# US 10,246,259 B2 · Flexible funnel element for material guide chute > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,259 B2 - Document ID: US10246259B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/742,872 - Filed: 2015-07-09 - Published: 2018-07-05 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-09 - Assignees: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB - Applicants: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB - Inventors: Mats Malmberg; Adrien Henssien - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246259B2 ## CPC - B65G 11/10: flexible - B65G 11/106: {for bulk} - B65G 11/18: Supports or mountings - B65G 11/186: {for bulk} - 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 A flexible funnel element attachable to a holder funnel element to form a funnel section of a material guide chute. The funnel elements include releasable connections to able the flexible elements to be interchanged at the holder elements when worn. Due to the modular construction of the funnel sections, the guide chute has component parts of different materials such that selected components may be optimized for wear resistance and maintaining the free flow of material through the chute. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible funnel element arranged to form part of a funnel section of a material guide chute, the funnel element being mountable at a holder funnel element forming part of the funnel section and comprising: a flexibility and an axial length greater than that of the holder funnel element; a radial facing surface arranged to be positioned against a radial facing surface of the holder funnel element to allow the flexible funnel element and the holder funnel element to be interconnected axially to form the funnel section; and at least one connection element arranged to radially engage a cooperative connection element at the holder funnel element to releasably attach the flexible funnel element to the holder funnel element, the holder funnel element having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the flexible funnel element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a radially inward facing surface of the flexible funnel element is arranged to be positioned against a radially outward facing surface of the holder funnel element to allow the flexible and holder funnel elements to be interconnected axially. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection element includes a plurality of holes formed through the flexible funnel element arranged to receive a plurality of projections extending radially at the holder funnel element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inlet end axially separated from an outlet end, a diameter of the inlet end being greater than a diameter of the outlet end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The funnel element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the holder funnel element includes an inlet end axially separated from an outlet end, a diameter of the inlet end being greater than a diameter of the outlet end and wherein the diameter of the inlets of the flexible and holder funnel elements are substantially equal to allow the funnel elements to be connected together at or towards the axial position of the inlets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The funnel element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the funnel element has a truncated cone shaped profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The funnel element as claimed in claim 6, wherein an angle by which a wall of the cone extends relative to a longitudinal axis of the flexible funnel element is in the range of 3 to 30°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, comprising a Shore A hardness of 30 to 100°. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of body pieces connected together to form a funnel shaped unitary assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The funnel element as claimed in claim 1, comprising a single piece body. ### Claim 11 A funnel section arranged to form a part of a material guide chute, the funnel section comprising: a flexible funnel element; and a holder funnel element releasably attached to the flexible funnel element to form an axially extending assembly, wherein the flexible funnel element has a flexibility and an axial length greater than the holder funnel element, the flexible funnel element including a radial facing surface arranged to be positioned against a radial facing surface of the holder funnel element such that the flexible and holder funnel elements are interconnected axially to form the funnel section and at least one connection element provided respectively at the flexible funnel element and the holder funnel element to cooperatively engage and connect the flexible and holder funnel elements axially, the holder funnel element having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the flexible funnel element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The funnel section as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flexible funnel element has a Shore A hardness in the range 30 to 100° and the holder funnel element has a Shore D hardness in the range 30 to 70°. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The funnel section as claimed in claim 11, wherein an axial length of the holder funnel element is 10 to 50% of an axial length of the flexible funnel element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The funnel section as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a guide ring mounted at an inlet end of the holder funnel element, the guide ring having at least one attachment element arranged to enable the funnel section to be mounted to an auxiliary support structure and/or other funnel sections forming part of the guide chute. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A material guide chute arranged to provide a conduit for the transfer of material, the guide chute comprising a plurality of the funnel sections as claimed in claim 11.