Conveyor belt assembly
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNorman A. Rudy, Daniel F. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor belt assembly (10) for conveying an object to be portioned (54) by a fluid jet (52) is disclosed. The conveyor belt assembly (10) includes a conveyor belt formed from at least a first and a second picket (12) each having a length comprised of a sequence of geometrically shaped links (20) disposed transversely across the conveyor belt. The pickets (12) are disposed in a nested relationship to each other. The pickets (12) include upper edge portions (22) that form a conveying surface (42) for supporting and advancing the object to be portioned (54). The upper edge portions (22) are tapered in the upward direction to reduce dispersion of the fluid jet (52) during impingement of the fluid jet (52) on the conveying surface (42).
Claims27
A conveyor belt for conveying an object to be portioned by a fluid jet, comprising at least a first and a second picket coupled to one another, the first and second pickets each having a length comprised of a sequence of geometrically shaped links disposed transversely across the conveyor belt, wherein the pickets are disposed in a nested relationship to each other, the pickets comprising upper edge portions that cooperatively form a conveying surface for supporting and advancing the object to be portioned, wherein the upper edge portion lengthwise of the pickets is tapered in the upward direction to reduce dispersion of the fluid jet during impingement of the fluid jet on the conveying surface, and wherein the conveyor belt further includes a connecting assembly for coupling the first picket to the second picket and a drive assembly for engaging and imparting motion to the conveying surface.
A conveyor belt for conveying an object to be portioned by a fluid jet, the conveyor belt formed from a plurality of pickets coupled to one another in a nested relationship, each having a length comprised of a sequence of geometrically shaped links disposed transversely across the conveyor belt, the pickets comprising upper edge portions that cooperatively form a conveying surface for supporting and advancing the object to be portioned, wherein the upper edge portions lengthwise of the picket are tapered in the upward direction to reduce dispersion and splash back of the fluid jet during impingement of the fluid jet on the conveying surface, and wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of connecting members for connecting the plurality of pickets to one another and a drive assembly for engaging and imparting motion to the conveying surface.
A conveyor belt for conveying an object to be portioned by a fluid jet, comprising a first endless member and a second endless member, wherein the first endless member is positioned along a first side of the conveyor belt and the second endless member along a second side of the conveyor belt, wherein the first and second endless members are coupled to a conveying surface and can be driven to impart motion to the conveying surface;
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- wherein the conveying surface is comprised of a plurality of pickets, each having a length comprised of a sequence of geometrically shaped links disposed transversely across the conveyor belt between the first and second endless members and in a nested relationship to one another, the pickets comprising upper edge portions that form the conveying surface for supporting and advancing the object to be portioned, wherein the upper edge portions lengthwise of the picket are tapered in the upward direction to reduce dispersion and splash back of the fluid jet during impingement of the fluid jet on the conveying surface, and wherein the conveyor belt further comprises at least one connecting member for coupling two or more of the plurality of pickets to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.