1、外文文献Air cushion belt conveyor The inventive air supported belt conveyor provides significant improvements over prior art designs using either idler rolls or trough-shaped conveyor configurations. With the inventive conveyor, the increased maintenance requirements due to the presence of idler rolls a
2、re minimized or eliminated. In addition, elimination of the idler rolls also results in fabrication of a simpler structure. With a simpler structure to fabricate, the overall system takes less time to erect in a field installation, thereby contributing to reduced capital costs. Further, the absence
3、of the idler rolls results in the elimination of the alignment procedures which must be utilized in prior art conveyor systems. The inventive conveyor is safer than prior art systems through the elimination of pinch points which are present in conveyor systems using idler rolls. With this safety imp
4、rovement, it may also be possible to eliminate pull cord switches along the conveyor, thus contributing another economic advantage. Operating costs are improved with the inventive conveyor since less power is needed to drive the conveyor belt. In conveyor systems using idler rolls, their mass and fr
5、iction component contribute greatly to the conveyor power consumption. Through the elimination of idler rolls, the overall conveyor drive force power is reduced, even with the existence of a blower or the like to supply the air for conveyor belt support. The conveyor of the invention is also effecti
6、ve as a high-speed conveyor, e.g., speeds in excess of 2,000 feet per minute, particularly when the conveyor may have open spaces therealong. Open spaces occur due to the conveyance of articles which may be spaced apart or fed to the conveyor in an intermittent fashion. The inventive conveyor has a
7、generally flat belt configuration which is ideal for conveying articles such as baggage, packages or the like. Features of the inventive conveyor permit air support of the generally flat conveyor without loss of control over the lateral movement of the conveyor as it travels or without excessive wea
8、r which could result during high speed operation. An exemplary embodiment of the inventive conveyor is depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is designated by the reference numeral 20. The conveyor 20 includes a plenum chamber 21 having opposing ends 23. The plenum chamber 21 is supported via the ends 23 by
9、support members 25. The support members 25 position the plenum chamber 21 at the proper elevation so that the conveyor can interface with the appropriate feed and exit arrangements (not shown). The support members 25 are shown as beams but any structural member or arrangement can be utilized to supp
10、ort the plenum chamber 21. The plenum chamber 21 includes a bottom plate 27 and a top plate 29, these plates together with the sides 23 forming an interior 31. Strengthening ribs 33 can be positioned in the interior 31 where appropriate to provide additional support. The bottom plate 27 is shown wit
11、h an incline toward the longitudinal axis of the conveyor. A drain plug 32 is located at a midpoint of the bottom plate 27 to facilitate removal of accumulated moisture or other unwanted materials. Of course, other configurations of the plenum chamber 21 can be utilized provided that the interior 31
12、 can be pressurized to provide the air support for the conveyor belt. Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the top plate 29 contains a plurality of orifices 35. The orifices 35 can be slots, round holes or the like and can be distributed as shown or be positioned in other configurations, uneven spacing
13、s, etc. A belt 37 is positioned adjacent the top plate 29. The top plate 29 functions as a support for the belt 37 in two modes. First, when the interior 31 is not pressurized by a source of air 38, such as a fan, blower or the like, the belt 37 rests on the plate 29. When the interior 31 is pressur
14、ized, air flows through the top plate orifices 35 and against the underside 39 of the belt 37. The air flow creates an air bearing or cushion of air of a given thickness to support the belt 37 while it is driven by a belt drive (not shown) for article conveying. The belt drive is conventional and a
15、further description thereof is not deemed necessary for invention understanding. More specifically, air or any pressurizable fluid is pumped into the interior 31 from a simple low horsepower centrifugal fan or any air moving device. The air escapes through the series of orifices at or near the longi
16、tudinal axis of the conveyor. The air spreads out width-wise and lifts the belt 37 off the top surface 40 of the top plate 29. At the same time, the belt is propelled by a conventional drive system. Air is pulled along with the belt at approximately the same speed as the belt is driven. Air escapes along the belt side edges and at the entrance and exit ends of the conveyor. Air escapes more so at the exit end rather than the entrance end
