Reinforced belt joint

Abstract

A method for forming a joint in a belt having first and second edges to be joined is disclosed. The method includes preparing aramid fiber portions (e.g., as discrete pieces) having first and second edges. The first edge of the belt is positioned to overlap the first edge of the fiber portion from one side, and the second edge of the belt is positioned to overlap the second edge of the fiber portion from the other side. In the arrangement, the first and second edges are joined to the fiber portion, forming a joint interface between the first and second edges, with the aramid fiber portion reinforcing the joint. An adhesive may be used to join the fiber portion to the belt material. Woven aramid fiber portions may be used. The fiber portions may be positioned between multiple plies of the belt. Various belts having joints formed by the method are disclosed, including belts having splice joints or belts having mechanical joints.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to a method for manufacturing reinforced joints in conveyor belts, particularly those prone to defects at the joints. [Background technology]

[0002] Endless belts are formed by looping belt material of a desired length and creating joints so that a first end of the belt material is joined to an opposing second end. Common joining methods include vulcanization / splicing, butt joints, and mechanical fasteners.

[0003] It is common practice to join opposing ends of a belt to each other as a heat-fusible splice. A common example of a splice joint involves forming finger-like structures on the ends of the belt by cutting or punching, and attaching the two ends to each other such that the fingers of each end fit between the opposing fingers of the other end. The fingers are butted together and joined by heat or the use of adhesive. The strength of the connection is a direct result of the length and shape of the fingers. Thus, the interface between the ends of the belt extends back and forth along the fingers, longer than the width of the belt, and is offset at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the belt. This type of joint is sometimes called a "Z-splice" or "finger splice." The joint may be subjected to temperature, pressure, and / or adhesive.

[0004] When a belt material contains multiple plies, the finger structure of different plies can be offset so that the joint interface of one ply is offset laterally and / or longitudinally from the joint interface of another ply. This is sometimes called a "stepped Z splice" or "finger over finger splice".

[0005] Mechanical joints mechanically connect two opposing ends of a belt using fasteners such as clips, staples, or spiral lacing. The strength of the connection depends on the frequency and nature of the holes formed in the material by the fasteners. However, a limitation of this method is that, for each type of fastener, the range of belt thicknesses it can accommodate is limited, meaning that a particular fastener can only be applied to a specific type of belt. The interface can form a discontinuity in the belt, and furthermore, the very presence of the mechanical fastener can be problematic for the smooth / continuous movement of the belt.

[0006] From the above explanation, it can be understood that considerable care is taken to ensure the belt is suitable for its intended use. However, regardless of how it is used, the joint is always a potential weak point of the belt and is most likely to be a point of failure in the belt's operational life.

[0007] The tensile strength of the joints is a particular problem for endless PVC or PU conveyor belts where contaminants accumulate and enter the belt and rollers. The increased volume leads to a larger roller diameter, which imposes greater tension on the belt and ultimately causes failure (usually at the joints). Another example of belt failure under tension occurs when the belt tracking is misaligned, which means that one side of the belt in the width direction is subjected to greater tension than the other (often periodically).

[0008] However, the tensile strength of the joint is only one of the engineering considerations. For example, there are many different forms of belt defects, such as delamination, where one or more plies detach at the joint, and belt puncture. In many cases, small initial defects at the joint grow over time as they propagate along the joint interface.

[0009] It is estimated that approximately 85% of belt failures in industry occur at the joints. In some cases, belts are repaired, but due to the cost of repair and the likelihood of subsequent belt failures, it is often more cost-effective to install a new belt.

[0010] In production and distribution equipment, a critical operational consideration is typically the downtime caused by belt failures. For this reason, spare belts are often kept on-site, and belt suppliers are traditionally evaluated based on how quickly they can replace belts.

[0011] Therefore, currently, the vast majority of belts are discarded prematurely and replaced with new ones not due to wear and tear on the belt material itself, but rather due to failures in the joints.

[0012] Furthermore, conveyor belts are typically made from PVC or PU materials that are heat-sealed and therefore non-recyclable, resulting in environmental waste that ends up in landfills. This is a particular problem for logistics centers, where miles of conveyor belts may be operating simultaneously within the facility.

[0013] When considering more environmentally sustainable solutions, it is clear that the problem of waste belts must be addressed. While so-called endless belts are known, the belts produced by their manufacturing methods are many times more expensive than the types of joined belts mentioned above.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to mitigate or eliminate one or more of the above-mentioned problems. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0015] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for forming a reinforced joint in a belt having a first edge and a second edge to be joined. The method includes preparing a fibrous material portion having a first edge and a second edge facing each other, arranging the belt such that the first end of the belt at least partially overlaps the first edge of the fibrous material portion and the second end of the belt at least partially overlaps the second edge of the fibrous material portion, and joining the first and second ends to the fibrous material portion to form an interface between the first and second ends, such that the fibrous material portion straddles the interface.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for forming a reinforced joint in a belt. The belt has a first end and a second end that extend longitudinally and are joined at an interface, wherein a discontinuous fibrous portion is inserted at the interface, the fibrous portion extends longitudinally, and the first end and the second end are joined to the fibrous portion.

[0017] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for forming a reinforced joint in a belt. The belt has a first end and a second end that extend longitudinally and are joined at an interface, the interface being inserted into a fibrous portion, the first end and / or the second end being joined to the fibrous portion, and the length of the fibrous portion being configured to extend longitudinally from both the first end and the second end by a predetermined distance from the interface.

[0018] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method according to claim 1 for forming a reinforced joint within a belt.

[0019] A further aspect of the present invention provides a belt or conveyor belt obtained by a method according to any one of the first, second, or third aspects of the present invention.

[0020] According to the resulting belt and related methods, a reinforced joint or interface region can be formed that has a greater strength than the remaining portion of the belt. Specifically, ensuring that the fibers extend through the interface means that there is continuity between the first and second ends (e.g., its edge portions) of the belt. These fibers provide a force transmission path between the two ends being joined.

[0021] The fiber portion may extend across the interface. The fiber portion typically terminates on both sides of the interface, and as a result, discontinuous fiber portions do not exist throughout the remaining portion of the belt.

[0022] The fiber portion may be present on one or both sides of the interface, for example, in the direction of the first end and / or the second end.

[0023] The fiber portion may be continuous through the interface. The fiber portion may extend across the interface.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, a belt is provided with a reinforced fiber portion at the joint. The reinforced fiber portion is joined near the end of the belt forming one side of the joint. The fiber portion has a longitudinally limited length, and the belt is longer in the longitudinal direction than the fiber portion.

[0025] According to a further aspect, a belt having a reinforced joint is provided. The belt extends longitudinally and comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion joined at the interface so as to form a loop. The belt comprises a fiber layer at the interface, and the fiber layer is continuous through the interface. As a result, the fiber layer continuously passes from the first edge portion to the second edge portion and terminates at a position spaced from the interface in the longitudinal direction of the belt, whereby a continuous fiber portion extending through the interface reinforces the joint.

[0026] The fiber layer may also be referred to herein as a fiber portion.

[0027] At least some of the fibers in the fiber layer / fiber portion may be oriented in a direction offset from the longitudinal direction of the belt. At least some of the fibers may be oriented in the width direction and / or diagonally in the direction of the belt (for example, offset at an angle from both the longitudinal and width directions). The fiber layer / fiber portion may include both warp and weft fibers, for example, as a woven textile layer / portion.

[0028] Reinforced joints can provide stronger and more robust joints than those of prior art. The joints can be made less prone to failure and / or able to withstand greater tensile loads. The fiber-reinforced portion of the belt, i.e., the area near the joint, can have greater tensile strength and / or puncture resistance than the rest of the belt.

[0029] The reinforced joint can extend the service life and operating life of the belt, which may mean, for example, a reduction in machine downtime and operational downtime caused by belt malfunctions.

[0030] Extending the operating life of a belt can mean reducing belt waste.

[0031] The fiber portion may be generally flat. The fiber portion may include a body portion, which may be flat. The fiber portion (e.g., its body portion) may have a first edge and a second edge facing each other, and may further have an intermediate edge / side edge extending between the first edge and the second edge. The fiber portion (e.g., its body portion) may be quadrangular in shape, such as a square, rectangle, or parallelogram.

[0032] The fibrous portion may include a mat or a web.

[0033] The fibrous portion may have a composite structure. The fibrous portion may contain fibers in a matrix. The fibrous portion may comprise a fibrous layer and one or more additional layers, for example, positioned above and / or below the fibrous layer. The additional layers may include a support layer, a substrate, or a binding layer. The fibrous portion may be provided, for example, in the form of a piece or patch on which the fibrous layer is provided on a substrate layer.

[0034] The fibrous portion (e.g., its main body portion) may have substantially the same width or widthwise dimension as the belt (e.g., its first or second edge) or the belt body. The fibrous portion may extend across the widthwise dimension of the belt, for example, between opposing side edges of the belt. The fibrous portion does not have to protrude beyond the side edges of the belt. In some examples, the fibrous portion may be narrower than the belt.

[0035] The fibrous portion (for example, its main body portion) may or may not have a width or widthwise belt dimension that is longer than its length or longitudinal belt dimension. Therefore, when inserted, the fibrous portion can extend substantially across the interface between the first and second edges.

[0036] The dimensions of the fibrous portion in the longitudinal direction of the belt may be significantly smaller than the length of the belt, for example, by at least one or two orders of magnitude. The fibrous portion may be only a few centimeters long for a belt of at least several meters or tens of meters in length. The fibrous portion may extend less than 10 cm or 5 cm, for example less than 3 cm or 2 cm, beyond the interface in the longitudinal direction. The fibrous portion may substantially coincide with the longitudinal dimension of the interface.

[0037] The interface may be defined as a line, region, or volume between opposing edges of the belt. The interface may also be defined as a joint, i.e., a contact line / contact region, between a first edge and a second edge. The interface may have a visible seam where the first edge and the second edge interfere or overlap each other. The interface may overlap the fibrous portion, meaning, for example, that when viewed from above, the interface is contained within the region, footprint, or outer perimeter of the fibrous portion (e.g., the first and / or second main surfaces of the main body portion). Part of the seam and / or interface may extend beyond the first or second edge.

[0038] The first and second ends of the belt may be joined to each other and to the fibrous portion.

[0039] The interface (e.g., the joint) between the first edge and the second edge may extend along a path / axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the belt. Alternatively, the path / axis of the interface may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis, for example, diagonally, so that the interface appears to diagonally traverse the belt width direction.

[0040] The interface can follow a meandering path across the width of the belt. The edges may be shaped / cut at the first and second edges to define opposing structures or projections. The opposing structures may interlock at the interface, or one structure may be sandwiched between the other. The structures may include fingers / wedges (e.g., splice structures).

[0041] The belt may have first and second main surfaces / opposing surfaces (e.g., an upper surface and a lower surface). The fibrous portion may be positioned between the first and second surfaces of the belt, for example, within the belt's depth, i.e., the material's thickness. In some embodiments, recesses or grooves may be formed in the thickness direction of the belt near the edges of the first and / or second ends, for example, to keep the thickness of the fibrous portion within the belt's thickness. For example, the depth of the recess may correspond to (or be the same as) the thickness / depth of the fibrous portion. This can help avoid the fibrous portion significantly increasing the belt depth near the interface.

[0042] The interface may have a zigzag appearance. The interface may follow a path that varies with respect to the interface axis (for example, by oscillating back and forth with respect to the interface axis, or by bending in a zigzag pattern).

[0043] The fibrous portion (e.g., its body portion) is a piece of limited length or a discontinuous piece (e.g., terminating partway or a short distance along the length of the belt from the interface) and does not extend over the entire longitudinal length of the belt. The fibrous portion is located near the interface. The fibrous portion may partially extend in the direction of the first and / or second edge, or may extend beyond the first and / or second edge in the longitudinal direction. In some embodiments, the fibrous portion may be arranged continuously or substantially continuously through the belt and / or may be formed integrally with the belt.

[0044] The first end and / or the second end may comprise multiple layers or plies. The fibrous portion may be inserted between these plies or layers.

[0045] This method may include forming or separating multiple plies at a first end and / or a second end of a belt. This method may also include dividing the belt in its thickness direction partway between the top and bottom surfaces of the belt. This method may also include dividing the first end and / or the second end, or separating plies at the first end and / or the second end, only for a predetermined / limited length of the belt near the first end and / or the second end.

[0046] In some embodiments, the plies or layers of the belt are partially separated at the edges to insert or attach the fibrous portions, while the majority or middle portion of the belt's length is not separated. The fibrous portions do not necessarily extend to the middle portion of the belt. If the belt is formed as an endless belt, the fibrous portions are not endless, and for example, the first and second edges of the fibrous portions are not joined as a loop.

[0047] By positioning the fibrous portion near or close to the joint, the weakest part of the belt is reinforced, and since it is not necessary to reinforce the entire belt, weight, structural complexity, and manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0048] One or more fiber portions can be inserted between one or more plies, and then the edges can be cut to form a desired structure / profile at the edges (i.e., the interface at the time of joining). The first and second edges engage with the fiber portions and / or other edges and are joined to the fiber portions.

[0049] The fibrous portion may be fused, bonded, or adhered to the first and / or second ends of the belt. The fibers or fibrous layer may be bonded using an adhesive / glue. The fibrous portion may include an adhesive layer.

[0050] Heat and / or pressure may be applied to the fiber portion while being arranged together with the first and / or second ends of the belt. An adhesive may be melted between the fiber and the belt to bond the fiber portion to the material of the belt. A continuous adhesive layer may be provided over the region of the fiber portion. The fiber may be sandwiched between a pair of adhesive layers.

[0051] For the treatment / formation of the joint, a predetermined high temperature and / or pressure can be maintained, for example, over a predetermined time. The opposing ends of the belt and the fiber reinforcement may be held in a press.

[0052] The treatment may include heating the belt to 80°C to 250°C, optionally 120°C to 200°C, optionally 150°C to 170°C.

[0053] The heating / pressurizing treatment may be applied for a time of 1 hour or less, optionally 30 minutes or less, optionally 10 minutes or less, optionally 5 minutes or less, optionally 2 minutes or less, optionally 1 minute or less. The treatment may be 1 minute or more, optionally 2 minutes or more, optionally 5 minutes or more, optionally 10 minutes or more, optionally 30 minutes or more, optionally 60 minutes or more. The times listed above may alternatively be used to form a suitable range of the treatment duration (e.g., between 10 and 30 minutes).

[0054] The treatment pressure is 0.1 bar (1×10 4 Pa) or more, for example 0.2 bar (2×10 4 Pa) or more, 0.5 bar (5×10 4 Pa) or more, 1 bar (1×10 5 Pa) or more, 2 bar (2×10 5 Pa) or more, 5 bar (5×10 5 Pa) or more, or 10 bar (1×10 6 Pa) or more, optionally 20 bar (2×10 6 Pa) or more. The treatment pressure is 20 bar (2×10 6 Pa) or less or 10 bar (1×10 6 Pa) or less, for example 8 bar (8×10 5Pa) or less, 5 bar (5 x 10 5 Pa) or less, 2 bar (2 x 10 5 Pa) or less, 1 bar (1 x 10 5 Pa) or less, 0.5 bar (5 x 10 4 Pa) or less, or 0.2 bar (2 x 10 4 It may also be less than or equal to (Pa). Instead of the pressures listed above, use an appropriate range of pressure (e.g., 0.1 to 10 bar (1 × 10)). 4 ~1 × 10 6 Pa) or 2-5 bar (2 x 10 5 ~5×10 5 It may be used to form Pa)).

[0055] The fibrous portion may contain fibers capable of withstanding high tensile loads. The fibrous portion may contain para-aramid fibers such as Kevlar®. The fibers may also contain other types of aramid fibers such as meta-aramid. The fibrous portion may contain carbon fibers, nylon fibers, glass fibers, or graphene fibers. The fibrous portion may also contain mixtures / blends of various combinations of fibers.

[0056] The fibers may be provided in the form of a textile layer such as a mat, web, net, or mesh. The fibers may be intertwined, knitted, or woven together, or applied to a foil layer / support layer. The textile layer may be a coarse textile layer and may have, for example, openings / openings between the fibers or fiber bundles (which may be suitable to function as key locations as described below).

[0057] The fibers may be arranged in a regular pattern. The fiber bundles may be arranged in a regular pattern. The fiber layer of the fiber portion may have openings (e.g., an open weave / pattern) or a close weave / pattern, i.e., a tight weave / pattern. The fibers may be arranged in an irregular or random configuration. The fiber layer may have a mesh-like appearance so that it is partially transparent.

[0058] The fibrous layer (i.e., the fibers) or the main body portion may be woven to form a weave structure, for example, a loose weave or a tight weave. A loose weave is understood to mean that there are many openings in the weave structure. The weave structure can be defined by the porosity, i.e., the ratio of fibers to gaps (relative to the main surface).

[0059] Textiles can have perforations of over 95%, over 90%, over 85%, over 80%, over 75%, over 70%, over 65%, over 60%, over 55%, over 50%, over 45%, over 40%, over 35%, over 30%, over 25%, over 20%, over 15%, or over 10%, with lower perforations corresponding to a denser / more closely packed weave. Any textile pattern with a perforation of less than 10% may be defined as a "dense weave." The type of weave structure, e.g., the perforation of the weave structure, may depend on the type of belt and / or the purpose of the belt. For example, a weave with a lower perforation may have higher tensile strength than another weave with a higher perforation made from the same material, making it more suitable for belts used under higher tension.

[0060] The weave structure may be plain weave, satin weave, twill weave, or gauze weave.

[0061] The fibers may extend substantially in two or more directions within the textile layer. Some fibers may be, for example, one of the warp or weft threads of a woven textile and may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the belt. Some fibers may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the belt. Additionally or alternatively, the fiber portion may include fibers that are substantially inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the belt, i.e., between 1 and 45 degrees. Optionally, the fiber portion may have fibers extending in a first angled direction and in a second angled direction perpendicular to the first angled direction.

[0062] The fibers may be coated with an adhesive, for example, and provided in an adhesive matrix. The fibers may be partially or completely saturated with the adhesive. The fiber portion may have an adhesive coating, thereby at least partially coating the textile layer on its top and / or bottom surfaces. The coating can substantially envelope the textile layer or the fibers within it.

[0063] The adhesive may be curable once or multiple times, for example, two or more times. For example, the adhesive may be reusable so that it becomes at least partially viscous after curing or hardening. The adhesive may be a resettable thermoplastic. If the belt is made of PVC or PU material, the adhesive is configured to bond the fibers to the PVC or PU material of the belt.

[0064] The adhesive may be flexible after curing or hardening. During use, the conveyor belt will bend, for example, when moving around a roller. The adhesive may be configured to allow a certain degree of flexibility without damaging the joint. For example, the adhesive may not be rigid and / or brittle.

[0065] In this application, the terms "curing" or "cured" of the adhesive for the fiber portion should be understood to mean that the adhesive has a first state and a second state, with the first state being harder or more viscous than the second state. In some embodiments, the first state may mean that the adhesive is solid and the second state means that the adhesive is fluid. However, in some embodiments, both the first and second states may be fluid, and the first state may be more viscous than the second state.

[0066] The coating can pass through one or more openings provided in the main body. The adhesive can bond the fibers of the main body to the belt (for example, the first and / or second edges of the belt).

[0067] The openings can define "penetrating positions" into which the belt material can penetrate the main body of the fiber portion. The number of penetrating positions may depend on the fiber structure of the main body portion, e.g., the woven structure or the perforation rate of the woven structure. The higher the perforation rate of the woven structure, i.e., the looser the weave, the more penetrating positions there may be available for the belt material to penetrate the fiber portion from above / below. For example, a loose weave may have more openings than a dense weave. If the fibers of the main body portion are nonwoven, the penetrating positions are the gaps between adjacent fibers or fiber bundles. In some embodiments, additional penetrating positions can be added by perforating the main body portion, which is particularly beneficial (but not limited to) dense weaves that do not originally have many openings / penetrating positions.

[0068] In some embodiments, the fibers may be 3D printed or printed directly into a desired pattern / weave structure.

[0069] The fibers in the fibrous portion may, for example, be in an untreated woven state, or in a state before being covered with adhesive. By using untreated woven fibers, i.e., untreated fibers, the adhesion of the fibers can be improved, for example, to form a stronger bond with the adhesive.

[0070] A belt may be composed of multiple sections that are joined together (i.e., joined using one or more reinforced joints). This is particularly beneficial when forming long belts. By using multiple reinforced joints, the complexity and cost of manufacturing the belt can be reduced compared to producing specialist longer belts.

[0071] The belt may be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and / or polyurethane (PU) material. The belt (e.g., the belt body) may have a longitudinal axis or longitudinal direction that allows the belt to extend or may be elongated. The belt is considerably longer than the fibrous portion, and as a result, the fibrous portion does not extend throughout the entire belt body.

[0072] The belt may be an endless belt such as a conveyor belt or a timing belt.

[0073] If the belt is not formed as an endless belt, for example, it may have an extended length of 1m, 2m, 5m or more, for example, 10m or more, 20m or more, or 50m or more.

[0074] The belt width may be 5 cm or more, for example, 10 cm or more, 20 cm or more, 30 cm or more, or 50 cm or more. The belt width may be up to 1 m or 2 m, or may exceed 1 m or 2 m.

[0075] The reinforced joint may include a mechanical fastener for joining the first edge to the second edge. The fastener may include staples, clips, pins, eyelets, or a combination thereof.

[0076] The reinforced joint may be able to withstand tensile loads of 2,500 N or more, 2,750 N or more, or 3,000 N or more. The reinforced joint may have a tensile strength of 50 N / mm or more, 55 N / mm or more, or 60 N / mm or more. In some examples, the tensile strength is at least 70 N / mm or 80 N / mm.

[0077] Reinforced joints may have improved puncture resistance compared to unreinforced joints. Reinforced joints can withstand puncture forces of at least 600N, 700N, 800N, 900N, or 1,000N. Reinforced joints can provide compressive stress of at least 10MPa, 15MPa, or 20MPa. The puncture resistance of reinforced joints may be greater than that of the middle portion of the belt, i.e., the portion away from the joint.

[0078] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for forming a reinforced joint in a belt. The belt has a first end extending along its longitudinal axis, the first end being joined to a fibrous portion of a limited length, and the belt and the fibrous portion partially overlap at the first end by a predetermined distance.

[0079] The first or second end of the belt may be defined as an edge. The belt may have two longitudinal edges, i.e., side edges, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first and / or second edge may extend between the longitudinal edges. The first and / or second edge may extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis or at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis.

[0080] A first fiber portion may be provided on the first edge. A second fiber portion may be provided on the second edge. A mechanical fastener can pass from the first edge to the second edge. The mechanical fastener can penetrate or puncture the first fiber portion and / or the second fiber portion.

[0081] According to another aspect of the present invention, a sheet material is provided for use in forming a reinforced belt joint. The sheet material comprises a fiber composite layer comprising a textile containing aramid fibers, the fiber composite layer being provided in an adhesive matrix. The adhesive at least partially covers and is cured over the aramid fibers.

[0082] The fiber composite layer may be provided on one or both sides of the textile layer, on a support / substrate, for example, on a support / substrate layer, or on a film / foil.

[0083] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for forming a fibrous portion used to reinforce a belt joint.

[0084] Any of the optional or essential features defined in relation to any one aspect of the present invention described above may be applied to any further aspects, insofar as it is feasible. The combinations of these optional features are not explicitly repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0085] References to fibers in this specification may also refer to bundles of fibers such as yarn.

[0086] Useful embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below, merely as examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0087] [Figure 1a] This shows a schematic three-dimensional diagram of each stage in the process of forming joints on a belt. [Figure 1b] This shows a schematic three-dimensional diagram of each stage in the process of forming joints on a belt. [Figure 1c] This shows a schematic three-dimensional diagram of each stage in the process of forming joints on a belt. [Figure 1d] This shows a schematic three-dimensional diagram of each stage in the process of forming joints on a belt. [Figure 1e]This shows a schematic three-dimensional diagram of each stage in the process of forming joints on a belt. [Figure 2] This shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the joint. [Figure 3a] A schematic plan view of an exemplary joint is shown. [Figure 3b] A schematic plan view of an exemplary joint is shown. [Figure 4] This shows an alternative configuration for the joint in the longitudinal section. [Figure 5a] This shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative configuration for the reinforced joint. [Figure 5b] A plan view of the alternative configuration for the reinforced joint is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0088] The present invention is applicable to any conventional belt structure, which typically comprises a belt core layer containing a cloth / textile material, the belt core layer having an upper layer and a lower layer depending on the intended use of the belt. The belt body is generally flat, but irregularly shaped belts are also possible. The belt body typically has a width dimension that is significantly larger than the material thickness of the belt, and a length dimension that is significantly larger than the width dimension, for example, the width is at least an order of magnitude larger than the thickness, and / or the length is often an order of magnitude larger than the width. However, the specific belt dimensions depend on the intended use of the belt, and the belt may be made shorter / longer, narrower / wider, and of varying thicknesses depending on the requirements of that use.

[0089] The textile material within the belt core can be selected to meet various requirements, including the belt's tracking characteristics, load / elongation characteristics, electrostatic properties, flatness, knife-edge fit, and curve fit. In some examples, monolithic or single-ply belts may be used, but in many examples, the belt has multiple plies.

[0090] Conveyor belts are used in a wide variety of applications for supporting and moving objects or materials between points. Depending on the intended application, conveyor belts may have custom structures, such as tracking guides on the underside, flights on the top surface, and / or side walls on the side edges. The present invention can accommodate all these modifications to flat belts, insofar as it is necessary to join the belt ends to form a closed loop in accordance with the intended application. The present invention relates to a method for forming a belt joint, reinforcing materials used in the joint, and the resulting belt joint.

[0091] The present invention will first be described with reference to the drawings, relating to a belt having two or more plies.

[0092] Here, we will explain the process of joining the opposing end edges of the belt together.

[0093] Referring to Figure 1, in a first embodiment of the present invention, the joint 100 comprises a first edge 20 and a second edge 30 of the belt 10 joined to the reinforced fiber portion 40. The first and second ends of the belt define an interface in the region where they engage (e.g., overlap). This interface can be described as a seam between the ends 20 and 30.

[0094] The fiber portion 40 comprises a main body portion 41 made of a para-aramid fiber woven fabric, which can withstand high tensile loads, has tear resistance, and excellent fatigue properties compared to other areas of the belt. Para-aramid fibers, due to their properties, are an ideal material for reinforcing joints. Para-aramid fibers have five times greater tensile strength per unit weight than steel. Furthermore, they are lightweight and highly flexible, which is important for endless belts that are wrapped around rollers and bent. In addition, para-aramid has good fatigue properties, particularly flexure resistance, which is also important because the load on the joints changes as it passes around the conveyor. In addition, para-aramid is tear-resistant, meaning that tears / rips at the joints do not propagate easily. Furthermore, para-aramid can be woven into a variety of woven fabrics or other textile patterns and styled.

[0095] The main body portion is coated with an adhesive configured to bond the main body portion 41 to the belt (for example, the composition of the adhesive is selected based on the materials of the belt and the fiber portion). If the belt is a conveyor belt made of PVC or PU, a suitable adhesive is a rubber cement such as Rima Tiptop C4 Cement®, but the specific adhesive used depends on both the type of fiber in the fiber portion and the material of the belt.

[0096] Various adhesives have been considered for bonding the fibers of the fibrous portion to the belt material. The adhesive may include one or more of the following: polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyacrylate, polyester acrylate, acrylic solvent cement, or rubber cement (such as Rima Tiptop C4 Cement®). If the fibers contain aramid, the adhesive may be any material capable of bonding / joining / adhering the aramid to the belt material. Those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on the selected specific fibrous material or fiber blend, as well as the belt material, various adhesives can be selected by ordinary trial and error.

[0097] To produce the fibrous portion, the main body includes the arrangement of woven and / or nonwoven fibers, which are first coated / treated with an adhesive. In this regard, fibers such as aramid fibers are difficult to cut / handle when they are in their untreated loom state.

[0098] The adhesive is dried, cured, or cured by methods known to those skilled in the art, such as UV curing, heating, or standing under ambient conditions.

[0099] The surface of the fibrous portion may be treated / coated with a non-adhesive coating such as Teflon® to prevent the fibrous portion from adhering to the surface of the workpiece during operation.

[0100] The adhesive facilitates the handling of the fiber portion, such as cutting and positioning it in / on the belt. The adhesive helps maintain the precise orientation of the fibers and prevents them from bending, making cutting easier. The fiber portion, including the main body and the cured adhesive, can be cut, for example, to form multiple fiber portions 40 from a larger fiber portion, or to cut / shape the edges to fit a specific belt profile.

[0101] The fiber portion 40 is generally quadrilateral / rectangular and has corresponding first and second edges 42 and 43 separated by side edges 44. The first and second edges correspond to the width of the belt 10. The length of the side edges 44 corresponds to the range of the interface between the belt end edges 20 and 30.

[0102] To ensure that all areas of the fiber textile are completely covered / saturated with adhesive, the fiber portion 40 is coated with adhesive. In the prototype application, the fiber portion was coated manually using a brush. A non-adhesive support surface ensures that the adhesive is returned from the surface to the main portion and prevents the adhesive containing the fiber portion from bonding to the surface. In the practical application of the technology for manufacturing fiber portions, different coating methods such as roll coating, dip coating, and spray coating are typically used. In particular, it is conceivable to use a coating process in which the textile of the fiber portion passes around a roller immersed in a tank of adhesive, and the adhesive adheres to the fiber portion as the fiber portion passes around the roller. Various industrial textile coating processes can be considered to manufacture the desired composite fiber portion material.

[0103] The adhesive is dried / cured in the ambient environment to harden and facilitate handling and work. After drying, the fiber portion 40 can be cut to a predetermined size, for example, to form strips. The desired shape may be determined by the dimensions of the belt 10.

[0104] In Figure 1, the fiber portion 40 is rectangular in shape, with the edges 42 and 43 on the longer sides corresponding to the width of the belt. However, the width of the fiber portion may be slightly shorter so as not to protrude from the side edges 11 of the belt 10.

[0105] The fiber portion 40 can be produced in batch or continuous order to reduce production time and improve scalability. In this case, multiple fiber portions 40 can be cut from larger / longer sections of the material.

[0106] Figures 1a to 1e illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. These figures show the various steps of joining the belt 10 to the reinforced fiber portion 40 to form a belt loop. Figure 1a shows the first edge portion 20 and the second edge portion 30 of the belt 10, as well as the fiber portion 40. The belt 10 comprises a belt body extending in the longitudinal direction L.

[0107] The intermediate portion 50 of the belt 10 separates the first end portion 20 and the second end portion 30. Only a portion of the intermediate portion 50 is shown, and in reality, the intermediate portion loops around the first end portion 20 and the second end portion 30, and their ends are joined by the continuous belt body.

[0108] The belt body 10 comprises plies joined together. Multiple layers may be present, but the illustrated embodiment has only two plies. The belt may include, for example, a conventional PVC, PU, ​​or silicone belt.

[0109] In Figure 1b, the plies of the belt 10 are separated along the first edge 20 until they reach the intermediate section 50, thereby defining the upper plies 21 and lower plies 22. The intermediate section 50 can be defined as the region where the plies / layers are not separated. A line 51 is provided for reference to show where the transition occurs between the intermediate section 50 and the first edge 20.

[0110] When separating the plies 21 and 22, a knife or similarly sharp tool can be inserted first into the edge 20 or along the edge 20 to separate the layers. The plies 21 and 22 can then be pulled apart / pryed open to the desired separation length in the longitudinal direction L. Separation of the plies can be achieved by pressing and oscillating the knife. In some examples, a wire or the like can be used instead of a knife / blade.

[0111] The second edge portion 30 is separated in a similar manner. This embodiment allows for the separation or division of the belt at the interface between existing plies. In cases where the belt is a monolithic structure rather than a laminated structure, it is possible to form the divided end for the purposes of the present invention by cutting into the monolithic structure at a predetermined height. Thus, it is possible to generate a partial ply similar to the configuration shown in Figure 1b.

[0112] In Figure 1c, the finger 23 is formed by punching out the upper ply layer 21 and the lower ply layer 22 by a method known to those skilled in the art. The finger 23 is substantially wedge-shaped, with each part being triangular, and extends from the base to the distal point or vertex. The finger 23 may partially extend into the first edge 20 such that there is a gap between the base of the finger 23 and the transition line between the intermediate portion 50 and the first edge 20. Alternatively, the splice (i.e., the finger cut) may extend completely to the transition line 51.

[0113] The positions of the splice cuts may differ on the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 22 so that the fingers 23 extend for different lengths. For example, the fingers 23 on the lower ply layer 22 may extend further than the fingers 23 on the upper ply layer 21, or vice versa. The splice may be configured to cut the first edge portion 20 so that when bonded to the fiber portion 40, the edge is fully positioned over the body portion 41, i.e., the edge does not protrude beyond the first edge portion 42 of the body portion 41. However, in some embodiments, a portion of the cut may extend beyond the first edge portion 42.

[0114] The punching / cutting process is repeated for the second edge portion 30 from the opposite side, extending over the second edge portion 43 of the fiber portion 40, as shown in Figure 1d.

[0115] The splice notches may instead be punched out simultaneously on both edges.

[0116] Figure 1 shows only one example of a structure for splicing opposing edges of belt 10 together. It will be understood that the ends may not have such a structure, and the edges 20 and 30 may simply abut each other to form a joint. Alternative splicing structures may be used as needed.

[0117] Generally, it is preferable to cut the structure / finger 23 after the plies 21 and 22 have been separated. This makes the ply separation process easier to achieve. In addition, by doing so, individual plies can be cut / punched separately as needed to provide different or offset structures. Alternatively, the separated plies can be held together and cut as a whole. If necessary, both ends can be held together and cut with a common tool.

[0118] The fibrous portion 40 is positioned between the upper ply layer 21 and the lower ply layer 22, regardless of whether or not the finger structure 23 is formed.

[0119] The separated plies of the first edge portion 20 of the belt are positioned on both main surfaces of the fiber portion 40 (i.e., on the upper and lower sides of the fiber portion). The separated plies of the second edge portion 30 are then positioned on the fiber portion 40 in the same manner as the first edge portion, but from the opposite direction. The fingers of the first and second edges are positioned on the fiber portion in an alternated or interfering fashion so that when joined, the fingers of the first edge portion engage with the fingers of the second edge portion, and vice versa. This forms the Z-splice configuration shown in Figure 1e, ready to be joined.

[0120] In addition to the adhesive coating on the fiber portion 40, additional adhesive can be applied to the interface / joint between opposing edges to bond the edges together with the bond formed by the fiber portion 40.

[0121] In some examples, multiple fiber sections may be inserted between different plies at the end of the belt to define a stack of fiber sections. In this way, two or more fiber sections can be used to improve reinforcement of the joint. The uppermost ply may define the first main surface of the belt in use and may overlap the fiber sections (i.e., the first main surface of the fiber sections). The lowermost ply may define the second main surface of the belt in use and may overlap the fiber sections (i.e., the second main surface of the fiber sections).

[0122] Figure 1e shows the joint during and after processing. By applying heat and pressure, the adhesive in the fiber portion melts, and this adhesive adheres / fused to the belt material (e.g., the PVC / PU material of the belt body). A heated press can be used for this purpose. Processing temperatures in the range of 120–200°C have been shown to be practical. Depending on the combination of materials used, applied pressures between 0.1–10 bar (10 kPa–1 MPa) have also been tested and found to be practical. Ideally, the pressure should be applied evenly across the entire joining area.

[0123] The heat / pressure treatment time for forming the desired joint may be up to 10 minutes. However, it has been shown that for various adhesives, fibers, and belt materials, much shorter treatment times under high temperature and pressure, such as less than 1 minute, can still provide a properly bonded joint. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the materials used, the belt thickness, the number of plies, and / or the number of reinforcing sections can all affect the optimal press settings and associated treatment times.

[0124] The interface is formed where the first edge abuts, engages with, or is directly adjacent to the second edge. The interface may appear as a seam in the final product.

[0125] The fibrous portion is discontinuous, and as a result, it extends only partially into the belt body (i.e., into the belt body at both the first and second edges) in the direction of the longitudinal axis L. Preferably, the fibrous portion extends beyond the longitudinal length of the interface. This ensures that the plies of the opposing ends 20, 30 are fully supported all the way to the extremity of the interface, which can be a weak point in conventional belt joints, for example, the tip of the splice structure 23. The fibrous portion extends by a predetermined length beyond the interface in the longitudinal direction, such as 10 cm, 5 cm, 3 cm, or less than 3 cm. The extent of the fibrous portion extension may be equal on both sides of the interface (e.g., upstream and downstream directions relative to the longitudinal direction of the belt's movement during use).

[0126] The interface may be entirely contained within the footprint or planar area of ​​the fibrous portion.

[0127] The first and second edges may be parts of the same belt body, which is curved / folded to form an endless belt. Thus, such a belt is considered to have a single reinforced joint. Alternatively, the first and second edges may be parts of two adjacent belt bodies that are joined together. In this way, by joining multiple belt bodies together, a belt of any desired length can be formed. In this case, the belt will have multiple reinforced joints at different positions along its entire length.

[0128] Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of the reinforced joint 100. The upper and lower plies / layers extend above and below the fibrous portion 40 and are joined to the fibrous portion. The interface 12 is defined where the first edge and the second edge meet or overlap. The joint is visible when the belt is viewed from above and below.

[0129] Figure 3a shows a schematic diagram of the first embodiment in which the fibrous portion is visualized through the formed belt joint / interface 12. It can be seen that the seam of the interface 12 is substantially located on the main surface of the fibrous portion 40. In this example, the axis of the interface 12 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, and the path followed by the interface is a zigzag reciprocating path around the axis of the interface.

[0130] The orientation of the fibers in the fiber portion 40 is schematically shown as being similar to that of a mesh or grid where the warp and weft threads are arranged perpendicular and horizontal to the longitudinal axis L. Therefore, the alignment of the fibers in the fiber textile mat is diagonally offset from the path of the interface 12. The orientation of the fibers relative to the longitudinal axis L may be useful in preventing the fiber portion 40 from giving in the direction of tension applied during use. That is, the fiber portion is not stretchable in the longitudinal direction L.

[0131] In various other examples, the interface axis and the fiber orientation of the fiber portion may be changed independently or simultaneously with respect to the longitudinal axis L. Figure 3b shows an interface axis 48 inclined obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the belt. In this example, the fiber portion 40 may be rectangular or a parallelogram aligned with the direction of the interface axis 48. Thus, the side edges of the fiber portion 40 may also be inclined obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0132] Furthermore, in Figure 3b, the angles of the warp and weft threads in the fiber portion 40 are offset by, for example, 45° from the longitudinal axis.

[0133] Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which the belt comprises multiple layers of plies with separated first and second edges, and fibrous portions are inserted between each layer. Once processed, the laminate of fibrous portions forms a strong joint that can withstand high tensile loads well.

[0134] In other examples, the fiber portions 40 may be positioned on the outer surface of the belt 10, i.e., on the upper and / or lower surfaces of the belt, to cover the interface 12 or associated seams. Such configurations can be used in addition to a single internal fiber portion 40 positioned between the plies of the belt, or in addition to a laminate of fiber portions.

[0135] In some examples, fibrous portions on the outer surface of the belt can be used instead of fibrous portions 40 positioned between the plies. This can be particularly useful, for example, when repairing an existing belt by reinforcing the existing interface. In such examples, the fibrous portions 40 may comprise one or more outer layers to form a layered composite structure. The one or more outer layers can provide a cover layer for the fibrous portions. This cover layer may be a layer for fusing with the belt surface, or a layer for covering the fibrous layers in situ while attached to the belt. Any of the features described herein regarding the orientation of the fibrous portions relative to the interface can be applied to fibrous portions applied to the outer surface of the belt. A pair of outer fibrous portions may be positioned to sandwich the belt (i.e., the interface region of the belt).

[0136] <Various options for further embodiments>

[0137] Figures 5a and 5b illustrate further embodiments of the present invention. Both the first and second edges are joined to separate fiber portions 40. The fiber portions 40 may be located between the plies at the end of the belt, or they may be joined to the outside of the belt as described above. The edges of the first and second edges substantially align with the edges of the fiber portions. In this embodiment, the fiber portions cover the first and second ends and are joined using the method described above.

[0138] As shown in Figure 5b, the fiber portion and belt (i.e., the edge portion) are provided with a plurality of openings 51 that allow for the insertion of mechanical fasteners 50, thereby enabling the connection of the first edge portion 20 to the second edge portion 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners 50 are staples or eyes / rings. However, any conventional mechanical fastener capable of connecting the edges to each other, such as lacing or hinged clips passed through eyelets 51, can be used instead.

[0139] The opening is equipped with an eyelet ring 51 to provide some rigidity to the opening and prevent wear.

[0140] The figure shows four fasteners 50, but any number of fasteners may be present, i.e., there may typically be more than four fasteners. Therefore, the present invention can also be used to provide reinforcement when mechanical fasteners are used at the interface rather than at the interface by adhesive / splice. In this example, the interface 12 is wider than the interface seam by splice. In some examples, the fibrous portion 40 may extend continuously across the interface 12, i.e., it may be continuously positioned between the mechanical fasteners 50. In such examples, the fibrous portion 40 may have the cover layer(s) described above.

[0141] The belt may have a plurality of eyelets that can be aligned along the width of the belt (i.e., parallel to the widthwise edge). The engaging means may further include a mechanical fastener connecting the first end to the second end. The fastener may be a clip, staple, or lace. The fastener may be selectively removable so that it can be replaced in case of damage.

[0142] The techniques used to reinforce mechanical joints may also be used for other types of belts (i.e., timing belts and monolithic / homogeneous belts).

[0143] The position of interface 12 may be formed differently on the first main surface of the belt (i.e., the top surface during use) and the second main surface of the belt (i.e., the bottom surface during use). For example, the first and second edges may have inclined edges for complementary engagement, i.e., beveled / diagonal joints inclined in the thickness direction of the material. If the first and second edges are spliced, the fingers on the top surface may have different lengths and / or widths than the fingers on the bottom surface. For example, the first end may consist of multiple ply layers, with the spliced ​​fingers of the upper layer being longer than the spliced ​​fingers of the lower layer. Alternatively, the spliced ​​fingers of the first and second main surfaces may be the same length.

[0144] The fibrous portion (e.g., its body portion) may extend for a maximum distance of 100 cm from the interface in the direction of the first and / or second edge portions. The maximum distance may be less than 50 cm, or less than 25 cm, less than 20 cm, less than 15 cm, less than 10 cm, or less than 5 cm. The maximum distance depends on the shape and location of the interface. If the joint includes spliced ​​fingers, the interface will be zigzag in shape. The maximum distance may be defined as the distance between the tip / apex of the finger and the edge of the fibrous portion. Alternatively, the maximum distance may be defined as the distance from the free edge of the separated ply at a given edge portion (e.g., the edge of the edge portion) to the unseparated intermediate portion.

[0145] The splice fingers / splice structures may have shapes other than triangular, for example, they may be castellated to have a serrated appearance. The fingers may be elongated so as to extend along the longitudinal axis / longitudinal direction of the belt, i.e., to be elongated in the longitudinal direction relative to their width. Each end may have four, five, or six or more splice structures / splice fingers.

[0146] The present invention can also accommodate other types of joints, such as wedge splices.

[0147] <Test Results>

[0148] In embodiments of the present invention, tensile and puncture tests were performed to determine the relative strength of the reinforced interface.

[0149] Rectangular belt sections with reinforced interfaces were fabricated according to various combinations of belt thicknesses and materials for the belt, adhesive, and fiber sections. The belt sections were mounted in the clamps of a tensile testing machine, and tension was applied at a constant speed of 100 mm / min until fracture occurred.

[0150] It was found that reinforcing the splice resulted in a 13% to 84% improvement in tensile strength compared to conventional splice belts, in terms of both maximum force (N) and tensile strength (N / mm).

[0151] Mechanical joints using wire hooks similar to those in the embodiments described herein were also tested and showed an improvement of approximately 11% in tensile strength compared to conventional wire hook splicing techniques. However, this relatively small improvement is thought to be due to the nature of the splice failure, which was observed to be primarily caused by the wire hooks opening and separating rather than the belt breaking.

[0152] For the puncture strength test, a cylindrical flat punch with a diameter of 8 mm was used. A load was applied at a constant speed of 5 mm / min to the middle point of the central finger of the splice until splicing failure occurred. Puncture tests were performed on samples with splices joined by hot pressing, and the results of maximum force (N) and compressive stress (MPa) were recorded.

[0153] In general, it was observed that splicing reinforcement significantly improved the load that the belt could withstand before failure. The resulting splices exhibited up to 4.8 times greater strength compared to samples using conventional splicing techniques. Some of the reinforced splices were even stronger than the core of a standard unspliced ​​belt sample (i.e., the main body of the belt without the splice). In particular, the strongest reinforced splice tested according to the present invention showed maximum force and compressive stress values ​​64% higher than the unspliced ​​main body of the belt.

[0154] The fact that a reinforced joint can provide greater puncture resistance than the rest of the belt is an unprecedented discovery in the art and is particularly promising. In short, if the joint can be reinforced to become the strongest part of the belt, this will significantly reduce the likelihood of joint failure and extend the expected operating life of the belt. This means that the belt is more likely to reach its maximum operating life through wear rather than failing prematurely.

[0155] The present invention is primarily intended to address the largest source of belt waste, namely PVC (used in PVC and rubber belts). However, the present invention can also be used for thinner types of belts, namely PU belts, polyolefin belts, cotton belts, polyester belts, polyamide belts, and silicone belts.

Claims

1. A method for forming a joint in a belt having a first edge and a second edge to be joined, A fibrous portion having a first edge and a second edge and containing aramid fibers is prepared, The first edge of the belt is positioned to at least partially overlap the first edge of the fiber portion, The second edge of the belt is positioned so as to at least partially overlap the second edge of the fiber portion, In the arrangement, the first edge portion and the second edge portion are joined to the fiber portion such that a joint interface reinforced by the aramid fiber is formed between the first edge portion and the second edge portion. A method for forming a joint, including the following.

2. A method for forming a joint according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous portion has a first main surface, and the first edge portion is joined to the first main surface.

3. A method for forming a joint according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second edge portion is joined to the first main surface.

4. A method for forming a joint according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the fibrous portion has a second main surface, and the first edge portion is also joined to the second main surface.

5. The method for forming a joint according to claim 4, wherein the second edge of the belt is also joined to the second main surface.

6. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the belt comprises a plurality of plies, and the fibrous portion is inserted or positioned between the plies at the first end edge of the belt.

7. The method for forming a joint according to claim 6, wherein the fibrous portion is inserted between the plies at the second end edge of the belt.

8. A method for forming a joint according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the ply is separated, for example, from the first edge and / or second edge to a predetermined longitudinal distance prior to the insertion of the fiber portion.

9. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first edge and / or second edge are shaped to define a splice structure.

10. The method for forming a joint according to claim 9, wherein the splice structure comprises fingers having a length of 50 mm to 150 mm or 90 mm to 100 mm.

11. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the splice structure of the first edge portion is interposed between opposing splice structures of the second edge portion.

12. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first edge portion abuts against or overlaps with the second edge portion when joined to the main body portion.

13. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the fiber portion comprises a fiber body portion coated with an adhesive.

14. The method for forming a joint according to claim 13, wherein the fibrous portion is treated such that the adhesive melts when it is placed on the belt, thereby joining the first edge and the second edge to the main body portion.

15. The method for forming a joint according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the aforementioned fibrous portion is cut from a larger fibrous portion.

16. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the fiber body portion is made of woven fibers.

17. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the fibrous portion includes para-aramid fibers.

18. A method for forming a joint according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein a fastener is joined to the first edge and the second edge, preferably a hook fastener, clip, or staple, and the fastener straddles the joint interface.

19. A reinforced belt comprising a belt body and a fiber portion, The fibrous portion includes aramid fibers and is joined near the first edge of the belt body to an opposing second edge of the belt body that defines a closed loop. The fibrous portion has a discontinuous length in the longitudinal direction of the belt body so as to terminate on both sides of the interface, and the belt body extends in the longitudinal direction beyond the fibrous portion. Reinforced belt.

20. The reinforced belt according to claim 19, wherein the belt is a conveyor belt or a timing belt.

21. The reinforced belt according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the belt body is provided with a plurality of localized fiber reinforcement joints at positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

22. The reinforced belt according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the belt comprises a plurality of plies, and the fibrous portions are arranged between adjacent plies.

23. The belt is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), as described in any one of claims 18 to 21.

24. The belt according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the fibrous portion is made of woven para-aramid fibers.

25. A fibrous partial sheet material for use in forming reinforced belt joints, The fibrous portion has a fiber composite layer comprising a textile having aramid fibers arranged in an adhesive matrix, The adhesive is cured or hardened to at least partially cover the aramid fibers and to allow handling of the fiber portion. Fiber sheet material.

26. The fiber portion according to claim 25, wherein the fibers are untreated woven fibers, such as uncoated fibers, within the adhesive matrix.

27. The fibrous portion according to claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the adhesive is recurable, and optionally the adhesive contains a thermoplastic material.

28. The adhesive comprises rubber cement, the fibrous portion according to any one of claims 25 to 27.

29. The fiber portion according to any one of claims 25 to 28, wherein the fiber is woven.

30. The textile portion according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the textile has an opening inside the textile to provide a locking position through which a belt material is passed when in use.

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