# US 10,118,769 B2 · Conveying systems and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,769 B2 - Document ID: US10118769B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/632,402 - Filed: 2017-06-26 - Published: 2017-10-12 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02 - Applicants: Lorin Reed - Inventors: Lorin Reed - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118769B2 ## CPC - B65G 39/08: the rollers being magnetic - B65G 13/06: Roller driving means - B65G 13/073: comprising free-wheel gearing - B65G 13/11: Roller frames - B65G 19/24: Attachment of impellers to traction element - B65G 39/09: Arrangements of bearing or sealing means - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract The present invention provides an improved conveyor system that provides for a magnetically driven conveyor system in which a sidewall of the conveyor may have minimal or no perforations therein for connecting rollers or other conveying structures in the conveyor bed to an external driving mechanism. The conveyor system may also provide gapless or nearly gapless roller bed that prevents or reduces the accumulation of debris and contaminants in and between the hardware of the conveyor bed. The system of the present invention may provide a more efficient and sanitary conveyor system for produce washing or other food processing application that requires less maintenance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A conveying system assembly, comprising: a. a conveyor bed for holding rollers, b. a plurality of rollers in said conveyor bed, c. at least one lateral sidewall positioned longitudinally along said conveyor bed, d. at least one magnetic driving device located outside of said conveyor bed and adjacent to an outer side of said at least one lateral sidewall, and e. at least one passive magnetic rotor, wherein said at least one passive magnetic rotor is located inside of said conveyor bed and adjacent to the inner side of said at least one lateral side wall, is embedded in an end of one of said plurality of rollers, and is magnetically engaged with said at least one magnetic driving device across said at least one lateral sidewall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one passive magnetic rotor includes a pin that engages with a recess in an interior side of said at least one lateral sidewall, wherein said recess does not traverse the full thickness of the at least on lateral sidewall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein there are no holes in said at least one sidewall located at or below positions of the plurality of rollers at the at least one lateral side wall in the conveyor bed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein there is little or no protrusion of said passive magnet rotor from the end of said one of said plurality of rollers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one passive magnetic rotor sits flush against the interior side of the at least one lateral sidewall and a gap between said one of said plurality of rollers and the at least one lateral sidewall is less than about 5 mm to reduce accumulation of debris and contaminants between said one of said plurality of rollers and said at least one lateral sidewall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5, further comprising gaskets between each of said plurality of rollers and said at least one lateral sidewall to block and prevent the accumulation of any debris between the rollers and said at least one lateral sidewall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one magnetic driving device is retractable from said at least one lateral sidewall to allow said rollers to be removed from the assembly for maintenance and cleaning. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one magnetic driving device includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a first alternating polarity pattern around the axis of said magnetic driving rotor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one passive magnetic rotor includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a second alternating polarity pattern around the axis of said passive magnetic rotor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein said first alternating polarity pattern and said second alternating polarity pattern are complementary and are aligned across said sidewall, such that each of the negative poles in said first alternating polarity pattern are aligned with one of the positive poles in said second alternating polarity pattern and each of the positive poles in said first alternating polarity pattern are aligned with one of the negative poles in said second alternating polarity pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor for driving the rotation of said magnetic driving devices. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said magnetic driving devices comprise at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12, wherein said magnetic driving devices drive the rotation of said passive magnetic rotors by alternating polarity of said at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 14 A conveying assembly, comprising: a. a conveyor bed having at least one sidewall, b. a plurality of rollers aligned in said conveyor bed on a first side of said at least one sidewall, each roller having a recess in an end thereof, c. a plurality of passive magnetic rotors, each passive magnetic rotor being embedded in said recess of one of said plurality of rollers, and d. a plurality of magnetic driving devices located on a second side of said sidewall for magnetic engagement with said plurality of passive magnetic rotors across said at least one sidewall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, further comprising a motor, wherein said motor drives the movement of said magnetic driving devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of motors, wherein each motor is engaged with at least one of said plurality of magnetic driving devices. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein each of said passive magnetic rotors are tightly embedded in said recess of said one of said plurality of rollers with little or no protrusion from the end of said roller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein said passive magnetic rotors sit flush against the interior side of said at least one sidewall and there is a minimal gap between said one of said plurality of rollers and said at least one lateral sidewall to reduce accumulation of debris and contaminants between said roller and the at least one lateral sidewall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, further comprising a gasket between each of said passive magnetic rotors and said at least one sidewall to further prevent the accumulation of any debris between the rollers and said at least one sidewall. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, wherein a gap between each of said plurality of rollers and said sidewall is less than about 5 mm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein said magnetic driving devices are retractable from said at least one sidewall, to allow said rollers to be removed from the assembly for maintenance. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of magnetic driving devices includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a first alternating polarity pattern around the axis of the magnetic driving device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The assembly of claim 22, wherein each of said plurality of passive magnetic devices includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a second alternating polarity pattern around the axis of the passive magnetic rotor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein each of said magnetic driving devices comprise at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The assembly of claim 24, wherein said magnetic driving devices drive the rotation of said passive magnetic rotors by alternating polarity of said at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 26 A magnetically driven conveyor system, comprising: a. said conveyor system having a barrier; b. a plurality of rollers aligned in said conveyor system on a first side of said barrier, each roller having a recess in an end thereof; c. a plurality of passive magnetic rotors on said first side of said barrier; and d. a plurality of magnetic driving devices located on a second side of said barrier for magnetic engagement with said plurality of passive magnetic rotors across said barrier, wherein said magnetic driving devices drive the rotation of said passive magnetic rotors by magnetic engagement with said passive magnetic rotors across said barrier. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, further comprising at least one motor, wherein said motor drives rotation of said magnetic driving devices. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein said system includes a plurality of motors, each motor being engaged with at least one of said plurality of magnetic driving devices. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein said magnetic driving devices include a plurality of magnets arranged in a first alternating polarity pattern around the axis of the rotor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein said passive magnetic devices include a plurality of magnets arranged in a second alternating polarity pattern around the axis of the rotor. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein each of said magnetic driving devices comprise at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein said magnetic driving devices drive the rotation of said passive magnetic rotors by alternating polarity of said at least one electromagnet. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein each of said plurality of passive magnetic rotors is embedded in said recess of one of said plurality of rollers. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, further comprising at least one roller in said conveyor bed on said first side of said barrier, said at least one roller having one of said plurality of passive magnetic rotors in said at least one roller.