# US 2014/0197009 A1 · Conveyor means with concave belt > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197009 A1 - Document ID: US20140197009A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/150,922 - Filed: 2014-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: BEUMER GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: BEUMER GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Heino HEITPLATZ; Jan Josef JESPER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197009A1 ## CPC - B65G 15/08: the load-carrying surface being formed by a concave or tubular belt, e.g. a belt forming a trough - B65G 15/62: Guides for sliding belts - 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) ## Abstract A conveyor means with an elastic load-bearing means guided between two drive and return rollers which are spaced apart parallel to and opposite one another, wherein the load-bearing means circulates endlessly in a carrying run and a lower run, is flexible in all directions and is configured to receive articles to be conveyed, and which can be driven in a conveying direction by means of drive trains disposed on longitudinal edges of the load-bearing means, characterised in that a support means for the carrying run is located between the carrying run and the lower run, wherein the drive trains are stretched to a greater extent than a region of the load-bearing means located between them. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A conveyor means with an elastic load-bearing means guided between two drive and return rollers which are spaced apart parallel to and opposite one another, wherein said load-bearing means circulates endlessly in a carrying run and a lower run, is flexible in all directions and is configured to receive articles to be conveyed, and which can be driven in a conveying direction by means of drive trains disposed on longitudinal edges of said load-bearing means, characterised in that a support means for the carrying run is located between the carrying run and the lower run, wherein the drive trains are stretched to a greater extent than a region of the load-bearing means located between them. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support means is given a concave shape when seen in the direction of the carrying run. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support means is curved one-dimensionally and has a linear or flat deepest region between and parallel to the drive and return rollers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support means is curved two-dimensionally and has a deepest region over a certain area or at a point between the drive and return rollers and between the longitudinal edges of the load-bearing means. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support means has one or two supporting region(s) adjacent to one or both drive and return roller(s). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support means has one or two supporting edge region(s) adjacent to one or both longitudinal edges of the load-bearing mean. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, in the unloaded state, the load-bearing means does not touch the support means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, in the unloaded state, some regions of the load-bearing means rest on the support means. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that when the load-bearing means is in an unloaded state, the drive trains are guided between the drive and return rollers with a predetermined or adjustable biasing force. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a lower support means is disposed beneath the lower run of the load-bearing means in order to limit or eliminate the sag of the lower run. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the drive trains are toothed belts fixed on the inside to the longitudinal edges of the load-bearing means. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the load-bearing means has a greater deflection radius on at least one of the drive and return rollers in the region of the drive trains than in a region located between them. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the drive and return rollers have a plurality of zones of different diameters along their axial length (L), through which zones with different degrees of stretching are formed in the load-bearing means. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A vehicle with a conveyor means as claimed in claim 1, wherein a conveying direction of the conveyor means is transverse to a direction of travel of the vehicle, especially configured as a car of a load item conveyor which is connected mechanically or in a controlled manner to further vehicles of the same kind and is rail-mounted or is configured as a driverless transport system.