Patent ID: 6029800
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: B65G,B65H

Abstract:
A conveyor for conveying flexible packages comprising:a plurality of sequential, parallel and spaced rollers that form a conveying surface and are generally perpendicular to a direction of conveyance, each of said rollers forming a plurality of alternating cylindrical sections and narrowing sections, said narrowing sections having a highest point at a maximum diameter and narrowing to both sides of said highest point along a length of said roller to a diameter of said cylindrical sections, said diameter of said cylindrical sections being less than said maximum diameter of said narrowing sections; anda plurality of continuous belts guided around said narrowing sections of a group of said plurality of rollers and run in said direction of conveyance to bridge a gap between each adjacent pair of rollers, said maximum diameter of said narrowing sections, said diameter of said cylindrical sections and a longitudinal width of said narrowing sections being selected in relation to a thickness of at least one of said plurality of belts so that when at least one belt is deflected by a package from said highest point of said narrowing section toward said cylindrical section, the deflected belt loses contact with the package, which still remains on at least one of a neighboring belt and said highest point of said narrowing section, the deflected belt independently returning to said highest point of said narrowing section by continuing contact between the deflected belt and said narrowing section before the deflected belt reaches an adjacent narrowing section and after the package is transported further by said conveyor.