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:
Sep. 02, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 18, 2006
Hajime Ozaki, Osaka, JP;
Katsutoshi Shibayama, Osaka, JP;
Yoshihiro Murakami, Osaka, JP;
Tsubakimoto Chain Co., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
Conveyor chains are provided which comprise free balls which are free to rotate in all directions thereby allowing for the stable conveyance of articles in any direction in the entire horizontal plane and at an increased speed in the direction of conveyance with reduced contamination in the conveyance environment. A conveyor chaincomprises a number of chain linkscomprising a plurality of hinge portionsin a zigzag formation protruding from the front and rear end edges that are connected to each other in the longitudinal direction of the chain through hinge pins. Free ballsprotrude from both the surface and back sides of the chain linkand are free to rotate while held in the chain link. Either the free ballsor ball holding portions, which hold the free balls, is made of polyacetal while the other is made of polyamide or polyester.