System and method for correcting conveyor belt misalignment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10815066-B2
Application number	US-201916379369-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2019
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A system for correcting transverse misalignment of a conveyor belt relative to a supporting pulley, includes a frame is pivotally attached to a stationary member. A guide surface engages the frame to guide pivoting of the frame about the pivot point simultaneously about a vertical axis and a longitudinally aligned axis. Idler rollers rotatably mounted on the frame define a rolling contact surface for the conveyor belt, which is concavely-shaped in a transversely-extending vertical plane. The pivoting of the frame causes the surface to impart a combined transverse pushing effect, torsional steering effect, and torsional tiling effect on the conveyor belt. An actuator applies a force to pivot the frame about the axis. A computer determines an amount of the misalignment based on a signal from a sensor, and automatically controls the actuator to pivot the frame, depending on the determined amount of the misalignment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for correcting a misalignment of a conveyor belt travelling in a horizontal longitudinal direction relative to a stationary member, the misalignment occurring relative to a pulley supporting the conveyor belt, and in a horizontal transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a conveyor belt portion above the pulley and a conveyor belt portion below the pulley, the system comprising:
(a) a rigid frame pivotally attached at a pivot point to the stationary member;
(b) at least one stationary guide surface that, directly or indirectly, engages the rigid frame to guide pivoting of the frame about the pivot point, simultaneously about a vertical axis and a longitudinally aligned axis; and
(c) a plurality of idler rollers rotatably mounted on the frame and collectively defining a rolling contact surface for engaging only a top surface of the conveyor belt portion below the pulley, wherein the contact surface is concavely-shaped in a transversely-extending vertical plane, and spaced apart from the pivot point.

2. The system of the claim 1 , wherein the pivot point is adjustable in respect to its vertical position relative to the conveyor belt.

3. The system of claim 1 , where the at least one guide surface comprises a pair of transversely spaced apart, vertically inclined, guide surfaces.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is adjustable in respect to its vertical position relative to the conveyor belt.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is removably attached to a guide member assembly so as to be interchangeable with a replacement guide surface having a different geometry than the guide surface, such that the guide surface and the replacement guide surface guide pivoting of the frame about the pivot point in different paths.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a rolling element rotatably mounted to the rigid frame, wherein the guide surface indirectly engages the frame to guide pivoting of the frame via rolling contact of the rolling element with the guide surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator for pivoting the frame about the pivot point.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic actuator.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a sensor for monitoring the misalignment, and a computer operatively connected to the sensor and to the actuator, and configured to:
(a) determine an amount of the misalignment based on a signal from the sensor; and
(b) automatically control the actuator to pivot the frame about the pivot point depending on the determined amount of the misalignment.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises an electro-optical sensor.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor monitors the misalignment by monitoring the position of an edge of the conveyor belt.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is configured to control the actuator in real-time depending on the determined amount of the misalignment at an instance in time.

13. A method for correcting a misalignment of a conveyor belt travelling in a horizontal longitudinal direction relative to a stationary member, the misalignment occurring relative to a pulley supporting the conveyor belt, and in a horizontal transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a conveyor belt portion above the pulley and a conveyor belt portion below the pulley, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a rolling contact surface in contact with only a top surface of the conveyor belt portion below the pulley, wherein the rolling contact surface is collectively defined by a plurality of idler rollers, and wherein the rolling contact surface is concavely-shaped in a transversely-extending plane; and
(b) when the rolling contact surface is in contact with the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt is travelling in the longitudinal direction, pivoting the rolling contact surface, relative to the stationary member, about a pivot point spaced apart from the rolling contact surface, simultaneously about a vertical axis and a longitudinally aligned axis.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting one or a combination of a vertical position of the pivot point relative to the conveyor belt, or an angle of inclination of the rolling contact surface relative to the conveyor belt.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pivoting step is performed using an actuator to apply a force to a frame on which the plurality of idler rollers are rotatably mounted.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic actuator.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
(a) the method further comprises using a sensor to monitor the misalignment; and
(b) in the pivoting step, the actuator is automatically controlled by a computer operatively connected to the sensor and to the actuator, and configured to determine an amount of the misalignment based on a signal from the sensor, and to control the actuator to pivot the frame about the pivot point depending on the determined amount of the misalignment.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises an electro-optical sensor.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the sensor monitors the misalignment by monitoring the position of an edge of the conveyor belt.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the computer is configured to control the actuator in real-time, depending on the determined amount of the misalignment at an instance in time.

Assignees

• Syncrude Canada Ltd
• Syncrude Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Carniato Michael
• Wolfe Dan
• Polak Mark
• Wu Yuxiang (Isaac)
• Moon Soon Won

Classifications

• B65G39/16 Primary

  for aligning belts or chains · CPC title