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US 2004/0016625 A1Published application
Belt conveyor assembly for chamber packaging machines
AssigneeKoch Equipment LLC
InventorJohn Scott Nixon
Life of this patent
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AssigneeKoch Equipment LLC
InventorJohn Scott Nixon
Estimating the term…
A chamber-type vacuum packaging machine (20) equipped with a conveyor assembly (28) is provided which has increased productivity and ease of use inasmuch as the assembly (28) permits rapid assembly-line transfer of packages between the loading station (52) and the sealing station (60) of the machine (20). The assembly (28) includes a continuous belt (90) presenting an upper run (94) and a lower run (96) together with end-mounted roller assemblies (98, 100) which support the belt (90) and permit selective shifting of the upper run (94) between the stations (52, 60) in order to transfer loaded packages to be sealed to the sealing station (60). In order to facilitate mounting of the assembly (28) and periodic breakdown thereof for cleaning and/or replacement of belt (90), the assembly (28) is configured so that the upper and lower runs (94, 96) are both located atop the table (24) of the machine (20). Optional upper and lower plate assemblies (168, 170) having low-friction undulating surfaces are preferably located atop table (24) and between the runs (94, 96) of the belt (90). The assembly (28) may also be used on a variety of elongated table processing or handling machines (178). A double-chamber vacuum packaging machine (182) is also provided having a continuous conveyor assembly (184) on the assembly (28).
In a chamber-type vacuum packing machine having an elongated table presenting a package sealing station, a chamber lid shiftable between an open position spaced from said table and a closed, package-sealing position adjacent the package sealing station of said table, a vacuumization assembly for drawing a package-evacuating vacuum within the lid in the closed position thereof, and a sealing device for package sealing, the improvement which comprises:
A conveyor assembly adapted for use with equipment having an elongated table, said conveyor assembly comprising:
In a double-chamber packaging machine having an elongated table presenting a pair of spaced apart package sealing stations, a chamber lid shiftable between an open position spaced from the table and a pair of closed, package sealing positions adjacent each of the sealing station, a sealing device for package sealing, the improvement which comprises shiftable conveyor system including a continuous conveyor belt having an upper run located atop and extending along the length of said table between said sealing stations, and a belt supporting and shifting assembly operatively coupled with said continuous belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.