Belt Tracking Sensor Patents (Class 198/810.03)
  • Patent number: 10488282
    Abstract: An improved system for monitoring drive members in a belt-driven application during installation and during operation and for detecting common failure modes in belt-driven equipment is disclosed. Sensors are positioned within or proximate the motor housing to detect vibrations on the belt or in the electric machine. The vibration signals are used to monitor operating conditions and/or to identify the failure modes in belt-driven equipment. The vibration signals may be used, for example, to determine tension on a belt, detect either a static or dynamic force applied along the belt, a misalignment between a pulley and the belt, or a shock load applied to the belt during operation. By monitoring the various operating conditions of the belt-driven equipment, a controller may identify an existing failure mode or predict a premature failure mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arun K. Guru, Linglai Li, John Balcerak, Robert H. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10025230
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus detects a position of a target object. One end of a swinging member contacts the target object, and the other end contacts a moving member. (M+1) pieces of sensors are arranged to output signals corresponding to a position of the moving member. Measured parts are disposed on the moving member along loci of measuring positions of the sensors. A detection unit detects the position of the target object based on the output signals of M pieces of sensors when the other sensor outputs a predetermined signal. The measured parts corresponding to the other sensor are provided in 2M pieces of divided areas that are disposed along a locus corresponding to the other sensor. Each of the measured parts corresponding to the other sensor is disposed in a center portion except both ends in the moving direction in each of the divided areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kana Oshima, Shusuke Miura
  • Patent number: 10012498
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing an indication of the perpendicularity of a conveyor belt idler with respect to a reference line known to be parallel to a direction of movement of a conveyor belt when the conveyor belt is disposed on the conveyor belt idler. An idler roller attachment structure is provided to be temporarily attached to a first idler roller having a first rotational axis. An elongated member is rotatably and axially moveably operatively attached to the idler roller attachment structure along a reference axis of rotation which is parallel to the first rotational axis. A laser, having a laser beam, is operatively attached to the elongated member, the laser beam being perpendicular to the reference axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Allen V. Reicks
  • Patent number: 9846399
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus detects a position of a target in a predetermined direction. One end of a swinging member contacts the target, and the other end contacts a moving member. Sensors are arranged to output signals corresponding to a position of the moving member that corresponds to a position of the moving member. A detection unit detects the position of the target based on the output signals of the sensors. Measured parts are disposed on the moving member along loci of measuring positions of the sensors so that the sum total of the output signals becomes an even number. The detection unit determines that any one of the sensors failed in a case where the sum total of the output signals of the sensors is an odd number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kana Oshima, Shusuke Miura
  • Patent number: 9533832
    Abstract: A misaligned belt sensing apparatus determines when a conveyor belt becomes misaligned, indicating repair or replacement are required. At least one sensing apparatus is placed nearly in contact with the belt which produces heat due to friction between the belt and the apparatus when it comes in contact with same due to misalignment. The sensed temperature is compared to threshold values and indicates when the conveyor belt has become misaligned, as well as determining operational wear status of the sensing apparatus after a number of such misalignments. Each heat sensing apparatus comprises at least one thermally conductive plate where a moving misaligned belt rubs against the thermally conductive plate and generates heat due to friction between the moving belt and the thermally conductive plate, where each plate has one or more independent temperature sensing elements for misalignment detection and indication, also detecting wear status of the plates of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Inventors: Norman Victor Wheat, Jonathan Norman Wheat
  • Patent number: 9359146
    Abstract: Monitoring system for a conveyor of articles (100). The conveyor of articles comprises at least one transport chain (105) adapted to be moved along a movement direction, and a guide structure (132) of the transport chain comprising a lower guide element (135) adapted to support the chain from below and a higher guide element (140) adapted to insist on the chain from above and facing toward the lower guide element. The system comprises at least one first magnetic field generator element (155) located in a first guide element, at least one magnetic field sensor (160) located in a second selected guide element for sensing the magnitude of a measure magnetic field, and processing means (165) for quantifying a reduction of the overall thickness of the chain based on a time variation of the measure magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: REXNORD FLATTOP EUROPE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Fabio Salice, Carlo Moroni, Roberto Mariani, Roberto Galli
  • Patent number: 9302853
    Abstract: A conveying installation has least one endless conveyor belt guided via a plurality of rollers along a leading belt run for conveying material or products and a returning belt run, particularly for manufacturing a paper web with a wire belt or felt belt. At least one of the rollers has an adjustable mounting for adjusting and correcting a direction of movement of the conveyor belt. A tensioning unit for detecting and controlling a tension of the conveyor belt has a pressure-measuring apparatus disposed at the adjustable mounting. A movement correction unit for detecting deviations of a direction of movement of the conveyor belt from a correct movement and for correcting the movement includes a sensor that is disposed to monitor a lateral periphery of the conveyor belt. A sensor output of the sensor is used for adjusting the adjustable mounting of the one of the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: JUD Aktiengesellschaft Papiermaschinen
    Inventor: Klaus Bartelmuss
  • Patent number: 9300836
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit, a reflectance sensor, a time-series data acquiring unit, and a transfer-unit rotation-time calculating unit. The time-series data acquiring unit is configured to acquire time-series data with respect to the image carrier background-portion reflectance, measured by the reflectance sensor, as reference data over a time period twice longer than a time period that by design the image carrier requires for one cycle, and as advance/delay data over a time period twice longer than a time period longer or shorter in multiples of a predetermined time interval than the by-design time period. The transfer-unit rotation-time calculating unit is configured to calculate a one-cycle-time calculation value that is the time actually required for one cycle of the image carrier, based on the reference data and the advance/delay data acquired by the time-series data acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Kokomoto, Kenji Miyamoto, Takahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 9162818
    Abstract: Modular conveyor mat (1), comprising a number of rows (2) of modules (3), successive in the conveying direction (P) of the conveyor mat, which modules are provided with a body part (4) from plastic extending transversely to the conveying direction, which is provided with an upper surface (5), and which is provided, viewed in conveying direction, at the front (8) and rear (9) with a series of coupling elements (11) spaced apart with mutual interspaces (10). Coupling elements and interspaces of modules successive in conveying direction interdigitate, and are hingedly coupled with the aid of pins (12). The conveyor mat is provided with reinforcing strips (14) included in the body parts of the modules, spaced apart at a mutual intermediate distance transversely to the conveying direction, which extend in conveying direction between successive hinge pins, and which are provided adjacent their ends (15) with recesses (16) in which the hinge pins successive in conveying direction are received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: REXNORD FLATTOP EUROPE B.V.
    Inventors: Joost Martinus van den Berg, Cornelis Hendrik Mijndert Menke
  • Patent number: 9116130
    Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidemasa Suzuki, Koji Masuda, Susumu Momma
  • Publication number: 20150114800
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for transporting shaped bodies such as, for example, substantially non-rigid, biscuit dough shaped bodies, from a receiving region into a transfer region, and for transferring the shaped bodies onto a transport surface such as, for example, a heated baking belt of a baking machine. The apparatus for transporting the shaped bodies includes a revolving driven conveyor belt which is guided over at least one deflecting roller, over a drive roller and around a transfer body in the region of the transport surface. The conveyor belt is laterally displaceable by a positioning apparatus at least over a section of its longitudinal extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Johannes Haas, Josef Haas, Stefan Jiraschek, PETER Lambauer
  • Patent number: 8967372
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a detector, a determining section, a skew correcting section, and a storage section. The belt is stretched around rollers and provided with an index. The detector provides an output value. The determining section determines the index that is passing through the detection region on the basis of a change in the output value, the change exceeding a threshold. The skew correcting section performs control relating to skew correction of inclining the roller and correcting the position of the belt. The storage section stores the threshold having a value between the measured maximum amount of change in the output value when the skew correcting section inclines the roller at the maximum angle and the amount of change in the output value resulting from the index when the index arrives at or passes through the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Fujii
  • Patent number: 8857602
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a lateral position of an endless belt that is passed around at least two rollers, comprising the steps of: controlling a tilt position of a first roller of the at least two rollers; and adjusting a lateral position of the first roller, wherein the lateral position of the first roller is adjusted in combination with controlling the tilt position of the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Ernest J. J. Clevers, Patrick Vink
  • Patent number: 8839949
    Abstract: Sprockets (22) and (42) are engaged with a conveyor belt (18) itself or a chain (28) coupled to the belt. An encoder is used to determine the differential of the rotation of the sprockets. From that information, the instantaneous pitch of the conveyor belt located between the first and second rotational axes can be determined, and from that information the speed of the belt can be determined. This information can be used to control work tools or other devices that act on work products being carried by the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8807331
    Abstract: A positioning assembly is provided with an endless loop conveyor belt for transporting an object and a first and second roller (12) arranged inside the endless loop. A first mounting part connected to a first end of the first roller (12) and a second mounting part connected to a second end of the first roller (12) are independently movable in a length direction of the conveyor with respect to the frame (15). An actuator system is provided which includes a first lateral actuator (61) arranged to move at least a part of the first roller (12) in a direction parallel to the rotational axes (106) of the first roller (12). The first roller (12) is longitudinally divided into at least two longitudinal segments. The first lateral actuator (61) moves at least one of the longitudinal segments parallel to the rotational axis (106) of the first roller (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: C. C. M. Beheer B.V.
    Inventors: Arend-Jan Johan Beltman, Albert Brals, Ronald Plak, Jasper Anne Frido Marikus Simons
  • Patent number: 8777401
    Abstract: A recording medium transfer apparatus is provided with: an endless belt; a plurality of transfer rollers, which intermittently rotate the endless belt; a slide unit, which can freely move back and forth between the initial position and the end position of the endless belt; a driving device, which returns the slide unit to the initial position from the end position; a linear encoder, which detects a transfer amount of the slide unit; a calculation unit, which calculates a transfer amount of the recording medium on the basis of the detection results obtained from the linear encoder; and a control unit, which controls the transfer amount of the recording medium on the basis of the transfer amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Matsui
  • Patent number: 8770879
    Abstract: A recording section is configured to record an image on a recording medium. An endless conveying belt has a surface disposed in confrontation with the recording section and is configured to move in a conveying direction with the recording medium supported by the surface, thereby conveying the recording medium in the conveying direction. A measuring section has a detecting region and configured to measure a position of the conveying belt with respect to a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The measuring section includes an optical sensor that is configured to detect the position of the conveying belt with respect to the perpendicular direction. A sensor moving section is configured to move the sensor based on a measurement result of the measuring section, such that the conveying belt is detected in the detecting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Murakami
  • Patent number: 8737890
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an endless belt; a steering roller for supporting the endless belt and correcting a deviating motion of the endless belt; and a conveying section for conveying a recording material, wherein the conveying section has a position control mechanism of a recording material, and said mechanism conveys the recording material along a conveyance reference, established at a predetermined position in a width direction of the recording material, said width direction is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording material, wherein the steering roller is configured to be supported on a supporting point at a side on which the conveyance reference is established, and to be tilted at a side which is opposite to the side on which the conveyance reference is established, with respect to the width direction of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masakazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8731447
    Abstract: Aligning image transfer assembly belts using two driven image-bearing belts simultaneously engaged with a driven transport belt. Each image-bearing belt conveys image-forming marking material formed thereon, wherein the transport belt is selectively engageable by the two image-bearing belts. The selective engagement of each image-bearing belt being independent from the other, wherein the two image-bearing belts are remote from one another. The method and apparatus also output signals representing at least one detected lateral positions of an edge of a measured belt using at least one edge sensor. The detected lateral position measured can be achieved by one or two edge sensors, wherein the two edge sensors would be disposed remote from one another along an extent across which the edge of the measured belt moves. Then a skew indication of the simultaneously engaged two image-bearing belts is determined based on a the output edge sensor(s) signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 8672323
    Abstract: A substrate sheet transporting device is provided. The device includes a first transfer cylinder defining a first axis, a circumferential direction and a transverse direction and a transfer belt (74) extending around the first transfer cylinder. The first transfer cylinder includes first openings for the passage of a gas and the transfer belt includes second openings for the passage of a gas. The transfer belt and the first transfer cylinder define an alignment position in which the second passage openings are aligned with the first passage openings. The transfer device includes a device for adjusting the position of the transfer belt relative to the first transfer cylinder by bringing the transfer belt toward the alignment position. The invention is applicable to cutting devices of rotary printing presses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Goss International Montataire SA
    Inventors: Alain Blanchard, Jean-Francois Robert
  • Patent number: 8657105
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling a conveyor belt condition monitoring system, and for automatically providing user alarms and system trips when sensed conditions exceed acceptable values. The system may use sensors to measure magnetic disruptions (“events”) in belt components and an algorithm may be used to monitor changes in these disruptions over time. The magnitude of these changes can then be used to predict when belt failures will occur. The system may also be used to sense when imminent failure of the belt will occur and to automatically stop the belt before failure occurs. An integrated display provides detailed information on the measured belt events and enables the user to customize alarm/trip levels and to assess problem as conditions via a virtual private network or the Internet while the belt is operating. The system is modular so that its features may be selectively integrated into existing facility-wide monitoring systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fenner Dunlop Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Mick Twigger, George Mark Myers
  • Patent number: 8639131
    Abstract: A belt drive apparatus, including, an endless belt to be laid across in a tensioned condition between supporting rollers and to travel being in pressure contact with or being separated from a body to receive the pressure contact, a pressure contact/separating state detection section to detect whether the endless belt is in the pressure contact with the body or separated therefrom, a belt position detection section to detect a position of the endless belt in a width direction thereof, a belt abnormality judging section to judge whether the endless belt is in an abnormal position based on a detection result obtained by the belt position detection section and one of judgment values which are set correspondingly to the pressure contact/separating state of the endless belt, and a belt drive control section to control a drive of the endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Youbao Peng, Satoshi Ogata, Takashi Nara, Tadashi Matsudaira, Akihiro Hayashi, Eiji Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8505713
    Abstract: A guide roller for centering conveyor belts for a conveyor assembly. The roller has a securing end for attachment to the conveyor assembly and a substantially cylindrical body adapted to receive a conveyor belt thereon and having a first end, a second end and an undercut portion positioned substantially between the first end and the second end, which is adapted to receive and secure therein a belt edge of a conveyor belt. The first end and second have a greater diameter than that of the undercut portion, so that the belt edge of the belt is secured without lateral movement of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Frank Ivan
  • Publication number: 20130112530
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a detector, a determining section, a skew correcting section, and a storage section. The belt is stretched around rollers and provided with an index. The detector provides an output value. The determining section determines the index that is passing through the detection region on the basis of a change in the output value, the change exceeding a threshold. The skew correcting section performs control relating to skew correction of inclining the roller and correcting the position of the belt. The storage section stores the threshold having a value between the measured maximum amount of change in the output value when the skew correcting section inclines the roller at the maximum angle and the amount of change in the output value resulting from the index when the index arrives at or passes through the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventor: Koji Fujii
  • Patent number: 8412081
    Abstract: A belt meandering preventing device includes a belt displacement detection unit detecting the amount of displacement in a belt width direction of an endless belt rotatably stretched over support parts; and a belt meandering correction unit correcting the displacement in the belt width direction of the endless belt based on the amount of displacement detected by the belt displacement detection unit. The belt displacement detection unit includes a moving part moving in association with the displacement of the endless belt or an edge of the endless belt in the belt width direction and optical sensors outputting signals with output levels corresponding to the proportions of the moving part in optical paths of the optical sensors. The optical sensors are arranged such that the output levels of the optical sensors change as the endless belt is displaced in the belt width direction in a predetermined high-resolution detection range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Kudo, Takashi Hodoshima, Yuichi Hirose
  • Patent number: 8381902
    Abstract: A belt meandering preventing device 1 for a running test device 2 is provided with a first control means 14, a second control means 15, and a third control means. The first control means 14 detects the position of a belt 6 and controls a drum rocking means 8 so that the difference between the detected position of the belt 6 and a predetermined target position is zero. The second control means 14 detects the amount of rocking of a driven drum 5 rocked by the drum rocking means 8 and controls the drum rocking means 8 so that the detected amount of rocking of the driven drum 5 is a target amount of rocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Morita, Takashi Hiekata, Yoshiharu Nishida
  • Patent number: 8351830
    Abstract: A belt conveying device includes an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; a drive unit that is connected to one of the plurality of rollers and drives the roller; a plurality of belt velocity detectors that are arranged at a plurality of locations along a belt width direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the endless belt and detect conveyance velocities of the endless belt; and a belt-inclination calculating unit that calculates an inclination of the endless belt in the moving direction from a difference between conveyance velocities of the endless belt detected by the plurality of belt velocity detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Koichi Kudo, Hideaki Kibune, Takuro Kamiya, Junya Takigawa, Hiroaki Takagi, Yuichi Hirose, Kazuya Nagao, Toshihiro Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20120288581
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt run control device of an endless belt (2) revolving over at least one cylindrical roller (1), wherein the rollers (1) are each designed as deflection rollers around which the belt (2) is wrapped, and wherein for the purpose of tensioning the belt (2) at least one cylindrical roller (1) is preloaded on both sides by way of elastic elements (3) designed to be equally acting in order to center the belt (2) relative to the roller (1), and wherein a position measuring device is provided in the region of the belt (2), wherein an adjusting element (5) that can be actuated using a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit (4) is disposed on at least one side of the roller (1), characterized in that the adjusting element (5) is designed to apply a force that acts additively or subtractively with respect to the preloading force of at least one of the elastic elements (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: HOCHLAND NATEC GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Biggel
  • Publication number: 20120255836
    Abstract: A substrate sheet transporting device is provided. The device includes a first transfer cylinder defining a first axis, a circumferential direction and a transverse direction and a transfer belt extending around the first transfer cylinder. The first transfer cylinder includes first openings for the passage of a gas and the transfer belt includes second openings for the passage of a gas. The transfer belt and the first transfer cylinder define an alignment position in which the second passage openings are aligned with the first passage openings. The transfer device includes a device for adjusting the position of the transfer belt relative to the first transfer cylinder by bringing the transfer belt toward the alignment position. The invention is applicable to cutting devices of rotary printing presses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: GOSS INTERNATIONAL MONTATAIRE SA
    Inventors: Alain BLANCHARD, Jean-Francois ROBERT
  • Patent number: 8177052
    Abstract: A sensor and controller for a belt moving about a path, the sensor and controller including an analog sensor including a medium that changes a characteristic to give a signal that varies continuously with any lateral belt edge position, thus yielding improved resolution of actual belt edge position, and a control mechanism responsive to the changes in characteristics of the medium for more accurate edge position control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James H. Hurst, Carl I. Bouwens
  • Patent number: 8172073
    Abstract: An assembly on a cableway or a goods-conveying system for detecting incorrect positioning of a carrying cable on a mount with a channel in which the carrying cable is located. The assembly includes a device for detecting the faulty positioning of the carrying cable. A segment of the mount is movable, and the device for detecting the incorrect positioning of the carrying cable detects movement of the portion of the mount. It is thus possible for incorrect positioning of the carrying cable, which results in this segment being displaced, to be detected in good time, even before the carrying cable in this portion has been completely derailed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Innova Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Luger, Josef Gisler
  • Patent number: 8157085
    Abstract: A device for monitoring a conveyor belt in which a sensor can be fixed easily to the body without using any special fixing device and the properties of the conveyor belt can be detected with high precision. The device for monitoring the conveyor belt comprises a body to be detected embedded in a conveyor belt running endlessly, and a sensor provided oppositely thereto in the body. The sensor detects the variation in properties of the conveyor belt by detecting variation of the body to be detected due to the variation in properties of the conveyor belt. The sensor is secured to a shaft which supports a hollow roller for guiding the conveyor belt in the conveyance direction rotatably on the body in the roller thus making the sensor itself nonrotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Furukawa, Yukinobu Nishikita
  • Patent number: 8127918
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring operation of a conveyor belt. The apparatus includes a detection system configured to detect transverse displacement of each edge of a portion of the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt travels past the detection system, and determine, using the transverse displacements of the edges of the conveyor belt and one or more operating rules, if an operating irregularity of the conveyor belt has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Barge's Belting Solution Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Graham Warner
  • Publication number: 20120006215
    Abstract: Methods and devices detect a first lateral measure of an edge of a belt loop supported by rollers within an apparatus using a first sensor to find an amount of misalignment of the edge of the belt loop relative to a known alignment position. The first sensor is positioned at a first location within the apparatus. The methods and devices also detect a second lateral measure of the edge of the belt loop within the apparatus relative to the known alignment position using a second sensor. The second sensor is positioned at a second location within the apparatus that is different than the first location. The methods and devices use a processor to determine the non-linear shape of the edge of the belt loop based on the second lateral measure of the edge of the belt loop detected by the second sensor. The methods and devices correct the amount of misalignment detected by the first sensor based on the non-linear shape of the edge of the belt loop to generate a corrected misalignment value, using the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joannes N.M. DeJong, Lloyd A. Williams, Rudy Castillo, Matthew Dondiego
  • Patent number: 8086156
    Abstract: An endless belt member is suspended in a tensioned manner by a plurality of roller members including a drive roller and a drive motor drives the drive roller member so as to move the belt member in a predetermined direction of travel. A detecting unit detects an amount of displacement of the belt member in a widthwise direction of the belt member, and a correction unit that corrects displacement of the belt member in the widthwise direction. The correction unit corrects the displacement of the belt member in a widthwise direction based on data sampled by the detecting unit every time a drive signal is input to the drive motor a prescribed number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Tao, Makoto Nakura
  • Patent number: 8047355
    Abstract: In an aspect of the present invention, a system and method are provided that detect belt mis-tracking and in response, automatically adjusts. In some implementations, the system and method are implemented in conjunction with a weigh feeder or weigh belt. In other implementations, the system and method are implemented in conjunction with other devices that convey material via one or more belts. The system and method can be implemented by providing one or more sensors that detect belt mis-tracking, a motor for adjusting a belt pulley and one or more controllers that operate the motor in response to signals from the one or more sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Acrison, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Ricciardi, Sr., Marc S. Landry
  • Patent number: 8025144
    Abstract: A conveyor belt device wherein a detectable coating, such as in the form of a thin film, overlies selected portions of a conveyor belt substrate surface. Suitable detectable coatings include materials that are inductive, conductive, magnetic, reflective, fluorescent and color-indicating or a combination thereof. Also disclosed are associated or corresponding conveyor belt assemblies and methods of making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: William Christopher Lewis, William James Lewis, Lambert Allen Terpstra, Barton Roy Lewis, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8023872
    Abstract: In a belt device, a first detecting unit detects a widthwise displacement of a belt, and a correcting unit corrects displacement of the belt in the width direction during a period starting from turning power on and ending with completion of drive preparation of the belt based on the widthwise displacement. Moreover, a second detecting unit detects whether the belt has displaced in the width direction by an amount that is greater than a threshold, and a belt stopping unit stops running of the belt when the second detecting unit detects that the belt has displaced by an amount that is greater than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Tao, Makoto Nakura
  • Patent number: 7987971
    Abstract: A belt device includes a belt; a driving unit that is provided inside the belt and drives the belt; a supporting unit that is provided inside the belt and supports the belt; and a position determination member that is fixed to one end in an axial direction of the driving unit or the supporting unit and comes in contact with an edge portion of the belt in the case where the belt is mounted so as to determine a position of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Kimura, Takanori Sasaki, Toshinori Sasaki, Masakazu Takahashi, Shogo Kamiya, Yasunori Fujimoto, Masataka Konishi, Hitoshi Hamasaki, Keita Yano, Akira Fukuchi, Satoshi Matsuzaka, Masakatsu Eda
  • Publication number: 20110139590
    Abstract: A sensor and controller for a belt moving about a path, the sensor and controller including an analog sensor including a medium that changes a characteristic to give a signal that varies continuously with any lateral belt edge position, thus yielding improved resolution of actual belt edge position, and a control mechanism responsive to the changes in characteristics of the medium for more accurate edge position control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: James H. Hurst, Carl I. Bouwens
  • Patent number: 7954632
    Abstract: The invention relates to a conveying belt which is made of elastomeric material and has a load-bearing side (2) for the conveying material and a running side and, in particular, has a reinforcing support embedded within the conveying-belt core, wherein the conveying belt has at least one exchangeable part, wherein the invention provides for the exchangeable part to be a segment (6) which has a small surface area in relation to the load-bearing side (2) and/or running side as a whole and comprises a component support (7) and information carrier (8), the component support and information carrier forming a dedicated unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Adolfo Kropf-Eilers
  • Patent number: 7921987
    Abstract: A belt drive device includes a plurality of rollers and an endless belt stretched around the rollers, and configured to drive the endless belt by rotating the rollers. The belt drive device further includes a roller-shaft shifting member that shifts at least one end of a shaft of at least one roller of the above described rollers in accordance with the movement of the endless belt in the axial direction of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20110011705
    Abstract: A belt transport device includes: a drive roller which is driven by a power source; a driven roller which is held in a rotatable manner; an endless belt which is wound on the drive roller and the driven roller; a band-like detecting section which is arranged on the endless belt in a circumferential direction of the endless belt; a sensor which detects the band-like detecting section; a displacement unit which displaces a relative positional relationship between the band-like detecting section and the sensor in a width direction of the endless belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio TABATA, Toshiyuki SUZUKI, Atsushi OSHIMA
  • Patent number: 7866462
    Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for use with a conveyor belt includes an elongate conveyor support frame and a plurality of conveyor support devices mounted on this frame. These devices include a tail pulley mechanism having two tail pulley sections mounted on a pulley support for rotation about a common central axis of rotation. The pulley support includes a central support portion located at inner ends of the pulley sections and extending radially outwardly from these inner ends to a vertically extending pivot axis. An interconnecting support arrangement mounts the pulley support on the conveyor support frame and includes a pivot connector connecting the central support portion for pivotable movement about the pivot axis. An actuator can pivot the pulley support about the pivot axis to maintain the conveyor belt within a central region of the tail pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Prairie Machines & Parts Mfg. (1978) Ltd.
    Inventor: Maurice DeMong
  • Patent number: 7823720
    Abstract: A belt transport device includes: a drive roller which is driven by a power source; a driven roller which is held in a rotatable manner; an endless belt which is wound on the drive roller and the driven roller; a band-like detecting section which is arranged on the endless belt in a circumferential direction of the endless belt; a sensor which detects the band-like detecting section; a displacement unit which displaces a relative positional relationship between the band-like detecting section and the sensor in a width direction of the endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporaton
    Inventors: Kunio Tabata, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Atsushi Oshima
  • Patent number: 7815039
    Abstract: To provide a belt skew correction device capable of performing appropriate skew correction that is appropriate for each state at a time when the belt is in a state of a high skew speed or in a state of a low skew speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 7793775
    Abstract: A system for detecting wear in a gripper chain of a chain conveyor is provided. The system includes an optical sensing system having a detection path located vertically beneath a portion of the gripper chain at a predetermined location. The detection path is located such that, when the gripper chain becomes elongated and droops a predetermined amount due to wear of the gripper chain, the sensing system senses the presence of the gripper chain in the detection path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Rozenfeld, John W. Sussmeier
  • Patent number: 7748521
    Abstract: A conveyer belt abrasion detecting apparatus which can automatically detect a conveyer belt abrasion quantity easily and accurately during operation. A plurality of magnet sheets (M1-M5) magnetized in a thickness direction are arranged so that polarities on the surface are in the same direction and are embedded deeper stepwise in a longitudinal direction of a belt main body (2). A magnetic sensor (4) for detecting changes of the magnetic forces of the magnet sheets (M1-M5) is arranged at a position where the magnet sheets (M1-M5) pass through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Aizawa, Kenichi Higashi, Yukinobu Nishikita
  • Patent number: 7686157
    Abstract: A belt conveyor includes right and left detection rollers outside ends in a width direction of a belt. Right and left correction rollers are disposed on right and left sides on a rear face of the belt. When one of the detection rollers is pressed by the belt, the corresponding correction roller is inclined from the pressed detection roller down to a center of the belt, thereby correcting the meandering belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Murayama
  • Patent number: 7686158
    Abstract: A belt-conveyor device includes a detecting unit that detects a belt position in a width direction of the endless belt for a plurality of times within more than a cycle of the endless belt, the width direction being a direction orthogonal to direction of travel of the endless belt; an average calculating unit that calculates an average belt position from the belt positions detected by the detecting unit; a storing unit that stores therein a plural sets of correction values and belt positions; and a meander correcting unit that corrects meander of the endless belt based on a correction value that corresponds with the average belt position in the storing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Tao, Yoshihiko Sano, Susumu Saito, Shunichi Oohara, Nobuyuki Furuya