Multi-piece component for a conveyor belt, and conveyor for moving items longitudinally from a first end to a second end

Abstract

A multi-piece component for a conveyor belt, and a conveyor for moving items longitudinally from a first end to a second end. A multi-piece component for a conveyor comprises a first section and a second section that fits with the first section around an axis using a hygienic fastener to form a complete module. The hygienic fastener seals an interface between the fastener and the first section and between the first section and the second section. Chamfers facilitate the positioning of the multi-piece component on an axis.

Description

1 / 14 A multi-piece component for a conveyor belt, and a conveyor for moving items longitudinally from one end to the other. RELATED ORDERS

[01] This application claims priority over U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 876,344, filed July 19, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FUNDAMENTALS

[02] The invention generally relates to transport units and components that can be mounted on a shaft in an endless conveyor belt system.

[03] Drives, such as sprockets and pulleys, are used to drive or otherwise couple endless power transmissions and conveyor belts and chains. Drives mounted on a drive shaft are received by a bore that extends axially through the drive. A motor drives the drive shaft to transmit motion to the drive. Installing a one-piece unit on a drive shaft requires that at least one bearing block at one end of the drive shaft be removed to slide the drive axially on the shaft. Typically, the drive shaft must also be lifted out of the conveyor side frame.

[04] Scrolls are idle devices mounted on a shaft on a conveyor that comes into contact with the inside of a conveyor belt to move debris away from the center of the conveyor belt. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 8 / 70 2 / 14

[05] Splitting units along the seams through their holes can be installed on drive shafts without removing the bearing blocks. A first piece of the splitting units is positioned on the drive shaft. Then, a second complementary piece is coupled to the first piece. The two pieces are fastened to each other. The splitting units and other splitting components may present hygiene problems and problems with the correct positioning of the unit on the drive shaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[06] A version of a shaft-mounted conveyor component incorporating features of the invention comprises first and second components that fit together to form a module using a hygienic connector. Recesses in the shaft can facilitate positioning of the shaft-mounted splitting component in a suitable position.

[07] According to one aspect, a multi-piece component for a conveyor belt comprises a first section comprising a hub for engaging a first portion of a shaft, a peripheral surface for engaging a conveyor belt and a connecting protrusion including a first opening for a fastener. A second section is coupled to the first section and comprises a hub for engaging a second portion of a shaft and a second opening for the fastener configured to align with the first opening in the first section. A fastener is inserted through the first and second openings to fasten the first section to the second section. A first sealing element seals the interfaces between the fastener and the first section. A second sealing element seals the interfaces between the first section and the second section. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 9 / 70 3 / 14

[08] According to another aspect, a conveyor includes a shaft extending laterally with a first corner chamfer and a multi-piece component mounted on the shaft. The multi-piece component includes a first section with a hub having an angled inner surface configured to engage with the first corner chamfer, a peripheral surface for engaging a conveyor belt, and a first opening for a fastener. A second section is coupled to the first section and comprises a hub for engaging with the shaft opposite the second handle and a second opening for the fastener configured to align with the first opening. A fastener is inserted through the first and second openings to fasten the first section to the second section. Sealing elements seal an interface between the fastener and the first section and an interface between the first section and the second section. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES - FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a shaft-mounted conveyor component comprising a plurality of helical modules arranged in series on a shaft to form a helical pulley; - FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a helical module of the conveyor component of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention; - FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the two portions of the helical module of FIG. 2; - FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the helical module of FIG. 2; Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, p. 10 / 70 4 / 14 - FIG. 5 is a front view of the helical module of FIG. 2; - FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the helical module of FIG. 2 during assembly on a shaft; - FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a shaft with chamfers suitable for receiving the helical module of FIG. 2; - FIG. 8 is a front view of the helical conveyor pulley of FIG. 1; - FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a transport unit comprising several coupling components arranged in series according to another embodiment; - FIG. 10 is a front view of a gear wheel of the conveyor drive of FIG. 9; - FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the gear wheel in FIG. 10; - FIG. 12 is a reverse view of the gear wheel in FIG. 10; - FIG. 13 is a semi-exploded view of the gear wheel in FIG. 10; - FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the gear wheel in FIG. 10; - FIG. 15 shows a first corresponding component of the gear wheel from FIG. 10 during assembly on a transmission shaft; - FIG. 16 is an isometric bottom view of the first coupling component of FIG. 15, detailing uneven chamfers; Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 11 / 70 5 / 14 - FIG. 17 shows a shaft with unequal chamfers suitable for receiving the first corresponding component of FIG. 16; - FIG. 18 shows a shaft with a continuous chamfer suitable for mounting a series of stacked gears; - FIG. 19 shows a transport component comprising a disk half; - FIG. 20 is a partially exploded isometric view of another version of a helical module as in FIG. 2 with a clamp portion having retained fastening hardware; - FIG. 21 is an axial view of another version of a shaft-mounted conveyor component incorporating features of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[09] A shaft-mounted conveyor component for driving, cleaning, guiding or otherwise engaging a conveyor belt comprises multiple portions that fit around a rotating shaft with a hygienic connection. The invention will be described below with respect to certain illustrative embodiments, although the invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments.

[10] A version of a component mounted on a split shaft that embodies the features of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The illustrative shaft-mounted conveyor component 10 is a helical pulley formed by a plurality of joined modules. Each half-turn of the helix is ​​formed by a pair of coincident components forming a module 100. A series of modules 100 is arranged on a shaft. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 12 / 70 6 / 14 12, with the ends of each half-turn adjacent to each other to form the helix. The outer surface 14 of the helix forms a peripheral surface to contact a conveyor belt to move debris away from the conveyor belt. The illustrative conveyor shaft 12 has a square cross-section, but the invention is not so limited.

[11] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, each module 100 comprises a spiral portion 110 forming a half-coil of the helix and a clamp portion 150 to match the spiral portion for fixing the spiral portion to a shaft. The spiral portion 110 comprises a hub 120 for interfacing with the shaft and a weave 112 extending from a first edge 113 to a second edge 114 in a helical manner. The illustrative weave 112 has a consistent thickness, terminating at the outer surface 14. The first edge 113 of the weave aligns with a first end 121 of the hub 120 and the second edge 114 aligns with a second end 122 of the hub 120, with the weave 112 arching and twisting to form a half-coil, but the invention is not so limited. In the illustrative embodiment, the first edge 113 and the second edge 114 are straight and substantially perpendicular to the geometric axis of the shaft 12, but the invention is not so limited.The cube 120 also includes threaded openings 124, which can be inserts and can have a closed bottom, on each side to receive fasteners for attaching the clamp portion 150 to the spiral portion 110. The orientation of the weave can be reversed to form a helix with an opposite coil pattern. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 13 / 70 7 / 14

[12] The clamp portion 150 includes a hub forming a bridge 152 between two channels 154 configured to align with the openings 124. Fasteners 170 inserted through the channels 154 and aligned openings 124 secure the clamp portion 150 to the spiral portion 110. In one embodiment, the fasteners 170 are screws, received and anchored in the threaded openings 124. The bridge 152 receives the opposite side of the axis of the received portion in the hub of the associated spiral portion.

[13] With reference to FIG. 4, module 100 further includes sealing elements, such as sealing washers 180, to seal the interfaces between the clamp portion 150 and the spiral portion 110 and between the clamp portion 150 and the screw heads 170. The sealing washers 180 eliminate sandwiching to enhance hygiene. In one embodiment, a sealing washer 180 may comprise a flat metal ring seal with an elastomer ring. For example, the metal ring may have a plastic or elastomeric material, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene monomer) or EDT (ethylene propylene diene terpolymer), or others known in the art, bonded to the outside of the ring diameter. A commercially available sealing washer is the Hygienic Usit Ring® available from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies of Weinheim, Germany.Alternatively, a sealing element can be integrated into the fastener with a plastic material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), bonded to the outer diameter of face 169 of the screw head. Or the sealing elements can be integrated into the spiral portion and the clamp portion 150 with a... Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 14 / 70 8 / 14 process such as overmolding or 2-shot liquid silicon rubber molding.

[14] As shown in FIG. 5, when the spiral portion 110 and the clamp portion 150 are connected together using the fasteners 170, the hub 120 and the bridge 152 form an opening 190 for the shaft. The illustrative opening includes cleaning recesses 191. The bridge 152 includes rounded reliefs 192 for the corners of the shaft. The hub 120 includes protrusions 193 in the form of a filling structure in the hub 120 that fills the two corners of the opening 190. In this version, the protrusions are angular surfaces or chamfers 194 at the corners that interface with the chamfers on the shaft to provide axial retention of the module on a shaft. Other suitable means for securing the axial position of the component relative to the shaft may be used. As also shown in FIG.5, the screw 170 is received and retained by the threaded openings 124 in the hub 120 and the sealing washers 180 that seal the interfaces between the spiral portion 110 and the clamp portion 150 and between the screws 170 and the clamp portion 150.

[15] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a shaft 12 for receiving the modules 100 to form a helical pulley includes selected recesses, in the form of shaft chamfers 198 at selected corners of the shaft in this example, for interfacing with the angled surfaces 194 on the hub 120 to limit the axial movement of the modules 100 and to properly position the components on the shaft. The shaft has a square cross-section, but may have a cross-section on the shaft of another quadrilateral or other suitable shape. Alternatively, the shaft 12 may have recesses of other shapes and formed at other positions on the periphery of the shaft, and one or more components 110, Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, p. 15 / 70 9 / 14 150 may include additional chamfer protrusions other than chamfers to facilitate assembly and restrict component movement. As shown, shaft chamfers 198 are offset from each other to fit the corresponding angled surfaces 194 on the propeller hub 120.

[16] Clamp portions 150 are fixed to spiral portions 110 around shaft 12 at the positions of shaft chamfers 198. Modules 100 can be firmly clamped to shaft 12. But for better cleaning, the modules enclose shaft 12 with limited clearance to allow cleaning between the shaft and the contact faces 199 that delimit the opening 190, the cleaning recesses 191 and the rounded reliefs 192 and the angular surfaces 194. The limited clearance is large enough to allow cleaning between shaft 12 and half of the contact faces 199 during any part of the shaft rotation. And the clearance is small enough to prevent the modules 100 from sliding axially out of their positions in the shaft chamfers.

[17] Other suitable means for axially retaining module 100 relative to shaft 12 may be used and the invention is not limited to the illustrative chamfers. For example, hub 120 and - or bridge 152 may include a protrusion, tab, slot, recess or other feature configured to engage with a corresponding recess, slot, protrusion, tab or other feature on the shaft.

[18] With reference to FIG. 8, when multiple modules 100a, 100b are mounted on an axis 12 to form a helix, the edges of the mesh 113, 114 have spaces 18 between them to facilitate cleaning. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 16 / 70 10 / 14

[19] FIGS. 9 to 10 show another embodiment of a shaft-mounted conveyor component 20 comprising several components fastened together using screws as fasteners and sealing washers as sealing elements. But the sealing elements may be integrated into the fasteners or into the individual components that form the conveyor component 20. The conveyor component is a conveyor drive 20 comprising a series of split sprockets 200 mounted on a drive shaft 212, shown as a square shaft, although the invention is not so limited. The peripheral surfaces of the sprockets 200 include teeth 214 or other features for driving a conveyor belt. Each sprocket 200 is formed by a pair of coincident components 210, 250 mounted together around the shaft 212 and coupled using fasteners 270.The illustrative gear wheel includes gaps 208 between the components and cleaning windows 291 to facilitate cleaning and promote hygiene.

[20] With reference to FIGS. 11-14, a first coupling component 210 comprises a hub 220 for engaging a portion of the shaft 212. The hub connects to an outer ring 213 which forms the drive teeth 214 by a central radius 215 and side radii 216 at the ends of the hub. Molded connecting tabs 224 extend from the side radii 216 and include channels for receiving fasteners, shown as screws 270.

[21] The second coupling component 250 comprises a hub 252 for engaging an opposite portion of the shaft of the first hub 220. The hub 252 connects to an outer ring 253 with drive teeth 214 by means of a central radius. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 17 / 70 11 / 14 255 and side spokes 256. The connecting tabs 254 extend from the side spokes and include threaded openings, which may be inserts or a closed bottom, to capture the bolts 270 for securing the two components to each other and on a shaft. In one embodiment, the bolts 270 are recessed relative to the spokes 216, 256 and the rest of the coupling components 210, 250 (i.e., not projecting beyond the thickness of the sprocket) when the sprocket 200 is mounted to allow closure, even when stacked, spacing the various sprockets 200 on a shaft. In one embodiment, the threaded openings 254 may be initially offset from the channels 224 and pushed into alignment to control the orientation of the coupling components.

[22] As shown in FIG. 14, the sealing washers 280 seal the interfaces between the first component 210 and the second component 250 and between the first component 210 and the head of the fixing screw 270.

[23] In another embodiment of the invention, a coupling component 210 or 250 may include a connecting tab having a through channel and another connecting tab having a threaded opening, which may be closed and may comprise a threaded insert, with the connecting tabs offset so as to coincide with a corresponding coupling component also having each type of opening.

[24] With reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, a coupling component for a unit, shown as coupling component 250, may include chamfers in a hub 252 for interfacing with chamfers 298, 299 on an associated shaft 212. The chamfers ensure proper orientation and prevent migration of the drive along the shaft of Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 18 / 70 12 / 14 drive. As shown in FIG. 16, a first hub chamfer 294 may be wider than a second hub chamfer 295, caused by the reduction in hub thickness 252' around the second hub chamfer 295 in a coincident component 250. The associated shaft 212, shown in FIG. 17, may have first chamfers 298 on a first edge that are wider than second chamfers 299 on a second edge to coincide with chamfers 294, 295 respectively, thus ensuring proper orientation of the mounted drive 200 on shaft 212. As the spiral modules 100 of FIG. 6, the two corresponding components 210, 250 do not necessarily have to be firmly attached to the shaft 212. Instead, they can be fixed together so as to merely enclose the shaft 212 with a limited clearance - sufficient to allow cleaning of the contact surfaces in the hubs 220, 252 limiting the opening of the shaft when the shaft completes a rotation.

[25] As shown in FIG. 18, a transmission shaft 312 may include a continuous chamfer 398 on a first edge with selectively spaced chamfers 399 on an opposite edge to accommodate a series of stacked gear wheels 200 on the shaft.

[26] FIG. 19 shows one half of a shaft-mounted component similar to the split sprocket of FIG. 16. A 400 half-disc is used with a complementary half-disc to form a shaft-mounted disc used to support a conveyor belt and to serve, for example, with other multi-part shaft-mounted discs as part of a return roller system in a conveyor belt return run. The 400 half-disc differs from the halves of Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, page 19 / 70 13 / 14 split sprocket in the sense that its rim is smooth - without teeth or other belt engagement structure.

[27] In FIG. 20, the fasteners are held captive to the clamp portion 150. A reduced-shaft bolt or screw 470 has a threaded end 472. The outside diameter of the threads 472 is larger than the diameter of the bolt shank 474. After the screw 470 with the external sealing washer 180 is inserted through the channel 154, a sealing washer 480 with an internal threaded hole is threaded onto the threaded end 472 so that it seats on the reduced-diameter shank 474. The internally threaded sealing washer 480 is captured on the screw 470 and the screw is captured by the sealing washer threaded into the hole of the clamp portion 150. Thus, when the clamp portion is loosened from the spiral portion 110, the screws 470, the washers 180, 480 and the The 150 clamp portion remains together. They are separated only by intentionally unscrewing the internally threaded sealing washers 480 from the reduced shank screw 470.The same captured fasteners can be used with other multi-piece shaft-mounted components, including the split sprocket and the split disc.

[28] Another version of the spiral module is shown in FIG. 21. The spiral portion 510 and the clamp portion 550 are split along a diagonal from a central square opening 590 to a rectangular shaft 512. The penetration depth of the contact faces 599 of the hubs to the opening 590 is deep enough that the clamp portion and the spiral portion are clamped together on the shaft 512 and against the sealing washers 580. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, p. 20 / 70 14 / 14

[29] Although the invention has been described with reference to some versions, other versions are possible. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the details of the various exemplary versions. Petition 870210118533, dated 12 / 20 / 2021, p. 21 / 70

Claims

1 / 5 CLAIMS 1. MULTI-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20) FOR A CONVEYOR BELT, comprising: a first section (110, 210, 510) comprising a hub (120, 220) for engaging a first portion of a shaft (12, 212, 312, 512), a peripheral surface for engaging a conveyor belt and a connecting protrusion including a first opening (124) for a fastener (170, 270, 470); a second section (150, 250, 550) coupled to the first section comprising a hub (252) for engaging a second portion of a shaft (12, 212, 312, 512), the second section (150, 250, 550) including a second opening (154) for the fastener configured to align with the first opening in the first section;and a fastener (170, 270, 470) inserted through the first and second openings (124, 154) to fix the first section (110, 210, 510) to the second section (150, 250, 550), the fastener (170, 270, 470) comprising a reduced shank screw (470) with a threaded end (472) and a reduced diameter shank (474);and a first sealing element (180, 280, 480, 580) that seals the interfaces between the fastener (170, 270, 470) and the first section (110, 210, 510), and a second sealing element (180, 280, 480, 580) that seals the interfaces between the first section (110, 210, 510) and the second section (150, 250, 550), characterized in that the second sealing element (180, 280, 480, 580) is a sealing washer that is internally threaded and screwed along the threaded end (472) and onto the reduced diameter rod (474) to be retained in Petition 870260050139, dated 05 / 26 / 2026, pg 6 / 21 2 / 5 reduced diameter rod (474), unless intentionally unscrewed from the screw (470) of the reduced rod (474).; 2. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the plastic comprises polytetrafluoroethylene or ethylene propylene diene monomer.

3. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the first section (110) includes a helical mesh (112).

4. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first section (110) includes a circular half-disc (400).

5. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second sections include an outer ring (213) comprising drive teeth (214) for engaging a conveyor belt.

6. MULTI-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the hub of the first section includes a protrusion for engaging with a recess in the shaft.

7. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 6, characterized in that the recess is a first chamfer (298) and the protrusion is a second complementary chamfer (294).

8. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 7, characterized by the hub of the first section including a third chamfer (295) that is thinner than the second chamfer (294) for engaging a fourth chamfer (299) on the shaft.

9. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized by the fastener including a reduced shank screw (470) with a threaded end (472) and a reduced diameter shank and wherein the second sealing element (480) is internally threaded and is screwed along the threaded end (472) and onto the shank (474) to be retained on the shank (474) unless intentionally unscrewed from the screw (470).

10. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second openings (210, 250, 510, 550) form an opening to receive a square shaft (212, 512) enclosed by the first and second sections fixed together.

11. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 10, characterized in that the first and second sections (510, 550) are divided along a diagonal of the opening (590).

12. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 10, characterized in that the first and second sections (510, 550) are divided along one side of the opening (590).

13. MULTIPLE-PIECE COMPONENT (10, 20), according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second sealing elements are integrated into the first section by a process.

14. CONVEYOR FOR MOVING ITEMS LONGITUDINALLY FROM A FIRST END TO A SECOND END, a shaft extending laterally with a first Petition 870260050139, dated 05 / 26 / 2026, p.8 / 21 4 / 5 corner chamfer; and a multi-piece component (10, 20) as defined in claim 1, mounted on the shaft, characterized by comprising: a first section including a hub with an angled inner surface configured to engage the first corner chamfer, a peripheral surface for engaging a conveyor belt and a first opening for a fastener; a second section coupled to the first section comprising a hub for engaging the shaft opposite the first section, the second section including a second opening for the fastener configured to align with the first opening; a fastener inserted through the first and second openings to secure the first section to the second section; and sealing elements for sealing an interface between the fastener and the first section and an interface between the first section and the second section.

15. CONVEYOR, according to claim 14, characterized by further comprising a second corner chamfer on the shaft which is thinner than the first corner chamfer.

16. CONVEYOR, according to claim 15, characterized by the hub of the first section including a second angled inner surface that is thinner than the first angled inner surface for engaging the second corner chamfer on the shaft.

17. CONVEYOR, according to claim 14, characterized in that the sealing elements are metal washers with a plastic bonded to the outer diameter of the metal washers. Petition 870260050139, dated 05 / 26 / 2026, p. 9 / 21 5 / 5. Petition 870260050139, dated 05 / 26 / 2026, p. 10 / 21

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