Conveyor for fusing and heating systems

Claim 2

Conveyor means for supporting objects and linearly moving the supported objects through a region wherein the objects are treated comprising: a conveyor belt formed of a plurality of strands which are adapted to interlock with one another to form an open-weave mesh structure whereby the openings formed in the plane of said conveyor occupy a greater portion of the surface area of the plane of said conveyor than the surface area occupied by said strands; a plurality of projections being provided on at least selected ones of said strands for supporting the objects placed upon said conveyor a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor to minimize the amount of surface contact between said conveyor and the surface of the objects being supported and by said conveyor; means for linearly moving said conveyor through the region wherein the objects are to be treated; said conveyor strands each being comprised of elongated wire shaped members bent in an undulating fashion; each of said strands being interlocked with adjacent strands to form said conveyor; each of said selected strands being further bent to form substantially inverted V-shaped configurations which project upwardly from the plane of said conveyor for supporting the objects being treated a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a radiant energy source is comprised of providing at least two such radiant energy sources positioned on opposite sides of the plane of movement of said planar member; focusing the radiant energy emitted from said radiant energy sources so as to form two focal images of the radiant energy source whereby the associated confronting surfaces of the moving planar member lie in imaginary planes, each of which are displaced from the image focuses of the radiant energy sources confronting the opposing surfaces.

Claim 6

Conveyor means for supporting objects and linearly moving the supported objects through a region wherein the objects are treated comprising: a conveyor belt formed of a plurality of strands which are adapted to interlock with one another to form an open-weave mesh structure whereby the openings formed in the plane of said conveyor occupy a greater portion of the surface area of the plane of said conveyor than the surface area occupied by said strands; a plurality of projections being provided on at least selected ones of said strands for supporting the objects placed upon said conveyor a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor to minimize the amount of surface contact between said conveyor and the surface of the objects being supported and by said conveyor; means for linearly moving said conveyor through the region wherein the objects are to be treated; at least one heating device positioned beneath said conveyor for producing an elongated heating zone aligned transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor whereby said heating zone is directed Toward the bottom surface of the object supported by said projections which are adapted to maintain the said surface a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor to assure substantially uniform exposure of the entire bottom surface of said object to said heat zone; said heating device being comprised of: a source of radiation lying within the short wave length visible and near infrared range; reflector means for focusing radiation from said source impinging upon said reflector upon an associated surface of a device to form a narrow, elongated zone of radiation impinging upon each device as it is moved along the conveyor.

Claim 7

Conveyor means for supporting objects and linearly moving the supported objects through a region wherein the objects are treated comprising: a conveyor belt formed of a plurality of strands which are adapted to interlock with one another to form an open-weave mesh structure whereby the openings formed in the plane of said conveyor occupy a greater portion of the surface area of the plane of said conveyor than the surface area occupied by said strands; a plurality of projections being provided on at least selected ones of said strands for supporting the objects placed upon said conveyor a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor to minimize the amount of surface contact between said conveyor and the surface of the objects being supported and by said conveyor; means for linearly moving said conveyor through the region wherein the objects are to be treated; at least one heating device positioned beneath said conveyor for producing an elongated heating zone aligned transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor whereby said heating zone is directed Toward the bottom surface of the object supported by said projections which are adapted to maintain the said surface a spaced distance above the plane of said conveyor to assure substantially uniform exposure of the entire bottom surface of said object to said heat zone; said heating device being comprised of: a source of radiation lying within the short wave length visible and near infrared range; reflector means for focusing radiation from said source impinging upon said reflector upon an associated surface of a device to form a narrow, elongated zone of radiation impinging upon each device as it is moved along the conveyor.