belt

Abstract

To provide a belt in which the belt base material can be joined annularly in a plain manner.SOLUTION: A belt 10 has an annular structure formed by joining a first end 10a and a second end 10b of a strip-shaped belt base material 1. The first end 10a is provided with at least one first convex portion 101a protruding along the travel direction P of the belt 10. The second end 10b is provided with at least one second convex portion 101b projecting along the travel direction P. The first convex portion 101a is provided with a first through hole 4a along a first direction Q that intersects the travel direction P. A second convex portion 101b has a second through hole 4b provided along the first direction Q. The belt 10 is further provided with a pin 5. The first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1 are joined by inserting the pin 5 into the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b, which are arranged to be connected to each other along the first direction Q.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] It relates to a belt, particularly a belt used in the manufacture of foods and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Belts used in the manufacture of various products, such as heat seals, are, for example, endless or annular, with the ends in the length direction of the belt base material joined together. As a method of joining the belt base material, overlap joining is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An example of a belt manufactured using overlap joining is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a state where an annular or endless belt 20 is attached to a roll 2. FIG. 7 is a perspective view, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the traveling direction (also referred to as the running direction) 22 of the belt 20. The cross-sectional view in the region surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the joint portion of the belt 20. The belt 20 is formed by overlapping and joining both end portions 20a and 20b in the length direction of the belt base material via a joint layer 23.

[0005] The X-axis direction is a direction parallel to the traveling direction 22. The Y-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction. The Z-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and is parallel to the direction in which the belt base materials are overlapped.

[0006] The joining is mainly performed by heat fusion. Heat fusion is performed by overlapping the ends 20a and 20b of the belt base material with a molten resin in between and heating them above the melting point of the molten resin. A joining layer 23 is formed from the molten resin by heat fusion. The joining layer 23 is a layer that joins the ends 20a and 20b of the belt with the molten resin.

[0007] Heat fusion is performed using an iron or a plate-shaped heater.

[0008] However, joining processes like heat fusion require highly skilled workers. Therefore, when installing the belts on a user's equipment, workers need to bring their own irons, heaters, etc., and perform the joining work on-site. As a result, it was difficult for users to install the belts on their equipment themselves.

[0009] Therefore, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a belt that can be joined in an annular shape by a simple method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to the embodiment, a belt is provided which comprises a heat-resistant woven fabric and a fluororesin covering at least a portion of the surface of the heat-resistant woven fabric, and which comprises a strip-shaped belt base material having a first end and a second end, and which has an annular structure formed by joining the first end and the second end of the strip-shaped belt base material. The belt has a first end of the belt base material Joined and at least one first protrusion that protrudes along the direction of travel of the belt Second substrate having And at the second end of the belt base material Joined and at least one second protrusion projecting in the direction of travel Second substrate havingThe belt comprises the following: The belt also comprises a first through hole provided in at least one first protrusion along a first direction intersecting the direction of travel, and a second through hole provided in at least one second protrusion along the first direction. The belt further comprises pins inserted into the first and second through holes. The first through hole in at least one first protrusion and the second through hole in at least one second protrusion are arranged to communicate with each other along the first direction. The belt has an annular structure formed by joining the first and second ends of the belt base material by inserting the pins into the first and second through holes. The heat-resistant woven fabric is a heat-resistant mesh woven fabric containing at least one selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and mixtures of glass fibers and aramid fibers. The second base material is a heat-resistant plain weave woven fabric containing aramid fibers, at least a portion of which is coated with fluororesin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a belt that can be joined in an annular shape by a simple method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A schematic perspective view showing an example of a belt according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Perspective views of the first and second ends of the belt shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the joints of the belt. [Figure 4] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a belt base material provided in a belt according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional perspective view showing another example of the belt base material of the belt according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] A perspective view of the first and second ends of a belt according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] A schematic diagram showing an example of a belt manufactured using overlap joining. [Figure 8] A schematic cross-sectional view of the belt base material of the belt shown in Figure 7, along the direction of travel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions and configurations may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions may be omitted. The drawings are schematic, and the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, the ratio of the thickness of each layer, etc. may be different from the actual ones. Also, there may be portions where the dimensional relationships and ratios are different between the drawings. Further, the description of one embodiment applies to the description of other embodiments as well, unless explicitly or implicitly excluded. Each embodiment illustrates an apparatus or method for embodying the technical idea of this embodiment, and the technical idea of the embodiment does not specify the material, shape, structure, arrangement, etc. of the components as follows.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a state where the belt 10 of an embodiment (the first embodiment) is attached to the roll 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first end portion 10a and the second end portion 10b provided in the belt base material 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the joint portion 6 provided in the belt 10. In FIG. 3, the X-axis direction is a direction parallel to the traveling direction (also referred to as the running direction) of the belt base material, the Y-axis direction is a direction parallel to the width direction of the belt base material, and the Z-axis direction is a direction parallel to the direction in which the belt base materials are laminated. Note that the traveling direction of the belt is not limited to the direction indicated by the arrow P in FIG. 1, and may be the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow P.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the belt base material 1 is a belt-shaped sheet having two long side portions facing each other and two short side portions facing each other. The belt 10 is formed by joining the belt-shaped belt base material 1 in a ring shape by the joint portion 6. The belt 10 travels on the roll 2 along the traveling direction P. The surface of the belt 10 that contacts the roll 2 is the back surface 9, and the surface located on the opposite side of the back surface is the front surface 8. The belt 10 may be an endless belt. The roll 2 may be a driving roll or a driven roll.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, one of the two short side portions of the belt base material 1 is the first end portion 10a, and the other is the second end portion 10b.

[0017] The first end portion 10a and the second end portion 10b each have a concavo-convex structure. The first end portion 10a includes a plurality of first convex portions 101a that protrude along the traveling direction P. The plurality of first convex portions 101a are provided at intervals from each other. The plurality of first convex portions 101a are each folded along the first direction Q that intersects the traveling direction P, and the folded tip portions are fixed to the back surface of the belt base material, for example, by heat fusion. When folding, it is folded in a ring shape so that the first convex portion 101a does not bend. This is because if the first convex portion 101a is bent, the strength of the bent portion decreases. Heat fusion can be performed, for example, by sandwiching a fusible fluororesin film between the belt base materials, subjecting them to hot pressing, and heating to a temperature above the melting point of the fusible fluororesin. Examples of the fusible fluororesin include tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer resin (PFA), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer resin (FEP), and the like. By the above heat fusion, each first convex portion 101a has an annular structure including a first through hole 4a extending along the first direction Q. The second end portion 10b includes a plurality of second convex portions 101b that protrude along the traveling direction P. The plurality of second convex portions 101b are provided at intervals from each other. The plurality of second convex portions 101b can be formed in the same manner as the first convex portion 101a described above. Thereby, each second convex portion 101b has an annular structure including a second through hole 4b extending along the first direction Q.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, the joint portion 6 will be described. The joint portion 6 is a portion where the first end portion 10a and the second end portion 10b are joined by a pin 5. The configuration of the joint portion 6 is as follows.

[0019] The belt base material 1 is bent into a ring shape and positioned so that the uneven structure of the first end 10a and the uneven structure of the second end 10b interlock. Specifically, the second protrusion 101b of the second end 10b is inserted into the recess of the first end 10a, and the first protrusion 101a of the first end 10a is inserted into the recess of the second end 10b, so that the first protrusion 101a and the second protrusion 101b are arranged alternately along the first direction Q. As a result of this arrangement, the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b communicate with each other along the first direction Q. In other words, the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b form a single through hole extending along the first direction Q.

[0020] Before being inserted into the first through-hole 4a and the second through-hole 4b, the pin 5 is a rod-shaped object extending in one direction. When the pin 5 is inserted into the first through-hole 4a and the second through-hole 4b, the first end 10a and the second end 10b are joined, and a belt 10 with an annular belt base material 1 is obtained. To prevent the pin 5 from falling out of the first through-hole 4a and the second through-hole 4b, after insertion into the first through-hole 4a and the second through-hole 4b, both ends of the pin 5 are bent in a direction intersecting the first direction Q. The method of processing the pin is not limited to bending, and the method of processing the pin will be described later.

[0021] With the belt 10 configured as described above, the first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1 can be joined by inserting pins 5 into the first through hole 4a provided in the first end 10a and the second through hole 4b provided in the second end 10b, rather than by heat fusion. Therefore, when attaching the belt 10 to a device such as a roll 2, the heat fusion work, which requires a high level of skill, becomes unnecessary. As a result, the user can attach the belt 10 to a device such as a roll 2 at any time they wish.

[0022] (Belt base material) The belt base material includes a heat-resistant woven fabric and a fluororesin that covers at least a portion of the surface of the heat-resistant woven fabric. The heat-resistant woven fabric includes heat-resistant fibers. The fluororesin may partially cover the surface of the heat-resistant woven fabric or cover the entire surface. Alternatively, the belt base material may be woven from heat-resistant fibers with at least a portion of their surface coated with fluororesin.

[0023] Heat-resistant woven fabrics can be classified into plain weave fabrics and mesh fabrics based on the weaving method. Plain weave fabrics are base materials woven with heat-resistant fibers in a plain weave. Mesh fabrics are base materials woven with heat-resistant fibers using weaving methods such as leno weave or gauze weave, and have areas where threads exist in the weave and areas where there are no threads and the weave is open (openings). Plain weave fabrics differ from mesh fabrics in that the heat-resistant fibers are woven densely and do not have openings. Plain weave fabrics allow for a larger contact area between the belt base materials during heat fusion in the formation of the first and second protrusions described above. Therefore, the fusion strength can be improved. Consequently, they are preferable because they can improve the strength of the joint.

[0024] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a belt base material including a plain weave fabric.

[0025] The belt base material 1 includes, for example, a heat-resistant woven fabric 11 and a fluororesin 12 that covers at least a portion of the surface of the heat-resistant woven fabric 11. The heat-resistant woven fabric 11 includes heat-resistant fibers 13.

[0026] The thickness of the belt base material 1 is not particularly limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 0.075 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0027] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional perspective view in the thickness direction of a belt base material containing a mesh fabric woven using a leno weave. Although Figure 5 illustrates an example of leno weave, a gauze weave may be used instead.

[0028] The belt base material 1 includes heat-resistant fibers 13 and a fluororesin 12 that covers at least a portion of the surface of the heat-resistant fibers 13. The fluororesin 12 may partially cover the surface of the heat-resistant fibers 13 or it may cover the entire surface.

[0029] Examples of heat-resistant fibers that make up heat-resistant woven fabrics include glass fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and mixtures of glass fibers and aramid fibers. Glass fibers are non-flammable and have electrical insulating properties. On the other hand, aramid fibers have excellent strength, as well as chemical resistance and water vapor resistance.

[0030] In particular, heat-resistant woven fabrics containing aramid fibers are preferred. Heat-resistant woven fabrics containing aramid fibers have high bending fatigue resistance. Therefore, even when the belt base material is bent to a relatively small diameter (for example, by forming a first protrusion 101a and a second protrusion 101b on the belt base material 1), the strength does not easily decrease. In addition, aramid fibers have high water vapor resistance. Therefore, belts suitable for applications using water vapor can be obtained. Examples of applications using water vapor include steaming processes and vacuum drying processes in food manufacturing.

[0031] Examples of fluororesins include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer resin (PFA), and tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer resin (FEP). The type of fluororesin can be one or more.

[0032] The belt substrate may contain a filler. The filler is preferably mixed or dispersed in the fluororesin. Examples of fillers include carbon materials, inorganic materials (such as titanium dioxide, boron nitride, silicon dioxide, and zinc oxide), and various pigments. One or more types of fillers may be used. The form of the filler is not particularly limited and can be granular, fibrous, needle-shaped, etc.

[0033] (pin) Examples of pins include metal-containing rods, metal-containing wires, and resin-containing rods. The surface of the pin may be smooth or uneven. An example of a metal is stainless steel (SUS). An example of a resin is polyether ether ketone resin (PEEK). In particular, pins containing resin are preferred. Pins containing resin can be used in applications where metal is undesirable.

[0034] The pins may have processed ends that are exposed from the belt base material. Examples of processing when the pin is a rod containing metal include bending both ends of the pin in a direction intersecting the first direction (specifically, bending at an angle of 90 to 180 degrees with respect to the pin's axis), or providing protrusions that extend along the radial direction of the pin at both ends of the pin. The protrusions only need to be made of a material that is not large enough to pass through the first and second through holes. Examples of the form of the protrusions include wrapping tape around both ends of the pin or attaching crimp terminals to both ends of the pin. Examples of processing when the pin contains resin include wrapping tape around both ends or attaching crimp terminals to both ends. Examples of processing when the pin is a wire containing metal include attaching crimp terminals to both ends. Pins processed in the above ways are less likely to fall out of the through holes. Therefore, the strength of the joint can be improved.

[0035] <Variation> An example of a belt according to another embodiment (the second embodiment) will be described with reference to Figure 6. The belt of the other embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment, except that the first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1 are different. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in Figures 1 to 5, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0036] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1 of the belt 10 according to another embodiment.

[0037] The first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1 are composed of short sides without an uneven structure. A separate base material (hereinafter referred to as the second base material 15a and 15b) is provided on the first end 10a and the second end 10b of the belt base material 1. The second base materials 15a and 15b each have an uneven structure. The protrusions on the second base material 15a are the first protrusions 101a. The first protrusions 101a are the portions of the second base material 15a that are folded back along the first direction Q and protrude along the direction of travel P. The first protrusions 101a have a ring structure with a first through hole 4a extending along the first direction Q. The first protrusions 101a are formed spaced apart from each other along the first direction Q. The space between the first protrusions 101a is the first recess. One end of the second base material 15a, located opposite the folded portion, is fixed to one surface (e.g., surface 8) of the belt base material 1, for example, by heat fusion. The other end is fixed to the other surface (e.g., back surface 9) of the belt base material 1, for example, by heat fusion. The protrusion of the second base material 15b is the second protrusion 101b. The second protrusion 101b is the portion of the second base material 15b that is folded along the first direction Q and protrudes along the direction of travel P. The second protrusion 101b has a ring structure with a second through hole 4b extending along the first direction Q. The second protrusions 101b are formed spaced apart from each other along the first direction Q. The space between the second protrusions 101b is the second recess. One end of the second base material 15b, located opposite the folded portion, is fixed to one surface (e.g., surface 8) of the belt base material 1, for example, by heat fusion. Furthermore, the other end is fixed to the other surface (for example, the back surface 9) of the belt base material 1, for example, by heat fusion.

[0038] Heat sealing can be performed in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. In addition to heat sealing, sewing with thread may also be performed. Sewing can be performed, for example, by sewing the area where the belt base material 1 and the second base material 15a or the second base material 15b are in contact. Furthermore, sewing can be performed along the width direction of the belt base material 1. Performing sewing in addition to heat sealing is preferable because it can improve strength even when the fusion area between the belt base material 1 and the second base materials 15a, 15b is small. This is particularly preferable when a mesh woven fabric is used as the belt base material 1.

[0039] The configuration of the joint in the belt 10 according to another embodiment is as follows. The belt base material 1 is bent into an annular shape so that the uneven structure of the second base material 15a provided at the first end 10a and the uneven structure of the second base material 15b provided at the second end 10b interlock. Specifically, the second protrusion 101b of the second base material 15b is inserted into the recess of the second base material 15a, and the first protrusion 101a of the second base material 15a is inserted into the recess of the second base material 15b, so that the first protrusion 101a and the second protrusion 101b are arranged alternately along the first direction Q. As a result of this arrangement, the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b communicate with each other along the first direction Q. In other words, the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b form a single through hole extending along the first direction Q. The first end 10a and the second end 10b are joined together by inserting the pin 5 into the first through hole 4a and the second through hole 4b, thereby obtaining a belt 10 having an annular belt base material 1.

[0040] The materials for the second base materials 15a and 15b can be the same as those for the belt base material exemplified in the first embodiment. A second base material containing a plain weave fabric is preferable because it increases the fusion area between the base materials when joining the belt base material 1 and the second base materials 15a and 15b, thereby increasing the shear strength. For example, a belt containing a belt base material containing a mesh weave fabric and a second base material containing a plain weave fabric can have improved strength compared to a belt without a second base material. Furthermore, it is preferable that the second base material contains heat-resistant fibers that have a high strength retention rate when bent. For example, a belt containing a belt base material containing glass fibers and a second base material containing heat-resistant fibers that have higher strength than glass fibers can have improved strength compared to a belt without a second base material. An example of heat-resistant fibers that have higher strength than glass fibers is aramid fiber. In particular, using a base material in which at least a portion of a heat-resistant woven fabric containing aramid fibers is coated with fluororesin as the second base material 15a, 15b is preferable because it can suppress the reduction in strength of the second base material when forming the first protrusion 101a and the second protrusion 101b.

[0041] The materials of the second base material 15a and the second base material 15b may be the same or they may be different from each other.

[0042] In other embodiments of the belt, since the belt includes a belt base material and a second base material, the type of heat-resistant woven fabric can be selected for each of the belt base material and the second base material. Therefore, even when the belt base material is a base material that includes at least one selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, mesh woven fabric, and glass fiber-containing mesh woven fabric, the strength of the joint can be maintained.

[0043] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from its essence. Furthermore, each embodiment may be combined as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effects can be obtained. Moreover, the above embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting combinations from the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and effects obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, then the configuration with these deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1...Belt base material, 2...Roll, 5...Pin, 6...Joint, 8...Front surface, 9...Back surface, 10...Belt, 11...Heat-resistant woven fabric, 12...Fluororesin, 13...Heat-resistant fiber, 20...Belt, 22...Direction of travel, 23...Joint layer, 101a...First protrusion, 101b...Second protrusion, 10a...First end, 10b...Second end, 15a, 15b...Second base material, 20a, 20b...Both ends of the belt base material, 4a...First through hole, 4b...Second through hole, P...Direction of travel, Q...First direction, X...Direction of travel, Y...Width direction, Z...Thickness direction.

Claims

1. A belt comprising a heat-resistant woven fabric and a fluororesin covering at least a portion of the surface of the heat-resistant woven fabric, and comprising a strip-shaped belt base material having a first end and a second end, and having an annular structure formed by joining the first end and the second end of the strip-shaped belt base material, A second base material is joined to the first end of the belt base material and has at least one first protrusion that protrudes along the direction of travel of the belt, A second base material is joined to the second end of the belt base material and has at least one second protrusion that protrudes along the direction of travel, A first through hole is provided in at least one of the first protrusions along a first direction intersecting the direction of travel, A second through-hole is provided in the first direction along the at least one second protrusion, The device comprises the first through hole and a pin inserted into the second through hole, The heat-resistant woven fabric is a heat-resistant mesh woven fabric comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and a mixture of glass fibers and aramid fibers. The second substrate is a heat-resistant plain weave fabric containing aramid fibers, at least a portion of which is coated with fluororesin. A belt having an annular structure formed by joining the first end and the second end of the belt base material by inserting the pin into the first through hole and the second through hole, wherein the first through hole of the at least one first protrusion and the second through hole of the at least one second protrusion are arranged to communicate with each other along the first direction.

2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first protrusion and the at least one second protrusion are formed by processing the second base material into a ring shape.

3. The belt according to claim 1 or 2, wherein both ends of the pin are bent in a direction intersecting the first direction.

4. The belt according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising protrusions provided at both ends of the pin.

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