Sensor, and monitoring system

• US 9,766,208 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US15/109,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 1985021, 1985023
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/34 with reinforcing layers, e.g. of fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0275 Damage on the load carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/043 Magnetic
• 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: B65G 43/08 Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 45/00 Lubricating, cleaning, or clearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/82 for investigating the presence of flaws

Abstract

A sensor and monitoring system that can prevent the accumulation of scraps of a transport object on the sensor are provided. A sensor 4 is located below a return-side portion 2a of a conveyor belt 2, and includes: a detector 40 that detects a detection object 3 embedded in the conveyor belt; and a cover 41 covering at least an upper part of the detector, wherein the cover has a downward surface 411 that extends continuously downward from a top part of the cover while extending outward in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A sensor located below a return-side portion of a conveyor belt, the sensor comprising:

a detector that detects a detection object embedded in the conveyor belt; and

a cover covering at least an upper part of the detector,

wherein the cover has a downward surface that extends continuously downward from a top part of the cover while extending outward in a horizontal direction,

the top part of the cover is distanced from the return-side portion of the conveyor belt, such that the cover does not come into contact with the belt when the belt vibrates.

2. The sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the cover includes:

an outer cover; and

an inner cover located inside the outer cover and covering the entire detector, and

the outer cover has the downward surface that extends continuously downward from a top part of the outer cover while extending outward in the horizontal direction.

3. The sensor according to claim 2,

wherein an outer shape of the inner cover has a substantially rectangular horizontal section.

4. The sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the inner cover has a housing space in which the detector and a detector-side end of an electric cable connected to the detector are housed while leaving substantially no space.

5. The sensor according to claim 4,

wherein an inner wall surface of the inner cover defining the housing space has, in a part surrounding the electric cable, an annular rib protruding toward an inner peripheral side of the electric cable.

6. The sensor according to claim 2, further comprising

a plurality of the detectors arranged in a width direction of the conveyor belt,

wherein the cover includes:

a plurality of the outer covers adjacent to each other in the width direction of the conveyor belt; and

a plurality of the inner covers, each inner cover being provided for each detector, and

each of the plurality of outer covers covers at least upper parts of two or more detectors of the plurality of detectors.

7. A monitoring system for a conveyor belt, the monitoring system comprising:

a detection object embedded in the conveyor belt; and

a sensor located below a return-side portion of the conveyor belt,

wherein the sensor includes;

a detector that detects the detection object; and

a cover covering at least an upper part of the detector, and

the cover has a downward surface that extends continuously downward from a top part of the cover while extending outward in the horizontal direction,

the top part of the cover is distanced from the return-side portion of the conveyor belt, such that the cover does not come into contact with the belt when the belt vibrates.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 7,

wherein at least a part of the downward surface extends continuously downward from the top part of the cover toward a back side in a running direction of the return-side portion of the conveyor belt.