Elastic conveyor belt and transport system

Abstract

Provided is an elastic conveyor belt for a transport system for conveying goods in a conveying direction along a conveyor belt plane of the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt including, on a carrying side of the conveyor belt, a carrying surface which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane and is intended for carrying the goods, and, on a guide side of the conveyor belt, a guide surface which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane and is intended for guiding the conveyor belt, and, in the guide surface, at least one groove for the engagement of a guide element for guiding the conveyor belt along the conveying direction, a longitudinal axis of the groove being oriented along the conveying direction.

Claims

1. An elastic conveyor belt for a transport system for conveying goods in a conveying direction along a conveyor belt plane of the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising, a) on a carrying side of the conveyor belt, at least one carrying surface which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane and is intended for carrying the goods, and, b) on a guide side of the conveyor belt, at least one guide surface which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane and is intended for guiding the conveyor belt, and, c) in the guide surface, at least one groove for the engagement of a guide element for guiding the conveyor belt along the conveying direction, a longitudinal axis of the groove being oriented along the conveying direction, wherein the at least one groove d) comprises at least one base surface for defining a penetration depth of the guide element into the conveyor belt, and e) at least one left-hand flank surface, which is arranged obliquely to the conveyor belt plane connecting the guide surface to the base surface, for left-hand directional control of the guide element, and f) at least one right-hand flank surface, which is arranged obliquely to the conveyor belt plane connecting the guide surface to the base surface, for right-hand directional control of the guide element, wherein g) a base width of the base surface perpendicular to the conveying direction is less than an opening width of the groove perpendicular to the conveying direction and in a plane together with the guide surface, wherein h) the base surface is planar, and the right-hand flank surface and the left-hand flank surface are concavely curved towards the groove about the longitudinal axis.

2. The conveyor belt according to claim 1, wherein the base surface is oriented along the conveyor belt plane.

3. The conveyor belt according to claim 1, wherein the left-hand flank surface transitions into the base surface in a left-hand transition region, and the right-hand flank surface transitions into the base surface in a right-hand transition region, wherein the left-hand transition region and/or the right-hand transition region is formed as an edge.

4. The conveyor belt according to claim 1, wherein a) the left-hand flank surface encloses an angle complimentary to a left-hand flank angle () together with the guide surface, and b) the right-hand flank surface encloses an angle complimentary to a right-hand flank angle () together with the guide surface, wherein c) the left-hand flank angle () and the right-hand flank angle () are between 50 and 85.

5. The conveyor belt according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt comprises at least one material weakening that extends in an elongate manner in the conveying direction and is arranged beside the at least one groove with respect to the conveying direction.

6. The conveyor belt according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt comprises at least one guide layer that contains the at least one groove, and at least one carrying layer that forms the carrying surface, wherein a reinforcing layer is arranged between the carrying layer and the guide layer.

7. A transport system comprising an elastic conveyor belt for conveying goods in a conveying direction along a conveyor belt plane of the conveyor belt, wherein a) the conveyor belt is designed according to claim 1, and b) the transport system comprises at least one guide element, wherein the guide element is configured to engage in the at least one groove of the conveyor belt in order to guide the conveyor belt along the conveying direction.

8. The transport system according to claim 7, wherein a) the opening width of the at least one groove is greater than a width of the guide element in parallel with the opening width, and/or b) the base width of the at least one groove is 110% to 130% of a width of the guide element in parallel with the base width.

9. The transport system according to claim 7, wherein the guide element is designed as a guide bolt or a guide web and is arranged on a lateral surface of a roller for deflecting and/or driving the conveyor belt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A schematically shows an embodiment of a conveyor belt;

(3) FIG. 1B is a perspective section of an embodiment according to the invention of a conveyor belt;

(4) FIG. 2A schematically shows a further embodiment of a conveyor belt;

(5) FIG. 2B is a perspective section of a further embodiment according to the invention of a conveyor belt;

(6) FIG. 3A schematically shows a conveyor belt comprising an embodiment of the transition regions which is an alternative to an embodiment;

(7) FIG. 3B is a perspective section of a conveyor belt;

(8) FIG. 4A is a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a transport system; and

(9) FIG. 4B is a perspective section of an embodiment of a transport system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1A is a schematic cross section and FIG. 1B is a perspective section of an embodiment according to the invention of a conveyor belt 100. The conveyor belt 100 is designed for a transport system (not shown) for conveying goods (not shown) in a conveying direction TR along a conveyor belt plane TE of the conveyor belt 100. In the cross-sectional view, the conveying plane TE and the conveying direction TR are perpendicular to the drawing plane.

(11) On a carrying side of the conveyor belt 100, the conveyor belt 100 comprises a carrying surface 110 which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane TE and is intended for carrying the goods, and on a guide side of the conveyor belt 100 said belt comprises a guide surface 120 which is oriented along the conveyor belt plane TE and is intended for guiding the conveyor belt 100. The carrying side is for example opposite the guide side with respect to the conveyor belt plane TE.

(12) The guide surface 120 comprises a groove 130 for the engagement of a guide element (not shown), a longitudinal axis (not shown) of the groove 130 being oriented along the conveying direction TR.

(13) The groove 130 comprises a base surface 132 for defining a penetration depth of the guide element into the conveyor belt 100, and a left-hand flank surface 131 which is arranged obliquely to the conveyor belt plane and connects the guide surface 120 to the base surface 132, and at least one right-hand flank surface 133 which is arranged obliquely to the conveyor belt plane TE and connects the guide surface 120 to the base surface 132.

(14) A base width BB of the base surface 132 perpendicular to the conveying direction TR is less than an opening width OB of the groove 130 perpendicular to the conveying direction TR and in a plane together with the guide surface 120.

(15) A groove depth NT of the groove 130 perpendicular to the conveyor belt plane TE is for example at least 50% of a conveyor belt thickness TD perpendicular to the conveyor belt plane TE.

(16) The base surface 132 is for example planar and oriented along the conveyor belt plane TE, the left-hand flank surface 131 transitioning into the base surface 132 in a left-hand transition region 134, and the right-hand flank surface 133 transitioning into the base surface in a right-hand transition region 135, said transition regions each being in the form of an edge.

(17) The left-hand flank surface 131 and the right-hand flank surface 133 are preferably planar, and the left-hand flank surface 131 encloses a left-hand flank angle with the guide surface 120, and the right-hand flank surface 133 encloses a right-hand flank angle with the guide surface 120, the left-hand flank angle and the right-hand flank angle in each case being between 50 and 85 for example.

(18) In the embodiment shown, the groove 130 is for example trapezoidal in cross section, perpendicular to the conveying direction TR.

(19) FIG. 2A is a schematic cross section and FIG. 2B is a perspective section of a further embodiment according to the invention of a conveyor belt 100. In the cross-sectional view, the conveying plane TE and the conveying direction TR are perpendicular to the drawing plane.

(20) The conveyor belt 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B differs from the conveyor belt 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B in that the base surface 132 is not planar but instead is curved concavely towards the groove 130, about the longitudinal axis of the groove 130.

(21) FIG. 3A is a schematic cross section and FIG. 3 B is a perspective section of a conveyor belt 100 comprising an embodiment of the transition regions 134, 135 which is an alternative to an embodiment according to the invention. In the cross-sectional view, the conveying plane TE and the conveying direction TR are perpendicular to the drawing plane.

(22) The conveyor belt 100 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B differs from the conveyor belt 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B in that the left-hand lateral surface 131 and the right-hand lateral surface 133 are not planar but instead are curved concavely towards the groove 130, about the longitudinal axis of the groove 130.

(23) Furthermore, in a manner alternative to the embodiments according to the invention of the transition regions 134, 135, the left-hand transition region 134 and the right-hand transition region 135 are in each case not formed as edges but instead are rounded.

(24) In the embodiment shown the groove 130 is for example semi-circular in cross section, perpendicular to the conveying direction TR.

(25) FIG. 4A is a schematic cross section and FIG. 4B is a perspective section of an embodiment according to the invention of a transport system comprising an embodiment according to the invention of a conveyor belt 100 and a guide element 140.

(26) The conveyor belt 100 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B is identical to the conveyor belt 100 shown in FIG. 1 except for the fact that the right-hand flank surface 131 and the left-hand flank surface 133 are not planar but concavely curved towards the groove 130 about the longitudinal axis of the groove 130. The base surface 132 is planar.

(27) The guide element 140 is configured to engage in the groove 130 of the conveyor belt 100 in order to guide the conveyor belt 100 along the conveying direction TR.

(28) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(29) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a unit or a module does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(30) 100 conveyor belt 110 carrying surface 120 guide surface 130 groove 131 left-hand flank surface 132 base surface 133 right-hand flank surface 134 left-hand transition region 135 right-hand transition region 140 guide element BB base width NT groove depth OB opening width TD conveyor belt thickness TE conveyor belt plane TR conveying direction left-hand flank angle right-hand flank angle