GB2407994A - Endless belt tracking device - Google Patents

Endless belt tracking device Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2407994A
GB2407994A GB0326755A GB0326755A GB2407994A GB 2407994 A GB2407994 A GB 2407994A GB 0326755 A GB0326755 A GB 0326755A GB 0326755 A GB0326755 A GB 0326755A GB 2407994 A GB2407994 A GB 2407994A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
belt
self
tracking device
rollers
tension
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0326755A
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GB0326755D0 (en
Inventor
Kenneth Alan Brittain
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TRIPLE EDGE Ltd
Original Assignee
TRIPLE EDGE Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TRIPLE EDGE Ltd filed Critical TRIPLE EDGE Ltd
Priority to GB0326755A priority Critical patent/GB2407994A/en
Publication of GB0326755D0 publication Critical patent/GB0326755D0/en
Publication of GB2407994A publication Critical patent/GB2407994A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63BAPPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/02Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills
    • A63B22/0235Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills driven by a motor
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G23/00Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements
    • B65G23/44Belt or chain tensioning arrangements
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G39/00Rollers, e.g. drive rollers, or arrangements thereof incorporated in roller-ways or other types of mechanical conveyors 
    • B65G39/10Arrangements of rollers
    • B65G39/12Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
    • B65G39/16Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework for aligning belts or chains
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G43/00Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
    • B65G43/02Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63BAPPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/02Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills
    • A63B22/0285Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2203/00Indexing code relating to control or detection of the articles or the load carriers during conveying
    • B65G2203/04Detection means
    • B65G2203/042Sensors
    • B65G2203/044Optical

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Cardiology (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Devices For Conveying Motion By Means Of Endless Flexible Members (AREA)

Abstract

A self-tracking device for an endless belt 1 (eg. for a treadmill) which is rotatable about rollers 3, 5, has at least one end of an axle 4 of one of the rollers 3 arranged to be slidable in a direction to adjust the tension of the belt. A detector (142a-h, figure 14) detects the location of the belt in the direction of rotation of the belt and the detector is connected to a linear actuator 93 which operates a linkage 85-90 to slidably adjust the position of a trunnion 80 in which the axle 4 is located.

Description

J 1 2407994
SELF-TRACKING DEVICE FOR AN ENDLESS BELT
This invention relates to a self-tracking device for an endless belt and particularly, although not exclusively, to a device to be used with an exercise or training machine. It is, however, to be understood that the invention has broader application where an endless belt is to be located at a predetermined position.
It is known that a belt travelling around a closed loop path usually defined by two rollers has to be carefully tensioned to prevent the belt from deviating from a predetermined path in a manner such that the belt moves one side or the other of the predetermined path during use. Assuming the axes of the rollers are parallel and the rollers are each of constant diameter (not necessarily the same diameter as one another), the belt will remain at an established position about the rollers unless the belt is subject to external side forces. Usually one of the rollers is a drive roller and the other roller(s) is or are driven rollers. A known manner of maintaining a belt on a desired track is to provide extra rollers to steer the belt, but these extra rollers absorb some of the power available to drive the belt. Another manner of maintaining a tracking of the belt centralized on rollers is to crown the rollers, i.e. to arrange for an axially central part of each roller to have a larger outside diameter than the outer edges of the roller.
However, if the belt is approximately as wide as the distance between axes of the drive and driven rollers about which the belt traverses, then it has been found not practical to crown the rollers because there is insufficient stretch in the belt for it to remain in contact with the length of the rollers if crowned.
Furthermore, if a small amount of crowning is provided to remain within the stretch limits of the belt, it will take too long to correct any misalignment and such small amount of crowning is insufficient to overcome the forces moving the belt from a desired track.
The present invention seeks to at least mitigate the foregoing difficulties and to provide a self-tracking device for an endless belt.
According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a selftracking device for an endless belt which is rotatable about a first roller and a second roller, said first and second rollers having substantially parallel axes of rotation, said device including mounting means arranged to rotatably support one end of an axle of one of said first and second rollers and to be slidable in a direction to adjust the tension of said belt, detector means for detecting the location of the belt in the direction of rotation of the belt, said detector means being connected to adjuster means for adjusting the position of said mounting means, whereby predetermined tracking of said belt about said rollers is maintained.
With the self-tracking device of the present invention, if the belt deviates from a predetermined, desired path, the detector means provide a signal to the adjuster means to adjust the tension of one side of the belt with respect to the other side of the belt to thereby shift the belt track path.
Preferably, the mounting means comprises a pair of trunnions each supporting a respective end of the axle of said one of the first and second rollers, each trunnion being slidably movable in opposing directions so that the mounting means is capable of increasing the tension at one side of the belt and decreasing the tension at the opposite side of the belt.
Advantageously, such increasing and decreasing of tension occurs simultaneously.
Preferably, the tension is decreased more on one side of the belt than it is increased on the opposite side of the belt.
Preferably, the mounting means is slidable in a substantially orthogonal direction to the axis of rotation of said first and second rollers.
Conveniently, the detector means is arranged to detect the location of an outer edge of said belt.
Advantageously, the detector means includes a plurality of position detectors which may comprise infra- red or photoelectric or proximity detectors.
Advantageously, said plurality is an even number of detectors, whereby one half of the detectors detect the presence of the belt and the other half of the detectors indicate the absence of the belt.
Preferably, the adjusting means comprise a connecting rod having one end coupled to the mounting means with an opposite end thereof being arranged to be arcuately driven by a shaft which said shaft is arranged to be rotatably driven by motive means.
Advantageously, the adjusting means comprise a pair of connecting rods each pivotally attached to a respective trunnion at one end thereof and attached by a respective coupling at the opposite end thereof to a shaft arranged to be rotatably driven by motive means.
Preferably, said motive means is a linear actuator arranged to receive signals derived from the detector means.
Conveniently, said linear actuator is coupled to an arm connected to rotate said shaft.
Preferably, each coupling is connected to said shaft with a different angular orientation on said shaft such that when the shaft is rotated one connecting rod drives the mounting means associated therewith to tension the belt and the other connecting rod drives the mounting means associated therewith to reduce the tension in the belt.
Preferably, electronic control means are provided to receive signals from the detector means and in dependence thereon provide an analysis of said signals to provide an output to drive said motive means to maintain said belt tracking.
Advantageously, said control means includes means to detect the position of said belt when power is applied to rotate one of the first and second rollers.
Advantageously, one of the first and second rollers is a drive roller and the other roller is a driven roller.
Advantageously, the position detector means comprises a potentiometer or means providing a predetermined number of pulses between extreme end positions of said motive means and means for counting said pulses from each extreme end to thereby determine the position of said motive means.
According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided an apparatus for use as an exercise or training machine including an endless belt providing a support surface for a user, said belt being arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive roller and a self-tracking device, as defined above.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in schematic form, a layout of the rollers and belts of an apparatus for use as an exercise/training machine in which the present invention may be used, Figure 2 shows a left-hand side view of an exercise/training apparatus with protecting guards and covers removed, and which apparatus incorporates a self tracking device in accordance with this invention, Figure 3 shows a rear view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 with covers and guards removed, Figure 4 shows a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 with the protecting covers and guards removed, Figure 5 shows the apparatus of Figure 2 in a first operative position, Figure 6 shows a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 in a second operative position, Figure 7 shows a top view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 with protecting covers and guards removed, Figure 8 shows a schematic side view of a self tracking device in accordance with this invention, Figure 9 shows, in schematic form, operational positions of a portion of the tracking device shown in Figure 8, Figure 10 shows, in schematic form, another portion of the device, Figures lla, lib, 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b show different operational positions of couplings associated with a linear actuator on opposing sides of the belt, Figure 14 shows a tracking detector array of sensors in schematic form, and Figure 15 shows, in block schematic form, electrical connections of the present invention.
In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.
A basic layout of the rollers and belts in which the invention is used is shown in Figure 1. An endless belt 1 having a direction of rotation indicated by arrow headed line 2 is located about a leading roller 3 having an axle 4 and a trailing roller 5 having an axle 6. The belt has an upper, in use, surface which presents a support surface for a user. The upper support surface of the belt has a length and width sufficient to support two users located side by side transversely to the direction of rotation of the belt and a length sufficient to support a training scheme. A belt having such a width and length enables a user to traverse side to side across a longitudinal axis of the belt to simulate a skiing, roller skating, roller blading or in line roller blade action. A belt having a width in the range of 1.25m to 1.75m and preferably 1.5m and a length in the range of 1.25m to 1.75m and preferably 1.5m has been found to be useful.
The belt may be made of a material or laminate which will depend upon the use for which the apparatus is made and such a belt material may be such as that used for an industrial conveyor belt or may have an upper support surface which is contacted by a user that is formed of ASTROTURF. However, it is preferred that the upper surface of the belt is made of polyester fibres having a non-filament weft, non-filament warp and with a PVC interply and top cover. Such a belt is manufactured by Stephens Miraclo Extremultus Ltd. under their article numbers 996141 and 793209.
The trailing roller 5 is fixedly and integrally formed with a driven pulley 7 which is driven by a belt 8, which may be a toothed belt or a chain. The drive for the belt 8 is derived by an electric motor 9 having a pulley 10.
Referring now to the apparatus shown in Figures 2 - 7, a chassis 20 rotatably supports the rollers 3 and 5 in journalled bearings (not particularly shown). The chassis rests upon a pair of fixed leading (forward) feet 21 and rotatable wheels 22 located at a trailing (rearward) portion of the chassis.
The belt 1 upper support surface is located over a support member 152 having a portion with low friction l5 surface 23 to permit the belt to readily slide over the member 152. The low friction surface 23 has a surface area effectively denoting the useful area of the support surface for the belt 1. So as to prevent a user's feet travailing too far forward on the support surface, there is provided a forward buffer 24 made of, for example, resilient material such as rubber. So as to prevent a human finger from becoming trapped between the belt 1 and the roller 5, so a rear cover/safety guard 25 is provided. Although not particularly shown in Figures 1 7, there is a cover over the motor 9 and drive belt 8 so as to prevent human fingers being trapped therein.
At a forward end of the apparatus are a pair of hand rail support arms 27, 28 which each pivotally support a transverse hand rail 29 having an adjustable height of, for example, 25cm, one extreme lower position being shown in solid lines and another, upper, extreme position being shown in broken lines. In an alternative arrangement (not shown) the hand rail may be 'U' shaped to replicate ski poles and not adjustable so that users of different heights simply need to position their hands at the most comfortable height on the vertical arms. Mounted at an upper end of the arms 27, 28 is a visual display unit 30 which may be formed by thin film transistor technology.
At a trailing end of the apparatus are a pair of screw jacks 31, 32 which each support, at a lower end thereof, a respective one of the wheels 22 and the screw jacks each have a male lead screw which is located within ]0 a mating female threaded portion within the chassis 20 so that the trailing (rear) end of the chassis may be raised and lowered. Alternatively, the apparatus may be arranged so that the leading (forward) end of the chassis is raised and lowered. The screw jacks each have a respective drive pulley 33, 34 about which are provided a toothed drive belt 35 which is driven by an elevator electric motor 36. As forementioned, it is to be understood that the belts 8 and 35 may alternatively be formed by an endless chain.
Referring now particularly to Figure 5, the apparatus is shown in a tilted downward position, i.e. the trailing end of the apparatus is above the leading end so a user would be in a downhill position, and the angle of declination A may be, for example, up to 15 , although it is to be understood that this is not intended to be a limit.
Similarly, referring to Figure 6, inclination of the apparatus in which the leading end is above the trailing end is shown by angle B and this angle may be, by way of example, 5 . It is to be noted that in Figures 5 and 6 a ground plane 40 is denoted by a chain broken line.
A view of the apparatus shown from above with covers removed is shown in Figure 7 and it will be noted that the drive belt 35 has a spring biased jockey, tensioning, pulley 41. The hand rail 29 also has dead man's switches 42 which, in operation of the machine, are gripped by a respective hand of a user, whereby if a user releases one or both of the switches 42, so the motor 9 current is stopped to prevent drive of the belt 1. Alternatively, an emergency stop switch is provided on a control console housing the VDU and a tether switch attached to the user's clothing by for example a crocodile clip. In the event that the user traverses too wide or falls, the tether pulls and switches off the machine which comes to a fast but controlled halt which is safe but not so sudden as to risk throwing the user off the machine.
So as to ensure that the belt l remains in a predetermined location (tracking) on the rollers 3 and 5, preferably centred, so there is provided a self-tracking device shown in Figures 8 - 15.
The driven roller 3 has one end of its axle 4 rotatably mounted in a trunnion 80 arranged to be slidable in the plane of direction of movement of the belt. The trunnion 80 has a pair of rectangular apertures 81 each of which are a sliding fit upon a pair of mounting pins 82 secured to the chassis 20. One end of the trunnion 80 is fixedly secured to a clevis 83 having a clevis pin 84 forming a rotatable coupling with one end of a connecting rod 85. The other end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to another clevis pin 86 of a clevis 87. The clevis 87 and pin 86 form a coupling fixedly secured to a rotatable transverse shaft 88 having at opposite ends thereof stub axles 89 rotatably mounted within journal bearings (not shown) within the chassis 20.
In a preferred embodiment there is provided a trunnion 80, clevis 83, connecting rod 85 and clevis coupling 87 also on the opposite end of the axle 4 so that both ends of the axle 4 may be moved to alter the tension of the belt 1 in a contra fashion, as will be hereinafter described. The shaft 88 is connected to a lever 90 arranged to be moved in the direction of arrow- headed lines 91, 92 by a linear actuator 93.
Referring to Figure 9, a schematic view is shown of the shaft 88 lever 90 and the location of the clevis pin 86 one side of the machine at different operational positions of the lever 90 having rotated the shaft 88 and hence clevis 87 and pin 86. The position 86a shows the maximum anticlockwise position of the pin 86 when the lever is moved in the direction of arrow-headed line 91 so that when the pin is in a horizontal axis with the axis of the stub axle 89, and the lever 90 is in an extreme and anticlockwise position of arrow-headed line 91. When the lever 90 is in a neutral position, as shown in Figure 9, the pin is shown rotated clockwise by 15 at position 86b. When the lever is moved to its extreme clockwise position in the direction of arrow-headed line 92 the pin is at its maximum clockwise direction of movement having rotated 30 from position 86a.
The positions of the pin 86 on the opposite side of the machine are shown in Figure 10 where the positions Bed, 86e and 86f correspond with angles of rotation of the shaft to the pin positions 86a, 86b and 86c, as more clearly shown in Figures lla through Figure 13b. In this respect, Figure lla shows the neutral, i.e. vertical, position of the lever 90 so that the left-hand side pin position 86e is 15 downwards from horizontal and the right-hand side pin position 86b is 15 upwards, i.e. clockwise, from the horizontal position. When the lever is moved 15 clockwise the left- hand pin is moved to pin position 86f to be horizontal with the axis of the stub axle 89 and the right-hand side pin has moved 30 clockwise from horizontal to position 86c. When the lever 90 is moved 15 clockwise from the neutral position, the left-hand side lever is rotated 30 anticlockwise in a downwards direction to position 86d and the right-hand side pin is moved to the horizontal lO position at position 86a.
It is to be understood that the angular movement described above is the preferred embodiment, but other angles of movement may be utilised if desired. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the clevises 87 attached at opposing ends of the shaft 88 are connected to have different angular orientations so that the respective pin 86 at the left-hand side and the right hand side of the apparatus is capable of adopting the angular positions, as shown in Figures lla - lab.
By virtue of the angular rotation, when transmitted into translational motion, one side of the belt is slackened by a greater amount than the amount the other side of the belt is tightened.
The angle at which the clevises are set is sufficient to allow the belt to be kept on a desired tracking.
When the shaft 88 is rotated by movement of the linear actuator 93, so the connecting rod 85, at one side, slides the respective trunnion 80 to shorten the distance between the axial centres of the rollers 3 and 5 to reduce the tension on the belt and, on the opposite side of the apparatus, the trunnion is moved to lengthen the axial distance between the axes of the rollers 3 and to increase the tension in the belt. When the shaft 88 is rotated in the opposite direction the reverse motion of the trunnion occurs so that a side of the belt that was under reduced tension has its tension increased and the side of the belt that was under increased tension has its tension reduced. By such movement of the trunnions the belt position on the rollers may be altered to ensure that the belt tracks in a desired position on the rollers.
In a preferred embodiment the linear actuator is pivotally mounted so that it is able to rotate about its mounting and rotate the lever 90 to prevent any misalignment.
A tracking detector array will now be described with reference to Figure 14 in which a left-hand side of the belt is designated 140. Although the sensors are shown arrayed around the left-hand side of the belt, it is to be understood that the sensors could be arrayed around the right-hand side of the belt. The sensor array comprises eight light emitting diodes 141a-141h and eight respective recipient light detectors 142a-142h, the LED's 141a - 141h and detectors 142a - 142h being located in a U-shaped mount 144 having fixing holes 145 for securing the mount to the chassis 20. The left-hand side of the belt is located such that four LED's 141e 141h and associated detectors 142e - 142h detect the presence of the belt and four LED's 141a - 141d and associated detectors 142a - 142d detect the absence of the belt.
Thus the left-hand edge 140 of the belt is arranged to be located between LED's 141d and 141e. The movement of the belt may be arranged to be within the central zone or the outer control zone 1 or outer control zone 2. If the belt moves to the extremities, denoted by the safety/emergency stop zone, as determined by LED'S and detectors 141a, 142a and 141h, 142h, then the drive to the belt is stopped. Power to the LED's 141a - 141h and detecting signals from the detectors 142a - 142h is carried over connector lead 146.
Although the sensor array has been described as LED's and photo detectors, it is to be understood that an infra-red sensor array or proximity detectors could alternatively be utilised. Also, it is envisaged the belt could be provided with a conductive or magnetic strip in the longitudinal direction of travel and appropriate sensors positioned on each side of the strip.
The electrical connections of the apparatus will now be described with reference to Figure 15.
A microprocessor 130 controls operation of the apparatus and is connected to a motor speed controller 131 which is arranged to control the speed of the forward and rearward elevational motor 9 and the tilt elevational motor 36. The control for the processor 130 which transmits signals to the controller 131 is determined by a control panel 132 which incorporates the VDU 30. The control panel incorporates the switches 42 and 95 and may also incorporate a heart rate monitor.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the processor 130 may be programmed with various levels of skill that may be adopted by a user so that, for example, the speed of the belt 1 may be varied in conjunction with lateral positioning of obstacles around which a user is to negotiate.
The processor may be employed to display on the VDU the speed of rotation of the belt, distance travelled, time elapsed, as well as the forementioned scenic view and heart rate of a user.
The array of photo detectors 142a - 142h provides signals to the processor 130 which controls operation of the linear actuator 93.
As described above, in one manner of operation the edge of the belt is arranged to be maintained in the central zone, but in some applications of the tracking device, where the belt 1 is used as a treadmill or as an exercise or training machine, for example for skiing, then it may not be desirable for the tracking system to lO be continually operating and so the software of the processor may be allowed to permit the belt to move within the outer control zone 1, or even the outer control zone 2, before re-centralising the belt to the central zone 1. When the belt is centralized and the actuator is accordingly in its neutral position, the actuator 93 may then be switched off. Thus, the actuator is activated only when necessary.
The actuator 93 may be fitted with limit switches at its extremity of motion or with a potentiometer so that the processor 130 has knowledge of the position of the actuator at any instant in time.
Where limit switches are used at the extreme ends of travel, a predetermined number of pulses are provided between the extremities of travel and the pulses may be counted to determine the position of the actuator from one extreme end. Thus, when the apparatus is switched on, the actuator is driven in one direction until it reaches and operates a limit switch, and it then re- traverses to place the actuator in its neutral position by counting pulses in a counter (not shown). Thus, for example, if there are twenty pulses for the entire travel, then ten pulses are counted, whereupon the linear actuator is at its neutral position. The angular position of the pins 86 may be adjusted by counting the number of pulses. The counter is arranged to provide output signals to the processor 130.
Where a potentiometer is used, the processor 130 is arranged to receive a signal which is a/d converted, the signal being representative of the position of the potentiometer, thereby determining the position of the linear actuator 93. The use of a potentiometer, therefore, eliminates the need for re-setting, as in the lO case described above, where pulses are counted.
It will be understood that many variations in the components of the device may be used other than those described in the preferred embodiment, e.g. a rotatable motor may be used instead of the linear actuator 93 and different forms of coupling at the ends of the connecting rod 85.
The device that has been described has no extra contacts to the belt to control its tracking so that there are no additional frictional forces to affect the power available to drive the belt.

Claims (20)

  1. CLAIMS: 1. A self-tracking device for an endless belt which is rotatable
    about a first roller and a second roller, said first and second rollers having substantially parallel axes of rotation, said device including mounting means arranged to rotatably support at least one end of an axle of one of said first and second rollers and to be slidable in a direction to adjust the tension of said belt, detector means for detecting the location of the belt in the direction of rotation of the belt, said detector means being connected to adjuster means for adjusting the position of said mounting means, whereby predetermined tracking of said belt about said rollers is maintained.
  2. 2. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim l, wherein the mounting means comprises a pair of trunnions each supporting a respective end of the axle of said one of the first and second rollers, each trunnion being slidably movable in opposing directions so that the mounting means is capable of increasing the tension at one side of the belt and decreasing the tension at the opposite side of the belt.
  3. 3. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 2, wherein such increasing and decreasing of tension occurs simultaneously.
  4. 4. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the tension is decreased more on one side of the belt than it is increased on the opposite side of the belt.
  5. 5. A self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means is slidable in a substantially orthogonal direction to the axis of rotation of said first and second rollers.
  6. 6. A self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the detector means is arranged to detect the location of an outer edge of said belt.
  7. 7. A self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the detector means includes a plurality of position detectors which may comprise infra-red or photoelectric or proximity detectors.
  8. 8. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plurality is an even number of detectors, whereby one half of the detectors detect the presence of the belt and the other half of the detectors indicate the absence of the belt.
  9. 9. A self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adjusting means comprise a connecting rod having one end coupled to the mounting means with an opposite end thereof being arranged to be arcuately driven by a shaft which said shaft is arranged to be rotatably driven by motive means.
  10. 10. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adjusting means comprise a pair of connecting rods each pivotally attached to a respective trunnion at one end thereof and attached by a respective coupling at the opposite end thereof to a shaft arranged to be rotatably driven by motive means.
  11. 11. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein said motive means is a linear actuator arranged to receive signals derived from the detector means.
  12. 12. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said linear actuator is coupled to an arm connected to rotate said shaft.
  13. 13. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each coupling is connected to said shaft with a different angular orientation on said shaft such that when the shaft is rotated one connecting rod drives the mounting means associated therewith to tension the belt and the other connecting rod drives the mounting means associated therewith to reduce the tension in the belt.
  14. 14. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein electronic control means are provided to receive signals from the detector means and in dependence thereon provide an analysis of said signals to provide an output to drive said motive means to maintain said belt tracking.
  15. 15. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said control means includes means to detect the position of said belt when power is applied to rotate one of the first and second rollers.
  16. 16. A self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of the first and second rollers is a drive roller and the other roller is a driven roller.
  17. 17. A self-tracking device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the position detector means comprises a potentiometer or means providing a predetermined number of pulses between extreme end positions of said motive means and means for counting said pulses from each extreme end to thereby determine the position of said motive means.
  18. 18. An apparatus for use as an exercise or training machine including an endless belt providing a support surface for a user, said belt being arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive roller and a self-tracking device as claimed in any preceding claim.
  19. 19. A self tracking device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
  20. 20. An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
GB0326755A 2003-11-17 2003-11-17 Endless belt tracking device Withdrawn GB2407994A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0326755A GB2407994A (en) 2003-11-17 2003-11-17 Endless belt tracking device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0326755A GB2407994A (en) 2003-11-17 2003-11-17 Endless belt tracking device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0326755D0 GB0326755D0 (en) 2003-12-17
GB2407994A true GB2407994A (en) 2005-05-18

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GB0326755A Withdrawn GB2407994A (en) 2003-11-17 2003-11-17 Endless belt tracking device

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1872833A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2008-01-02 Brudden Equipamentos Ltda Device for signalling a treadmill belt misalignment
CN104477606A (en) * 2014-12-12 2015-04-01 杨立斌 Belt breaking prevention device after shaft breaking of belt conveyor unloading and loading roller
CN105966872A (en) * 2016-06-24 2016-09-28 珠海镇东有限公司 Deviation rectifying system and method for conveying belt of PCB grinding machine
CN106829336A (en) * 2017-02-21 2017-06-13 江苏达克罗涂装技术有限公司 A kind of curing oven conveyer belt automatic tension device

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110745473B (en) * 2019-10-31 2021-05-18 万宝矿产有限公司 Tension detection method for tensioning device of mobile trestle type belt conveyor

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US1561354A (en) * 1924-06-16 1925-11-10 Homer O Pence Main-bearing-cap facer
US2724492A (en) * 1952-10-30 1955-11-22 United Electric Coal Companies Endless belt aligner
US2914957A (en) * 1956-11-13 1959-12-01 Rayonier Inc Training mechanism for belt systems
US4693363A (en) * 1984-10-27 1987-09-15 Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft Control device and process for aligning an endless belt utilizing the control device
US4959040A (en) * 1989-04-21 1990-09-25 Rastergraphics Inc. Method and apparatus for precisely positioning and stabilizing a continuous belt or web or the like
US5484362A (en) * 1989-06-19 1996-01-16 Life Fitness Exercise treadmill

Patent Citations (6)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1561354A (en) * 1924-06-16 1925-11-10 Homer O Pence Main-bearing-cap facer
US2724492A (en) * 1952-10-30 1955-11-22 United Electric Coal Companies Endless belt aligner
US2914957A (en) * 1956-11-13 1959-12-01 Rayonier Inc Training mechanism for belt systems
US4693363A (en) * 1984-10-27 1987-09-15 Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft Control device and process for aligning an endless belt utilizing the control device
US4959040A (en) * 1989-04-21 1990-09-25 Rastergraphics Inc. Method and apparatus for precisely positioning and stabilizing a continuous belt or web or the like
US5484362A (en) * 1989-06-19 1996-01-16 Life Fitness Exercise treadmill

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1872833A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2008-01-02 Brudden Equipamentos Ltda Device for signalling a treadmill belt misalignment
CN104477606A (en) * 2014-12-12 2015-04-01 杨立斌 Belt breaking prevention device after shaft breaking of belt conveyor unloading and loading roller
CN105966872A (en) * 2016-06-24 2016-09-28 珠海镇东有限公司 Deviation rectifying system and method for conveying belt of PCB grinding machine
CN106829336A (en) * 2017-02-21 2017-06-13 江苏达克罗涂装技术有限公司 A kind of curing oven conveyer belt automatic tension device

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