US 12,378,083 B2
Conveyor gap blocker
Mark Steven Pettinga, Grandville, MI (US)
Assigned to Flexible Steel Lacing Company, Downers Grove, IL (US)
Filed by Flexible Steel Lacing Company, Downers Grove, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/117,076.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/316,344, filed on Mar. 3, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0278808 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 47/66 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/66 (2013.01) 47 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gap blocker for a roller conveyor having upstream and downstream rollers for conveying an object in a downstream longitudinal direction and a gap between the upstream and downstream rollers, the gap blocker comprising:
a body configured to be supported in the gap by the upstream and downstream rollers as the upstream and downstream rollers rotate during operation of the roller conveyor;
an upper blocking portion of the body to inhibit the object from falling through the gap;
upper contact portions of the upper blocking portion for slidingly contacting the upstream and downstream rollers above a narrowest portion of the gap;
a plurality of laterally spaced upstream leg portions of the body connected to the upper blocking portion and having upstream distal end portions to be positioned below the narrowest portion of the gap for keeping the body in the gap;
a plurality of laterally spaced downstream leg portions of the body connected to the upper blocking portion longitudinally spaced from the upstream leg portions so that the upstream and downstream leg portions have a space therebetween extending in a longitudinal direction, the downstream leg portions having downstream distal end portions to be positioned below the narrowest portion of the gap for keeping the body in the gap; and
the upstream leg portions of the body configured to be spaced from the upstream roller with the body supported in the gap by the upstream and downstream rollers as the upstream and downstream rollers rotate during operation of the roller conveyor.