Transporting articles
US6053303A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G33/04
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for transporting articles includes a hollow column (10), a shaft (33) furnished with a helical vane (34), and a motor (32). The helical column (10) has a helical track (11) formed therewithin which helically extends along the inner surface of the hollow column (10) in a first direction, and has a first communicating port (12) and a second communicating port (13). The shaft (33) with the helical vane (34) is coaxially and rotatably mounted within the hollow column (10). The helical vane (34) is fixedly mounted with and helically extends about the entire shaft (33) in a second direction opposite to the second direction. The motor (32) is disposed for driving the shaft (33) together with the helical vane (34) to rotate relative to the helical track (11), so that articles can be transported along the helical track (11) by the helical vane (34) between the first communicating port (12) and the second communicating port (13), so that articles can be transported from a first position to a second position. In such an arrangement, the space required for a transporting apparatus will be a minimum.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.