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Patexia Contest

CONTEST

Competed
Prize
$5,000
DEADLINE
This contest is closed.
Winner

m6i2m7i9k20 P

technology
Winner

Yogesh Bansal

technology
Winner
Runner Up

NEHA JAI

technology
Runner Up

Arpit Jain

technology
Runner Up

MAHALAKSHMI S

technology
Runner Up

Rakon Nahar

technology
Runner Up

John Blaeuer

technology

Problem

Update: we have extended the deadline as the contest was over early and some users were not able to upload their research. So the final deadline is until the next Sunday.

This contest is for a prior art search for two US Patents RE45145 and RE48600, which describe a wing pulley for a conveyor belt.

 

The pulley is made up of two spaced cylindrical hubs with a number of wings extending radially from the hubs.  The wings are generally oriented in V-shapes, and the convergence point of the V shapes generally corresponds to the direction of the pulley’s rotation. 

 

 

The pulley’s V-shaped wing configuration is intended to laterally deflect debris (like sand and gravel) away from the pulley and its conveyor belt as the pulley spins.

 

When viewing the pulley’s hub straight-on, each wing connected to the hub is angled forward of a radius of the hub (see angle “C” below in relation to radius “B”) in the direction of the pulley’s rotation (see arrow “D” below). 

Have a question about this contest? Ask a Question

Questions

#QuestionValue
1Is the reference either a U.S. Patent filed, a foreign patent published, or a non-patent document published or otherwise publicly available before October 31, 2007? T/F
2Does the reference show a pulley for a conveyor belt with two spaced hubs aligned along a common axis, each with a circumferential surface? 10
3Are there a number of radially spaced wings oriented around the pulley? 10
4Are the spaces between adjacent wings unobstructed at the first and second ends of the pulley? 10
5Does the rotation of the pulley result in material in the space between adjacent wings being ejected out of the first and second ends of the pulley? 15
6Are the wings V-shaped or otherwise angled at a non-zero angle? 25
7Does each outer end of the wings have a lower edge positioned on a respective radial of the hub, and an upper edge angled forward of the respective radial in the intended direction of rotation of the pulley? 30

Additional Notes

Prior Art Search

Prior Art Search

This is a Prior Art Search contest aimed at determining if a patent idea was known and publicly available before a patent was filed.

  • +5 bonus points will be awarded for non-patent literature such as user's manual or peer-reviewed papers
  • +5 bonus points will be awarded for foreign language references.

This contest will close on Sunday, November 21, 2021 at 11:59 PM PT.

Please review the Contest Rules. For more information on how to submit to this Contest type, please read the Intro to Prior Art Search page.

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