Apparatus and methods for conveying objects
First Claim
1. A conveyor comprising:
- a modular conveyor belt including;
a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities; and
a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains; and
at least one second roller that extends in a direction of travel of the modular conveyor belt and that can operatively couple to the plurality of first rollers, such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are conveyors and methods for making the conveyors. In one embodiment, a conveyor comprises a modular conveyor belt that includes a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains. The conveyor further includes at least one second roller that operatively couples to the first rollers such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller. The invention can also be construed as providing the method for conveying objects. The method can comprise the steps of driving a modular conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel; rotating a plurality of first rollers disposed into the modular conveyor belt in a manner in which slippage of the first rollers is reduced; and conveying objects on the modular conveyor belt using the rotating first rollers.
20 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A conveyor comprising:
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a modular conveyor belt including;
a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities; and
a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains; and
at least one second roller that extends in a direction of travel of the modular conveyor belt and that can operatively couple to the plurality of first rollers, such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28)
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11. A conveyor comprising:
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a modular conveyor belt that travels in a linear motion, including;
a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities; and
a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains; and
at least one second roller that extends in direction of the linear motion, and that operatively couples to the first rollers such that the first rollers rotate and the at least one second roller rotates in a direction transverse to the rotational direction of the first rollers as the conveyor belt travels along the at least one second roller, wherein the rotation of the at least one second roller causes the first rollers to rotate with reduced slippage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30)
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20. A method for conveying objects, the method comprising:
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driving a modular conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel;
operatively coupling a plurality of first rollers disposed in the modular conveyor belt with at least one second roller that has an axis that is parallel to the direction of belt travel, wherein the driving of the modular conveyor belt produces rotary motion in the plurality of first rollers and the at least one second roller as a result of their operative coupling; and
conveying objects on the conveyor belt using the rotating first rollers. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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31. A conveyor comprising:
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a modular conveyor belt that travels in a linear motion, including;
a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities, and a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains and laterally spaced across the width of the modular conveyor belt such that a plurality of rows of rollers are parallel to the linear motion; and
at least one second roller, that extends in the direction of the linear motion and that is located under one of the plurality of rows to operatively couple to a row of first rollers such that the first rollers rotate in a direction transverse to the linear motion as the conveyor belt travels along the at least one second roller. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification