Apparatus and method for monitoring a conveyor system

Abstract

To provide a device for a conveyor belt system.SOLUTION: A device includes: an elongated support part; and a conveyor belt cleaner which includes a pair of mounts constituted to position the elongated support part so as to extend across a conveyor belt. The device includes a cleaner blade mounted on the elongated support part in an operable manner and constituted so as to be engaged with the conveyor belt. The device further includes a sensor constituted so as to detect at least one characteristic of the elongated support part when the elongated support part vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt. A processor of the device is constituted so as to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using at least one characteristic of the elongated support part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications)

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 610,015, filed on December 22, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 733,367, filed on September 19, 2018, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). Both are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002]

[0002] The present disclosure relates to conveyor systems, and more particularly, to monitoring components of conveyor systems.

Background Art

[0003]

[0003] Conveyor systems are utilized to transport materials or objects from one location to another. One type of conveyor system, a conveyor belt system, may include a series of rollers and a conveyor belt disposed thereon to travel in a downstream belt travel direction and path. The rollers include both drive rollers or pulleys and idler rollers. The drive roller is connected to a power source such as a drive motor. The drive motor rotates the drive roller, which then acts on the conveyor belt. For example, a conveyor system may include a head roller, a driven tail roller, idler rollers between the head roller and the tail roller, and a conveyor belt that forms a loop around these rollers. The conveyor belt has an upper run generally above the idler rollers and a return run generally below the idler rollers. The driven tail roller engages the conveyor belt and drives the upper run of the conveyor belt in the longitudinal downstream belt travel direction and path. The idler rollers contact the lower surface of the upper run of the conveyor belt and support the weight of the material carried by the upper surface of the upper run of the conveyor belt. The idler rollers rotate in response to frictional engagement with the lower surface of the upper run of the conveyor belt and can include ball bearings for easy rotation.

[0004]

[0004] A conveyor belt may meander or mistrack laterally to one side or the other of the rollers due to reasons such as the uneven load carried by the belt. A conveyor system may include a conveyor belt tracking device that addresses belt mistracking by guiding the belt back to the correct path of travel substantially centered on the conveyor rollers. A tracking device may include at least one roller along which the belt travels. This at least one roller pivots in response to the belt mistracking so that the pivoting roller acts to guide the conveyor belt back to the correct direction of travel. Exemplary tracking devices are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,556,068 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2016 / 0264358, both of which are included in their entirety by reference.

[0005]

[0005] Conveyor belt systems can be used to transport various materials such as coal or aggregates. During use, residue from the transported material may accumulate on the conveyor belt. The residue may contain small particles and / or liquids that adhere to the belt and remain in contact with the conveyor belt surface after the rest of the transported material has been removed from the belt. This residue and debris can be removed using a conveyor belt cleaner. A conveyor belt cleaner may include one or more scraper blades mounted on an elongated support member, such as a support rod, that extends in a direction across the belt, and the scraper blades are biased to engage with the surface of the conveyor belt. As the conveyor belt moves along its path, the scraper blades scrape off the residue. Both ends of the rod extend beyond the outside of the belt and are mounted on a structure that supports the conveyor belt via an elastic mounting mechanism that biases the rod and the scraper blades mounted thereon toward the belt and elastically engages the scraper blades. Elastic engagement allows the scraper blade to deviate from irregularities in the conveyor belt, such as splices. Conveyor belt splices may include mechanical fasteners fixed to the ends of the conveyor belt, which are joined together by hinge pins. Splices may also include metal fasteners having fastener plates, rivets, and / or staples that extend above the outer surface of the belt and contact the scraper blade engaged with the belt as the conveyor belt rotates. Another type of conveyor belt splice is a solid plate fastener that joins the ends of the conveyor belt and extends across the conveyor belt. The solid plate fastener may also extend upward from the outer surface of the conveyor belt and potentially collide with the scraper blade engaged with the conveyor belt. Elastic engagement of the conveyor belt cleaner allows the scraper blade to deviate from the splice without damaging the mechanical fasteners.

[0006]

[0006] In some conveyor belt systems, loading is performed by unloading the material to be conveyed onto the belt. For example, a conveyor system for conveying coal or aggregate includes an impact area or loading zone along the path of the conveyor belt where the coal or aggregate is unloaded onto the conveyor belt. Unloading may include dropping the coal or aggregate several feet or more before it lies on the upper surface of the upper conveying path of the conveyor belt. An impact bed supports the underside of the upper conveying path of the conveyor belt along these loading zones, absorbing some of the impact from the material unloaded onto it. The impact bed includes a platform and / or bars that contact the underside of the upper conveying path along the loading zone. The platform and / or bars are typically formed of an elastomer material that allows the platform and / or bars to deform elastically when subjected to impact. The impact bed may include raised sides that support the belt in a generally U-shaped configuration along the loading zone. This reduces material spillage. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007]

[0007] Components of a conveyor belt system may wear down over time or break due to the failure of one or more components of the system. For example, the scraper blade of a conveyor belt cleaner may wear down over time, potentially causing its engagement with the conveyor belt to become weaker than desired. Current monitoring methods for scraper blades and idler rollers include directly monitoring the condition of the scraper blade by embedding wires or sensors in the blade or idler roller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided that includes a conveyor belt system equipped with a conveyor belt cleaner. The conveyor belt cleaner has an elongated support and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt. The apparatus further includes a sensor configured to detect at least one feature of the elongated support as it vibrates during conveyor belt operation. The processor of the apparatus is configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using at least one feature of the elongated support. In this way, at least one characteristic of a component of the conveyor belt system can be predicted by detecting the vibration of the elongated support rather than the component directly. This provides desired information about the conveyor belt system while protecting the sensor.

[0009]

[0009] In one embodiment, the device includes a housing configured to be mounted on an elongated support, and the sensor is located inside the housing. The housing makes it possible to mount the sensor on the elongated support of an existing conveyor belt cleaner without requiring the replacement of the conveyor belt cleaner. Furthermore, since the housing is configured to be mounted on an elongated support, the existing cleaner blade can continue to be used, thereby simplifying installation.

[0010]

[0010] In one embodiment, the elongated support includes a pair of opposite ends and a shaft extending between them. The sensor is located at one of the ends of the elongated support that is axially outward from one of the mounts. The material being transported by the conveyor belt is typically transported along a path between the mounts of the conveyor belt cleaner. Since the sensor is axially outward from one of the mounts, it is outside the path of the material being handled by the conveyor belt. This protects the sensor by reducing its exposure to dust and small rock-like particles that may fall from the conveyor belt. In some embodiments, the device includes a communication interface configured to communicate at least one feature to a remote computer including a processor via a wireless network. The sensor axially outward from one of the mounts can reduce electromagnetic interference from the support structure of the conveyor belt system.

[0011]

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for monitoring a conveyor belt system is provided. The conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner having a cleaner blade configured to engage with the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt cleaner includes an elongated support and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt. The method includes using a sensor associated with the elongated support to detect at least one feature of the elongated support as it vibrates during conveyor belt operation. The method further includes using at least one feature of the elongated support to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system. In this way, at least one characteristic of a component of the conveyor belt system can be predicted without the need to measure the characteristic of the component itself. Although some components of the conveyor belt system, such as the cleaner blade, wear out and are replaced periodically, this method allows for continuous monitoring of the conveyor belt system despite the replacement of the cleaner blade or other components of the conveyor belt system that may wear out over time.

[0012]

[0012] The subject disclosure also provides a device for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner. The device includes a housing, a mounting portion of the housing configured to be fixed to the support rods of the conveyor belt cleaner, and a sensor within the housing configured to detect at least one feature of the support rods as they vibrate during the operation of the conveyor belt. Since the support rods of conveyor belt cleaners are standardized to some extent in the industry, and the mounting portion is configured to be fixed to the support rods, the device can be fixed to various models of conveyor belt cleaners from one manufacturer or to conveyor belt cleaners from various manufacturers. This makes it easy for the user to install the device on the conveyor belt cleaner or to inspect the conveyor belt cleaner.

[0013]

[0013] The device includes a communication circuit in a housing configured to communicate with a remote computer over a network. The device further includes a processor located in the housing and operably coupled with the sensor and the communication circuit. The processor is configured to cause the communication circuit to communicate data associated with at least one feature of the support rod to the remote computer. The communicated data can be used by the remote computer to monitor the conveyor belt cleaner, the conveyor belt, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the remote computer receives data from the communication circuit and uses this data to predict at least one feature of the conveyor belt cleaner, the conveyor belt cleaner, or a combination thereof.

[0014]

[0014] In another embodiment, a device is provided for connecting a sensor module to a support rod of a conveyor belt cleaner. The device includes a body having an outer surface for receiving a sensor module, and a mounting portion having a size such that it fits within an opening in the support rod and extends along the inner surface of the support rod. The device further includes an actuator operably coupled to the mounting portion and movable to engage the mounting portion with the inner surface of the support rod. With the mounting portion fixed to the support rod, the body of the device vibrates together with the support rod during the operation of the conveyor belt. The sensor module can detect at least one characteristic of the body as it vibrates together with the support rod during the operation of the conveyor belt. Thus, when it is not practical to mount the sensor module directly on the support rod, at least one characteristic of the body can be used to determine at least one characteristic of the associated conveyor belt system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1A]

[0015] A perspective view of a conveyor system including a conveyor belt, a conveyor belt cleaner, and a sensor associated with the conveyor belt cleaner and configured to transmit signals relating to the characteristics of the belt cleaner via a wireless network. [Figure 1B]

[0016] A perspective view of one of the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt cleaner of the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 1C]

[0017] A perspective view of another conveyor system including an upper conveyor system having a conveyor belt cleaner, a lower conveyor system having an impact bed, and a transfer chute system for guiding the material dropped from the upper conveyor system to the impact bed in the loading zone of the lower conveyor system. [Figure 2A]

[0018] A perspective view of a sensor module mounted on one of the support rods of the conveyor belt cleaner of FIG. 1A for monitoring one or more characteristics of the belt cleaner. [Figure 2B]

[0019] A cross-sectional view of the sensor of FIG. 2A. [Figure 3]

[0020] A network diagram showing wireless communication between the sensors and the control system of the conveyor system of FIG. 1A via a wireless gateway and a cloud computing system. [Figure 4]

[0021] A network diagram showing wireless communication between the sensors and the control system of the conveyor system of FIG. 1A via a wireless gateway, cloud storage, and a second cloud computing system for providing additional parameters to the control system. [Figure 5]

[0022] A diagram of a computer monitor displaying an application that provides information to a user based on data measured by sensors within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 6]

[0023] A diagram of a computer monitor displaying an application that provides information to a user based on data measured by sensors within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 7]

[0024] A diagram of a computer monitor displaying an application that provides information to a user based on data measured by sensors within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 8]

[0025] It is a diagram of a computer monitor that displays an email providing information to a user based on data measured by a sensor within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 9]

[0026] It is a diagram of a computer monitor that displays an email providing information to a user based on data measured by a sensor within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 10]

[0027] It is a perspective view of a smartphone that displays an application providing information to a user based on data measured by a sensor within the conveyor system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 11]

[0028] It is a perspective view of a tracking device having a sensor and suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C. [Figure 12]

[0029] It is a perspective view of another tracking device having a sensor and suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C. [Figure 13A]

[0030] It is a perspective view of a self - contained sensor module suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C. [Figure 13B]

[0030] It is a cross - sectional view of a self - contained sensor module suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C. [Figure 13C]

[0030] It is an exploded assembly view of a self - contained sensor module suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C. [Figure 14]

[0031] It is a perspective view of the sensor module of FIG. 13 having a power cord. [Figure 15]

[0032] It is a perspective view of a sensor module suitable for use in the conveyor system of FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C and having a body member sized to fit within one of the support rods of a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system. [Figure 16A]

[0033] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the primary belt cleaner of the conveyor system. [Figure 16B]

[0034] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the secondary belt cleaner of the conveyor system. [Figure 17A]

[0035] This shows a method for monitoring the condition of the conveyor belt in the conveyor system shown in Figure 1A or Figure 1C. [Figure 17B]

[0035] A method for monitoring the condition of the conveyor belt in the conveyor system shown in Figure 1A or Figure 1C is shown. [Figure 17C]

[0035] A method for monitoring the condition of the conveyor belt in the conveyor system shown in Figure 1A or Figure 1C is shown. [Figure 18]

[0036] This is a block diagram of the sensor circuit of a sensor module that includes a sensor for detecting movement. [Figure 19]

[0037] Figure 18 is a block diagram of the sensor circuit and the communication hub for communication. [Figure 20A]

[0038] This is a perspective view of a sensor module mounted on the tension bracket of a conveyor belt cleaner used in the conveyor system shown in Figure 1A or Figure 1C. [Figure 20B]

[0039] Figure 20A is an exploded view of the tension bracket and sensor module assembly. [Figure 21]

[0040] Figures 2A and 2B show graphs illustrating acceleration amplitude versus time measured by the sensor module at various belt cleaner tensions. [Figure 22]

[0041] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the conveyor system in which the sensor modules communicate via a cellular communication network. [Figure 23]

[0042] This is a block diagram of a system for monitoring auxiliary devices in a conveyor system. [Figure 24A]

[0043] This is a front view of a sensor module mounted on a support rod of a conveyor belt cleaner for monitoring one or more features of the conveyor belt cleaner. [Figure 24B]

[0044] Figure 24A is a rear view of the sensor module. [Figure 25]

[0045] Figures 24A and 24B are flowcharts showing the setup method for the sensors. [Figure 26]

[0046] This is a perspective view of a sensor module connected to a conveyor belt cleaner, showing the support rod of the conveyor belt cleaner clamped between the upper and lower parts of the sensor module's housing. [Figure 27]

[0047] Figure 26 is an exploded perspective view of the sensor module, showing the circuit board, circuit board support, and battery housed within the lower compartment of the housing. [Figure 28]

[0048] Figure 26 shows a schematic diagram of the smartphone used to set up the sensor module and the sensor module transmitting information to the remote server. [Figure 29]

[0049] This is a perspective view of a rod extender including a main body having spaced-out arch-shaped walls that are sized to fit within the opening of the support rod of a conveyor belt cleaner, and a cylindrical outer surface to which the sensor module shown in Figure 26 can be attached. [Figure 30]

[0050] Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 30-30, showing the rod extender's spreader and the rod extender's actuator bolt that is threaded and engaged with it. [Figure 31]

[0051] Figure 29 shows a cross-sectional view of the expander cut along line 31-31, illustrating the cam wall of the expander, which has an inclined surface for fixing the rod extender to the support rod, while also spacing the arch-shaped walls of the main body apart from each other. [Figure 32]

[0052] Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view of the rod extender cut along line 31-31, showing the rod extender connected to the support rod of a conveyor belt cleaner, the conveyor belt cleaner having a mount at the end of the support rod that limits the placement of the sensor module on the support rod. [Figure 33]

[0053] This diagram is similar to Figure 32, but when the actuator bolt is tightened, the wedge is pulled towards the main body, and the arched wall of the main body is biased against the inner surface of the support rod. [Figure 34]

[0054] This graph shows data from accelerometers mounted on the support rods of a conveyor belt cleaner, illustrating the change in the frequency domain response of the accelerometer signal due to changes in the operating conditions of the associated conveyor belt system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016]

[0055] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for monitoring a conveyor belt is provided. The apparatus may include one or more sensors associated with the conveyor belt and auxiliary devices of the conveyor system, such as idler rollers, cleaners, trackers, and / or impact beds. One or more sensors can be associated with the auxiliary devices in a number of ways. These methods include, for example, integrating with the auxiliary devices, mounting on the auxiliary devices, and / or mounting on a frame member of a structure supporting the conveyor belt in close proximity to the auxiliary devices.

[0017]

[0056] An auxiliary device may include a portion with a relatively short expected lifespan, i.e., a replaceable portion, and a portion with a relatively long expected lifespan, i.e., a permanent portion. While referred to herein as “permanent,” permanent portions may degrade over time and can be replaced. Permanent portions have a longer expected lifespan than “replaceable portions” and are designed to last longer. For example, the replaceable portion of a belt cleaner is the scraper blade, while the permanent portion of a belt cleaner is the belt cleaner's housing or an elongated, rigid mounting structure such as a base member or support rod. Another example is a permanent portion being part of the frame of a conveyor system on which an auxiliary device is mounted.

[0018]

[0057] One or more sensors in the device may be mounted on, integrated with, and / or positioned near one or more permanent parts of one or more auxiliary devices. The sensors may detect one or more features of the auxiliary devices, such as acceleration. Acceleration may be caused by rattling and vibrating impacts on a part of the auxiliary device, such as a splice colliding with a scraper blade of a conveyor belt cleaner. The sensors may also detect one or more features of the conveyor belt, such as detecting carry-back on the conveyor belt's return path using an optical sensor. The sensors may also detect sound. Sound can be used to detect whether the belt is running. Specific sounds that may indicate debris on the belt, collisions with the cleaner, or bearing failure in one of the rollers can be monitored. The sensors may also detect one or more ambient conditions, such as temperature and humidity. The sensors may also detect the temperature of one or more components of the auxiliary devices.

[0019]

[0058] The device may include a processor, to which measurement data corresponding to one or more detected features is transmitted. Based on the measurement data, the processor identifies fault conditions in the conveyor system, such as worn or damaged auxiliary devices. In one configuration, the processor is a local processor directly connected to the sensor. In another configuration, the processor is a remote computing device that receives data from one or more sensors via a wired and / or wireless communication network. In some configurations, each sensor module communicates directly with a communication hub, such as a router. In yet another configuration, the sensor modules form a mesh network, where the first sensor module acts as a communication relay for the second sensor module, the second sensor module acts as a communication relay for the third sensor module, and so on. Because the sensor modules can operate as communication relays, sensor modules that have difficulty communicating directly with the system's communication hub can provide data to the processor. For example, the communication hub can be located at the entrance of an underground mine. The first sensor module is closest to the communication hub, and the second and third sensor modules are positioned progressively deeper into the mine. The second and third sensor modules may not be able to communicate directly with the communication hub due to interference from rocks in the mine. However, data from the third sensor module can be relayed by the second sensor module to the first sensor module, which can then relay this information to the communication hub. Similarly, data from the second sensor module can be relayed to the communication hub by the first sensor module. In other words, one or more of the sensor modules include a cellular communication card, such as a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) card, and communicate via the cellular network.

[0020]

[0059] In one method, the processor identifies a fault condition by comparing the measured data to a minimum threshold, a maximum threshold, or an acceptable range. For example, data from an accelerometer that detects the acceleration of an idler roller is compared to the maximum threshold. If the acceleration exceeds the maximum threshold, the processor identifies a fault. This is because a large acceleration may indicate that the idler is not rotating, or that the conveyor belt is vibrating in close proximity to the idler roller due to some condition or set of conditions. In another example, the processor receives data from an accelerometer configured to measure the acceleration of a conveyor belt cleaner and compares the acceleration value to an acceptable range of acceleration values. If the measured acceleration value is too small, the processor can identify a fault. This is because a small acceleration value may result from the conveyor belt cleaner's scraper blade not engaging with the conveyor belt. If the measured acceleration value is too large, the processor can identify a fault condition. This is because a large acceleration value may result from the scraper blade resting on the residue on the conveyor without scraping it, for example, if the blade is excessively worn.

[0021]

[0060] In one embodiment, the processor monitors data output from one or more sensors over a period of time to identify trends that may indicate a conveyor system failure. For example, the processor can use data from an accelerometer that detects the tracker's acceleration to identify the frequency of corrective actions performed by the tracker. If the processor determines that the frequency of corrective actions exceeds a threshold, it identifies a failure condition. This is because the frequency of corrective actions may indicate that the conveyor belt is continuously drifting in one direction due to some state or set of states. In one embodiment, the device includes a memory configured to store data output from one or more sensors. The processor is operably coupled to the memory and can retrieve information about the sensor data output from the memory, for example, to determine historical trends in the sensor data output.

[0022]

[0061] The device may also include a user interface configured to display identified fault conditions to the user, which is operablely coupled to the processor. In some forms, the user interface is a remote computing device that can be used remotely from the monitored conveyor belt system. The processor may include a local computer within the facility including the monitored conveyor belt system, and the user interface may include a remote computing device operated by the user. For example, the user interface may include a personal computer, laptop computer, smartphone, or tablet computer. If the user interface is a portable device such as a smartphone or tablet computer, the local computer may send alerts, such as emails or notifications, to the portable device in the event of a fault condition.

[0023]

[0062] Referring to Figures 1A, 1B, and 1C, conveyor systems 100, 100A are provided. Conveyor systems 100, 100A include a conveyor belt 102 and many auxiliary devices such as an impact bed 110, a belt cleaner 120, an idler roller 130, a drive roller 135, and a tracker 140. Conveyor systems 100, 100A may, in some examples, be a component of a larger conveyor system, a separate system in a common location, or a separate system in separate locations. Referring to Figure 3, conveyor systems 100, 100A include a monitoring system 10 for monitoring one or more features of one or more components of conveyor systems 100, 100A. The monitoring system 10 includes sensor modules 112, 122, 132, 142 positioned on one or more components of conveyor systems 100, 100A. Each of the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 includes one or more sensors and communication modules. The sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 are configured to detect one or more states of one or more components, for example, based on the movement of the component or part. The monitoring system 10 includes remote resources such as a cloud computing system 105, which processes data from the sensors 112, 122, 132, and 142 to determine one or more characteristics of the corresponding auxiliary devices and conveyor belt 102, and / or predict characteristics such as the remaining lifespan of the auxiliary devices and conveyor belt 102. The cloud computing system 105 can operate to predict other characteristics of the conveyor system 100. Other characteristics include, for example, whether the belt is running, how long the belt has been running, whether the auxiliary devices are properly engaged with the belt 102, the amount of rewind, and the presence or absence of material on the belt 102. The cloud computing system 105 may include one or more remote servers that provide cloud computing functions.

[0024]

[0063] Sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 communicate with the cloud computing system 105 via gateway 104. Gateway 104 is an internet router or cellular tower that connects sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to the internet. Information from the cloud is viewed by the user via computer 107 (see Figure 3) or smartphone 106. Computer 107 is part of the control system 101, such as a computer configured to control the conveyor system 100. Figure 3 shows a desktop computer 107 and a smartphone 106, but other computing devices such as laptop computers, tablet computers, smartwatches, and AR (augmented reality) glasses may be used.

[0025]

[0064] Referring to Figures 1A and 1B, the idler rollers 130 and drive rollers 135 of system 100 are rotatably coupled to the frame 103. The conveyor belt 102 is a continuous belt extending around a plurality of idler rollers 120 and drive rollers 135 to advance along the path relative to the frame 103. Each of the belt cleaners 120 includes cleaner blades, such as a plurality of scraper blades 124, biased to engage with the outer surface 102O of the belt 102. The belt cleaners 120 include a pre-cleaner or primary belt cleaner 120A and a secondary belt cleaner 120B. The primary belt cleaner 120A is positioned at the head or drive pulley 135 to remove material from the belt 102 and assist in unloading the material from the conveyor belt 102. The secondary belt cleaner 120B is positioned along the return transport path of the conveyor belt 102 to perform additional cleaning of the conveyor belt 102 and limit the "rewinding" of the material. In other words, the secondary belt cleaner 120B ensures that the material is removed from the conveyor belt 102 without returning to the tail drive roller 135 of the conveyor belt 102.

[0026]

[0065] In some embodiments, the primary belt cleaner 120A is configured to rotate and engage with the belt 102. In some embodiments, the secondary belt cleaner 120B is configured to move perpendicularly in a linear direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the belt 102 and engage with the belt 102.

[0027]

[0066] An example of a primary belt cleaner 120A is shown in Figure 16A. The belt cleaner 120A includes one or more scraper blades 124 mounted on an elongated support, such as a support rod 126. The scraper blades 124 can be made from a wide variety of materials, such as steel, carbide, or urethane. The scraper blades 124 can be scraper blade assemblies having an elastic body, such as an elastomer or polymer body, and a hard blade tip, such as a carbide tip. Each scraper blade assembly may also include a base, such as a U-shaped metal bracket bolted to the support rod 126. The body elastically biases the scraper blade against the conveyor belt and can elastically deform to deflect the scraper blade from imperfections in the conveyor belt 102, such as fasteners on the belt. The support rod 126 includes ends 1626 and 1627 connected to mounts 1603 and 1604, and an intermediate section 1625 detachably connected to the ends 1626 and 1627. The detachable connection allows the intermediate section 1625 and the scraper blade 124 connected thereto to be easily removed for maintenance. The mounts 1603 and 1604 are configured to be fixed to the frame 103 of the conveyor belt 102 by welding or fasteners.

[0028]

[0067] Mounts 1626 and 1627 allow the support rod 126 to be rotated in controlled directions 126A and 126B. Mounts 1603 and 1604 each include a tension bracket 1670 and a spring 1601, each having a collar 1671 fixed to the support rod 126. The spring 1601 elastically biases the scraper blade 124 against the conveyor belt 120. Mounts 1603 and 1604 allow the support rod 126 to rotate in direction 126A in response to impacts on the scraper blade 124, such as when the fasteners of the conveyor belt 102 strike the scraper blade 124. When the support rod 126 rotates in direction 126A, the tension bracket 1670 compresses the spring 1601. The compressed spring 1601 then biases the tension bracket 1670 back to its initial position, thereby causing the scraper blade 124 to return and engage with the conveyor belt 102 again.

[0029]

[0068] In some embodiments, the scraper blade 1624 includes communication circuitry such as an RFID chip 1629 for communicating with the sensor module 122. Referring to Figure 2B, the sensor module 122 includes sensor circuitry 123 having an RFID reader such as an RFID sensor 1803 (see Figure 18), which identifies one or more scraper blades 124 by reading the RFID chip 1629 of one or more scraper blades 124. In one embodiment, the RFID chip 1629 (see Figure 16A) is a near-field chip or a non-powered chip. The RFID reader 127 generates a magnetic field that induces an electric current in the RFID chip 1629. It uses the induced current to transmit a code. In some embodiments, the control system 101 uses identification information about the scraper blade 124, such as a model of the scraper blade 124 and / or the material on which the scraper blade 124 is formed, in the analysis of data from the sensor module 122. For example, a carbide scraper blade may be expected to vibrate more than a urethane scraper blade during standard use. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the presence of the scraper blade 1624 is detected using the detection of an RFID chip 1629. If the RFID chip 1629 is not detected, the sensor module 122 sends a signal to the control system 101 indicating that the scraper blade 124 is not present. Furthermore, the control system 101 can be configured to determine, based on the reading of the RFID chip 1629, whether or not the wrong scraper blade 1624 is installed.

[0030]

[0069] An example of a secondary belt cleaner 120B is shown in Figure 16B. The belt cleaner 120B includes one or more scraper blades 1684 mounted on an elongated support such as a support rod 1688. The scraper blades 1684 can be made from a wide variety of materials such as steel, carbide, or urethane. The support rod 1688 includes ends 1686 and 1687 connected to mounts 1663 and 1664, and an intermediate section 1685 connected to the ends 1686 and 1687. The scraper blades 1684 are detachably connected to the intermediate section 1685 so that they can be easily removed for maintenance. The mounts 1663 and 1664 are configured to be fixed to the frame 103 of the conveyor belt 102 by welding or fasteners.

[0031]

[0070] Mounts 1663 and 1664 allow the support rod 1688 to move linearly while being controlled in directions 1661A and 1661B. A pair of springs 1661 bias the support rod 1688, and therefore the scraper blade 1684, in the direction 1661B, toward the belt 102. Mounts 1663 and 1664 allow the support rod 1688 to move in direction 1661A in response to an impact on the scraper blade 1684, such as when a damaged fastener on the conveyor belt 102 strikes the scraper blade 1684. When the support rod 1688 moves in direction 1661A, the springs 1661 are compressed. The compressed springs 1661 then bias the support rod 1688 in direction 1661B, re-engaging it with the belt 102. As described below, one or more sensor modules 122 can be coupled to the support rod 1688 to detect the movement of the scraper blade 124. Other belt cleaners are described in U.S. Patents 7,093,706, 7,347,315, 8,757,360, and 9,586,765, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0032]

[0071] Mounts 1663 and 1664 include a rectangular housing 1636 and a sleeve member 1638, which enable controlled rotation of the support rod 1688 around its longitudinal axis 1688A. The ends 1686 and 1687 pass through the rectangular housing 1636 and are fixed to the sleeve member 1638. An elastic member 1640 is positioned between the inner wall of the rectangular housing 1636 and the outer wall of the sleeve member 1638. During operation, the support rod 1688 rotates due to friction between the scraper blade 124 and the belt 102. The elastic member 1640 resists this rotation and biases the sleeve member 1638 toward the illustrated position, thereby maintaining engagement between the scraper blade 1684 and the belt 102.

[0033]

[0072] Returning to Figure 1C, the conveyor system 100A has two belts 102, including an upper belt 102U and a lower belt 102L. The upper belt 102U is cleaned by a belt cleaner 120 having a sensor module 122. The material conveyed by the upper belt 102U is discharged into a chute 108. The chute 108 guides the discharged material to the loading zone of the lower belt 102L. The lower belt 102L is supported by an impact bed 110 in the loading zone.

[0034]

[0073] The scraper 120, impact bed 110, and other auxiliary devices are supported by the frame 203 of the conveyor system 100A and engage with the belt 102. In one configuration, sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and / or 142 are coupled to the frame 103 in close proximity to the connection point between the frame 103 and the corresponding auxiliary devices. The frame 103 vibrates due to the movement of parts of the auxiliary devices, and the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and / or 142 measure this vibration.

[0035]

[0074] Referring to Figure 1A, the conveyor system 100 further includes a communication hub 104, such as a wireless router, which communicates wirelessly with a plurality of sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142. Wireless communication between the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 and the communication hub 104 can utilize any of the wide variety of communication protocols. For example, sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 support infrastructure protocols such as 6LowPAN, IPv4 / IPv6, RPL, QUIC, Aeron, uIP, DTLS, ROLL / RPL, NanoIP, CNN, and TSMP; identification protocols such as EPC, uCode, IPv6, and URI; communication / transfer protocols such as Wifi, Bluetooth (trademark), DigiMesh, ANT, NFC, WirelessHart, IEEE802.15.4, Zigbee, EnOcean, WiMAX, and LPWAN; discovery protocols such as Physical Web, mDNS, HyperCat, UpnP, and DNS-SD; data protocols such as MQTT, MQTT-SN, Mosquitto, IMB MessageSight, STOMP, XMPP, XMPP-IoT, CoAP, AMQP, Websocket and Node; device management protocols such as TR-069 and OMA-DM; semantic JSON-LD and Web Thing Model and / or multi-layer framework protocols such as Alljoyn, IoTivity, Weave, and HomeKit can be used.

[0036]

[0075] In some configurations, the communication hub 104 communicates with an external data processing system, such as a cloud-based computing system 105, as shown in Figure 1A. The cloud-based computing system 105 can store the communicated data and / or process the communicated data and relay it back to the communication hub 104 or another computer system for further processing or storage. For example, the cloud-based computing system 105 may include one or more data processing applications that run on virtual machines within the cloud-based computing system 105 and are configured to process data communicated to the cloud-based computing system 105 by the communication hub 104. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the communication hub 104 transmits data from sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to one or more on-site computers, such as a control room computer or a portable computer, such as a smartphone or tablet, held by a user of the conveyor system 100. The sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 can also transmit data directly to one or more on-site computers using one or more communication protocols, such as those listed above. Furthermore, the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 can also transmit data to each other or to other sensors before transmitting data to one or more on-site computers, communication hubs 104, and / or cloud-based computing systems 105. When the communication hub 104 communicates with the cloud-based computing system 105, on-site computers, or other external devices, it can use the same or different protocols.

[0037]

[0076] Figure 18 shows a sensor circuit 1800 that can be used as part of the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 described above. The sensor circuit 1800 includes a memory 1804, a communication module 1806, and a processor 1802 that is communicatively coupled to one or more sensors 1807A. The memory unit 1804 is a non-transitory computer-readable memory, such as random access memory (RAM), solid memory, or magnetic disk-based memory.

[0038]

[0077] A power source 1801, such as a direct electrical connection (e.g., a wired connection) and / or a battery, supplies power to the processor 1802, memory 1804, communication module 1806, and sensor 1807A. Sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 can be configured to operate on battery power if the direct electrical connection is disconnected and to send an alert indicating that the direct electrical connection has been disconnected. In some forms, the power source 1801 includes a charger or generator that includes one or more inertial damping mechanisms, such as a flywheel, pendulum, shock absorber, or rotary damper, which can convert kinetic energy into electrical energy to charge the battery. For example, when sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 vibrate due to the operation of conveyor systems 100, 100A, the battery of sensor 1807A is charged.

[0039]

[0078] In one configuration, one or more sensors 1807A include a gyroscope 1807, an accelerometer 1808, and a magnetometer 1809. Sensors 1807A detect the movement of the corresponding auxiliary device. Data representing the detected movement is transmitted to the processor 1802. The processor 1802 writes the received data to memory 1804. In addition to or instead of this, the processor 1802 operates a communication module 1806 to wirelessly transmit data representing the detected movement to an external device using one or more of the standards listed above.

[0040]

[0079] Sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 may include, for example, a digital or analog accelerometer 1808 having one, two, or three axes, a digital or analog gyroscope 1807 having one, two, or three axes, and / or a magnetometer 1809 such as a MEMS magnetic field sensor. Thus, sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 may have 3-axis, 6-axis, or 9-axis sensing. The accelerometers may be configured to measure one or more static or dynamic forces acting on the auxiliary devices 110, 120, and 130 of the conveyor belt system. The gyroscopes can be used to determine the number and speed of rotations of parts of the auxiliary devices 110, 120, and 130, for example, rotations of the support rod 126 (see Figure 16A) in space in directions 126A, 126B. The magnetometer can provide absolute angular measurements of parts of auxiliary devices 110, 120, and 130, such as rotation of the support rod 126 in directions 126A and 126B relative to the Earth's magnetic field. Sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 may further include a processor for processing detection data, one or more memories for storing and processing detection data, and one or more communication modules for communicating with various external devices. One or more communication modules may communicate with external devices using one or more of the protocols listed above.

[0041]

[0080] In one configuration, the memory unit 1804 stores routines for processing data output by sensors 1807, 1808, and 1809. The processor 1802 executes the stored routines to process the data. The results of the routines are transmitted by the communication module 1806.

[0042]

[0081] In one configuration, the communication module 1806 transmits data to the communication hub 104 (see Figure 1A) via a wired or wireless connection. Moving to Figure 19, the communication hub 104 includes a processor 1902, a memory 1904, a first communication module 1906, and a second communication module 1908. The first communication module 1906 communicates using the same communication protocol as the communication module 1806. The first communication module 1906 receives data from the communication modules 1806 of multiple local sensor circuits 1800. The received data is transmitted from the first communication module 1906 to the processor 1902.

[0043]

[0082] Processor 1902 causes a second communication module 1908 to transmit the received data to a remote resource. In one form, the remote resource is a remote on-site computer. In another form, the remote resource is off-site, for example, a cloud-based server system. The data is then processed and / or displayed as described below.

[0044]

[0083] In one configuration, the communication module 1806 is a cellular communication module. The communication module 1806 is configured to communicate using a standard cellular communication protocol such as GSM. Figure 22 shows a conveyor system 100 in which the sensor module 122 includes the cellular communication module 1806. The sensor module 122 communicates with the central control system 101 via the internet 105 through the cellular tower 2201. In some configurations, the communication module 1806 is configured to communicate through a low-power wide-area network such as LTE CAT-M1 or NB-IoT. The communication module 1806 includes a fallback communication protocol such as 2G cellular communication.

[0045]

[0084] In one configuration, the communication module 1806 of the sensor circuit 1800 includes an RFID sensor 1803. The RFID sensor 1803 is configured to detect nearby RFID chips. RFID chips can be coupled to replaceable parts of auxiliary devices 110, 120, 130, and 140. The RFID sensor 1803 detects the presence of replaceable parts by detecting the RFID chips. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the RFID sensor 1803 receives identification information from the RFID chips. For example, the RFID sensor 1803 can detect the aforementioned RFID chip 1629 to identify the model number of the scraper blade 1624. The processor 1802 or the central control system 101 uses this identification information to select a stored value to compare with data from sensor 1807A.

[0046]

[0085] In some configurations, the RFID sensor 1803 detects the RFID chip only at specific times, such as when a button on the sensor module 122 is pressed. This reduces the power consumption of the RFID sensor 1803 compared to when it is constantly scanning. During operation, if a new worn or replaceable component is installed, the user presses a button to activate the RFID sensor 1803 and detect the RFID chip. The RFID sensor 1803 can also operate periodically to detect the RFID chip so that the control system 101 can determine whether or not a replaceable component is still present in the auxiliary device.

[0047]

[0086] Sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 continuously detect data, but can be configured to transmit only a portion of the data to reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed. For example, sensor module 122 includes an accelerometer 1808 that samples detected data every second and can send the sampled data to a cloud-based computing system 105 for processing. By sampling data at fixed intervals, system users can control data costs. However, sometimes additional samples may be used to confirm one of many of the various failure conditions discussed in detail below. In this case, the cloud-based computing system 105 or another external device such as a computer may temporarily increase the sampling rate of a particular sensor module 112, 122, 132, or 142 to confirm the presence of a failure condition. In general, the sampling rates of sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 can be increased or decreased as required in specific situations. In some configurations, sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 maintain a constant sampling rate, such as 30 samples per second, for the included sensor 1807A, but process the data internally to reduce the amount of data transmitted by sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142. For example, the detected values ​​can be averaged over a time period to obtain a single value for that time period. Another technique is to use the Fast Fourier Transform to reduce the number and / or complexity of the detected values.

[0048]

[0087] Each of the auxiliary devices 110, 120, 130, and 140 includes a permanent part, such as a frame or body, and a replaceable part, which is typically configured to engage with the conveyor belt 102. In some embodiments, the permanent part is part of the frame 103 on which the auxiliary devices 110, 120, 130, and 140 are mounted. By coupling the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to the permanent parts of the auxiliary devices 110, 120, 130, and 140, it is possible to eliminate the need to replace these sensor modules when replacing the replaceable parts.

[0049]

[0088] Returning to Figure 1B, the belt cleaner 120 has a support rod 126 and one or more replaceable scraper blades 124. The scraper blades 124 are biased against the outer conveying surface 102O of the belt 102 to remove debris or residue that remains attached to the belt 102 after the conveyed material has been unloaded. The scraper blades 124 wear down over time due to friction between the scraper blades 124 and the belt 102 and / or debris from the material conveyed by the belt 102. The belt 102 also contains one or more splices. The splices are typically raised against the outer surface 102O of the belt 102. The splices often include fasteners that are attached to the belt by staples, rivets, or other fastening members. The engagement of the scraper blades 124 with the belt 102 causes the scraper blades 124 to collide with the splices, which also contributes to the wear or damage of the scraper blades 124. If the scraper blade 124 becomes excessively worn or damaged, it will no longer effectively clean the belt 102 and will need to be replaced.

[0050]

[0089] Referring to Figures 1B and 16A, the support rod 126 of the primary cleaner 120A is connected to the frame 103 by mounts 1603 and 1604. The support rod 126 is not a wear component and has an expected lifespan several times that of the scraper blade 124. As shown in Figure 2B, the sensor module 122 includes a housing 125 adapted to connect to the support rod 126 and a sensor circuit 123 within the housing 125. The sensor circuit 123 is substantially similar to the circuit 1800 described above.

[0051]

[0090] Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, the housing 125 includes a mounting portion or plug portion 157, which is sized and shaped to extend at least partially into the opening 156 of the support rod 126 and form a plug fit with it. The plug portion 157 has a substantially circular cross-section that fits securely into a substantially circular opening 156. In configurations where the support rod 126 has an opening 156 of a different shape, the plug portion 157 also has a different cross-section that connects to the opening 156. The housing 125 further includes an outer portion 158 configured to be held outside the support rod 126. The outer portion 158 and the plug portion 157 define an annular recess 159 between them that receives a portion of the support rod 126. The outer portion 158 includes a sleeve 158A, which surrounds the end 126E of the support rod 126 and firmly holds the sensor module 122 on the support rod 126. Furthermore, fasteners, bands, and / or locking members can be used to secure the sensor module 122 to the support rod 126.

[0052]

[0091] The housing 124 is constructed to withstand harsh and / or outdoor environments. Having a light color such as white can reduce the heating of the sensor module 122 due to sunlight. Forming the housing 124 from a rigid material can reduce the risk of damage to the conveyor systems 100, 100A in harsh environments. Exemplary materials include rigid composites, metal alloys, metals, or plastics. Furthermore, the sensor circuit 123 can be embedded in a potting material to reduce the possibility of damage from vibration and / or impacts received by the sensor module 122.

[0053]

[0092] Referring to Figure 2B, the housing 125 includes a cavity 121 positioned at least partially within the plug portion 157. The cavity 121 is sized to accommodate the sensor circuit 123. In one embodiment, a power source such as a battery 129 is also positioned within the cavity 121. Alternatively, the housing 125 includes a separate internal cavity 121 for the sensor circuit 123 and the battery 129. In one embodiment, the cavity 121 extends at least partially beyond the end of the recess 159 into the outer portion 158, so that the antenna 128 of the sensor circuit 123 is positioned beyond the end 126E. Thus, radio signals transmitted and / or received via the antenna 128 are not obstructed by the support rod 126.

[0054]

[0093] During operation, the scraper blade 124 vibrates as it scrapes against the moving belt 102. The vibration of the scraper blade 124 then vibrates the support rod 126 and the sensor module 122 fitted and fixed to the end 126E of the support rod 126. If the scraper blade 124 becomes excessively dull, it will slide over the debris on the belt 102 without scraping it off. This causes the scraper 120 to move differently than when the scraper 120 is operating correctly, due to differences in the angle of rotation of the support rod 126, and / or different vibrations, such as increased frequency and / or vibration. Alternatively, the scraper blade 124 may wear down, break, or be pushed back until it no longer engages with the belt 102. This causes the scraper 120 to vibrate less or no at all compared to when it is operating properly.

[0055]

[0094] In one configuration, the sensor circuit 123 includes a processor 171 configured to compare the vibration of the scraper 120 with an acceptable range stored in the sensor circuit 123. If the vibration is outside the acceptable range, one or more faults are detected, and the processor 171 transmits a fault-indicating signal using the antenna 128 via the transmitter 172. The acceptable range stored in the sensor circuit 123 can be updated by communication with an external device. In another configuration, the sensor circuit 123 transmits raw data from a sensor 173, such as an accelerometer, and a processor located elsewhere, such as a cloud-based computing system 105 or a central control computer, performs the processing.

[0056]

[0095] The sensor circuit 123 can be used to predict one or more characteristics of one or more components of the conveyor system 100. For example, one or more characteristics may include whether or not the conveyor belt 102 is moving. If the conveyor belt 102 is moving, the sensor module 122 will vibrate, and at least one characteristic of the support rod 126, such as acceleration, can be detected by the accelerometer of the sensor circuit 123. If the sensor 123 detects low-frequency or low-amplitude vibrations, this may indicate that the belt 102 is traveling with a load.

[0057]

[0096] The sensor circuit 123 can be used to predict other characteristics of the components of the conveyor belt system 100. For example, the sensor circuit 123 can be used to detect whether the cleaner 120 is engaged with or retracting from the belt 102. In one embodiment, engagement is detected based on vibrations detected by the accelerometer 173 of the sensor circuit 123. In an embodiment where the belt cleaner 120 rotates and engages with the belt 102, as in the belt cleaner 120A of Figure 16A, engagement can be detected based on the rotation of the support rod 126. The sensor circuit 123 can detect features such as the rotational speed or position of the support rod 126 using a gyroscope sensor or a level sensor such as a mercury switch. In some embodiments, the sensor circuit 123 detects rotation or orientation using an accelerometer by tracking its movement history. When orientation is tracked using an accelerometer, the sensor circuit 123 can be periodically calibrated to reduce complex errors. In another example, the sensor circuit 123 predicts when the scraper blade 124 will retract from the belt 102, using a limit switch configured to detect when the support rod 126 has rotated sufficiently by the spring 1601.

[0058]

[0097] The sensor circuit 123 can also use the orientation characteristics of the support rod 126 to predict characteristics of the scraper blade 124, such as the wear level of the scraper blade 124. As the scraper blade 124 wears down, the base member 126 is rotated further to keep the scraper blade 124 engaged with the belt 102.

[0059]

[0098] Furthermore, the sensor circuit 123 can also predict the engagement and wear characteristics of the scraper blade 124 of the conveyor cleaner 120 using the linear position of the linear bias conveyor belt cleaner 120B (see Figure 16B). The position of the support rod 126 relative to the frame 103 indicates how much the support rod 126 is biased toward the belt 102. This distance changes as the scraper blade 124 wears down. When the support rod 126 reaches the end of its travel distance, the scraper blade 124 has worn down to the point where it no longer properly engages with the belt 102.

[0060]

[0099] Sensor 173 in sensor circuit 123 may include an accelerometer. Sensor circuit 123 can use the accelerometer to predict chatter in the conveyor system 100. Chatter, which is movement within the system caused by the unevenness of one or more parts (such as idler rollers or drive rollers), can be predicted using vibrations detected by the accelerometer. The unevenness causes the parts to move irregularly, which moves the belt 102. The belt 102 then moves the scraper blade 124, which moves the support rod 126. The accelerometer can detect both the magnitude and frequency of the chatter.

[0061]

[0100] The effectiveness of a single belt cleaner 120 may depend on the tension that biases it to engage with the belt 102. In one embodiment, a sensor circuit 123 can predict the tension of the belt cleaner 120 based on the frequency response of the support rod 126. For example, if the belt cleaner 120 is under high tension and the scraper blade 124 is pushed away from the conveyor belt 102 by an impact, the belt cleaner 120 will quickly return the support rod 126 to its original position, re-engaging the scraper blade 124 with the conveyor belt 102. Conversely, if the belt cleaner 120 is under low tension, the belt cleaner 120 will return the support rod 126 to its original position more slowly, re-engaging the scraper blade 124 with the conveyor belt 102.

[0062]

[0101] In some configurations, the sensor 173 of the sensor circuit 123 may include a gyroscope and an accelerometer used to predict mistracking of the belt 102. Mistracking of the belt 102 may result in twisting of the scraper blade 124 as an asymmetric force is applied. The gyroscope and / or accelerometer can detect the characteristics of the support rod 126 as it vibrates, indicating the twisting of the scraper blade 124. Similarly, uneven wear of the scraper blade 124 may cause twisting or other movement of the belt cleaner 120, which can be detected by the gyroscope and accelerometer of the sensor circuit 123.

[0063]

[0102] Furthermore, the sensor circuit 123 can be used to predict other characteristics of the conveyor system 100. These other characteristics include, for example, whether or not the scraper blade 124 is missing (even though another part of the belt cleaner 120 remains in contact with the belt 102), whether or not one of the belt cleaners 120 is missing, whether or not the scraper blade 124 is chipped (and / or an impact event that could cause the scraper blade to chip), whether or not the conveyor belt 102 is flapping, and the predicted remaining lifespan of the conveyor belt 102.

[0064]

[0103] Furthermore, the sensor circuit 123 can also detect the movement of the support rod 126 when the scraper blade 124 comes into contact with a splice in the conveyor belt 102. In one embodiment, the splice is in the same position on the belt 102 throughout all cycles, so the central control system 101 identifies the splice based on the movement pattern of the support rod 126. By identifying the movement of the scraper blade 124 caused by the belt splice, the central control system 101 can avoid attributing this movement to one of the other characteristics described above, such as a dull or damaged scraper blade 124.

[0065]

[0104] Figure 21 shows exemplary data from the accelerometer of sensor 173 of sensor circuit 123 when the belt 102 of conveyor system 100 has a belt splice. Four graphs 2101, 2102, 2103, and 2104 show acceleration amplitude versus time when the belt cleaner tension is 0%, 50%, 100%, and 150%, respectively. The belt cleaner tension represents the amount of force that biases the scraper blade 124 against the belt 102 as a percentage of the target tension. The target tension varies based on the material of the scraper blade 124, the material of the belt 102, and the material being conveyed. As shown in graph 2101, when the scraper blade 124 is not under tension, splice impacts 2110 do not occur at regular intervals or amplitudes. However, as shown in graphs 2102, 2103, and 2104, when the scraper blade 124 is under tension, the splice collides with the scraper blade for substantially every rotation of the conveyor belt, and thus impacts occur at regular intervals. The central control system 101 processes acceleration amplitude versus time data to identify accelerations occurring at regular intervals. In some embodiments, the central control system 101 uses values ​​representing the speed and length of the conveyor belt 102 to identify acceleration events occurring once per rotation. These events are identified as being caused by defects in the belt 102, such as splices. In some embodiments, stored values ​​represent the predicted amplitude of acceleration of the belt cleaner 120 due to splice impacts. The central control system 101 uses these stored values ​​to identify acceleration events 2110 as splice impacts.

[0066]

[0105] Figure 21 shows the change in acceleration amplitude due to impact when tension changes. In some configurations, the central control system 101 processes accelerometer data and predicts the tension of the belt cleaner 120 by comparing the recorded data with stored values. In Graph 2101, the impact 2110 at 0% tension has an average amplitude of 0.55 m / s². 2 As can be seen in Graph 2102, the impact 2110 at 50% tension had an average amplitude of 0.71 m / s². 2In graph 2103, the impact 2110 at 100% tension had an average amplitude of 0.94 m / s². 2 Finally, in Graph 2104, the impact 2110 at 150% tension had an average amplitude of 1.4 m / s². 2 The precise amplitude changes based on many other factors such as splice material, blade material, conveyor speed, and environmental factors. However, due to the tendency that acceleration due to impact increases as tension increases, the central control system 101 can estimate the tension taking these other variables into account. As can be seen in Graph 2104, the first five impacts 2110 had an average amplitude of approximately 3 m / s². 2 After the fifth impact, the average amplitude was approximately 1 m / s. 2 The amplitude decreased. This sudden decrease in amplitude may indicate damage or splicing of blade 124. In some forms, the central control system 101 flags the sudden amplitude change, as shown in graph 2104, and sends an alert to the user.

[0067]

[0106] Returning to Figures 1A and 1B, the idler roller 130 and the drive roller 135 are mounted detachably and rotatably on the frame 103. The rollers 130 and 135 may have a relatively short expected life as a result of friction between the outer surfaces of the rollers 130 and 135 and the belt 102, and / or wear of the roller bearings of the rollers 130 and 135. For this reason, the rollers 130 and 135 may be replaced multiple times during the life of the conveyor system 100. In one embodiment, a sensor module 132 is mounted on the frame 103 in close proximity to the idler roller 130. As the belt 102 moves along the idler roller 130, the roller 130 and the surrounding portion of the frame 103 vibrate. The sensor module 132 includes an accelerometer configured to measure the vibration of one of the idler rollers 130. If the internal bearing fails, the idler roller 130 may stop rotating, i.e., become immobile. A malfunctioning idler roller 130 can be detected by measuring a vibration that is greater than expected. A processor in either the sensor module 132 or the central computer compares the measured vibration data to a stored range, and if the measured vibration is somewhat more severe than the stored value, it can send an alert indicating that the roller 130 may be damaged or malfunctioning.

[0068]

[0107] The rollers 130 supporting the upper conveying path near the outer edge of the conveyor belt 102 are angled such that the outer end of the rollers 130 is higher than the inner end. This configuration causes the sides of the belt 102 to curl up partially, giving the belt 102 a U-shaped or tubular cross-section. The tubular cross-section reduces the amount of material that spills off the belt 102.

[0069]

[0108] Returning to Figure 1C, the impact bed 110 has one or more elastic supports or impact bars 114 to support the inner surface 102I of the upper transport path 201 of the conveyor belt 102L where the material falls onto the conveyor belt 102L through the chute 108. In one embodiment, the impact bar 114 is mounted on a frame 116, which is movably attached to a frame 203. The frame 116 can be attached to the frame 203 via a spring, which displaces the frame 116 and the impact bar 114 downward to absorb the impact, and then returns the impact bar 114 to its original position. Furthermore, the impact bar 114 may have a laminated structure including a belt-contact upper layer made of nylon or Teflon and an elastic lower layer mounted on the frame 116. The elastic lower layer may be made of, for example, an elastomer material. The elastic lower layer allows the impact bar 114 to be compressed to absorb a portion of the impact force of the material. When the impact force is removed, the compression of the elastic underlayer of the impact bar 114 can be released. The impact bar 114 may be a replaceable component that wears down over time due to the impact of the material being conveyed and friction from the belt 102. The impact bar 114 is detachably coupled to the frame 116 so that the impact bar 114 can be replaced without replacing the frame 116. The impact bar is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,815,040, which is included in its entirety by reference.

[0070]

[0109] During operation, the material dropped onto the outer surface 102O of the belt 102 through the chute 108 displaces the belt 102 and the impact bar 114 and frame 116 of the impact bed 110 downward. The impact bed 110 decelerates the impact bar 114 and frame 116 and then biases them upward to return them to their initial positions. The impact bed 110 may include a sensor module 112 mounted on the frame 116. The sensor module 112 is substantially similar to the sensor module 122 and includes a sensor circuit similar to the sensor circuits 123 and 1800 discussed above. The sensor circuit of the sensor module 112 may include an accelerometer similar to the accelerometer 1808 and a communication module similar to the communication module 1806. The sensor module 112 may include a processor similar to the processor 1802. The processor of the sensor module 112 and / or a processor in an external computing device of the sensor module 112 compares the data from the accelerometer with stored baseline values. In some configurations, one or more processors calculate the expected movement of the impact bed 110 using additional data representing the timing and weight of the load dropped onto the conveyor belt 102L. If the movement of the frame 116 is somewhat greater than the expected range, one or more processors determine that the impact bed 110 is in a faulty state and an alert is sent to the user.

[0071]

[0110] Referring to Figure 11, the conveyor systems 100, 100A can use one or more belt trackers 140 to keep the conveyor belts 102, 102U, 102L moving along a predetermined path. The belt tracker 140 includes idler rollers 1144 mounted on a swivel frame 1146 for supporting the underside of the conveyor belts 102, 102U, and 102L, and side rollers 1145A, 1145B. The swivel frame 1146 is swivel-connected to a support section 1147 that extends in a direction traversing the conveyor belts 102, 102U, 102L. The support section 1147 is supported by a mount 1103 connected to a frame 103 associated with the conveyor belts 102, 102U, 102L. The pivot connection between the frame 1146 and the support part 1103 allows the frame 1146 to pivot about the axis 1146A.

[0072]

[0111] When belts 102, 102U, and 102L creep laterally 102B, they come into contact with the side rollers 1145A, causing the frame 1146 to pivot relative to the conveyor frame 103. This pivoting of the frame 1146 causes the side rollers 1145A to move upward relative to the conveyor frame 103 and downstream in the direction of travel of the conveyor belts 102, 102U, and 102L. Since the idler roller 1144 is also mounted on the frame 1146, the end 1148 of the idler roller 1146 near the side roller 1145A also moves upward and downstream relative to the conveyor frame 103. Conversely, the rotation of the frame 1146 due to the conveyor belts 102, 102U, and 102L contacting the side rollers 1145 causes the side rollers 1145B and the end 1149 of the idler roller 1144 near the side rollers 1145 to move downward and upstream relative to the conveyor frame 103. The rotation of the frame 1146 and the associated rollers 1144, 1145A, and 1145B causes the belts 102, 102U, and 102L to change direction or be biased to return towards the central position.

[0073]

[0112] Over time, the idler roller 1144 and the side sensor rollers 1145A and 1145B may wear down, and the outer surface 1143 has a relatively short expected life. The frame 1146 has a substantially longer expected life. The belt tracker 140 may include a sensor module 142 coupled to the swivel frame 1146. The sensor module 142 is substantially similar to the sensor module 122 and may include a sensor circuit similar to the sensor circuit 1800. The sensor circuit of the sensor module 142 may include a processor, a wireless transmitter, and sensors such as an accelerometer. The sensors of the sensor module 142 detect the direction of rotation of the frame 1146 and the magnitude of the swivel motion of the frame 1146. The processor of the sensor module 142, and / or a remote processor of an external computing device, analyzes one or more features of the swivel of the frame 1146 over time, such as frequency, direction, and acceleration. A high frequency of rotation of frame 1146 in one direction may indicate that belts 102, 102U, and 102L are continuously creeping due to a problem in conveyor systems 100 and 100A. Alternatively, very little or no rotation may indicate a failure in the tracking device 1140, such as a malfunction in the rotational connection between frame 1146 and support 1147. In some configurations, sensor module 142 detects vibrations of the tracking device 1140. Large vibrations may indicate that roller 1144 is no longer able to rotate freely.

[0074]

[0113] Figure 12 shows a belt tracker 1240 that can be used as an alternative to belt tracker 140. Belt tracker 1240 is similar in many ways to belt tracker 140. Belt tracker 1240 includes two idler rollers 1244A, 1244B that are detachably coupled to a swivel frame 1246. Frame 1246 is swivel-connected to a support 1247, which is connected to conveyor frame 103 via a mount 1203. When belt 102 creeps laterally relative to one of the rollers 1244A, 1244B, frame 1246 swivels around axis 1246A, moving one of the rollers 1244A, 1244B in the downstream direction of belt travel on conveyor belts 102, 102U, 102L. Furthermore, the rotation of the frame 1246 around axis 1246A may cause one roller 1244A, 1244B to tilt so that it is higher than the other roller 1244A, 1244B. The rotated rollers 1244A, 1244B bias the belts 102, 102U, 102L toward the desired central position. The belt tracker 1240 may also include a sensor module 142A mounted on the rotating frame 1246. The sensor module 142A is similar to the sensor module 142 of the belt tracker 140.

[0075]

[0114] Referring to Figure 3, the monitoring device 10 can provide a network of interconnected devices for monitoring one or more features of one or more components of the conveyor systems 100, 100A. For example, sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 associated with the impact bed 110, belt cleaner 120, idler roller 130, and belt tracker 140 transmit data to a wireless communication hub 104. The wireless communication hub 104 then transmits the data from the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to a remote computer such as a cloud-based computing system 105. In one configuration, the wireless communication hub 104 can communicate the data from the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to one or more portable computing devices such as a smartphone 106. Furthermore, the wireless communication hub 104 can provide data to the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142, enabling, for example, adjustment of the thresholds of the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142, or updating of their software or firmware.

[0076]

[0115] The monitoring device 10 includes a central control system 101 that receives data from a cloud-based computing system 105 and provides corresponding information to one or more computers 107. The control system 101 includes at least one processor, at least one memory (e.g., non-temporary computer-readable memory such as RAM, a solid disk, or a magnetic disk), and a communication circuit (e.g., a WiFi circuit, an Ethernet circuit, or a cellular communication circuit) configured to communicate with the cloud-based computing system 105. At least one memory of the control system 101 is a non-temporary computer-readable medium such as a magnetic disk. The computer 107 may include a screen, a speaker, etc. The computer 107 can provide information to the user using various methods, such as the use of visual, auditory, and / or tactile methods. In one embodiment, the computer 107 includes one or more computer screens on which information corresponding to data from sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 is visually presented, for example, via an internet browser.

[0077]

[0116] The control system 101 processes data from sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to determine one or more characteristics of one or more components of the conveyor systems 100, 100A, such as the impact bed 110, the conveyor belt cleaner 120, and the idler roller 130. In one configuration, the sensor modules 112, 122, and 132 include accelerometers. The control system 101 stores the data from the sensors 112, 122, and 132 over time and extrapolates this data to estimate the remaining operating life of the impact bed 110, the conveyor belt cleaner 120, and the idler roller 130. For example, if the scraper blade 124 of the conveyor belt 120 becomes dull, the rotational distance traveled by the support rod 126 of the conveyor belt cleaner 120 increases. At a certain point in time, it becomes necessary to sharpen or replace the scraper blade 124. The control system 101 extrapolates data from the sensor circuit 123 of the sensor module 122 to estimate when the scraper blade 124 needs to be replaced or sharpened. Using this estimate, maintenance is scheduled to repair the conveyor belt cleaner 120 before it breaks down, thereby reducing the risk of a faulty conveyor belt cleaner 120 causing further damage to the conveyor systems 100, 100A. Similarly, the control system 101 can estimate when other auxiliary devices, such as the impact bed 110, idler roller 130, and drive roller 135, will require maintenance based on data from the associated sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142.

[0078]

[0117] In some configurations, the control system 101 is provided in the control room of the same facility as the associated conveyor systems 100, 100A. Alternatively, the control system 101 is located geographically remote from the facility of the conveyor systems 100, 100A. Geographically remote means that the control system 101 is one or more miles, two miles or more, three miles or more, or several hundred miles away from the associated conveyor systems 100, 100A, and may even be on a different continent. When the control system 101 is located remotely from the facility of the conveyor systems 100, 100A, it can monitor conveyor systems located in geographically dispersed locations.

[0079]

[0118] Referring to Figures 5 to 10, illustrative computer screen diagrams of the computer 107 of the control system 101 are provided, illustrating various ways in which information corresponding to data from sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 can be displayed to the user. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the control system 101 can display certain real-time information about multiple auxiliary devices. As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the control system 101 provides periodic communications, such as at a predetermined time or when specific conditions are met. By pushing these communications to the user, the user can be notified of these conditions even when the user is not in front of their desktop computer. Alternatively, the user can pull the communications by requesting status information using a smartphone 106 (see Figure 10). In some forms, the control system 101 displays certain real-time information and provides communications to the user when specific conditions occur.

[0080]

[0119] Referring to Figures 5 through 7, the computer 107 is shown displaying the remaining lifespan of the auxiliary devices of the conveyor systems 100 and 100A. Figure 5 shows a table 500 containing information about each auxiliary device. This information includes identification information such as location 552 and identification number 554, installation date 556, and estimated remaining lifespan 558 in days or weeks. In some forms, the table is color-coded to draw attention to devices that require immediate maintenance. For example, devices that are currently malfunctioning are shown in red, and devices with a short remaining lifespan are shown in yellow or orange.

[0081]

[0120] Moving to Figure 6, computer 107 displays a bar graph 600 showing the percentage of remaining lifespan for each auxiliary device. Similar to Table 500, graph 600 includes identification information 652 and 654, installation date 656, and bars 658 showing the percentage of remaining lifespan. In some forms, bars 658 are color-coded as shown above to draw attention to auxiliary devices that currently require maintenance or will require maintenance in the near future.

[0082]

[0121] Figure 7 shows a map 700 or satellite image of a facility or work site where one or more conveyor systems 100, 100A are positioned. On the map 700, indicators 750 are positioned at the locations of auxiliary devices having sensor modules. When a user clicks on one of the indicators 750 of an auxiliary device or places the mouse pointer over an indicator 750, the control system 101 displays additional information about that auxiliary device, such as information in Table 500 or Graph 600, such as the identification information and remaining lifespan of the corresponding auxiliary device. The indicators 750 are color-coded to indicate the current status, for example, green if good, yellow if short remaining lifespan, and red if faulty.

[0083]

[0122] In one configuration, the control system 101 can use additional information to estimate or predict the remaining lifespan of the auxiliary device. Referring to Figure 4, a monitoring device 400 is provided, which is similar in many respects to the monitoring device 10 discussed above, and includes many of the same components, such as the control system 101, computer 107, wireless communication hub 104, cloud-based computing system 105, and sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142. The monitoring device 400 further includes the cloud-based computing system 105, from which additional data is transmitted to the control system 101. Exemplary data includes, for example, the state of the belt, such as when it is running or stopped, the belt speed, the weight of the material being conveyed, and weather conditions. Weather conditions and other environmental factors can be determined based on environmental sensors such as rain detectors, temperature sensors, and humidity sensors located on or near the conveyor systems 100, 100A. Alternatively, or in addition to this, environmental information is retrieved by the control system 101 from the internet based on the location of the conveyor systems 100, 100A. The control system 101 modifies the values ​​used to compare the measured data based on additional information from system 105. For example, the control system 101 anticipates that as the movement of the belt 102 increases, the movement of the scraper 120 and idler roller 130 will increase. As another example, the control system 101 further anticipates that as the load on the belt increases, the movement of the impact bed 110 will increase.

[0084]

[0123] In some configurations, the cloud-based computing system 105 includes memory that stores the future schedule of the conveyor system 100. The schedule includes the operating time, operating speed, and material weight of the conveyor system 100. The control system 101 calculates the estimated remaining lifespan of one or more auxiliary devices based on the scheduled workload of the conveyor system.

[0085]

[0124] In addition to identifying wear as described above, the monitoring device 400 uses data from sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 to identify abnormal trends. For example, data from the accelerometer of sensor module 142 measures the movement of the conveyor belt tracker 140 and compares this movement with historical data and / or stored thresholds to determine how often the belt 102 is currently being corrected compared to the expected correction frequency. An increase in the correction frequency by the conveyor belt tracker 140 indicates that something is creeping or pulling the conveyor belt 102 laterally. The control system 101 alerts the user via either the computer 107 or the smartphone 106. By then performing maintenance on the conveyor system 100, the cause of the pulling can be identified and corrected before the pulling causes the belt 102 and / or the conveyor belt tracker 140 to wear out faster than normal.

[0086]

[0125] Referring to Figures 8 to 10, the control system 101 can provide communication to the user in the form of email alerts 800, 900, or text alerts 1000. In some forms, such as in Figure 9, the email alerts 800, 900, or text alerts 1000 are sent periodically to convey operational information. For example, the graph 960 of the email alert 900 shows the usage experienced by each of the multiple belts 102 within a given time frame. The communication may also include maintenance information, such as the number of faults identified by the sensor module and / or the number of auxiliary devices to be repaired or replaced. In yet another example, the information provided may include a table 500 or chart 600 showing the current remaining lifespan of multiple devices.

[0087]

[0126] If an auxiliary device fails or reaches a predetermined remaining lifespan level, the control system 101 can send an email alert 800 or a text alert 1000. For example, the control system 101 can predict the lifespan of several devices as described above and send an email or text to maintenance personnel one week before the expected failure. Furthermore, in the event of a failure, the control system 101 can send an email or text to an administrator or supervisor so that the conveyor systems 100 and 100A can be shut down to avoid further damage.

[0088]

[0127] Figures 13A to 13C show a sensor module 1305 having a sensor circuit 1302 inside a housing 1304 configured to be coupled to a base member of the conveyor belt cleaner 120, such as a support rod 1306. The sensor module 1305 operates in many ways similar to the sensor module 122 discussed above, and the sensor circuit 1302 is similar to the sensor circuit 1800. The sensor module 1305 includes a housing 1304 having a generally annular shape with an outward projection that houses the sensor circuit 1302. The housing 1304 has a central opening 1307 and an annular sleeve portion 1381 extending around the central opening 1307, configured to receive the end 1306E of the support rod 1306. In one embodiment, the sleeve portion 1381 includes a slit 1311 extending along the entire length of the sleeve portion 1381. The sleeve portion 1381 of the housing 1304 is deflected by the slit 1311, allowing it to fit snugly onto support rods 1306 of various sizes. In one configuration, the housing 1304 allows access to the inside of the support rod 1306, for example, through a central opening 1307, so that the inside of the support rod 1306 can be cleaned.

[0089]

[0128] In one configuration, the sensor module 1305 is mounted on the end 1306E of the support rod 1306. In another configuration, the sensor module 1305 is slid further back on the support rod 1306. The position of the sensor module 1305 along the support rod 1306 can affect the movement of the sensor module 1305 and, in relation to that, the data provided by the sensor module 1305. For example, the distal end 1306E of the support rod 1306 may have a larger amplitude of movement than the portion of the support rod 1306 closer to the associated mount connecting the support rod 1306 to the conveyor frame 103. Also, harmonics of the support rod 1306 can affect the movement of the sensor module 1305. If the sensor module 1305 is positioned close to the harmonic nodes of the support rod 1306, which is a structural position where vibration is minimized, the sensor module 1305 will vibrate less than a sensor module 1305 that is further away from the harmonic nodes.

[0090]

[0129] In one embodiment, the housing 1304 includes a coupling assembly 1382 configured to secure the sensor module 1305 to the support rod 1306. In one embodiment, the coupling assembly 1382 includes fasteners such as a bolt 1318 configured to extend through a bolt hole 1308A in the housing 1304 and a bolt hole 1308B in the support rod 1306. The coupling assembly 1382 may also include a nut 1319 that engages with the threaded shaft of the bolt 1318. When the nut 1319 is tightened onto the bolt 1318, the sleeve portion 1381 is clamped around the support rod 1306, narrowing the width of the slit 1311 and securing the sensor module 1305 to the support rod 1306. This clamps the housing 1304 to the support rod 1306, resisting rotation of the housing 1304 around the support rod 1306 and axial movement of the housing 1304 along the length of the support rod 1306. In another configuration, at least one of the holes 1308A and 1308B is threaded to engage with the bolt 1318.

[0091]

[0130] In one embodiment, the housing 1304 has at least one substantially flat side surface 1304F. When the sensor module 1305 is removed from the base member 1306, the sensor module 1305 can be placed on its substantially flat side surface 1304F, reducing the likelihood of the surface on which the sensor module 1305 is placed rolling or falling.

[0092]

[0131] Referring to Figure 13B, the sensor circuit 1302 includes a communication module and, in some embodiments, also includes a processor. The sensor module 1305 further includes a power source such as a battery 1309. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the power source may be a power cable such as cable 1409 in Figure 14. In some embodiments, the battery 1309 is housed in a separate compartment of housing 1304 from the compartment used to house the sensor circuit 1302 and other electronic components. This separation protects the electronics in the event of battery movement, battery overheating, or battery rupture. In one embodiment, the sensor circuit 1302 of the sensor module 1305 includes a wireless communication circuit that includes an antenna positioned outside the support rod 1306 to reduce interference in the wireless connection.

[0093]

[0132] In some forms, the sensor module 1305 includes an indicator 1301 configured to display one or more states of the sensor module 1305. Exemplary states that can be displayed include battery life, signal strength or connectivity, and calibration. The sensor module 1305 may include manual input such as a button 1303. The button 1303 can be used to control one or more functions of the sensor module 1305, such as resetting the wireless connection, resetting one or more sensors of the sensor module 1305, and displaying the monitoring status using the indicator 1301.

[0094]

[0133] The sensor module 1305 can be configured for specific applications. For example, if the sensor module 1305 is installed outdoors, the housing 1304 can have a light color such as white to reduce heating of the sensor module 1305 due to sunlight. The housing 1304 can be formed from a rigid material to reduce the risk of damage in the harsh environment of the conveyor systems 100, 100A. Exemplary materials include rigid composites, metal alloys, metals, and / or plastics. The housing 1304 can be made robust by having a thick-walled structure. One or more parts of the housing 1304 can be sealed to resist the ingress of materials. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 1304 has at least an IP (ingress protection) rating (5 for dust protection, 4 for water protection). In a more preferred embodiment, the housing 1304 has an IP66 rating.

[0095]

[0134] Referring to Figure 15, a sensor module 1505 is provided that is similar in many respects to the sensor module 1405 discussed above. One difference between sensor modules 1405 and 1505 is that the housing 1504 included in sensor module 1505 extends at least partially into the opening 1306O of the support rod 1306. The housing 1504 includes a first portion or plug portion 1507 of a size and configuration that fits into the opening 1306O of the support rod 1306 to form a plug-in fit. The housing 1504 further includes a second portion or flange plate portion 1508 that extends radially beyond the outer surface of the plug portion 1507, the flange portion 1508 acting as a stopper during insertion to prevent the sensor module 1505 from being fully inserted into the support rod 1306.

[0096]

[0135] By inserting the insertion portion 1507 of the housing 1504 into the support rod 1306, the space occupied by the assembly is reduced, and additional protection is provided to the portion of the sensor module 1505 located inside the support rod 1306. The sensor module 1505 includes a sensor circuit similar to that of the sensor circuit 1800 and includes similar components such as one or more sensors, a power supply, an antenna, and one or more processors, and can therefore be used as the sensor modules 112, 122, 132, and 142 described above. Similar to the sensor module 122, in one embodiment, the antenna of the sensor module 1505 is positioned outside the support rod 1306 to reduce interference with the support rod 1306.

[0097]

[0136] Figures 20A and 20B show a portion of the belt cleaner 2020, which includes a support rod 2006 and mounts 2069 for elastically biasing the scraper blade of the belt cleaner 2020 against the conveyor belt. Each mount 2069 includes a tension bracket 2070 and a sensor module 2005. The tension bracket 2070 is coupled to the support rod 2006 by set screws or bolts 2081 so that the tension bracket 2070 rotates as the support rod 2006 rotates around its longitudinal central axis 2006A.

[0098]

[0137] The tension bracket 2070 includes a first portion, such as a sleeve portion 2071 configured to fit the end of the support rod 2006, and a second portion, such as a wing portion 2072, extending radially therefrom. A bolt 2081 passes through the annular portion 2071. In some embodiments, the support rod 2006 and the sleeve portion 2071 have a slot and key engagement to prevent rotation of the tension bracket 2070 relative to the support rod 2006.

[0099]

[0138] The wing section 2072 includes an opening such as a slot 2074. Each mount 2069 further includes a bolt 2082 that passes through the aperture 2074 and a spring 2001 extending along a portion of the bolt 2082. The spring 2001 engages with the wing section 2072 to apply a bias force to the tension bracket 2070 and torque the support rod 2006. In one embodiment, the mount 2069 includes a fastening portion 2083 such as a nut and washer that engages with the bolt 2082, limiting the distance the tension bracket 2070 can rotate about the axis 2006A. The bolt 2082 further includes a mounting structure 2084 configured to connect to the conveyor frame 103.

[0100]

[0139] The sensor module 2005 is mounted on the tension bracket 2070. Mounting the sensor module 2005 on a critical component of the belt cleaner 2020, such as the tension bracket 2070, reduces the likelihood of accidentally leaving the sensor module 2005 detached from the belt cleaner 2020 after maintenance. Moving to Figure 20B, the tension bracket 2070 includes a wall 2079 defining a recess 2073. The sensor module 2005 includes a housing 2004 having a base portion 2011 shaped and sized to be received within the recess 2073. The housing 2004 further includes an elongated upper portion 2007 having a flange 2007 configured to rest on the wall 2079. Fasteners such as screws or bolts 2008 penetrate the flange 2007 and reach into the wall 2079, removably securing the sensor module 2005 to the tension bracket 2070. Other methods such as straps or welding may also be used.

[0101]

[0140] Sensor module 2005 is substantially similar to sensor modules 122, 1305, and 1405 described above. The housing 2004 includes an internal cavity that houses a sensor circuit similar to sensor circuit 1800. The sensor circuit includes a sensor, a wireless communication circuit, and one or more sensors such as a gyroscope and an accelerometer. The processor receives data from the sensor and transmits the received data via the wireless communication circuit as described above. Sensor module 2005 may also include a power supply. In one embodiment, the power supply is one or more batteries. The batteries are located within housing 2004. In some embodiments, the batteries are located in a cavity separate from the sensor circuit.

[0102]

[0141] During operation, the accelerometer and / or gyroscope measure the rotation of the tension bracket 2070 around axis 2006A. From this rotation, a processor, such as the processor of the control system 101, determines the status of the belt cleaner 2020 and the conveyor system 100. For example, the orientation of the tension bracket 2070 can be used to determine the wear status of the scraper blade as described above.

[0103]

[0142] Unlike the sensor modules 122, 1305, and 1405 described above, sensor module 2005 may not extend beyond the end of support rod 2006. This shortens the overall length of the belt cleaner assembly 2020. Moving sensor module 2005 away from the end of support rod 2006 also protects it from impact if something hits the end of support rod 2006. In one embodiment, sensor module 2005 does not block or restrict access to the end of support rod 2006 or its interior.

[0104]

[0143] In some configurations, the existing belt cleaner is modified by the sensor module 2005. The existing tension bracket is replaced with a tension bracket 2070 having the sensor module 2005. Since the sleeve portion 2071 is configured to connect to the existing support rod 2006, the support rod 2006 does not need to be replaced or modified.

[0105]

[0144] Referring to Figure 20B, in one embodiment, the tension of the belt cleaner 2020 can be measured by the distance between sensor portions 2091 and 2092 associated with sensor module 2005. Sensor portions 2091 and 2092 are positioned close to the opposite ends of spring 2001. The distance between sensor portions 2091 and 2092 can be detected by calculating the force applied by the spring using the length of spring 2001. In some embodiments, sensor portions 2901 and 2902 are positioned on stoppers 2083 and bolts 2082, respectively. Sensor portion 2091 may be the sensing component, and sensor portion 2092 may be the detected component. In some embodiments, the detected component 2092 includes a permanent magnet or electromagnet, and the sensing component 2091 includes a sensor configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the detected component 2092. The strength of the detected magnetic field corresponds to the distance between them.

[0106]

[0145] In some embodiments, the sensor module 2005 includes an anti-tampering sensor or switch. The anti-tampering switch is configured to detect when the sensor module 2005 is removed from the tension bracket 2070. When the sensor module 2005 is removed, the processor in the sensor module 2005 activates a wireless communication circuit to send an alert to the central control system 101 and / or a user device. In one embodiment, the anti-tampering sensor or switch is a magnetometer, reed switch, or mechanical switch that operates when the sensor module 2005 is removed from the tension bracket 2070.

[0107]

[0146] Alternatively, or in addition to this, the cloud computing system 105 uses sensor data from the sensor module 2005 to identify misuse. For example, a large spike during acceleration followed by data that does not match the expected acceleration value indicates that the sensor module 2005 has been knocked off the belt cleaner 2020. The cloud computing system 105 sends an alert to the central control system 101 and stops processing data from the misused sensor module 2005 until user input indicates that the sensor module 2005 has been placed back on the belt cleaner 2020.

[0108]

[0147] The sensor module 2005 is coupled to the belt cleaner 2020. In other embodiments, the sensor module 2005 can be coupled to other auxiliary devices having a similar recess 2073.

[0109]

[0148] Although the support rods in Figures 2A to 2B, Figures 13A to 15, and Figures 20A to 20B are shown as cylindrical, it will be understood that support rods of different shapes can be used by changing the shape of the housings 1304, 1504, and 125 of the sensor modules 1305, 1505, and 122. For example, the housings 1304, 1504, and 125 can be shaped and configured to be connected to a base member made of square tubing, flat iron, or angle iron.

[0110]

[0149] Referring to Figures 17A to 17C, a method is provided for monitoring the condition of belt 102 of conveyor system 100, 100A in a factory. The user opens the conveyor monitoring application 1700 on a smartphone 106 or other mobile computing device such as a tablet computer. The tablet or smartphone 106 includes a camera. The user then enters their location in the factory, such as the identification number of the conveyor belt 102 to be inspected. In one method, the user enters the location and / or identification information of conveyor belt 102 by scanning a barcode, RFID tag, or QR code 1701 attached to or near the conveyor system 100 with the smartphone 106, as shown in Figure 17B.

[0111]

[0150] Moving to Figure 17C, the user takes one or more photographs and / or videos of the outer surface 102O of the return transport path of belt 102. The photographs and / or videos are then transmitted via smartphone 106 to a cloud-based computing system 105 and / or a control system 101. The processor of the control system 101 compares the photographs or videos with stored sample images to identify signs of wear on belt 102. In some forms, the processor estimates the remaining life of the belt based on the identified signs of wear and transmits and displays this estimate using the computer 107 discussed above and / or transmits this estimate to smartphone 106. Alternatively or in addition to this, the control system 101 compares the signs of wear with a stored maximum value and alerts one or more users if belt 102 exceeds a wear threshold. The photographs or videos can also be used to identify rewinding on the return side of the belt. The rewind material remains attached to the belt 102 and is therefore carried back to the front of the upper transport path 201 by the belt 102 (see Figure 1C).

[0112]

[0151] In some configurations, photographs and / or videos of the conveyor belt are stored in memory and / or transmitted to a remote inspector via email or multimedia message, etc., allowing the remote inspector to determine the condition of the belt without physically going to the belt's location. In some configurations, the remote inspector assigns a numerical score to the belt based on its repetition status and / or amount. Photographs and / or videos of the belt are stored in a database along with their corresponding scores. Subsequent photographs and / or videos of the conveyor belt are compared by the central control system 101 to those stored in the database and an estimate of the score is calculated. Over time, as the number of samples to be compared increases, the database grows, and therefore the estimate becomes more accurate.

[0113]

[0152] Figure 23 shows a system 2300 for monitoring the condition of a conveyor component 2340, which is similar in many respects to systems 10 and 400 discussed above. The conveyor component 2340 is one of the auxiliary devices described above, such as a belt cleaner, idler roller, belt tracker, or impact bed. Sensor 2308 is configured to detect one or more features of the conveyor component 2340. In one embodiment, sensor 2308 includes an accelerometer mounted on or near the conveyor component 2340 to detect vibration and / or movement of the conveyor component 2340. For example, sensor 2308 may include an accelerometer mounted on the support rod of a belt cleaner and is configured to detect collisions between one or more scrape blades of the belt cleaner and defects, bumps, or interruptions along the surface of the conveyor belt, such as splices in the conveyor belt.

[0114]

[0153] The sensor 2308 may include a microphone configured to detect sounds produced by an auxiliary device. A change in sound produced by an auxiliary device may indicate a change in one or more characteristics of the auxiliary device. For example, the microphone may detect chattering from a scraper blade or the sound of a faulty bearing in an idler roller. As another example, the microphone may detect a change in the sound produced as material falls through a chute, which occurs as the chute becomes full of conveyed products.

[0115]

[0154] The sensor 2308 outputs data representing the measured features to the controller or processor circuit 2302. In one embodiment, the sensor 2308 and processor circuit 2302 are components of a sensor module similar to those discussed above. In another embodiment, the sensor 2308 is associated with the conveyor component 2340, and the processor circuit 2302 is included together with a separate device that communicates with the sensor 2308.

[0116]

[0155] The processor circuit 2302 includes memory 2304 and processor 2322. Memory 2304 can store data from sensor 2308 representing one or more features of conveyor component 2340. Processor 2322 is configured to perform an action on the data from sensor 2308. This action includes the steps of processing the data to determine one or more features of conveyor component 2340 (step 2320) and comparing one or more features to one or more thresholds (step 2321). In some forms, the thresholds are uploaded to the processor circuit 2302 and stored in memory 2304, for example, during manufacturing, setup, or installation. In an alternative form, the thresholds are calculated by the processor circuit 2302 based on measured parameters and / or historical sensor data.

[0117]

[0156] Step 2321, which compares one or more features with one or more thresholds, may include determining whether the features are greater than a threshold, less than a threshold, or outside the range between an upper and lower threshold. If one or more features exceed a threshold, the processor circuit 2302 outputs a signal to a remote computing device such as a cloud-based computing system 105 using a communication circuit 2311, such as a wireless transceiver 2310 and / or a Bluetooth transceiver 2312. The wireless transceiver 2310 communicates with the cloud-based computing system 105 via the internet using wireless communication. The wireless transceiver 2310 can connect to the internet using Wi-Fi or cellular communication as described above. The Bluetooth transceiver 2312 is a short-range wireless transmitter or transceiver such as a Bluetooth® or BLE transceiver. The Bluetooth transceiver 2312 communicates with nearby wireless devices such as a mobile device 106.

[0118]

[0157] In some configurations, the data output by the communication circuit 2311 is encrypted or protected. In one configuration, the system 2300 utilizes highly secure data transmission such as Transport Layer Security 1.2 (TLS 1.2).

[0119]

[0158] The cloud-based computing system 105 stores historical data from the sensor 2308. The cloud-based computing system 105 processes the data to identify trends (2322). These trends are used to predict characteristics such as the remaining operating life of the conveyor component 2340. The user can access the information stored in the cloud-based computing system 105 via the user interface of the computer 107. In one embodiment, the computer 107 provides the user with data from the cloud-based computing system 105 via a website displayed on one or more screens of the computer 107. In another embodiment, the computer 107 receives messages from the cloud-based computing system 105 via an email client or the like. In yet another example, the computer 107 includes software to facilitate communication with the information stored in the cloud-based computing system 105. Using the computer 107, the user can view both raw data from the sensor 2308 and data calculated from the raw data. The calculated data may include, for example, the predicted remaining life of component 2340 and / or examples of readings exceeding a threshold. In some configurations, the computer 107 receives input from a user ordering parts for the conveyor component 2340 and / or scheduling maintenance for the conveyor component 2340.

[0120]

[0159] The cloud-based computing system 105 stores data from sensor modules 2308 regarding multiple conveyor components 2340. For example, sensor data from multiple components 2340 associated with the same conveyor belt can be used to identify which component 2340 needs adjustment. As an example, if the cloud-based computing system 105 knows the belt speed and the distance between the upstream and downstream belt cleaners from the sensor modules 2308, it can determine a time frame to predict the impact on the downstream belt cleaner after the splice has impacted the upstream belt cleaner. If the impact of the splice on the downstream belt cleaner is significantly greater than the impact on the upstream belt cleaner, there may be excessive tension on the downstream belt cleaner, and the cloud-based computing system 105 can instruct maintenance workers to adjust the downstream belt cleaner.

[0121]

[0160] Furthermore, data from sensor modules 2308 from multiple conveyor components can be processed together to identify larger trends (2322). For example, sensor data from multiple components 2340 associated with the same conveyor belt can be used to identify conveyor belt failures such as faulty splices, tears, or soiled belts. Additionally, data from multiple components 2340 can be used to generate predicted wear rates for the components 2340, providing a more accurate prediction of remaining operating life.

[0122]

[0161] The mobile device 106 functions as a user interface that allows user 2331 to access data from the processor circuit 2302. The data includes status information 2324 about the conveyor component 2340. In some forms, the data further includes recommended actions 2323. For example, if the processor unit 2302 determines that the conveyor component 2340 requires maintenance during the processing of raw data from sensor 2308 2320, the recommended action information 2323 communicates a suggestion for maintenance action to be taken by user 2331. In an example for one explanation, the processor unit 2302 processes accelerometer data from sensor 2308 to determine whether the tension of the conveyor component 2340 (e.g., a belt cleaner) is between stored thresholds. If not, the processor circuit 2302 outputs a suggestion to the mobile device 106 advising the user to tighten or loosen the belt cleaner 2340 in order to adjust the tension of the belt cleaner to be between the set thresholds.

[0123]

[0162] In some forms, the conveyor component 2340 includes an automatic regulator 2330. In an example where the conveyor component 2340 is a belt cleaner, the automatic regulator 2330 is an actuator for adjusting the scraper blade relative to the belt. If the processor 2322 detects that the tension of the belt cleaner is not within the desired range as described above, the processor unit 2302 can operate the automatic regulator 2330 to adjust the tension of the belt cleaner. The conveyor component 2340 may include other auxiliary devices such as an impact bed, a belt tracker, and a supply chute.

[0124]

[0163] The operation of one conveyor component 2340 may affect other conveyor components 2340. For example, if conveyor component 2340 is a belt cleaner, the processor unit 2302 may determine, based on data from the sensor 2308 of conveyor component 2330, that the associated conveyor belt is damaged. The processor unit 2302 can then operate the autoregulators 2330 of other belt cleaners on the belt to move the scraper blades of those belt cleaners away from the damaged belt. In another embodiment, a cloud-based computing system 105 can send control signals to the autoregulators 2330 to control the operation of the autoregulators 2330 of that one conveyor component 2340 and the other conveyor components 2340 in response to adjustments made to that one conveyor component 2340.

[0125]

[0164] As another example, if conveyor component 2340 is a belt cleaner, the processor unit 2302 may determine, based on data from the sensor 2308 of conveyor component 2340, that the associated conveyor belt is damaged. The processor unit 2302 may operate the automatic regulator 2330 of other conveyor components 2340 to stop the transport of material. For example, the processor unit 2302 may close a supply chute that supplies material onto the belt and / or stop the operation of one or more conveyor belts, such as the belt being cleaned by conveyor component 2340, the upstream conveyor belt, and / or the downstream conveyor belt.

[0126]

[0165] Figures 24A and 24B show a sensor module 2405 configured to detect one or more operational features of an auxiliary device of a conveyor system. Sensor module 2405 is similar in many respects to sensor module 1305 discussed above. Sensor module 2405 has a housing 2404 configured to be detachably coupled to the conveyor system. The housing 2404 has a through-opening 2407 for receiving a portion of the auxiliary device. In one embodiment, the opening 2407 is circular in order to be coupled to a cylindrical support member such as the support rod 1306 discussed above.

[0127]

[0166] The housing 2404 encloses a sensor circuit similar to the sensor circuit described above. The sensor circuit is covered by a faceplate 2406. The faceplate 2406 is coupled to the sensor module 2405 by several screws 2409. The faceplate 2408 includes a user interface 2401 which is communicatively coupled to the sensor circuit. The user interface 2401 has several user inputs, such as buttons 2410, 2412, 2414 (see Figure 24B), and several outputs, such as status lights 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2424, 2425, 2426.

[0128]

[0167] During operation, the sensor module 2405 is communicably coupled to a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet computer during setup using a short-range wireless communication protocol. The pairing button 2410 places the sensor module 2405 into a pairing mode, which allows it to establish a wireless connection. In one configuration, the short-range wireless communication protocol used is Bluetooth® or BLE. The pairing button 2410 causes the sensor module 2405 to output a pairing signal that can be detected by the mobile device for pairing.

[0129]

[0168] The pairing indicator 2420 outputs information to the user during the pairing process. For example, if the pairing button 2410 is pressed and held, the sensor module 2405 temporarily enters a pairing state and transmits a pairing signal. During the pairing state, the pairing indicator 2420 flashes to indicate to the user that the sensor module 2405 is outputting a pairing signal. In addition to or instead of this, the pairing indicator 2420 indicates whether a wireless connection has been established. For example, the pairing indicator 2420 may light up when the sensor module 2405 has been wirelessly paired with at least one mobile device.

[0130]

[0169] The connection indicator 2421 indicates whether the connection between the sensor module 2405 and the mobile device is secure. For example, after the mobile device has paired with the sensor module 2405, the user must log in on the mobile device. The communication indicator 2421 lights up or blinks when the login is confirmed and data transmission between the sensor module 2405 and the mobile device begins.

[0131]

[0170] The sensor module 2405 connects to the internet using WiFi or cellular network communication and includes a WiFi indicator 2423 and a cellular indicator 2425. The WiFi indicator 2423 indicates the status of the WiFi internet connection. In one embodiment, when a WiFi connection to the local wireless network and the internet is established, the WiFi indicator 2423 is a first color, such as green. If no WiFi connection exists, the WiFi indicator 2423 is a second color, such as red. In some embodiments, when connected to a local wireless network (e.g., a wireless router or wireless modem) but not connected to the internet, the WiFi indicator 2423 is a third color, such as yellow. In another embodiment, different types of illumination are used instead of different colors. For example, the WiFi indicator may not light up if no WiFi connection exists, light up if an internet connection exists, and blink if connected to a router or modem but not connected to the internet.

[0132]

[0171] The cellular indicator 2425 indicates the status of a cellular network connection, such as LTE CAT-M1, NB-IoT, or GSM connection, as described above. The cellular indicator 2425 operates substantially the same as the WiFi indicator 2423. A first state, such as a first color or continuous illumination, indicates that the sensor module 2405 is connected to a cellular network and the internet. A second state, such as a second color or no illumination, indicates that there is no cellular network connection. A third state, such as a third color or intermittent illumination, indicates that there is a connection to a cellular network gateway, such as a communication tower, but there is no internet connection.

[0133]

[0172] The housing 2404 includes one or more batteries similar to those described in the sensor module above. The housing 2404 includes a removable battery plate 2408 that covers the battery compartment. Removing the battery plate 2408 allows access to the power compartment of the housing 2404 to remove and replace one or more batteries. The one or more batteries may include disposable batteries, such as batteries having lithium thionyl chloride, or rechargeable batteries. The batteries can store energy received from the solar cell.

[0134]

[0173] Referring to Figure 24A, the battery indicator 2424 indicates the battery charge. The battery indicator 2424 includes lights that indicate the approximate percentage of remaining battery charge. For example, all four lights being lit indicates approximately 100% charge, three lights being lit indicates approximately 75% charge, two lights being lit indicates approximately 50% charge, and one light being lit indicates approximately 25% charge. In some embodiments, at least one of the four lights of the battery indicator 2424 can be operated to light up in at least two colors. One light being lit in a second color indicates a very low battery charge, such as less than 10%. In alternative embodiments, different lighting states are used instead of different colors. For example, one flashing light indicates less than 10% charge.

[0135]

[0174] In addition to or instead of batteries, the sensor module 2405 includes a wired connection to a power source. A wired power indicator 2426 indicates a connection to a power source, such as a power line. A power indicator 2626 lights up when connected to a power source and turns off when not connected. In some configurations, the wired power source is detachable to charge one or more batteries, such as a charging cable. Some chargers include one or more additional batteries. For example, in one configuration, the sensor module 2405 includes a port for forming a wired connection to a mobile device used during setup. The port may be a USB port that connects the sensor module 2405 and the mobile device by a USB cable. This connection allows the mobile device to communicate data and charge one or more batteries in the sensor module 2405.

[0136]

[0175] The sensor module 2405 further includes an additional status indicator 2422. The status indicator 2422 includes lights used to indicate other status information. In some forms, the status indicator 2422 is a multicolor LED, such as red, yellow, and green LEDs. Exemplary status information includes failures of the sensor module 2405, such as a frozen processor or a damaged sensor.

[0137]

[0176] To conserve battery life, the sensor module 2405 includes a status input 2412. When the status input is pressed, outputs 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2424, 2425, and 2426 light up as described above to indicate the status. After the status input is released, indicators 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2424, 2425, and 2426 turn off to conserve energy. In some forms, there is a time delay between releasing the status input 2412 and the indicators turning off.

[0138]

[0177] Referring to Figure 24B, the power button 2414 for turning the sensor module 2405 on and off is located on the back of the sensor module 2405. Having the power button 2414 on the back of the sensor module 2405 reduces the likelihood that a maintenance worker might accidentally press the power button 2414, mistaking it for the pairing button 2410 or the status indicator button 2412.

[0139]

[0178] Figure 25 shows a method 2500 for setting up a conveyor system having a sensor module such as the sensor module described herein. A user, such as an installer or maintenance worker, sets up the conveyor system sensor module 2522 using a mobile device 106.

[0140]

[0179] As an initial step, a site ontology is generated and loaded into a system such as a cloud-based computing system 105 (2501). The ontology shows the overall layout of the conveyor system, including the location and identity of auxiliary devices. The identity of each auxiliary device may include the brand and / or model of the auxiliary device, as well as the identity of one or more components of the auxiliary device. For example, the identity of a belt cleaner may include the brand and model of the belt cleaner, as well as the brand and model of the belt cleaner's scraper blade. Users are allowed to view the ontology to assist in the installation and setup of auxiliary devices and sensor modules (2502).

[0141]

[0180] During setup, the user can install a new blade on the belt cleaner 120 (2503) and properly tension the belt cleaner 120. One of the sensor modules 2522 is installed on the belt cleaner 120 in a position that monitors one or more operational characteristics of the belt cleaner 120 (2504).

[0142]

[0181] Next, the installed sensor module 2522 is turned on (2505). The user checks the status of the sensor module 2522 by observing the indicators 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2424, 2425, 2426, etc. A short-range wireless connection is established between the sensor module 2522 and the mobile device 106 (2506). As described above, the exemplary short-range wireless connection includes Bluetooth® or BLE connection. The user provides login information to be communicated to the sensor module 2522 via the user interface of the mobile device 106. The login information may include information necessary for the user to set up the sensor module 2522 and information necessary to access the wireless network. The sensor module 2522 uses this information to establish an internet connection (2507). The internet connection connects the sensor module 2522 to the cloud-based computing system 105 in a communicable manner. The user enters activation or authentication information, such as a password and / or ID, to establish a secure connection between the sensor module 2522 and the cloud-based computing system 105.

[0143]

[0182] The information is uploaded to a cloud-based computing system 105 to link the sensor module 2522 to a specific conveyor system and a specific location within the conveyor system (2508). In some forms, link formation (2508) includes compiling an ontology (2509). Each sensor module 2522 has a unique identifier, such as an ID number, which allows it to be identified for link formation (2508). In some forms, the identifier is printed on the body of the sensor module 2522 using a scannable code or the like. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the identifier is stored in the memory of the sensor module 2522 and accessed by the mobile device 106 after the connection is established (2506).

[0144]

[0183] With a connection to the cloud-based computing system 105 established, the sensor module 2522 begins recording data as described above (2510). The recorded data is transmitted to the cloud-based computing system 105 via the internet connection. The cloud-based computing system 105 stores and processes the data.

[0145]

[0184] The user links each sensor module 2522 in the conveyor system to a specific location within the ontology and connects it to the cloud-based computing system 105 for communication by repeating steps 2503 to 2509 for each sensor module 2522 in the conveyor system.

[0146]

[0185] During maintenance, the sensor module 2522 can be relinked to its position within the conveyor system ontology by the following steps, similar to those described above. The user removes one or more sensor modules 2522 from one or more conveyor accessories to perform inspections of the sensor modules 2522, such as replacing or recharging the batteries. When the user reinstalls the sensor modules 2522 on the conveyor accessories, a communication link is established between the mobile device 106 and one of the sensor modules 2522 (2506). In one embodiment, this link formation includes a Bluetooth pairing procedure between the mobile device 106 and the sensor module 2522.

[0147]

[0186] When the linked sensor module 2522 is installed on a conveyor accessory, the user indicates the location of the sensor module 2522 within the conveyor system ontology using a mobile device 106. In one embodiment, the user indicates the location of the sensor module 2522 within the conveyor system ontology using the touchscreen of the mobile device 106. The mobile device 106 communicates location information to at least one of the cloud-based computing system 105 and the mobile device 106.

[0148]

[0187] When the sensor modules 2522 are reinstalled, the user repeats the installation and linking procedure for each sensor module 2522. By indicating the position of each sensor module 2522 when it is installed, the user does not need to verify that each sensor module 2522 is installed in the same position as before removal. This allows maintenance workers to quickly replace or recharge the batteries of many sensor modules 2522 in confined environments such as mines.

[0149]

[0188] Referring to Figure 26, a sensor module 2600 similar to the sensor module discussed above is provided and is mounted on the support rod 2602 of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. The support rod 2602 may include cylindrical side walls extending from an opening 2603 of the support rod 2602. The sensor module 2600 is mounted on the support rod 2602 outside the mount 2606 of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. The mount 2606 has a sleeve 2608 fixed to the support rod 2602 by one or more locking fasteners 2610. The sensor module 2600 has an upper housing 2612 and a lower housing 2614 that define a through opening 2616 for receiving the support rod 2602. The upper housing 2612 includes a cover 2618 which can be made of a flexible material such as elastomer. The cover 2618 is used to cover the fastener 2620 (see Figure 27) which is fixed to the support rod 2602 in a clamped configuration, with the upper part 2612 and lower part 2614 of the housing being clamped.

[0150]

[0189] The upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing have an installation or initial configuration that allows them to be positioned on the support rod 2602. In one embodiment, the initial configuration includes the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing that are completely separated from each other. In another embodiment, in the initial configuration, the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing are connected and spaced apart by hinges. Once the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing are positioned on the support rod 2602, the user reconfigures the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing to a clamping configuration in which the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 clamp the support rod 2602 between them. In one embodiment, to reconfigure the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing, the user inserts fasteners 2620 into openings 2646 (see Figure 27) of the upper and lower parts 2612 and 2614 of the housing and tightens fasteners 2610. Since the support rod 2602 has a unique vibration caused by the movement of the associated conveyor belt, mounting the sensor module 2600 on the support rod 2602 will result in a distinct vibration that can be measured by the sensor module 2600.

[0151]

[0190] In one method, the cover 2618 is flexible and includes an end 2626 having an opening 2622 that receives a catch 2624 on the upper part 2612 of the housing. The cover 2618 has an end 2627 opposite to the end 2626 fixed to the upper part 2612 of the housing. To access the fastener 2620, the end 2626 of the cover 2618 is manipulated to disengage the end 2626 from the catch 2624 and move it away from the upper part 2612 of the housing in the direction 2628.

[0152]

[0191] The sensor module 2600 includes a user interface 2630 which can include one or more buttons 2632. By pressing one of the buttons 2632, the user can request the status of the sensor module 2600, and by pressing another of the buttons 2632, the user can establish a short-range wireless link between the sensor module 2600 and a portable electronic device such as a smartphone.

[0153]

[0192] Referring to Figure 27, the upper housing 2612 includes a socket 2640 for receiving the fastener 2620, and the cover 2618 includes a plug portion 2642, which fits into the socket 2640, covers the head 2644 of the fastener 2620, and is sized to resist the entry of material into the drive structure of the fastener 2620. The plug portion 2642 of the cover 2618 also extends around the head 2644, which can resist the entry of debris into the opening 2646 of the upper housing 2612 from which the fastener 2620 extends. The upper housing 2612 and the lower housing 2614 include clamping portions 2650, 2652 which are curved or otherwise shaped complementary to the outer surface 2654 of the support rod 2602 (see Figure 26).

[0154]

[0193] The lower part of the housing 2614 includes a compartment 2656 for receiving a circuit board 2658, a circuit board support 2660, and a battery 2662. The compartment 2656 includes one or more walls 2664 and a door 2666, the door 2666 having a seal 2668 that engages with one or more walls 2664 and seals the compartment 2656. The door 2666 includes an opening 2670 for receiving fasteners 2673 that can operate to fix the door 2666 to the wall 2664, for example, to allow access to a power button 2672 of the sensor module 2600. The door 2666 includes a protective cover 2678 configured to fit into each of the openings 2670 and to cover the fasteners 2672 or the power button 2672. The door 2666 can be formed using a two-shot process in which the body 2676 of the door 2666 is formed using a first injection-molded material, and the seal 2668 and protective cover 2678 are formed in a second injection using a second injection-molded material. Thus, since the door 2666 has a one-piece construction, the user can easily remove the door 2666 from the wall 2654 and reattach it to the wall 2654 without misplacing the seal 2668 or protective cover 2678. In one embodiment, the upper housing 2612 and the lower housing 2614, including the door body 2676, are made of a rigid material such as glass-filled nylon. The seal 2668 and cover 2678 can be made of a flexible elastomer, for example. The circuit board support 2660 can be made of a rigid material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic.

[0155]

[0194] Referring to Figure 27, the circuit board 2658 includes a processor 2680, a communication circuit 2682, one or more sensors 2684, and a memory 2686. The circuit board support 2660 receives the circuit board 2658 and securely mounts the circuit board 2658 within the lower part of the housing 2614. The circuit board 2660 further includes a battery compartment 2690 for receiving a battery 2662.

[0156]

[0195] One or more sensors 2682 are configured to detect one or more features of the support rod 2602. One or more sensors 2684 may include, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a combination thereof. Sensors 2684 can measure, for example, acceleration in the Z direction along the length of the support rod 2602 (which may occur due to bending of the support rod), acceleration in the X direction perpendicular to the Z axis, acceleration in the Y direction perpendicular to both the Z and X axes, and acceleration around one or more of the X, Y, and Z axes. The support rod 2602 experiences small displacement movements with large accelerations caused by the movement of the conveyor belt and detected by one or more sensors 2684. The support rod 2602 also experiences large displacement events, such as when the splice collides with the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, which are also detected by one or more sensors 2684.

[0157]

[0196] For example, one or more features of the support rod 2602 may include the orientation of the support rod 2602. Sensor 2684 can detect the orientation of the support rod 2602 relative to gravity. As the cleaner blade wears down, the support rod 2602 rotates, and sensor 2684 detects the change in the orientation of the support rod 2602 relative to gravity. Sensor module 2600 can communicate the orientation of the support rod 2602 so that one or more characteristics of the cleaner blade, such as the remaining lifespan of the cleaner blade, can be predicted.

[0158]

[0197] Referring to Figure 28, the sensor module 2600 can be installed and operated in the same manner as the sensor modules discussed above. In one embodiment, the sensor module 2600 is mounted on a support rod 2602, and the user wirelessly connects a portable electronic device such as a smartphone 2700 to the sensor module 2600. The smartphone 2700 can communicate information to and / or receive information from the sensor module 2600. Once connected, the smartphone 2700 acts as a remote control for the sensor module 2600, causing the sensor module 2600 to communicate information to and / or receive information from the cloud computing system 2710, which includes a remote server 2720 (2708, 2730).

[0159]

[0198] For example, a smartphone 2700 can connect to a sensor module 2600 via a short-range wireless protocol such as Bluetooth, which is used by a communication circuit 2682. In one method, a user, such as a maintenance worker, can press the pairing button 2632A on the sensor module 2600 to put it into pairing mode and pair the smartphone 2700 with the sensor module 2600. Once the smartphone 2700 and the sensor module 2600 are paired, the user can input information identifying the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 to which the sensor module 2600 is connected, for example, by using the graphical user interface 2702 displayed on the application running on the smartphone 2700. For example, this information may include the identity of the conveyor belt system associated with the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, the location of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 along the conveyor belt, the model number of the conveyor belt cleaner 2602, and the model number of the scraper blade installed on the conveyor belt cleaner 2602. Other information, such as the estimated tension applied by the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 to the cleaner blades, the material being processed by the conveyor belt, the material of the conveyor belt, and / or other information, can also be provided via the smartphone 2700.

[0160]

[0199] The smartphone 2700 communicates information to the sensor module 2600 (2704), and the sensor module 2600 communicates the information to the remote server 2720 via, for example, a cellular network 2712 and the internet 2718 (2708). Since the communication 2708 includes a globally unique identifier for the sensor module 2600, the remote server 2720 can associate the received information with the sensor module 2600 that communicated the information.

[0161]

[0200] Since the sensor module 2600 acts as an intermediary between the smartphone 2700 and the cellular network 2712, the smartphone 2700 does not need to connect to the cellular network 2712, which can be difficult in remote locations. In one embodiment, the sensor module 2600 communicates with the cellular network 2712 using the 4G LTE CAT M standard, which can provide better communication in remote areas than conventional 3G or 4G cellular networks. In another embodiment, the sensor module 2600 communicates with a remote server 2720 via a local wireless gateway and the internet. Since the sensor module 2600 acts as an intermediary between the smartphone 2700 and the local wireless gateway, the smartphone 2700 does not need to connect to the local wireless gateway. Maintenance personnel do not need to connect to the local wireless gateway to set up or inspect the sensor module 2600, thereby improving the wireless network security of the equipment.

[0162]

[0201] The cloud computing system 2710 is similar in many respects to the cloud computing system discussed above and includes a remote server 2720. The remote server 2720 includes a processor 2722, a communication interface 2724, and memory 2726. Memory 2726 includes a history database 2728, which contains history information used by the processor 2722 during the operation of the conveyor belt to estimate one or more features of the cleaner blades of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, as discussed above. The history database 2728 may also include history data representing one or more features of the support rod 2602 as it vibrates due to the operation of the conveyor belt to which it is associated.

[0163]

[0202] The processor 2722 of the remote server 2720 predicts at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 by comparing at least one characteristic of the support rod 2602 with at least one characteristic stored in the database 2728. In one embodiment, the processor 2722 identifies a change in at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade by monitoring changes in the vibration signature detected by the sensor 2684. The signal from a given sensor 2684 monitoring the vibration of the support rod 2602 contains a number of different frequencies, and a fast Fourier transform can be performed to identify which frequencies are present in the signal. There may be certain frequencies that stand out more than others in the data. These prominent or fundamental frequencies may fluctuate over time with the operation of the conveyor belt. For example, the processor 2722 can observe whether the detected fundamental frequency has changed by several Hz from the baseline frequency observed when the sensor module 2600 was first installed on the support rod 2602. If the change in the fundamental frequency is greater than a predetermined threshold, the processor 2722 can determine that a change has occurred in at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade. The processor 2722 can use the communication interface 2724 to send alerts to the maintenance worker's smartphone 2700.

[0164]

[0203] Referring to Figure 34, for example, a graph 3000 is given of the frequency domain response of the signal from an accelerometer mounted on the support rod of the conveyor belt cleaner, acquired during the test. Graph 3000 shows how the fundamental frequency of the frequency domain response changes with changes in the operation of the associated conveyor belt system. For example, if there is material on the conveyor belt and the tension of the conveyor belt cleaner is zero or 100% of the allowable tension, the measured fundamental frequency occurs at frequency 3002. If there is no material on the conveyor belt and the tension of the conveyor belt cleaner is 0%, the fundamental frequency occurs at frequency 3004. If there is no material on the conveyor belt and the tension of the conveyor belt cleaner is 100%, the fundamental frequency occurs at frequency 3006. Using this historical data stored in database 2728, processor 2722 can predict that if the fundamental frequency measured during the operation of the conveyor belt occurs at a frequency similar to frequency 3004, there is no material on the belt and the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner is under zero percent tension. In this way, processor 2722 can predict one or more characteristics of the conveyor belt and / or conveyor belt cleaner blade based on the historical data of one or more characteristics of the support rod.

[0165]

[0204] As another example, the processor 2722 can predict chattering of the cleaner blades of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 by identifying deviations of the frequency and / or amplitude of one or more fundamental frequencies of the acceleration of the support rod 2602 from the historical frequency and / or amplitude. Alternatively or in addition to this, the history database 2728 may contain history data representing one or more features of the support rods of other conveyor belt cleaners associated with the same conveyor belt or different conveyor belts. Using the history data from other conveyor belt cleaners, the processor 2722 can generate one or more thresholds of deviations that must be satisfied before an alert is sent to the maintenance team due to a deviation in the frequency and / or amplitude of the fundamental frequencies of one or more features of the support rod 2602.

[0166]

[0205] The processor 2722 can predict at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604 by utilizing data from other sources. For example, the communication interface 2724 can receive position data from the linear actuator of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. Using this position data and at least one detected characteristic of the support rod 2602, the processor 2722 can predict whether or not the cleaner blade is engaged with the conveyor belt.

[0167]

[0206] The database 2728 also includes several algorithms used to model the physical behavior of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. One or more of these algorithms may be used by the sensor module 2600, the remote server 2720, or both. For example, based on information received from the sensor module 2600 via communication 2708, the remote server 2720 may send communication 2730 to the sensor module 2600, which includes at least a portion of the algorithm, such as a complete algorithm or a variable of the algorithm, corresponding to the type of conveyor belt cleaner 2604 on which the sensor module 2600 is installed. For example, the processor 2722 of the remote server 2720 may select at least a portion of the algorithm based on information such as the brand of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, the model of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, the size of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604, the model of the cleaner blade, the type of material being transported by the associated conveyor, and / or other information. The processor 2722 uses at least a portion of this algorithm to perform initial processing on data received from one or more sensors 2684. The sensor module 2604 can then provide edge processing for the system.

[0168]

[0207] Using at least a portion of the received algorithm, the sensor module 2600 can calculate one or more characteristics of the support rod 2602 as it vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt to which it is associated. At least one characteristic may include, for example, translational acceleration, rotational acceleration, position, velocity, direction of gravity, or a combination thereof. The sensor module 2600 can communicate at least one characteristic of the support rod 2602 to the remote server 2720. The processor 2720 uses at least one characteristic of the support rod 2602 to predict at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. At least one characteristic may include, for example, whether the cleaner blade is engaged with the belt, the tension applied to the cleaner blade, the residual blade height, whether the cleaner blade is chattering, and / or whether the cushion of the conveyor belt cleaner blade is damaged. The remote server 2720 can also use at least one feature of the support rod 2620 to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt associated with the conveyor belt cleaner 2604. The at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt may include whether or not material is present on the conveyor belt, whether or not the conveyor belt is running, the conveyor belt speed, whether or not the conveyor belt is mistracking, or a combination thereof.

[0169]

[0208] Referring to Figure 29, there may be conveyor belt cleaners in which the support rod does not extend beyond the mount of the conveyor belt cleaner. In such cases, a rod extender 2800 can be used to create additional space for mounting a sensor module 2600 outside the material handling path of the conveyor belt. The rod extender 2800 includes a body 2802 having an annular wall 2804 with an outer surface 2806, which can be similar in size and shape to or different from the support rod to which the rod extender 2800 is connected. The outer surface 2806 can resemble a cylinder, a rectangular prism, or other shape, and the associated sensor module 2600 is configured to clamp to the outer surface 2806.

[0170]

[0209] Referring to Figures 29 and 32, the rod extender 2800 includes a mounting section 2810, which has an installation or initial configuration such that the mounting section 2810 is inserted into the opening 2812 of the support rod 2811. This connects the rod extender 2800 to the support rod 2811, even though the support rod 2811 has a mount 2813 at its end. The mounting section 2810 further includes an extension configuration in which the mounting section 2810 engages with the inner surface 2814 of the support rod 2811, firmly fixing the rod extender 2800 to the support rod 2811 (see Figure 33).

[0171]

[0210] Returning to Figure 29, the mounting section 2810 includes one or more deflectable members 2820, such as arched walls 2822 separated by a gap 2824. Each arched wall 2822 includes a base portion 2826 and a free end portion 2828. The mounting section 2810 includes an expander 2830 having a tubular body 2832 and walls 2834 extending radially outward from the tubular body 2832. The walls 2834 include one or more cam walls 2836 and one or more anti-rotation walls 2838. The cam walls 2836 are configured to engage with the inner surface 2840 of the walls 2822 and bias the walls 2822 away from each other. The anti-rotation wall 2838 is sized to fit within the gap 2824 in order to resist the rotation of the expander 2830 when the expander 2830 biases the arch-shaped wall 2822 against the inner surface 2814 of the support rod 2811.

[0172]

[0211] Referring to Figure 30, the rod extender 2800 includes an actuator 2849 such as a bolt 2850 having a head 2852 and a shank 2854 extending from the head 2852. The rod extender 2800 includes a base such as a transverse pin 2854 extending through a through-opening 2856 in the annular wall 2804. The transverse pin 2854 includes a through-opening 2856 from which the shank 2854 extends, and a recess 2858 that receives the head 2852 and allows the head 2852 to rotate. The shank 2854 includes a threaded portion 2860 that engages with the threads 2862 in the through-hole 2864 of the expander 2866. As a result, the clockwise rotation of the head 2852 displaces the expander 2866 toward the annular wall 2804 in direction 2870. When the expander 2866 is displaced in direction 2870, the cam wall 2836 engages with the inner surface 2840 of the wall 2822, biasing the wall 2822 away from each other.

[0173]

[0212] Referring to Figure 31, the longitudinal axis 2880 of the rod extender 2800 extends through the through hole 2864 of the extender 2830. Each cam wall 2836 includes an inclined surface 2882 that extends at an angle 2884 with respect to the longitudinal axis 2880. The angle 2884 can be in the range of 1 to 18 degrees, for example, 4 degrees.

[0174]

[0213] Referring to Figure 32, the rod extender 2800 is shown connected to the support rod 2811, and the arched wall 2822 and expander 2830 are positioned within the opening 2812 of the support rod 2811. The arched wall 2822 enters the opening 2812 until the shoulder 2890 of the rod extender abuts against the end face 2892 of the support rod 2811. The arched wall 2822 includes arched walls 2822A and 2822B positioned on both sides of the opening 2812. The arched walls 2822A and 2822B will be described below, but the other arched walls 2822 are subject to a similar function.

[0175]

[0214] First, the arched walls 2822A and 2822B are positioned such that their outer surfaces 2894 face the inner surfaces 2814 of the support rods 2811. The walls 2822A and 2822B have an initial distance 2898 between their inner surfaces 2840.

[0176]

[0215] Referring to Figure 33, the expander 2830 is displaced in direction 2870 because the user tightened the bolt 2850 using an impact wrench or the like. The inclined surface 2882 of the cam wall 2836 biases walls 2822A and 2822B away from each other, causing the outer surfaces 2894 of walls 2822A and 2822B to engage with the inner surface 2814 of the support rod 2811. In one method, the displacement of the expander 2830 generates a distance 2912 between the inner surfaces 2840 of walls 2822A and 2822B that is greater than the distance 2898 when the rod extender 2800 is in its initial configuration. This expansion of distance 2898 occurs because there may be a radial gap space between the arched wall 2822 and the inner surface 2814 of the support rod 2811 that is large enough to allow the rod extender 2800 to be connected to the support rod 2602. Due to the displacement of the expander 2830, the free end 2828 is deflected radially outward and enters the radial gap, coming into contact with the inner surface 2814 of the support rod 2811.

[0177]

[0216] Movement of the extender 2830 in direction 2870 can permanently deform the material of the arched wall 2822. The deformation of the wall 2822 relative to the support rod 2811 permanently fixes the rod extender 2800 to the support rod 2811. The user can then mount the sensor module 2600 onto the rod extender 2800.

[0178]

[0217] In one embodiment, the components of the rod extender 2800 are made of one or more rigid metallic materials, such as steel. Due to the rigid material of the rod extender 2800 and the secure fastening provided by the extender 2830 and the arched wall 2822, the rod extender 2800 can vibrate substantially in the same way as the support rod 2811. Thus, when the rod extender vibrates together with the support rod 2811 during conveyor belt operation, the sensor module 2600 can measure one or more characteristics of the rod extender 2800.

[0179]

[0218] In one embodiment, the transverse pin 2854 is press-fitted into the through-opening 2856. In another embodiment, the transverse pin 2854 is welded into the through-opening 2856. The actuator 2849 and expander 2830 can have many configurations to convert the movement of the actuator 2849 into a displacement of the expander 2830 in direction 2870. For example, the actuator 2849 may include a threaded nut on the shaft of the expander 2830. Rotating the nut displaces the shaft and the expander 2830 in direction 2870. In another embodiment, the actuator 2849 can be displaced axially without rotating in order to displace the expander 2830 in direction 2870.

[0180]

[0219] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, changes, and combinations can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that such modifications, changes, and combinations will be deemed to fall within the scope of the claims. For example, while the method steps may be presented and described sequentially herein, one or more of the illustrated and described steps may be omitted, repeated, performed simultaneously, and / or performed in an order different from that shown in the drawings and / or described herein. Furthermore, it will be recognized that computer-readable instructions for facilitating the above-described method may be stored in various non-temporary computer-readable media known in the art.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner in a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising an elongated support and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, Equipped with, The conveyor belt system wherein the at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system includes at least one of blade tension, whether the cleaner blade is engaged with the conveyor belt, and whether the cleaner blade is chattering.

2. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising: an elongated support; and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The remote computer includes a memory configured to store vibration history data of the second elongated support portion of the second conveyor belt cleaner of the second conveyor belt system. The system is configured such that the remote computer is at least partially configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support, by comparing the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support with the vibration history data of the second conveyor belt system.

3. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising: an elongated support; and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The remote computer includes a memory configured to store vibration history data of the elongated support portion of the conveyor belt cleaner. The system is configured, at least partially, to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support, by comparing the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support with the vibration history data.

4. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising: an elongated support; and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The system is configured such that the remote computer calculates the fundamental frequency of the detected acceleration of the elongated support and associates the fundamental frequency with the at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system, thereby predicting the at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support.

5. The at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system includes an abnormal operation of the conveyor belt system, The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote computer is configured to communicate an alert to a user device in response to the remote computer predicting the abnormal operation of the conveyor belt system.

6. The at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system includes a predicted future failure of a component of the conveyor belt system, The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote computer is configured to communicate an alert to a user device before the predicted future failure and in response to the remote computer predicting the predicted future failure of the component of the conveyor belt system.

7. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner in a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising an elongated support and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The remote computer is configured to communicate with the user device. The system is configured such that the remote computer communicates data indicating the status of the conveyor belt system to the user device for presentation to the user via the user device's interface.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system includes at least one of blade tension, whether the cleaner blade is engaged with the conveyor belt, and whether the cleaner blade is chattering.

9. The sensor module includes a first communication circuit, The communication hub includes a second communication circuit, The system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication circuit of the sensor module is configured to communicate with the second communication circuit of the communication hub via a wired connection.

10. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising: an elongated support; and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The system includes a communication hub configured to receive data from multiple sensor modules.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote computer is configured to predict at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic of the cleaner blade of the conveyor belt cleaner includes the remaining life of the cleaner blade.

13. A system for monitoring a conveyor belt cleaner of a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt cleaner comprising: an elongated support; and a cleaner blade configured to be operably mounted on the elongated support and to engage with the conveyor belt, The aforementioned system, A sensor module configured to be mounted on the elongated support portion, comprising an acceleration sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates together with the sensor module mounted on the elongated support portion during the operation of a conveyor belt, A communication hub is configured to be operablely connected to the sensor module to wirelessly transmit data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion to a network, A remote computer for receiving the data via the network, configured to predict at least one characteristic of the conveyor belt system using the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, The remote computer uses the data associated with the detected acceleration of the elongated support portion, Changes in the position of the elongated support portion, and The rotational distance over which the elongated support portion moves A system configured to determine at least one of the following.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes the position of the elongated support portion.

15. The sensor module includes a temperature sensor for detecting temperature, The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication hub is configured to wirelessly transmit data associated with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

16. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that, when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion and is fixed to the elongated support portion, and is configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, A device equipped with the following features.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is equipped with a threaded fastener.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is provided with a threaded nut.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the actuator includes a rotary drive structure that cooperates with a tool for rotating the actuator.

20. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The actuator includes a fastener and a threaded nut. The fastener has a head and a threaded shank portion for engaging with the threaded nut, The portion that engages with the elongated support is located between the head and the threaded nut along the fastener.

21. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The actuator includes a fastener and a threaded nut, The fastener has a head and a threaded shank portion for engaging with the threaded nut, The device wherein rotating the fastener displaces the portion that engages with the elongated support portion relative to each other, transitioning from the initial configuration to the engagement configuration, and as a result, in the engagement configuration, the portion that engages with the elongated support portion is clamped between the head and the threaded nut.

22. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The portion that engages with the elongated support portion has a through opening, The actuator includes an elongated member that extends into the through-opening of the portion that engages with the elongated support portion, The device wherein the elongated member rotates within the through-opening in conjunction with the rotation of the actuator.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the portion that engages with the elongated support portion includes different members that are separated from each other.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the actuator connects the member in at least the engagement configuration.

25. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The portion that engages with the elongated support portion includes different members that are separated from each other. The actuator is a device that connects the member in both the initial configuration and the engagement configuration of the portion that engages with the elongated support portion.

26. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The apparatus includes an arch-shaped surface portion configured to engage with the elongated support portion.

27. ​​A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The aforementioned elongated support portion has a tubular structure in which a central through-hole extends axially through it, The elongated support portion has a circular cross-section and includes an inner surface having an inner diameter and an outer surface having an outer diameter. A device to be combined with the elongated support, wherein at least one of the portions that engage with the elongated support has a curved surface portion configured to engage with one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the elongated support.

28. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The device involves a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, which clamps the elongated support portion between itself and the elongated support portion while the portion that engages with the elongated support portion is in its engagement configuration, thereby fixing the portion that engages with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion.

29. A device for monitoring a conveyor system including a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt cleaner, wherein the conveyor belt cleaner includes a cleaner blade for engaging with the conveyor belt, an elongated support for the cleaner blade, and a pair of mounts configured to position the elongated support so as to extend across the conveyor belt, The aforementioned device is A part that engages with the elongated support, An actuator operably connected to a portion that engages with the elongated support portion, wherein the actuator is rotatable to transition from an initial configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion can be displaced relative to each other and positioned along the elongated support portion, to an engagement configuration in which the portions that engage with the elongated support portion firmly engage with the elongated support portion and fix the portions that engage with the elongated support portion to the elongated support portion, A sensor that is operably connected to the elongated support portion via a portion that engages with the elongated support portion when displaced to the aforementioned engagement configuration, and configured to detect the characteristics of the elongated support portion when the elongated support portion vibrates during the operation of the conveyor belt, A communication circuit capable of communicating data associated with the features of the elongated support portion to an external device, Equipped with, The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to determine the characteristics of the components of the conveyor belt system using the aforementioned features of the elongated support portion.

30. The above features include at least one of the acceleration of the elongated support portion and the rotational speed of the elongated support portion. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the characteristics of the conveyor belt system include at least one of blade tension, whether the cleaner blade is engaged with the conveyor belt, whether the cleaner blade is chattering, and blade wear.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the component of the conveyor belt system is the cleaner blade or the conveyor belt.

Images