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:
Nov. 09, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 12, 2001
Mark James Yunker, Sugarland, TX (US);
Dale A. Svatek, Needville, TX (US);
Satake USA, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a slide for a gravity-fed sorting machine. An optimum gravity slide configuration comprises one or more channels, with or without dividing ribs, and a product guide. The product guide has support tabs integral to or otherwise extending from its perimeter. Those tabs allow the product guide to be supported along it perimeter by brackets while retaining certain degrees of freedom regarding its ability to move. Specifically, the tabs rest in notches in the underlying support brackets that allow the product guide to be lifted up, thus permitting a potential obstruction to pass. Additionally, the brackets themselves are adjustably mounted to the sides of the slide. That allows the product guide's height above the channel bottom or dividing ribs to be varied to provide a clearance to best accommodate the particular product being sorted.