Conveyor for conveying suspended objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011425-B2
Application number	US-201715472407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A conveyor for suspended objects has a first rail profile having a first, upper track and a second track arranged below the first track, a conveyor chain having lateral friction roller pressing surfaces to drive the conveyor chain continuously in the first track. Holding adapters for conveyed objects are coupled to the conveyor chain, with the holding adapters being transferred into the first rail profile by an induct switch. A pressing piece arranged on a side of the conveyor chain opposite the drive roller is adjustable between an active and a passive position. The adjustment path of the pressing piece is dimensioned such that in the active position the conveyor chain is in contact with the drive roller and in the passive position the conveyor chain is not in contact with the drive roller, whereby in the active position the drive roller can be driven by the conveyor chain.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A conveyor for conveying suspended objects, said conveyor comprising:
a first rail profile having a first, upper track and a second track arranged below the first track;
a conveyor chain having lateral friction roller pressing surfaces, against which friction rollers are pressed to drive the conveyor chain, wherein the conveyor chain is moved continuously in a direction of conveyance in the first track of the rail profile when the friction rollers are pressed against the friction roller pressing surfaces of the conveyor chain;
holding adapters for holding objects to be conveyed, each holding adapter having a head part which is mounted so as to be able to roll in the second track of the rail profile and is coupled to the conveyor chain; and
at least one induct switch, via which the holding adapters are transferred from a second rail profile into the first rail profile, wherein the induct switch comprises a third rail profile having a track, along which the head part of the respective holding adapter is guided so as to be able to roll, a drive belt for conveying the holding adapters along the third rail profile, and a drive roller driving the drive belt;
wherein a press piece that is adjustable between an active position and a passive position is arranged on a side of the conveyor chain opposite the drive roller, and wherein the adjustment path of the press piece is dimensioned such that in the active position of the press piece the conveyor chain is in contact with the drive roller and in the passive position of the press piece the conveyor chain is not in contact with the drive roller, wherein in the active position the drive roller is driven by the conveyor chain.

2. The conveyor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the press piece comprises a counter roller that is adjusted between an active position and a passive position perpendicular to a rotary spindle.

3. The conveyor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the rotary spindle of the counter roller is suspended from a housing of a roller seat in a spring-loaded manner.

4. The conveyor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the rotary spindle of the counter roller is pressed against the friction roller pressing surfaces of the conveyor chain that face away from the drive roller against a spring force.

5. The conveyor as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second rail profile is formed as a buffer section having at least one stop device for blocking and releasing a further conveyance of objects towards the induct switch, and wherein the stop device is coupled to a switch device that activates the adjustment of the press piece, wherein by releasing the stop device the press piece is adjusted from the passive position into the active position to bring the conveyor chain into contact with the drive roller.

6. The conveyor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the stop device is electrically coupled to the switch device which activates the press piece.

7. The conveyor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the stop device is mechanically or hydraulically coupled to the switch device which activates the press piece.

8. The conveyor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein elevations that protrude perpendicular to the direction of conveyance are formed on an outer surface of the drive belt in order to convey the holding adapters further in the direction of conveyance.

9. The conveyor as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the elevations comprise elastically bendable fingers.

10. A conveyor for conveying suspended objects, said conveyor comprising:
a first rail profile having a first, upper track and a second track arranged below the first track;
a conveyor chain having lateral friction roller pressing surfaces, against which friction rollers are pressed to drive the conveyor chain, wherein the conveyor chain is moved continuously in a direction of conveyance in the first track of the rail profile when the friction rollers are pressed against the friction roller pressing surfaces;
holding adapters for holding objects to be conveyed, each holding adapter having a head part which is mounted so as to be able to roll in the second track of the rail profile and is coupled to the conveyor chain; and
at least one induct switch, via which the holding adapters are transferred from a second rail profile into the first rail profile, wherein the induct switch comprises a third rail profile having a track, along which the head part of the respective holding adapter is guided so as to be able to roll, a drive belt for conveying the holding adapters along the third rail profile, and a drive roller driving the drive belt;
wherein a press piece that is adjustable between an active position and a passive position is arranged on a side of the conveyor chain opposite the drive roller, and wherein the adjustment path of the press piece is dimensioned such that in the active position of the press piece the conveyor chain is in contact with the drive roller and in the passive position of the press piece the conveyor chain is not in contact with the drive roller, wherein in the active position the drive roller is driven by the conveyor chain, and wherein the second rail profile is formed as a buffer section having at least one stop device for blocking and releasing a further conveyance of objects towards the induct switch, and wherein the stop device is coupled to a switch device that activates the adjustment of the press piece, wherein by releasing the stop device the press piece is adjusted from the passive position into the active position to bring the conveyor chain into contact with the drive roller.

11. The conveyor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the press piece comprises a counter roller that is adjusted between an active position and a passive position perpendicular to a rotary spindle.

12. The conveyor as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the rotary spindle of the counter roller is suspended from a housing of a roller seat in a spring-loaded manner.

13. The conveyor as claimed in claim 11 , wherein elevations that protrude perpendicular to the direction of conveyance are formed on an outer surface of the drive belt in order to convey the holding adapters further in the direction of conveyance.

14. The conveyor as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the elevations comprise elastically bendable fingers.

15. The conveyor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the stop device is electrically coupled to the switch device which activates the press piece.

16. The conveyor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the stop device is mechanically or hydraulically coupled to the switch device which activates the press piece.

Assignees

• Dematic Gmbh

Inventors

• Otto Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/61

  for articles · CPC title

• B65G19/025

  for suspended articles · CPC title

• B65G23/14 Primary

  Endless driving elements extending parallel to belt or chain {(B65G23/18 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65G9/006

  Arresting, braking or escapement means · CPC title

• B65G9/008 Primary

  Rails or switches · CPC title