Claims
- 1. A method of making an endless flexible seamed belt from belt material stock comprising:
positioning a template above the belt material stock; applying a cutting force to the template to form a first patterned end and a second patterned end on the belt stock material; and removing the cutting force, wherein the first and second patterned ends of the belt are cut in a puzzle cut pattern with mutually mating elements which fit together to form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the endless flexible seamed belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness.
- 2. The method of making an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting force is an excimer laser.
- 3. The method of making an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 2, wherein the template is a metal plate with a template aperture through which the excimer laser passes to form the first and second patterned ends on the belt material.
- 4. The method of making an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 3, wherein a first end of one belt and the second end of another belt are formed in the same cutting force application step.
- 5. The method of making an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template is a punch assembly with a die assembly associated therewith, the punch assembly including a punch with a first punch cutting end having a first punch pattern and a second punch cutting end having a second punch pattern and the die assembly including a die with a first die cutting end having a first die pattern that is complementary to the first punch pattern and a second die cutting end having a second die pattern that is complementary to the second punch pattern; and
the cutting force is applied by a force generating assembly to a force receiving surface on the punch assembly so that the die and punch cut the belt material to form a first patterned end on a first end of the belt and a second patterned end formed on a second end of the belt.
- 6. The method of making an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 5, wherein applying the cutting force further comprises:
forming a first edge on the belt with a first punch cutting edge interacting with a first die cutting edge; and forming a second edge on the belt with a second punch cutting edge interacting with a second die cutting edge, wherein the length of the first and second edges determine the length of the belt.
- 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the removing the cutting force step further comprises:
forming a gap between the force generator assembly and the force receiving surface of the punch assembly which allows the force generator assembly to move a greater distance than the force receiving surface.
- 8. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:
fixing the punch assembly to the die assembly to limit the movement of the punch with respect to the die.
- 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the punch moves from about 0.05 inches to about 0.2 inches with respect to the die.
- 10. An apparatus for producing an endless flexible seamed belt from belt material stock comprising;
a template with a puzzle cut pattern formed thereon positioned above the belt material stock; a cutting force applied to the template to form a first patterned end and a second patterned end on the belt stock material, wherein the first and second patterned ends of the belt are cut in a puzzle cut pattern with mutually mating elements which fit together to form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the endless flexible seamed belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness.
- 11. The apparatus for producing an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cutting force is an excimer laser and the template has a template aperture through which the excimer laser passes prior to being absorbed by the belt material to form the puzzle cut pattern.
- 12. The apparatus for producing an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 10, wherein the template is a punch assembly including a punch with a first punch cutting end having a first punch pattern and a second punch cutting end having a second punch cutting pattern;
a die assembly including a die with a first die cutting end having a first die pattern which is complementary to the first punch pattern and a second die pattern which is complementary to the second punch pattern; the cutting force is generated by a force generating assembly in a cutting operation in which the punch and die cut the belt material.
- 13. The apparatus for producing an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
a first edge formed on the belt with a first punch cutting edge interacting with a first die cutting edge; and a second edge formed on the belt with a second punch cutting edge interacting with a second die cutting edge, wherein the length of the first and second edges determine the length of the belt.
- 14. The apparatus for producing an endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
a force generator surface on the force generating assembly that transmits the force of the force generating assembly to the punch assembly; a force receiving surface on the punch assembly for receiving the force of the force generating assembly; and a gap formed between the force generator surface and the force receiving surface when the force generating assembly is in a retracted position so that the punch assembly is disconnected from the force generating assembly.
- 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:
a punch return assembly that resiliently fixes the punch assembly to the die assembly.
- 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, the punch return assembly comprising:
at least two bolts connecting the die and punch assemblies together; and at least two springs, one spring mounted on each bolt, the springs biasing the punch towards the force generator and the bolts limiting the movement of the punch in the direction towards the force generator so that a space from about 0.05 inches to 0.2 inches is formed between the punch and die when the cutting force is removed.
- 17. An endless flexible seamed belt made by an apparatus comprising:
a template with a puzzle cut pattern formed thereon positioned above the belt material stock; a cutting force applied to the template to form a first patterned end and a second patterned end on the belt stock material, wherein the first and second patterned ends of the belt are cut in a puzzle cut pattern with mutually mating elements which fit together to form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the endless flexible seamed belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness.
- 18. The endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 17, wherein the template is a the cutting force is an excimer laser and the template has a template aperture through which the excimer laser passes prior to being absorbed by the belt material to form the puzzle cut pattern.
- 19. The endless flexible seamed belt as claimed in claim 17, wherein the template is a punch assembly including a punch with a first punch cutting end having a first punch pattern and a second punch cutting end having a second punch cutting pattern;
a die assembly including a die with a first die cutting end having a first die pattern which is complementary to the first punch pattern and a second die pattern which is complementary to the second punch pattern; and the cutting force is generated by a force generating assembly in a cutting operation in which the punch and die cut the belt material.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Attention is hereby directed to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/297,200 (D/94226) entitled “Puzzle Cut Seamed Belt”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,436, issued May 7, 1996; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/297,158 (D/93563) entitled “Puzzle Cut Seamed Belt With Strength Enhancing Strip”, now continuing U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/522,622, filed Aug. 31, 1995; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/297,201 (D/94225) entitled “Puzzle Cut Seamed Belt With Bonding Between Adjacent Surface By UV Cured Adhesive”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,707, issued Jan. 30, 1996; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/297,206 (D/94226Q) entitled “Endless Seamed Belt with Low Thickness Differential Between the Seam and the Rest of the Belt”, allowed, but not yet issued; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/297,203 (D/94227) entitled “Puzzle Cut Seamed Belt with Bonding Between Adjacent Surfaces”, all commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention and filed on Aug. 29, 1994.
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09493445 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09821150 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09004636 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
Child |
09493445 |
Jan 2000 |
US |