belt

Abstract

Provided is a belt that can handle low-temperature environments, and, in particular, freezing environments at or below -30°C, and ensures grip. A belt 1 incorporates at least one layer of canvas 10, and both surfaces are coated with a resin layer 11A, 11B. The surfaces SA, SB of the resin layers 11A, 11B have a surface roughness Rzjis of 25–180 μm.

Description

belt

[0001] The present invention relates to belts such as power transmission belts.

[0002] Power transmission belts used for driving roller conveyors and the like are required to have high tension, flange resistance (belt rigidity in the width direction), gripping properties, etc. To ensure gripping properties, belts using, for example, rubber on the surface are used.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, there are cases where the device is used in low-temperature environments such as freezers that are operated at temperatures below -30°C, and there is a demand for the device to be able to withstand low-temperature environments.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a flat belt having a thermoplastic resin layer containing a thermoplastic urethane resin and a high-tension member made of cords embedded in the resin layer.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a belt using a urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer.

[0006] JP 09-166183 A JP 2011-206953 A

[0007] Conventional power transmission belts use rubber on the surface to ensure grip, but cracks tend to form in the rubber in low-temperature environments below the glass transition temperature of the rubber.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a belt that can withstand low temperature environments, particularly freezing environments at temperatures below -30°C, and that can ensure gripping properties.

[0009] The belt of the present invention incorporates at least one layer of canvas and is coated on both sides with a resin layer, and the surface of the resin layer has a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm.

[0010] The belt of the present invention incorporates at least one layer of canvas, is coated on both sides with a resin layer, and does not use rubber on the surface, so that the occurrence of cracks in low-temperature environments is suppressed and the belt can be used in low-temperature environments. Furthermore, the surface roughness Rzjis of the surface of the resin layer is 25 μm to 180 μm, so that gripping force can be ensured without using rubber.

[0011] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of a belt according to an embodiment of the present invention, a belt according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and a belt according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples and can be appropriately modified within the scope obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0013] <Embodiment> (Belt Configuration) Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a belt 1 according to this embodiment. The belt 1 of this embodiment incorporates at least one layer of canvas 10, and both sides are covered with resin layers 11A and 11B. In this embodiment, the resin layer 11A, the canvas 10, and the resin layer 11B are laminated in this order. The canvas 10 and the resin layers 11A and 11B are bonded together using an adhesive or by heat and pressure bonding, for example.

[0014] The surfaces SA and SB of the resin layers 11A and 11B have a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm.

[0015] The surfaces SA and SB of the resin layers 11A and 11B are, for example, surfaces onto which the surface shape of a transfer canvas is transferred by pressing the transfer canvas against the surfaces and applying heat and pressure, i.e., textured surfaces. This makes it possible to realize a surface with a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm. The surface with a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm is not limited to a textured surface, but may also be a surface controlled to have a predetermined surface shape by other means such as mechanical texture.

[0016] The surface roughness is the ten-point average roughness (Rzjis) in a randomly selected area on the surface of an object, as described in JIS B 0601: 2001. The surface roughness can be measured, for example, using a Handysurf (trade name) manufactured by Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd.

[0017] The resin layers 11A and 11B are, for example, thermoplastic resin layers, specifically, thermoplastic urethane resin layers. The glass transition temperature of the resin constituting the resin layers 11A and 11B is preferably lower than the environmental temperature in which the belt of this embodiment is used. For example, the resin constituting the resin layers 11A and 11B is a urethane resin with a glass transition temperature of −30° C. The belt 1 of this embodiment having such a configuration is suitable for low-temperature environments.

[0018] The resin layers 11A and 11B may contain other resins to the extent that they do not affect or substantially affect the performance of the belt 1 based on the characteristics of the resin, such as the glass transition temperature. The resin layers 11A and 11B may also contain additives such as stabilizers and lubricants. The resin constituting the resin layers 11A and 11B may also be a urethane resin with a glass transition temperature of −30° C. or lower.

[0019] The resin layers 11A and 11B are substrates obtained by extruding a resin such as a urethane resin into a sheet using an extruder and stretching or rolling the sheet in a uniaxial direction. For example, it is preferable that the belt is elongated in one direction, and the longitudinal direction of the belt coincides with the uniaxial direction.

[0020] The canvas 10 is made of, for example, polyester fiber woven therein. Alternatively, other resin fibers may be woven therein. For example, nylon fiber or the like may be used.

[0021] The canvas 10 has a thickness of, for example, 0.35 mm to 1.10 mm. The resin layers 11A and 11B each have a thickness of, for example, 0.20 mm to 1.2 mm. The belt as a whole has a thickness of about 0.75 mm to 3.5 mm.

[0022] The belt 1 of the present embodiment can be manufactured by laminating the canvas 10 and the resin layers 11A and 11B together and bonding them together using an adhesive or by heat and pressure bonding, for example.

[0023] In the above manufacturing process, a transfer canvas is pressed against the surfaces SA and SB of the resin layers 11A and 11B, heated and pressurized, and then the transfer canvas is peeled off to transfer the surface shape of the transfer canvas, thereby forming a textured surface.

[0024] Although the drawing shows a configuration having one layer of canvas, a configuration incorporating multiple layers of canvas may also be used. In this case, an interlayer resin layer (not shown) is provided between the multiple layers of canvas. When multiple layers of canvas are incorporated, each canvas can have the same configuration as the above-mentioned canvas. The interlayer resin layer can have the same configuration as the above-mentioned resin layers 11A and 11B. By using multiple layers, flange resistance can be improved.

[0025] The belt 1 of this embodiment can be suitably applied to a power transmission belt.

[0026] (Operations and Effects) The belt 1 of this embodiment is a power transmission belt that does not use rubber and can withstand low temperature environments, particularly freezing environments of -30°C or less, reducing early cracking, and further has a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm, ensuring good grip. The textured surface ensures good grip.

[0027] Furthermore, the construction in which the canvas is laminated in multiple layers enhances flange resistance.

[0028] <First Example> Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a belt 1A according to a first example. A resin layer 11A, a first canvas 10A, an interlayer resin layer 11C, a second canvas 10B, an interlayer resin layer 11D, a third canvas 10C, and a resin layer 11B are laminated in this order. The resin layers 11A and 11B are the outermost layers of the laminate. In other words, four resin layers and three canvas layers are laminated alternately.

[0029] The surfaces SA and SB of the resin layers 11A and 11B are textured surfaces, and have a surface roughness Rzjis of 100 μm to 150 μm.

[0030] The resin constituting the resin layer 11A, interlayer resin layer 11C, interlayer resin layer 11D, and resin layer 11B is the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer "Elastollan (registered trademark) C90A" with a glass transition temperature of -30°C. It is also possible to use the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer "Elastollan (registered trademark) C85A" (glass transition temperature of -35°C), which is a urethane resin with a glass transition temperature of -30°C or lower. The first canvas 10A, second canvas 10B, and third canvas 10C are polyester canvases.

[0031] The thickness of the resin layer 11A, the interlayer resin layer 11C, the interlayer resin layer 11D, and the resin layer 11B is each 0.4 mm. The thickness of the first canvas 10A, the second canvas 10B, and the third canvas 10C is each 0.5 mm, making the belt 3.1 mm thick overall.

[0032] The power transmission belt does not use rubber, making it suitable for low-temperature environments and reducing early cracking. Furthermore, the fabric has a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm, ensuring grip. The multi-layered canvas construction enhances flange resistance.

[0033] <Second Example> Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a belt 1B according to a second example. A resin layer 11A, a first canvas 10A, an interlayer resin layer 11C, a second canvas 10B, and a resin layer 11B are laminated in this order. The resin layers 11A and 11B are the outermost layers of the laminate. In other words, three resin layers and two canvas layers are alternately laminated.

[0034] The surfaces SA and SB of the resin layers 11A and 11B are textured surfaces, and have a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 70 μm.

[0035] The resin constituting the resin layer 11A, the interlayer resin layer 11C, and the resin layer 11B is "Elastollan (registered trademark) C90A," as in Example 1. The first canvas 10A and the second canvas 10B are polyester canvas.

[0036] The thickness of the resin layer 11A, the interlayer resin layer 11C, and the resin layer 11B is each 0.4 mm. The thickness of the first canvas 10A and the second canvas 10B is each 0.4 mm, and the belt as a whole is 2.0 mm thick.

[0037] The power transmission belt does not use rubber, making it suitable for low-temperature environments and reducing early cracking. Furthermore, the surface roughness Rzjis is 25 μm to 180 μm, ensuring gripping properties. The multi-layered canvas construction enhances flange resistance.

[0038] 1, 1A, 1B Belt 10 Canvas 10A First canvas 10B Second canvas 10C Third canvas 11A, 11B Resin layer 11C, 11D Interlayer resin layer SA, SB Surface

Claims

1. A belt having at least one layer of canvas, both sides of which are covered with resin layers, and the surface of the resin layer has a surface roughness Rzjis of 25 μm to 180 μm.

2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the resin layer is a surface onto which the surface shape of the transfer canvas is transferred by pressing the transfer canvas against the surface and applying heat and pressure.

3. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the resin layer is a thermoplastic resin layer.

4. The belt according to claim 3, wherein the resin layer is a thermoplastic urethane resin layer.

5. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which incorporates the canvas in multiple layers.

6. The belt according to claim 5, further comprising an interlayer resin layer between the multiple layers of said canvas.

Images