Dryer conveyor belt tracking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11226156-B2
Application number	US-202017031210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveyor belt tracking system for a dryer having a web of a mesh material having a protrusion extending along the length proximal one lateral edge and above a flat surface and a first generally cylindrical roller having a three-tiered slot for receiving the protrusion and two flanking shallow tracks for receiving base flanges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of drying a plurality of textiles comprising:
providing a housing defining a chamber having an infeed end and an opposed outfeed end;
dividing the chamber into a first zone and a second zone with a separation wall;
providing a first conveyor system extending through the chamber and having a belt having a first upper surface for supporting objects and opposed lateral edges;
providing a first belt tracking guide on the first conveyor system to ensure the opposed lateral edges of the belt move at an equal rate;
providing a second conveyor system extending through the chamber and parallel to the first conveyor system and having a belt with a second upper surface generally coplanar with the first upper surface and opposed lateral edges;
providing an electronic controller connected to the first conveyor system and the second conveyor system, the controller having a graphical user interface (GUI) for entering physical characteristics of the first zone and the second zone;
providing a source of heated air under pressure;
providing a source of fresh air under pressure;
connecting the source of heated air to the first zone and the second zone through a first conduit;
connecting the source of heated air to the second zone through a second conduit;
controlling with the controller a flow rate of heated air into the first zone to maintain a first desired temperature; and,
controlling with the controller a flow rate of both the heated air and the fresh air into the second zone to maintain a second desired temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the belt of the first conveyor system has a first width, and the belt of the second conveyor system has a second width, the first width being greater than the second width.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI allows an operator to select a first desired temperature of the first zone, a second desired temperature of the second zone, a belt speed of the first conveyor system, and a belt speed of the second conveyor system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the separation wall is retractable.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising an air knife system in the chamber for providing heated air under pressure over generally an entire length of the first conveyor system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising entering a dwell time for a textile to remain in the first zone with the GUI and calculating with the controller a speed of the belt in the first conveyor system to achieve the dwell time.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising calculating with the controller a change in a direction of the belt in the first conveyor system to achieve the dwell time.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising entering into the GUI a desired side of the housing to be the infeed end.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising entering into the GUI a frequency of electromagnetic radiation to pass through zone 1 .

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a protrusion extending along one lateral edge of the belt of the first conveyor system, the protrusion having a central peak and flanking base flanges.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a pair of generally cylindrical rollers within the housing and spaced from one another and the belt of the first conveyor system is mounted on the rollers for movement with the rollers, each of the rollers having a circumference, opposed lateral edges and a generally smooth surface, a three-tiered slot extends about the circumference spaced axially inwardly from a lateral edge and extends radially inwardly of the smooth surface and having a central deep track for receiving the central peak and two flanking shallow tracks for receiving the base flanges.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein one roller of the pair of rollers is a drive roller and the other roller of the pair of rollers is an idler roller.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the three-tiered slot is on the drive roller.

14. The device of claim 11 further comprising a support extending between the opposed lateral edges of the belt of the first conveyor system and having a surface for contacting the belt and a notch in the surface to accommodate the central peak.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the central peak is generally trapezoidal in vertical cross section.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising a coating material on the protrusion.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the belt of the first conveyor system is made of heat-resistant, polytetrafluoroethylene coated fiberglass mesh.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising thread attaching the protrusion to the belt of the first conveyor system.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-tiered slot is spaced axially inwardly of one of the pair of opposed lateral edges of the belt of the first conveyor system.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising a second belt tracking guide on the second conveyor system to ensure the opposed lateral edges of the belt move at an equal rate.

Assignees

• M & R Printing Equip Inc

Inventors

• Hoffman Jr Richard C
• Switalski Mariusz
• Podstawka Jerzy
• Tkacz Dariusz

Classifications

• F26B21/37

  Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow · CPC title

• F26B21/35

  Temperature; Pressure · CPC title

• F26B21/33

  Humidity · CPC title

• F26B15/18 Primary

  the objects or batches of materials being carried by endless belts · CPC title

• F26B25/06

  Chambers, containers, or receptacles {(large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents B65D88/74)} · CPC title