Carrier basket transporter with self-damping carrier basket pivot connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12280959-B2
Application number	US-202318462570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2023
Priority date	Sep 9, 2022
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A self-damping carrier basket pivot connection for a carrier basket transporter system having cars configured to travel along a pathway, at least some of which have a carrier basket pivotally connected thereto. The pivot connection includes a support connection configured for attachment a car. The support connection has at least three connection rollers that define a circular envelope and a mating connection configured to be attached to a back support of the carrier basket. The mating connection includes a housing with a part circular track that generally corresponds to or is larger than the circular envelope such that the rollers can be located within the part circular track. The part circular track includes at least one inwardly directed protrusion. The connection rollers engage in the part circular track such that the carrier basket is adapted to be pivotable by gravity so a product support surface of the carrier basket is maintained generally horizontal during movement of the carrier basket along the pathway, and the at least one inwardly directed protrusion provides an increased resistance to relative movement between the housing and a roller that contacts the protrusion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-damping carrier basket pivot connection for a carrier basket transporter system with a plurality of cars configured to travel along a pathway, at least some of which have a carrier basket pivotally connected thereto, the self-damping carrier basket pivot connection comprising:
a support connection configured for attachment to at least one of the cars, the support connection comprises at least three connection rollers that define a circular envelope;
a mating connection configured to be attached to a back support of the carrier basket, the mating connection comprises a housing having a part circular track having a first radius and that extends circumferentially greater than 180° and generally corresponds to or is larger than the circular envelope, the part circular track including at least one inwardly directed protrusion; and
the connection rollers are engaged in the part circular track such that the carrier basket is adapted to be pivotable by gravity so a product support surface of the carrier basket is maintained generally horizontal during movement of the carrier basket along the pathway, and the at least one inwardly directed protrusion provides an increased resistance to relative movement between the housing and at least one of the rollers that contacts the at least one inwardly directed protrusion.

2. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the connection rollers include an outer surface made of an elastomeric material.

3. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the at least three connection rollers includes four of the connection rollers arranged with axes thereof defining corners of a square.

4. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inwardly directed protrusion comprises a plurality of the inwardly directed protrusions.

5. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the inwardly directed protrusions are formed by ends of arc-shaped segments having a second radius, smaller than the first radius, that define a portion of the part circular track and are arranged generally at a distance of the first radius such that the inwardly directed protrusions extend radially inwardly from a circle defined by the first radius.

6. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 5 , wherein the connection rollers have a roller radius and the second radius is greater than or equal to the roller radius.

7. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 5 , wherein there are at least six of the arc-shaped segments.

8. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 5 , wherein the arc-shaped segments are located at a top part of the housing.

9. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 8 , wherein a bottom part of the housing is open.

10. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , further comprising first and second lips that extend radially inwardly along each side of the part circular track that retain the housing on the connection rollers.

11. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the circular envelope has a radius that is smaller than the first radius of the part circular track.

12. The self-damping carrier basket pivot connection of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a carrier basket connector.

13. A carrier basket transporter system, comprising:
a plurality of cars configured to travel along a pathway, at one of the cars having a self-damping carrier basket pivot connection connected thereto,
the self-damping carrier basket pivot connection including a support connection attached to the one of the cars, the support connection comprises at least three connection rollers that define a circular envelope;
a carrier basket having a back support and a product support surface extending therefrom, and a mating connection attached to the back support, the mating connection including a housing having a part circular track having a first radius and that circumferentially extends greater than 180° and generally corresponds to or is larger than the circular envelope, the part circular track including at least one inwardly directed protrusion; and
the connection rollers are engaged in the part circular track such that the carrier basket is pivotable by gravity so the product support surface is maintained generally horizontal during movement of the carrier basket along the pathway, and the at least one inwardly directed protrusion provides an increased resistance to relative movement between the housing and at least one of the connection rollers that contacts the at least one inwardly directed protrusion.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a support plate connected to two of the cars, and the support connection is attached to the support plate.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising support rollers located on the support plate, at least one of which is configured to contact the back support at a location spaced apart from the support connection.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the product support surface comprises a plurality of spaced apart fingers.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the cars include track rollers that are configured to ride on a track that defines the pathway.

Assignees

• Franke Technology & Trademark

Inventors

• Czapp Ireneusz
• Tusk Andrzej
• Lebkowski Wojciech

Classifications

• B65G17/14

  with two spaced connections to traction element · CPC title

• B65G17/12

  comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element · CPC title

• B65G17/34

  having flat surfaces, e.g. platforms, grids, forks · CPC title

• B65G2201/0202

  Agricultural and processed food products · CPC title

• B65G47/57

  for articles · CPC title