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:
Jul. 06, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2003
James C. Stebnicki, Milwaukee, WI (US);
William J. Bolhuis, South Milwaukee, WI (US);
David B. Fork, Mukwonago, WI (US);
Rexnord Industries, Inc., Milwaukee, WI (US);
Abstract
A conveyor drive assembly including an elongated shaft having a first and second end and method of operating the conveyor drive assembly which reliably controls the speed of each end of the drive shaft and minimizes unequal loading of the conveyor belt. The method includes detecting the rotational position of the first end of the shaft, detecting the rotational position of the second end of the shaft, determining the rotational position of one of the first and second ends relative to the other of the first and second ends, and then rotationally driving at least one of the first and second ends of the shaft to maintain the rotational position of one of the first and second ends relative to the other of the first and second ends within a predetermined range. Advantageously, the present invention provides a conveyor drive assembly for use with wide conveyors which reliably controls the speed of each end of the drive shaft and minimizes unequal loading of the conveyor belt.