# US 2014/0151197 A1 · Continuous conveyor for transporting heavy bulk materials or unit loads > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151197 A1 - Document ID: US20140151197A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/175,326 - Filed: 2014-02-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-10 - Assignees: Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH - Applicants: Powertrans S.A. - Inventors: Sepp Lachenmaier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151197A1 ## CPC - B65G 23/24: Gearing between driving motor and belt- or chain-engaging elements (contained in drums, rollers or wheels B65G23/08) - B65G 15/30: Belts or like endless load-carriers (co-operating with rails or the like B65G21/22; {co-operating} with rollers B65G39/20) - B65G 23/00: Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements - B65G 23/22: Arrangements or mountings of driving motors {(B65G23/08 takes precedence)} - B65G 39/12: mounted on framework - H02K 7/1004: {with pulleys} - H02K 7/116: with gears - H02K 19/02: Synchronous motors - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A continuous conveyor such as, for example, a conveyor belt for transporting heavy bulk materials or unit loads comprises an endless tractive transport means that revolves between a driving roller and a return roller. The driving roller is driven by a permanently excited multi-pole synchronous motor that delivers a very high torque at a comparatively slow nominal speed. The synchronous motor can drive the driving roller directly or alternatively via a single-stage step-down gear with low reduction factor. The inventive drive is characterized by a mass moment of inertia that is up to 10-times lower than in conventional drive systems. In this way, the risk of damaging or even tearing the belt during disruptions is substantially reduced such that the operational reliability significantly increases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A continuous conveyor for transporting heavy bulk materials or unit loads, comprising: a driving roller; a return roller; an endless tractive transport that revolves between the driving and return rollers; and an electromotive drive coupled to the driving roller, the drive comprising at least one permanently excited multi-pole synchronous motor, the revolution speed of which is no more than 15-times as fast as the operating revolution speed of the driving roller of the tractive transport. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the synchronous motor directly drives the driving roller such that the motor speed corresponds to the operating speed of the driving roller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the nominal speed of the synchronous motor is between 5 rpm and 100 rpm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the nominal speed of the synchronous motor is between 20 rpm and 50 rpm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the synchronous motor delivers a torque between 50 kNm and 800 kNm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the synchronous motor delivers a torque between 100 kNm and 500 kNm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the synchronous motor has a power output between 50 kW and 2000 kW. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The continuous conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the synchronous motor has a power output between 100 kW and 1000 kW. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the synchronous motor drives the driving roller via a single-stage step-down gear with a reduction ratio in the range between 2 and 15. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the synchronous motor drives the driving roller via a single-stage step-down gear with a reduction ratio in the range between 5 and 10. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The continuous conveyor according to claim 10, wherein the nominal speed of the synchronous motor is between 10 rpm and 700 rpm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The continuous conveyor according to claim 10, wherein the nominal speed of the synchronous motor is between 50 rpm and 300 rpm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The continuous conveyor according to claim 10, wherein the synchronous motor delivers a torque between 30 kNm and 400 kNm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The continuous conveyor according to claim 10, wherein the synchronous motor delivers a torque between 50 kNm and 250 kNm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the motor frequency of the synchronous motor is between 20 Hz and 150 Hz. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the number of pole pairs of the synchronous motor is between 6 and 50. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the number of pole pairs of the synchronous motor is between 8 and 15. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The continuous conveyor according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic frequency converter that drives the synchronous motor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The continuous conveyor according to claim 18, wherein the torque and the speed of the synchronous motor are monitored, controlled and limited as a function of the conveying process. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The continuous conveyor according to claim 19, wherein the speed of the tractive transport means is controlled by controlling the speed of the synchronous motor such that the loading of the tractive transport means is stabilized. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The continuous conveyor according to claim 19, wherein the conveyed loads are determined by the frequency converter.