Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device operable over a more longer period.SOLUTION: A conveyance device has multiple roller members 41 and belt members 95, and conveys transported objects in a prescribed direction. The belt members 95 apply torque to the roller members 41. A part of the belt members 95 move in a state of a part of the belt members 95 in contact with the roller members 41, to thereby rotate the roller members 41. The roller members 41 are fitted in a downward movable state. Application of loads of the transported objects to the roller members 41 moves the roller members 41 downward, and the roller members 41 are pressed to the belt members 95.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] A conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed in a predetermined direction is widely known. As such a conveying device, for example, the roller conveyor equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. This roller conveyor equipment has a plurality of rollers arranged in the conveying direction and an endless flat belt disposed below it. And the endless flat belt is in contact with the plurality of rollers from below.

[0003] That is, in the roller conveyor equipment of Patent Document 1, when the endless flat belt runs, power is transmitted to the rollers in contact with the endless flat belt, causing the rollers to rotate. From this, it becomes possible to convey the object placed on the rollers.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When the above-described conventional roller conveyor equipment is actually operated, the endless flat belt continuously runs in a state of always firmly contacting the rollers, and the rollers continue to rotate. From this, the problem occurs that the endless flat belt wears due to long-term use in the roller conveyor equipment. That is, there was room for improvement in the conventional roller conveyor equipment in terms of suppressing deterioration due to long-term use and providing a device that can be operated for a longer period of time.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that can be operated for a longer period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a conveying device having a plurality of roller members and a belt member, which conveys a conveyed object in a predetermined direction, wherein the belt member is a member that applies rotational force to the roller member, and the roller member rotates as the belt member moves with a part of the belt member in contact with the roller member, and the roller member is mounted in a manner that allows it to move downward, and when the load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member, the roller member moves downward and presses against the belt member. The device comprises a drive-side rotating body that rotates by power from a drive source and an auxiliary rotating body member, the belt member and the drive-side rotating body are engaged, the belt member moves as the drive-side rotating body rotates, a portion of the belt member that is wound around the drive-side rotating body is in contact with both the wound drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member, and is sandwiched between the suspended drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member, the auxiliary rotating body member rotates as the belt member moves. This is a transport device characterized by the following features.

[0008] In this type of conveying device, the conveyed object is positioned above the roller member, and the load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member, causing the roller member to move downward. The roller member then comes into contact with the belt member. In other words, when the conveyed object is above the roller member and a conveying force needs to be applied to it, the roller member makes firm contact with the belt member. On the other hand, when the conveyed object is not above the roller member and no load is applied to the roller member, the roller member and the belt member do not come into contact, or their contact is lighter than when a load is applied. Based on the above, compared to conveying devices in which the rollers and belt are in constant firm contact, the deterioration (wear) of the belt component due to aging can be suppressed, allowing for longer-term operation. Furthermore, with the conveying device of the present invention, the roller component descends due to the load of the conveyed object, eliminating the need for large-scale lifting devices to process the roller component, thus reducing manufacturing costs.

[0009] In the above-described configuration, the belt member is elastically deformable, and as the roller member moves downward and presses against the belt member, the belt member elastically deforms. It is preferable that as the load of the conveyed object shifts from being applied to the roller member to no longer being applied to the roller member, the roller member moves upward due to the elastic restoring force of the belt member.

[0010] In this configuration, the roller member can be raised without the need for large-scale lifting devices or the like.

[0011] In the above-described configuration, the roller member has a belt contact portion which comes into contact with the belt member when it moves downward, and further has a belt receiving member, the belt receiving member being a rotating body located below the belt contact portion, and it is preferable that when the roller member moves downward, a part of the belt member is sandwiched between the belt contact portion and the belt receiving member, and the belt receiving member rotates as the belt member moves in this state.

[0012] In this configuration, when the conveyed object is positioned on the roller member, the roller member and the belt member can be brought into more secure contact.

[0013] The above-described configuration includes a drive-side rotating body that rotates due to power from a drive source, and an auxiliary rotating body member, wherein the belt member and the drive-side rotating body are engaged, and the belt member moves as the drive-side rotating body rotates, and a portion of the belt member is sandwiched between the drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member, and the auxiliary rotating body member rotates as the belt member moves. ru.

[0014] In this configuration, the efficiency of transmitting driving force to the belt member can be improved.

[0015] In the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the distance between the drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member can be changed. Preferably, the above-described configuration has a first region and a second region located downstream of the first region in the conveying direction of the conveyed material, and is equipped with a first drive source and a second drive source, which are different drive sources, and the belt member includes an upstream belt member and a downstream belt member, the upstream belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member arranged in the first region and is powered by the first drive source, and the downstream belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member arranged in the second region and is powered by the second drive source.

[0016] In this configuration, even when the length of the conveying device in the conveying direction (conveying distance) is increased, unintended deformation of the belt member (deformation that causes the belt to lose its rigidity) can be prevented. In other words, even if the length of the conveying device in the conveying direction is increased, it becomes possible to reliably convey the conveyed goods.

[0017] In the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the belt member is a round belt.

[0018] In this configuration, the contact area between the roller member and the belt member can be varied depending on whether the roller member is pressed against the belt member or not.

[0019] In the above-described configuration, the roller member has a roller body and a belt engagement portion, and the belt engagement portion is formed including a belt contact portion which is the portion that comes into contact with the belt member when it moves downward, and it is preferable that the belt engagement portion is located on the inside or outside of the roller body in the width direction when the width direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction in a plan view. Another aspect of the present invention is a conveying device having a plurality of roller members and a belt member for conveying an object to be conveyed in a predetermined direction. The belt member is a member that applies a rotational force to the roller members. When the belt member moves while a part of the belt member is in contact with the roller members, the roller members rotate. The roller members are attached in a state where they can move downward. When the load of the object to be conveyed is applied to the roller members, the roller members move downward and are pressed against the belt member. The conveying device has a first region and a second region located downstream of the first region in the conveying direction of the object to be conveyed. The conveying device includes a first drive source and a second drive source, which are different drive sources. The belt member includes an upstream belt member and a downstream belt member. The upstream belt member is a member that applies a rotational force to the roller members arranged in the first region and is powered by the first drive source. The downstream belt member is a member that applies a rotational force to the roller members arranged in the second region and is powered by the second drive source. The upstream The driven-side rotating body and the downstream The driven-side rotating body, and has a connecting roller. The connecting roller is wound with both the upstream belt member and the downstream belt member. A part and another part of the upstream belt member are The aforementioned upstream The wound around the driven-side rotating body and the connecting roller respectively. A part and another part of the downstream belt member are The aforementioned downstream of wound around the driving-side rotating body and the connecting roller respectively. The conveying device is characterized in that ru.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, a conveying device that can be operated for a longer period can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1]This is a perspective view showing a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the conveying device. [Figure 3] (a) is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the upstream drive source section of Figure 1, and (b) is a plan view showing a part of the upstream drive source section of Figure 1. [Figure 4] (a) is a cross-sectional view AA showing the upstream first conveying section of Figure 1, and (b) is a side view of the conveying roller and its surroundings in (a) as seen from the inside in the width direction of the conveying device. [Figure 5] (a) is a perspective view showing the retaining frame member of Figure 1, and (b) is a side view showing an enlarged view of the area around the roller mounting hole in (a). [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows the conveyor roller, with (a) and (b) being perspective views from different directions, and (c) being a front view. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an enlarged view of the area around the first connecting member, with the belt member and connecting frame member omitted. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of one end of the upstream drive source section in the longitudinal direction in Figure 1. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing the upstream first conveying section and its surrounding key parts in Figure 1, schematically illustrating the view from the inside in the width direction of the conveying device. [Figure 10] Figure 1 is a plan view showing how the conveying device 1 is transporting objects. [Figure 11] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating how each conveying roller moves up and down as the conveyed object moves downstream in the conveying device 1. (a) shows the state where the conveyed object is located upstream, and (b) shows the state after the conveyed object has been conveyed downstream from the state in (a). [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the conveyor roller moves downward, and it shows the conveyor roller viewed from one side, with (a) showing the state before movement and (b) showing the state after movement. [Figure 13]This is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the conveyor roller downwards, and is a side view different from that of Figure 12, with (a) showing the state before movement and (b) showing the state after movement. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention, specifically the transport device 1, with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following explanation, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyed object in a plan view will also be referred to as the width direction of the conveying device 1. Furthermore, the "conveying direction of the conveyed object" will also simply be referred to as the conveying direction.

[0023] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment can be used as part of a plant cultivation system for growing crops indoors. While not particularly limited, it is assumed that the conveying operation is performed with cultivation trays (detailed illustration omitted) used in the plant cultivation system as the object to be conveyed. More specifically, the plan envisions transporting multiple cultivation trays at intervals from each other (intermittent transport), such as transporting one cultivation tray downstream, then transporting another cultivation tray downstream at a gap, and so on. A cultivation tray is a component used for growing plants, and it is designed to hold a culture solution to form a liquid reservoir, allowing plant seedlings to be positioned so that at least a portion of them are immersed in (in contact with) the formed liquid reservoir.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment has an upstream section 2 (first region) and a downstream section 3 (second region).

[0025] The upstream section 2 consists of components arranged in the upstream region in the direction of transport of the transported material, and includes an upstream drive source section 10 and two transport sections 11 (upstream first transport section 20 and upstream second transport section 21). The two transport sections 11 are arranged at separate positions in the width direction of the transport device 1 and extend parallel to each other. Furthermore, each transport section 11 is a portion that extends linearly along the transport direction.

[0026] The downstream section 3 consists of components arranged in the downstream region in the direction of conveying the conveyed material, and includes a downstream drive source section 15 and two conveying sections 11 (downstream first conveying section 22 and downstream second conveying section 23). The two conveying sections 11 of the downstream section 3 are also arranged at separate positions in the width direction of the conveying device 1 and extend parallel to each other. Each conveying section 11 extends linearly along the conveying direction. Furthermore, the distance between the two conveying sections 11 in the width direction of the conveying device 1 (the length of the distance between the two conveying sections 11) of the downstream section 3 is the same (or approximately the same) as the distance between the two conveying sections 11 of the upstream section 2.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upstream drive source unit 10 consists of a motor-integrated roller 10a (drive source, first drive source) and two drive rollers 10b (drive-side rotating body).

[0028] The motor-integrated roller 10a, like those known, has a motor and a reduction gear built into a substantially cylindrical roller. The two drive rollers 10b are specifically a first upstream drive roller 30 located on one side in the width direction of the conveying device 1, and a second upstream drive roller 31 located on the other side. These two drive rollers 10b are attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the motor-integrated roller 10a, respectively.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the drive roller 10b is a member with a roughly cylindrical shape and has an insertion hole 35. This insertion hole 35 is a through hole that penetrates the drive roller 10b in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in Figure 3(b)). Furthermore, two engagement grooves 36 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the drive roller 10b. Specifically, one engagement groove 36 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the drive roller 10b, closer to one end in the longitudinal direction, and the other engagement groove 36 is formed on the other end in the longitudinal direction.

[0030] The engagement groove 36 is recessed radially inward from the drive roller 10b and continues in an annular shape along the outer circumferential surface. Its cross-sectional shape is approximately arc-shaped. That is, the two groove walls and the groove bottom located between them form a curved surface that continues in an arc shape, and the groove bottom has a rounded shape.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the drive roller 10b is attached to the motor-integrated roller 10a with the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a inserted through the insertion hole 35. At this time, the drive roller 10b is in contact with the roller portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a and is attached integrally with the roller portion. In other words, when the motor-integrated roller 10a operates and its roller portion rotates, the drive roller 10b rotates together with the roller portion. That is, it rotates in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a, with the shaft portion of the shaft as the center of rotation.

[0032] Although not shown in the diagram, a bearing member is located inside the drive roller 10b. When the drive roller 10b is attached to the motor-integrated roller 10a, the shaft of the motor-integrated roller 10a is inserted through the central hole of the bearing member inside the drive roller 10b. In other words, the main body (cylindrical part) of the drive roller 10b is attached to the shaft of the motor-integrated roller 10a via the bearing member.

[0033] Since the four transport units 11 (upstream first transport unit 20, upstream second transport unit 21, downstream first transport unit 22, and downstream second transport unit 23) have substantially the same structure, the following description will focus on the upstream first transport unit 20, omitting any overlapping detailed descriptions of the other units.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upstream first conveying section 20 has a holding frame member 40 and a plurality of conveying rollers 41 (roller members), and is formed by attaching the plurality of conveying rollers 41 to the holding frame member 40. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, rotating body members 42 (belt receiving members) are attached to the holding frame member 40 at positions near each of the conveying rollers 41. In other words, the upstream first conveying section 20 has a plurality of rotating body members 42, equal to the number of conveying rollers 41. For the sake of drawing purposes, some of the transport rollers 41 are labeled with reference numerals, while the reference numerals for the other transport rollers 41 are omitted. Similarly, other components are labeled with reference numerals only where necessary, while the reference numerals for others are omitted.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5(a), the retaining frame member 40 has a bottom plate portion 50, a first side wall portion 51, and a second side wall portion 52, and is a long member that extends in the transport direction (see Figure 1). The bottom plate portion 50 is a flat plate-shaped part having thickness in the vertical direction, and through holes are formed in appropriate parts through which fastening elements such as screws and bolts can be inserted. The fastening elements referred to here are rod-shaped fastening means such as screws, nails, and bolts that penetrate multiple members (or penetrate at least one member and are inserted into another member) to securely fasten multiple members together.

[0036] The first side wall portion 51 and the second side wall portion 52 are vertical plate-like portions that protrude upward from both ends of the base plate portion 50 in the width direction. The first side wall portion 51 and the second side wall portion 52 are spaced apart and facing each other in the width direction of the base plate portion 50 (holding frame member 40), and their thickness direction is the same as the width direction of the base plate portion 50. In addition, the first side wall portion 51 and the second side wall portion 52 have cutouts formed on the upper side of both ends in the longitudinal direction. These cutouts are formed by cutting out the area around the corners.

[0037] Each of the first side wall 51 and the second side wall 52 is provided with multiple roller mounting holes 55. In addition, the first side wall 51 and the second side wall 52 are provided with rotating body mounting holes 56 located below the respective roller mounting holes 55. That is, there are multiple rotating body mounting holes 56, the same number as the roller mounting holes 55. These rotating body mounting holes 56 have a circular opening shape and are through holes that penetrate the side wall (first side wall 51 and second side wall 52) in the thickness direction.

[0038] Each roller mounting hole 55 formed in the first side wall 51 is spaced apart from and opposite to the each roller mounting hole 55 formed in the second side wall 52 in the width direction of the bottom plate 50. While not particularly limited, each roller mounting hole 55 of the first side wall 51 and each roller mounting hole 55 of the second side wall 52 are also spaced apart from and opposite to each other in the same direction.

[0039] The roller mounting hole 55 is an elongated hole that opens at the top and extends downward, as shown in Figure 5(b). Specifically, it has two side portions 57 and 58 that are located at separate positions in the width direction (left-right direction in Figure 5(b)) and extend vertically, and a bottom portion 59 that connects the lower sides of these two side portions 57 and 58.

[0040] Specifically, the roller mounting hole 55 is broadly divided into a tapered section 55a, a narrowed section 55b, and a lower section 55c, from the top.

[0041] In the tapered section 55a, the width (length in the left-right direction in Figure 5(b)) narrows as it goes downwards. That is, the distance between the two sides 57 and 58 decreases as it goes downwards. In the constricted portion 55b, the width is narrower than the adjacent portion below, that is, the upper portion of the lower portion 55c. Here, on one side portion 57, a step is formed at the boundary between the constricted portion 55b and the lower portion 55c. On the other hand, on the other side portion 58, it extends in a straight line laterally between the constricted portion 55b and the upper portion of the lower portion 55c. The lower portion 55c is located below the constricted portion 55b and is enclosed by the lower portion of one side portion 57, the bottom portion 59, and the lower portion of the other side portion 58.

[0042] The bottom portion 59 is located on the lower end side of the roller mounting hole 55 and forms a curved surface. Here, the boundary between one side portion 57 and the bottom portion 59 is at a higher position than the boundary between the other side portion 58 and the bottom portion 59. That is, both side portions 57 and 58 extend in a straight line below the constricted portion 55b, but the lower end of this straight-line extension of one side portion 57 is at a higher position than the lower end of the straight-line extension of the other side portion 58. Therefore, the portion of the bottom portion 59 closer to one side portion 57 is at a higher position than the portion closer to the other side portion 58.

[0043] As shown in Figure 6, the conveyor roller 41 has a roller body portion 63, a belt engagement portion 64, and a round rod-shaped shaft member 65 (not shown in Figure 6, see Figure 4).

[0044] The roller body portion 63 is a substantially cylindrical portion and has two side portions 63a and 63b located in the width direction (thickness direction, which is the left-right direction in Figure 6(c)), and an outer peripheral surface portion 63c that is continuous in an annular shape between them. One side portion 63a is a portion that is continuous with the belt engagement portion 64. Furthermore, the conveying roller 41 has a small cylindrical portion 70 that protrudes outward from the other side surface 63b of the roller body 63. This small cylindrical portion 70 is a thin, short cylindrical part, and its protruding direction is the same as the width direction of the roller body 63.

[0045] The belt engagement portion 64 is also a cylindrical member and has an annularly continuous outer surface. The belt engagement portion 64 is a member with a smaller diameter than the roller body portion 63, and the outer surface of the belt engagement portion 64 and the side surface 63a of the roller body portion 63 are continuous via a step.

[0046] An engagement groove 71 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the belt engagement portion 64. The engagement groove 71 is recessed radially inward from the belt engagement portion 64 and continues in an annular shape along the outer circumferential surface. Its cross-sectional shape is approximately arc-shaped. That is, the two groove walls and the groove bottom portion located between them form a curved surface that continues in an arc shape, and the groove bottom portion has a rounded shape. This groove bottom portion becomes the belt contact area that the belt member 95 (see Figure 4, which will be described in detail later) contacts when an object is placed on the conveying roller 41. Furthermore, a raised portion 64a is formed on the outer side surface of the belt engagement portion 64, which is located on the opposite side of the roller body portion 63. The raised portion 64a is a portion that rises outward from the outer side surface of the belt engagement portion 64 and is continuous in an annular shape so as to surround the shaft insertion hole 72 (which will be described in detail later).

[0047] In other words, in the conveyor roller 41, the roller body 63, the belt engagement portion 64, and the small cylindrical portion 70 are integrally formed, with the belt engagement portion 64 and the small cylindrical portion 70 located on both sides of the roller body 63. The conveyor roller 41 has a shaft insertion hole 72 that extends through the roller body 63, the belt engagement portion 64, and the small cylindrical portion 70. By inserting a shaft member 65 (see Figure 4) through this shaft insertion hole 72, the roller body 63 and the belt engagement portion 64 rotate together around this shaft member 65.

[0048] As shown in Figure 4, the rotating body member 42 has a rotating body body 42a and a rotating body shaft member 42b. The rotating body 42a is a substantially short cylindrical (roller-shaped) member and has an annularly continuous outer surface portion. In this embodiment, a bearing member is used as the rotating body 42a.

[0049] Specifically, the rotating shaft member 42b is fixed to the retaining frame member 40 with a portion of it inserted through the rotating shaft mounting hole 56 (see Figure 5(a)). In other words, the rotating shaft member 42b is located on the inside of the side wall portion of the retaining frame member 40. The rotating body body 42a is attached to the portion of the rotating body member 42 that is on the inside of the side wall portion of the retaining frame member 40 (the portion between the two side walls). In this configuration, the rotating body 42a is rotatable at least partially around the rotating body shaft member 42b as its center of rotation. In this embodiment, the inner ring of the rotating body 42a, which is a bearing member, is fixed to the rotating body shaft member 42b, and the outer ring is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the rotating body shaft member 42b. The rotating body 42a is not limited to a bearing component; it may also be a roller, pulley, or the like.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the intermediate roller member 4 has a shaft member 4a and two connecting rollers 4b. The two connecting rollers 4b are a first connecting roller 75 located on one side in the width direction of the conveying device 1 and a second connecting roller 76 located on the other side.

[0051] The shaft member 4a is a round, rod-shaped member made of metal. The connecting roller 4b has an external shape that is substantially the same as that of the drive roller 10b described above. That is, it is a member with a generally cylindrical shape and has two engagement grooves 36 on its outer circumferential surface (see Figure 7). On the other hand, while the drive roller 10b described above has a through hole 35 (see Figure 3) through which the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a can be inserted, the connecting roller 4b differs in that it has a mounting hole 80. As shown in Figure 7, this mounting hole 80 is a through hole through which the shaft member 4a can be inserted just (or approximately just) and penetrates the connecting roller 4b in the width direction.

[0052] The intermediate roller member 4 is fixed to the shaft member 4a in a state where the two connecting rollers 4b do not rotate relative to each other. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the longitudinal end portion of the shaft member 4a is inserted through the mounting hole 80 of the connecting roller 4b, and the end portion of the shaft member 4a extends through the connecting roller 4b. The portion of the shaft member 4a inserted through the mounting hole 80 and the connecting roller 4b are then fixed together as a single unit. Therefore, the two connecting rollers 4b rotate together via the shaft member 4a. For example, when one connecting roller 4b rotates in the circumferential direction of the shaft member 4a, the shaft member 4a rotates in the same direction, and consequently the other connecting roller 4b rotates.

[0053] The downstream drive source unit 15, like the upstream drive source unit 10, is composed of a motor-integrated roller 15a (drive source, second drive source) and two drive rollers 15b (drive-side rotating body). The two drive rollers 15b are a first downstream drive roller 85 located on one side in the width direction of the conveying device 1 and a second downstream drive roller 86 located on the other side. Since this downstream drive source unit 15 has the same structure as the upstream drive source unit 10 described above, a detailed explanation that would be redundant will be omitted.

[0054] Furthermore, in the conveying device 1, as shown in Figure 1, drive-side frame members 90 are arranged on the upstream side of the upstream first conveying section 20 and the upstream second conveying section 21, and on the downstream side of the downstream first conveying section 22 and the downstream second conveying section 23. Furthermore, a connecting frame member 91 is positioned below the upstream drive source unit 10, the downstream drive source unit 15, and the intermediate roller member 4. In other words, the frame members of the conveying device 1 consist of four holding frame members 40, four drive-side frame members 90, and three connecting frame members 91.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8, the drive-side frame member 90 has a bottom plate portion 90a and two side wall portions 90b and 90c. The bottom plate portion 90a is a flat plate-like portion having thickness in the vertical direction. The two side wall portions 90b and 90c are vertical plate-like portions that protrude upward from each of the widthwise ends of the bottom plate portion 50.

[0056] Each of the two side wall portions 90b and 90c is provided with a rotating body mounting hole 93 (one of the rotating body mounting holes 93 is not shown in Figure 8). The rotating body mounting hole 93 is a through hole that penetrates the side wall portions 90b and 90c in the thickness direction.

[0057] Specifically, when the length direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction in a plan view of the side wall portions 90b and 90c, the upper portion of the side wall portions 90b and 90c has a rotating body mounting hole 93 on one side in the longitudinal direction and a missing portion on the other side. The missing portion is a part formed by the absence of a portion of the upper portion of the side wall portions 90b and 90c.

[0058] In this embodiment, the drive-side frame members 90 are all positioned adjacent to the retaining frame members 40 (see Figure 1). In this case, the drive-side frame members 90 are positioned such that the missing portions of the side wall portions 90b and 90c face the retaining frame member 40.

[0059] The rotating body mounting hole 93 is a portion for attaching the auxiliary rotating body 94 (auxiliary rotating body member, see Figure 8). The auxiliary rotating body 94, like the rotating body member 42 described above, has a rotating body body portion and a shaft portion. The rotating body body portion is a substantially short cylindrical (roller-shaped) member with an annular continuous outer surface, and in this embodiment, a bearing member is used. Note that the body portion of the auxiliary rotating body 94 is not limited to a bearing member, but may be a roller, pulley, roller, etc.

[0060] The shaft of the auxiliary rotating body 94 is fixed to the drive-side frame member 90 with the shaft inserted through the rotating body mounting hole 93. The bearing member, which is the main body of the auxiliary rotating body 94, is located inside one of the side walls 90b (between the two side walls 90b and 90c). The main body of the auxiliary rotating body 94 is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft, at least in part. In this embodiment, the inner ring of the main body, which is a bearing member, is fixed to the shaft, and the outer ring is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft. If rollers or the like are used in the main body of the auxiliary rotating body 94, the entire main body rotates around the shaft. The same applies to the rotating body member 42 described above.

[0061] As shown in Figure 8, the connecting frame member 91 has a flat plate portion 91a and two hanging plate portions 91b. The flat plate portion 91a is a flat plate-shaped part having thickness in the vertical direction. The two hanging plate portions 91b are vertical plate-like parts that hang down from each of the widthwise ends of the flat plate portion 91a.

[0062] Here, the connecting frame member 91 is a long member, as shown in Figure 1, and is arranged so that its length is in the same direction as the width direction of the conveying device 1. The upstream connecting frame member 91 connects the drive-side frame member 90 and the holding frame member 40 on both sides in the width direction of the conveying device 1, respectively. The connecting frame member 91, positioned at an intermediate location second from the upstream side, connects two holding frame members 40 that are aligned in the conveying direction on both sides in the width direction of the conveying device 1. The downstream connecting frame member 91 connects the drive-side frame member 90 and the holding frame member 40 on both sides in the width direction of the conveying device 1, respectively. In both cases, the two frame members to be connected are joined by fixing the bottom plate portions of the two frame members to be connected to the flat plate portion 91a of the connecting frame member 91 via a temporary fastening element (see Figure 8, etc.). Temporary fastening elements are a type of fastening element that, in principle, can be fastened and undone non-destructively.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the conveying device 1 has four belt members 95. These four belt members 95 consist of an upstream first belt member 96 (upstream belt member), an upstream second belt member 97 (upstream belt member), a downstream first belt member 98 (downstream belt member), and a downstream second belt member 99 (downstream belt member).

[0064] The belt member 95 is an endless belt, a continuous, annular resin (rubber) member. In this embodiment, a round belt is used as the belt member 95. In other words, the belt member 95 is an annular member with a circular or substantially circular cross-sectional shape that extends and is elastically deformable.

[0065] Next, we will explain the assembly structure of the conveying device 1.

[0066] As shown in Figures 1 and 8, the upstream drive source unit 10 of this embodiment is fixed to a frame member (holding frame member 40, drive-side frame member 90) located on one side in the width direction of the conveying device 1, and to a frame member located on the other side. In the following description, the mounting structure of one longitudinal portion of the upstream drive source unit 10 will be described in detail, while the other side will be omitted to avoid redundant explanation.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a's shaft that is located outside the drive roller 10b is fixed to both the drive-side frame member 90 and the holding frame member 40 via a fixing member 105. The fixing member 105 has a through-hole through which a portion of the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a can be inserted, and the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a is inserted through this through-hole. Thus, the shaft portion extends through the fixing member 105. The cross-sectional shape of the portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a that is inserted into the through-hole of the fixing member 105 is substantially polygonal (substantially hexagonal in this embodiment), and it is inserted into the through-hole almost exactly. Therefore, the shaft portion of the motor-integrated roller 10a is fixed to the fixing member 105 and does not rotate in the circumferential direction.

[0068] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the intermediate roller member 4 of this embodiment is rotatably supported by a frame member (two holding frame members 40) located on one side in the width direction of the conveying device 1 and a frame member (two holding frame members 40) located on the other side. In the following explanation, the mounting structure of one longitudinal side of the intermediate roller member 4 will be described in detail, while the redundant detailed explanation of the other side will be omitted.

[0069] As described above, in the intermediate roller member 4, the shaft member 4a penetrates the connecting roller 4b. As shown in Figure 7, the portions of the shaft member 4a located on both sides of the connecting roller 4b are positioned in the space formed by the adjacent missing portions of the two retaining frame members 40. In addition, the portion of the shaft member 4a located on the outside of the connecting roller 4b engages with the intermediate fixing member 110, which is fixed to the two retaining frame members 40.

[0070] Specifically, the intermediate fixing member 110 has a shaft housing portion 110a and a flange portion 110b. The shaft housing portion 110a is a roughly bottomed cylindrical portion, with an opening on the inside (towards the retaining frame member 40 when installed) and a shape that is recessed toward the outside. A bearing member is housed inside this shaft housing portion 110a. This intermediate fixing member 110 is attached to the two retaining frame members 40 by overlapping each part of the flange portion 110b with each of the two retaining frame members 40 and fixing them with temporary fastening elements or the like.

[0071] Then, the portion of the shaft member 4a located outside the connecting roller 4b is inserted into the central hole (not shown) of the bearing member in the shaft housing 110a, and the intermediate fixing member 110 is fixed to the two retaining frame members 40. In this way, one longitudinal side of the intermediate roller member 4 is attached. Based on the above, the intermediate roller member 4 is pivotally supported by the four holding frame members 40 in a state where the entire unit can rotate in the circumferential direction of the shaft member 4a.

[0072] The mounting structure of the downstream drive source unit 15 is the same as that of the upstream drive source unit 10 described above, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0073] As shown in Figure 1, in the conveying section 11 (upstream first conveying section 20), multiple conveying rollers 41 are attached to the holding frame member 40 as described above. Specifically, the shaft member 65 (see Figure 4(a)) is inserted through the shaft insertion hole 72 (see Figure 6) of the conveyor roller 41, and both longitudinal ends of the shaft member 65 are positioned in two spaced-apart roller mounting holes 55 (see Figure 5(a)). That is, a portion of one longitudinal end of the shaft member 65 is positioned in one roller mounting hole 55, and a portion of the other end is positioned in the other roller mounting hole 55.

[0074] At this time, as shown in Figure 4(a), the raised portion 64a and the cylindrical portion 70 function as spacers, so that the conveyor roller 41 is mounted without shifting in the width direction of the conveyor device 1. At this time, the side portion 63b of the roller body portion 63 is positioned away from the inner surface of one side wall portion of the retaining frame member 40. Similarly, the side portion of the belt engagement portion 64 is also positioned away from the inner surface of the other side wall portion of the retaining frame member 40.

[0075] As shown in Figure 4, the rotating body member 42 is mounted below the belt engagement portion 64. More specifically, the rotating body 42a of the rotating body member 42 has a radial length shorter than the roller body portion 63 and the belt engagement portion 64. As shown in Figure 4(b), the rotation center portion of the rotating body 42a and the rotation center portion of the conveying roller 41 are aligned vertically in a side view (a plan view with the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis as the line of sight). In other words, the rotating body 42a is positioned directly below the belt engagement portion 64. At this time, the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body 42a is located below the engagement groove portion 71 of the belt engagement portion 64.

[0076] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the multiple conveying rollers 41 belonging to each conveying section 11 are located between the drive rollers 10b, 15b and the connecting roller 4b. More specifically, on the upstream section 2 side, the multiple conveying rollers 41 are located between the upstream drive roller 10b and the downstream connecting roller 4b. In contrast, on the downstream section 3 side, the multiple conveying rollers 41 are located between the upstream connecting roller 4b and the downstream drive roller 15b.

[0077] Each of the four belt members 95 is then wound between a drive roller 10b (drive roller 15b) and a connecting roller 4b that are separated in the conveying direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0078] Specifically, the upstream first belt member 96 is wound between the first upstream drive roller 30 on the upstream side and the first connecting roller 75 on the downstream side in the conveying direction, with a constant tension applied, and applies rotational force to the multiple conveying rollers 41 located between them. In other words, it is a member that applies rotational force to the conveying rollers 41 belonging to the upstream first conveying section 20.

[0079] One longitudinal end of the upstream first belt member 96 engages with the inner engagement groove 36 (see Figure 3) of the first upstream drive roller 30, which is located in the width direction of the conveying device 1. The other longitudinal end engages with the inner engagement groove 36 (see Figure 7) of the first connecting roller 75, which is located in the width direction of the conveying device 1. In other words, the upstream first belt member 96 engages with the groove portion located on the inside in the width direction of both the drive roller 10b and the connecting roller 4b.

[0080] In other words, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the upstream first belt member 96 is wound around the first upstream drive roller 30, with a portion of the upstream first belt member 96 inserted into the engagement groove 36. More specifically, the upstream first belt member 96 wraps around from the top to the side and then to the bottom of the first upstream drive roller 30. Of the portion that wraps around, only the portion on the first upstream drive roller 30 side is inserted into the engagement groove 36, while the other portion is located outside the engagement groove 36 (outside the first upstream drive roller 30 in the radial direction). In other words, the upstream first belt member 96 is engaged with the first upstream drive roller 30 with a portion of it protruding from the engagement groove 36.

[0081] At this time, as described above, an auxiliary rotating body 94 is provided near the first upstream drive roller 30. The auxiliary rotating body 94 is in contact with the portion of the upstream first belt member 96 that protrudes from the engagement groove 36. In other words, a portion of the upstream first belt member 96 that is wound around the first upstream drive roller 30 is sandwiched between the first upstream drive roller 30 (the groove bottom portion of the engagement groove 36) and the auxiliary rotating body 94.

[0082] Furthermore, the upstream first belt member 96 is wound around the first connecting roller 75, as shown in Figure 9. Here, the engagement between the upstream first belt member 96 and the engagement groove 36 of the first connecting roller 75 is substantially the same as the engagement with the engagement groove 36 of the first upstream drive roller 30 described above, so a redundant detailed explanation is omitted. Here, as shown in Figure 9, a connecting-side auxiliary rotating body 112 is positioned near the connecting roller 4b (first connecting roller 75). Since this connecting-side auxiliary rotating body 112 is the same component as the auxiliary rotating body 94 described above, a detailed explanation that would be redundant will be omitted. This connecting-side auxiliary rotating body 112 is a component attached to the side wall of the holding frame member 40.

[0083] In other words, on the first connecting roller 75 side, the portion of the upstream first belt member 96 that is wound around the first connecting roller 75 is sandwiched between the first connecting roller 75 (the groove bottom portion of the engagement groove 36) and the connecting auxiliary rotating body 112. Here, multiple (two) connecting-side auxiliary rotating bodies 112 are arranged near the connecting roller 4b. The number of connecting-side auxiliary rotating bodies 112 is the same as the number of engagement grooves 36 on the connecting roller 4b, and each connecting-side auxiliary rotating body 112 is attached near a different engagement groove 36. In this embodiment, each connecting-side auxiliary rotating body 112 is attached to a different retaining frame member 40.

[0084] Therefore, each belt member 95 (upstream first belt member 96, downstream first belt member 98) wound around the connecting roller 4b (first connecting roller 75) is sandwiched between the connecting roller 4b and the connecting auxiliary rotating body 112.

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the middle portion of the upstream first belt member 96 in the longitudinal direction has an upper portion located above the plurality of belt engagement portions 64 and a lower portion located below the plurality of belt engagement portions 64. The upper and lower portions of the upstream first belt member 96 move in opposite directions when the upstream first belt member 96 is in motion. Specifically, the upper portion moves toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, and the lower portion moves toward the upstream side in the conveying direction.

[0086] The upper and lower portions of the upstream first belt member 96 are partially engaged with the engagement grooves 71 of the multiple conveyor rollers 41 (see Figure 4(a)). In other words, the majority of the belt engagement portion 64 is located between these upper and lower portions. The upper part of the upstream first belt member 96 is positioned to the side of the roller body 63 and above the bottom of the engagement groove 71. The lower part of the upstream first belt member 96 is located to the side of the roller body 63, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 9, and is positioned between the groove bottom of the engagement groove 71 and the rotating body member 42 (rotating body body 42a). It is sandwiched between the groove bottom of the engagement groove 71 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body member 42 (rotating body body 42a).

[0087] Next, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upstream second belt member 97 is wound around the second upstream drive roller 31 on the upstream side in the conveying direction and the second connecting roller 76 on the downstream side with a constant tension applied. The upstream second belt member 97 is a member that applies rotational force to the multiple conveying rollers 41 (multiple conveying rollers 41 belonging to the upstream second conveying section 21) located between the second upstream drive roller 31 and the second connecting roller 76.

[0088] The engagement structure of the upstream second belt member 97 with the drive roller 10b and the connecting roller 4b is substantially the same as that of the upstream first belt member 96 described above, so a redundant detailed explanation is omitted. Similarly, the positional relationship between the upstream second belt member 97 and the multiple conveying rollers 41 that apply rotational force is substantially the same as that of the upstream first belt member 96 described above, so a redundant detailed explanation is omitted. The same applies to the downstream first belt member 98 and the downstream second belt member 99 described below.

[0089] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the downstream first belt member 98 is wound around the upstream first connecting roller 75 and the downstream first downstream drive roller 85 in the conveying direction with a constant tension applied between them. The downstream first belt member 98 is a member that applies rotational force to the multiple conveying rollers 41 (multiple conveying rollers 41 belonging to the downstream first conveying section 22) located between the first connecting rollers 75 and the first downstream drive roller 85.

[0090] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the downstream second belt member 99 is wound around the upstream second connecting roller 76 and the downstream second downstream drive roller 86 in the conveying direction with a constant tension applied between them. The downstream second belt member 99 is a component that applies rotational force to the multiple conveying rollers 41 (multiple conveying rollers 41 belonging to the downstream second conveying section 23) located between the second connecting rollers 76 and the second downstream drive roller 86.

[0091] Furthermore, the upstream belt members 95 (upstream first belt member 96, upstream second belt member 97) engaged with the engagement groove 36 located on the inside in the width direction of the conveying device 1, out of the two engagement grooves 36 of the drive roller 10b and the connecting roller 4b. In contrast, the downstream belt members 95 (downstream first belt member 98, downstream second belt member 99) differ in that they engage with the engagement groove 36 located on the outside in the same width direction. Similarly, in the upstream section 2, the conveyor roller 41 is mounted such that the belt engagement portion 64 is positioned inward in the width direction of the conveyor device 1 compared to the roller body portion 63. In contrast, in the downstream section 3, the conveyor roller 41 is mounted such that the belt engagement portion 64 is positioned outward in the width direction of the conveyor device 1 compared to the roller body portion 63. Naturally, in the downstream section 3, the rotating body member 42 (see Figure 4) is also mounted in an outward position in the width direction of the conveyor device 1.

[0092] In this embodiment of the conveying device 1, when the upstream drive source unit 10 is activated, the drive roller 10b rotates, causing the upstream first belt member 96 and the upstream second belt member 97 to travel (move, circumferential motion). At this time, the connecting roller 4b rotates in conjunction with the travel of the upstream first belt member 96 and the upstream second belt member 97. Furthermore, when the downstream drive source unit 15 is activated, the drive roller 15b rotates, causing the downstream first belt member 98 and the downstream second belt member 99 to travel (move). At this time, the connecting roller 4b rotates in conjunction with the travel of the downstream first belt member 98 and the downstream second belt member 99.

[0093] In other words, the conveying device 1 has one small conveying device (small conveying section) consisting of an upstream drive source unit 10, a conveying section 11, two belt members 95, and an intermediate roller member 4 in the upstream section 2. Furthermore, the downstream section 3 has one small conveying device (small conveying section) consisting of a downstream drive source unit 15, a conveying section 11, two belt members 95, and an intermediate roller member 4. In other words, it is formed by including an upstream small conveying device (small conveying section) and a downstream small conveying device, and these two small conveying devices are connected. The intermediate roller member 4 is both a part of the upstream small conveying device (downstream portion) and a part of the downstream small conveying device (upstream portion). That is, it functions as a connecting means for linking the two small conveying devices.

[0094] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment can extend the conveying path (total length) by connecting multiple small conveying devices in this manner. That is, although this embodiment shows an example in which two small conveying devices are connected, the number of small conveying devices included in the conveying device 1 may be three or more. For example, if there are three small conveying devices, a second intermediate roller member 4 is placed further downstream from the downstream drive source unit 15, and two other conveying units 11 are placed between this second intermediate roller member 4 and the downstream drive source unit 15. If there are four, a third drive source unit is placed further downstream from the second intermediate roller member 4, and two more conveying units 11 are placed between them. Similarly, there may be five or more.

[0095] Thus, when lengthening the transport path, if the structure allows for the connection of multiple small transport devices, it becomes unnecessary to lengthen the belt member unnecessarily, even if the transport path is lengthened (the transport device 1 is lengthened). This prevents unintended deformation of the belt member when the transport roller 41 moves (details will be described later), that is, deformation that causes the belt member to lose its rigidity due to its excessive length.

[0096] In other words, in the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, one conveying section 11 of the downstream section 3 (downstream first conveying section 22) is located downstream of one conveying section 11 of the upstream section 2 (upstream first conveying section 20). The one conveying section 11 of the upstream section 2 and the one conveying section 11 of the downstream section 3 form a series of conveying members (which are conveying material placement sections and are the first conveying members) that extend in a straight line. Furthermore, the other conveying section 11 of the downstream section 3 (downstream second conveying section 23) is located downstream of the other conveying section 11 of the upstream section 2 (upstream second conveying section 21). The other conveying section 11 of the upstream section 2 and the other conveying section 11 of the downstream section 3 also form a series of linearly extending conveying members (which are conveying material placement sections and second conveying members).

[0097] In other words, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment has two linearly extending conveying members (first conveying member and second conveying member) as a whole. These two conveying members are positioned at separate locations in the width direction of the conveying device 1 and extend linearly along the conveying direction so as to be parallel to each other.

[0098] Next, the transport operation of the transport device 1 of this embodiment will be described.

[0099] In this embodiment, the conveying device 1 places the object to be conveyed on two conveying sections 11 that extend parallel to each other while operating the upstream drive source section 10 and the downstream drive source section 15, and then conveys the object. Therefore, in the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the conveying surface is formed by the upper parts of the multiple conveying rollers 41 (roller body portion 63) belonging to each of the two conveying sections 11. The "conveying surface" is the part on which the conveyed object is placed when the conveying device 1 is conveying the object. Furthermore, as described above, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment is intended to convey objects intermittently. That is, when conveying multiple objects, it is assumed that one object to be conveyed first and another object to be conveyed following it are positioned at separate locations in the conveying direction, with a predetermined gap formed between them.

[0100] In this embodiment of the conveying device 1, as shown in Figure 11, the conveyed object is placed on the conveying roller 41, and the load of the conveyed object is applied to the conveying roller 41, causing the conveying roller 41 to move downward.

[0101] In other words, as the conveyed material is transported downstream, it passes over each of the conveying rollers 41. At this time, the conveying rollers 41 transition from a state where they do not have the conveyed material on them to a state where they do have the conveyed material on them, and then transition back to a state where they do not have the conveyed material on them. When the conveying rollers 41 transition to a state where they do have the conveyed material on them, they move downward, and when they transition to a state where they do not have the conveyed material on them, they move upward. In other words, the conveying roller 41 moves between a normal position, which is the position when no load is applied to the conveyed object, and a conveying position, which is the position when a load is applied to the conveyed object.

[0102] More specifically, as described above, the shaft member 65 of the conveyor roller 41 is inserted inside the roller mounting hole 55, which is an elongated hole extending vertically. Here, as shown in Figure 12(a), when the conveyor roller 41 is in the upper position (normal position), the lower end portion of the shaft member 65 and the lower end portion of the roller mounting hole 55 are at vertically separated positions. In other words, the lower end of the shaft member 65 is located at a position above the bottom portion of the roller mounting hole 55. Conversely, as the conveyor roller 41 moves downward, as shown in Figure 12(b), the lower end portion of the shaft member 65 comes into contact with the lower end portion of the roller mounting hole 55, stopping the downward movement of the conveyor roller 41. At this time, the lower portion of the shaft member 65 is shaped to fit almost perfectly into the lower portion of the roller mounting hole 55. Therefore, when the lower end portion of the shaft member 65 comes into contact with the bottom portion of the roller mounting hole 55, the lower end portion of the shaft member 65 and the bottom portion of the roller mounting hole 55 are in close contact without any gaps. In this way, the shaft member 65 moves up and down inside the lower portion 55c, which is below the constricted portion 55b. The maximum length in the width direction (left-right direction in Figure 12(b)) of the part of the shaft member 65 located inside the roller mounting hole 55 is approximately the same as the maximum length in the same width direction of the lower portion 55c.

[0103] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, when the conveyor roller 41 moves downward, the belt member 95 is compressed. That is, as the belt engagement portion 64 moves downward, the lower part of the belt member 95 (the part sandwiched between the groove bottom of the belt engagement portion 64 and the rotating body member 42) is pressed by the belt engagement portion 64 and undergoes elastic deformation. In this way, the belt member 95 undergoes elastic deformation, causing it to come into close contact with the groove bottom and groove wall of the engagement groove portion 71. The belt engagement portion 64 (engagement groove portion 71) is then pressed firmly against the belt member 95. As the belt member 95 moves in this state, it becomes possible to firmly impart rotational force to the conveyor roller 41.

[0104] Furthermore, as the conveyor roller 41 moves downward, the upper portion of the belt member 95, which is located above the belt engagement portion 64, is positioned away from the bottom of the engagement groove portion 71. In other words, the portion of the upper portion of the belt member 95 that comes into contact with the belt engagement portion 64 is reduced (or it comes into no contact with the belt engagement portion 64).

[0105] Then, when there is no object to be transported and no load of the object is applied to the transport roller 41, the strong pressure that the belt engagement portion 64 exerts on the belt member 95 is released. The belt member 95 then returns to its shape before being pressed by the belt engagement portion 64 (it deforms to approach its original shape). As a result, the transport roller 41 moves upward. In other words, the transport roller 41 moves upward due to the elastic restoring force of the belt member 95.

[0106] Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, when the maximum height of the conveying roller 41 when no load is applied to the conveyed object is H1, the effective conveying surface height H2 of the conveying device 1 in this embodiment is lower than H1.

[0107] As described above, the structure in which the belt engagement portion 64 and the belt member 95 are in close contact when an object is placed on it, and not in close contact otherwise, suppresses wear of the belt member 95 due to prolonged use compared to a structure in which the belt is always in close contact. Therefore, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment can be used (operated) for a longer period of time. In addition, this structure reduces the load on the belt member 95, thus reducing the power consumption required during operation. Furthermore, since the conveying device 1 of this embodiment requires fewer belt members 95 to operate, maintenance is easier.

[0108] In the embodiment described above, an example was described in which the conveying roller 41 forming the conveying surface moves downward and is pressed against the belt member 95, but the present invention is not limited to this. The roller member pressed against the belt member 95 may be, for example, a roller for rotating the conveying roller. In other words, it may be any roller member that moves downward due to the load of the conveyed object, and is not necessarily limited to a conveying roller. It may also be a roller member used as a roller or pulley.

[0109] In the above-described embodiment, an example was explained in which the upper and lower portions of the belt member 95 are in contact (lightly touching) the conveyor roller 41 when no load of conveyed material is applied to the conveyor roller 41. That is, an example was explained in which the belt member 95 is in contact with at least the bottom portion of the engagement groove 71 when no load is applied. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the structure may be designed so that the roller member and the belt member do not come into contact when no load is applied to the conveyed object. In this case, the roller member and the belt member come into contact when the load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member. Furthermore, the roller member may rotate around the shaft member by power transmission from the belt member when the belt member is running without any load of conveyed material being applied, or it may not rotate around the shaft member even when the belt member is running.

[0110] In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which a rotating member 42 is used as the belt receiving member, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The belt support member does not necessarily have to be a rotating body that can rotate around an axis. However, it is preferable to make it a rotating body in order to improve the efficiency of power transmission. Furthermore, it is preferable that the belt support member has a curved surface that is convex upwards. In the rotating body member 42 described above, the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the rotating body body 42a is a curved surface that is convex upwards.

[0111] In the above-described embodiment, an example was explained in which motor-integrated rollers 10a and 15a (drive sources) are provided in the upstream section 2 and the downstream section 3, respectively. In other words, an example was described in which there are multiple (two) drive sources and these rotate synchronously. By having a structure with two drive sources in this way, the force pulling the belt member 95 can be increased, thereby preventing unintended deformation of the belt member 95 (such as the belt losing its rigidity). To explain in detail, if the structure is designed so that the belt member 95 is pressed by the load of the conveyed object, this effect could cause the belt member 95 to deform unintentionally (the belt may lose its rigidity). However, with the structure described above, even if the rotational force of each drive source is small (the force pulling the belt member 95 is weak), the force pulling the belt member 95 becomes strong, preventing unintended deformation of the belt member 95.

[0112] However, the conveying device of the present invention is not limited to the structure with multiple (two) drive sources as described above. For example, the structure may be such that an intermediate roller member 4 is provided instead of either the upstream drive source unit 10 or the downstream drive source unit 15. In other words, the conveying device may have a structure with only one drive source. To put it another way, when constructing a conveying device by connecting multiple small conveying devices, only one small conveying device with a drive source is needed. That is, one of the multiple belt members 95 may be wound around a drive roller and an idler roller (the connecting roller 4b described above, which is a driven roller), while the other belt members 95 may be wound around two idler rollers. In this case, it is preferable that the rotational force of the drive source (drive roller) be sufficiently large from the viewpoint of more reliably preventing unintended deformation of the belt members 95.

[0113] Here, the auxiliary rotating body 94 (see Figure 8, etc.) can have its mounting position changed. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the rotating body mounting hole 93 is an elongated hole that extends vertically. Therefore, when the auxiliary rotating body 94 is fixed to the drive-side frame member 90 by inserting the shaft portion of the auxiliary rotating body 94 into the rotating body mounting hole 93 and tightening a nut, the mounting position of the auxiliary rotating body 94 (the position of the rotating body main body) is changed by changing the insertion position of the shaft portion. When the mounting position of the auxiliary rotating body 94 (see Figure 8, etc.) is changed, the distance from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body of the auxiliary rotating body 94 to the groove bottom of the engagement groove 36 at the closest position is changed. As a result, when the structure is such that the belt member 95 is sandwiched between the auxiliary rotating body 94 and the drive rollers 10b, 15b (groove bottoms of the engagement groove 36) as described above, it becomes possible to adjust the pressure on the belt member 95 (adjust the pressing force applied to the belt member 95). In other words, by positioning the auxiliary rotating body 94 closer to the drive rollers 10b and 15b, the belt member 95 is strongly pressed, and by positioning it further away from the drive rollers 10b and 15b, the belt member 95 is pressed relatively lightly.

[0114] As described above, the conveying device 1 has a structure that allows the relative positions of the auxiliary rotating body 94 and the drive rollers 10b and 15b to be changed, and by changing their relative positions, the pressure of the belt member 95 can be adjusted. The connecting auxiliary rotating body 112 (see Figure 9, etc.) may also have a structure that allows its mounting position to be changed, similar to the auxiliary rotating body 94.

[0115] Furthermore, the above-described conveying device 1 allows for changes in the mounting positions of the upstream drive source unit 10 and the downstream drive source unit 15 (the arrangement positions of the shafts of the motor-integrated rollers 10a and 15a). Specifically, the positions of the upstream drive source unit 10 and the downstream drive source unit 15 (the shafts of the motor-integrated rollers 10a and 15a) in the transport direction can be changed, and by changing these positions, the tension of the belt member 95 (adjustment of the belt tension) can be adjusted. For example, by positioning the upstream drive source 10 further upstream from the intermediate roller member 4, the distance from the upstream drive source 10 to the intermediate roller member 4 increases, resulting in the belt member 95 wound around them becoming more taut (increased tension). Conversely, by positioning the upstream drive source 10 further downstream and closer to the intermediate roller member 4, the belt member 95 wound around them becomes looser (increased tension).

[0116] In other words, by making the relative positions of the upstream drive source unit 10 and the intermediate roller member 4, around which the belt member 95 is wound, changeable, the tension of the belt member 95 can be adjusted. Similarly, the downstream drive source unit 15 can also change its relative position with respect to the intermediate roller member 4, and by changing the relative position, the tension of the belt member 95 wound around the downstream drive source unit 15 and the intermediate roller member 4 can be adjusted. Furthermore, when changing the mounting positions of the upstream drive source unit 10 and the downstream drive source unit 15, these mounting positions can be changed by changing the mounting positions of the fixing members 105 to the drive-side frame member 90 and the retaining frame member 40. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 1. Conveying device 2 Upstream part (first area) 3 Downstream part (second area) 10a Motor-integrated roller (drive source, first drive source) 10b Drive roller (drive-side rotating body) 15a Motor-integrated roller (drive source, second drive source) 15b Drive roller (drive-side rotating body) 41. Conveyor roller (roller component) 42 Rotating body member (belt receiving member) 63 Roller body 64 Belt engagement part 71 Engagement groove (belt contact area) 94 Auxiliary Rotating Body (Auxiliary Rotating Body Member) 95 Belt component 96 Upstream first belt member (upstream belt member) 97 Upstream second belt member (upstream belt member) 98 Downstream first belt member (downstream belt member) 99 Downstream second belt member (downstream belt member)

Claims

1. A conveying device having multiple roller members and belt members, which conveys conveyed objects in a predetermined direction, The belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member, and the roller member rotates as the belt member moves while a part of the belt member is in contact with the roller member. The roller member is mounted in a manner that allows it to move downwards. The load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member, causing the roller member to move downward and press against the belt member. It has a drive-side rotating body that rotates by power from a drive source and an auxiliary rotating body member, The belt member and the drive-side rotating body are engaged, and the belt member moves as the drive-side rotating body rotates. A conveying device characterized in that a portion of the belt member that is wound around the drive-side rotating body is in contact with both the drive-side rotating body on which it is wound and the auxiliary rotating body member, and is sandwiched between the drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member on which it is suspended, and the auxiliary rotating body member rotates as the belt member moves.

2. The belt member is elastically deformable, The roller member moves downward and presses against the belt member, causing the belt member to undergo elastic deformation. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member, and then the load is removed from the roller member, the roller member moves upward due to the elastic restoring force of the belt member.

3. The roller member has a belt contact portion which is the portion that comes into contact with the belt member when it moves downward, It further has a belt receiving member, The belt receiving member is a rotating body located below the belt contact portion. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the roller member moves downward, a part of the belt member is sandwiched between the belt contact portion and the belt receiving member, and the belt member rotates as it moves in this state.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the drive-side rotating body and the auxiliary rotating body member can be changed.

5. It has a first region and a second region located downstream of the first region in the direction of transport of the transported material. It is equipped with a first drive source and a second drive source, which are different drive sources. The belt member includes an upstream belt member and a downstream belt member. The upstream belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member arranged in the first region, and power is transmitted from the first drive source. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the downstream belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member arranged in the second region, and power is transmitted from the second drive source.

6. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the belt member is a round belt.

7. The roller member has a roller body and a belt engagement portion. The belt engagement portion is formed including a belt contact portion which is the portion that comes into contact with the belt member when it moves downward, The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, when the width direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction in a plan view, the belt engagement portion is located either inside or outside the roller body portion in the width direction.

8. A conveying device having multiple roller members and belt members, which conveys conveyed objects in a predetermined direction, The belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member, and the roller member rotates as the belt member moves while a part of the belt member is in contact with the roller member. The roller member is mounted in a manner that allows it to move downwards. The load of the conveyed object is applied to the roller member, causing the roller member to move downward and press against the belt member. It has a first region and a second region located downstream of the first region in the direction of transport of the transported material. It is equipped with a first drive source and a second drive source, which are different drive sources. The belt member includes an upstream belt member and a downstream belt member. The upstream belt member is a member that imparts rotational force to the roller member arranged in the first region, and power is transmitted from the first drive source. The downstream belt member is a member that applies rotational force to the roller member arranged in the second region, and power is transmitted from the second drive source. It has an upstream drive-side rotating body that rotates with power from the first drive source, a downstream drive-side rotating body that rotates with power from the second drive source, and a connecting roller. The conveying device is characterized in that the connecting roller is on which both the upstream belt member and the downstream belt member are wound, a portion of the upstream belt member and another portion are wound on the upstream drive-side rotating body and the connecting roller, respectively, and a portion of the downstream belt member and another portion are wound on the downstream drive-side rotating body and the connecting roller, respectively.

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