Patent ID: 6581758
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A conveyor mat (1), comprising a number of plastic modules (3) succeeding each other in a conveying direction (2) and whose top sides (13) form a conveying face (4), said modules (3) each being provided, in a transverse direction (5) thereof, with a number of hinge loops (6) which have equal basic forms and which alternately extend forwards and rearwards relative to the conveying direction (2) and converge from a base (7) to a top (8), said hinge loops (6) being provided, adjacent the top (8) thereof, with slotted holes (9), said modules (3) each being further provided with a number of interspaces (10) formed to be at least partially complementary to the hinge loops (6) and at least partially bounded by the sidewalls (11A, 12A) of two hinge loops (6) extending in the same direction, the successive modules (3) of said conveyor mat (1) being coupled by means of hinge pins (15) extending through the slotted holes (9), such that the forwardly extending hinge loops (6A) of the rearmost module (3A) can slide between the rearwardly extending hinge loops (6B) of the next module (3B) between a slid-out position (I) in which the hinge pin (15) abuts against a top-proximal wall (17) of the slotted hole (9) and a slid-in position (II), and wherein at least one sidewall (11A, 12A) of at least one forwardly extending hinge loop (6A) is provided, between the base (7) thereof and the top-proximal wall (17) of the slotted hole (9), with a projection (23) which, in said slid-out position (I) cooperates with the top (8) of the adjacent, rearwardly extending hinge loop (6B), and wherein the sidewall (11A, 12A) of the adjacent hinge loop is provided with a recess (24) in which the projection (23) can be received during sliding into the slid-in position (II), characterized in that, at least in the slid-in position the hinge loops (6) at the location of the recesses (24) in the sidewalls (11B, 12B) and the projections (23) are free of overlapping parts, such that successive modules (3) can move through a bend in a plane substantially transverse to the conveying plane and extending in the conveying direction from or to the slid-in position (II).