Shrink conveyor and method for allowing shrink in a continuous strip
AssigneeVmi Holland B.V.
InventorWillem Marinus Van Beek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shrink conveyor and a method are provided for allowing shrink in a continuous strip. The shrink conveyor comprises a plurality of rollers, a frame that defines a plurality of roller positions, and a first drive member for driving the plurality of rollers. Each roller of the plurality of rollers comprises a first driven part that has a first drive profile that tapers. The first drive member is arranged for rotating the plurality of rollers through contact with the first driven parts at a rotation speed in a transmission ratio to the speed of the first drive member in such a way that the first drive member contacts the first driven part of each roller of the at least three rollers at a different diameter for each roller.
Claims28
A shrink conveyor for allowing shrink in a continuous strip, the shrink conveyor comprising:
- a plurality of rollers;
- a frame that defines a plurality of roller positions fixed and spaced apart in a transport direction for holding the plurality of rollers in a mutually parallel orientation perpendicular to said transport direction;
- and
- a first drive member for driving the plurality of rollers,
- wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers comprises a roller body that is rotatable about a roller axis extending in an axial direction and a first driven part connected to said roller body coaxially to the roller axis,
- wherein the first driven part in a cross section parallel to the axial direction has a first drive profile,
- wherein the first drive profile for at least three rollers of the plurality of rollers tapers at a taper rate that is different for each roller of the at least three rollers,
- wherein the first drive member is arranged for rotating the plurality of rollers through contact with said first driven parts at a rotation speed in a transmission ratio to a speed of the first drive member that is defined by a diameter of the first driven part at a contact position of the first drive member along the respective first drive profiles,
- wherein the first drive member is movable with at least a vector component in a lateral direction parallel to the axial direction of the plurality of rollers in such a way that the first drive member contacts the first driven part of each roller of the at least three rollers at a different diameter for each roller.
A shrink conveyor for allowing shrink in a continuous strip, the shrink conveyor comprising:
- a plurality of rollers;
- a frame that defines a plurality of roller positions fixed and spaced apart in a transport direction for holding the plurality of rollers in a mutually parallel orientation perpendicular to said transport direction;
- and
- a first drive member for driving the plurality of rollers,
- wherein each roller of the plurality of rollers comprises a roller body that is rotatable about a roller axis extending in an axial direction and a first driven part connected to said roller body coaxially to the roller axis,
- wherein the first driven part in a cross section parallel to the axial direction has a first drive profile,
- wherein the first drive profile for at least three rollers of the plurality of rollers tapers at a taper rate,
- wherein the first drive member is arranged for rotating the plurality of rollers through contact with said first driven parts at a rotation speed in a transmission ratio to a speed of the first drive member that is defined by a diameter of the first driven part at a contact position of the first drive member along the respective first drive profiles,
- wherein the first drive member is movable with at least a vector component in a lateral direction parallel to the axial direction of the plurality of rollers in such a way that the first drive member contacts the first driven part of each roller of the at least three rollers at a different diameter for each roller,
- wherein each roller of the at least three rollers comprise a second driven part connected to the roller body coaxially to the roller axis,
- wherein the second driven part in a cross section parallel to the axial direction has a second drive profile,
- wherein the second drive profile for the at least three rollers of the plurality of rollers tapers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.