Reinforced belt having reduced electrical resistivity and method for producing same

A link belt, comprising:

• a plurality of overlapping interconnected links, wherein each link comprises:
• an upper conductive layer;
• a lower conductive layers;
• a matrix material between the upper and lower conductive layers, wherein the matrix material has a resistivity that is substantially greater than the resistivity of the upper and lower conductive layers;
• and
• a reinforcement layer embedded within the matrix material having greater modulus of elasticity than the matrix material;
• and
• wherein contact points between the conductive layers of adjacent links provide an electrically conductive path along the length of the belt to impede the build-up of static charge on the belt.

A method for producing a link belt, comprising the steps of:

• reinforcing a binding material with a layer of reinforcing material;
• providing a layer of electrically conductive material to form a composite material formed of the binding material, reinforcing material and electrically conductive material;
• curing the composite material to create belt material;
• cutting a plurality of links from the belt material, wherein the stop of cutting comprises cutting an aperture into each link so that the aperture comprises an interior edge exposing a plurality of points of the electrically conductive material;
• connecting the plurality of links to form a series of successive overlapping links, wherein the step of connecting the plurality of links comprises the step of:
• inserting a connector having an exposed electrically conductive surface into an aperture of an adjacent link, such that the connector for a link engages one or more of the electrically conductive points along the interior edge of an aperture of one of the adjacent links.

A link belt, comprising:

• a plurality of overlapping interconnected links, wherein each link comprises:
• a conductive layer;
• a matrix material having a resistivity that is substantially greater than the resistivity of the conductive layer;
• a reinforcement layer embedded within the matrix material having greater modulus of elasticity than the matrix material;
• an aperture through the thickness of the link, wherein the aperture has an internal edge and the conductive layer forms one or more exposed electrically conductive points at the internal edge of the aperture;
• and
• a plurality of connectors for connecting the links together, wherein the connectors comprise an exposed electrically connective point along an outer surface, wherein each connector provides an electrically conductive path between a link and one or more of the exposed electrically conductive points at the internal edge of the aperture of an adjacent link.

A link belt, comprising:

• a plurality of overlapping interconnected links, wherein each link comprises:
• a connector for connecting the link with an adjacent link;
• a matrix material having a modulus of elasticity and a conductivity;
• a reinforcement layer embedded within the matrix material having higher modulus of elasticity than the matrix material;
• and
• a conductive layer formed at an outer layer of the matrix material, wherein the conductive layer has a resistivity that is substantially less than the resistivity of the matrix material, and wherein the conductive layer is formed of a sheet of metal fibers comprising a sheet of metallic textile comprising a non-woven non-metal fabric coated with a layer of metallic material.