Patents Represented by Attorney James T. Cronvich
  • Patent number: 7393451
    Abstract: A compressible boot seal for sealing the side of a vertical traveling water screen with flights. The boot seal is formed by a U-shaped, bent nylon plate having a bottom base that resides in the boot section at the lower end of the traveling water screen and two upwardly extending arms that are attached at their distal ends to a side of the water screen support. The plate is bent at the intersection of the base and the arms to form a living hinge that allows the plate to deflect toward the side of the support on contact with side edges of the flights. The hinge seals the plate against the side edges of the flights. A resilient filler material fills the void between the plate and the side of the support to prevent sand and debris from interfering with the deflection of the side seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Philip J. Wunsch, Rocky Portillo
  • Patent number: 7368692
    Abstract: A serpentine waveguide applicator for exposing a material to microwave energy for hearing, drying, or curing. A conveyor transports the material through aligned slots formed in facing sides at consecutive waveguide passes of the serpentine array. Each pass has a ridged waveguide structure with ridges in each corner of the otherwise rectangular waveguide. The ridges make the interior cross section of the waveguide passes cruciform and direct microwave energy away from the slots to reduce arcing, crosstalk, and leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Microwave Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Abdulkadir Hallac
  • Patent number: 7357246
    Abstract: A conveyor having rollers supported above the conveying surface of a belt to prevent conveyed articles from being stranded atop flights or other positioning elements. The rollers may be passive or driven actively either directly by rolling contact with a carryway or indirectly through a transmission linked to accelerating rollers in direct contact with a supporting carryway. Accelerating rollers extend through the belt past the conveying surface to support conveyed articles and past an opposite surface of the belt into rolling contact with the carryway. The accelerating rollers may be axle-mounted, in-line or oblique, or freely rotatable roller balls. As the belt advances, the accelerating rollers propel conveyed articles forward over any supported roller the article is leaning on into a registration position against a flight, frictional area, or other registration element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark Costanzo
  • Patent number: 7344018
    Abstract: A conveyor and associated method for diverting closely spaced articles conveyed along the conveyor. The conveyor includes a conveyor belt with belt rollers oriented to rotate on axes oblique to the direction of belt travel. A series of arrays of bearing surface elements are arranged end to end along the length of the conveyor. The bearing surfaces may be static or rotational. Each array defines a roller-control zone in which the array is selectively activated with its bearing surface elements in contract with the belt rollers or deactivated with its bearing surface elements out of contact with the belt rollers. As the belt advances through an activated roller-control zone, the belt rollers rotate to propel a conveyed article toward a side of the belt. The contiguous roller-control zones are sequentially activated and deactivated to direct articles to the side and off the belt or to let them pass straight through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark Costanzo, Eric M. Pressler, Matthew L. Fourney
  • Patent number: 7306086
    Abstract: A sorting conveyor system in which a main conveyor is intersected by one or more cross conveyors forming sorting stations at one or more gaps along a main conveying path. The cross conveyor includes a roller-top belt having rollers extending outward of a top article-supporting side and arranged to rotate about axes perpendicular to the main conveying path. The cross conveyor includes a bidirectional drive to selectively advance the roller-top belt in one of two opposite directions to discharge articles transferred onto the cross conveyor in the gap off the side of the main conveying path. The cross conveyor also serves as a low-friction roller-top bridge when the roller-top belt is stopped. The bridge allows articles to cross the gap from an upstream portion of the main conveyor to a downstream portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Henk W. M. Boelaars
  • Patent number: 7300572
    Abstract: A traveling water screen comprising an endless foraminous belt with flights. The foraminous belt forms a water screen extending from a lower end in a flowing stream to an upper end above the surface of the stream. The stream flows through openings in the foraminous screen. The flights, which may be scoops, are arranged in spaced apart relation on the outer surface of the water screen. The water screen is driven in a direction so that its upstream portion advances upward and its downstream portion downward. The flights form inclined surfaces across the width of the screen from a point of highest elevation to one or more points of lowest elevation at one or both side edges of the screen. As the screen moves, the flights lift fish toward the surface. As a flight breaks the surface, fish slide down the inclined flights toward one or both side edges of the screen to be diverted safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Joseph M. DePaso, Omair Zubair, Kyle J. Sedlacek
  • Patent number: 7255227
    Abstract: An edge module for a modular plastic conveyor belt with a resilient blocking member for preventing migration of a hinge rod out of its resident position in the hinge joint of the belt. The edge module includes a hinge rod aperture intersected by a recess. A blocking element in the form of a resilient strip is retained at one end in the recess against a curved outer side wall of the recess in a blocking position occluding the aperture. The other end of the blocking element is elastically deformable away from the outer side wall into a non-blocking position by the force of a hinge rod being inserted into the aperture from the outside edge of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Stephen Melancon
  • Patent number: 7249671
    Abstract: A conveyor using a roller belt with rollers arranged to rotate on oblique axes to urge articles toward a side guide. The conveyor includes an oblique-roller belt supported on a carryway for running in a direction of belt travel. Rollers extend above an outer conveying surface of the belt without contact with the carryway. Each roller rotates on an axis oblique to the direction of belt travel and intersects the side guide downstream of the roller's position. A retractable stop is movable to and from a blocking position along the carryway. In the blocking position, the stop blocks the conveyed articles from advancing in the direction of belt travel. The rollers underlying the blocked articles rotate as the belt runs by contact with the articles. The rotating rollers provide a component of force to the blocked articles directed toward the side guide to push the articles against the side guide or other articles as they accumulate under low pressure upstream of the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David W. Riddick, Brett A. Lally, Mark Costanzo
  • Patent number: 7237670
    Abstract: A conveyor having a conveyor belt with article-supporting rollers selectively rotated to direct conveyed articles toward one side of the conveyor or the other. The belt rollers are arranged in longitudinal columns and can rotate on axes parallel to the direction of belt travel. Salient portions of the belt rollers protrude through the thickness of the belt. An array of powered rollers, each powered roller underlying a column of belt rollers, is selectively moved into and out of contact with the belt rollers to cause them to rotate to direct articles conveyed atop the belt rollers toward or off one side of the conveyor when the conveyor belt is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Robert S. Ryan
  • Patent number: 7234589
    Abstract: A modular conveyor belt with a self-adjusting edge for bearing against a conveyor side rail. An edge pad, which can be made of a durable material for long wear life, pivotably attaches to the side edge of a belt row. The pivotable attachment allows the pad to adjust itself to maximize its contact area with the side rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kyle J. Sedlacek
  • Patent number: 7228954
    Abstract: A conveyor system and associated method for conveying tires received from a multiplicity of tire presses. The conveyor system shown comprises a main, or trench, conveyor flanked on opposite sides by opposing groups of tire presses. Discharge conveyors deliver tires from the tire presses to the main conveyor at multiple positions along the length of the main conveyor. The tires are delivered from both sides of the main conveyor, which conveys them downstream. An open-loop sequencer activates each discharge conveyor to deliver tires to the main conveyor according to a schedule including the sequence of activating each of the discharge conveyors so as to avoid collisions between tires on the main conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Joseph M. DePaso
  • Patent number: 7216759
    Abstract: A plastic conveyor belt module with embedded spherical rollers retained in the module and a belt constructed of such modules. The module includes a module body forming a cavity, a spherical roller in the cavity, and a retainer retained in the cavity to hold the spherical roller rotatably in place. A salient portion of the roller extends outward from the cavity through the retainer past an outer surface of the module. The retainer is attached to the module body by ultrasonic welding, epoxy- or solvent-bonding, spin welding, electromagnetic welding, staking, screwing, or locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brien G. Rau, Richard J. Sofranec
  • Patent number: 7195115
    Abstract: A conveyor system in which a modular belt or chain is driven by a drive element rotated at a predetermined variable angular speed to compensate for speed fluctuations due to chordal action. A speed signal generator generates a speed signal generally inverse to the uncompensated linear speed of a belt driven by drive elements rotated at a constant angular speed. The speed signal generator detects an encoded pattern rotating in known relationship to the drive element. The encoded pattern represents a predetermined speed profile that is used to compensate for belt speed fluctuations or to provide custom belt speed performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Joseph M. DePaso
  • Patent number: 7191894
    Abstract: A conveyor constructed of a single belt or a plurality of abutting belts arranged side by side in the conveyor, in which the belt or belts have rollers arranged to rotate on axes oriented at multiple angles oblique to the direction of belt travel. A gradual or monotonic, stepped change in the axes of the rollers across the width of the conveyor can be used to make a conveyor capable of converting a mass flow of articles into a single stream of separated articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark Costanzo, Matthew L. Fourney
  • Patent number: 7190634
    Abstract: A GPS-based underwater cable positioning system for use in determining the shape and position of hydrophone streamers towed underwater behind survey vessels involved in marine seismic prospecting. The system includes a plurality of surface units towed behind the vessel. Each surface unit includes a GPS receiver to receive radio frequency GPS signals and to determine its positions. Each surface unit also has an acoustic transmitter to transmit an acoustic message signal representing its position and an optional time stamp into the water. Acoustic receiver units, attached spaced apart locations along one or more streamer cables, each include an acoustic receiver to receive the acoustic message signals from the surface units and to determine its position from the message signals. To augment the message signals from the surface units at locations distant from the surface units, acoustic transceiver units may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Input/Output, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale J. Lambert, Robert E. Rouquette, Daniel B. Seale, Clem B. Guillot
  • Patent number: 7179163
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods for cleaning residual visceral matter from the belly cavity of a gutted fish. The cleaning apparatus includes a scraper attached at the mouth of a suction tube by a hinge. An actuator pivots the scraper about the hinge between an extended position biased into contact with the interior wall of the belly cavity and a retracted position out of contact with the wall. In the retracted position, the scraper covers the mouth of the suction tube to prevent dislodged visceral matter from falling back into the belly cavity. In the extended position, the scraper uncovers the mouth of the suction tube to allow scraped visceral matter to be sucked from the belly cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Søren Christian Vedsted, Lars Erik Vedsted
  • Patent number: 7178665
    Abstract: A kit and associated methods for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor. The converted conveyor comprises a U-shaped pan mounted to the top of a pre-existing conveyor frame. The U-shaped pan has a pair of side walls flanking a base. A carryway is fastened to the base of the pan to support a modular conveyor belt. Liners extending from the top of the side walls extend into the pan to act as low-friction side rails. Inverted-U-shaped guides attached to the bottom portion of the pre-existing frame at periodically spaced frame supports guide the belt in the returnway beneath the carryway. Spacers interposed between the frame supports and the frame provide vertical and lateral clearance for the belt along the returnway. The kit provides parts for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Robert S. Ryan
  • Patent number: 7167413
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for reducing ghosts from hydrophone signals in a streamer towed underwater close to the sea surface. A multi-axis micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) accelerometer with attitude sensing is used to reduce the frequency spectral notch in the response of the combined hydrophone-accelerometer system and to reduce the sensitivity to ghost-producing downward traveling acoustic waves that are sea-surface reflections of the primary upward traveling acoustic waves. Multi-axis spring load cells provide high compliance and mechanical isolation between stress members and the accelerometer system. The load cells also provide signals representing the vibration of the stress members. The signals can be used with an adaptive filter estimating the mechanical transfer function between the vibration and the motion of the accelerometer system to remove the vibration-induced noise from the accelerometer signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Input/Output
    Inventor: Robert E. Rouquette
  • Patent number: 7147097
    Abstract: A bidirectional sorter using an automated guide to selectively divert articles off a transverse roller-top conveyor belt. A sorting station forms a segment of a conveying line conveying articles in a conveying direction. The sorting station includes a transverse roller-top belt having rollers protruding above an outer surface of the belt. The rollers are arranged to rotate about axes in the conveyor direction to provide a low-friction rolling surface to articles being pushed sidewise on the belt. A guide suspended above the belt is positionable over the belt at positions to intercept conveyed articles and guide them atop the rollers off one side of the belt or the other. The guide is also movable to a bypass position that allows conveyed articles to pass freely through the sorting station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Christoph Lemm
  • Patent number: 7147099
    Abstract: An easy-to-clean conveyor with sprockets that reveal the hinge area of a modular conveyor belt to a fluid spray. A conveyor includes a modular belt constructed of rows of belt modules hingedly linked together in series by hinge pins into an endless belt loop. A sprocket, mounted on a shaft for rotation, engages an inner surface of the belt in driving or driven contact. The sprocket extends from a central bored hub to an outer periphery, which is arranged to engage the inner surface of the belt along an area of contact that varies laterally across the inner surface of the belt in each rotation of the sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Guernsey, Christopher J. Verdigets