# US 10,507,986 B2 · Apparatus and method for cleaning a conveyor belt > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,507,986 B2 - Document ID: US10507986B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/974,126 - Filed: 2018-05-08 - Published: 2019-11-14 - Granted: 2019-12-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-08 - Assignees: General Mills, Inc. - Applicants: General Mills, Inc. - Inventors: Robert Rogan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10507986B2 ## CPC - B65G 45/22: comprising fluid applying means - B65G 15/28: Conveyors with a load-conveying surface formed by a single flat belt, not otherwise provided for - B65G 45/12: comprising scrapers - B65G 45/24: comprising plural diverse cleaning devices - B65G 45/26: for gathering residue after cleaning - B65G 2812/02118: Gathering means for material falling from the conveyor - 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 cleaning apparatus includes a roller, a conveyor belt and a belt cleaner. The conveyor belt transports food material in a first direction, and the belt cleaner cleans the food material from the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt travels in a second direction, distinct from the first direction. The conveyor belt passes around the roller as the conveyor belt changes from traveling in the first direction to traveling in the second direction. At least a portion of the belt cleaner is located directly below the roller such that food material falling off the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt passes around the roller is caught by the belt cleaner. The belt cleaner includes an enclosure through which the conveyor belt passes and an air nozzle located within the enclosure. The air nozzle directs air onto the underside of the conveyor belt. Preferably, the air nozzle is an air knife, which generates a sheet of air. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning apparatus comprising: a roller; a conveyor belt configured to extend around the roller and transport food material in a first direction; and a belt cleaner configured to clean residue food material from the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt travels in a second direction, distinct from the first direction, wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured such that the conveyor belt passes around the roller as the conveyor belt changes from traveling in the first direction to traveling in the second direction, said belt cleaner including: an enclosure through which the conveyor belt passes, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is located directly below the roller such that the residue food material falling off the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt passes around the roller is directed into the enclosure, and the enclosure has an outlet at a bottom of the enclosure through which the residue food material passes to exit the enclosure; an air nozzle located within the enclosure and configured to direct air onto the underside of the conveyor belt in further removing the residue food material from the belt; and a first baffle located within the enclosure below the conveyor belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air nozzle is an air knife, and the air knife is configured to generate a sheet of air. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the air knife is configured to direct air in the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the belt cleaner further includes a second baffle located within the enclosure below the conveyor belt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the belt cleaner further includes a belt scraper coupled to the first baffle, and the belt scraper is configured to scrape the residue food material from the underside of the conveyor belt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein the air nozzle is coupled to the second baffle, and the second baffle is configured to support the air nozzle within the enclosure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein the enclosure has an entrance through which the conveyor belt enters and an exit through which the conveyor belt exits, and the belt cleaner further includes a third baffle located adjacent the exit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The A cleaning apparatus of claim 5, comprising: a roller; a conveyor belt configured to extend around the roller and transport food material in a first direction; and a belt cleaner configured to clean residue food material from the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt travels in a second direction, distinct from the first direction, wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured such that the conveyor belt passes around the roller as the conveyor belt changes from traveling in the first direction to traveling in the second direction, said belt cleaner including: an enclosure through which the conveyor belt passes, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is located directly below the roller such that the residue food material falling off the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt passes around the roller is directed into the enclosure, and the enclosure has an entrance through which the conveyor belt enters and an exit through which the conveyor belt exits; an air nozzle located within the enclosure and configured to direct air onto the underside of the conveyor belt in further removing the residue food material from the belt; and a first baffle located within the enclosure below the conveyor belt, wherein the first baffle is located between the air nozzle and the entrance, and the air nozzle is configured to direct air toward the first baffle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first baffle is configured to redirect airflow from the air nozzle toward the outlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure has a funnel extending upward from the outlet. ### Claim 12 A method of cleaning with a cleaning apparatus comprising a roller, a conveyor belt configured to extend around the roller and a belt cleaner including an enclosure through which the conveyor belt passes, an air nozzle located within the enclosure and a first baffle located within the enclosure below the conveyor belt, and wherein the enclosure has an outlet at a bottom of the enclosure, the method comprising: transporting food material in a first direction with the conveyor belt; directing the conveyor belt to pass around the roller such that the conveyor belt changes from traveling in the first direction to traveling in a second direction, distinct from the first direction; cleaning residue food material from the conveyor belt with the belt cleaner as the conveyor belt travels in the second direction, wherein cleaning the residue food material from the conveyor belt includes: catching the residue food material falling off the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt passes around the roller in at least a portion of the enclosure located directly below the roller; and causing the conveyor belt to pass through the enclosure in which air is directed onto an underside of the conveyor belt with the air nozzle in further removing the residue food material from the conveyor belt; and causing the residue food material to pass through the outlet to exit the enclosure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the air nozzle is an air knife, and cleaning the residue food material from the conveyor belt further includes generating a sheet of air with the air knife. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein directing air onto the underside of the conveyor belt includes directing air in the first direction with the air knife. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising redirecting airflow from the air nozzle with the first baffle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the belt cleaner further includes a second baffle located within the enclosure below the conveyor belt, the method further comprising redirecting airflow from the air nozzle with the second baffle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the belt cleaner further includes a belt scraper coupled to the first baffle, and cleaning the residue food material from the conveyor belt further includes scraping the residue food material from the underside of the conveyor belt with the belt scraper. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the air nozzle is coupled to the second baffle, the method further comprising supporting the air nozzle within the enclosure with the second baffle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the enclosure has an entrance and an exit, causing the conveyor belt to pass through the enclosure includes causing the conveyor belt to enter the enclosure through the entrance and exit the enclosure through the exit, and the belt cleaner further includes a third baffle located adjacent the exit, the method further comprising redirecting airflow from the air nozzle with the third baffle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the enclosure has an entrance and an exit, causing the conveyor belt to pass through the enclosure includes causing the conveyor belt to enter the enclosure through the entrance and exit the enclosure through the exit, the first baffle is located between the air nozzle and the entrance, and directing air onto the underside of the conveyor belt includes directing air toward the first baffle with the air nozzle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising redirecting airflow from the air nozzle toward the outlet with the first baffle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the enclosure has a funnel extending upward from the outlet, the method further comprising funneling airflow from the air nozzle toward the outlet with the funnel. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein causing the residue food material to pass through the outlet is accomplished without a suction system.