Patent ID: 7438179

Claim:
A modular plastic conveyor belt comprising: a series of rows of plastic belt modules wherein each row includes at least one belt module extending from a forward end to a rearward end in the direction of belt travel and including a first set of hinge eyes along the forward end and a second set of hinge eyes along the rearward end, wherein the first set of hinge eyes have first openings therethrough and wherein the second set of hinge eyes have second openings therethrough, the rows being arranged end to end with the first set of hinge eyes of a row interleaved and aligned with the second set of hinge eyes of an adjacent row; a plurality of hinge rods, wherein each hinge rod is a sectorial portion of a circular cylinder having a radius measured from a central axis and the sectorial portion subtends a first angle from the central axis; wherein each of the first openings has a shape similar to the cross section of the hinge rods with a slightly greater radius to receive a hinge rod with little clearance and wherein each of the second openings has the shape of a sector of a circle having a slightly greater radius than the hinge rod and subtends a second angle greater than the first angle so that a hinge rod received in the first openings of the first set of hinge eyes of a row and in the second openings of the second set of hinge eyes of an adjacent row forms a hinge joint between adjacent rows.