APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONVEYING OBJECTS

• US 20080023301A1
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Inventors: Fourney, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,537,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/779
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/08 the surface being formed by the traction element
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/24 comprising a series of rollers which are moved , e.g. over a supporting surface, by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/40 Chains acting as load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/02 Articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/34 Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor B65G47/256 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed are conveyors and methods for making the conveyors. In one embodiment, a conveyor comprises a modular conveyor belt that includes a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains. The conveyor further includes at least one second roller that operatively couples to the first rollers such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller. The invention can also be construed as providing the method for conveying objects. The method can comprise the steps of driving a modular conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel; rotating a plurality of first rollers disposed into the modular conveyor belt in a manner in which slippage of the first rollers is reduced; and conveying objects on the modular conveyor belt using the rotating first rollers.

Claims

1. A conveyor comprising:

a conveyor belt advancing in a direction of belt travel and including a plurality of cavities and a plurality of diverting rollers, each diverting roller being disposed in a cavity; and

a transverse roller located underneath the conveyor belt and configured to operatively couple to at least some of the diverting rollers to cause those diverting rollers to rotate as they trace helical paths on the transverse roller rotating in a direction transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers.

2. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the diverting rollers have outer rubbers layers and the transverse roller has a urethane outer sleeve engaging the rubber layers of the at least some diverting rollers in high-friction contact with substantially no slip.

3. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the transverse roller is positioned to rotate substantially perpendicular to the direction of belt travel.

4. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt comprises mat-top chains that include hinge elements that link multiple mat-top chains together to form the conveyor belt.

5. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of support members that support the conveyor belt.

6. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the transverse roller is vertically displaceable toward or away from the conveyor belt, wherein when the transverse roller is displaced toward the conveyor belt to engage the at least some diverting rollers, the transverse roller rotates the at least some diverting rollers.

8. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein rotation of the transverse roller causes the at least some diverting rollers to rotate with reduced slippage.

9. The conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the diverting rollers are aligned in the cavities at an angle that is different from the direction of belt travel enabling the diverting rollers to convey objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.

7. A conveyor as defined in claim 7, wherein the transverse roller is vertically displaced toward or away from the conveyor belt using an air actuator, hydraulic actuator, ball screw actuator, or solenoid actuator.

10. A conveyor comprising:

a conveyor belt advancing in a direction of belt travel and including a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of diverting rollers, each diverting roller being disposed in a cavity of the mat-top chains; and

transverse rollers located underneath the conveyor belt that operatively couple to the diverting rollers causing the diverting rollers to rotate as they trace helical paths along the transverse rollers and the transverse rollers to rotate in a direction transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers, wherein the rotation of the transverse rollers causes the diverting rollers to rotate with reduced slippage.

11. The conveyor as defined in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of support members that support the conveyor belt.

12. The conveyor as defined in claim 11, wherein the transverse rollers are located between consecutive support members.

13. The conveyor as defined in claim 10, wherein the transverse rollers are positioned to rotate substantially perpendicular to the direction of belt travel.

14. The conveyor as defined in claim 10, wherein the mat-top chains include hinge elements that link multiple mat-top chains together to form the conveyor belt.

15. The conveyor as defined in claim 10, wherein the transverse rollers are vertically displaceable toward or away from the conveyor belt, wherein when the transverse rollers are displaced toward the conveyor belt to engage the diverting rollers, the transverse rollers rotate the diverting rollers.

16. A conveyor as defined in claim 15, wherein the transverse rollers are vertically displaced toward or away from the conveyor belt using an air actuator, hydraulic actuator, ball screw actuator, or solenoid actuator.

17. The conveyor as defined in claim 10, wherein the diverting rollers are aligned in the cavities of the mat-top chains at an angle that is different from the direction of belt travel enabling the diverting rollers to convey objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.

18. A method for conveying objects, the method comprising:

driving a conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel;

rotating a plurality of diverting rollers disposed in the conveyor belt by engaging the diverting rollers with a transverse roller rotatable in a direction substantially transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers as the diverting rollers trace helical paths on the transverse roller and reduce the slippage of the diverting rollers; and

conveying objects on the conveyor belt using the rotating diverting rollers.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises selectively rotating the diverting rollers with a transverse roller.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein selectively rotating the diverting rollers comprises vertically displacing the transverse roller toward the conveyor belt and engaging the diverting rollers, the transverse roller rotating the diverting rollers.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises rotating the diverting rollers at an angle that is different from the direction of belt travel.

22. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein conveying objects on the conveyor belt comprises conveying objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.