Conveyor belt rollers with two surface materials

• US 8,746,442 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Inventors: Schwai, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R
• Application Number:
  US13/418,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20130240330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 198850-853, 198/608, 198/624, 198/779, 193/37, 492/28
• US Class Current: 198/779
• 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

Abstract

A conveyor belt and a belt module having multiple roller sets, each roller set including a bottom roller in contact with an axially elongated two-material top roller. The periphery of the top roller has a high-friction peripheral surface separated by a central durable, low-friction peripheral surface in contact with the bottom roller. Driving the bottom roller in a first direction causes rotation of the top roller in an opposite angular direction.

Claims

1. A conveyor belt comprising:

a top side and an opposite bottom side;

multiple roller sets, each roller set including a top roller at the top side and a bottom roller below the top roller, the top and bottom rollers mounted for rotation on parallel axes, the top roller having a periphery divided into a high-friction peripheral surface and a durable, low-friction peripheral surface, wherein the bottom roller contacts the durable, low-friction peripheral surface of the top roller such that driving of the bottom roller in a first direction causes rotation of the top roller in an opposite second direction.

2. A conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the high-friction peripheral surface is divided into two portions axially flanking the durable, low-friction peripheral surface.

3. A conveyor belt as in claim 2 wherein the top roller is segmented between the durable, low-friction peripheral surface and the two portions of the high-friction peripheral surface.

4. A conveyor belt as in claim 2 further comprising supports at the top side and wherein the top roller includes small-diameter axle portions between the durable, low-friction peripheral surface and the two portions of the high-friction peripheral surface, wherein the axle portions are rotatably retained by the supports.

5. A conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the top roller is made of a durable, low-friction material having a maximum diameter defining the durable, low-friction peripheral surface and a reduced-diameter portion covered with a high-friction material that forms the high-friction peripheral surface.

6. A conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the top and bottom rollers have parallel axes of rotation and the top roller is axially longer then the bottom roller.

7. A conveyor belt as in claim 1 further comprising cavities in the belt opening onto the top and bottom sides, wherein the bottom roller of each of the roller sets resides in one of the cavities and protrudes beyond the bottom side.

8. A conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the bottom roller of each of the roller sets protrudes beyond the top side and wherein the top roller is supported entirely above the top side in contact with the bottom roller.

9. A conveyor comprising a conveyor belt as in claim 1 and a drive mechanism underlying the conveyor belt and contacting the bottom roller from below bottom side to cause the bottom roller to rotate in the first direction and the top roller to rotate in the opposite second direction.

10. A conveyor belt module as in claim 1 wherein the durable, low-friction peripheral surface has a lower coefficient of friction than the high-friction peripheral surface.

11. A conveyor belt module comprising:

a top side and an opposite bottom side;

one or more cavities extending through the thickness of the module and opening onto the top and bottom sides;

a set of top and bottom rollers associated with each of the cavities, each bottom roller received in one of the cavities and each top roller being affixed to the belt module over the cavity and in contact with the bottom roller;

wherein the top roller has a periphery divided into a high-friction peripheral surface and a durable, low-friction peripheral surface, the bottom roller contacting the durable, low-friction peripheral surface.

12. A conveyor belt module as in claim 11 wherein the high-friction peripheral surface of the top roller is divided into two portions axially flanking the durable, low-friction peripheral surface.

13. A conveyor belt module as in claim 12 wherein the top roller includes small-diameter axle portions between the durable, low-friction peripheral surface and the two portions of the high-friction peripheral surface.

14. A conveyor belt module as in claim 11 wherein the top roller is made of a durable, low-friction material having a maximum diameter defining the durable, low friction peripheral surface and a reduced-diameter portion covered with a high-friction material that forms the high-friction peripheral surface.

15. A conveyor belt module as in claim 11 wherein the top and bottom rollers have parallel axes of rotation and the top roller is axially longer then the bottom roller.

16. A conveyor-belt roller for rolling contact with another roller, the conveyor-belt roller comprising a cylindrical body elongated along an axis of rotation and having a periphery divided into a central durable, low-friction peripheral surface flanked axially by two high-friction peripheral surface portions, the conveyor-belt roller further comprising small-diameter axle portions between the central durable, low-friction peripheral surface and the two portions of the high-friction peripheral surface.

17. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 16 wherein the roller body is made of a durable, low-friction material having a maximum diameter defining the central durable, low-friction peripheral surface and a reduced-diameter portion covered with a high-friction material that forms the high-friction peripheral surface.

18. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 17 wherein the high-friction material is in the form of a resilient band tightly encircling the reduced-diameter portion.

19. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 17 wherein the high-friction material is bonded to the reduced-diameter portion made of the durable, low-friction material.

20. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 19 wherein the high-friction material is over-molded over the durable, low-friction material.

21. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 19 wherein the high-friction material is co-molded over the durable, low-friction material.

22. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 19 wherein the high-friction material is bonded to the durable, low-friction material by an adhesive.

23. A conveyor-belt roller as in claim 16 wherein the roller is segmented between the central durable, low-friction peripheral surface and the two portions of the high-friction peripheral surface.