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:
Mar. 25, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 10, 1995
Anthony Kootsouradis, Amherst, OH (US);
Stein, Inc., Sandusky, OH (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for treating a conveyor belt with a treatment fluid while minimizing the amount of over spray of the treatment fluid into the air and onto the surrounding equipment and materials. For example, a pervious conveyor belt used in the cooking or other processing of food may be washed, scrubbed, or rinsed with water or a mixture of soap and water without causing overspray of the cleaning or rinsing fluid. Also, the apparatus and method may be used to spray a high quality non-stick coating onto the pervious conveyor belt without over spray of the non-stick coating onto surrounding plant equipment and materials. Overspray is minimized by the placement of treatment fluid flow diverters at the conveyor belt entrance and exit to divert the flow of treatment fluid away from the entrance and exit. The direction of flow of the treatment fluid is away from the entrance and exit so that the fluid does not exit the treatment chamber 30 through the conveyor belt entrance and exit. Rotatable brushes may be provided within the fluid treatment chamber 30 of the apparatus to facilitate the cleaning of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt entrance, exit, and treatment chamber 30 may be shaped to accommodate the passage of a self-stacking conveyor belt.