Monitoring system for conveyor belt ancillary devices

A method for affixing a sensor to a conveyor belt, comprising:

• forming an opening in at least one surface of opposite surfaces of a conveyor belt sized and configured to receive at least a portion of a sensor therein;
• engaging first and second plate members with the opposite surfaces of the conveyor belt with the opening therebetween, the sensor being secured directly to an inner belt facing surface of one of the first and second plate members;
• positioning at least a portion of the sensor within the opening so that at least one of the first and second plate members encloses the sensor within an enclosed pocket;
• and
• fastening the first and second plate members to one another and to the conveyor belt.

A monitoring system for monitoring a conveyor belt comprising:

• a sensor positioned within an enclosed pocket, the enclosed pocket formed by an opening in at least one of opposite surfaces of the conveyor belt and at least one of a first plate member and a second plate member that encloses the sensor within the enclosed pocket and that has an inner belt facing surface to which the sensor is directly secured, wherein the first and second plate members are fastened to one another with the conveyor belt clamped therebetween;
• a sensor module positioned adjacent the conveyor belt configured for receiving a signal from the sensor to detect a presence of the sensor when the sensor comes into proximity with the sensor module;
• and
• communication circuitry operably connected with the sensor module configured to transmit data associated with the detection of the sensor for processing.

A monitoring system for monitoring a conveyor belt comprising:

• a sensor positioned within an enclosed pocket, the enclosed pocket formed by an opening in at least one of opposite surfaces of the conveyor belt and at least one of a first plate member and a second plate member that encloses the sensor within the enclosed pocket, wherein the first and second plate members are fastened to one another with the conveyor belt clamped therebetween;
• a sensor module positioned adjacent the conveyor belt configured for receiving a signal from the sensor to detect a presence of the sensor when the sensor comes into proximity with the sensor module;
• communication circuitry operably connected with the sensor module configured to transmit data associated with the detection of the sensor for processing;
• and
• a control system remote from the sensor module configured to receive and store data associated with the detection of the sensor via a communication hub,
• wherein the control system is configured to maintain a digital twin of a portion of the conveyor belt associated with the sensor.