Clamp, system and method for measuring tension in a conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11927247-B2
Application number	US-202017605865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2020
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

In an aspect there is disclosed examples of a clamp (10, 110) for measuring a tension of a conveyor belt (12). The clamp (10, 110) including a clamping portion (18, 118) arranged to engage with opposing faces of the conveyor belt (12) in a clamped condition to hold the conveyor belt (12) relative to an anchor, and a load sensing arrangement (22, 122) associated with the clamping portion (18, 118) configured to provide a signal indicative of the tension in the conveyor belt (12) in the clamped condition. A system and related method are also disclosed.

First claim

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A clamp for measuring a tension of a conveyor belt, the clamp including a clamping portion arranged to engage with opposing faces of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition to hold the conveyor belt relative to an anchor, and a load sensing arrangement including at least one sensor between the clamping portion and the anchor, the load sensing arrangement configured to provide a signal indicative of the tension in the conveyor belt in the clamped condition, wherein the clamping portion includes a first clamping section, a second clamping section and a pivotal coupling arranged such that the first clamping section is pivotally moveable relative to the second clamping section to engage with the conveyor belt in the clamped condition.

2. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one load sensor is arranged to measure at least a load applied in a direction inline with the belt.

3. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the load sensing arrangement is connected to the first clamping section so as to be moveable therewith.

4. The clamp according to claim 3 , wherein the load sensing arrangement includes a load sensing section between the first clamping section and the anchor, and wherein the load sensing section carries the at least one load sensor.

5. The clamp according to claim 4 , wherein the load sensing section has a substantially dog-bone shape.

6. The clamp according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one load sensor is provided in the form of two strain gauges each located proximate respective opposing upper and lower surfaces of the load sensing section.

7. The clamp according to claim 4 , wherein a free end of the load sensing section is coupled with an anchor point that is in turn coupled with the anchor in the clamped condition.

8. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the second clamping section is substantially fixed.

9. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp includes a main body with a top and a bottom, the second clamping section being provided toward the top and the first clamping section being pivotally supported by the pivotal coupling arranged between the bottom and the first clamping section.

10. The clamp according to claim 9 , wherein the main body includes opposing sides between the top and the bottom, one of the opposing sides having a slot in which an edge of the conveyor belt is receivable.

11. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the pivotal coupling is arranged to maintain a first clamping surface of the first clamping section substantially parallel to the conveyor belt.

12. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the pivotal coupling is arranged to allow the first clamping section to increase a clamping force on the belt in response to an increase in tension in the conveyor belt.

13. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the pivotal coupling includes two parallel members pivotally coupled at spaced apart locations between the bottom and the first clamping section.

14. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp includes a retainer arranged to maintain the clamp in the clamped condition.

15. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the load sensing arrangement includes a communication device arranged to communicate a signal indicative of the tension to an external device.

16. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp is one-of a pair of clamps provided to couple with opposing side edges of a conveyor belt.

17. A system for detecting load in a conveyor belt, the system including:
a. A pair of edge clamps each having respective clamping portions adapted to clampingly engage with opposing side edges of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition, the respective clamping portions each having a first clamping section, a second clamping section and a pivotal coupling arranged such that the first clamping section is pivotally moveable relative to the second clamping section to engage with the conveyor belt in the clamped condition;
b. An anchoring arrangement arranged to couple with an anchor point of the pair of edge clamps to anchor the pair of edge clamps to a fixed structure;
c. A load sensing arrangement including a load sensing section located between at least one of the respective clamping portions of the pair of edge clamps and the anchoring arrangement, each load sensing section including a load sensor and a communication device arranged to communicate a load signal; and
d. A receiving device configured to receive the load signal so as to provide an indication of a tension in the conveyor belt in the clamped condition.

18. A method for detecting load in a conveyor belt, the method including the steps of:
a. Fitting a pair of edge clamps to opposing edges of the conveyor belt and pivotally moving at least one of the respective clamping portions of the pair of edge clamps to engage with opposing side edges of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition;
b. Coupling an anchoring arrangement to a load sensing section associated with one or both of the clamping portions of each pair of edge clamps;
c. Transmitting, via a communication device associated with load sensors fitted to each load sensing section, a load signal; and
d. Receiving, at a receiving device, the load signal so as to provide an indication of a tension in the conveyor belt in the clamped condition.

19. A clamp for measuring a tension of a conveyor belt, the clamp including a main body and a clamping portion arranged to engage with opposing faces of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition to hold the conveyor belt relative to an anchor, and a load sensing arrangement between the clamping portion and the anchor, the load sensing arrangement configured to provide a signal indicative of the tension in the conveyor belt in the clamped condition, wherein the clamping portion includes a first clamping section and a second clamping section, the first clamping section being pivotally supported by a pivotal coupling between the first clamping member and the main body.

20. A clamp for measuring a tension of a conveyor belt, the clamp including a clamping portion arranged to engage with opposing faces of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition to hold the conveyor belt relative to an anchor, and a load sensing arrangement between the clamping portion and the anchor, the load sensing arrangement configured to provide a signal indicative of the tension in the conveyor belt in the clamped condition, wherein the clamp includes a retainer arranged to maintain the clamp in the clamped condition.

21. A system for detecting load in a conveyor belt, the system including:
a. A pair of edge clamps each having respective clamping portions adapted to clampingly engage with opposing side edges of the conveyor belt in a clamped condition, wherein each of the pair of edge clamps include a retainer to maintain each of the pair of edge clamps in the clamped condition;
b. An anchoring arrangement arranged to couple with an anchor point of the pair of edge clamps to anchor the pair of edge clamps to a fixed structure;
c. A load sensing arrangement including a load sensing section located between at least one of the respective clamping portions of the pair of edge clamps and the anchoring arrangement, each load sensing section including a load sensor and a communication device arranged to communicate a load signal; and
d. A receiving device configured to receive the load signal so as to provide an indication of a tension in the conveyor belt in the

Assignees

• Univ Newcastle
• Ts Global Pty Ltd

Inventors

• Wheeler Craig Anthony
• Willis Jason Tom
• Ilic Dusan
• Holford Graham Dean

Classifications

• F16G3/003 Primary

  Apparatus or tools for joining belts (stapler B25C5/00) · CPC title

• B25B5/02 Primary

  with sliding jaws · CPC title

• B25B5/12

  using toggle links · CPC title

• F16G3/07 Primary

  Friction clamps, e.g. of grommet-thimble type · CPC title

• F16G3/08

  consisting of plates and screw-bolts or rivets (F16G3/06 takes precedence) · CPC title