# US 2019/0168968 A1 · Side-By-Side Slats for a Chain Conveyor Belt and Conveyor Belt System Comprising Same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168968 A1 - Document ID: US20190168968A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/829,840 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Prince Castle LLC - Applicants: Prince Castle, Inc. - Inventors: Richard Bauer; Dennis Malkowski; Ulf Bauer; Karl R. Heinze; Sajid Safvi; Tomasz Tyrawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168968A1 ## CPC - B65G 17/42: Attaching load carriers to traction elements - A47J 37/045: {with endless conveyors} - A47J 37/08: Bread-toasters - A47J 37/0857: {with bread supports or heating means movable during the toasting operation} - B65G 15/54: Endless load-carriers made of interwoven ropes or wires - B65G 17/064: {the profiles, rods, bars, rollers or the like being interconnected by a mesh or grid-like structure} - B65G 17/065: {the load carrying surface being formed by plates or platforms attached to a single traction element} - B65G 17/067: {the load carrying surface being formed by plates or platforms attached to more than one traction element} - B65G 17/083: {the surface being formed by profiles, rods, bars, rollers or the like} - B65G 17/44: by means excluding relative movements - 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) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A conveyor belt system provides a continuous flat support surface for a food item that moves the food item through a food preparation device. The conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced apart rods and a plurality of slats that are removably attached to the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism. The slats also include a lateral connection mechanism for lateral removable attachment to an adjacent slat. The slats are easily assembled and provide enhanced field service and/or replacement capability. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A conveyor belt assembly for moving a food product through a food preparation device, the conveyor belt assembly comprising: a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of spaced rods; and a plurality of slats, at least one of the slats in the plurality of slats including a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the at least one slat being removably attached to the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism, the rod connection mechanism being located at a first end of the at least one slat, and the at least one slat being removably attached to an adjacent slat with a slat connection element, which is located at a second end of the at least one slat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 1, wherein the rod connection mechanism comprises two hooks that extend away from the bottom surface of the flat body portion, the two hooks being offset from one another and separated from one another by a gap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 2, wherein the gap includes a radiused top. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 2, wherein hooks include a radiused cradle sized and shaped to receive a portion of a rod. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 4, wherein the tine connects the radiused cradle to an outer lateral surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 5, wherein the hook includes a bottom surface that opposes the radiused cradle and is connected to the outer lateral surface and an inner lateral surface by a radiused edge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 6, wherein the radiused cradle includes a surface that forms an arc of a circle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 1, wherein the slat connection element includes a plate that extends downward, away from the flat body portion and substantially perpendicular to the flat body portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 8, wherein the slat connection element includes a hook that extends forward from the plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 9, wherein the hook includes a radiused surface that is sized and shaped to seat a portion of a rod in the plurality of spaced apart rods. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 10, wherein the slat connection element includes a stabilizing wall that extends from the plate aft, towards a trailing edge of the flat base portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 11, wherein the stabilizing wall is substantially perpendicular to the plate and extends towards a side surface of the flat base portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of slats includes two or more side-by-side slats in a row of slats and at least two slats in a row of slats are welded to one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of slats includes three or more side-by-side slats in a row of slats. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of slats comprises three side-by-side slats that include a first lateral outermost slat, at least one intermediate slat, and a second lateral outermost slat, the at least one intermediate slat including slat connection elements at a first end and at a second end, and the first and second lateral outermost slats including a slat connection element at one end and a rod connection mechanism at another end. ### Claim 16 A food preparation device comprising: a housing; a heating element located within the housing; and a conveyor belt assembly, the conveyor belt assembly comprising: a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt including a plurality of spaced rods; and a plurality of slats, at least one of the slats in the plurality of slats including a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the at least one slat being removably attached to the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism, the rod connection mechanism being located at a first end of the at least one slat, and the at least one slat being removably attached to an adjacent slat with a slat connection element, which is located at a second end of the at least one slat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The food preparation device of claim 16, wherein the rod connection mechanism comprises two hooks that extend away from the bottom surface of the flat body portion, the two hooks being separated from one another by a gap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The food preparation device of claim 17, wherein the gap includes a radiused top. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The food preparation device of claim 18, wherein hooks include a radiused cradle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The food preparation device of claim 19, wherein the radiused cradle is connected to a lateral surface with a tine. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The food preparation device of claim 20, wherein the radiused cradle includes a surface that forms an arc of a circle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The food preparation device of claim 16, wherein the slat connection element includes a plate that extends downward, away from the flat body portion and substantially perpendicular to the flat body portion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The food preparation device of claim 22, wherein the slat connection element includes a hook that extends forward from the plate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The food preparation device of claim 23, wherein the hook includes a radiused surface that is sized and shaped to seat a portion of a rod in the plurality of spaced apart rods. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The food preparation device of claim 16, wherein the slat connection element includes a stabilizing wall that extends from the plate aft, towards a trailing edge of the flat base portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The food preparation device of claim 25, wherein the stabilizing wall is substantially perpendicular to the plate and that extends towards a side surface of the flat base portion. ### Claim 27 A slat for a conveyor belt assembly, the slat comprising: a flat body portion; and a rod connection mechanism disposed at a first end of the flat body portion and a slat connection element disposed at a second end of the flat body portion, the rod connection mechanism including two hooks that extend away from a bottom surface of the flat body portion, the two hooks being separated by a gap, and the slat connection element includes a plate that extends downward, away from the flat body portion and substantially perpendicular to the flat body portion. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The slat of claim 27, wherein hooks include a radiused cradle. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 27, wherein the slat connection element includes a hook that extends forward from the plate. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 29, wherein the hook includes a radiused surface that is sized and shaped to seat a portion of a rod in the plurality of spaced apart rods. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 27, wherein the slat connection element includes a stabilizing wall that extends from the plate aft, towards a trailing edge of the flat base portion. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 31, wherein the stabilizing wall is substantially perpendicular to the plate and that extends towards a side surface of the flat base portion. ### Claim 33 A slat for a conveyor belt assembly, the slat comprising: a flat body portion; and a rod connection mechanism disposed at a first end of the flat body portion and a snap-in connection element disposed at a second end of the flat body portion, the rod connection mechanism including two hooks that extend away from a bottom surface of the flat body portion, the two hooks being separated by a first gap, and the snap-in connection element includes two legs that extend away from the bottom surface of the flat body portion, the two legs being separated from one another by a second gap. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 33, wherein legs include an angled leading surface. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 34, wherein the angled leading surface forms a narrower leg portion distal to the flat body portion and a wider leg portion proximate the flat body portion. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 35, wherein the angled leading surface terminates at a peak, which defines the widest location of the leg. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 36, further comprising a notch located proximate the flat body portion, the peak being located between the notch and the angled leading surface. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The conveyor belt assembly of claim 37, wherein the notch includes a surface that forms an arc of a circle.