Non-slip conveyor and method for producing same

• US 20050115808A1
• Filed: 11/01/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fenner US Incorporated (Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin Sca)
• Original Assignee: Fenner US Incorporated (Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin Sca)
• Inventors: Fatato, Frank, Roberts, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,241,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/850
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 13/071 with frictional engagement
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/38 Chains or like traction elements drive chains F16G13/00; Connections between traction elements and load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/46 Means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position on the load-carriers, e.g. magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1079 Joining of cut laminae end-to-end

Abstract

A belt for conveying elements in provided wherein the belt comprises a compressible layer attached to the top surface of the belt. Preferably the compressible layer is resiliently deformable to cushion the impact of items on the belt or to provide a gripping surface. The belt preferably is a link belt and the top surface of the belt comprises a bonding layer for adhering the compressible element to the belt. The bonding layer may be a thermoplastic urethane that is heat fusible with the compressible layer to adhere the compressible layer to the belt.

Claims

1. A method for producing a belt for transmitting power or transporting materials on the top side of the assembly comprising the steps of:

providing belt material having a top surface forming a bonding surface;

providing a gripping layer;

placing the gripping layer onto the bonding surface so that the gripping layer overlies the bonding surface;

bonding the gripping layer to the bonding surface, so that the gripping layer is substantially permanently attached to the belt material; and

connecting the ends of the belt material to form a continuous belt.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of bonding comprises the step of thermally bonding.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the bonding surface comprises a layer of thermoplastic material.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the gripping layer comprises a thermoplastic material.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising the steps of forming a plurality of belt links from the belt material and connecting the belt links to form a link belt having a top surface formed by the bonding surface of each individual link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gripping layer is resiliently deformable.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the gripping layer is formed so that the gripping layer comprises a plurality of spaced protrusions projecting upwardly from the belt.

8. A method for producing a belt, comprising the steps of:

forming a belt having a top surface;

forming a compressible element having a resiliently deformable top surface;

adhering the compressible element to the top surface of the belt to provide a resiliently deformable top surface on the belt.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of forming a belt comprises forming a plurality of belt links and interconnecting the belt links to form a link belt.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of forming a plurality of belt links comprises the steps of:

providing sheet material onto which a bonding layer has been deposited; and

cutting the links out of the sheet material.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the bonding material is a heat fusible material, and the step of adhering comprises the step of heat fusing the compressible element to the top surface of the belt.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the belt has a length and the step of forming a compressible element comprises forming an elongated compressible element having a length that is approximately as long as the belt.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises the step of extruding an elongated element having first and second ends, and the step of adhering comprises adhering the compressible element to the belt so that the first and second ends are adjacent one another after joining the ends of the belt.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises extruding an elongated thermoplastic element.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises forming an element comprising a plurality of spaced apart resiliently deformable nubs.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of forming a belt comprises forming a belt having a thermoplastic top layer, wherein the step of adhering the compressible element comprises heat fusing the compressible layer with the thermoplastic top layer.

17. The method of claim 8 comprising the step of cutting through the compressible layer in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the compressible element.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of cutting comprises cutting the compressible layer after the compressible layer is adhered to the belt.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of producing a belt comprises producing a plurality of interlocking link belts, and the method comprises the step of disconnecting links adjacent the cut compressible layer and replacing a belt link.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising the step of fusing cut ends of the compressible layer adjacent the replaced belt link.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of producing a compressible element comprises forming an elongated compressible element having sidewalls and a resiliently deformable top surface extending between the sidewalls along the length of the compressible element.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises forming a hollow element.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of forming the compressible element comprises forming an elongated element having a width and a height, wherein the width is greater than the height.

24. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises forming a unitary elongated element having a length approximately as long as the length of the belt.

25. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of forming the belt comprises the step of forming a plurality of belt links and interconnecting the links to form a belt, wherein the step of forming a compressible element comprises forming an element having a length less than the length of one of the belt links and the step of adhering comprises adhering the compressible element to the one belt link.

26. A method for producing a belt, comprising the steps of:

forming a belt having a top layer of heat fusible material;

forming a top element having an outer configuration, wherein the top element comprises a bottom surface formed of heat fusible material; and

adhering the bottom surface of the top element to the top layer of the belt so that the outer configuration projects outwardly from the belt, wherein the step of adhering comprises heat fusing the top element and the belt.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of forming a belt comprises forming a length of belt material and depositing thermoplastic urethane on the belt material to form the top layer.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of forming a belt comprises the steps of:

cutting a plurality of links from the belt material after the urethane is deposited on the belt material;

and interconnecting the links to form the belt.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the top element comprises an elongated compressible element overlapping substantially the entire length of the belt.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the top element comprises a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extending away from the belt.