Patent ID: 6484868
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A circulating conveyor system comprising:(a) a plurality of conveyor sections arranged in a closed path, each conveyor section having a first end and a discharge end and being configured to convey objects in a respective downstream direction toward said discharge end, adjacent conveyor sections comprising respective pairs of conveyor sections, each pair of adjacent conveyor sections comprising an upstream conveyor section and a downstream conveyor section, the downstream conveyor being disposed adjacent the discharge end of the upstream conveyor so as to receive the objects from said upstream conveyor, each respective conveyor section including a respective driven belt movably supported by said respective conveyor, said driven belt configured to contact the object when the respective objects are on said respective conveyor section, thereby conveying the objects toward the respective discharge end; (b) at least one of said pairs comprising a direction changing pair, each direction changing pair having the direction of travel of its upstream conveyor disposed at an angle to the direction of travel of its downstream conveyor such that the objects being conveyed change directions upon being transferred to said downstream conveyor; and (c) the discharge end of the respective upstream conveyor of said at least one direction changing pair being elevated a predetermined height above the respective downstream conveyor, the respective driven belt of said respective downstream conveyor being position on said downstream conveyor such that said object does not contact said driven belt sufficiently enough to convey said object until substantially all of said respective object is on said downstream conveyor, whereby the object's direction of travel is changed without changing the object's orientation.