Flat belt clamp

Abstract

A clamp for open ended flat belts. The clamp has a tapered housing having a first end for access to the interior of the housing and a second end that is open for access to the interior. A tapered wedge is removable and replaceable from the interior of the housing, the wedge having a first end and a rounded second end and having a surface with alternating ribs and lands. The clamp has a lock with a concave surface similar to the rounded second end of the tapered wedge. The housing may have a removable and replaceable sidewall for access to the interior.

Description

Background Art

[0001] A flat belt is useful as an "open" long belt having a first distinct end and a second distinct end. A flat belt generally has a rectangular cross-section with a width greater than its thickness. Flat belts can be employed for a wide range of mechanical requirements for use in transportation, hoisting, food and beverage, and industrial applications. In addition to use as conveyor belts and other material handling belts, flat belts are, for example, hold-off belts for pulling cables, pipes, wires, ropes, processing belts for the metal industry for coiling rolled metal or sheet metal, winding belts for winding sleeves of paper and cardboard, and timing belts for controlling linear motion synchronized with conveyor and drive systems. Flat belts are increasingly being utilized in high-load applications such as passenger elevators and forklifts to provide linear motion for vehicles and forks.

[0002] Flat belts are employed for a wide range of mechanical requirements, involving combinations of different types of materials and reinforcing cords designed for each application. Flat belts can be utilized as high-strength and low-stretch for long service life, and are also available with grooves, ribs, teeth, as well as flat (without shape features).

[0003] An open endless flat belt generally has its ends joined together or one end connected (attached) to a device. Generally, a clamp is attached to the flat belt, and the clamp applies pressure directly to the belt (e.g., by a screw) or applies pressure in the tangential direction by using a wedge clamp. By both mechanisms, the force from the clamp is transmitted to the flat belt by friction on the surface of the belt, which unfortunately causes slip in the flat belt.

[0004] What is needed is a clamp that holds the flat belt well and has a simple combination structure.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a clamp for a flat belt with open ends, the clamp having an accessible housing interior and a characteristic retaining wedge that aligns with this interior and has sufficient space between it and the inner surface of the housing that accommodates the loop of the flat belt. The clamp includes a lock configured to fit the retaining wedge.

[0006] In one particular embodiment, the disclosure provides a clamp having a tapered housing having a first end with an opening for access to the interior of the housing and an open second end for access to the interior, wherein the second end is larger than the first end and the housing has a removable and replaceable side wall for access to the interior. The clamp is also removable and replaceable from inside the housing, and the wedge has a first end and a rounded second end and also has a surface with alternating ribs and lands.

[0007] In other embodiments, the disclosure provides a clamp comprising an asymmetrical housing having a top wall, an opposite bottom wall, a first end having an opening for access to the interior of the housing, and a second end for access to the interior, wherein the inner surfaces of the top wall and the bottom wall form an angle in the range of 30 to 60 degrees at the first end, and the housing has a removable and replaceable side wall for access to the interior. The clamp also comprises an asymmetrical tapered wedge removable and replaceable from inside the housing, the wedge having a first end having an angle in the range of 30 to 60 degrees, a rounded second end, and a surface having alternating ribs and lands.

[0008] In further embodiments, the disclosure provides a method for attaching an end clamp to an open-end flat belt having a free end. This method includes inserting the free end of the flat belt through an opening in a first end of a clamp housing, passing the free end of the flat belt through the clamp housing and a second end of the clamp housing, and folding the free end of the flat belt back through the clamp housing and the opening to form a loop in the flat belt. This method also includes inserting a wedge into the loop, applying tension to the flat belt to pull the wedge and loop toward the opening in the first end of the clamp housing, positioning a lock relative to the loop after the wedge has been inserted, and attaching a side wall to the clamp housing after the lock has been positioned relative to the loop.

[0009] Other embodiments are also described in this specification.

[0010] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a brief form, which will be further discussed in a more detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify any important or essential features of the subject matter described in the claims, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the subject matter described in the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view of the clamp. [Figure 1B] A perspective view of a clamp with a retaining belt. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a rear view of the clamp. [Figure 3] This is a side cross-sectional view along line 3-3 in Figure 2. [Figure 4A] This is a cross-sectional view of the clamp housing. [Figure 4B] This is a side view of the clamp's retaining wedge. [Figure 4C] This is a perspective view of the clamp's retaining wedge. [Figures 5A-5D]This is a side view of the steps for attaching a belt to a clamp. [Figure 6] This is a step-by-step flowchart showing how to attach a belt to a clamp. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] As described above, this disclosure is directed toward clamps for open-end flat belts, such as toothed flat belts.

[0013] Open-end flat belts are convenient because they can be shorter than the required length, and therefore, assuming the application is shorter than the belt length, they can be used for essentially any length without needing a belt of a specific length. Typically, the flat belt is not cut; rather, fasteners are attached to the flat belt at the desired position along the belt.

[0014] The design of flat belts has evolved to produce belts that offer superior flexibility and fatigue resistance compared to steel ropes, while maintaining comparable length. Equipment and applications using open-end flat belts include elevators and forklifts.

[0015] There are two typical mounting mechanisms for attaching fasteners to an open-end flat belt: one involves securing the flat belt within a clamp by applying direct pressure to the belt (e.g., by screwing it in), and the other involves securing the flat belt to a wedge clamp. With both mechanisms, the force from the clamp is transmitted to the flat belt by friction on the belt surface, which unfortunately causes the flat belt to slip.

[0016] Fastening with screws or similar fasteners can damage the belt if excessive torque is applied to the fastener. If insufficient fastening force is applied, the belt may slip, also damaging the belt. For some clamp and flat belt combinations, the belt / clamp interface area required for good engagement is quite large, resulting in physically large fastening forces, which are impractical in some applications. Attempts have been made to solve this problem by using a combination of flat and toothed belts, which requires a high surface area engagement, but such configurations are still not practical. Similar to flat belts, if the fastening force is too low in the combined belt, the belt will slip, leading to belt damage. Also, smaller clamps are available, but they are still large compared to chain drive clamps of the same size.

[0017] Similarly, wedge clamps (for flat belts, hybrid belts, and toothed belts) are larger than clamps for cable or chain drives with similar forces. Furthermore, with wedge clamps, regardless of the belt type, if the force, or tension, in the clamped belt reverses or loosens, the clamp may loosen the belt.

[0018] The following description provides a clamp for belts with low profile teeth, the clamp having a wedge shaped to engage with the teeth. The dimensions of the wedge are optimized to reduce the clamp size while maintaining sufficient surface engagement. The clamp has an adjustable lock to prevent the belt from slackening if the belt tension slackens or reverses.

[0019] In the following description, reference numerals are attached to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the description and are shown to illustrate at least one particular embodiment. The following description provides additional specific embodiments. It should be understood that other embodiments may be contemplated and implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the following detailed description should not be taken in a limiting sense. Although the present disclosure is not so limited, an understanding of various features of the present disclosure is obtained through the description of examples including the drawings shown below. In some examples, the reference numeral may include a subscript that forms a suffix to indicate one of a plurality of similar elements. When the reference numeral is a reference number without a subscript designation, that reference numeral is intended to indicate all of the plurality of similar elements.

[0020] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1A shows clamp 100, and FIG. 1B shows clamp 100 engaged with flat belt 10.

[0021] Clamp 100 has a housing or body 110 having a first end 112 and a second end 114 opposite the first end. The first end 112 is also referred to as a front end face or an open end for an opening 120 that allows access to the interior 115 of the housing 110. The second end 114 also has an opening and is also referred to as a rear end face or a rear side. The second end 114 may have a slit or slot having a thickness greater than the thickness of the belt clamped by the clamp 100, and the opening may be two slits or slots, and the opening may be the same size as or larger than the opening 120. In some designs, the entire second end is open and has a structure without a wall.

[0022] The housing 110 has a height position where the first end 112 is lower than the second end 114 and has an overall tapered shape.

[0023] The housing 110 has side walls 111 on each side of the housing 110, one of which is shown. In some designs, one (or both) of the side walls 111 is removable or replaceable by a fixture 141 such as a bolt - nut. The removable side wall 111 facilitates access to the interior 115 of the housing 110.

[0024] At the second end 114, there is an adjustable lock or stopper 130, which is removable from and replaceable in the housing 110. When installed, the lock 130 is within the interior 115 of the housing 110. The lock 130 is removable through the open second end 114 or when the side wall 111 is removed. Additional details of the lock 130 are described below. Although not shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a retaining wedge is disposed within the interior 115 of the housing 110 and the retaining wedge engages the flat belt 10.

[0025] FIG. 1B shows the flat belt 10 within the clamp 100. The belt 10 having a first end 12 and a second end 14 has a front face 16 and a back face 18, and the back face 18 is typically considered to be a smooth surface. The front face 16 may be a smooth surface, or may have a contour shape such as a woven fabric, or transverse ribs or grooves. In some embodiments, the contour shape is shown as toothed in FIG. 1B and the front face 16 is toothed. The flat belt 10 is disposed within the interior 115 of the housing 110 and is engaged by a retaining wedge between the first end 12 and the second end 14 of the belt 10.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the clamp 100 as viewed from the rear side or the second end 114. The lock 130 is disposed within the interior 115 of the housing 110 but is visible from the open rear end 114.

[0027] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of clamp 100, showing the interior 115 of clamp 100. Figure 3 also shows housing 110, first open end 112, opening 120, rear end 114, lock 130, and retaining wedge 150. Housing 110 has an upper wall 116 and a bottom wall 118. Housing 110 has an overall tapered shape, and the distance between the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118 at the first end 112 is smaller than the distance between the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118 at the second end 114. Housing 110 is asymmetrical with respect to the axis extending from the first end 112 to the second end 114.

[0028] The flat belt 10 is located inside the clamp 100 and, when viewed from the opening 120 toward the interior 115, is wrapped around and held in place by the retaining wedge 150. The belt 10 is positioned such that its front portion 16 is in contact with the wedge 150 and its smooth back portion 18 is in contact with the inner surfaces of the top wall 116 and bottom wall 118. The lock 130 engages with the back portion 18 of the belt 10 at the second rear end 114 of the housing 110.

[0029] Figure 4A shows the housing 110, and Figures 4B and 4C show the wedge 150 removed from the housing 110.

[0030] As described above, the housing 110 has a first open end 112 having an opening 120 and a second rear end 114. The interior 115 of the housing 110 is accessible from the opening 120 at the first end 112 and from the rear end 114. In this embodiment, the bottom wall 118 essentially forms a right angle with the first end 112, and the top wall 116 forms an (internal) angle of about 135 degrees with respect to the first end 112 and an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the bottom wall 118.

[0031] The housing 110 contains a lock 130, which is removable and replaceable from within the housing 110. The lock 130 is secured, for example, by bolts, screws, or other fasteners such as the fastener 141 shown in Figure 2. The fastener 141 may be used to secure the side wall 111 in place when the side wall 111 is a removable and replaceable side wall. The lock 130 has a concave surface contour shape similar to the rounded second end of the wedge 150, which will be described later.

[0032] An adjustment mechanism 140 is located on the outside of the housing 110, and in this embodiment, it is located on both the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118 of the housing 110. The adjustment mechanism 140 can be used to fine-tune the distance between the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118.

[0033] Figures 4B and 4C show a wedge 150 that fits into the interior 115 of the housing 110 and secures the belt inserted into the housing 110. The wedge 150 has a first end 152 and a relatively larger second end 154, and is asymmetrical with respect to the axis extending from the first end 152 to the second end 154. In this design, the second end 154 is rounded, i.e., its shape is defined by its radius. The wedge 150 has a top surface 156 and a bottom surface 158. The first end 152 of the wedge 150 is slightly rounded at its tip and has an interior angle α of approximately 45 degrees defined by the top surface 156 and the bottom surface 158, with angle α typically in the range of 30 to 60 degrees. The angle α of the wedge 150 is close to or equal to the angle between the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118 of the housing 110, and the wedge 150 fits uniformly and snugly within the interior 115. When the wedge 150 is vertically centered within the interior 115, there is a certain distance between the upper surface 156 of the wedge and the inner surface of the upper wall 116, and between the bottom surface 158 of the wedge and the inner surface of the bottom wall 118. This distance, or gap, is essentially the thickness of the belt to be received within the clamp. In some designs, when the wedge 150 is positioned as close as possible to the first end 112 of the housing 110, the upper surface 156 of the wedge may contact the inner surface of the upper wall 16, the bottom surface 158 of the wedge may contact the inner surface of the bottom wall 118, and the end 152 of the wedge 150 may protrude from the opening 120.

[0034] The upper surface 156 and the surface of the second end 154 of the wedge 150 have a plurality of raised ribs 155 and lands 157 located between adjacent ribs 155. If the belt 10 is a toothed belt having a contour shape that traverses the front portion 16, the ribs 155 are configured to seat between the teeth of the toothed belt to be received in the clamp 100, and the lands 157 are configured to receive the teeth of the toothed belt.

[0035] Figures 5A to 5D sequentially illustrate methods 500 using the clamp 100 and its modifications described in this detailed explanation.

[0036] In Figure 5A, as described above, the clamp housing 110 has a removed side wall 111 (shown in Figures 1A and 2) and a lock 130. The belt 10 is inserted into the housing 110 through the opening 120 at the first end 112, the free end of the belt (first end 12) protrudes from the housing 110 at the rear end 114, and the extended end (second end 14) remains outside the housing 110 at the first end 112. The belt 10 is positioned so that the teeth of the belt 10 face the upper wall 116 of the housing 110 and the rear portion of the belt 10 faces the bottom wall 118 of the housing 110.

[0037] In Figure 5B, the first end 12 of the belt 10 is folded back toward the opening 120, forming a bend with radius C, and the free end 12 is passed through the opening 120 to the rear at the first end 112. At this stage, little to no tension acts on the belt.

[0038] In Figure 5C, the wedge 150 is positioned within the bend of the belt 10 through the open side wall. The teeth of the belt and the teeth of the wedge 150 may align automatically, or adjustment of the belt's position may be necessary. Tension is applied to the belt 10 by pulling at least the elongated end 14 of the belt 10, and optionally the free end 12 of the belt, and the same or different magnitude of force is applied to the belt end. The applied force pulls the wedge, and the tapered end of the wedge 150 moves toward the opening 120, optionally through the opening 120, and clamps the belt between the wedge 150 and the inner surfaces of the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118. If belt position adjustment is desired, one or both ends of the belt are pressed toward the second rear end 114 of the clamp housing 110, releasing the pressure on the wedge 150 in the belt 10 and adjusting the belt.

[0039] In Figure 5D, the lock 130 is positioned within the housing 110 and aligns with respect to the belt 10 around the wedge 150. The lock 130 applies force to the back of the belt 10, holding the belt 10 against the wedge 150. The lock 130 may be supported by a columnar member or shaft to hold it in place. The side wall is returned to the housing 100 and secured in place.

[0040] In this way, the belt 10 attached to the clamp 100, along with the retaining wedge 150 and lock 130 molded to a predetermined shape, eliminates the need to remove any unnecessary or extra fasteners from the clamp 100 in order to achieve a firm engagement of the belt 10.

[0041] In Figures 5A to 5D, the belt 10 is positioned such that its extended end 14 is below the free end 12 (the extended end contacts the inner surface of the bottom wall 118), and the free end 12 contacts the inclined upper surface of the wedge 150 and the inner surface of the upper wall 116. Alternatively, the belt 10 may be positioned so that its extended end 14 contacts the inclined upper surface of the wedge 150 and the free end 12 contacts the inner surface of the bottom wall 118. In either configuration, the front of the belt should contact the wedge 150, and the back of the belt should contact the inner surfaces of the upper wall 116 and the bottom wall 118.

[0042] Figure 6 shows a flowchart of a method 600 for using the clamp 100 and its modified versions as described in this detailed explanation.

[0043] In step 602, the free end of the belt is inserted through the opening in the open clamp housing.

[0044] In step 604, the free end of the belt is folded back and passed through the opening, leaving a loop of the belt inside the housing. If the belt is a toothed belt, the teeth of the belt should be on the inside of the loop. To obtain the desired position of the clamp along the belt, the belt is easily adjusted to that point within the housing of the clamp.

[0045] In step 606, the retaining wedge is inserted into the loop and the belt is tightened around the wedge. This may be done by pulling both ends or one end of the belt. If the belt is a toothed belt and the wedge has a corresponding surface shape, the teeth and their shapes should match.

[0046] In step 608, the lock is positioned in contact with the belt. The lock may be attached to a columnar member or other member for positioning.

[0047] In step 610, the clamp housing is closed.

[0048] In step 612, the clamp housing may be adjusted as desired.

[0049] The clamp 100, various elements (e.g., housing 100, lock 130, wedge 150, etc.) and variations thereof are formed by appropriate techniques, including casting, machining, molding, etc. The clamp 100 and its elements are formed from a material sufficient to withstand the forces acting on the belt. Examples of suitable materials include metals (e.g., iron, steel, stainless steel, nickel, iron, aluminum, alloys) and ceramic materials. In some designs, the clamp 100 or some of its elements may be formed from polymers (e.g., polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene).

[0050] The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the use and structure of a typical embodiment of the present invention. The above detailed description provides specific uses. Other embodiments are expected and will not deviate from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Element of one embodiment may be combined with elements of other embodiments, provided that they do not contradict each other. Therefore, the above detailed description should not be taken as limiting. This disclosure is not so limiting, but various features of this disclosure will be understood through the description of the examples provided.

[0051] Unless otherwise indicated, all numerical values ​​describing characteristic dimensions, quantities, and physical properties should be understood to be modified by the term "approximately," whether or not the term "approximately" is directly present. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, numerical parameters are approximations that may vary by desirable properties that a person skilled in the art should be able to obtain using the suggestions disclosed herein.

[0052] As used in this specification, the singular form “one” encompasses multiple meanings unless it is clearly indicated otherwise. As used in this specification and the attached claims, the term “or” is generally used to include “and / or” unless it is clearly indicated otherwise.

[0053] The spatial terms used in this specification are not limited to "bottom," "below," "top," "upper," "down," "directly below," "directly above," "on top," or "on top," but are used to easily describe the positional relationships between elements. Such spatial terms encompass different positional relationships of the apparatus, in addition to the specific positions shown in this specification and drawings. For example, if the structure shown in the drawings were rotated or reversed, a part already described as another element below would become another element above.

Claims

1. A tapered housing having a first end with an opening for accessing the interior of the housing, and a second end that is larger than the first end and also for accessing the interior, The housing comprises a tapered wedge that is removable and replaceable from the inside, the wedge having a first end and a rounded second end, and a surface having alternating ribs and lands, The housing includes a removable and replaceable lock, the lock having a concave surface similar to the rounded second end of the tapered wedge, so that the lock applies force to the back of the belt and holds the belt against the second end of the wedge. Clamp.

2. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a removable and replaceable side wall for access to the interior.

3. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the tapered housing has an internal angle at its first end that is the same as the angle at the first end of the tapered wedge.

4. The clamp according to claim 3, wherein the tapered housing has an internal angle of about 45 degrees at the first end, and the angle of the first end of the tapered wedge is about 45 degrees.

5. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the housing is asymmetrical with respect to the axis from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing.

6. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the wedge is asymmetrical with respect to the axis from the first end of the wedge to the second end of the wedge.

7. An asymmetrical housing having an upper wall, an opposite bottom wall, a first end having an opening for access to the interior of the housing, and a second end for access to the interior, wherein the inner surfaces of the upper wall and the bottom wall form an angle in the range of 30 to 60 degrees at the first end, The housing comprises a removable and replaceable asymmetrical tapered wedge, the wedge having a first end with an angle in the range of 30 to 60 degrees, a rounded second end, and a surface having alternating ribs and lands. The belt further comprises a lock having a concave surface similar to the rounded second end of the tapered wedge, the lock applying force to the back of the belt and holding the belt against the second end of the wedge. Clamp.

8. The clamp according to claim 7, wherein the housing has a removable and replaceable side wall for access to the interior.

9. The clamp according to claim 7, wherein the lock is removable and replaceable from the inside of the housing.

10. The clamp according to claim 8, wherein the housing is asymmetrical with respect to the axis from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing.

11. The clamp according to claim 8, wherein the wedge is asymmetrical with respect to the axis from the first end of the wedge to the second end of the wedge.

12. The clamp according to claim 8, wherein the inner surface of the upper wall and the inner surface of the bottom wall form an angle of about 45 degrees at the first end, and the first end of the wedge has an angle of about 45 degrees.

13. The clamp according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the upper wall and the bottom wall is adjustable.

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