# US 8,770,433 B2 · Vibratory tray conveyor and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,433 B2 - Document ID: US8770433B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/982,616 - Filed: 2007-11-02 - Published: 2008-07-24 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2002-04-22 - Assignees: Restaurant Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Gerald A. Sus; Glenn Schackmuth; Craig Conley; Ron Dorsten; Henry T. Ewald; Jenny M. Hong; David Bone; Brian Rudesill - Inventors: Gerald A. Sus; Glenn Schackmuth; Craig Conley; Ron Dorsten; Henry T. Ewald; Jenny M. Hong; David Bone; Brian Rudesill - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770433B2 ## CPC - B65B 43/305: {specially adapted for boxes, cartons or carton blanks} - A47J 37/1228: {Automatic machines for frying and dispensing metered amounts of food} - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A tray for vibratory conveying of food articles from a hopper is provided. The tray includes a tray body, food inlet portion, and a food outlet portion. An upwardly extending dividing member divides the tray into at least two food inlet conveyor passageways, the inlet conveyor passageways merging into a single food passageway that extends to the food outlet portion. The single food passageway may have an initially wide portion and subsequently narrow to a narrow portion as it approaches a discharge end. This arrangement helps to declump food items, preferably causing food items the size of chicken nuggets to be conveyed in a single-file arrangement along the single food passageway. The single food passageway is preferably non-linear, and may, for example, have a zigzag or serpentine configuration to promote accurate dispensing of food items. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tray for vibratory conveying food articles from a hopper, the tray comprising: a tray body, a food inlet portion, and a food outlet portion, the food inlet portion including an upwardly extending dividing member for dividing the tray into at least two food inlet conveyor passageways, the inlet conveyor passageways merging into a single food passageway of generally horizontal extent that extends to the food outlet portion, each inlet conveyor passageway defining a horizontally extending surface from the food inlet portion and into the single food passageway and the single food passageway comprises a relatively wide portion where the inlet conveyor passageways merge and a relatively narrow non-linear portion extending from the relatively wide portion to the food outlet portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the narrow non-linear portion has a zigzag configuration in a generally horizontal direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the narrow non-linear portion has a serpentine configuration in a generally horizontal direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the dividing member is saddle-shaped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the single food passageway causes food the size of chicken nuggets to be conveyed in a single file arrangement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the single food passageway extends horizontally. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 further comprising holes in the tray body for allowing food particles or ice crystals to fall through. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the inlet conveyor passageways are narrower than the relatively narrow portion of the single food passageway. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the inlet conveyor passageways are narrower than the upwardly extending dividing member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The tray of claim 8 wherein the inlet conveyor passageways are narrower than the upwardly extending dividing member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 further comprising a vibratory mechanism for vibrating the tray body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the narrow non-linear portion comprises a length and a width, the length exceeding the width. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The tray of claim 1 wherein the width of the narrow non-linear portion is substantially constant. ### Claim 14 A tray for vibratory conveying food articles from a hopper, the tray comprising: a tray body, a food inlet portion, a food outlet portion, a single food passageway having a bottom and extending to the food outlet portion, and a plurality of pyramidal members extending above and located adjacent the bottom of the single food passageway, wherein the food inlet portion includes an upwardly extending dividing member for dividing the tray into at least two food inlet conveyor passageways and the single food passageway passes between the plurality of pyramidal members. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tray of claim 14 wherein the single food passageway comprises a relatively wide portion where the inlet conveyor passageways merge and a relatively narrow portion extending from the relatively wide portion to the food outlet portion and passing through the plurality of pyramidal members. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tray of claim 15 wherein the narrow portion has a zigzag configuration defined by the plurality of pyramidal members. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The tray of claim 15 wherein the narrow portion has a serpentine configuration defined by the plurality of pyramidal members. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The tray of claim 15 wherein the narrow portion is non-linear. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The tray of claim 15 wherein the narrow portion comprises a length and a width, the length exceeding the width. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The tray of claim 15 wherein the inlet conveyor passageways are narrower than the narrow portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The tray of claim 14 wherein the single food passageway is dimensioned and configured to cause food the size of chicken nuggets to be conveyed in a single file arrangement. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The tray of claim 14 further comprising a vibratory mechanism for vibrating the tray body. ### Claim 23 A tray for vibratory conveying food articles from a hopper, the tray comprising: a tray body, a food inlet portion, and a food outlet portion, the food inlet portion including an upwardly extending dividing member for dividing the tray into at least two food inlet conveyor passageways, the inlet conveyor passageways merging into a single food passageway that extends to the food outlet portion, wherein the single food passageway comprises a funnel portion where the inlet conveyor passageways merge and a relatively narrow non-linear portion extending from the funnel portion to the food outlet portion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The tray of claim 23 further comprising a plurality of food articles having width on the tray to be conveyed, the relatively narrow portion of the single food passageway having width that approximately corresponds to said food articles width. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The tray of claim 24 wherein the food articles are selected from the group consisting of chicken nuggets, breaded shrimp, cheese nuggets and jalapeno poppers. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The tray of claim 23 wherein the non-linear portion has a centerline that is horizontally non-linear. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The tray of claim 23 wherein each food inlet conveyor passageway has a length and a sloping side along the length.