Radius and variable width conveyor belt
AssigneeRabbit Designs LLC
InventorsScott Elliott Frash, Jean Shannon Frash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mesh-like conveyor belt is capable of varying in width and shape as it travels. The conveyor belt comprises a plurality of links, joints, and control elements. The joints connect the links to each other and allow the links to change their orientation within the conveying surface of the conveyor belt. The plurality of links and joints allow the conveyor belt to vary in width, shape, trajectory, and surface speed while in motion. The conveyor belt also includes control elements, built into the structure of the belt that are capable of engaging with external guides. When the conveyor belt is in motion, the control elements engage with and follow the paths determined by external guides thereby controlling the shape of the belt.
Claims18
A conveyor belt comprising:
- a conveying surface provided by a plurality of links connected to each other via joints, wherein the joints rotatably connect the ends of the links to the ends of adjacent links and enable the links to change orientation in a manner that includes at least one axis of rotation normal or approximately normal to the conveying surface of said conveyor belt;
- and
- control elements capable of engaging with external guides to guide the conveyer belt as it is driven to move along a direction of travel;
- and
- wherein said control elements are configured to engage with the outside surface of external guides.
A conveyor system comprising a conveyor belt, at least one power source, and guides, wherein the guides define the width, shape, trajectory, and surface speed of said conveyor belt, and said power source moves the conveyor belt;
- and the conveyor belt comprises:
- a conveying surface provided by a plurality of links connected to each other via joints, wherein the joints rotatably connect the ends of the links to the ends of adjacent links and enable the links to change orientation in a manner that includes at least one axis of rotation normal or approximately normal to the conveying surface of said conveyor belt;
- and
- control elements capable of engaging with external guides to guide the conveyer belt as it is driven to move along a direction of travel;
- and
- wherein said conveyor belt increases in width while in motion via said guides positioned at diverging angles to each other.
A conveyor system comprising a conveyor belt, at least one power source, and guides, wherein the guides define the width, shape, trajectory, and surface speed of said conveyor belt, and said power source moves the conveyor belt;
- and the conveyor belt comprises:
- a conveying surface provided by a plurality of links connected to each other via joints, wherein the joints rotatably connect the ends of the links to the ends of adjacent links and enable the links to change orientation in a manner that includes at least one axis of rotation normal or approximately normal to the conveying surface of said conveyor belt;
- and
- control elements capable of engaging with external guides to guide the conveyer belt as it is driven to move along a direction of travel;
- and
- wherein said conveyor belt decreases in width while in motion via said guides positioned at converging angles to each other.
A conveyor system comprising a conveyor belt, at least one power source, and guides, wherein the guides define the width, shape, trajectory, and surface speed of said conveyor belt, and said power source moves the conveyor belt;
- and the conveyor belt comprises:
- a conveying surface provided by a plurality of links connected to each other via joints, wherein the joints rotatably connect the ends of the links to the ends of adjacent links and enable the links to change orientation in a manner that includes at least one axis of rotation normal or approximately normal to the conveying surface of said conveyor belt;
- and
- control elements capable of engaging with external guides to guide the conveyer belt as it is driven to move along a direction of travel;
- and
- wherein tension force is applied to said conveyor belt in a transverse or approximately transverse direction at one or both edges of the conveyor belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.