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:
Apr. 10, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 10, 2010
Zbigniew S. Borkiewicz, Sun Prairie, WI (US);
Timothy J. Drebing, Woodstock, IL (US);
Kris K. Hulett, Rocheport, MO (US);
Tatsuo Nakamura, Setagaya-Ku, JP;
Minoru Kasai, Ebina, JP;
Zbigniew S. Borkiewicz, Sun Prairie, WI (US);
Timothy J. Drebing, Woodstock, IL (US);
Kris K. Hulett, Rocheport, MO (US);
Tatsuo Nakamura, Setagaya-Ku, JP;
Minoru Kasai, Ebina, JP;
Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC, Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
Provided herein are various suspension devices and associated methods and apparatus to open loops (or form opened loops) in a chain of linked products suspended from one or more suspension devices in a conveyor system. In one implementation, a suspension device for a chain of linked products includes a link support portion pivotally coupled to a conveyor, the link support portion configured to suspend a portion of the chain of linked products therefrom and comprising a lower portion downwardly extending from the link support portion. The lower portion is configured to engage a portion of a respective link of the chain upon a pivoting motion of the link support portion about a pivot axis in order to open a respective loop suspended from the link support portion to an unloading orientation for unloading.