Conveyor belt module with stepped hinge passageway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9573767-B2
Application number	US-201615011834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 5, 2015
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A conveyor belt module comprises a module body and offset hinge elements extending from each end of the module body. On one end, the hinge elements include a progressively widening hinge passageway having hinge openings extending at different angles. The hinge openings progressively widen in a stepped manner to facilitate load sharing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor belt module comprising:
a module body;
a first hinge element extending from a first end of the module body, the first hinge element having a first hinge opening bounded by a first distal bearing surface that extends along a first axis;
a second hinge element extending from the first end of the module body adjacent the first hinge element, the second hinge element having a second hinge opening bounded by a second distal bearing surface that extends along a second axis different from the first axis; and
a third hinge element extending from the first end of the module body adjacent the second hinge element, the third hinge element having third hinge opening bounded by a third distal bearing surface that extends along a third axis different from the first axis and the second axis.

2. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the second axis and third axis are parallel to each other.

3. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the second axis extends obliquely relative to the first axis at an angle of between about 0.05° and about 3°.

4. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third hinge openings have inner bearing surfaces that are aligned along a fourth axis.

5. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the third hinge opening is wider than the second hinge opening.

6. The conveyor belt module of claim 5 , wherein the second hinge opening is wider than the first hinge opening.

7. The conveyor belt module of claim 1 , wherein the second third hinge openings are elongated in a direction of belt travel.

8. A conveyor belt module, comprising:
a module body;
a first hinge element extending from a first end of the module body, the first hinge element having a first hinge opening bounded by a first distal bearing surface that extends along a first axis; and
a second hinge element extending from the first end of the module body, the second hinge element having a second hinge opening bounded by a second distal bearing surface that extends along a second axis, the second axis offset from and parallel to the first axis.

9. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , where the second axis is offset in a distal direction from the second axis.

10. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , wherein the second axis is offset by a distance of between about 0.005 inches and about 0.02 inches from the first axis.

11. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , wherein the first and second hinge openings have inner bearing surfaces that are aligned along a third axis.

12. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , further comprising a third hinge element having a third hinge opening bounded by a third distal bearing surface that extends along a third axis.

13. The conveyor belt module of claim 12 , wherein the third axis is different from the first axis and second axis.

14. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , wherein the first and second axes extend transverse to a direction of belt travel.

15. The conveyor belt module of claim 8 , wherein the first and second axes extend obliquely to a direction of belt travel.

16. A method of manufacturing a conveyor belt module, comprising the steps of:
inserting a coring pin having a jagged taper into a mold, the jagged taper including walls that are offset from and parallel to each other; and
injection molding a conveying belt module having a module body and a first set of hinge elements extending from a first end of the module body, the first set of hinge elements having a progressively widening hinge passageway defined by the coring pin.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Maclachlan Gilbert J

Classifications

• B65G17/086 Primary

  specially adapted to follow a curved path (for individual load carriers B65G17/22) · CPC title

• B29C45/0017

  moulding interconnected elements which are movable with respect to one another, e.g. chains or hinges · CPC title

• B65G17/40

  Chains acting as load-carriers · CPC title

• B29L2031/7092

  Conveyor belts · CPC title