TRANSVERSE-ROLLER BELTS AND MODULES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor belt comprising:
- a plurality of rows of one or more belt modules, each row extending longitudinally in a direction of belt travel between a first end and a second end, laterally between a first side edge and a second side edge, and in thickness between a top side and a bottom side, wherein the rows are hingedly connected together first end to second end at hinge joints each defining a laterally disposed hinge axis allowing the conveyor belt to articulate;
a plurality of rollers supported at the top side, the rollers having axles aligned in the direction of belt travel defining longitudinal axes of rotation for the rollers;
wherein at least some of the rollers in a row of belt modules extend over the hinge axis at the first end of the row.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A modular roller-top conveyor belt with a dense array of rollers freely rotatable toward the sides of the belt. The rollers are arranged in offset lines and columns in a checkerboard pattern on the top side of the belt. The rollers rotate on axes parallel to the direction of belt travel. The rollers extend in the direction of belt travel over the hinge axes formed between adjacent rows of belt modules.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A conveyor belt comprising:
-
a plurality of rows of one or more belt modules, each row extending longitudinally in a direction of belt travel between a first end and a second end, laterally between a first side edge and a second side edge, and in thickness between a top side and a bottom side, wherein the rows are hingedly connected together first end to second end at hinge joints each defining a laterally disposed hinge axis allowing the conveyor belt to articulate; a plurality of rollers supported at the top side, the rollers having axles aligned in the direction of belt travel defining longitudinal axes of rotation for the rollers; wherein at least some of the rollers in a row of belt modules extend over the hinge axis at the first end of the row. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A conveyor belt comprising:
-
a series of rows of one or more belt modules, each row extending longitudinally in a direction of belt travel between a first end and a second end, laterally between a first side edge and a second side edge, and in thickness between a top side and a bottom side, wherein the rows are hingedly connected together first end to second end at hinge joints defining laterally disposed hinge axes at each end of each row on which the conveyor belt articulates, wherein the hinge axes at opposite ends of a row define a first plane; roller supports upstanding from the top side; rollers supported in the roller supports and arranged to rotate toward the first and the second side edges; wherein at least some of the rollers are positioned above the hinge axes so that a second plane perpendicular to the first plane through one of the hinge axes of the row intersects the rollers positioned above the hinge axes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A conveyor belt module comprising:
-
a first end and an opposite second end defining the length of the module; a first side edge and an opposite second side edge defining the width of the module; and a top side and an opposite bottom side defining the thickness of the module; a first set of aligned hinge elements spaced apart across the width of the module body along the first end to define a first hinge axis through the aligned hinge elements; a second set of aligned hinge elements spaced apart across the width of the module body along the second end to define a second hinge axis through the aligned hinge elements; wherein the first and second hinge axes define a first plane; a plurality of rollers supported at the top side for rotation toward the first and second side edges; wherein at least some of the rollers intersect a second plane perpendicular to the first plane through the first hinge axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification