Antimicrobial/antiviral conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534299-B2
Application number	US-202217946514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2022
Priority date	Sep 16, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An antimicrobial conveyor belt apparatus comprising multiple segments each having a body portion and interlocking fingers extending from the body portion. The segments comprise a polymer composition comprising from 50 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of a polymer, from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % zinc, optionally from a zinc compound, less than 1 wt % of a phosphorus compound, and from 0 wt % to 20 wt % molding additives. The conveyor belt apparatus (or the segments thereof) demonstrates a Staphylococcus aureus log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An antimicrobial conveyor belt apparatus comprising:
multiple segments each having a body portion and interlocking fingers extending from the body portion, wherein the segments comprise a segment polymer composition comprising:
from 50 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of a polymer,
from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % zinc, optionally from a zinc compound,
less than 1 wt. % of a phosphorus compound, and
from 0 wt. % to 20 wt. % molding additives;
wherein the segment polymer composition comprises PA-6,6 or PA-6 or PA-6,12, or combinations thereof; and wherein the conveyor belt apparatus demonstrates a Staphylococcus aureus log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011.

2 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one segment further comprises a partial layer comprising a partial layer polymer composition.

3 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a surface tension of the segment polymer composition is at least 1% greater than a surface tension of the partial layer polymer composition.

4 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises olefins, polyesters, polyamides, vulcanizates, or polyurethanes, or combinations thereof.

5 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises a rubber-based material.

6 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises santoprene.

7 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises modified santoprene comprising santoprene and polyamide.

8 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises flexible polyamide.

9 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the partial layer polymer composition comprises an AM/AV compound.

10 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a relative viscosity of the segment polymer composition is greater than 20.

11 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fingers of one of the segments interlock with the fingers of an adjacent segment, wherein at least one of the fingers of each segment defines a respective aperture extending therethrough, wherein the respective aperture of one of the segments aligns with the respective aperture of an adjacent segment to define an opening extending through interlocking fingers of the segments, and wherein the conveyor belt apparatus further comprising a connecting rod extending through the opening.

12 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt apparatus demonstrates an Escherichia coli log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011 and/or a Klebsiella pneumonia log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011.

13 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the segments demonstrates a tensile modulus greater than 2500 MPa and/or a Charpy un-notched impact energy loss greater than 70 KJ/m 2 , at 23° C.

14 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is hydrophilic and/or hygroscopic and is capable of absorbing greater than 1.5 wt. % water, based on the total weight of the polymer.

15 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the segment polymer composition comprises from 1000 parts per million by weight (wppm) to 7000 wppm zinc.

16 . The conveyor belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the segment polymer composition comprises from 2 wt. % to 20 wt. % of impact modifier and/or from 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % heat stabilizer and/or from 0.05 wt. % to 3 wt. % melt stabilizer.

17 . An antimicrobial conveyor belt apparatus comprising:
multiple segments each having a body portion and interlocking fingers extending from the body portion, wherein the segments comprise a segment polymer composition comprising:
from 50 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of a polymer, and
from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % zinc, optionally from a zinc compound;
wherein the segment polymer composition further comprises from 2 wt. % to 20 wt. % of impact modifier and/or from 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % heat stabilizer and/or from 0.05 wt. % to 3 wt. % melt stabilizer; and wherein the conveyor belt apparatus demonstrates (i) a Staphylococcus aureus log reduction greater than 1.0, (ii) an Escherichia coli log reduction greater than 1.0, and/or (iii) a Klebsiella pneumonia log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011.

18 . An antimicrobial conveyor belt apparatus comprising:
multiple segments each having a body portion and interlocking fingers extending from the body portion, wherein the segments comprise a segment polymer composition comprising:
from 50 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of a polymer, and
from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % zinc, optionally from a zinc compound;
wherein at least one segment further comprises a partial layer comprising one or more of a rubber-based material, a santoprene material, a polyamide-modified santoprene material, a flexible polyamide material, or an AM/AV compound; and wherein the conveyor belt apparatus demonstrates (i) a Staphylococcus aureus log reduction greater than 1.0, (ii) an Escherichia coli log reduction greater than 1.0, and/or iii) a Klebsiella pneumonia log reduction greater than 1.0, as determined via ISO 22196:2011.

Assignees

• Ascend Performance Mat Operations Llc

Inventors

• Gopal Vikram
• Shah Dhruv
• Sadr Changizes
• Maples Austin
• Sparks Bradley

Classifications

• B65G2207/26

  Hygienic features, e.g. easy to sanitize · CPC title

• B65G15/38 Primary

  with flame-resistant layers, e.g. of asbestos, glass · CPC title

• C08K3/22

  of metals · CPC title

• C08K2003/2296

  of zinc · CPC title

• C08K2003/0893

  Zinc · CPC title