Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Endless conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-09
2001-03-20
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Endless conveyor
C198S848000, C198S850000, C198S852000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202833
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to conveyor belts and in particular, to a conveyor belt, such as a flat wire belt or balanced weave belt, having conveyor belt links with alternating wide and narrow regions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conveyor belts are commonly used for conveying articles during cooling, drying, coating, cooking and many other applications. Examples of conveyor belts used for such applications include wire mesh belts, flat or ribbon wire belts (also referred to as honeycomb belts), and balanced weave belts. One example of a flat wire belt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,319, incorporated herein by reference. One example of a balanced weave belt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,695, incorporated herein by reference. Each of these belts are advantageous, for food processing in particular, because they provide flexibility, an open, flow-through construction, a sanitary construction, simple installation and maintenance, and the ability to be positively driven
Conveyor belt manufacturers have always searched for ways to reduce the amount of material and time needed to manufacture these conveyor belts as well as to reduce the weight. Prior attempts at reducing weight and material, however, have resulted in a significant decrease in belt strength. Reducing belt material can also result in larger spaces through the belt that allow smaller articles to fall through.
Accordingly, what is needed is a conveyor belt having less material and a lighter weight without significantly decreasing the belt strength and without creating excessively large spaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of links each of which is linked with at least one adjacent wire link in the conveyor belt. Each link includes a first end and a second end and a plurality of linking portions between the first end and the second end. The plurality of linking portions are linked with respective linking portions in an adjacent link. The plurality of linking portions include alternating narrow linking portions and wide linking portions that alternate from proximate the first end to proximate the second end of each of the links. The wide linking portions have a width greater than the width of the narrow linking portions. The narrow linking portions and wide linking portions are linked with respective narrow linking portions and wide linking portions in the adjacent wire link forming narrow spaces and wide spaces. Alternating the wide linking portions and narrow linking portions reduces the amount of material needed for the conveyor belt.
Each link preferably includes an odd number of linking portions where the number of wide linking portions equals the number of narrow linking portions minus one. Each of the plurality of links preferably has first and second of the narrow linking portions located at the first and second ends of the links. The width of the narrow linking portions is preferably dimensioned to receive a sprocket, for driving the conveyor belt.
According to one preferred embodiment, the present invention features a flat wire conveyor belt. The flat wire conveyor belt comprises a plurality of flat wire links. Each of the flat wire links comprises a first end and a second end, and a plurality of linking portions between the first end and the second end. The linking portions include alternating wide linking portions and narrow linking portions that alternate from proximate the first end to proximate the second end of each of the wire links. Each of the linking portions also have an aperture extending therethrough. A linking rod extends through the aperture in each of the linking portions to link each of the flat wire links to adjacent flat wire links. The linking rod is secured at first and second rod ends to edges of the belt, for example, by welding or clinching.
According to another preferred embodiment, the conveyer belt is a balanced weave belt having wire links woven around linking bars.
The present invention also features a flat wire link for use in a flat wire conveyor belt. The flat wire link includes a first end and a second end, and a plurality of linking portions between the first end and the second end. Each of the plurality of linking portions includes apertures for receiving a linking rod for linking the linking portions to adjacent flat wire links in the conveyor belt. At least some of the linking portions include alternating wide linking portions and narrow linking portions. The wide linking portions having a width greater than a width of the narrow linking portions.
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Bourque & Associates P.A.
Ellis Christopher P.
Tran Khoi H.
Wire Belt Company of America
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