Sprocket driven conveyor belt link and conveyor belt assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464757-B2
Application number	US-201514986497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A conveyor belt link that can form a substantially flat, continuous conveyor belt surface when coupled with multiple, identical conveyor belt links. In one embodiment, the conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly comprises a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end, a second end, a first linking member projecting from the base, and a second linking member projecting from the base. The first end of the base terminates at a first angle (relative to a horizontal axis), the second end terminates at a second angle (relative to the horizontal axis), and the first and second angles of the ends are substantially supplementary. The first linking member comprises one of a cylinder and a channel and the second linking member comprises the other of the cylinder and the channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly, comprising:
a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end and a second end, a first linking member attached to the base by a first arm that projects downward from the base at an angle and is offset from the first end, and a second linking member attached to the base by a second arm that projects downward from the base;
the first end terminating at a first angle relative to a horizontal axis, the second end terminating at a second angle relative to the horizontal axis, the first and second angles being substantially supplementary; and
the first linking member comprising a partial cylinder and the second linking member comprising a channel, the channel being adapted to rotatably couple with a first linking member of an adjacent conveyor belt link.

2. The conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first end is undercut.

3. The conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the undercut of the first end provides a stop surface.

4. The conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second end terminating at the second angle provides a rest surface, the rest surface comprising a surface inclined at the second angle, the inclined surface connecting the base and the second linking member.

5. The conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1 , the base for carrying an item having a top receiving surface for carrying an item, wherein the top receiving surface is corrugated or textured for retaining an item to be transported.

6. The conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the cylinder comprises a bore.

7. A conveyor belt assembly, comprising:
a conveyor belt comprising a plurality of conveyor belt links, each conveyor belt link comprising a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end and a second end, a first linking member attached to the base by a first arm that projects downward from the base at an angle and is offset from the first end, and a second linking member attached to the base by a second arm that projects downward from the base;
the first end terminating at a first angle relative to a horizontal axis, the second end terminating at a second angle relative to the horizontal axis, the first and second angles being substantially supplementary;
the first linking member comprising a partial cylinder and the second linking member comprising a channel, wherein the channel is adapted to rotatably couple with a first linking member of an adjacent conveyor belt link;
the base for carrying an item having a top receiving surface for carrying an item; and
wherein the portion of the cylinder of the first conveyor belt link is rotatably coupled to the channel of the second conveyor belt link.

8. The conveyor belt assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the first end is undercut and the undercut provides a stop surface, wherein the second end terminating at a second angle provides a rest surface, and wherein the rest surface of the first conveyor belt link mates with the stop surface of the second, adjacent conveyor belt link, the stop surface being adapted to partially limit rotational movement of coupled linking members.

9. The conveyor belt assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising a sprocket having a plurality of teeth, each conveyor belt link configured to receive one of the plurality of teeth between the first and second linking members each tooth having a width less than the distance between the first and second linking members.

10. The conveyor belt assembly according to claim 7 , wherein a flat continuous surface is provided by the top receiving surfaces of multiple, adjacent, coupled conveyor belt links of the plurality of conveyor belt links.

11. The conveyor belt assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the portion of the cylinder includes a bore.

12. The conveyor belt assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners disposed in the bores of the portions of the cylinder.

13. A food heating device comprising:
at least one platen for heating food products;
a conveyor belt comprising a plurality of conveyor belt links;
each conveyor belt link comprising a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end and a second end, a first linking member attached to the base by a first arm that projects downward from the base at an angle and is offset from the first end, and a second linking member attached to the base by a second arm that projects downward from the base;
the first end terminating at a first angle relative to a horizontal axis, the second end terminating at a second angle relative to a horizontal axis, the first and second angles being substantially supplementary;
the first linking member comprising a partial cylinder and the second linking member comprising a channel, wherein the channel is adapted to rotatably couple with a first linking member of an adjacent conveyor belt link;
wherein the conveyor belt moves relative to the at least one platen and transports a food product to allow the food product to be exposed to the platen.

14. A conveyor belt comprising:
a plurality of conveyor belt links;
each conveyor belt link comprising a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end and a second end, a first linking member attached to the base by a first arm that projects downward from the base at an angle and is offset from the first end, and a second linking member attached to the base by a second arm that projects downward from the base;
the first end terminating at a first angle relative to a horizontal axis, the second end terminating at a second angle relative to a horizontal axis, the first and second angles being substantially supplementary;
the first end being undercut and providing a stop surface;
the second end terminating at the second angle providing a rest surface, the rest surface comprising a surface inclined at the second angle, the inclined surface connecting the base and the second linking member;
the first linking member is a partial cylinder and the second linking member is a channel, wherein the channel is adapted to rotatably couple with a first linking member of an adjacent conveyor belt link;
the base for carrying an item having a top receiving surface for carrying an item, wherein the top receiving surface is corrugated or textured for retaining an item to be transported.

15. The conveyor belt according to claim 14 , wherein the portion of the cylinder comprises a bore.

16. The conveyor belt according to claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners disposed in the portions of the bores of the cylinder, the fasteners being configured to prevent axial movement between adjacent links.

17. A conveyor belt link for a conveyor belt assembly, comprising:
a base for carrying an item, the base having a first end and a second end, a first linking member attached to the base by a first arm that projects downward from the base at an angle and is offset from the first end, and a second linking member attached to the base by a second arm that projects downward from the base;
the first end terminating at a first angle relative to a horizontal axis, the second end terminating at a second angle relative to the horizontal axis, the first and second angles being substantially supplementary; and
the second linking member comprising a partial cylinder and the first linking member comprising a channel, the channel being ada

Assignees

• Prince Castle LLC

Inventors

• Bauer Richard

Classifications

• A47J37/044

  with conveyors moving in a horizontal or an inclined plane (A47J37/045, A47J37/046 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65G23/06

  with projections engaging abutments on belts or chains, e.g. sprocket wheels · CPC title

• A21B1/48

  with surfaces in the form of an endless band · CPC title

• B65G17/08

  the surface being formed by the traction element · CPC title

• B65G17/40 Primary

  Chains acting as load-carriers · CPC title