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US 11,745,949 B2Granted
Modular conveyor belt with hook hinges
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorsBryant G. Ragan, John de St. Germain, Adam E. Bannerman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Conveyor belt modules having rodless hook hinges and modular conveyor belts constructed of those modules. Hooks on opposite ends of belt modules hook into complementary hooks on adjacent modules to interconnect the modules at hinge joints into an endless belt. The geometry of the modules enables them to be manufactured by extrusion.
Claims24
A conveyor belt module comprising:
- a module body extending in a width direction from a first side to a second side and in a length direction from a first end to a second end;
- a first hook disposed at the first end of the module body and having a tip end;
- a second hook disposed at the second end of the module body and having a tip end;
- wherein the first hook forms a first curved channel having an open end and a closed end and defining a first path perpendicular to the width direction;
- wherein the first curved channel is configured to receive the second hook at the second end of an adjacent conveyor belt module to connect the conveyor belt module to the adjacent conveyor belt module at a hinge joint at which the connected conveyor belt modules can articulate as the second hook advances and retreats along the first path;
- wherein the second hook and the first curved channel are complementary in shape so that a portion of the second hook of the adjacent conveyor belt module when received in the first curved channel fills the width of a portion of the first curved channel in which the second hook is received;
- and
- wherein the first hook bends upward to the tip end and the second hook bends upward to a tip end or both the first hook and the second hook bend downward to their tip ends.
5 more elements
A conveyor belt comprising:
- a length of a modular conveyor belt having a first end and a second end and hinge elements spaced apart along the first and second ends with aligned holes through the hinge elements, wherein the modular conveyor belt articulates at hinge joints whose regular spacing defines a belt pitch;
- a first connection module having a first end and a second end and a hook at the first end and spaced apart hinge elements with aligned holes along the second end that interleave with the hinge elements along the first end of the length of modular conveyor belt, wherein the aligned holes of the interleaved hinge elements form a first passageway across the width of the modular conveyor belt;
- a second connection module having a first end and a second end and a hook at the second end and spaced apart hinge elements with aligned holes along the first end that interleave with the hinge elements along the second end of the length of modular conveyor belt, wherein the aligned holes of the interleaved hinge elements form a second passageway across the width of the modular conveyor belt;
- a first hinge rod received in the first passageway to connect the first connection module to the second end of the length of the modular conveyor belt to form a first hinge joint;
- a second hinge rod received in the second passageway to connect the first connection module to the first end of the length of the modular conveyor belt to form a second hinge joint.
2 more elements
A conveyor belt comprising:
- a plurality of conveyor belt modules, each extending in width from a first side to a second side and in length in a direction of belt travel from a first end to a second end and in thickness from a top surface to an underside and including:
- first hooks along the first end and second hooks along the second end, wherein the first hooks of each conveyor belt module hook with the second hooks of an adjacent one of the modules at hinge joints to form an endless belt loop;
- a first recessed track extending along the first end between the first hooks and a second recessed track extending along the second end between the second hooks, wherein the first recessed track of each conveyor belt module forms with the second recessed track of an adjacent conveyor belt module an elongated slot extending across a portion of the width of the conveyor belt modules and through the thickness of the conveyor belt modules from the top surface to the underside;
- a mover received in each elongated slot and engaging the first and second recessed tracks for movement along the elongated slot and including an upper portion protruding above the slot and the top surface and a lower portion protruding below the slot and the underside.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.