Patent Application
20220370658
The present disclosure relates to a device to disinfect items. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device for disinfecting items on a conveyor.
Infectious diseases commonly spread through the direct transfer of bacteria, viruses, or other microbes from contact with contaminated surfaces. Accordingly, disinfecting surfaces of items is important to maintaining health throughout the world. When surfaces are not disinfected to remove the viruses and bacteria thereon, people may become ill. Manufacturers and others have sought to disinfect items while they pass on conveyor belts. However, current disinfectant systems in the art require modifications to the conveyor system and are customized for the particular conveyor and goods thereon. This makes the installation expensive and burdensome. Additionally, it may require the conveyor to be shut down for installation, costing the company production and loss of money. As a result, companies who have conveyor systems do not want to make modifications to their line due to the high cost and cumbersome process. Also, unless the conveyor system is significantly modified, current disinfection devices are only able to disinfect from the top side of the item (above the conveyor).
Accordingly, there is a need for a disinfectant device for a conveyor belt that may be retrofitted to existing conveyor belts without requiring changes to the conveyor belt or its flow of products, and that is capable of disinfecting all surfaces of an item. The present disclosure seeks to solve these and other issues.
In some embodiments, a disinfecting device for conveyors comprises a housing, an inlet, an outlet, a plurality of rollers within the housing, one or more disinfecting lights positioned above the rollers, and at least one disinfecting light positioned beneath the rollers.
In some embodiments, the rollers are driven via the conveyor belt on which the disinfecting device is positioned, the rollers being coupled to one another via a series of belts, chains, etc. In some embodiments, the rollers are driven via at least one motor.
In one method of use, a disinfecting device for conveyors is positioned to rest atop a conveyor belt system. A drive roller, driven by the conveyor belt or motor, drives a plurality of rollers. As an item passes down the conveyor belt, it enters the disinfecting device via the inlet. The plurality of rollers carry the item upward, passing over at least one disinfecting light while other disinfecting lights are positioned above the item. Therefore, the item is exposed to disinfecting light from above and below. It will be appreciated that additional disinfecting lights may be positioned on one or more sides of the housing as well to ensure every surface of the item is disinfected. By placing the disinfecting device atop an existing conveyor belt, no modifications to the conveyor belt are required, minimizing down time while remaining inexpensive to implement. Further, when the rollers are driven by the conveyor belt the impact to production speed is minimal.
In some embodiments, the disinfecting device comprises light-blocking drapes or shields that prevent too much light from being visible to workers who may be working nearby.
The following descriptions depict only example embodiments and are not to be considered limiting in scope. Any reference herein to “the invention” is not intended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification. References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
Reference to the drawings is done throughout the disclosure using various numbers. The numbers used are for the convenience of the drafter only and the absence of numbers in an apparent sequence should not be considered limiting and does not imply that additional parts of that particular embodiment exist. Numbering patterns from one embodiment to the other need not imply that each embodiment has similar parts, although it may.
Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their broad, ordinary, and customary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. When used herein to join a list of items, the term “or” denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. For exemplary methods or processes, the sequence and/or arrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and not restrictive.
It should be understood that the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence, arrangement, or with any particular graphics or interface. Indeed, the steps of the disclosed processes or methods generally may be carried out in various sequences and arrangements while still falling within the scope of the present invention.
The term “coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments, are synonymous, and are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including, but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes, but is not limited to,” etc.). While ultraviolet (UV) light is used as an example throughout, it will be appreciated that any light, or electromagnetic wavelength of light, capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms is contemplated herein as a “disinfecting light.”
As previously discussed, there is a need for a disinfectant device for a conveyor belt that may be retrofitted to existing conveyor belts without requiring changes to the conveyor belt or its flow of products, and that is capable of disinfecting all surfaces of an item. The disinfecting device for conveyors disclosed herein solves these and other problems.
In some embodiments, generally, a disinfecting device for conveyors is configured to sit on top of an existing conveyor system (e.g., conveyor belt, rollers, etc.). This allows the disinfecting device for conveyors to be used on nearly any conveyor system without having to modify the conveyor line. As a result, a company wishing to disinfect items passing on its conveyor belt may simply place the disinfecting device for conveyors on the conveyor where convenient and where a power source is available for the internal disinfecting lights (e.g., UV lights). As a result, the downtime of the conveyor system and the overall impact to production speeds is minimal, overcoming problems in the prior art. Additionally, because the disinfecting device for conveyors is capable of disinfecting from below the items, it likewise overcomes limitations in the prior art. While conveyor belts are used as an example throughout, it will be appreciated that any type of conveyor may be used, such as a roller conveyor.
In some embodiments, as shown in
It will be appreciated that the first and second sidewalls 120, 122 rest on an outer surface of the conveyor system and do not make contact with the conveyor belt 116. Accordingly, in some embodiments, only the drive roller 114 makes contact with the conveyor belt 116, as best shown in
While drive belt 126 is shown as a figure eight belt, it will be appreciated that other configurations may be used to convert the direction of the drive roller 116 (opposite the direction of the conveyor belt 116) so that the subsequent rollers 118B-J rotate in the same direction as the conveyor belt 116. For example, in some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, a wedge 136 may be positioned in front of the first roller 118A. The wedge 136 may be triangular in shape, with a first corner adjacent to the conveyor belt 116 and sloping upward toward the first roller 118A, thereby assisting items on the conveyor belt 116 to be lifted onto the first roller 118A where it may then be pulled by the first roller 118A to progress to each subsequent roller 118B-J. The wedge 136 may be in contact with the conveyor belt 116 or close thereto.
In some embodiments, the disinfecting device comprises light-blocking drapes or shields that prevent too much light from being visible to workers who may be working nearby. For example, inlet drapes may aid in preventing light from escaping the housing in a front direction and outlet drapes may aid in preventing light from escaping the housing in a rear direction.
Accordingly, in one method of use, a disinfecting device 100 for conveyors is positioned to rest atop a conveyor belt 116. A drive roller 114 (driven by the conveyor belt 116 or motor 130) drives a plurality of rollers 118A-J. As an item passes down the conveyor belt 116 toward an inlet 104, it is pushed up the wedge 136 and onto the first roller 118A where it is then carried up and over a bottom disinfecting light 112 by the subsequent rollers 118B-J. For example, a plurality of first rollers 118A-F may ascend in sequence to reach a height above the bottom disinfecting light 112. It will be appreciated that the disinfecting light passes between at least rollers 118F and 118G so as to disinfect the underside of the item. A plurality of second rollers 118G-J may descend in sequence so the item falls back to the conveyor belt 116. Top disinfecting lights 110A, 110B disinfect the item from above. Although not shown, additional disinfecting lights may be placed on the interior sides 120, 122 for additional disinfection angles. By placing the disinfecting device 100 atop an existing conveyor belt 116, no modifications to the conveyor belt 116 are required, minimizing down time and while remaining inexpensive to implement. Further, when the drive roller 114 is driven by the conveyor belt 116, the impact to production speed is minimal. It will be appreciated that the disinfecting device 100 may be secured to the conveyor belt 116 via screws, bolts, clamps, or other methods. In some embodiments, if there are not exposed surfaces on the sides of the conveyor belt 116 where the disinfecting device 100 may rest, it will be appreciated that the disinfecting device 100 may comprise a plurality of legs (e.g., one at each corner of the housing 102), which may be height adjustable (e.g., telescopic), so as to be placeable over a conveyor belt 116.
It will be appreciated that the number of rollers 118 may vary, the number of disinfecting lights may vary, and the size and outer formfactor of the housing may vary, without departing herefrom. Further, although generally referred to herein as a “disinfecting device,” it is understood that a disinfecting device of the present disclosure may disinfect, sterilize, sanitize, or otherwise treat and clean the surface of a contaminated item to achieve a lessened state or condition of contamination. Housing 102 may include an exterior material having a first property or function, and an interior material having a second property or function that is different than the first property or function. For example, in at least one embodiment, the housing 102 may include an exterior material that is structurally rigid and opaque, and an interior material that is reflective. In some embodiments, the interior material of the housing 102 may include a coating applied to an inner surface of the exterior material of the housing 102.
It will also be appreciated that systems and methods according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise comprise properties or features (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and/or portions) described in other embodiments. Accordingly, the various features of certain embodiments can be compatible with, combined with, included in, and/or incorporated into other embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, disclosure of certain features relative to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting application or inclusion of said features to the specific embodiment unless so stated. Rather, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can also include said features, members, elements, parts, and/or portions without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Moreover, unless a feature is described as requiring another feature in combination therewith, any feature herein may be combined with any other feature of a same or different embodiment disclosed herein. Furthermore, various well-known aspects of illustrative systems, methods, apparatus, and the like are not described herein in particular detail in order to avoid obscuring aspects of the example embodiments. Such aspects are, however, also contemplated herein.
Exemplary embodiments are described above. No element, act, or instruction used in this description should be construed as important, necessary, critical, or essential unless explicitly described as such. Although only a few of the exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages herein. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/190,366, filed on May 19, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63190366 | May 2021 | US |
