Wire drive conveying apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518979-B2
Application number	US-201916378908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2019
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A wire drive conveying apparatus is configured to cause a conveyance bogie to run along a guide rail by pulling a wire placed along the guide rail and formed to be endless when the opposite ends of the wire are connected to the conveyance bogie configured to slidably engage with the guide rail. The wire drive conveying apparatus includes: a movable trestle connected to a moving pulley configured to support the wire; a weight configured to pull the trestle in a direction in which a tensile force is given to the wire; a spring provided between the conveyance bogie and the trestle; and a locking mechanism configured to permit a movement of the trestle in the direction in which the tensile force is given to the wire and to prevent a movement of the trestle in a direction in which the wire is loosened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wire drive conveying apparatus comprising:
a guide rail;
a conveyance bogie configured to slidably engage with the guide rail;
a wire placed along the guide rail and formed to be endless when opposite ends of the wire are connected to the conveyance bogie;
a movable trestle connected to a moving pulley configured to support the wire;
a weight configured to pull the trestle in a direction in which a tensile force is given to the wire;
a spring provided between the conveyance bogie and the trestle; and
a locking mechanism configured to permit a movement of the trestle in the direction in which the tensile force is given to the wire and to prevent a movement of the trestle in a direction in which the wire is loosened, wherein the wire drive conveying apparatus is configured to cause the conveyance bogie to run along the guide rail by pulling the wire.

2. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the spring is provided between the moving pulley and the trestle; and
the moving pulley and the trestle are connected to each other via the spring.

3. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the spring is provided between the conveyance bogie and the moving pulley; and
the conveyance bogie and the wire are connected to each other via the spring.

4. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the locking mechanism is a ratchet mechanism including ratchet teeth and ratchet lugs and configured such that, when the ratchet lugs move relative to the ratchet teeth toward the direction in which the tensile force is given to the wire, the ratchet lugs do not engage with the ratchet teeth, and when the ratchet lugs move relative to the ratchet teeth toward the direction in which the wire is loosened, the ratchet lugs engage with the ratchet teeth; and
the ratchet lugs are attached to the trestle.

5. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes an eccentric cam configured to switch between an unlocked state where the movement in the direction in which the tensile force is given to the wire is permitted and a locked state where the movement in the direction in which the wire is loosened is prevented.

6. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
a driving device configured to wind the wire is provided in a first end of the guide rail; and
a take-up mechanism including the moving pulley, the trestle, and the weight is provided in a second end of the guide rail.

7. The wire drive conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the guide rail has a curved curve part.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takeuchi Sadamu

Classifications

• B65G35/06

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• B61B12/007 Primary

  Cable tensioning devices · CPC title

• B61B9/00

  Tramway or funicular systems with rigid track and cable traction (haulage clips B61B12/12) · CPC title

• B65G23/44

  Belt or chain tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• B65G23/14 Primary

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