Apparatus and method for tracking conveyor belts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884722-B2
Application number	US-201615160915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Mar 8, 2012
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A tracking apparatus and method for urging a mistracking conveyor belt back towards a correct travel path are provided. The apparatus and method both utilize downstream shifting of an end portion of an idler roller due to mistracking of the conveyor belt for directing or steering the belt back toward its correct travel path and a reaction force from the belt due to the steering thereof for energizing a tilting action of the idler roller to raise the downstream end portion thereof. In this manner, the tilting of the idler roller is not mechanically coupled to the downstream shifting of the roller end portion allowing the belt tracking apparatus herein to be bi-directional for use with conveyor belts that may be run in opposite travel directions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tracking apparatus for urging a mistracking conveyor belt back toward a correct travel path, the tracking apparatus comprising:
at least one idler roller having opposite end portions and being operable to rotate about its longitudinal axis for supporting the conveyor belt and having a neutral position when the conveyor belt is traveling along the correct travel path; and
a frame assembly configured to operatively mount the idler roller to conveyor structure to allow the idler roller to shift by pivoting, translating, and tilting in response to the mistracking conveyor belt for directing the belt back toward the correct travel path;
wherein the idler roller is allowed to pivot about a central pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the idler roller so that one of the end portions of the idler roller is further downstream from the neutral position thereof and further downstream than the other end portion of the idler roller in response to a force applied to the idler roller by the mistracking conveyor belt;
wherein in response to the force applied to the pivoted idler roller by the mistracking belt, the pivoted idler roller is allowed to translate toward a lateral side of the mistracking belt that is in contact with the downstream end portion of the idler roller and also to tilt so that the downstream end portion of the idler roller is raised upwardly relative to a lower position thereof with the idler roller in the neutral position for urging the belt back toward the correct travel path, whereby translation of the idler roller and tilting and raising up of the idler roller one end portion only occurs as a result of the shifting of the idler roller one end portion further downstream, but does not occur with the idler roller in the neutral position.

2. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one end portion of the idler roller tapers down toward a reduced diameter outer end.

3. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is operatively mounted to the frame assembly via a tilt device configured to allow simultaneous translation and tilting of the idler roller.

4. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is operatively mounted to the frame assembly via a tilt device configured such that translation of the idler roller causes the central pivot axis of the idler roller to translate in a corresponding manner.

5. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is operatively mounted to the frame assembly such that pivoting of the idler roller so that one of the end portions of the idler roller is further downstream can occur without resulting in a corresponding tilting thereof.

6. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly comprises at least one roller member having a rotational axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the idler roller in the neutral position, the at least one roller member in operable engagement with the idler roller to allow translation and tilting thereof.

7. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is operatively mounted to the frame assembly such that the idler roller is operable to direct the belt back toward the correct travel path irrespective of whether the conveyor belt is traveling in a first belt travel direction or an opposite belt travel direction.

8. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is operatively mounted to the frame assembly such that the orientation of the central pivot axis does not shift irrespective of whether the conveyor belt is traveling in a first or an opposite belt travel direction when the idler roller is in the neutral position with the conveyor belt is traveling along the correct travel path.

9. The tracking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the idler roller is configured to be mounted below a return run of the conveyor belt such that the idler roller engages with an outside, material-engaging surface of the belt.

10. A method for urging a mistracking conveyor belt back toward a correct travel path, the method comprising;
mounting an idler roller having a tapered outer end portion under an outer side portion of the conveyor belt;
shifting the idler roller so that the tapered outer end portion is further downstream than another end of the idler roller in response to the conveyor belt mistracking toward the tapered outer end portion due to greater engagement of the corresponding belt outer side portion with the tapered outer end portion;
steering the conveyor belt back toward the correct travel path with the shifted idler roller;
causing the idler roller to undergo a tilting action so that the tapered outer end portion that is shifted downstream shifts upwardly relative to the other end of the idler roller in response to a reaction force received from the conveyor belt being steered by the idler roller; and
urging the conveyor belt back to generally shift in a lateral direction away from the raised end portion back toward the correct travel path due to the tilting of the idler roller.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising causing the idler roller to translate toward the outer side portion of the conveyor belt when the tapered outer end of the idler roller is further downstream than the other end thereof in response to the reaction force received from the conveyor belt being steered by the idler roller.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the translation and tilting of the idler roller may occur simultaneously in response to the reaction force received from the conveyor belt being steered by the idler roller.

13. The method of claim 10 , further wherein mounting the idler roller comprises mounting the idler roller to a frame assembly via a tilt device, and tilting the idler roller comprises shifting the tilt device in response to receipt of the reaction force from the steered conveyor belt, and tilting the idler roller as the tilt device is shifted.

Assignees

• Flexible Steel Lacing Co

Inventors

• Kuiper Daniel J
• Devries Brett E
• Gilman Richard W

Classifications

• B65G39/16

  for aligning belts or chains · CPC title

• B65G15/64 Primary

  for automatically maintaining the position of the belts · CPC title

• B65G2812/02168

  Belts provided with guiding means, e.g. rollers · CPC title