Abstract: A conveyor section for transportation or accumulation of articles such as cartons and totes includes a pair of spaced, opposing side rails, vertical frame members attached transversely between the pair of opposing side rails, and live rollers transversely attached for rotation between the opposing side. An upstream end idler and a downstream end idler both having a vertical axis of rotation are attached at respective upstream and downstream ends of the conveyor section. A drive belt is vertically elongate and supported for horizontal looping between the upstream and downstream end idlers. The drive belt supported and guided by the vertical frame members such that a drive loop side and a return loop side are horizontally positioned under the live rollers. The drive loop side of the drive belt is at selectively engageable to an undersurface of the live rollers. A drive motor is operatively coupled to drive the drive belt.

Abstract: A transmission for driving articles can drive the articles in any direction up to nearly 360 degrees from a first direction of motion of the article while maintaining the input constant. The transmissions can be used in connection with material handling systems to convey articles to desired locations. Conveyor sections may have a plurality of such transmissions whose orientations are controlled as a group or individually.

Abstract: A conveyor section for transportation or accumulation of articles such as cartons and totes includes a pair of spaced, opposing side rails, vertical frame members attached transversely between the pair of opposing side rails, and live rollers transversely attached for rotation between the opposing side. An upstream end idler and a downstream end idler both having a vertical axis of rotation are attached at respective upstream and downstream ends of the conveyor section. A drive belt is vertically elongate and supported for horizontal looping between the upstream and downstream end idlers. The drive belt supported and guided by the vertical frame members such that a drive loop side and a return loop side are horizontally positioned under the live rollers. The drive loop side of the drive belt is at selectively engageable to an undersurface of the live rollers. A drive motor is operatively coupled to drive the drive belt.

Abstract: An accumulation conveyor for transporting articles includes a plurality of rollers defining a conveying surface, a frame supporting the plurality of rollers, a drive belt selectively couplable with the plurality of rollers to drive the plurality of rollers, and an actuator assembly having at least one piezoelectric actuator assembly configured to selectively urge the drive belt into driving engagement with the plurality of rollers.

Abstract: An endless drive belt is formed by creating a connection between two ends of a thermoplastic belt segment by fusing the cut ends of the thermoplastic material together. The thermoplastic belt segment has a “T” shaped cross section comprising a flat belt portion and a guide rib portion. The guide rib portion has equally spaced “V shaped notches imbedded therein that enable the stiff thermoplastic belt to bend at the notches, and not at the teeth defined between the notches to create bending portions that alternate with stiff portions. The two ends of the thermoplastic belt segment are cut in zigzagging interlocking fingers that intermesh and cut through both the flat belt portion and the teeth and notches in the guide rib portion. The zigzagging interlocking fingers are cut with the fingertips of each end of the belt defining a line that passes through the teeth.

Abstract: An accumulation conveyor for transporting articles includes a plurality of rollers defining a conveying surface, a frame supporting the plurality of rollers, a drive belt selectively couplable with the plurality of rollers to drive the plurality of rollers, and an actuator assembly having at least one piezoelectric actuator assembly configured to selectively urge the drive belt into driving engagement with the plurality of rollers.