Conveyor belt and module with magnets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708126-B2
Application number	US-201213982349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2012
Priority date	Jan 27, 2011
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A modular radius conveyor belt having magnetic material in adjacent belt rows, including magnets in selected rows of belt modules. Magnets in one belt row attract magnets or paramagnetic material in adjacent rows to prevent vibration between rows that could shake a conveyed article out of its preferred position or orientation on the conveyor belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular radius conveyor belt comprising:
a series of rows of one or more belt modules hingedly linked together at hinge joints extending transverse to a direction of belt travel from a first side edge of the rows to an opposite second side edge;
magnetic material disposed in selected rows;
wherein at least some of the selected rows are magnet rows in which the magnetic material in each magnet row comprises a first magnet arranged to attract the magnetic material in an adjacent selected row.

2. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein all the rows are selected rows having magnetic material.

3. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 2 wherein the magnetic material in all the rows includes magnets.

4. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the first magnet is disposed in the first side edge of each of the magnet rows.

5. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 further comprising a second magnet disposed at the second side edge of each of the magnet rows.

6. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein each of the magnet rows further comprises a second magnet aligned with the first magnet in a direction of belt travel, wherein the first and second magnets have opposite poles facing each other within the magnet row.

7. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein each of the magnet rows further comprises a paramagnetic material aligned with the first magnet in a direction of belt travel.

8. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic material in the selected rows other than the magnet rows is a paramagnetic material disposed at a position to be attracted by the first magnet of an adjacent magnet row.

9. A modular radius conveyor belt as in claim 1 wherein the first magnet has a polar axis parallel to the direction of belt travel.

10. A conveyor belt module comprising:
a first hinge end and an opposite second hinge end defining respective first and second hinge axes extending transverse to a travel direction across the width of the belt module between first and second side edges;
a first magnet having a polar axis parallel to the travel direction.

11. A conveyor belt module as in claim 10 further comprising a second magnet having a polar axes aligned with the polar axis of the first magnet and wherein the first and second magnets have opposite poles facing each other.

12. A conveyor belt module as in claim 10 wherein the first magnet is disposed in the first side edge.

13. A conveyor belt module as in claim 10 wherein the first magnet is disposed at the first side edge and further comprising a second magnet disposed at the second side edge.

14. A conveyor belt module as in claim 10 further comprising a paramagnetic material aligned with the polar axis of the first magnet.

Assignees

• Bogle David W
• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Bogle David W

Classifications

• B65G2207/24

  Helical or spiral conveying path · CPC title

• B65G17/086 Primary

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

• B65G15/30 Primary

  Belts or like endless load-carriers (co-operating with rails or the like B65G21/22; {co-operating} with rollers B65G39/20) · CPC title

• B65G21/20 Primary

  Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces (arrangements for supporting belts B65G15/60; rollers or roller arrangements B65G39/00) · CPC title