Conveyor cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10239696-B1
Application number	US-201815946772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A conveyor cartridge that is removably coupled to a conveyor frame is provided. The conveyor cartridge comprises a cartridge frame, conveyor rollers, and a belt. The cartridge frame comprises a first side plate and an opposite second side plate, extended portions, and arcuate sloped surfaces. The first and second side plates delimit a direction of the conveyor cartridge transverse to a transport direction. Each extended portion is formed on a top surface of one of the first or second side plates and extends outward beyond the corresponding one of the first side plate and the second side plate in the direction transverse to the transport direction. The arcuate sloped surfaces are integrally formed on opposite end portions of the extended portions. The arcuate sloped surfaces are downwardly bowed on the opposite end portions to define a curved head portion and a curved tail portion for the extended portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conveyor system comprising:
a conveyor frame with a first side rail and a second side rail;
a conveyor cartridge removably coupled with the first side rail and a second side rail of the conveyor frame, wherein the conveyor cartridge comprises:
a cartridge frame comprising:
a first side plate and an opposite second side plate that delimit a direction of the conveyor cartridge transverse to transport direction;
two extended portions, each extended portion integrally formed on a top surface of one of the first side plate or the second side plate and extending outwardly from the top surface of the corresponding one of the first side plate and the second side plate in the direction transverse to the transport direction; and
arcuate sloped surfaces integrally formed on opposite end portions of each of the extended portions, wherein the arcuate sloped surfaces are downwardly bowed on the opposite end portions to define a curved head portion and a curved tail portion for the extended portions;
conveyor rollers rotatably mounted to axles and extending a conveyor roller width between the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein an axle of at least one of the conveyor rollers protrudes out through the first side plate and the second side plate; and
a belt slidably engaged to the cartridge frame fully covering the conveyor rollers and extending beyond the conveyor rollers covering at least a portion of each of the extended portions.

2. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the extended portions extend outwardly from the corresponding one of the first side plate and the second side plate uniformly throughout the length of the first side plate and the second side plate.

3. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the curved head portion and the curved tail portion extend beyond the length of the first side plate and the second side plate.

4. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the curved head portion and the curved tail portion is proximal to the at least one of the conveyor rollers with axles protruding out through the first side plate and the second side plate.

5. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein (a) the arcuate sloped surface includes a curved dimension substantially equal to the curved dimension of one half of the outer radial circumference of the at least one of the conveyor rollers, and (b) the arcuate sloped surface encloses a substantial portion of the protruding axles.

6. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein when the conveyor cartridge is installed on the conveyor frame, a protruding portion of the axle of the at least one of the conveyor rollers mechanically couples to axle retaining members on the first side rail and the second side rail of the conveyor frame.

7. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein when the conveyor cartridge is installed on the conveyor frame, one of the extended portions abuts against the first side rail and another of the extended portions abuts against the second side rail and thereby covering any gaps existing between the cartridge frame and the conveyor frame.

8. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein first side plate and the second side plate each comprise one or more apertures to receive axles of the conveyor rollers.

9. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the conveyor rollers comprises a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion.

10. The conveyor system of claim 9 , wherein the first protruding portion of the at least one of the conveyor rollers projects out beyond the first side plate in a direction parallel to the transport direction, and wherein the second protruding portion of the at least one of the conveyor rollers projects out in a direction transverse to both the transport direction and a direction defined by the conveyor roller width.

11. The conveyor system of claim 10 , wherein a first offset distance is provided between the first protruding portion and a leading edge of the arcuate sloped surface creating a first clearance between the arcuate sloped surface and the belt.

12. The conveyor system of claim 10 , wherein a second offset distance is provided between the second protruding portion and a top surface of at least one of the extended portions creating a second clearance between the at least one of the extended portions and the belt.

13. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein (a) the conveyor cartridge further comprises end conveyor rollers driven by a drive conveyor roller and (b) the drive conveyor roller is a motor driven conveyor roller (MDR).

14. The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein a width of the belt extends beyond the conveyor roller width and covers at least a portion of both of the extended portions.

15. A conveyor cartridge configured to be removably coupled with a first side rail and a second side rail of a conveyor frame, the conveyor cartridge comprises:
a cartridge frame comprising:
a first side plate and an opposite second side plate that delimit a direction of the conveyor cartridge transverse to transport direction;
two extended portions, each extended portion integrally formed on a top surface of one of the first side plate or the second side plate and extending outwardly from the top surface of the corresponding one of the first side plate and the second side plate in the direction transverse to the transport direction; and
arcuate sloped surfaces integrally formed on opposite end portions of each of the extended portions, wherein the arcuate sloped surfaces are downwardly bowed on the opposite end portions to define a curved head portion and a curved tail portion for the extended portion;
conveyor rollers rotatably mounted to axles and extending a conveyor roller width between the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein an axle of at least one of the conveyor rollers protrudes out through the first side plate and the second side plate; and
a belt slidably engaged to the cartridge frame fully covering the conveyor rollers and extending beyond the conveyor rollers covering at least a portion of each of the extended portions.

16. The conveyor cartridge of claim 15 , further comprising:
one or more connecting rods to mechanically couple the first side plate and the second side plate together.

17. The conveyor cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the at least one of the conveyor rollers with a protruding axle is one of an idler conveyor roller or a drive conveyor roller.

18. A conveyor cartridge comprising:
a first side plate and an opposite second side plate that delimits a direction of the conveyor cartridge transverse to a transport direction;
extended portions, each extended portion integrally formed on a top surface of one of the first side plate or the second side plate and extending outward beyond a corresponding one of the first side plate or the second side plate in the direction transverse to the transport direction;
arcuate sloped surfaces integrally formed on opposing end portions of the extended portions, wherein the arcuate sloped surfaces are downwardly bowed on the opposing end portions to define a curved head portion and a curved tail portion for the extended portions; and
a belt slidably engaged to the conveyor cartridge that covers at least a portion of each of the extended portions and arcuate sloped surfaces.

19. The conveyor cartridge of claim 18 , wherein (a) one or more conveyor rollers are disposed between the first side plate and the opposite second side plate and (b) the arcuate sloped surfaces each have a cu

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Brouk Justin

Classifications

• B65G17/42

  Attaching load carriers to traction elements · CPC title

• B65G2207/30

  Modular constructions · CPC title

• B65G17/345

  the surfaces being equipped with a conveyor · CPC title

• B65G15/60 Primary

  Arrangements for supporting or guiding belts, e.g. by fluid jets · CPC title

• B65G21/22

  Rails or the like engaging sliding elements or rollers attached to load-carriers or traction elements · CPC title