Patent Publication Number: US-11654459-B2

Title: Cleaning wiper for grocery conveyor belt

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward a cleaning device for a grocery or food store conveyor belt and, more particularly, toward such a device that is inexpensive and easy to use and that will first wipe a cleaning solution onto a moving belt and then immediately wipe off any excess cleaning solution in order to clean and dry the belt. 
     As is well known in the art, conveyor belts used in store checkouts and particularly grocery stores, supermarkets and the like can be a source of contamination of foods or other purchased items, due to the large number of items that are in physical contact with the conveyor belt. Not only food products but cleaning products and the like frequently come in contact with the belt surfaces. Food products themselves may leak and leave liquids on the belt that can spoil or attract mold or fungus. Even further, individuals may also touch the belt, which may lead to direct exposure to various diseases. Conveyor belts, however, are not easily removed and cleaning is typically not performed on a regular basis. Accordingly, this can lead to both real and perceived dangers of contamination from the conveyor belt. 
     Several systems have been proposed that address conveyor belt cleaning and sanitizing. They all, however, are complex and difficult to maintain. For example, U.S. Patent Publication 2010/0243410 discloses a cleaning system with a hollow porous roller situated below and on the underside of the conveyor belt, out of sight of the top or conveying surface of the belt. A perforated rod, positioned within the hollow porous roller, contains a cleaning and sanitizing solution that can be dispensed through a series of perforations in the rod. The cleaning and sanitizing solution is distributed via a pump from a tank reservoir. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,096,392 is directed to a steam cleaning system that includes a steam spraying unit and a wiping unit. The wiping unit includes a disposable, absorbable microfiber roller which is disposed across and in contact with the conveyor belt surface and a steamer unit is disposed below the conveyor. The steamer unit includes a boiler, a water collection tray, a pump, a filter and an actuator and is, therefore, quite complex. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,875 is also directed to a conveyor belt cleaning system which is adapted to clean the outer surface of the belt. A fluid dispenser dispenses cleaning fluid to the upper surface of the conveyor belt and a wiping device removes excess cleaning fluid. However, the system requires a reservoir to store the cleaning fluid and pump to pump the fluid to the dispenser, which, again, makes the system somewhat complex. 
     A need exists, therefore, for a simple system for cleaning the upper surface of a grocery store conveyor belt that is cost effective and easy to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning wiper blade for a moving grocery conveyor belt. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleaning wiper blade for a moving grocery conveyor belt that is inexpensive so as to be disposable. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a cleaning wiper blade for a moving grocery conveyor belt that is easy to apply and remove. 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning wiper blade for a moving grocery conveyor belt in the form of a thin sheet of paperboard, cardboard or plastic material. The sheet of material has a length which is essentially the same as said width of the belt. The underside of the material includes first, second and third areas all having a width and a length wherein the lengths are substantially equal to the length of the material. The first area includes an adhesive which is adapted to be temporarily secured to the frame of the conveyor and is covered by a release paper. The second area includes a porous member having a quantity of a liquid cleaning agent and a protective covering for the member to prevent the liquid agent from being released or otherwise drying out. The third area includes material capable of wiping liquid from the belt to dry the same. The cleaning wiper blade is attached to the conveyor by removing the release paper and the protective covering and securing the first area of the sheet of material to the conveyor frame with the second and third areas contacting the upper surface of the belt as it moves. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form which is presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view of a grocery store checkout counter with a conveyor belt and showing the invention about to be attached thereto; 
         FIG.  2    is a view similar to  FIG.  1    but showing the invention attached to the conveyor; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the bottom of the wiper of the invention showing the release papers being removed: 
         FIG.  4    is a view similar to  FIG.  3    but showing the wiper of the invention with the release papers removed and ready to be applied to the conveyor, and 
         FIG.  5    is a cross sectional view taken through the line  5 - 5  of  FIG.  2   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5    a cleaning wiper blade for a grocery conveyor constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as  10 . The wiper blade  10  is intended to be used to clean the entire width of the upper surface  12  of the moving belt  14  of the conveyor assembly  16  as it is moving. 
     The conveyor assembly  16  is of essentially known conventional construction. Accordingly, it is not believed that a detailed description thereof is necessary. Briefly, and as shown best in  FIG.  5   , the conveyor assembly  16  includes a frame  18  that supports a rotating wheel or roller  20 . Not shown is a second roller at the other end of the conveyor for supporting the closed loop belt  14 . In use, the belt  14  moves in the direction shown in the arrows in the figures. 
     The conveyor frame  18  includes an upper frame member  22  that covers the upper surface  12  of the belt  14  as it emerges from beneath and moves outwardly and away from the frame member  22 . As shown in  FIG.  5   , the frame member  22  is essentially a thin sheet of metal. In most grocery store conveyor systems, the frame member  22  is essentially horizontally arranged as shown in the figures. In some conveyor systems, however, the frame member  22  slants downwardly somewhat from a higher position down to the upper surface  12  of the belt  14 . 
     The cleaning wiper blade  10  is comprised essentially of a thin sheet of sheet-like material  24  such as paperboard, cardboard, plastic or metal or combinations thereof. The sheet  24  must be self-supporting but able to flex somewhat to have a slight springy effect. The sheet  24  has a length which is essentially the same as the width of the belt  14 . The width of the sheet  24  is preferably between approximately 8 and 15 inches although the width is not critical to the operation of the invention as should become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     The sheet of material  24  has an upper surface  26  and a lower surface  28 . The lower surface  28  includes three distinct areas  30 ,  32  and  34 . Each of these areas  30 ,  32  and  34  has a width and a length wherein the length of each area is substantially the same as the length of the sheet of material  24 . 
     Secured to the first area  30  of the underside  28  of the sheet  24  is an adhesive  36 . The adhesive  36  is preferably a contact adhesive which is capable of being temporarily secured to the upper surface of the frame member  22  as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  5   . The adhesive  36  should be strong enough to maintain the wiper  10  in place but not so strong as to make it difficult to remove the same when desired. 
     A release paper  38  covers the adhesive  36  prior to use in order to prevent the adhesive from adhering to undesired products or other wipers. Prior to use, the release paper  38  is removed in order to expose the adhesive  36 . 
     The second area  32  on the underside  28  of the sheet  24  includes a porous member  40  that also runs essentially the length of the sheet material  24 . The porous member  40  carries a quantity of a liquid cleaning agent therein which can be released when it contacts the upper surface  12  of the belt  14 . Preferably, the porous member  40  is made of a nonwoven, felt-like material that is capable of holding a significant quantity of the liquid cleaning agent. It has been found that a material sold under the trademark ZORB by Wazoodle Fabrics, LLC, of Bensalem, Pa., is very suitable as the felt-like material  40 . This material is capable of holding a significant quantity of the liquid material. Furthermore, the liquid cleaning solution may also include an anti-bacterial solution. 
     In order to prevent the liquid from drying out before the wiper blade  10  is put to use, the porous member  40  is covered with a protective cover  42 . This may be a film of liquid impermeable plastic that covers the porous member  40  and is adhered to the undersurface  28  of the material  24  until the wiper  10  is intended to be used. The protective coating  42  can then be merely stripped away to expose the porous member  40 . 
     In the third area  34  of the undersurface  28  is a length of fibrous or foam material  44  that is capable of wiping dry the liquid from the porous member  40  that is applied to the upper surface  12  of the belt  14 . The material  44  can be made of substantially any material that will spread and partially dry any liquid that is on the belt as it passes under the material  44 . 
     The cleaning wiper  10  of the present invention is used in the following manner. First, the release paper  38  and the covering  42  are removed from the underside of the wiper  10  as shown in  FIG.  3   . The area  30  with the adhesive  36  thereon is then placed onto the frame member  22  adjacent the moving belt  14  as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . The wiper  10  is arranged so that the porous member  40  and the drying or wiping member  44  press down slightly onto the upper surface  12  of the moving belt  14  as shown most clearly in  FIG.  5   . The wiper  10  can be left on for a day or more until it is clear that there is no longer any liquid being dispensed. It can then be easily removed, discarded and replaced. 
     While the wiper  10  has been shown as being substantially flat, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it can also be formed in a slight V configuration. This may be necessary if the frame member  22  extends downwardly at an angle toward the upper surface  12  of the belt  14  as described above. This can be accomplished by either forming the wiper  10  in the slight V shape or creating a crease or reduced area along the length of the material  26  between the adhesive area and the porous member and wiping area of the wiper  10 . This would allow the same to bend or flex so as to accommodate different angles. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.