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.
Claims20
A conveyor belt comprising:
- a mesh conveying surface capable of varying in width when in motion along a direction of travel, said mesh conveying surface being formed by a plurality of links and joints extending across and connected to each other across the mesh conveying surface, 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 rendering the mesh conveying surface flexible in both a direction transverse and a direction parallel with the direction of travel;
- and
- control elements capable of engaging with external guides to guide the conveyer belt as it is driven to move along the direction of travel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.