Tape drive conveyor

#The present invention relates generally to conveyors and, more particularly, to roller conveyors.

#Roller conveyors are known and typically include at least one powered or motorized roller and a plurality of idler or freely rotating rollers. The idler rollers are driven via the powered roller and a plurality of O-rings or bands around adjacent rollers. For example, the motorized roller may be connected to and drive an adjacent idler roller via one O-ring, while the adjacent idler roller may in turn be connected to and drive a second adjacent idler roller via another O-ring, and so on along a zone or set of rollers of a roller conveyor. The O-rings are thin rubber bands positioned within grooves at an end of the rollers.

#The O-rings of such conveyors are thin and, thus, may burn out and break if slipping occurs between the roller and the O-ring, such as may occur during starting and stopping of the rollers when articles are positioned on the rollers. In order to replace the O-rings, the rollers have to be at least partially removed from the sidewalls of the conveyor. Because slippage often occurs between the rollers and the O-rings during starting and stopping of the rollers when articles are positioned on the rollers, such roller conveyors are not well-suited for accumulating articles on one or more zones of the conveyor. Also, the speed of such known roller conveyors is typically limited to approximately 150 to 200 feet per minute (fpm) to reduce wear on the O-rings.

#FIG. 1 is a plan view of a roller conveyor and a tape drive system in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the roller conveyor and tape drive system taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a zone or section of the roller conveyor and tape drive system of FIG. 2;

#Referring now specifically to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a roller conveyor 10 includes a plurality of rollers 12 mounted to and extending between a pair of opposite sidewalls 14, and a tape drive system 16 which is operable to drive the rollers 12 of the conveyor 10 via driving a drive member or tape or belt 22 which is engaged with the rollers 12 (FIGS. 1-4). The rollers 12 comprise a plurality of idler or freely rotating rollers and define a conveying surface of the conveyor 10. Tape drive system 16 may be divided into a series of two or more tape drive units 17 arranged in two or more tandem zones 10a, with each tape drive unit 17 including a continuous tape or belt 22 routed or reeved around a powered or motorized or directly driven roller 18 and an end roller or pulley or guide 24 of tape drive unit 17, such that the tape 22 is movable or drivable in a continuous loop around the driven roller 18 and guide 24 of each tape drive unit 17. Tape drive system 16 further includes a plurality of snubbers or engaging rollers or guides 26. Rotation of driven roller 18 causes corresponding rotation of the idler rollers 12 of the conveyor via tape 22 being snubbed or forced or urged against the lower portion 12a of the rollers 12 via snubbers 26, as discussed in detail below.

#As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, snubbers 26 are positioned generally between at least some of the adjacent pairs of rollers 12, with tape 22 wrapped or reeved around the end guide 24, snubbers 26 and driven roller 18. In the illustrated embodiment, driven roller 18 is positioned at an end of the tape drive unit 17, which is positioned below rollers 12 of zone 10a of roller conveyor 10. Snubbers 26 are spaced along the zone 10a and positioned between some of the other adjacent pairs of rollers 12. The snubbers 26 are positioned upward and partially between the adjacent pairs of rollers, such that they are in an engaging position, whereby the snubbers force or urge tape 22 into engagement with the lower portion 12a of the adjacent rollers 12. Snubbers 26 may be positioned such that an upper surface or portion 26a of each snubber 26 may be at or above the lower surface or portion 12a of rollers 12, whereby tape 22 may be urged into engagement with the lower portion 12a of the rollers 12 at either side of the respective snubbers 26.

#Because multiple snubbers 26 may be spaced along the zone 10a of the conveyor 10, the tape 22 may be forced into engagement with substantially each of the rollers 12 of the zone 10a. A snubber 26 may be positioned at approximately every other gap between adjacent rollers, such that substantially each roller 12 of zone 10a may have tape 22 pressed against the lower portion 12a of the roller by a snubber 26 positioned at at least one side of the roller 12, as can be seen in FIG. 3. Although snubbers 26 are illustrated as rollers, other guiding surfaces, such as low friction stationary surfaces can be used, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Also, the design and position of snubbers 26 may be different from that illustrated herein, without affecting the scope of the present invention.