Brush module for conveyor belts

Abstract

Brush module for conveyor belts (1) a base (5) and a plurality of bristles (4), and also comprises a plurality of complementary protrusions (2) and holes (3) for their engagement with one or more adjacent brush modules (1). Preferably, said holes (3) and protrusions (2) are located in a complementary and opposite manner on additional sections (6) arranged at the ends or sides of the base (5). It allows providing a brush module in which multiple units of the same can be easily joined together, providing great tensile and shear strength, and that in turn can have complementary thicknesses to facilitate assembly while maintaining the final thickness.

Claims

1. A brush module for conveyor belts (1), comprising a base (5) and a plurality of bristles (4), characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of protrusions (2) and complementary holes (3) for their engagement with one or more adjacent brush modules (1), wherein the engagement of adjacent brush modules is reinforced with adhesive (14), ultrasound or high frequency and said holes (3) and protrusions (2) comprise longitudinal housings between the protrusions (2) and hole (3) for holding and regularly distributing the adhesive (14).

2. The brush module for conveyor belts (1) according to claim 1, wherein said holes (3) and protrusions (2) are located in a complementary and opposite way in additional sections (6) arranged at the ends or sides of the base (5).

3. The brush module for conveyor belts (1) according to claim 2, wherein said holes (3) and protrusions (2) are indistinctly distributed on both sides.

4. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions (2) and holes (3) are located on an intermediate reinforcement piece (7).

5. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 4, wherein the protrusions (2) project superiorly and inferiorly from said reinforcing intermediate piece (7).

6. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions (2) have the shape of an arrow, harpoon, mushroom, teeth or dovetail.

7. The brush module for conveyor belts (1) according to claim 1, wherein the base (5) comprises a plurality of through holes (10).

8. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 7, comprising one or more additional pieces (11, 12, 13).

9. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 8, wherein the additional pieces are additional guide pieces (11) of the conveyor belt.

10. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 8, wherein the additional pieces are additional tensile pieces (12) of the conveyor belt.

11. The brush module for conveyor belts according to claim 8, wherein the additional pieces are friction reduction additional pieces (13) of the conveyor belt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a better understanding of what has been stated, some drawings are attached in which, schematically and only as a non-limiting example, a practical case of embodiment is represented.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a first embodiment of two brush modules according to the present invention, before being joined together;

(3) FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a part of the first embodiment of two brush modules according to the present invention, before being joined together;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of a second embodiment of two brush modules according to the present invention, before being joined together;

(5) FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a part of the second embodiment of two brush modules according to the present invention, before being joined together;

(6) FIGS. 5 to 13 are elevation views of different embodiments of the brush module according to the present invention;

(7) FIGS. 14a and 14b are perspective views of a part of a brush module according to the present invention, where through holes can be seen on the base, according to an alternative embodiment;

(8) FIGS. 15 to 19 are elevation and perspective views of different embodiments of the brush module according to the present invention in which different pieces are shown performing different functions;

(9) FIGS. 20a and 20b are a perspective plan view of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention;

(10) FIG. 21 is a plan view of the assembly alternatives according to the present invention;

(11) FIG. 22 is a detailed view of an alternative embodiment of the brush modules according to the present invention; and

(12) FIG. 23 is a perspective plan view of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(13) FIGS. 1 and 2 show two brush modules 1 according to the present invention in accordance with a first embodiment.

(14) According to this embodiment, two brush modules 1 are joined together by inserting protrusions 2 of a brush module 1 into holes 3 on an adjacent brush module 1, and so on until closing a loop, forming a self-supporting conveyor belt. This way of mechanical attachment between brush modules 1 works on a shearing basis.

(15) As can be seen, each brush module 1 comprises a plurality of bristles 4, preferably made of an elastomeric material, protruding from a base 5.

(16) These protrusions 2 and holes 3 are arranged in additional sections 6 at the ends or sides of the brush modules 1, the protrusions 2 and holes 3 engaging in a complementary manner, the additional sections 6 overlapping each other.

(17) Said protrusions 2 and holes 3 are arranged in said additional sections 6 indistinctly, so that each additional section 6 of the same brush module 1 contains protrusions 2 and/or holes 3 in a complementary and opposite way to the other additional section 6 of the same brush module 1. In this way, when the different brush modules 1 are engaged, said additional sections 6 and their protrusions 2 and holes 3 are inserted in a complementary manner in both directions, forming a very shear-resistant joint.

(18) These ends or sides can be straight or of different shapes, always complementary, to allow an improved bending to the advance of the belt that is formed when joining the brush modules 1, obtaining different geometries and designs of these brush modules 1 depending on the application to which this conveyor belt is intended.

(19) FIG. 2 shows how said protrusions 2 can have different shapes and sizes, to facilitate insertion into holes 3.

(20) It should be noted that protrusions 2 can be formed during a co-injection process when different polymers with different properties are used during injection of the brush module 1.

(21) In FIG. 3 a second embodiment of the brush module 1 according to the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, a reinforcing intermediate piece 7 is used that joins two brush modules 1.

(22) This intermediate reinforcing piece 7 is the one that comprises the protrusions 2 that are housed in complementary holes 3 of the brush module 1.

(23) The protrusions 2 can be located on one face or on both faces of this intermediate reinforcing piece 7

(24) In FIG. 4 an alternative embodiment of the brush module 1 and of the intermediate reinforcement piece 7 is shown, wherein said intermediate reinforcement piece 7 may have protrusions 2 and holes 3.

(25) The geometry of the protrusions 2 and of the complementary holes 3 may have a cylinder, arrow, harpoon or mushroom shape, or other shapes, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, thus allowing easy assembly and making it difficult for brush modules 1 to accidentally detach.

(26) The union of two brush modules 1 can also be carried out by means of complementary teeth 8, as shown in FIG. 12, or by tongue-and-groove joint 9, as shown in FIG. 13.

(27) In addition, the additional sections 6 of the brush modules 1, in which the holes 3 and protrusions 2 are alternately located, will have cutouts of complementary thicknesses to obtain a thickness equivalent to the rest of the brush module 1 once the brush modules 1 have been assembled together.

(28) The additional sections 6 can be of one or more layers to favor a greater specific surface of contact that allows a more resistant joint to the tensile and to the shear force, as shown in FIGS. 14a and 14b.

(29) In turn, the base 5 of the brush modules 1 may comprise different through holes 10, located between the bristles 4, as shown in FIG. 15, which allow a flow to pass through them to facilitate cleaning of the brush modules 1 and also the application of flows (vacuum) to improve the stability of the objects deposited on the surface of the conveyor belt.

(30) These through holes 10, depending on their arrangement, shape or diameter, also allow the addition to the base 5 of additional pieces 11, 12 and 13 (FIGS. 16 to 19) preferably made of plastic, mechanical materials, etc., managing by inserting these pieces in the through holes 10 to complement and improve the properties of the brush modules 1, and, therefore, of the conveyor belt once formed.

(31) These insertion pieces can form guiding areas (insertion pieces 11, as seen in FIGS. 16a, 16b, 17a, 17b and 19), slide-like gliding (insertion pieces 13, as seen in FIG. 19), tensile areas (insertion pieces 12, as seen in FIG. 18) among other functions, with the purpose of reducing the friction force of the conveyor belt, or guiding or helping its tensile.

(32) Alternatively, said insertion pieces can be formed during a co-injection process when different polymers with different properties are used during the injection of the brush module 1. In this case, said pieces would not be inserts, but would form part of the brush module 1 itself.

(33) Furthermore, the front and rear peripheral sides of the brush module 1, that is, those corresponding to the direction of advance, can have different geometries depending on the tensile they support. For example, if less tensile force must be supported, these sides are preferably straight, and if they must support more tensile force, they present triangular or trapezoidal geometries, complementary between the brush modules 1, thus increasing the perimeter and the contact surface, as shown in FIGS. 20a and 20b.

(34) The sides of the brush module 1 longitudinal to the direction of advance of the conveyor belt are preferably straight, since, when working parallel to the direction of advance, the fact of being a joint in a parallel straight line does not produce deformation.

(35) At the assembly level, the brush modules 1 can be joined in straight grids, forming lines with superimposed modules, or in interleaved grids, the upper module fixing the halves of the lower modules. That is, each brush module 1 attached to two other brush modules 1, instead of one by one, as shown in FIG. 21.

(36) To achieve these two assembly possibilities, the brush modules 1 can be sectioned in half, so that they can be configured to fill the gaps on the incomplete sides of the conveyor belt. The brush modules 1 can preferably have a longitudinal mechanical groove to facilitate the cutting operation. The right and left sides can also have complementary additional sections 6 with holes 3 and protrusions 2 to allow the joint of the brush modules 1.

(37) In order to strengthen the joint between the brush modules 1 that form a conveyor belt, there may be incorporated, applied to bonding surfaces of additional sections 6, an adhesive 14 of the elastic synthetic type (thermoplastics, elastomers and thermoset materials such as polyurethane, silanes, moisture-cured silicones, pressure adhesives, contact adhesives, polyester, UV adhesives among others), natural elastic type (based on rubber, protein glues such as casein, gums or starches), or a joint with products that require a previous activation of the surface with plasma, or welding by radiofrequency or ultrasound, or other physical and chemical procedures, depending on its suitability to the final work environment to which it is directed.

(38) The protrusions 2 and holes 3, can have either geometries with gaps in the form of grooves or other designs in order to allow a homogeneous distribution of the adhesive 14, avoiding the expulsion by friction (rubber edge) of the adhesive during the insertion process, improving adherence, as can be seen in FIG. 22.

(39) The resulting conveyor belt displacement is preferably accomplished by friction of the drive shaft against the lower surface of the brush modules, which make up the inner surface of the conveyor belt.

(40) Complementarily and to avoid elongation of the conveyor belt due to use or other factors, reinforcements 15 can be incorporated, preferably although not only textiles, made up of fiber materials such as polyamides, composites, metal, etc. which are preferably joined on the base of the conveyor belt formed by said brush modules 1, as can be seen in FIG. 23.

(41) Despite the fact that reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that the described brush module is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the mentioned details can be substituted by others technically equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.