APPARATUS FOR SENSING CONDITIONS LOCAL TO A CONVEYOR BELT

• US 20100065405A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Inventors: Lagneaux, Jason M.
• Application Number:
  US12/622,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20100065405A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/853
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/086 specially adapted to follow a curved path for individual load carriers B65G17/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/042 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/30 Modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/02 detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/101 using sensors inserted into the flexible member

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sensing conditions local to a modular conveyor belt and wirelessly transmitting signals representing those conditions to an off-belt belt monitoring system. A load cell pin installed in a clevis formed at a hinge joint between adjacent rows of a modular conveyor belt serves as a clevis pin to interconnect the rows and as a sensor sensitive to belt tension transmitted through the clevis. A special load-sensing belt module forms the clevis and holds electronic circuitry that takes the measurements made by the sensor, logs them in a memory element, and transmits them wirelessly to the belt monitoring system. The measurements may also be used as part of a closed-loop control system to control the speed or other operating characteristics of the conveyor system. Furthermore, a variety of sensors housed in sensor modules similar to standard conveyor belt modules may be installed in the belt as drop-in replacements for standard modules.

Claims

1. A modular conveyor belt comprising:

a series of rows of one or more belt modules hingedly linked together at hinge joints between adjacent rows;

wherein at least one of the belt modules is a load-sensing belt module that includes a load sensor making measurements of belt tension in at least a portion of the load-sensing belt module;

wherein the load-sensing belt module further includes a memory element for storing as a group a series of the measurements of belt tension made by the load sensor.

2. A modular conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the load-sensing belt module further includes a transmitter to wirelessly transmit signals representative of the measurements of belt tension made by the load sensor.

3. A modular conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the load-sensing belt module further includes one or more electrical cells to power the load sensor.

4. A modular conveyor belt as in claim 2 wherein the load-sensing belt module further includes:

a cavity housing the memory element and the transmitter; and

a cover over the cavity to retain the memory element and the transmitter.

5. A modular conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the load-sensing belt module is positioned at an outside edge of the modular conveyor belt.

6. A modular conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the load-sensing module includes a plurality of laterally spaced apart hinge elements along one end and fewer laterally spaced hinge elements along the other end.

7. A modular plastic conveyor belt comprising:

a series of rows of one or more standard belt modules hingedly linked together between adjacent rows;

at least one sensor module including;

a sensor making measurements of a local condition;

a memory element for storing the measurements as a group; and

a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting signals representing the group of measurements.

8. A modular plastic conveyor belt as in claim 7 wherein the at least one sensor module has a cavity in which the memory element and the transmitter are embedded.

9. A modular plastic conveyor belt as in claim 7 wherein the sensor is a load cell measuring tension in the modular conveyor belt.

10. A modular plastic conveyor belt as in claim 7 wherein the local condition that the sensor measures is selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, and belt tension.

11. A conveyor system comprising:

a conveyor belt including;

a sensor making measurements of a local conveyor system condition;

a memory element for storing the measurements as a group; and

a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting signals representing the group of measurements;

a controller using the group of measurements to control the operation of the conveyor system in a closed-loop system.

12. A conveyor as in claim 11 wherein the local condition that the sensor measures is selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, and belt tension.

13. A conveyor as in claim 11 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor making temperature measurements and wherein the controller provides a signal to control the temperature.

14. A conveyor as in claim 11 wherein the sensor is a load sensor making measurements of belt tension and wherein the controller provides a motor-control signal to control the speed of the conveyor belt.

15. A conveyor as in claim 11 wherein the conveyor belt is a modular plastic conveyor belt comprising a series of rows of one or more standard belt modules hingedly linked together between adjacent rows and a sensor module disposed in one of the rows and housing the sensor, the memory element, and the transmitter.