Belts with integral flights for use in high-temperature food processing equipment and systems including such belts

• Main Authors: KEESE FRANK M, EFFENBERGER JOHN A, BUSS GERARD T, BAULER KEVIN C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.09.2015
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES; BAKERS' OVENS; BAKING; BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVINGPURPOSES; BLASTING; CHAINS; COFFEE MILLS; CONVEYING; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; EDIBLE DOUGHS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; FURNITURE; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; LAUNDERING; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; SPICE MILLS; STORING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; TEXTILES; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; WALL, FLOOR OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM,OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF AFIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULARMATERIAL; WEAPONS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A flexible composite with integral flights is provided and methods for making the same. The composite is made from, for example, silicone rubber, urethane rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene or other polymer. The composites are useful for making conveyor belts for use in high temperature food processing, and particularly for contact toasters. The conveyor belts are an improvement over the prior art in that they prevent slippage of the articles conveyed, may be manufactured at low cost, and are relatively easy to clean.