Control system for detecting and correcting an imbalance in a conveyor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10513397-B2
Application number	US-201616066465-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A conveyor control system detects imbalances in a multi-drive conveyor belt and institutes a corrective action to rectify the imbalances. A sensor detects imbalances by measuring gaps between consecutive conveyor modules near a drive for the conveyor belt. A controller can initiate an alarm or automatically modify one or more drives to correct a detected imbalance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a conveyor belt, comprising the steps of:
detecting an imbalance in a conveyor belt by measuring a gap between conveying belt modules using a sensor adjacent to an edge of the conveyor belt before a drive contact point to ensure full separation of the conveyor belt modules; and
automatically instituting a corrective action based on a reading from the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drive comprises a side drive that engages drive elements on the edge of the conveyor belt.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corrective action comprises adjusting the speed of the drive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a lighter emitter above the edge of the conveyor belt and a light receiver below the edge of the conveyor belt for detecting the gap between consecutive conveyor belt modules in the conveyor belt.

5. A multi-drive conveyor system, comprising:
a conveyor belt;
a first drive driving the conveyor belt at a first location;
a second drive driving the conveyor belt at a second location; and
a tension sensor adjacent the first drive for detecting a presence or absence of gaps between conveyor belt modules in the conveyor belt near the first drive, wherein an absence of gaps before the first drive indicates an imbalance and a presence of gaps after the first drive indicates an imbalance;
a controller for instituting a corrective action if the tension sensor detects an imbalance in the conveyor belt.

6. The multi-drive conveyor system of claim 5 , wherein the tension sensor comprises a light emitter and a light receiver for detecting gaps between modules in the conveyor belt.

7. The multi-drive conveyor system of claim 5 , wherein the tension sensor is located adjacent to an edge of the first belt at the first drive.

8. The multi-drive conveyor system of claim 5 , wherein the tension sensor measures tension immediately after the conveyor belt exits the first drive.

9. The multi-drive conveyor system of claim 5 , wherein the controller initiates an alarm if the tension sensor detects an imbalance in the conveyor belt.

10. The multi-drive conveyor system of claim 5 , wherein the controller adjusts the speed of one of the first drive and the second drive if the tension sensor detects an imbalance in the conveyor belt.

11. A method of detecting and correcting an imbalance in a multi-drive conveyor system, comprising the steps of:
sensing the presence of a gap between modules in the conveyor belt immediately after exiting a sprocket driving the conveyor belt to determine whether the conveyor belt has properly collapsed; and
adjusting the speed of the sprocket if a gap exists.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of sensing the presence of a gap comprises the step of directing a light beam into an edge of the conveyor belt using a light emitter and receiving the light beam with a receiver if a gap exists.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Bogle David W

Classifications

• B65G23/44 Primary

  Belt or chain tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• G01M1/14

  Determining imbalance (G01M1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G43/02

  detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating · CPC title

• B65G2203/043

  Magnetic · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title