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US 7,331,445 B2Granted
Methods and systems to facilitate spiral conveyance
AssigneePride Conveyance
InventorBruce Roland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a conveyor system that includes a rotatably-mounted drum and a conveyor belt that is movable along a path that includes a helical portion around the drum. During movement of the conveyor belt, a surface of the drum frictionally engages an inside edge of the conveyor belt along the helical portion of the path. Finally, a peripheral surface of a rotating driving element directly engages the drum and to rotate the drum thereby operatively to move the conveyor belt along the path.
Claims8
A conveyor system including:
- a rotatably-mounted drum having a bottom surface;
- a conveyor belt including a conveying surface that is movable along a path that includes a helical portion around the drum such that, during movement of the conveyor belt, a surface of the drum frictionally engages an inside edge of the conveyor belt along the helical portion of the path;
- and
- a rotating driving element, a peripheral surface of the rotating driving element to directly engage the drum and to rotate the drum thereby operatively to move the conveyor belt along the path, the rotating driving element including a roller defining the peripheral surface to directly engage the bottom surface of the drum with a frictional engagement to rotate the drum.
1 more element
A conveyor system including:
- a rotatably-mounted drum without a center shaft;
- a conveyor belt including a conveying surface that is movable in a path that includes a helical portion around the drum such that, during movement of the conveyor belt a surface of the drum frictionally engages an inside edge of the conveyor belt along the helical portion of the path;
- and
- a rotating driving element to directly engage the drum and to rotate the drum, thereby operatively to move the conveyor belt along the path, the rotating driving element including a roller to directly engage the drum with a frictional engagement to rotate the drum.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.