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US 9,540,177 B1Granted
Conveyor belt and modules with flights at the hinge
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorElena Rose Yasinski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of articulating rows of belt modules having flights formed atop laterally consecutive interleaved hinge elements of adjacent belt rows. The flights on leading and trailing rows are aligned when the belt is running flat, but open up for cleaning as their rows articulate about a sprocket.
Claims12
A modular conveyor belt comprising:
- a series of rows of one or more belt modules, each row extending in a direction of belt travel from a trailing end to a leading end and laterally from a left side to a right side and having a top side, wherein each row has one or more hinge elements at the trailing end and one or more hinge elements at the leading end, wherein the one or more hinge elements at the trailing end of a row are interleaved and hingedly joined with the one or more hinge elements at the leading end of an adjacent row;
- wherein at least some of the adjacent rows have flights extending upward from laterally consecutive interleaved hinge elements;
- and
- wherein the lateral dimension of each flight is greater than the dimension of the flight in the direction of belt travel.
1 more element
A conveyor belt module comprising:
- an intermediate portion extending in a direction of travel from a first end to a second end and laterally in width and having a top side;
- one or more first hinge elements extending outward from a portion of the first end of the intermediate portion and defining one or more spaces at the first end laterally adjacent to the one or more first hinge elements;
- one or more second hinge elements extending outward from a portion of the second end of the intermediate portion and defining one or more spaces at the second end laterally adjacent to the one or more second hinge elements, wherein the first hinge elements are laterally offset from the second hinge elements;
- one or more flights extending upward from the one or more first hinge elements;
- wherein each flight extends upward from an individual first hinge element without spanning any of the spaces along the first end;
- and
- wherein the lateral dimension of each flight is greater than the dimension of the flight in the direction of belt travel.
4 more elements
A conveyor belt module comprising:
- an intermediate portion extending in a direction of travel from a first end to a second end and laterally in width and having a top side;
- a plurality of first hinge elements laterally spaced apart along the first end;
- a plurality of second hinge elements laterally spaced apart along the second end, wherein the first hinge elements are laterally offset from the second hinge elements;
- a plurality of flights extending upward from the plurality of first hinge elements;
- wherein the lateral dimension of each flight is greater than the dimension of the flight in the direction of travel.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.