The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 14, 2022
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2021
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Christine M Dosch, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Lucas C Judlowe, Hannibal, MO (US);
Ralph A Stenvik, Plymouth, MN (US);
Zoran Talijan, Wayzata, MN (US);
Grace Tarchichi, Mount Laurel, NJ (US);
Karl M Thorson, Maple Grove, MN (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
In a food conveyor system configured to drive a conveyor belt in one direction to direct food material for further processing and drive the conveyor belt in a reverse direction upon the sensing of metal in the food material, the conveyor belt is cleaned by one or more belt cleaners including scrapers which are automatically angularly repositioned upon the changing of the drive direction of the conveyor belt, with the angular movement being limited to acute angles relative to the vertical. The belt cleaners are mounted through linkage assemblies for ease of cleaning and replacement. The food conveyor system also employs one or more chute members for directing the food material, with the one or more chute members being mounted through a quick release connection employing keyhole slots upon flexing of the chute member(s).