NL2013029B1

NL2013029B1 - Conveyor, conveyor track and conveyor tray.

Info

Publication number: NL2013029B1
Application number: NL2013029A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Gerhardus Oude Roelink Anthgonius
Original assignee: Jonge Poerink Conveyors B V
Priority date: 2014-06-19
Filing date: 2014-06-19
Publication date: 2016-07-06

Abstract

The invention relates to a conveyor comprising: a conveyor track, comprising quides, a traction element loop provided with couplers; a drive, wherein a part of the traction element loop is arranged along the conveyor track, wherein the drive is configured to transfer motion to the traction element loop, wherein product carriers according to claim 8 are removably placeable on the conveyor track, wherein the guides are configured to allow and guide the product carriers along the conveyor track, wherein the couplers are configured to be engageable with the product carriers and configured to transfer motion of the traction element loop to the product carrier.

Description

Title: Conveyor, conveyor track and conveyor tray.

The invention relates to a conveyor, a conveyor track and a conveyor plate.

More specifically, the invention relates to a conveyor for the transport of goods in e.g. production, packaging and filling industry, where the conveyor may require frequent disinfection or cleaning.

In the art, conveyors are used frequently for transportation of bottles, cans, various kinds of good, such as edible products, potable products and or other goods.

In hygienic environments, especially in handling not yet packaged food products, e.g. in the meat, cheese and fish handling, conveyors need to be cleaned on regular basis. With conventional conveyors, this cleaning requires a shutdown of the conveyor and a treatment of the conveyor with disinfecting cleaning agent. This means, that during cleaning the conveyor has to be shut down and is not available for production.

In continuous production, shutdowns mean valuable loss of production time.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to mitigate or solve the above described and/or other problems of shutdowns of conveyors in the art, while maintaining and/or improving the advantages thereof.

More specifically the object of the invention can be seen in providing a conveyor track that is more practical in use, where parts of the conveyor can be cleaned, while the conveyor remains in service, wherein the conveyor is flexibly extendable, can guide goods to various locations and is relative simple and straight forward in its use.

These and/or other objects are reached by A Conveyor comprising: a conveyor track, comprising guides, a traction element loop provided with couplers; a drive, wherein a part of the traction element loop is arranged along the conveyor track, wherein the drive is configured to transfer motion to the traction element loop, wherein product carriers according to claim 8 are removably placeable on the conveyor track, wherein the guides are configured to allow and guide the product carriers along the conveyor track, wherein the couplers are configured to be engageable with the product carriers and configured to transfer motion of the traction element loop to the product carrier .

By this arrangement, the carriers can be taken off the track and be individually manipulated and cleaned, while the track remains in service. Since products only come in contact with the carriers, the track need not be as highly cleaned as conventional chain and cloth belt conveyors need to be .

In the conveyor, the drive can be connected to a sprocket wheel. Thus the couplers can enter the recesses of the sprocket wheel. This can prevent the traction element from escaping from the sprocket wheel. The sprocket wheel can be provided with an outer circumferential groove configured for engaging with the traction element loop. Thus even a more secure position of the traction element on the sprocket wheel can be provided for.

The traction element loop can be a cable, ribbon, string or chain. Thus the traction element is moveable and flexible in all directions, while in longitudinal direction it remains relative unaffected by pulling forces. T

The couplers on the traction element loop can be provided with rollers. This may provide for a less friction of the traction element along the conveyor track. Thus a more smooth and less noisy motion may be obtained. The conveying track can be provided with grooves or rails for guiding the traction element and the couplers. Thus an even more smooth transport of the traction element can be given, even in curves in the horizontal or the vertical plane. In these curves a rail may hold the traction element n place, where otherwise, due to the radius of a curve, the element might escape. A track portion can comprise a switch, wherein two grooves or guiding rails are provided for guiding two traction elements, wherein one traction element is guided in the direction of a first branch of the switch and a second branch of the switch is guided in the direction of the second branch of the switch. Thus the conveyor system can be given more versatile options for guiding carriers to multiple destinations for further handling or packaging.

In combination with the conveyor, the invention pertains to a carrier suitable and configured for the conveyor as descried herein above, comprising: a carrying surface, suitable and configured to be placeable on the said conveyor track; an engaging portion, suitable and configured to engage with a coupler of the traction element loop.

Thus the carrier can be transported along the conveying track. The engaging portion can comprise a cam with slits. These slits can allow access of the traction element, and can prevent a coupler from slipping through.

Thus a coupler can get engaged with the cam and thus converts motion of the traction element to the carrier. The carrier can be provided with compression springs. Thus the cam gets engaged with a coupler, only if a load is carried by the carrier, sufficient in weight to compress the compression springs, such that the cam reengages with a coupler of the traction element.

The cam can be moveably positioned with the carrier, and is configured to be moveable by means of a shoulder provided on the conveyor track. Thus the conveyor track can be provided with shoulders at a handling station, such that the carrier gets disengaged from the traction element by lifting the cam, and can become reengaged, only when the carrier is actively pushed along the track, beyond the shoulder. The shoulder may be of a fixed type or a moveable type, such that workstations can be flexibly arranged along the conveyor track at will.

In order to further elucidate the invention, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In the figures:

Figure 1 depicts a first schematic perspective view of a conveyor track according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 depicts a schematic perspective underside view of carrier according another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 depicts a schematic perspective underside view of carrier according a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 depicts a detailed schematic perspective view of a conveyor track according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 depicts a schematic perspective view of a coupler according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 depicts a schematic perspective view of a coupler according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6B depicts a schematic perspective view of a coupler according to figure 6 in a tube portion according to another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 depicts a schematic perspective view of a coupler according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 depicts a schematic perspective view of a coupler according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 depicts a schematic perspective view of a contained string with couplers according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 depicts a schematic perspective view of a switch in a conveyor track according to a different embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 depicts a schematic perspective view of a carrier for a conveyor track according to a different embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 depicts a schematic perspective bottom side view of a carrier according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 13 depicts a schematic perspective view of a conveyor track and a carrier according to the embodiment of the invention as represented in figures 11 and 12; and

Figure 14 depicts a schematic perspective bottom side view of a carrier according to a further embodiment of the invention.

The figures represent specific exemplary embodiments of the inventions and should not be considered limiting the invention in any way or form. Throughout the description and the figures the same or corresponding reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding elements .

The expression "traction element loop" used herein is to be understood as, though not to be considered limited to a continuous loop of cord, cable, wire, tape, chain or any other suitable material wherein continuous means that the ends are connected to each other.

In figure 1, a schematic perspective view of a conveyor 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is presented. The conveyor 1 comprises a frame 2 on which a conveyor track 3 is mounted. On the conveyor track, carriers 4A and 4B are placed. The carriers 4A and 4B can be guided along the track and are transported by means of a cable 5, on which couplers 7A-7G are mounted on regular intervals.

The cable 5 is brought in motion by means of the sprocket wheel 6, having a series of dents 8 and recesses 9 at its circumference. On the outward looking face of the dents 8, a circumferential slit 21A is provided, which engages the cable 5, as can be seen in more detail in figure 4.

The sprocket wheel 6 is driven by a motor drive 10, which can be mounted on a bracket 11. The bracket 11 can be mounted on a support 12A of the support structure 2.

The recesses 9 in the outer circumference of the sprocket wheel allow for the couplers 7A-G to enter when they meet the sprocket wheel. Thus the recesses 9 can prevent the traction element 5 from exiting the slit 21A.

The supports 12A-12E can be provided with guiding members for guiding the return part of the cable 5. In the figure 1, these guiding members are guide rollers 13A-13E.

The couplers 7A-E can engage with the carriers 4A or 4B by abutting against a surface of a cam 16, while the cable is positioned in a slit 17A-G of the cam 16, as is shown in figure 2. In this figure, the underside of a carrier 4 is shown. Attached to the underside of the carrier 4 is the cam 16, which is provided with a series of slits 17A-G. Thus, when a carrier 4A or 4B is placed on the conveyor track 3, the traction element 5 pulls the carriers 4A and 4B along the conveyor track 3.

The carriers 4C can be provided with compression springsl8A and 18B as is depicted in figure 3. The compression springs 18A and 18B are positioned such that when the carrier 4C is loaded, the compression springs 18A and 18B are compressed, such that the cam 16 is pushed downward and is able to engage with the couplers 7A-7G on the traction element 5. Thus an unloaded carrier 4 is not transported along the conveying track 3 whereas a loaded carrier 4 is. This can be of an advantage at a handling station where the goods to be conveyed are taken off for handling or are put on the track for the first time. Thus empty carriers 4 can remain at the handling station, while loaded carries 4 are being transported.

In figure 4 a detailed perspective view is presented, where two conveyors 1A and IB are coupled. The first conveyor 1A is shown partially, of conveyor IB only the transporting elements are shown in solid lines, a schematic part of the track portion IB is shown in phantom. The sprocket wheel 6A is configured to be the return of the traction element 5A and the sprocket wheel 6B is the return of the traction element 5B. The sprocket wheels 6A and 6B can be positioned such, that seen in a transport direction T the horizontal portions of the traction elements 5A and 5B overlap, such that a smooth transition of the transportation of the carriers 4B can be provided.

When a carrier 4B approaches the sprocket wheel 7B, a coupler 7J of the traction element 5B will engage with a slit e.g. 17F of the cam 16, while coupler 7B of the traction element 5A will disengage from a slit e.g. 17A of the cam 16. Thus, a smooth transition can be provided for.

In the figure 4, the second sprocket wheel 6B is depicted mounted on a bracket 11B, which is attached to the support 12A of the conveyor 1A. Similarly, the sprocket wheel 6B can be mounted on a support or the frame of the second conveyor IB.

Figure 5 depicts a first embodiment of a coupler 7. In this figure the coupler 7 is shaped as a cylinder 22, having a axial through bore 23 for allowing the traction element 5 to pass through. The cylinder 22 is provided with bores 24 and 25 which can be provided with an inner thread for allowing tightening bolts to be screwed in, such that these tightening bolts can fix the position of the coupler 7 on the traction element 5.

Figure 6 shows an alternative sub-marine shaped coupler 7B. This coupler 7B is provided with a sleeve 26 having two distal cone shaped ends 28 and 30. The cone shaped ends 28 and 29 can provide an easier motion of the traction element over obstacles and ridges, when these show up along the conveying track. The sleeve 26 is provided with an engaging block 29, which can engage with the cam 16 of e.g. a carrier 4. The sub-marine shape of the coupler 7B can allow it to be transported through a guiding channel 49 like the open tube rail 48, as is depicted in figure 6B. The guiding channel can be shaped to form a guiding rail 48, wherein the engaging block 29 can extend outside an open slit of the guiding rail 48, and the sleeve 26 can be confined inside the guiding rail 48. Thus the traction element 5 can be guided along curves without exiting the guiding rail 48.

The engaging block 29 can be provided with bores 31 and 32, which can allow for a fixation of the coupler 7B on the traction element 5, as is shown in figure 6. This fixation is in a similar way described herein above with respect to the coupler 7 as depicted in figure 5.

In figure 7, an alternative coupler 33A is depicted that provided with three roller fixtures 35, 36 and 37, which are mounted on a cylindrical body 34 or which are being one part together with the body 34. Again the body 34 is provided with a through bore 46 for allowing the traction element 5 to pass through. The body 34 is further provided with bores 44 and 45 for fixation of the coupler 33A to the traction element 5, in a similar way as described herein above. The roller fixtures 35, 36 and 37 are positioned around the circumference of the body 34 at angles relative to each other of about 120 degrees. In alternative embodiments more or less orientations of rollers can be given under various angles. Each fixture 35, 36 and 37 holds a pair of rollers, 38 and 39, 40 and 41 and 42, 43 respectively.

The rollers 38-43 are allowed to run along the inner surface of the tube portion 49 of an open tube rail 48, as shown in figure 9. The rollers can provide for a smoother transport of the traction element through the rail 48. Back to figure 7, the body 34 of the coupler 33 is further provided with an engaging block 47, which is allowed to extend through the open longitudinal slit of the rail 48 in order to be able to engage with the cam 16 of e.g. the carriers 4.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in figure 8, coupler 33D is provided with two pairs of rollers 54, 55 and 56. In this embodiment, the rollers 54-56 are positioned between a base 52 and plate 53. The base 52 is provided with a through bore for allowing the traction element 5 to pass through. The rollers 54-56 can allow the traction element to pass through a curve, without exiting a groove 58 or 59 as is depicted in figure 10.

In figure 10 a switch 57 is shown, wherein in a support surface 60, two grooves 58 and 59 are provided, each for guiding a traction element 5A and 5B respectively. On the traction element 5A are mounted a series of couplers 33D, 33E, 33F, 33G and 33H. On the traction element 5B are mounted a series of couplers 331, 33J, 33K, 33L and 33M.

The switch track 57 is splitting in a straight and in a curved track, each provided with a groove 58 and 59 respectively. A carrier 65, as shown in figure 11 and 12 can have an engaging slide 69 positioned in a direction P, perpendicular to the transport direction Tl, on location A, such that the slide 69 is engaged by coupler 33E and transported in direction Tl as indicated in figure 10 to be in the direction of the straight track portion. If the selector 66 is shifted to a position B, as shown in phantom in figure 12, the engaging slide 69 is engaged by coupler 33J instead and, since coupler 33J is affixed to traction element 5B the carrier 65 is now transported in direction T2, being the curved track portion of the switch 57, depicted in figures 10 and 13.

Thus an operator or automated system can slide the selector 66 to various positions along slit 67 corresponding to various destinations indicated by the destination indicator 68 integrated within the carrier 65. Each position can correspond to an individual traction element 5, and thus be transported to a selected destination. If complex systems are used, the slit 67 can even be provided with more than 1 selector, such that a variation of destinations can be extended.

In Figure 14, a bottom side view of a carrier 4D is depicted. The carrier 4D is provided with a cam 76, which is moveably arranged in a collar 75. The cam 76 can move in a direction H perpendicular to the carrying surface of the carrier 4D. The cam 76 can be lifted by e.g. a lifting shoulder 73, as is provided on the surface 60 of the switch 57 of figure 10. The shoulder can lift the cam 76, such that engagement of any of the traction elements 5A or 5B is not possible, until an operator moves the carrier 4D beyond the shoulder 73, such that the cam 76 is allowed to move back in its lower position and engagement with a traction element 5 again is possible, thus moving the carrier 4D further along the conveyor track 57. The cam 76 can be spring-loaded in order to move back in its more extended position easily.

The invention is to be understood not to be limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures and described in the specification. For instance the grooves 58 and 59 are provided as having a rectangular cross section. The grooves can similarly be tubular rails as is depicted in figure 8. The rectangular cross section provides for a less complex manufacturing, whereas the tubular rails provide for a better guidance of the traction element in curves, switches and when the track portions in question are going up or down.

Further, the couplers can have more directions, in which the rollers are arranged, such as a square, 90 degrees arrangement, suitable for e.g. a rectangular open tube, a 6-fold 60 degree arrangement for a circular or six angle open tube and/or any other suitable arrangement as required.

These and other modifications are considered to be variations that are part of the framework, the spirit and the scope of the invention outlined in the claims.

List of reference signs 1. Conveyor IA. Conveyor IB. Conveyor 2 . Support structure 3 . Conveyor track 4A-B. Carrier 5. Traction element 6. Sprocket wheel 6A-B. Sprocket wheel 7A-G. Coupler 8. Dent 9. Recess 10. Motor 11A-B. Bracket 12A-E. Support 13A-E. Guide rollers 14. Inclined circumference 15. Bottom surface 16. Cam 17A-G. Slot 18A-B. Compression springs 19A-B. Guiding rods 20A-B. Sprocket wheel 21A-B. Circumferential slits 22. Cylinder 23. Through bore 24. Bore 25. Bore 26. Sleeve 27. Cone end 28. Cone end 29. Block 30. Through bore 31. Bore 32. Bore 33A-M. Coupler 34. Body 35. Roller fixture 36. Roller fixture 37. Roller fixture 38. Roller 39. Roller 40. Roller 41. Roller 42. Roller 43. Roller 44. Bore 45. Bore 46. Through Bore 47. Block 48. Open tube rail 49. Tube portion 50. Flange 51. Flange 52. Base 53. Plate 54. Roller 55. Roller 56. Roller 57. Switch track 58. Groove 59. Groove 60. Support surface 61. Guide 62. Guide 63. Guide 64. Guide 65. Carrier 66. Selector 67. Slit 68. Destination indicator 69. Engaging slide 70. Male connector 71. Male connector 72. Female connector 73. Lifting shoulder 74. Engaging element 75. Guiding collar 76. Cam A. Location B. Location H. Direction P. Direction T. Transport direction

Tl. Transport direction T2. Transport direction

Claims

Claims

1. A conveyor, comprising: a conveyor track, comprising guides; a traction element loop provided with couplers; a drive; wherein a part of the traction element loop is arranged along the conveyor track; wherein the drive is configured to transfer motion to the traction element loop; wherein product carriers according to claim 8 are removably placeable on the conveyor track; wherein the guides are configured to allow and guide the product carriers along the conveyor track; wherein the couplers are configured to be engageable with the product carriers and configured to transfer motion of the traction element loop to the product carrier.

1. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the drive is connected to a sprocket wheel.
2. A conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the sprocket wheel is provided with an outer circumferential groove configured for engaging with the traction element loop.
3. A conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the traction element loop is a cable or chain.
4. A Conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the couplers are provided with rollers.
5. A conveyor according to any preceding claims, wherein the conveying track is provided with grooves or rails for guiding the traction element loop and the couplers .
6. A conveyor according to any preceding claims, wherein a track portion comprises a switch, wherein two grooves or guiding rails are provided for guiding two traction elements, wherein one traction element is guided in the direction of a first branch of the switch and a second traction element of the switch is guided in the direction of the second branch of the switch.
7. A carrier suitable and configured for the conveyor according to claim 1, comprising: A carrying surface, suitable and configured to be placeable on the conveyor track of a carrier according to any of the claims 1-6; An engaging portion, suitable and configured to engage with a coupler of the traction element loop.
9. A carrier according to claim 8,wherein the engaging portion comprises a cam with slits.
10. A carrier according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the carrier is provided with compression springs.
11. A carrier according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the cam is moveably positioned with the carrier, and is configured to be moveable by means of a shoulder provided on the conveyor track.