# US 12,759,802 B2 · Conveyor belt management system and method

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- Number: US 12,759,802 B2
- Document ID: US12759802B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/742,615
- Filed: 2024-06-13
- Published: 2025-12-18
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2024-06-13
- Assignees: JBT Marel Corporation
- Applicants: JBT Marel Corporation
- Inventors: Cezary J. Mroz; Wyatt W. Wills; Cameron Logan; Elton Brasil Da Costa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759802B2

## CPC

- B65G 43/02: detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
- B23Q 5/22: Feeding members carrying tools or work
- B65G 2203/046: RFID
- G06Q 30/0633: {Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087)}
- 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)
- B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A conveyor belt management system for managing conveyor belt use for a workpiece processing machine may include a belt information system configured to obtain belt information from a data storage device of an endless conveyor belt and write belt information to the data storage device regarding belt usage, a processor, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to: process belt information including at least one of an endless conveyor belt type and belt usage and output a belt optimization plan. The belt optimization plan may include at least one of recommendations and instructions for using a first type of endless conveyor belt for processing workpieces having first workpiece processing requirements, replacing the endless conveyor belt, verifying the endless conveyor belt on the processing machine, adjusting processing machine components, and adjusting processing machine settings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveyor belt management system for managing conveyor belt use for a workpiece processing machine, comprising:
a belt information system configured to obtain belt information from a data storage device of an endless conveyor belt and write belt information to the data storage device regarding belt usage;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to:
process belt information including at least one of an endless conveyor belt type and belt usage; and
output a belt optimization plan including at least one of recommendations and instructions for using a first type of endless conveyor belt for processing workpieces having first workpiece processing requirements, replacing the endless conveyor belt, verifying the endless conveyor belt on the processing machine, adjusting processing machine components, and adjusting processing machine settings.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the belt information system comprises an RFID reader and an RFID tag secured within the endless conveyor belt, the RFID reader positioned relative to the workpiece processing machine to read the RFID tag secured within the endless conveyor belt each time the endless conveyor belt completes a cycle in the workpiece processing machine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the belt information includes whether the endless conveyor belt is one of monolithic and modular, a belt outer surface profile of the endless conveyor belt, a manufacturer source, machine compatibility, workpiece compatibility, and a belt count.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the belt optimization plan includes a recommendation to use a first endless conveyor belt having a first outer surface profile and a first wear level to process workpieces of a first type, and wherein the belt optimization plan includes a recommendation to use a second endless conveyor belt having a second outer surface profile and the first wear level to process workpieces of a second type.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the belt optimization plan includes at least one of information regarding a part number for ordering a replacement endless conveyor belt and instructions for sending to a computing device to automatically order a replacement endless conveyor belt.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the belt optimization plan includes at least one of information regarding whether a belt outer surface profile and a belt wear level is suitable for carrying out processing of workpieces having the first workpiece processing requirements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 6, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to output at least one of recommendations or instructions for adjusting at least one of components and settings of the processing machine to accommodate the belt outer surface profile and the belt wear level.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 6, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to execute one or more belt optimization machine learning models configured to output at least one of recommendations or instructions for adjusting at least one of components and settings of the processing machine using the belt outer surface profile and the belt wear level as input.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 6, wherein the belt outer surface profile includes outer protrusions extending from a base of an outer surface of the endless conveyor belt.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 9, wherein the belt wear level is defined by a height of the outer protrusions extending from the base of the outer surface of the endless conveyor belt.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to:
determine if a belt count is less than an expected belt count for a certain period; and
output instructions to a controller of the processing machine to at least one of adjust a speed of the endless conveyor belt and stop the conveyor endless conveyor belt if the belt count is less than an expected belt count for a certain period.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to execute one or more belt optimization machine learning models configured to output instructions to a controller of the processing machine to at least one of adjust a speed of the endless conveyor belt and stop the endless conveyor belt using an actual belt count and an expected belt count for a certain period as input.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt management system of claim 1, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to execute one or more belt optimization machine learning models to output the belt optimization plan using at least one of belt identification information, belt usage data, and workpiece processing needs as input.

### Claim 14

A conveyor belt management system, comprising:
a workpiece processing machine, comprising:
a processing station for processing workpieces;
a conveyor system having an endless conveyor belt configured to support processing of the workpieces; and
a belt information system configured for obtaining belt information from a data storage device of the endless conveyor belt and writing belt information to the data storage device regarding belt usage; and
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a computing device of the conveyor belt management system to:
process belt information including at least one of a belt type and belt usage; and
output a belt optimization plan including at least one of recommendations and instructions for using a first type of endless conveyor belt for processing workpieces having first workpiece processing requirements, replacing the endless conveyor belt, verifying the endless conveyor belt on the processing machine, adjusting processing machine components, and adjusting processing machine settings.

### Claim 15

A method for managing conveyor belts for a workpiece processing machine, comprising:
obtaining, with a belt information system, belt information from a data storage device of an endless conveyor belt;
writing, with the belt information system, belt information to the data storage device regarding belt usage;
processing, with a computing device, belt information including at least one of a belt type and belt usage; and
outputting, with a computing device, a belt optimization plan including at least one of recommendations and instructions for using a first type of endless conveyor belt for processing workpieces having first workpiece processing requirements, replacing the endless conveyor belt, verifying the endless conveyor belt on the processing machine, adjusting processing machine components, and adjusting processing machine settings.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
reading, with an RFID reader, an RFID tag secured within the endless conveyor belt each time the endless conveyor belt completes a cycle in the workpiece processing machine; and
writing, with the RFID reader, belt usage information pertaining to the endless conveyor belt to the RFID tag each time the endless conveyor belt completes a cycle in the workpiece processing machine.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the belt optimization plan includes a recommendation to use a first endless conveyor belt having a first outer surface profile and a first wear level to process workpieces of a first type, and wherein the belt optimization plan includes a recommendation to use a second endless conveyor belt having a second outer surface profile and the first wear level to process workpieces of a second type.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the belt optimization plan includes at least one of information regarding whether a belt outer surface profile and a belt wear level is suitable for carrying out processing of workpieces having the first workpiece processing requirements.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising outputting, with a computing device, at least one of recommendations or instructions for adjusting at least one of components and settings of the processing machine to accommodate the belt outer surface profile and the belt wear level.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising executing, with a computing device, one or more belt optimization machine learning models to output at least one of recommendations or instructions for adjusting at least one of components and settings of the processing machine using the belt outer surface profile and the belt wear level as input.