Conveyor with gear mechanism gripper and related conveyor link
US7021453B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 13, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 4, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2201/0247
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Various conveyor designs are disclosed, along with related link designs, suitable for conveying objects along a transport direction. The conveyor may include a plurality of connected links. Each link may have a length extending across the direction of transport and a width extending along the direction of transport. Each link may have a body, a slider, at least one gripping member, and a gear drive mechanism interconnecting the slider and gripping member. The slider is slidable along the length of the body to selectively move the gripping member between a first position and a second position via the gear drive mechanism. The gripping member when in first position is disposed in an open position, and the gripping member when in the second position is disposed in a gripping position for contacting one of the objects to hold the object during transport. The gear drive mechanism may be a rack and pinion mechanism, the gripping member may have one or more gripping arms, and the gripping arms may or may not be offset from the gear drive mechanism.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.