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:
Oct. 10, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 09, 1998
Erica D Ergenbright, Centreville, VA (US);
Michael Etherington, Winchester, VA (US);
Ashworth Bros. Inc., Winchester, VA (US);
Abstract
An improved conveyor belt is provided including an overlay element with a variable loop count over at least a portion of a transverse width of the belt, and preferably with a variable loop count from one side edge of the conveyor belt to the other side of the conveyor belt, thereby minimizing the frictional contact between the overlay elements and minimizing the excess loop density on the side of the belt defining the inner radius of the turn. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of overlay elements, each of the overlay elements including a plurality of linking bends, and a plurality of transverse rods extending laterally across the conveyor belt. Each of the overlay elements are positioned relative to one another such that their linking bends are intermeshed with linking bends of immediately adjacent overlay elements and the intermeshed linking bends receive one of the transverse rods thereby operatively connecting the adjacent overlay elements. The plurality of linking bends on each of the overlay elements are positioned in a successive manner, extending from the inside edge to the opposite side of the conveyor, so that the distance between successive linking bends is greater than the distance between prior successive linking bends. This design increases the durability of the conveyor belt and the reliability of the conveyor system and improves the performance of processing systems while reducing the cost of the belt.