Conveyor belt system comprising plates with a lateral movement stop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10905129-B2
Application number	US-201815957653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A conveyor belt system f includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced rods, and a plurality of slats. At least one of the slats in the plurality of slats includes a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface and a lateral stop extending from one end of the flat body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor belt system for moving a food product through a food preparation device, the conveyor belt system comprising:
a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of spaced rods;
a plurality of slats, at least one of the slats in the plurality of slats including a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the at least one slat including a lateral stop extending from one end of the flat body portion;
wherein a first slat of the plurality of slats is removably attached to a first spaced rod and a second spaced rod of the plurality of spaced rods of the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism, and where the top surface of the first slat extends beyond the first spaced rod and the second spaced rod; and
wherein a continuous support surface is formed by the top surface of the first slat and the top surface of a second slat adjacent the first slat that is removably attached to a third spaced rod and a fourth spaced rod of the plurality of spaced rods of the conveyor belt.

2. The conveyor belt system of claim 1 , wherein the lateral stop extends outward from the flat body portion in a lateral direction.

3. The conveyor belt system of claim 2 , wherein the lateral stop includes a plate extension and a downturned wall.

4. The conveyor belt system of claim 3 , wherein the plate extension includes edges that taper towards one another extending away from the flat body portion.

5. The conveyor belt system of claim 2 , wherein the lateral stop includes a plate extension that includes two legs.

6. The conveyor belt system of claim 5 wherein each leg terminates in a downward wall that extends away from the top surface.

7. The conveyor belt system of claim 6 , wherein each leg includes a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface.

8. A food preparation device comprising:
a housing;
a heating element located within the housing; and
a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt system comprising:
a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt including a plurality of spaced rods
a plurality of slats, at least one of the slats in the plurality of slats including a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the at least one slat including a lateral stop extending from one end of the flat body portion;
wherein the least one slat is removably attached to two adjacent spaced rods of the plurality of spaced rods of the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism; and
wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge extend beyond the adjacent spaced rods.

9. A slat for a conveyor belt system including a conveyor belt, the slat comprising:
a flat body portion having a top surface and a bottom surface between a leading edge and a trailing edge;
a lateral stop extending from one end of the flat body portion;
a rod connection mechanism configured to removably attached the slat to the conveyor belt; and
wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge extend outward beyond the rod connection mechanism.

10. The slat of claim 9 , wherein the lateral stop extends outward from the flat body portion in a lateral direction.

11. The slat of claim 10 , wherein the lateral stop includes a plate extension and a downturned wall.

12. The slat of claim 11 , wherein the plate extension includes edges that taper towards one another extending away from the flat body portion.

13. The slat of claim 10 , wherein the lateral stop includes a plate extension that includes two legs.

14. The slat of claim 13 , wherein each leg terminates in a downward wall that extends away from the top surface.

15. The slat of claim 14 , wherein each leg includes a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface.

16. The slat of claim 14 , wherein each downward wall terminates in a tine.

17. The slat of claim 9 , wherein at least of the leading edge and the trailing edge includes an edge wall that extends downward away from the flat body portion.

18. The slat of claim 17 , wherein the edge wall tapers inwards towards the opposite one of the leading edge and the trailing edge along the downward direction.

19. The conveyor belt system of claim 9 , wherein the rod connection mechanism includes a downturned tab that is punched out of the flat body portion.

20. The conveyor belt system of claim 19 , further comprising an opening in the flat body portion proximate the rod connection mechanism.

21. The conveyor belt system of claim 19 , wherein the downturned tab includes a curved profile.

Assignees

• Prince Castle LLC

Inventors

• Malevanets Alexander

Classifications

• A21B1/48 Primary

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

• B65G2812/02128

  Belt conveyors · CPC title

• B65G17/064

  the profiles, rods, bars, rollers or the like being interconnected by a mesh or grid-like structure · CPC title

• B65G15/52

  interconnected by transverse slats · CPC title

• B65G15/54

  Endless load-carriers made of interwoven ropes or wires · CPC title