Abstract: Disclosed are conveyors and methods for making the conveyors. In one embodiment, a conveyor comprises a modular conveyor belt that includes a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains. The conveyor further includes at least one second roller that operatively couples to the first rollers such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller. The invention can also be construed as providing the method for conveying objects. The method can comprise the steps of driving a modular conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel; rotating a plurality of first rollers disposed into the modular conveyor belt in a manner in which slippage of the first rollers is reduced; and conveying objects on the modular conveyor belt using the rotating first rollers.

Abstract: A conveyor using a roller belt with rollers arranged to rotate on oblique axes to urge articles toward a side guide. The conveyor includes an oblique-roller belt supported on a carryway for running in a direction of belt travel. Rollers extend above an outer conveying surface of the belt without contact with the carryway. Each roller rotates on an axis oblique to the direction of belt travel and intersects the side guide downstream of the roller's position. A retractable stop is movable to and from a blocking position along the carryway. In the blocking position, the stop blocks the conveyed articles from advancing in the direction of belt travel. The rollers underlying the blocked articles rotate as the belt runs by contact with the articles. The rotating rollers provide a component of force to the blocked articles directed toward the side guide to push the articles against the side guide or other articles as they accumulate under low pressure upstream of the stop.

Abstract: In one embodiment, apparatus for controlling spacing of objects conveyed by an object conveyor include flights that can be actuated from a retracted state to an extended state in which the flights extend transversely across the object conveyor, the flights limiting travel of the objects to control their relative spacing, wherein the flights actuate with relatively little force such that a retracted flight will not extend once it contacts a directly adjacent object that occupies space into which the retracted flight would normally extend.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for activating conveyor belt rollers by raising and lowering the conveyor belt. Article-supporting rollers extending through the thickness of the conveyor belt are deactivated when the belt is raised to a position in which the belt rollers do not contact bearing surfaces below the belt. Belt rollers are activated to rotate when the belt is lowered to a position in which the belt rollers ride on the bearing surfaces below the belt and rotate to push articles conveyed atop the belt rollers in the direction of rotation as the belt advances. Linear support surfaces, such as wearstrips, between the bearing surfaces are raised and lowered into and out of supporting contact with the bottom of the belt by selectively inflatable bladders.

Abstract: A low-friction conveyor (10) including a conveyor belt (12) supported on self-contained rollers (32) riding along a carryway (22). The conveyor includes a modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of rows of belt modules (24, 25) connected into a loop by hinge joints between adjacent rows (26). The belt is supported on a carryway. Drive surfaces are accessible from the interior side (28) of the belt loop. Drive elements, such as sprockets (16), drive on the drive surfaces to move the belt along the carryway. The belt rollers are recessod inward of the outer side (29) of the belt loop and extend past the interior side of the belt loop. In this way, the rollers engage the carryway in low-friction, rolling contact.

Abstract: A belt module with embedded rollers retained in cavities in the module by retention structure insertable into the module. The rollers and cavities are elongated in the direction of belt travel and closely separated by narrow dividers that form outward-facing surfaces that can serve as bearing surfaces for a belt made of the modules when the rollers are inactivated. When activated, the rollers, which rotate on axles parallel to the direction of belt travel, are supported directly on conveyor rolling surfaces. The dividers also carry the belt tension and stiffen the module.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a conveyor belt, a plurality of rollers, and a flight. The rollers have lower surfaces configured to engage a roller-engagement surface, and upper surfaces that substantially form a plane, such that the rollers engage the roller-engagement surface and rotate to move an object supported by the rollers over the plane. The flight includes a cam configured to engage a cam surface below the conveyor belt to impart a moment on the flight, and a projection that responds to the moment by rotating from a retracted position to an extended position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of conveyor belt rollers configured to divert objects on the conveyor belt, and a drive mechanism that engages the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being configured to drive the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being adjustable such that the conveyor belt rollers can be selectively driven in a first angular direction and a second, opposite angular direction so that objects can be selectively diverted to either side of the conveyor belt at a desired diverting angle. One version of the drive mechanism has drive rollers mounted in cartridges and rack gears engaging pinion gears on the cartridges to adjust the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt rollers to drive them in selectively opposite angular directions.

Abstract: A conveyor having a flighted belt and providing a gapless end-off or end-on transfer of articles. The conveyor belt includes segmented flights at spaced intervals along its length. Each segmented flight includes slots dividing the flight into laterally spaced segments, or dogs. A transfer platform allows for a smooth transfer of articles onto or off the end of the belt. Fingers on the transfer platform separated by gaps extend to distal finger tips that are positioned close to the conveying surface of the belt at an end of the conveyor. The transfer platform is laterally aligned with the gaps positioned to coincide with the flight segments to permit them to pass cleanly through as the belt articulates about a sprocket set at the end of a carryway. The transfer platform may be tilted relative to vertical to gain an assist from gravity in transferring articles.

Abstract: A modular conveyor belt and belt attachment members that are retained by hinge rods. The attachment members have a body with opposite outer and base surfaces. Interaction elements, such as high-friction surfaces, plates, or holddown wings, extend from the outer surface. The base surface mounts flush against a conveying surface or an opposite surface of the belt. Legs extend directly from the base surface into gaps between hinge elements extending longitudinally outward of conveyor belt modules forming the belt. Feet at distal ends of the legs hook under hinge rods to retain the attachment member firmly in place. The lateral spacings between the legs are related to the geometry of the hinge elements to register the attachment element with respect to the belt.

Abstract: A belt conveyor and a method for accelerating articles conveyed atop a moving conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes rollers that are arranged to rotate on axes transverse to the direction of belt travel. The rollers have a large-diameter portion on which conveyed articles ride and one or more smaller-diameter portions that can be engaged by a bearing surface to rotate the rollers as the conveyor belt advances in the direction of belt travel. Articles atop the large-diameter portion are propelled in the conveying direction at a speed greater than twice the forward speed of the belt.

Abstract: A sorting switch for diverting articles from one or more infeed conveyors to two or more outfeed conveyors. A pre-alignment conveyor receives articles from one or more infeed conveyors and selectively diverts individual articles into two or more lateral regions for delivery to an alignment conveyor downstream. The alignment conveyor more precisely aligns the articles within each of the regions for delivery to outfeed conveyors at the downstream end of the alignment conveyor. The alignment and pre-alignment conveyors are realized as belt conveyors with rollers arranged to rotate universally or on axes in specific orientations. In some versions, a belt's rollers roll on bearing surfaces whenever the belt is advancing. In other versions, rollers are selective actuated by moving bearing surfaces. In yet other versions, rollers are not contacted by bearing surfaces at all.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of conveyor belt rollers configured to divert objects on the conveyor belt, and a drive mechanism that engages the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being configured to drive the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being adjustable such that the conveyor belt rollers can be selectively driven in a first angular direction and a second, opposite angular direction so that objects can be selectively diverted to either side of the conveyor belt at a desired diverting angle.

Abstract: A conveyor using a roller belt with rollers arranged to rotate on oblique axes to urge articles toward a side guide. The conveyor includes an oblique-roller belt supported on a carryway for running in a direction of belt travel. Rollers extend above an outer conveying surface of the belt without contact with the carryway. Each roller rotates on an axis oblique to the direction of belt travel and intersects the side guide downstream of the roller's position. A retractable stop is movable to and from a blocking position along the carryway. In the blocking position, the stop blocks the conveyed articles from advancing in the direction of belt travel. The rollers underlying the blocked articles rotate as the belt runs by contact with the articles. The rotating rollers provide a component of force to the blocked articles directed toward the side guide to push the articles against the side guide or other articles as they accumulate under low pressure upstream of the stop.

Abstract: A modular roller-top conveyor belt with a dense array of rollers freely rotatable toward the sides of the belt. The rollers are arranged in offset lines and columns in a checkerboard pattern on the top side of the belt. The rollers rotate on axes parallel to the direction of belt travel. The rollers extend in the direction of belt travel over the hinge axes formed between adjacent rows of belt modules.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a product for heating or cooling including freezing of food items in a rotating closed pipe serpent. The technology includes a closed non-circular rotating pipe serpent for processing of food items, where the food items are transported in a preparation liquid through the pipe serpent during either heating or cooling. The invention secures a gentle but efficient mixture of the food items that prevents clogging, which secures a homogeneous thermal processing of the individual food items, which again secures a high quality of the final food items. Simultaneously the products used for processing are easy to clean, which results in low costs. The process can be run entirely automatic without the involvement of manual labour, which results in minimal demands for process resources and ensures a high standard of hygiene.

Abstract: A modular plastic conveyor belt formed by rows of belt modules connected together at hinge joints by non-circular hinge rods. Each hinge rod has an arcuate outer face that forms a portion of a cylinder and extends circumferentially over a first angle preferably between 90° and 180°. An axial groove is formed in the hinge rod opposite its arcuate outer face. Openings in hinge eyes at opposite ends of the belt rows are sector-shaped. The openings along a leading edge of a row are shaped to receive a hinge rod snugly with little clearance. The openings along a trailing edge of an adjacent row have similar radial dimensions, but extend circumferentially over a second angle greater than the first angle. The hinge eyes of adjacent rows are interleaved and aligned to receive a hinge rod and give the hinge joint a range of articulation.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a conveyor belt includes multiple roller sets, each roller set including a first roller and a second roller, the first and second rollers being placed in contact with each other such that driving of one of the rollers in a first angular direction causes rotation of the other roller in a second, opposite angular direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a conveyor system for evenly spacing conveyed objects. The conveyor system includes a conveyor belt that includes a conveyor having cavities, rollers in some of the cavities and a positioning component. The conveyor system further includes a conveyor drive coupled to the conveyor system and a roller engagement surface positioned adjacent the conveyor belt and configured to engage the plurality of rollers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of conveyor belt rollers configured to divert objects on the conveyor belt, and a drive mechanism that engages the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being configured to drive the conveyor belt rollers, the drive mechanism being adjustable such that the conveyor belt rollers can be selectively driven in a first angular direction and a second, opposite angular direction so that objects can be selectively diverted to either side of the conveyor belt at a desired diverting angle. One version of the drive mechanism has drive rollers mounted in cartridges and rack gears engaging pinion gears on the cartridges to adjust the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt rollers to drive them in selectively opposite angular directions.