BELT CONVEYOR BRAKE SYSTEMS AND CONTROLLERS
A belt conveyor system comprising one or more idler rollers, a slave roller, a drive roller coupled to the slave roller, wherein the drive roller configured to drive the slave roller, a belt extending in a continuous loop wrapping around the one or more idler rollers, the slave roller, and the drive roller, wherein the slave roller is configured to drive the belt, and a brake configured to actuate with at least one of: (i) select ones of the one or more idler rollers, and (ii) a portion of the belt in a position adjacent to the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
1 . A belt conveyor system comprising:
one or more idler rollers;
a slave roller;
a drive roller coupled to the slave roller, wherein the drive roller configured to drive the slave roller;
a belt extending in a continuous loop wrapping around the one or more idler rollers, the slave roller, and the drive roller, wherein the slave roller is configured to drive the belt; and
a brake configured to actuate with at least one of: (i) select ones of the one or more idler rollers, and (ii) a portion of the belt in a position adjacent to the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
2 . A belt conveyor system comprising:
one or more idler rollers;
a drive roller configured to drive a belt;
the belt extending in a continuous loop wrapping around the one or more idler rollers and the drive roller; and
a brake configured to actuate with at least one of: (i) select ones of the one or more idler rollers, and (ii) a portion of the belt in a position adjacent to the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
3 . The belt conveyor system of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the one or more idler rollers comprise passive rollers that are capable of freely rotating.
4 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 1-3 , wherein the brake comprises a fixed U-shaped caliper configured externally of the continuous loop of the belt.
5 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 1-4 , wherein the position adjacent to the select ones of the one or more idler rollers is below the select ones of the idler rollers.
6 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 1-5 , wherein the brake is actuated by applying the brake upwards from beneath the belt placing the brake in direct contact with the portion of the belt.
7 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 1-6 , wherein the brake is configured to compress the portion of belt between the brake and the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
8 . The belt conveyor system of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the brake comprises a plate structure configured internally of the continuous loop of the belt, and on a side rail on at least one end of the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
9 . The belt conveyor system of any of claim 1, 2 or 8 , wherein the brake is configured to apply frictional force to sidewalls portions of the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
10 . The belt conveyor system of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the brake comprises a butterfly structure configured within the continuous loop of the belt and between the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
11 . The belt conveyor system of claim 1, 2 or 10 , wherein the brake is configured to actuate laterally in one or two directions towards the select ones of the one or more idler rollers.
12 . The belt conveyor system of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the select ones of the one or more idler rollers comprise lower diameter idler rollers.
13 . The belt conveyor system of claim 12 , wherein the brake comprises a yoke structure including an arch on each opposing lateral side of the yoke structure.
14 . The belt conveyor system of claim 12 , wherein the brake comprises a series of yoke structures.
15 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 1-7 , wherein the brake is configured to lift the select ones of the one or more idler roller from a neutral position to a lifted position.
16 . A belt conveyor system comprising:
one or more idler rollers;
a slave roller;
a drive roller coupled to the slave roller, wherein the drive roller configured to drive the slave roller;
a belt extending in a continuous loop wrapping around the one or more idler rollers, the slave roller, and the drive roller, wherein the slave roller is configured to drive the belt; and
a brake configured to actuate with at least one of: (i) the drive roller, (ii) the slave roller, and (iii) a portion of the belt in a position adjacent to the drive roller and the slave roller.
17 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 , wherein the brake comprises a fixed U-shaped caliper configured externally of the continuous loop of the belt.
18 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 or claim 17 , wherein the position adjacent to the drive roller and the slave roller is below at least one of the drive roller and the slave roller.
19 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 16-18 , wherein the brake is actuated by applying the brake upwards from beneath the belt placing the brake in direct contact with the portion of the belt.
20 . The belt conveyor system of any of claims 16-19 , wherein the brake is configured to compress the portion of belt between the brake and at least one of the drive roller and the slave roller.
21 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 , wherein the brake comprises a plate structure configured internally of the continuous loop of the belt, and on a side rail on at least one end of the drive roller and the slave roller.
22 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 or claim 21 , wherein the brake is configured to apply frictional force to sidewalls portions of the drive roller and the slave roller.
23 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 , wherein the brake comprises a butterfly structure configured within the continuous loop of the belt and between the drive roller and the slave roller.
24 . The belt conveyor system of claim 16 or claim 23 , wherein the brake is configured to actuate laterally in one or two directions towards the drive roller and the slave roller.
25 . A belt conveyor system comprising:
one or more idler rollers comprising an internal brake;
a slave roller comprising an internal brake;
a drive roller coupled to the slave roller, wherein the drive roller configured to drive the slave roller;
a belt extending in a continuous loop wrapping around the one or more idler rollers, the slave roller, and the drive roller, wherein the slave roller is configured to drive the belt; and
wherein the internal brake of the one or more idler rollers and the internal brake of the slave roller are controlled and actuated by a controller associated with the drive roller.
26 . A computer-implemented method for optimizing a lifespan of a belt conveyor, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, load and operating parameter data;
determining, by the one or more processors, a load runaway value based on the load and operating parameter data;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether a given load requires at least one of brake actuation and roller lifting based on the load runaway value;
generating, by the one or more processors, a signal causing at least one of brake activation and roller lifting based on the determination.
27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 wherein the load and operating parameter data is associated with transport of the given load being on a belt conveyor.
28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 or claim 27 wherein the load and operating parameter data comprises data representative of a weight of the given load, the given load's size, an angle of decline, and conveyor speed.
29 . The computer-implemented method of any of claims 26-28 wherein the runaway value comprises an estimation of the given load's momentum based on load weight and conveyor speed.
30 . The computer-implemented method of any of claims 26-29 wherein determining whether the given load requires at least one of brake actuation and roller lifting is further based on the load runway value exceeds a specific threshold.