US5238101A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conveyor for transporting containers
Assignee: Shikoku Kakoki Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1992-04-30
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Granted: 1993-08-24
•
Expires: 2012-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A container transport conveyor having a plurality of holder plates each including a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being arranged side by side in the direction of transport by the conveyor for holding containers therebetween, a pair of first endless chains having the first segments connected therebetween, a pair of second endless chains having the second segments connected therebetween, a pair of first drive sprockets having the respective first endless chains reeved therearound, a pair of second drive sprockets having the respective second endless chains reeved therearound, and means for varying the phase difference between each of the first drive sprockets and each of the second drive sprockets.
Inventors
- 👤 Shohei Ota
- 👤 Haruhiko Sato
- 👤 Tetsuya Iuchi
- 👤 Masao Nobuta
- 👤 Seiji Hashimoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:53
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G17/00; B65G17/30; B65G17/32; B65G17/323; B65G17/26; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A container transport conveyor comprising: a plurality of holder plates each comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being arranged side by side in the direction of transport by the conveyor for holding containers therebetween, a pair of first endless chains having the first segments connected therebetween, a pair of second endless chains having the second segments connected therebetween, a pair of first drive sprockets having the respective first endless chains reeved therearound, a pair of second drive sprockets having the respective second endless chains reeved therearound, and means for varying the phase difference between each of the first drive sprockets and each of the second drive sprockets, wherein each second drive sprocket comprises an annular spacer integral therewith for spacing each second drive sprocket form the respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
A container transport conveyor comprising: a plurality of holder plates each comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being arranged side by side in the direction of transport by the conveyor for holding containers therebetween, a pair of first endless chains having the first segments connected therebetween, a pair of second endless chains having the second segments connected therebetween, a pair of first drive sprockets having the respective first endless chains reeved therearound, a pair of second drive sprockets having the respective second endless chains reeved therearound, and means for varying the phase difference between each of the first drive sprockets and each of the second drive sprockets, wherein each second drive sprocket comprises an annular spacer integral therewith for spacing each second drive sprocket form the respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
195 words
A container transport conveyor comprising: a plurality of holder plates each comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being arranged side by side in the direction of transport by the conveyor, a pair of first endless chains having the first segments connected therebetween, a pair of second endless chains having the second segments connected therebetween, a pair of first drive sprockets having the respective first endless chains reeved therearound, a pair of second drive sprockets having the respective second endless chains reeved therearound, and means for mounting the pair of first drive sprockets and the pair of second drive sprockets on a drive shaft, a first and second drive sprocket disposed at each end of the drive shaft with the phase difference between the pairs of drive sprockets made variable, wherein the mounting means comprises a pair of mount sleeves fitted around the drive shaft and rotatable therewith, and the first drive sprocket and the second drive sprocket at each end of the drive shaft are attached to the respective mount sleeve rotatably relative thereto, each first drive sprocket disposed between the respective second drive sprocket and mount sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
195 words
A container transport conveyor comprising: a plurality of holder plates each comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being arranged side by side in the direction of transport by the conveyor, a pair of first endless chains having the first segments connected therebetween, a pair of second endless chains having the second segments connected therebetween, a pair of first drive sprockets having the respective first endless chains reeved therearound, a pair of second drive sprockets having the respective second endless chains reeved therearound, and means for mounting the pair of first drive sprockets and the pair of second drive sprockets on a drive shaft, a first and second drive sprocket disposed at each end of the drive shaft with the phase difference between the pairs of drive sprockets made variable, wherein the mounting means comprises a pair of mount sleeves fitted around the drive shaft and rotatable therewith, and the first drive sprocket and the second drive sprocket at each end of the drive shaft are attached to the respective mount sleeve rotatably relative thereto, each first drive sprocket disposed between the respective second drive sprocket and mount sleeve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 2 wherein the first drive sprocket, the second drive sprocket, and the mount sleeve are annular members, and wherein said annular members are arranged side by side with bolts extending through two of the three annular members when fitted together side by side, and said bolts being screwed into the third annular member, said two of the three annular members being formed with slots for the respective bolts to extend therethrough.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the first segment and the second segment of each holder plate are formed in opposed edge portions thereof with opposed container engaging recesses respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein said annular spacer of each second drive sprocket has a diameter less than a second drive sprocket portion around which the respective second endless chains are reeved.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 5, wherein said annular spacer of each second drive sprocket comprises an axially projecting ridge for fitting within a central hole in the respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for varying the phase difference comprises a pair of mount sleeves fitted around the drive shaft and rotatable therewith, each mount sleeve having at least one circumferentially extending slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 7, wherein each mount sleeve comprises a boos having the drive shaft extending through a center bore therein, an a flange radially extending from said boss and drive shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 8, wherein said flange of each mount sleeve comprises an axially extending projection for fitting within said central hole of the respective first drive sprocket from a side opposite to a side from which said second drive sprocket annular space projecting ridge projects into said central hole.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein each annular spacer integral with a second drive sprocket comprises at least one threaded bore hole for accepting an end of a bolt therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 2, wherein each mount sleeve comprises a boss having the drive shaft extending through a center bore therein, and a flange radially extending from said boss and drive shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 11, wherein said flange of each mount sleeve comprises an axially extending projection for fitting within a central hole of a respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one circumferentially extending slot is formed in the flange of each mount sleeve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 13, wherein each first drive sprocket comprises at least one circumferentially extending slot corresponding to said at least one circumferentially extending slot of the respective mount sleeve flange.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 12, wherein each second drive sprocket comprises an annular spacer integral therewith for spacing each second drive sprocket form the respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 15, wherein said annular spacer of each second drive sprocket has a diameter less than a second drive sprocket portion around which the respective second endless chains are reeved.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 16, wherein said annular spacer of each second drive sprocket comprises an axially projecting ridge for fitting within a central hole in the respective first drive sprocket.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 7, wherein each mount sleeve is keyed to the drive shaft nonrotatably and axially movable relative to the drive shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A container transport conveyor as defined in claim 2, wherein each mount sleeve is keyed to the drive shaft nonrotatably and axially movable relative to the drive shaft.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-23 | 1997-02-22 | 1997-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-23 | 2001-02-22 | 2001-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-23 | 2005-02-22 | 2005-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |