Radius conveyor belt

#This invention relates to conveyor belts and, more particularly, to modular plastic conveyor belts formed of rows of plastic belt modules pivotally interlinked by transverse pivot rods.

#Because they do not corrode, are light weight, and are easy to clean, unlike metal conveyor belts, plastic conveyor belts are used widely, especially in conveying food products. Modular plastic conveyor belts are made up of molded plastic modular links, or belt modules, that can be arranged side by side in rows of selectable width. A series of spaced apart link ends extending from each side of the modules include aligned apertures to accommodate a pivot rod. The link ends along one end of a row of modules are interconnected with the link ends of an adjacent row. A pivot rod journaled in the aligned apertures of the side-by-side and end-to-end connected modules forms a hinge between adjacent rows. Rows of belt modules are connected together to form an endless conveyor belt capable of articulating about a drive sprocket.

#In many industrial applications, conveyor belts are used to carry products along paths including curved segments. Belts capable of flexing sidewise to follow curved paths are referred to as side-flexing, turn, or radius belts. As a radius belt negotiates a turn, the belt must be able to fan out because the edge of the belt at the outside of the turn follows a longer path than the edge at the inside of the turn. In order to fan out, a modular plastic radius belt typically has provisions that allow it to collapse at the inside of a turn or to spread out at the outside of the turn.

#The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:

#FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a radius conveyor belt module of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the belt module of the present invention;

#Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 9 show a first embodiment of a modular belt 20 of the present invention. The portion of the modular belt 20 shown is formed from molded plastic modules 23, 26, 27 and 29 (FIG. 7). For reference, the direction of belt travel is indicated by arrow 32, however, the belt of the present invention may be conveyed in either direction. A pivot rod 35 (FIG. 7) connects adjacent belt modules by passing through openings in the modules disposed transverse to the direction of belt travel.

#As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary one of the belt module 26 has a cross-rib 38 supporting a plurality of first link ends 41 and a plurality of second link ends 44. The first link ends 41 are disposed in the direction of belt travel indicated by arrow 32 and the plurality of second link ends 44 extend opposite the first link ends 41. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the cross-rib 38 is comprised of an upper, transverse stiffening web 47 forming into a lower corrugated portion 50 (shown in broken lines in FIG. 1). The corrugated portion 50 forms a series of ridges 53 and valleys 56 in a sinusoidal manner. Along with the transverse web 47 of the cross-rib 38, the ridges 53 extending toward the right of FIG. 2 support the first link ends 41 while the ridges 53 extending toward the left in the drawing support the second link ends 44.

#The first link ends 41 include a leg portion 59 connected through an angled portion 62 to a distal head portion 65. In a similar manner, the second link ends 44 include a leg portion 68 connected through an angled portion 71 to a distal head portion 74.