Patent ID: 9254968
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: B65G

Claim Text:
1. A conveyor system comprising: an elongated vacuum plenum having an interior defined between an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface between a first end and a second end, said plenum having at least one semi-circular side surface joining said upwardly facing surface and said downwardly facing surface and defining a longitudinal axis extending through said first and said second end substantially parallel to said at least one semi-circular side surface; a slot formed in said plenum and extending from said first end of said plenum at said upwardly facing surface toward said second end substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, toward said downwardly facing surface along said at least one semi-circular side surface on a curvilinear path, and toward said upwardly facing surface along said at least one semi-circular side surface on a curvilinear path, and then to said second end at said upwardly facing surface, said slot defining a portion of a conveyor path; and a plurality of conveyor modules received in said slot and forming part of an endless loop moving along said conveyor path, at least some of said modules having at least one opening in fluid communication with said interior, wherein an object disposed on at least one of said modules is held against said at least one module by a vacuum in said interior as said at least one module moves along said conveyor path from said upwardly facing surface toward said downwardly facing surface.