formed by side guards <NUM>, <NUM> at each side of the conveyor belt <NUM> and lane dividers <NUM> coupled to modules forming the conveyor belt to form the lanes. Preferably, the lane dividers <NUM> are formed of or include an abrasion resistant material, such as propylene, or any other suitable material.

The illustrative lane dividers <NUM> serve as lane dividers as well as transverse flow conduits. The lane dividers <NUM> have a selected height, width and spacing to prevent batteries from touching during formation and maintain a desired orientation of the batteries during conveyance through the formation table. In certain applications, such as the formation of absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries, transverse flow of cooling fluid across the conveyor belt is important or desirable. The illustrative lane dividers <NUM> contain the product on the belt while allowing for transverse fluid flow, indicated in part by transverse arrows <NUM>, to facilitate cooling. Transverse flow may occur in both directions.

In the illustrative embodiment, the conveyor belt is a modular plastic conveyor belt formed of hingedly connected conveyor belt modules. The illustrative lane dividers <NUM> are inserted every other row, providing about a one-module length space M between each successive lane divider. The lane dividers <NUM> are spaced laterally by a suitable distance L to form a lane <NUM> of a desired width suitable for containing battery or other conveyed product. The lane dividers <NUM> have selected widths to provide sufficient separation of product between lanes.

<FIG> is an isometric view of a lane divider <NUM> suitable for forming lanes in a conveyor while allowing transverse fluid flow in a battery formation table or other suitable application according to an embodiment of the invention. <FIG> is a top view of the lane divider <NUM>. <FIG> is a bottom view of the lane divider <NUM>. <FIG> is a side view of the lane divider <NUM>. <FIG> is a front view of the lane divider <NUM>. The lane divider <NUM> includes a body portion forming both a barrier to constrain conveyed products and a conduit for transverse fluid flow. The lane divider <NUM> further includes attachment means, shown as hinge elements <NUM>, <NUM> for coupling the lane divider <NUM> to a conveyor belt module.

The lane divider body comprises a top wall <NUM> extending longitudinally from a front edge <NUM> to a rear edge <NUM> and laterally from a first side edge <NUM> to a second side edge <NUM>. The illustrative top wall <NUM> is substantially rectangular in shape, longer in the longitudinal direction. In one embodiment, the top wall <NUM> is between about <NUM>" and about <NUM>" and preferably about <NUM>" in lateral width, sufficient to prevent adjacent batteries in adjacent conveying lanes from touching during formation.

The lane divider body has an asymmetric front wall, comprising a first top curved wall <NUM> extending forward and down from the top wall front edge <NUM>, transitioning to a forwardly angled wall <NUM>, which transitions to a lower angled wall <NUM> that angles inward towards a bottom wall <NUM> that sits on top of the underlying conveyor belt. The transition <NUM> between angled walls <NUM> and <NUM> is about halfway vertically between the top wall <NUM> and bottom wall <NUM> and forms the front edge of the lane divider body.

The bottom wall <NUM> extends longitudinally from a front edge <NUM> to a rear edge <NUM> and laterally from a first side edge <NUM> aligned with the top wall side edge <NUM> to a second side edge <NUM> aligned with top wall side edge <NUM>. The illustrative bottom wall <NUM> is slightly longer than the top wall <NUM>, though about equal in width, though the invention is not so limited.

The lane divider body includes a rear wall mirroring the front wall, including a top curved wall <NUM> extending downwards and rearwards from the top wall rear edge <NUM>, rearward angled wall <NUM>, inflection point <NUM> forming the rear edge of the lane divider body, and a lower angled wall <NUM> that angles inward towards the bottom wall <NUM> and intersects the bottom wall <NUM> at rear edge <NUM>.

The illustrative lower angled walls <NUM> and <NUM> extend at an angle Θ that is between about <NUM>° and about <NUM>° from horizontal to allow backbend of the associated conveyor belt, which may facilitate assembly of the conveyor belt, though the invention is not so limited.

The illustrative top wall <NUM> and bottom wall <NUM> are flat, though could alternatively be perforated or include other features to facilitate vertical fluid flow, and-or include channels or other features to facilitate transverse fluid flow.

The lane divider body further includes a central reinforcing wall <NUM> extending between the top wall <NUM> and bottom wall <NUM>, to form two conduits <NUM>, <NUM> between the side edges to allow fluid flow through the lane divider body. The central reinforcing wall <NUM> may be shaped to promote fluid flow through the body.

The illustrative lane divider body has a height H between the bottom of the bottom wall <NUM> and the top of the top wall <NUM> that is between about <NUM> and about <NUM> and preferably about <NUM>, though the invention is not so limited. The illustrative height facilitates transfer and moving of the associated conveyor belt while ensuring sufficient height to constrain product in the lanes <NUM>.

Front hinge element <NUM> extends forward and downward from the lane divider body and rear hinge element <NUM> extends rearward and downward from the hinge element body. The illustrative hinge elements <NUM>, <NUM> are offset from each other and configured to align with hinge elements of an associated conveyor belt module to attach the lane divider <NUM> to the conveyor belt module using a hinge rod.

The front hinge element <NUM> extends parallel to front angled wall <NUM> of the lane divider body, with the hinge element front (outer) wall <NUM> extending from and aligned with angled wall <NUM> and rear (inner) wall <NUM> parallel to front wall <NUM> and angled wall <NUM> and extending from bottom wall <NUM>. Front hinge element <NUM> has a hinge opening <NUM> configured to receive a hinge rod and align with hinge openings in an associated conveyor belt module.

The rear hinge element <NUM> extends parallel to rear angled wall <NUM> of the lane divider body, with the hinge element rear (outer) wall <NUM> extending from and aligned with angled wall <NUM> and forward (inner) wall <NUM> parallel to rear (outer) wall <NUM> and angled wall <NUM> and extending from bottom wall <NUM>. Rear hinge element <NUM> has a hinge opening <NUM> configured to receive a hinge rod and align with hinge openings in an associated conveyor belt module.

The illustrative hinge openings <NUM>, <NUM> are centered below the transition points <NUM>, <NUM>, but the invention is not so limited. In addition, the front edge <NUM> of the top wall <NUM> may be directly above the rear point <NUM> of the hinge element <NUM> that is aligned with the center of hinge opening <NUM>. Similarly, the rear edge <NUM> of the top way may be directly above the front point <NUM> of the hinge element <NUM> at the height of the center of the hinge opening <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a lane divider <NUM> can be integrated with a conveyor belt comprising a plurality of hingedly connected modules <NUM> using a first hinge rod extending through aligned hinge elements <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> and a second hinge rod extending through aligned hinge elements <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. The illustrative body of the lane divider <NUM> (width of top wall <NUM>) spans at least three of the hinge elements of a module <NUM> in the conveyor belt, but the invention is not so limited.

To accommodate the lane divider <NUM>, a hinge element is removed or omitted from the front and rear edges of the underlying module 90a below the lane divider location, with hinge elements <NUM> and <NUM> replacing the omitted hinge elements while maintaining the spacing of the hinge elements in the resulting conveyor belt.

In one embodiment, the front edge <NUM> of the top wall <NUM> substantially aligns with the rear of hinge elements <NUM> of a forward conveyor belt module 90b, as shown in <FIG>. The rear edge <NUM> of the top wall <NUM> substantially aligns with the front of hinge elements <NUM> of a rear conveyor belt module 90b. The frontmost point (front edge <NUM>) and rearmost point (rear edge <NUM>) of the lane divider body is above the hinge element opening in the illustrative embodiment, so that the lane divider body spans the length of the underlying conveyor belt module 90a.

As shown in <FIG>, a lane divider <NUM> with transverse fluid conduits forming one wall of a lane may be placed every other module row.

Referring to <FIG>, the illustrative front <NUM> and rear <NUM> walls of the body of the lane divider <NUM> allow backbend between adjacent modules <NUM> connected using hinge rods <NUM> (which also connect the lane divider <NUM> to an underlying module), which facilitates assembly of the conveyor belt on a corrugated platen <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A lane divider (<NUM>) for a conveyor belt (<NUM>) comprising:
a body extending from a front edge to a rear edge, the body including at least one transverse opening (<NUM>, <NUM>) to allow fluid flow therethrough;
a first hinge element (<NUM>) extending downwards and forward from the front edge of the body for connecting the lane divider (<NUM>) to a conveyor belt module (<NUM>); and
a second hinge element (<NUM>) extending downwards and rearward from the rear edge of the body for connecting the lane divider (<NUM>) to a conveyor belt module (<NUM>);
wherein the body comprises a top wall (<NUM>) extending from a top wall front edge (<NUM>) to a top wall rear edge (<NUM>), a bottom wall (<NUM>) extending from a bottom wall front edge (<NUM>) to a bottom wall rear edge (<NUM>), a front wall extending from the top wall front edge (<NUM>) to the bottom wall front edge (<NUM>) and a rear wall extending between the top wall rear edge (<NUM>) and the bottom wall rear edge (<NUM>);
characterized in that
the front wall comprises a first top curved wall (<NUM>) extending forward and down from the top wall front edge (<NUM>), the first top curved wall (<NUM>) transitioning to a forwardly angled wall (<NUM>), the forwardly angled wall (<NUM>) transitioning to a lower angled wall (<NUM>) that angles inward towards the bottom wall (<NUM>).