CONVEYOR WITH ATTACHMENTS

• US 20080217141A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• 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: Bigler, Jeremy M., Fatato, Francis B., Duyn, Ryan Van
• Granted Patent: US 7,731,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/850
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/08 the surface being formed by the traction element
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/32 Individual load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/38 Chains or like traction elements drive chains F16G13/00; Connections between traction elements and load-carriers

Abstract

A conveyor assembly is provided, which includes a link belt formed of a plurality of overlapping belt links. A plurality of engagement elements are attached to the link belt to form an upper surface. In one embodiment, the link belt includes a plurality of apertures and the engagement elements comprises connectors that cooperate with the apertures to connect the engagement elements to the link belt. The upper surface of the engagement elements may be configured in a variety of forms. In one embodiment, the engagement elements comprise a protuberance that projects upwardly to form a point of limited contact.

Claims

1. A link belt assembly, comprising:

a link belt formed of a plurality of overlapping links; and

a plurality of engagement elements connected to the link belt to form an upper surface, wherein the engagement elements have a lower surface configured to cooperate with an upper surface of the link belt to impede the engagement elements from rocking relative to the link belt.

2. The link belt assembly of claim 1 wherein the links comprise apertures and apertures of adjacent links overlie one another when the belt is assembled, wherein each of the engagement elements comprises a connector that extends through overlying apertures to connect the engagement elements to the link belt.

3. The link belt assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprise a wedge-shaped body, wherein the body tapers from front to back with respect to the direction of travel of the belt.

4. The link belt assembly of claim 1, wherein the body extends across a majority of the width of the belt, and wherein the body has a lower surface configured to cooperate with the upper surface of the link belt to impede the engagement elements from rocking laterally across the width of the belt.

5. The link belt assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprises a body confronting the upper surface of the link belt, and wherein the links comprise connectors for connecting adjacent links, wherein the connectors create protuberances along the upper surface of the link belt, and wherein the engagement elements each comprise a pocket formed in a lower surface, wherein the pocket is configured to accommodate the protuberances formed by the connectors.

6. The link belt assembly of claim 5 wherein the pocket overlies the protuberance, such that a substantial portion of the engagement element contacts the upper surface of the link belt.

7. The link belt assembly of claim 6 wherein the pocket overlies the protuberance such that a substantial portion of the perimeter of the lower surface of the attachment element contacts the upper surface of the link belt.

8. The link belt assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprise a connector formed of a first material and an upper surface formed of a second material that has a characteristic that is substantially different from a characteristic of the first material, wherein the upper surface designed to interoperate with the work piece.

9. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprise a body portion overlying a substantial portion of an exposed portion of one of the links, and wherein the engagement element comprises an engagement element protruding upwardly from the body portion to form an engagement surface.

10. The belt link assembly of claim 9 wherein the body portion is formed to overlie substantial the width of a link of the belt.

11. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the links comprise apertures and apertures of adjacent links overlie one another when the belt is assembled, wherein each of the engagement elements comprise:

a connector configured to engage aligned apertures of adjacent links to connect the engagement element to the link belt; and

a body portion configured to overlie and cover the aligned apertures to impede contaminants from entering the aligned apertures.

12. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprise a rotatable element disposed on an upper surface of the engagement elements, wherein the rotatable elements are configured to engage the workpiece.

13. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprises a first engagement element having a upper surface of a first configuration, and a second engagement element having an upper surface of a second configuration that is different from the first configuration.

14. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements have a length that is shorter than the length of the belt links.

15. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the overlapping links form an upper surface formed of the exposed portion of the belt links having a plurality of tapered surface portions that extend from a forward edge of the exposed upper portion of a link to the forward edge of an adjacent exposed portion of a belt link, wherein the engagement elements comprise a wedge-shaped body configured to overlie a tapered edge surface to form a substantially flat surface extending along one of the tapered surface portions.

16. The belt link assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement elements comprise a wedge shaped body, and the engagement elements attach to the link belt such that the upper surface of the engagement elements form a substantially flat engagement surface.

17. A conveyor assembly, comprising:

a link belt formed of a plurality of overlapping links; and

a plurality of engagement elements connected to the link belt to form an upper surface, wherein each engagement element comprises a body portion overlying a substantial portion of a width of the link belt.

18. The conveyor assembly of claim 17 wherein the engagement elements comprise a wedge-shaped body.

19. The conveyor assembly of claim 17 wherein the engagement elements have a lower surface configured to cooperate with an upper surface of the link belt to impede the engagement elements from rocking relative to the link belt.

20. The conveyor assembly of claim 17 wherein the link belt comprises a plurality of apertures along the length of the belt, wherein the engagement elements comprise a skirt for overlying the apertures to impede contaminants from entering the apertures.