Conveyor Belt

The present invention relates to conveyor belts, and, more particularly, to conveyor belts having advertising indicia provided on a visible surface thereof so that the conveyor belts can be employed for advertising purposes.

Indicia, such as positional markers, are known to be printed on the surfaces of conveyor belts employed in manufacturing operations. Such indicia provide useful information for controlling the operations of the conveyor belts. The indicia are printed on the conveyor belt by means of color stencils, transfers or screen-prints.

Although the application of indicia increases the utility of the conveyor belt, the advantages are short-lived. Conveyor belts are typically subjected to high dynamic stress as they are guided over the edges of pulleys and guide rollers. The dynamic stresses tax the flexibility of the surface of the belt, which, in turn, erodes the indicia. Pulleys and guide rollers that have small diameters increase the stresses which, as a result, hasten the erosion of the indicia. Furthermore, the means for applying the indicia have proven inadequate in light of abrasion caused by the articles placed on the conveyor belts. Thus, the severe operating conditions to which conveyor belts are subjected shorten the service life of the indicia.

The present invention relates to a new and improved conveyor belt which includes belt means for transporting articles and advertising indicia provided on a visible surface of the belt means. The advertising indicia are covered and therefore protected by a transparent protective cover applied to the visible surface of the belt means.

The new and improved conveyor belt can be used in combination with a cashier's counter at an exit station in a store. When the customers pay for their articles, they are in full view of the advertising indicia on the conveyor belt.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is cross-sectional view of one exemplary embodiment of a conveyor belt constructed in accordance with the present invention, the conveyor belt being guided by a guide roller;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the conveyor belt illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exit station employing a pair of conveyor belts constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the exit station illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 2, of another exemplary embodiment of a conveyor belt constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 2, of yet another exemplary embodiment of a conveyor belt constructed in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a conveyor belt 1 which includes a primary belt 7 having a visible outer surface and an inner surface. The primary belt 7, which functions to transport articles placed upon its visible surface, is constructed from a thermoplastic material such as white polyvinyl chloride. A strip of fabric 8, made of multiple plies of a material such as polyester (PES) or polyamide (PA), is attached to the inner surface of the primary belt 7. An artisan of ordinary skill can appreciate that the strip of fabric 8 functions to increase the tensile strength of the primary belt 7, such that the conveyor belt 1 cannot be stretched. To fabricate the primary belt 7, the strip of fabric 8 is coated with the thermoplastic by such means as a melting calender. Resulting is a primary belt 7 having a small thickness and a homogeneous surface.

Indicia 9 are imprinted on the outer surface of the primary belt 7 by the process of transfer-printing. German Patent No. 2,713,484 describes the transfer-printing process as it relates to sheets or webs. However, the same process can be used to print the indicia 9 onto the outer surface of the primary belt 7. The primary belt 7 has a low thickness tolerance and a homogeneous outer surface, thereby making it well-suited for the transfer print. Dye and adhesive are applied to the outer surface of the primary belt 7 from a backing paper at 120 degrees to 160 degrees Centigrade and a pressure of two to six bars during a pressing period of ten to sixty seconds. The indicia 9 does not have to extend over the entire outer surface of the primary belt 7, but rather can occupy marginal areas thereof. However, the geometry and location of the indicia 9 must be in clear view of intended users.

The indicia 9 and the outer surface of the primary belt 7 are covered by a film 10 of transparent plastic. The plastic must be transparent to allow the indicia 9 to be visible. A coating of clear varnish over the plastic film 10 enables easy cleaning. The plastic film 10 provides an anti-friction surface which functions to protect the primary belt 7 and indicia 10 from abrasion and scratches. Additionally, the plastic film 10 is light-fast and protects the primary belt 7 from heat. Thus, the plastic film 10 functions to increase the service life of indicia 9 and the primary belt 7. In addition to functioning as a protective cover, the plastic film 10 provides the primary belt 7 with a high transverse stiffness which prevents the conveyor belt 1 from buckling whenever power is applied thereto or a load is placed thereon.

As a result of the foregoing construction, the conveyor belt is adapted for use with small diameter pulleys which in itself offers several advantages. For instance, small diameter pulleys allow for good longitudinal flexibility of the conveyor belt 1, which results in low energy consumption upon bending. Reduced bending ensures a flatter position of the conveyor belt 1 whenever power is introduced. The small structural volume of the pulleys results in cost-effective design of the installation and minimized cost. The distance between two conveyor belts 1 in the direction of movement can also be minimized. Because dynamic stresses and tensile and shear loads vary with the weight and dimensions of the articles placed upon the outer surface of the conveyor belt 1, a person skilled in the art must select the thickness and geometries of the primary belt 7, strip of fabric 8 and plastic film 10 accordingly. The thickness of the primary belt 7, strip of fabric 8 and film 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 are not drawn to scale, but instead are chosen only for the purpose of clarity.

The conveyor belt 1 can be employed at locations such as exit points in stores, airport check-outs and manufacturing plants. The information conveyed by the indicia is adapted to the environment. For instance, indicia 9 on a conveyor belt 1 located adjacent a cashier's counter in a store would convey advertisements that would transform the conveyor belt 1 into a moving billboard. Alternately, the indicia 9 could depict decorative designs or artistic images to create a more pleasant and productive working environment. By combining friendly colors and landscapes, the imprinted conveyor belt 1 would help the working staff avoid fatigue and eye strain. In addition to benefitting the employees, the designs and images would also arouse consumer interest. If the conveyor belt 1 is used in industrial applications, such as manufacturing or assembly processes, the indicia 9 would convey optical information, such as bar codes, or magnetically retrievable information which would indicate the position of packages, or control the industrial process.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, the conveyor belt 1 is located adjacent a cashier's counter at an exit station 11 in a store, another conveyor belt 5 being oriented transversely with respect to the conveyor belt 1. The conveyor belt 1 is provided with indicia 9 for conveying advertisements. A customer 2 deposits his articles on the conveyor belt 1. Because the articles occupy only a small area of the conveyor belt 1, the indicia 9 are within the field of view of all customers, including customer 3, who is standing directly behind customer 2, and customer 6 who has just arrived at the exit station 11. As the conveyor belt 1 is advanced, the advertising indicia 9 revolve in the manner of a moving billboard. A cashier 4 pushes the articles off the conveyor belt 1 and into designated packing areas on the conveyor belt 5.

Referring with particularity to FIG. 4, the conveyor belt 5 is provided with magnetic indicia 12, such as dashed lines, which convey information relating to the position of the conveyor belt 5. Here, for instance, the magnetic indicia 12 designate the packing areas on the conveyor belt 5. A scanner 13 located at a predetermined position along the conveyor belt 5 reads the magnetic indicia 12 relating to the positions of the packing areas, and then relays the decoded information to a controller (not shown). The controller advances the articles on the conveyor belt 5 by one packing unit until the scanner 13 encounters the next magnetic indicia 12.

Two other exemplary embodiments of a conveyor belt constructed in accordance with the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively. Elements illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 which correspond to the elements described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 have been designated by corresponding reference numerals increased by one hundred and two hundred, respectively. The embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 function in the same manner as the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 unless otherwise stated.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a conveyor belt 101 has first and second strips of fabric 108 and 108' attached to the outer and inner surfaces, respectively, of a primary belt 107. The first strip of fabric 108 has indicia 109 applied thereto by a transfer printing process. A film 110 of transparent plastic covers the first strip of fabric 108. This conveyor belt 101 is thin and therefore can be guided over relatively sharp edges instead of being guided over rotating rollers.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a conveyor belt 201 has first and second strips of fabric 208 and 208' attached to outer and inner surfaces, respectively, of a primary belt 207. A layer of thermoplastic 213 is attached to the primary belt 207 such that it covers the first strip of fabric 208. Indicia 209 are imprinted onto the outer surface of the thermoplastic layer 213 by a transfer printing process. The thermoplastic layer 213 is coated with a film 210 of transparent plastic.

It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.