Connection And Connector And Device For A Belt Connection

Abstract

A connection of two ends of a belt, or an end of a belt and an end of a further belt, wherein a first end has a first connecting portion and a second end has a second connecting portion, wherein the first and second connecting portions are arranged to overlap in an overlapping region, wherein a plurality of connectors are arranged in the overlapping region, wherein each connector penetrates the first and second connecting portions, wherein each connector has a first base body portion and a second base body portion, wherein the first and second connecting portions are arranged between the first and second base body portions, wherein each connector has at least two connecting means held in the first and second base body portions that penetrate the first and second connecting portions. A connector for producing a connection and a device for producing a connection are also provided.

Claims

1. A connection of two ends of a belt or one end of a belt and one end of a further belt, wherein a first end of the two ends has a stepped and/or wedge-shaped first connecting portion and a second end of the two ends has a stepped and/or wedge-shaped second connecting portion corresponding to the first connecting portion, wherein the first and second connecting portions are arranged so as to overlap in an overlapping region, wherein a plurality of connectors are arranged in the overlapping region, wherein each connector penetrates the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, wherein each connector has a first base body portion and a second base body portion, wherein the first and second connecting portions are arranged between the first and second base body portions, wherein each connector has at least two connecting means, wherein the at least two connecting means are held in the first and second base body portions and penetrate the first and second connecting portions.

2. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means is positively held in at least one of the first and second base body portions.

3. The connection according to claim 2, wherein the connecting means is held by a material deformation of the connecting means in at least one of the first and second base body portions, and wherein the connecting means is configured as a rivet or stud pin.

4. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means has a thread and at least one of the first and second base body portions has a counter thread corresponding to the thread, and wherein the connecting means is screwed into the counter thread of the base body portion.

5. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the belt has a plurality of layers, and wherein the belt has at least one intermediate layer.

6. The connection according to claim 1, wherein a material connection is not present in the overlapping region between the first and second connecting portions.

7. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the connection has at least two rows of connectors, and wherein each row has at least two connectors.

8. The connection according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second base body portions in the region of a peripheral edge has at least two indentations for receiving bearing means for bearing the at least one of the first and second base body portions.

9. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the first and second base body portions are of plate-shaped configuration and at least one of the first and second base body portions has a lead-in edge.

10. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means has a closing head, and wherein at least one of the first and second base body portions has a recess for receiving the closing head.

11. A connector for producing a connection according to claim 1.

12. A connector having a first base body portion and a second base body portion, wherein a first connecting portion of an end of a belt and a second connecting portion of an end of a belt are arranged to overlap between the first and second base body portions, wherein the connector has at least two connecting means, wherein the at least two connecting means are mounted in the first base body portion, wherein the connecting means are configured to be connected to the second base body portion by penetrating the first and second connecting portions arranged between the first and second base body portions, wherein the first base body portion has bearing openings, and wherein each connecting means is non-positively mounted in one of the bearing openings.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the second base body portion has receiving openings for receiving the connecting means, and wherein each receiving opening widens in the direction of the first base body portion.

14. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the first base body portion and the second base body portion are configured identically.

15. A device for producing a connection according to claim 1, wherein the device has two clamping jaws which are movable relative to one another, wherein a receiving region is configured between the clamping jaws for the clamped receiving of the first and second connecting portions in the overlapping region of the first and second connecting portions, wherein a first clamping jaw of the two clamping jaws has bearing structures for bearing the second base body portions, wherein the device has a deformation tool for deforming an end of the connecting means, wherein a second clamping jaw of the two clamping jaws has at least one guide structure penetrating the second clamping jaw for axially guiding the deformation tool, and wherein the deformation tool has on an end side a peripheral projection protruding in the axial direction, wherein the guide structure is configured to receive two adjacent connecting means of a connector such that with an axial displacement of the deformation tool in the direction of the first clamping jaw the deformation tool comes into contact with the two connecting means on the end side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0077] The invention is described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the following drawing figures, without being limited thereto.

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a connector according to the invention in a state in which a first base body portion and a second base body portion of the connector are connected together by means of connecting means, in a perspective view.

[0079] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a belt with a connection according to the invention of belt ends in a perspective view.

[0080] FIG. 3 shows the belt according to FIG. 2 in a view in the longitudinal direction of the belt.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows the belt according to FIG. 2 in a plan view.

[0082] FIG. 5 shows the belt according to FIG. 2 in a view in the transverse direction of the belt.

[0083] FIG. 6 shows the belt according to FIG. 2 before producing the connection, in a view in the transverse direction of the belt.

[0084] FIG. 7 shows one of the belt ends according to FIG. 6 in a perspective view.

[0085] FIG. 8 shows the connector according to FIG. 1 in a state before producing the connection.

[0086] FIG. 9 shows a device for producing the connection according to FIG. 2 in a sectional view.

[0087] FIG. 10 shows a first clamping jaw of the device according to FIG. 9 in a perspective view.

[0088] FIG. 11 shows a partial region of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0089] FIG. 2 shows a connection of two ends 2, 3 of a belt 1, in the present case a multilayer conveyor belt with three tensile-force carriers in the form of textile layers 12, wherein in each case an intermediate layer 28 is configured between the textile layers 12. (See FIG. 6). The intermediate layer 28 may be an intermediate rubber layer, for example. Moreover, the belt 1 has a first outer top layer 27 and a second outer top layer 27 opposing the first outer top layer 27.

[0090] The longitudinal direction of the belt 1 runs in the direction of travel of the belt 1, in the present case in the X-direction. The transverse direction of the belt 1 runs in the Y-direction. The thickness of the belt 1 corresponds to the extent thereof in the Z-direction. The width of the belt 1 corresponds to the extent thereof in the Y-direction. (See FIGS. 3-6).

[0091] A first end 2 of the two ends 2, 3 has a first connecting portion 4 (FIG. 6) which in the present case is of stepped configuration. A second end 3 of the two ends 2, 3 has a second stepped connecting portion 5 (FIG. 6) corresponding to the first connecting portion 4. The stepped connecting portions 4, 5 in the present case are designed such that in each case the textile layer 12 is exposed. The two connecting portions 4, 5 are arranged so as to overlap in an overlapping region in the Z-direction, so that the textile layer 12 bears against the textile layer 12, as is revealed in particular in FIGS. 5 and 6. A plurality of connectors 6 are arranged in the overlapping region, wherein in the present case the connection has three rows 14 of connectors 6, wherein the rows 14 in the present case run in parallel and in the transverse direction of the belt 1. Abutting ends of the connecting portions 4, 5 are configured in the present case with an angle of inclination of 0°. The abutting ends thus run in the Y-direction.

[0092] The respective connector 6 penetrates, with the connecting means 9 (FIG. 1), the first connecting portion 4 and the second connecting portion 5. The respective connector 6 has a first plate-shaped base body portion 7 and a second plate-shaped base body portion 8. The two connecting portions 4, 5 are arranged between the two base body portions 7, 8, wherein the respective first base body portion 7 bears against the first outer top layer 27 of the belt 1 and the second base body portion 8 against the second outer top layer 27.

[0093] The connecting means 9 are held in the first and the second base body portions 7, 8, wherein for the purpose of holding the connecting means 9 in the respective base body portion 7, 8 the respective connecting means 9 has a closing head 10 configured by a material deformation. FIG. 8 shows the connecting means 9 in a state before forming the closing head 10. FIG. 1 shows the connecting means 9 after forming the closing head 10.

[0094] The respective connector 6 has in the present case a single row of connecting means 9, wherein the connecting means 9 are arranged along a straight line, namely along a straight line running in the longitudinal direction of the respective connector 6.

[0095] In the present case, the connecting means 9 are configured in the manner of a stud pin, wherein the stud pin is configured as a solid cylinder with a circular bottom surface.

[0096] In the present case, the respective base body portion 7, 8, has a material thickness of 1.5 mm. The base body portions shown in FIG. 1 have a longitudinal extent of approximately 10 cm. In the present case, the respective stud pin has a diameter of 2 mm and a length of 3 cm.

[0097] On the end side the connecting means 9 may be deformed, for example by means of a expanding mandrel, for the purpose of forming the closing head 10 with a diameter widening relative to the region of the connecting means 9 which is adjacent in the axial direction. For example, the closing head 10 has a diameter of 2.4 mm in the case of a stud pin with a 2 mm diameter.

[0098] For the purpose of receiving the closing head 10 the respective base body portion 7, 8 has a recess 26. The recess 26 has a depth of approximately 0.2 mm.

[0099] As may be derived in particular from FIG. 1, the respective base body portion 7, 8 has a peripheral chamfered lead-in edge 13. This lead-in edge 13 facilitates, for example, contact with a pulley for the belt 1 without causing damage.

[0100] Moreover, the respective base body portion 7, 8 has a plurality of opposing indentations 15 in the region of the peripheral lead-in edge 13.

[0101] FIG. 8 shows a connector 6 according to the invention before the introduction thereof into the connecting portions 4, 5 of the belt 1. The base body portion 7 has bearing openings, wherein the respective connecting means 9 is mounted non-positively in one of the bearing openings. The connecting means 9 in this case are arranged so as to protrude on a side of the base body portion 7 remote from the second base body portion 8. The second base body portion 8 has receiving openings 11 for receiving the connecting means 9. Preferably, the receiving opening 11 widens in the direction of the first base body portion 7, in particular widens conically.

[0102] For the purpose of producing the connection between the two base body portions 7, 8 by means of the connecting means 9, the connecting means 9 are driven in the direction of the second base body portion 8 through the first base body portion 7. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, for the purpose of producing the connection according to the invention, the two overlapping connecting portions 4, 5 of the belt 1 would have to be arranged in the free intermediate region between the two base body portions 7, 8 and then the connecting means 9 would have to be driven in the direction of the second base body portion 8 through the two connecting portions 4, 5 and the connecting means 9 would have to be deformed on the end side for the purpose of forming the closing head 10.

[0103] The production of the connection advantageously takes place with the device 17 shown in FIG. 9. To this end, the device 17 has two clamping jaws 18, 19 which are movable relative to one another. A receiving region 20 for the clamped receiving of the connecting portions 4, 5 in the overlapping region of the connecting portions 4, 5 and the connectors 6 is configured between the two clamping jaws 18, 19.

[0104] A first clamping jaw 18 of the two clamping jaws 18, 19 has a plurality of bearing structures 21 (FIG. 10), in the present case seven, for bearing the second base body portions 8 of the connectors 6. The respective bearing structure 21 has a plurality of opposing bearing means 16 (FIG. 10) which correspond to the indentations 15 of the base body portions 7, 8.

[0105] The device 17 also has a deformation tool 22 for deforming an end of the connecting means 9 for the purpose of forming the closing head 10. A second clamping jaw 19 of the two clamping jaws 18, 19 has a plurality of guide structures 23 penetrating the clamping jaw 19 and formed by a through-opening with a circular cross section, wherein the respective guide structure 23 serves for the axial guidance of the deformation tool 22. The deformation tool 22 has on the end side a peripheral projection 24 (FIG. 11) protruding in the axial direction, wherein the respective guide structure 23 is configured to receive two adjacent connecting means 9 of a connector 6, such that when arranging the deformation tool 22 in the respective guide structure 23 and with the axial displacement of the deformation tool 22 relative to the guide structure 23 in the direction of the first clamping jaw 18, the peripheral projection 24 comes into contact with the two connecting means 9 on the end side. With such a design it is possible in a particularly simple manner by means of the deformation tool 22 to drive two connecting means 9 at the same time into the connecting portions 4, 5 of the belt ends 2, 3 and to produce the respective closing head 10. Preferably, before being driven in and/or when being driven in, the two connecting means 9 are in contact with a wall circulating around the through-opening in a peripheral manner. The driving-in and deformation of the connecting means 9 by means of the deformation tool 22 preferably takes place by hand, in particular by using a hammer.

[0106] In order to simplify further the production of the connection, the device 17 has a plurality of deformation structures 25 (FIG. 11) which are fixedly mounted in the first clamping jaw 18 and which serve for deforming the end of the respective connecting means 9 remote from the deformation tool 22, for the purpose of producing the closing head 10. The deformation structure 25 is configured in the manner of a mandrel. In such a design, when driving in the connecting means 9 the two opposing closing heads 10 are configured in one step on the respective connecting means 9.

[0107] After driving in the connecting means 9 arranged in the respective guide structure 23, the deformation tool 22 may be introduced into one of the remaining guide structures 23 and the connecting means 9 which are located there are driven in until all of the connecting means 9 are driven in.

[0108] The opposing closing heads 10 of the connecting means 9 are configured differently due to the different design of the structures 24, 25 acting on the end side, namely as a deformation structure 25 configured as a mandrel and peripheral projection 24. Whilst a closing head 10 with a central depression and a radial projection enclosing the depression in a peripheral manner is formed by the action of the mandrel, on the remote side a closing head 10 is formed with a circular arc-shaped depression and substantially circular arc-shaped radial projections adjoining the circular arc-shaped depression on both sides.