Patent ID: 7377728

Claim:
A vibratory conveyor for transporting an object bearing debris, the conveyor comprising: a curved deck defining a conveying surface for supporting the object, the deck having an inner edge and an outer edge; a housing having an inner wall coupled to the inner edge of the deck and an outer wall coupled to the outer edge of the deck, wherein an interior of the housing defines a conveyor chamber and the housing inner wall defines a central chamber; an outlet opening communicating between the conveyor chamber and the central chamber; an air vacuum source in fluid communication with the central chamber to create an air stream flowing from the conveyor chamber, through the outlet opening, to the central chamber, wherein the debris from the object becomes entrained in the air stream; a catch floor extending across the central chamber and positioned below the outlet opening for receiving the debris entrained in the air stream; a discharge opening formed in the catch floor; and an exciter mass assembly including a vibration generator coupled to the deck for generating a vibratory force, wherein the vibratory force advances the object along the deck and conveys the debris on the catch floor toward the discharge opening.