US 7,500,435 B2
Friction drive system and method for palletized conveyor
Samuel Bartlett, Jr., Marysville, Ohio (US); David Betz, West Jefferson, Ohio (US); Dave Dillard, Marysville, Ohio (US); Jason Harrison, Marysville, Ohio (US); Wayne Hemmelgam, Celina, Ohio (US); Jerry Maynard, Delaware, Ohio (US); and Norm Schrake, Prospect, Ohio (US)
Assigned to Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/278,235.
Prior Publication US 2007/0283839 A1, Dec. 13, 2007
Int. Cl. B61B 9/00 (2006.01); B61B 13/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 104—165 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A friction drive system for a palletized conveyor, comprising:
a pair of opposing drive assemblies residing along opposite sides of both a load and unload end of said palletized conveyor;
each drive assembly including at least one drive unit having a drive motor adapted to rotate a drive belt;
each drive assembly including at least one take-up unit having a tensioning device adapted to receive a drive belt;
each drive assembly including a drive belt coupling said drive unit to said take-up unit;
one or more idler units located between said at least one drive unit and said at least one take-up unit;
a slide assembly associated with each idler unit and provided to facilitate movement of drive components of each idler unit toward said conveyor; and
an actuator associated with each drive unit and each take-up unit for pressing said drive belt against pallets of said palletized conveyor;
wherein said drive belts associated with said drive assemblies at said unload end of said palletized conveyor rotate at a slower speed than said drive belts associated with said drive assemblies at said load end of said palletized conveyor.