Patent Description:
The endless belt is used as a conveyance belt in a conveyance device of a financial terminal device, an automatic ticket gate, a ticket vending machine, and the like. As the endless belt, for example, belts made of a reinforcement material such as a fiber material (for example, knitted fabric), and a thermosetting resin such as a rubber are disclosed (for example, PTL <NUM>). As another example, PTL <NUM> discloses a vulcanized rubber sheet which permits the bonding of a plurality of sheets while keeping bonding strengths in the lengthwise and widthwise directions by using a press molding without reforming a hot board and a composite vulcanized rubber sheet obtained by bonding the vulcanized rubber sheets to each other.

For example, to replace the endless belt that is used in the conveyance device of the automatic ticket gate, it is necessary to detach the conveyance device from the automatic ticket gate once, and to attach the conveyance device to the automatic ticket gate again after belt replacement, and thus a long work time is necessary, and work becomes complicated. In a case where the endless belt is attached to the conveyance device in a state of being cut into a band shape, and the belt can be returned to an endless shape, it is possible to simplify belt replacement work. However, in an endless belt that can be used in the conveyance device as disclosed in PTL <NUM>, the thermosetting resin is used as a main material. Accordingly, a bonding part for joining parts of the thermosetting resin is necessary to join the endless belt again after cutting the endless belt once, and thus there is a problem that work becomes complicated.

It is necessary for the conveyance device to be stopped during belt replacement when replacing the endless belt that is used in the conveyance device. Accordingly, it is desired that a belt replacement work time is as short as possible. In addition, in a belt after replacement which is set to an endless shape by fusing a thermoplastic resin, there is a concern that a boundary line between a thermosetting resin and a thermoplastic resin deteriorates earlier, and durability is inferior in comparison to a seamless belt that is formed by the thermosetting resin.

An object of the invention is to provide an endless belt which is capable of suppressing a reduction in durability.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an endless belt as defined in claim <NUM>.

According to another aspect which does not fall within the subject-matter of the invention, there may be provided a method for manufacturing a band-shaped belt. The method may include: a stacked body forming process of disposing a band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet that is made of a thermoplastic resin and serves as a coupling part, and an unvulcanized rubber sheet that includes an unvulcanized rubber and a crosslinking agent which covalently bonds to the unvulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin and serves as a belt main body on a mold surface in a state in which end parts are in contact with each other to obtain an unvulcanized stacked body; and a vulcanization-molding process of vulcanization-molding the unvulcanized stacked body, wherein the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized by the crosslinking agent and a vulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin are chemically bonded to each other through the crosslinking agent.

According to another aspect which does not fall within the subject-matter of the invention, there may be provided a method for manufacturing an endless belt. The method may include a process of mounting a band-shaped belt on a conveyance device, and fusing a first coupling part and a second coupling part into an endless shape.

According to still another aspect which does not fall within the subject-matter of the invention, there may be provided a band-shaped belt including: a band-shaped belt main body made of a vulcanized rubber; a first coupling part that is made of a thermoplastic resin and is provided on a first end surface that is one end of the belt main body in a longitudinal direction; and a second coupling part that is made of a thermoplastic resin and is provided on a second end surface that is the other end of the belt main body in the longitudinal direction, wherein the vulcanized rubber of the first end surface and the thermoplastic resin of the first coupling part are chemically bonded to each other through a crosslinking agent, and the vulcanized rubber of the second end surface and the thermoplastic resin of the second coupling part are chemically bonded to each other through the crosslinking agent.

According to the invention, since a joining part is provided in advance in the belt main body, it is possible to obtain an endless belt by performing joining at one part, and thus the band-shaped belt can be easily joined at a working site where the band-shaped belt is used. Since the thermoplastic resin and the vulcanized rubber are chemically bonded to each other, the coupling part and the belt main body are more strongly coupled to each other. Accordingly, the band-shaped belt and the endless belt can reduce deterioration of durability.

A band-shaped belt 10A which does not per se constitute the present invention and is illustrated in <FIG> is a flat belt of which a surface is flat and is not set to an endless shape yet. The band-shaped belt 10A includes a belt main body <NUM>, a first coupling part 14A that is provided in a first end surface <NUM> that is one end of the belt main body <NUM> in a longitudinal direction, and a second coupling part 16A that is provided in a second end surface <NUM> that is the other end of the belt main body <NUM> in the longitudinal direction. The belt main body <NUM> is a band-shaped member made of a vulcanized rubber, for example, millable urethane, hydrogenated nitrile rubber (H-NBR), an ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), an ethylene propylene rubber (EPM), or chlorosulfonated polyethylene. In the case of this embodiment, both a joining surface between the first end surface <NUM> and the first coupling part 14A, and a joining surface between the second end surface <NUM> and the second coupling part 16A are flat. Both a first tip end part <NUM> that is a tip end of the first coupling part 14A, and a second tip end part <NUM> that is a tip end of the second coupling part 16A are flat.

The first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are plate-shaped members made of a thermoplastic resin, for example, a urethane elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, a polyester elastomer, a polyvinyl chloride-based elastomer, or a polyolefin-based elastomer. A width length of the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A is the same as a width length of the belt main body <NUM>.

The vulcanized rubber of the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM>, and the thermoplastic resin of the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are chemically bonded, and thus the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> are more strongly coupled to the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A, respectively, in comparison to joining by heat fusion.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the band-shaped belt 10A includes reinforcement fabric <NUM>, and the belt main body <NUM>, the first coupling part 14A coupled to the first end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM>, and the second coupling part 16A coupled to the second end surface <NUM> are stacked on the reinforcement fabric <NUM>. The band-shaped belt 10A is formed in two layers as a whole. Specifically, the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is disposed on one surface, and the belt main body <NUM>, the first coupling part 14A, and the second coupling part 16A are disposed on the other surface. The reinforcement fabric <NUM> is configured to impart durability to the band-shaped belt 10A. Examples of a material of the reinforcement fabric <NUM> include woven or knitted fabric such as polyester fiber, nylon fiber, aramid fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, and cotton. The thickness of the fiber that forms the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is not particularly limited, and is, for example, approximately <NUM> T to <NUM> T (decitex).

Next, a method for manufacturing the band-shaped belt 10A and an endless belt of the present invention will be described. First, a rubber composition that is a raw material of the belt main body <NUM> is prepared. An unvulcanized rubber to be a vulcanized rubber and a crosslinking agent that covalently bonds to the unvulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin are mixed by adding a hydrolysis inhibitor and other additives thereto as necessary. An unvulcanized rubber sheet is manufactured with a calendar apparatus by using the rubber composition obtained as described above. A size of the unvulcanized rubber sheet is adjusted to a size of a reinforcement sheet to be described later. Here, the covalent bond represents a bond in which two atoms share an electron, and represents a bond having a sigma bond and/or a pi bond. More specifically, the crosslinking agent covalently bonds to a functional group of the unvulcanized rubber and a functional group of the thermoplastic resin.

As the crosslinking agent, peroxides, for example, dicumyl peroxide, tertiary butyl peroxide, tertiary-butyl cumyl peroxide, <NUM>,<NUM>-di(tertiary-butyl peroxy)-<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>-trimethylcyclohexane, <NUM>,<NUM>-dimethyl-<NUM>,<NUM>-di(tertiary-butyl peroxy) hexane, <NUM>,<NUM>-dimethyl-<NUM>,<NUM>-di(tertiary-butyl peroxy)hexine-<NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM>-di(tertiary-butyl peroxy isopropyl)benzene, <NUM>,<NUM>-dimethyl-<NUM>,<NUM>-di(benzoylperoxy)hexane, tertiary-butyl peroxy benzoate, tertiary-butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate, or n-butyl-<NUM>,<NUM>-di(tertiary-butyl peroxy) valerate can be used. In an unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM>, it is preferable that a blending amount of the crosslinking agent is set to <NUM> to <NUM> parts by weight with respect to <NUM> parts by weight of the unvulcanized rubber.

Next, a reinforcement sheet <NUM> serving as the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is wound on a surface of a cylindrical drum <NUM> as a mold (<FIG>). The reinforcement fabric <NUM> has an endless shape and a size (circumferential length) that does not come off the mold. Next, a band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> that is made of the thermoplastic resin and serves as the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A is disposed on a surface of the reinforcement sheet <NUM> in an axial direction of the drum <NUM> (<FIG>).

Next, the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> is wound to form an unvulcanized stacked body <NUM> (<FIG>). The unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> is disposed on the reinforcement sheet <NUM> and on the same surface as in the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM>. It is not necessary for the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> to completely cover a surface of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> as long as the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> covers the reinforcement sheet <NUM> that is exposed in a circumferential direction, and is in contact with end parts of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> in a width direction. In the case of this drawing, end parts of the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> are disposed to overlap the end parts of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> in the width direction. Here, the end parts include an end surface and a constant region in a direction perpendicular to the end surface.

Next, the unvulcanized stacked body <NUM> is vulcanization-molded under heating and pressing conditions. For example, a heating temperature may be set to approximately <NUM> to <NUM>. After passage of a predetermined time, cooling is performed to obtain a vulcanized stacked body 34A including a coupling layer <NUM> solidified from the thermoplastic resin and a belt main body layer <NUM> solidified from the vulcanized rubber on the reinforcement sheet <NUM> (not illustrated in the drawing) as illustrated in <FIG>. In the vulcanized stacked body 34A, the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> is vulcanized by the crosslinking agent, and the vulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin are chemically bonded to each other through the crosslinking agent. In the vulcanized stacked body 34A, a protruding ridge 35A that protrudes in a radial direction over an axial direction is formed at a part where the coupling layer <NUM> is provided.

Next, an outer periphery of the vulcanized stacked body 34A is polished to remove the protruding ridge 35A (<FIG>). By cutting out a vulcanized stacked body <NUM> obtained as described above with a predetermined width in an annular shape, an endless belt <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> can be obtained. In the endless belt <NUM>, the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body are coupled through a coupling part 40A. The endless belt <NUM> obtained as described above is referred to as a primary endless belt.

In the primary endless belt, when cutting out the coupling part 40A in a thickness direction to separate the coupling part 40A into the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A, the band-shaped belt 10A illustrated in <FIG> is obtained. In the band-shaped belt 10A, any surface of the belt main body <NUM> and the reinforcement fabric <NUM> may be used a belt surface (for example, a conveyance surface in the case of being used as a conveyance belt).

Next, a method of forming the band-shaped belt 10A as an endless belt will be described. First, in a state in which the first tip end part <NUM> and the second tip end part <NUM> come into contact with each other, the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> are disposed on an upper surface of a lower mold (not illustrated). The first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are disposed in a state in which the first tip end part <NUM> and the second tip end part <NUM> come into contact with each other or partially overlap each other in a thickness direction. Next, an upper mold is disposed on the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A, and heating is performed while performing pressing for a certain time in the thickness direction by a pressing body (not illustrated). In this case, the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are melted and fluidized.

Next, when the lower mold and the upper mold are cooled down, the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are solidified, and the coupling part 40A is formed as illustrated in <FIG>. As described above, the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40A, and thus an endless belt 42A of the present invention is formed. As illustrated in <FIG>, the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are fused and integrated into the coupling part 40A. The reinforcement fabric <NUM> is integrated by fusing the permeating thermoplastic resin of the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A.

As described above, the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A can be integrated again by bringing the first tip end part <NUM> and the second tip end part <NUM> into contact with each other and fusing the end parts. In this way, the endless belt 42A formed by integrating again the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A, which are separated once from each other, with each other to obtain the coupling part 40A is referred to as a secondary endless belt (<FIG>). The primary endless belt and the secondary endless belt are common in that the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40A.

In the case of this embodiment, since the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A are provided in advance in the belt main body <NUM>, it is possible to obtain the endless belt 42A by coupling the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A at one part. Accordingly, a coupling part can be set to one part, and thus the band-shaped belt 10A can be easily joined at a working site where the band-shaped belt 10A is used.

Since the thermoplastic resin and the vulcanized rubber are chemically bonded to each other, the coupling part 40A and the belt main body <NUM> are more strongly coupled. Accordingly, the endless belt 42A can suppress a reduction in durability.

Since the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is bonded to the thermoplastic resin of the coupling part 40A, the coupling part 40A and the belt main body <NUM> are more strongly coupled to each other.

An endless belt having a cross-sectional shape illustrated in <FIG> was prepared in the same procedure as in the manufacturing method, and a tensile strength was measured. As the reinforcement fabric <NUM>, endless knitted fabric made of polyester fiber was used. As for the belt main body <NUM>, millable urethane as the unvulcanized rubber and <NUM> parts by weight of dicumyl peroxide as the crosslinking agent with respect to <NUM> parts by weight of millable urethane were blended. With regard to the coupling part 40A, thermoplastic polyurethane was used as the thermoplastic resin. Vulcanization was performed at <NUM> to prepare an endless belt having a thickness of <NUM>, a width of <NUM>, a circumferential length of <NUM>, and a length of <NUM> in a belt longitudinal direction of the coupling part 40A.

As comparison, an endless belt having a cross-sectional shape illustrated in <FIG> was prepared. The endless belt of a comparative example uses the same material as in the endless belt according to the example, and includes the reinforcement fabric <NUM> and the belt main body <NUM> that is provided on the reinforcement fabric <NUM> and is made of the vulcanized rubber. End parts of the belt main body <NUM> and the reinforcement fabric <NUM> are joined by a fused part <NUM>. The end parts of the belt main body <NUM> and the fused part <NUM> are joined by heating and melting, and cooling and solidifying the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> disposed between end parts of the belt main body <NUM> after vulcanization. Accordingly, the vulcanized rubber of the belt main body <NUM> and the thermoplastic resin of the fused part <NUM> are not chemically bonded to each other.

In a rupture test, a tensile tester (Autograph AGS-2000B manufactured by SHIMADZU CORPORATION) was used. A rupture strength when drawing an endless belt sample by the tensile tester in a longitudinal direction at a constant tensile speed was measured by a road cell having a capacity of <NUM> kN. In the case of the example, the tensile speed was set to be constant at <NUM>/min. In the case of the comparative example, the tensile speed was set to <NUM>/min up to a displacement of <NUM>, and <NUM>/min from a displacement exceeding <NUM>. A measurement temperature was set to four conditions including <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, and the tensile test was performed after leaving the sample in the corresponding temperature environment for one hour. A rupture strength index obtained from the measured rupture strength is illustrated in Table <NUM>. The rupture strength index was calculated by the following calculation formula. The larger the index, the more excellent the rupture strength.

The rupture strength used in calculation of the rupture strength index was set to an average value of three measurement values in the example and an average value of four measurement values in the comparative example. From the table, it was confirmed that the rupture strength of the example is greater than the rupture strength of the comparative example in all conditions. In the endless belts of the example, the belt main body was ruptured except for one in the case of <NUM>. From this, it is considered that the rupture strength is high because the belt main body and the coupling part are more strongly coupled by a chemical bond in the endless belt of the example. On the other hand, with regard to the endless belts of the comparative example, it is considered that the rupture strength further decreases in comparison to the example because rupture occurs between the belt main body and the joining part in the all cases, and the joining strength between the belt main body and the joining part which are joined to each other by fusion is inferior to the belt main body.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG>. The same reference numeral will be given to the same configuration as in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted. A band-shaped belt 10B which does not per se constitute the present invention and is illustrated in <FIG> includes a reinforcement fabric <NUM>, a belt main body <NUM>, a first coupling part 14B, and a second coupling part 16B. The first coupling part 14B is joined to a first end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> at a first joining surface <NUM>. The second coupling part 16B is joined to a second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> at a second joining surface <NUM>. The first joining surface <NUM> and the second joining surface <NUM> have a tapered shape of which a thickness decreases as going toward an end part. In the case of this drawing, the first joining surface <NUM> and the second joining surface <NUM> have a tapered shape that is inclined in a direction of the reinforcement fabric <NUM> as going toward the end part.

When a first tip end part <NUM> and a second tip end part <NUM> are fused and integrated, a coupling part 40B as illustrated in <FIG> is formed. The first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40B, and thus an endless belt 42B of the present invention is formed.

The band-shaped belt 10B and the endless belt 42B of this embodiment can be manufactured in the same procedure as in the procedure described in the "(Manufacturing Method)" in the first embodiment. That is, a reinforcement sheet serving as the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is wound on a surface of the cylindrical drum <NUM> as a mold. Next, a band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet that is made of the thermoplastic resin and serves as the first coupling part 14B and the second coupling part 16B is disposed on a surface of the reinforcement sheet in an axial direction of the drum. A long side of the band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet has a tapered shape of which a thickness decreases as going toward an end part, and which is inclined in a reinforcement sheet direction.

Next, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is wound to form an unvulcanized stacked body. Next, the unvulcanized stacked body is vulcanization-molded under heating and pressing conditions. After passage of a predetermined time, cooling is performed to obtain a vulcanized stacked body 34B including a coupling layer <NUM> solidified from the thermoplastic resin and a belt main body layer <NUM> solidified from the vulcanized rubber on a reinforcement sheet <NUM> (<FIG>). In the vulcanized stacked body 34B, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized by the crosslinking agent, and the vulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin are chemically bonded to each other through the crosslinking agent. In the vulcanized stacked body 34B, a protruding ridge 35B that protrudes in a radial direction over an axial direction is formed at a part where the coupling layer <NUM> is provided.

Next, an outer periphery of the vulcanized stacked body 34B is polished up to a position C in the drawing to remove the protruding ridge 35B. When cutting out the vulcanized stacked body 34B obtained as described above with a predetermined width in an annular shape, a primary endless belt can be obtained. In the primary endless belt, the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40B. In the primary endless belt obtained as described above, when the coupling part 40B is cut out in a thickness direction, and the coupling part 40B is separated into the first coupling part 14B and the second coupling part 16B, the band-shaped belt 10B illustrated in <FIG> can be obtained.

In the band-shaped belt 10B and the endless belt 42B of this embodiment, since the thermoplastic resin and the vulcanized rubber are chemically bonded to each other, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the first embodiment. In addition, in the case of this embodiment, since the first joining surface <NUM> and the second joining surface <NUM> have a tapered shape that is inclined in a direction of the reinforcement fabric <NUM> as going toward an end part, a joining area between the first coupling part 14B and the second coupling part 16B, and the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> increases. Accordingly, the band-shaped belt 10B and the endless belt 42B can further improve the rupture strength.

In the second embodiment, description has been given of a case where the first joining surface <NUM> and the second joining surface <NUM> have a tapered shape that is inclined in a direction of the reinforcement fabric <NUM> as going toward an end part, but the invention is not limited thereto. The first joining surface <NUM> and the second joining surface <NUM> may have a tapered shape in which the inclination direction is opposite to an aspect illustrated in <FIG>, that is, a tapered shape that is inclined in a direction spaced away from the reinforcement fabric <NUM> as going toward an end part. In this case, a long side of the band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet that is used in a manufacturing process has a tapered shape of which a thickness decreases as going toward an end part and which is inclined in a direction spaced away from the reinforcement sheet. A long side of the unvulcanized rubber sheet is set as a tapered shape that is complementary to the long side of the thermoplastic resin sheet. That is, the long side of the unvulcanized rubber sheet is a tapered shape of which a thickness decreases as going toward an end part, and which is inclined in a reinforcement sheet direction. When the thermoplastic resin sheet is disposed between long sides of the unvulcanized rubber sheet, and vulcanization-molding is performed under heating and pressing conditions, the vulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin sheet are chemically coupled to each other, and thus a vulcanized stacked body is obtained. The vulcanized stacked body is cut out with a predetermined width in an annular shape to obtain a primary endless belt. In the band-shaped belt and the endless belt obtained as described above, a joining area between the first end surface and the second end surface of the belt main body increases, and thus it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the second embodiment.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG>. The same reference numeral will be given to the same configuration as in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted. A band-shaped belt 10C which does not per se constitute the present invention and is illustrated in <FIG> includes reinforcement fabric <NUM>, a belt main body <NUM>, a first coupling part 14A, and a second coupling part 16A. With regard to one end of the belt main body <NUM>, a first end surface <NUM> that is in contact with an end part of the first coupling part 14A, and a first extension part <NUM> that extends as a part of the belt main body <NUM> to cover a surface (a surface on one side) of the first coupling part 14A which is opposite to a surface that is in contact with the reinforcement fabric <NUM> are formed. With regard to the other end of the belt main body <NUM>, a second end surface <NUM> that is in contact with an end part of the second coupling part 16A, and a second extension part <NUM> that extends as a part of the belt main body <NUM> to cover a surface (a surface on one side) opposite to a surface of the second coupling part 16A which is in contact with the reinforcement fabric <NUM> are formed.

When a first tip end part <NUM> and a second tip end part <NUM> are fused and integrated, a coupling part 40A illustrated in <FIG> is formed. The one end including the first end surface <NUM> and the other end including the second end surface <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40A, and thus an endless belt 42C of the present invention is formed. Tip ends of the first extension part <NUM> and the second extension part <NUM> are in contact with each other.

The band-shaped belt 10C and the endless belt 42C of this embodiment can be manufactured in the same procedure as in the procedure described in the "(Manufacturing Method)" in the first embodiment. That is, a reinforcement sheet serving as the reinforcement fabric <NUM> is wound on a surface of a cylindrical drum as a mold. Next, a band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet that is made of the thermoplastic resin and serves as the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A is disposed on a surface of the reinforcement sheet in an axial direction of the drum. The thickness of the band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet is smaller than the thickness of the unvulcanized rubber sheet.

Next, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is wound to form an unvulcanized stacked body. Next, the unvulcanized stacked body is vulcanization-molded under heating and pressing conditions. After passage of a predetermined time, cooling is performed to obtain a vulcanized stacked body 34C including a coupling layer <NUM> solidified from the thermoplastic resin and a belt main body layer <NUM> solidified from the vulcanized rubber on the reinforcement sheet <NUM> (<FIG>). In the vulcanized stacked body 34C, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized by the crosslinking agent, and the vulcanized rubber and the thermoplastic resin are chemically bonded to each other through the crosslinking agent. In the vulcanized stacked body 34C, a protruding ridge 35C that protrudes in a radial direction over an axial direction is formed at a part where the coupling layer <NUM> is provided.

Next, an outer periphery of the vulcanized stacked body 34C is polished up to the position C in the drawing to remove the protruding ridge 35C. When cutting out the vulcanized stacked body 34C obtained as described above with a predetermined width in an annular shape, a primary endless belt can be obtained. In the primary endless belt, the one end including the first end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> and the other end including the second end surface <NUM> are coupled through the coupling part 40A. In the primary endless belt obtained as described above, when the coupling part 40A is cut out in a thickness direction, and the coupling part 40A is separated into the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A, the band-shaped belt 10C illustrated in <FIG> can be obtained.

In the band-shaped belt 10C and the endless belt 42C, since the thermoplastic resin and the vulcanized rubber are chemically bonded to each other, it is possible to obtain the same effect as described above. In addition, in this case, since the first extension part <NUM> and the second extension part <NUM> respectively cover surfaces of the first coupling part 14A and the second coupling part 16A which are opposite to the surfaces in contact with the reinforcement fabric <NUM>, and are chemically bonded to the surfaces, it is possible to restrain the occurrence of cracks in joining surfaces between the first end surface <NUM> and the second end surface <NUM> of the belt main body <NUM> and the coupling part 40A. Accordingly, the band-shaped belt 10C and the endless belt 42C can improve bending resistance. In addition, when combining this embodiment with reference to <FIG> and the embodiment with reference to <FIG>, it is possible to obtain a band-shaped belt and an endless belt which have the bending resistance and the rupture strength.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications can be made within the scope of the present claims.

In the above-described embodiments, description has been given of a case where the primary endless belt is prepared, and the primary endless belt is formed as the band-shaped belts 10A, 10B, and 10C, which do not per se constitute the present invention. As illustrated in <FIG>, the band-shaped belts 10A, 10B, and 10C may be formed by using a flat mold <NUM> as the mold. In the case of this drawing, a reinforcement sheet <NUM> is laid on a surface of the flat mold <NUM>, a band-shaped thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> is disposed on both end parts of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, and an unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> is superimposed thereon, thereby obtaining an unvulcanized stacked body <NUM> in a flat plate shape. Next, the unvulcanized stacked body <NUM> is heated, and is vulcanization-molded to obtain a vulcanized stacked body (not illustrated). Next, protruding ridges formed on both end parts of the vulcanized stacked body are removed through polishing. When cutting out the vulcanized stacked body obtained as described above with a predetermined width in a band shape, the band-shaped belt 10A (<FIG>) can be obtained. When a long side of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> is set to a tapered shape of which a thickness decreases as going toward an end part and which is inclined in a reinforcement sheet direction, the band-shaped belt 10B (<FIG>) can be obtained. In addition, when the thickness of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> is set to be smaller than the thickness of the unvulcanized rubber sheet, the band-shaped belt 10C (<FIG>) can be obtained. In the band-shaped belts 10A, 10B, and 10C which are formed without through the primary endless belt as in this modification example, when fusing the first coupling part 14A or 14B, and the second coupling part 16A or 16B, the endless belt 42A, 42B, or 42C can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiments, description has been given of a case where the primary endless belt is used as the band-shaped belts 10A, 10B, and 10C. In a case where there is enough time to replace the endless belt, for example, the conveyance device may be detached from the automatic ticket gate, and a used endless belt may be replaced with the primary endless belt.

In the above-described embodiments, description has been given of a case where the end parts of the unvulcanized rubber sheet <NUM> are disposed to be superimposed on the end parts in a width direction of the thermoplastic resin sheet <NUM> in a thickness direction. However, end surfaces of the end parts may be brought into contact with each other.

Claim 1:
An endless belt (42A, 42B, 42C) comprising:
a band-shaped belt main body (<NUM>, <NUM>) made of a vulcanized rubber; and
a coupling part (40A, 40B) that is made of a thermoplastic resin and is provided between both end parts of the belt main body (<NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the vulcanized rubber of the both end parts of the belt main body (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the thermoplastic resin of the coupling part (40A, 40B) are chemically bonded to each other through a crosslinking agent, that covalently bonds to an unvulcanized rubber and a thermoplastic resin.