Abstract: A modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of hingedly interconnected belt modules, one or more modules comprises a base conveyor belt module and an insert for integrating a side wall and drive structure. The insert is received in a socket of an associated module. The insert comprising a plug portion received in the socket, a planar portion extending up from the plug portion to form a side guard above the top surface and drive structure for engaging a drive.

Abstract: A modular plastic conveyor belt constructed of a series of block-shaped belt modules. The belt has drive elements along its left and right sides for side-driving by a sprocket or drive belt. The top side and the bottom side are flat, devoid of drive structure, and provide high impact resistance and reversibility. Hinge elements along leading and trailing sides have circular hinge-pin holes or elongated oval holes that allow the belt to collapse under low tension.

Abstract: A conveyor and a sensing system for sensing various conditions on an advancing conveying bodies of a conveyor. The conveyor includes an array of sensing elements embedded in the conveying bodies to measure belt conditions. The sensing elements form parts of passive resonant circuits that each include a capacitor and an inductive coil. The capacitor or the inductive coil can be a sensing element. Measuring circuits external to the belt are inductively or capacitively coupled to the resonant circuits in the conveying bodies as they pass closely by. The sensing elements change the resonant frequency of their resonant circuits as a function of the sensed conditions. Frequency detectors in the measuring circuits measure that frequency change and convert it into a functionally related value used to determine a conveyor condition. Exemplary conditions include temperature, pressure, humidity, spillage, and product weight.

Abstract: A motorized pulley mounted on a stationary shaft to drive a conveyor belt. The motorized pulley is constructed of an axial-flux motor in a housing connected to the motor's rotor. A driver including a drive ring has a drive surface mounted to the periphery of the housing to rotate with the rotor and the housing and drive a conveyor belt. The motor's stator is affixed to the shaft axially offset from the rotor.

Abstract: A conveyor and method for moving articles employs a multi-directional roller assembly including an orienting component for orienting a roller and an actuating component for actuating the roller.

Abstract: A conveyor belt and a belt module having airflow passages that direct air exiting the module in different directions to agitate conveyed products. The airflow passages of injection-molded belt modules are formed with no undercut regions to accommodate the clean parting of the mold halves.

Abstract: A bonder and a method for bonding corrugated sidewalls to a thermoplastic belt at a splice joint. Two heating jaw assemblies with complementary and confronting corrugated vertical faces clamp a thermoplastic belt to a base of the bonder with a corrugated sidewall section separated from the belt across a splice joint received in a corrugated slot formed between the confronting vertical faces. Corrugated bonding strips at the bottoms of the corrugated vertical faces apply heat to melt the bottom of the sidewall section on opposite sides to bond the corrugated sidewall section to the base.

Abstract: A conveyor control system detects imbalances in a multi-drive conveyor belt and institutes a corrective action to rectify the imbalances. A sensor detects imbalances by measuring gaps between consecutive conveyor modules near a drive for the conveyor belt. A controller can initiate an alarm or automatically modify one or more drives to correct a detected imbalance.

Abstract: An article induction system for preparing a stream of articles, such as mail parcels, for processing employs a series of conveyors operating under control of a controller for feeding articles to an operator at a cull belt at an optimal paced rate. The article induction system includes a destacking section, a separation and alignment section, a buffer section and a culling section manned by an operator. A controller controls the speed of each component based on measurements provided by sensors so as to feed articles to the operator at a desired paced rate.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a conveyor belt along a helical path. The spiral conveyor includes a rotating cylindrical tower with parallel drive members extending from the bottom to the top of the tower on its periphery. Each drive member includes an outwardly protruding ridge that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: A belt conveyor having a platform that is movable from a retracted position recessed into a conveyor belt's top surface and an extended position above the top surface. The platform translates across the width of the belt in a slot to carry articles across the width of the belt. Guides in the conveyor below the belt have cam surfaces that raise and lower the carrier and translate it across the belt. The carrier may include a cam-actuated lever to flip articles on the belt or off a side of the belt.

Abstract: A noseroller assembly for transitioning a conveyor belt at an end of a carryway comprises offset bearings for guiding a conveyor belt. A first set of bearings protrudes slightly from the end of the noseroller substrate to guide the conveyor belt around the noseroller and a second set of bearings in recessed from the end of the noseroller substrate to prevent wear.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor comprising a modular conveyor belt having a plurality of carriers along its length. Each carrier comprises an opening through the belt associated with one or more doors movable between a closed position occluding the opening and supporting a load and an open position not occluding the opening to drop the load at a selected drop position.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying electrically conductive articles such as aluminum cans. The conveyor system comprises a plurality of coils below the top surface of an electromagnetic conveyor at a junction between an infeed conveyor and a discharge conveyor. The coils propagate electromagnetic flux waves that induce currents in the electrically conductive articles that force the articles to follow a conveying path from the infeed to the discharge conveyor. Dead spots on the electromagnetic conveyor can be eliminated by adjusting the coil drive waveforms.

Abstract: A conveyor and a method for weighing conveyed objects or sorting them by weight. The conveyor comprises a conveyor belt having electrically conductive rollers that are rotated with a constant torque in a lateral direction by a linear-induction stator defining a roller-activation zone along a carryway. Because the lateral acceleration of a conveyed object is inversely proportional to the object's weight, lighter objects are displaced laterally farther and at greater speeds than heavier objects. So their weights can be determined from the lateral acceleration, speed, or displacement. And objects can be sorted off the side of the belt by weight.

Abstract: A snap-in dual-pronged retaining device for a conveyor component includes two parallel prongs extending from an integral base. The prongs may form axles for rollers, hinge rods for coupling two conveyor belt modules together, or retaining shafts for retaining a component relative to the conveyor belt. A fastener secures the retaining device and conveyor component in place.

Abstract: An inspection station and a method of inspecting products for anomalies. The inspection station comprises a trough and a light source. The trough channels a flow of product-laden water along its length. The light source illuminates the product through the water from below, making product anomalies detectable by visual inspection. In that way, products with anomalies, such as shrimp with residual veins, can be culled and reprocessed.

Abstract: A method for inspecting peeled shrimp by human operators in a culling station illuminated by ambient visible light and in a dark shell-detection booth illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) lamps. The UV radiation emitted by the lamps is filtered to remove visible light from the filtered UV irradiating the shrimp in the dark booth. Irradiated shrimp shell fluoresces and is detectable by the naked eye. A human operator in the dark booth detects the fluorescing shell and removes those shrimps.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a powered pop-up roller driven by separable drive components. A first drive component is rigidly coupled to the frame of the conveyor. The first drive component induces motion driving the roller in a second drive component, which is fixed to the roller but separable from the first drive component.

Abstract: A flight conveyor for conveying material includes a frame, drive and idler wheel(s) rotatably mounted on the frame, segments for supporting the material, shafts for pivotally interconnecting the segments to an endless row which has an upper row and a lower row running, during operation, over the drive and idler wheel(s) and a number of conveyor flights for bringing the material along in the conveying direction. A scraper is arranged at the drive wheel for successively scraping off adhered material from segments and flights such that the conveyor can be used for conveying products tending to adhere to the surfaces of the segments and the flights since the adhered products are automatically removed by the scraper.