System and method for electropolishing or electroplating conveyor belts
AssigneeAshworth Bros., Inc.
InventorsJoseph M. Lackner, Jonathan R. Lasecki, Paul Steinhoff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electropolishing or electroplating system and method for metal conveyor belts is described. In some embodiments, the system has a metal conveyor belt held in constant tension; a tank for holding an electrolytic fluid, the tank having an interior space suitable to contain the fluid, a metal plate and the metal conveyor belt; and an electrical current supply. In an electropolishing application, the current passes from the metal conveyor belt, through the fluid and into the metal plate. In an electroplating application, the current passes from the metal plate, through the fluid and into the metal conveyor belt.
Claims13
A method for electrochemically processing a conveyor belt including a continuous assembly of interconnected components, the method comprising:
- rolling the conveyor belt from a first roller into an electrolytic bath comprising at least one conductive plate;
- applying current to at least one of the conveyor belt and the at least one conductive plate while at least part of the conveyor belt is within the electrolytic bath;
- guiding the conveyor belt out of the electrolytic bath and onto a second roller;
- and actively maintaining the conveyor belt under tension between the first roller and the second roller to maintain physical contact between the interconnected components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.