Belt connector and method

#Applicant hereby claims the priority benefits under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §119, basing said claim of priority on PCT/EP20009/003344, claiming priority to EPC 080093586, filed May 21, 2008. In accordance with the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §119 and Rule 55(b), a certified copy of the above-listed EPC patent application will be filed before grant of a patent.

#The present invention relates to belt connectors of the type having wire hooks to interconnect the opposite ends of a belt. Each wire hook has two shanks arranged on opposite sides of the belt, and furthermore has hook ends adjoining the shanks, wherein the hook ends are pressed into the carcass of the belt. Each wire hook also has a coupling loop connecting the two shanks. The belt connector furthermore has a flat cover element that extends on both sides of the belt to cover portions of the hook assembly. The cover element extends across the width of the belt, and has a carrier material and a coating applied to the side facing the belt, that is made of a thermoplastic or an adhesive, especially a hot melt adhesive or an elastic adhesive, for attaching the cover element to the belt.

#The invention furthermore relates to a method for producing such a belt connection.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, and depicts a side view of an arrangement of wire hooks held by means of a cross wire; the arrangement is used in a cover element, another cover element being connected to the cover element;

#FIG. 2 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, and depicts a side view of an arrangement of wire hooks held by means of a cross wire; the arrangement is used in a cover element;

#FIG. 3 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 1, and depicts a longitudinal section through the arrangement of belt and wire hooks connected thereto and furthermore depicts the shanks of the wire hooks and the cover elements covering the belt;

#For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “rear”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIGS. 1 and 4. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

#For the first embodiment, FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 depict a belt connector assembly having a plurality of wire hooks 1. Each wire hook 1 has a long shank 2 and a short shank 3, as well as a coupling loop 4 that connects the two shanks 2 and 3 to one another. The free end of each shank 2 and 3 is embodied as a hook section 5, with a tip 6 that faces the opposing shank. A plurality of wire hooks 1, comprising eight wire hooks 1 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, form a hook strip or assembly 7, wherein each successive wire hook 1 is being rotated 180° C. relative to the axis 8 shown in FIG. 1.

#The lower shanks 2 and 3 of the hook assembly 7 (relative to the orientation according to FIG. 1) are laterally interconnected along the transition areas of the coupling loops 4 by means of a cross wire 9. Thus, the cross wire 9 positively positions wire hooks 1 relative to one another in a defined manner. The hook assembly 7 depicted in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 is used with a plate-shaped cover sheet or element 10. The cover element 10 has a rectangular main surface, wherein the cross wire 9 is oriented parallel to the end edges of the cover element 10. The cover element 10 may be shaped similar to the cover element disclosed in EP 1 338 825 A1, for instance. In the illustrated example, cover element 10 is provided with eight parallel slots. Each slot receives therein one of the wire hooks 1 in the area of the coupling loops 4. Correspondingly, the slots are oriented parallel to the narrow edges of the cover element 10. Each slot is just long enough to receive therein an associated one of the wire hooks 1 in the area adjacent to the cross wire 9. Fundamentally, it is not necessary to have a cross wire 9, especially if the cover element 10 is sufficiently rigid for receiving and positioning the wire hooks 1.