Drive and sideguard belt insert for a modular plastic conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647512-B2
Application number	US-201716084436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 7, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of hingedly interconnected belt modules, one or more modules comprises a base conveyor belt module and an insert for integrating a side wall and drive structure. The insert is received in a socket of an associated module. The insert comprising a plug portion received in the socket, a planar portion extending up from the plug portion to form a side guard above the top surface and drive structure for engaging a drive.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor belt module, comprising:
a base module comprising a module body and a plurality of hinge elements having hinge openings, the hinge elements extending from first and second ends of the module body, the base module having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a socket formed in the base module, the socket opening to the top surface and the bottom surface; and
an insert inserted in the socket, the insert having a plug portion received in the socket, the plug portion having a hinge rod opening that aligns with hinge openings in hinge elements extending from the first end of the base module, a planar portion extending up from the plug portion to form a side guard above the top surface and drive structure for engaging a drive.

2. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the socket is formed in an edge hinge element on the first end of the module body.

3. The conveyor belt module of claim 2 , further comprising a base drive tooth extending laterally from the edge hinge element.

4. The conveyor belt module of claim 3 , wherein the insert comprises a forward drive tooth and a rear drive tooth, and the forward drive tooth lies below and aligns with the base drive tooth to form a large drive surface.

5. The conveyor belt module of claim 2 , wherein the edge hinge element is wider than other hinge elements on the first end of the module body.

6. The conveyor belt module of claim 3 , wherein the base drive tooth comprises a flat front surface parallel to the module body and an oblique rear surface so that the base drive tooth tapers to a tapered end.

7. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the insert includes a base portion from which the plug portion extends, and wherein the drive structure comprises at least one drive tooth extending from a side of the base portion.

8. The conveyor belt module of claim 7 , wherein the insert further comprises a shelf extending from a side surface of the base portion opposite the drive tooth, the shelf having an upper surface stepped down from an upper surface of the base portion and a bottom surface flush with a bottom surface of the base portion.

9. The conveyor belt module of claim 7 , wherein the base portion has a top face, a bottom face, an inside face, an outside face, a front face and a rear face, and the insert further comprise a forward drive tooth and a rear drive tooth extending laterally outward from the outside face.

10. The conveyor belt module of claim 9 , wherein the plug portion is smaller laterally and longitudinally than the base portion and the planar portion is smaller laterally and longitudinally than the plug portion.

11. The conveyor belt module of claim 10 , wherein the planar portion is spaced laterally inward from the forward drive tooth and rear drive tooth.

12. The conveyor belt module of claim 11 , wherein the bottom surface of the base module rests on the top of the forward drive tooth, the rear drive tooth and the top face of the base portion.

13. A conveyor belt module, comprising:
a base module comprising a module body and a plurality of hinge elements having hinge openings, the hinge elements extending from first and the second ends of the module body, the base module having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a socket formed in an edge hinge element on the first end of the base module, the socket opening to the top surface and the bottom surface; and
an insert coupled to the base module, the insert comprising a base portion, a plug portion extending upwards from the base portion and received in the socket, and a drive element extending from a side of the base portion for engaging a conveyor drive, wherein the base portion of the insert has a length approximately equal to the length of the edge hinge element, so that the front of the insert aligns with the front of the module and the rear of the insert base portion aligns with the rear of the edge hinge element.

14. The conveyor belt module of claim 13 , wherein the drive element comprises a forward drive tooth and a rear drive tooth spaced from the forward drive tooth.

15. The conveyor belt module of claim 13 , wherein the insert further comprises a planar portion extending vertically from the plug portion above the top surface forming a side guard for the conveyor belt module.

16. The conveyor belt module of claim 13 , wherein the plug portion of the insert includes a hinge rod opening that aligns with the hinge openings in the base module.

17. The conveyor belt module of claim 13 , wherein the insert further comprises a shelf extending from a side surface of the base portion opposite the drive element, the shelf having an upper surface stepped down from an upper surface of the base portion and a bottom surface flush with a bottom surface of the base portion.

18. A conveyor belt module, comprising:
a base module comprising a module body and a plurality of hinge elements having hinge openings, the hinge elements extending from first and second ends of the module body, the base module having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a socket formed in the base module, the socket opening to the top surface and the bottom surface; and
an insert inserted in the socket, the insert having a base portion, a plug portion extending from the base portion and received in the socket, a planar portion extending up from the plug portion to form a side guard above the top surface, at least one drive tooth extending from a side of the base portion for engaging a drive and a shelf extending from a side of the base portion opposite the drive tooth, the shelf having an upper surface stepped down from an upper surface of the base portion and a bottom surface flush with a bottom surface of the base portion.

19. A conveyor belt module, comprising:
a base module comprising a module body and a plurality of hinge elements having hinge openings, the hinge elements extending from first and the second ends of the module body, the base module having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a socket formed in the base module opening to the top surface and the bottom surface; and
an insert coupled to the base module, the insert comprising a base portion with a top face, bottom face, inside face, outside face, front face and rear face, a plug portion extending upwards from the top face of the base portion and received in the socket and a drive element, the drive element comprising a forward drive tooth and a rear drive tooth extending laterally outward from the outside face of the base portion.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Bogle David W

Classifications

• B65G17/40

  Chains acting as load-carriers · CPC title

• B65G2207/30

  Modular constructions · CPC title

• B65G17/46

  Means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position on the load-carriers, e.g. magnetic · CPC title

• B65G17/08 Primary

  the surface being formed by the traction element · CPC title

• B65G2207/12

  Chain pin retainers · CPC title