IP Library Granted Patent US 7,866,464
Granted Patent B2
US 7,866,464 · App. 11/829,555 · Granted Jan 11, 2011

Thin-section conveyor apparatus, thin-section scooping tool, and method for transporting thin sections

Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,866,464
App. No.
11/829,555
Granted
Jan 11, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thin-section conveyor apparatus for transporting thin sections that have been prepared by thinly cutting an embedded block, which transports the thin sections to a liquid bath by mounting them on the upper plane of a conveyor belt having a longitudinal linear body extended along the direction of transportation and a transverse linear body disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal linear body, provided that the density of the transverse linear body for the part on which the thin sections are to be mounted is lower than that of the transverse linear body of the other places. It provides thin sections almost free of entraining bubbles. A thin-section scooping tool and a method for transporting thin sections are also proposed.

Claims (27)

1. A thin-section conveyor apparatus for transporting thin sections, comprising:

an embedded block that thinly cuts and prepares the thin sections and transports the thin sections to a liquid bath;

a conveyor belt for mounting the thin sections on the upper plane, the conveyor belt having a plurality of longitudinal linear bodies extended along the direction of transportation and a plurality of transverse linear bodies disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal linear bodies,

wherein the density of the transverse linear bodies is lower in an area of the conveyor belt on which the thin sections are to be mounted than in remaining areas of the conveyor belt; and

wherein the conveyor belt is hydrophilic.

2. A thin-section conveyor apparatus for transporting thin sections, comprising:

an embedded block that thinly cuts and prepares the thin sections and transports the thin sections to a liquid bath;

a conveyor belt for mounting the thin sections on an upper plane,

wherein an area of the conveyor belt on which the thin sections are to be mounted comprises only of a plural linear bodies extended along the transporting direction of the conveyor belt; and

wherein the conveyor belt is hydrophilic.

3. A thin-section conveyor apparatus for transporting thin sections, comprising:

an embedded block that thinly cuts and prepares the thin sections and transports the thin sections to a liquid bath; and

a conveyor belt for mounting the thin sections on the upper plane of a conveyor belt;

wherein the conveyor belt comprises a single linear body that is extended along the transporting direction and winds spirally around a starting point roller and an ending point roller; and

wherein the conveyor belt is hydrophilic.

4. A thin-section conveyor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal linear bodies and the plurality of transverse linear bodies are hydrophilic.

5. A method for transporting thin sections using the thin-section conveyor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:

transporting the thin sections to a liquid bath with forward rotation of the conveyor belt and setting the thin sections floating on the surface of the liquid bath;

after a first predetermined time, reverse-rotating the conveyor belt to scoop the thin sections from the liquid bath and mount on the conveyor belt; and

after a second predetermined time, transporting the thin sections back to the liquid bath with forward rotation of the conveyor belt and setting the thin sections floating on the surface of the liquid bath.

6. A method for transporting thin sections using the thin-section conveyor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:

transporting the thin sections to a liquid bath with forward rotation of the conveyor belt and setting the thin sections floating on the surface of the liquid bath;

after a first predetermined time, scooping the thin sections that are set afloat on the surface of the liquid, by using a thin-section scooping tool,

wherein the thin-section scooping tool comprises:

a frame having a pair of filament supporting parts disposed opposite to each other and

plural linear bodies provided between a pair of linear body supporting parts and disposed in parallel with each other with intervals between each linear body; and

after a second predetermined time, pushing downward the thin-section scooping tool and setting afloat the thin sections back on the surface of the liquid bath.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2007
From: MIYATANI, TATSUYA; FUJIMOTO, KOJI; ITO, TETSUMASA
To: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
Reel/Frame 020085/0853 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2006-206427 · Jul 28, 2006 · national
JP 2007-127858 · May 14, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080044260A1 · Feb 21, 2008