The invention relates to modular conveyor mats and in particular to modules for modular plastic conveyor mats formed by rows of plastic mat modules hingedly coupled by means of hinge pins.
As they are light-weight, do not corrode and are relatively easy to clean, modular plastic conveyor mats are widely used, inter alia when conveying food products. As a rule, modular plastic conveyor mats are built up from mold-formed, plastic, modular connecting elements, called mat modules, which can be placed side by side in rows with the desired width. Here, rows of spaced apart hinge loops extend along sides of the modules lying opposite each other. The rows of hinge loops are provided with aligned hinge holes for including a hinge pin. The hinge loops along one side of a row of modules are then connected to the hinge loops of a side of an adjoining row of modules, like, for instance, the pattern of interlacing hands. As a rule, a hinge pin included in the aligned hinge holes forms a hinge joint between adjoining rows. In general, rows of modules are interconnected to form an endless conveyor mat which can run on return wheels.
As a rule, for driving the mat, drive wheels are provided which engage on driving locations of the modules. A problem that occurs with modular mats is providing driving locations on the modules that limit the usability of the modules as little as possible. In particular, it is difficult to provide a driving location that guarantees a good power transmission, can be cleaned well and enables the conveyor mat formed by the modules to cooperate with already existing conveyor paths and driving provisions included therein. To reduce this problem, the invention provides a module according to claim 1.
What can be achieved by providing staggered rows of hinge loops lying opposite each other with hinge holes situated eccentrically between inner and outer driving faces is, that the modules can be driven on two locations on the hinge loops, so that a good power transmission can be combined with a good cleanability of the module and a good deployability of the module. The outer driving faces can, in particular, be optimized for cooperation with a first type of drive wheel, whose teeth can be received sideways between the side surfaces of two adjoining hinge loops of a successive module, in particular the teeth of a sprocket wheel with six to twelve teeth. The inner driving faces can be optimized for cooperation with teeth of another type of drive wheel, for instance a drive wheel which cooperates with the inner driving faces of several hinge loops successive transverse to the conveying direction, and/or a drive wheel with, for instance, twelve or more teeth, in particular a sprocket wheel borne by the jacket of a drum motor.
The invention also relates to a modular conveyor mat.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are represented in the subclaims and will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment represented in a drawing. In the drawing:
It is noted that the Figures are merely schematic representations of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is described by way of non-limitative exemplary embodiment. In the Figures, identical or corresponding parts are represented with the same reference numerals.
With reference to
The hinge loops 6 are provided with hinge holes 9, extending transverse to the conveying direction P, which are aligned per row.
The front sides 4 and the rear sides 5 of the successive modules are coupled by means of a hinge pin 11 extending transversely to the conveying direction P. The hinge loops 6 then interlock like the fingers of two interlacing hands.
The hinge loops 6 extend from inner faces 13 situated closer to the center line 12 of the module 1 represented in
Here, the outer faces 14 are situated closer to the hinge loops 9 than the inner faces 13.
The inner faces 13 are provided with inner driving faces 13a for cooperation with the teeth of a first type of drive wheel 15. The outer faces 14 are provided with outer driving faces 14a for cooperation with the teeth of a drive wheel 16 of a second type.
The inner driving faces 13a and the outer driving faces 14a have a substantially curved configuration: the driving faces are curved relative to an axis of curvature A1 or A2, respectively, extending substantially transversely to the conveying direction. This axis of curvature is formed by the central axis of the hinge pin 11 when this abuts against the edge of the hinge loop 6 adjoining the driving face.
The curvature of the outer driving faces is stronger than the curvature of the inner driving faces: the radius of curvature R1 of the inner driving faces 13a is greater than the radius of curvature R2 of the outer driving faces 14a.
The body part 3 is substantially of sheet-shaped design. The hinge loops 6 extend downward relative to the conveying surface 17 of the module, and forward and rearward relative to the centre line 12 of the module in conveying direction.
The conveying surface 17 on the top side of the body part 3 of the modules 1 has a substantially flat configuration and is of closed design. The bottom side 23 of the body part 3, viewed transversely to the conveying direction, has a substantially belly-shaped configuration.
The conveying surface 17 links up, in a substantially flat manner, with the closing surfaces formed by back parts 21 of the hinge loops 6. Consequently, when the successive modules 1 are situated in a flat plane, their conveying surfaces 17 form a closed conveying surface.
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At least a part of the hinge loops 6 is provided with a groove 28, extending in conveying direction P, reaching into the hinge hole 6. This groove extends from the bottom side 27 of the hinge loop 6 in the direction of the conveying surface 17, to a point spaced away from the conveying surface. In this exemplary embodiment, the groove 28 extends as far as the bottom side 23 of the body part 3.
It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments represented here. For instance, the body part of the module can be of, at least partly, open design such as, for instance, a so-called flush grid mat module, and/or it may have a twisted, wave, zigzag, grid or spine-shape. The conveying surface can further be of not-flat design, for instance hollow, spherical and/or ribbed. Such variants will be clear to the skilled person and are understood to fall within the range of the invention as represented in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1028964 | May 2005 | NL | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/NL2006/000232 | 5/1/2006 | WO | 00 | 11/11/2009 |