Patent ID: 8127916

Claim:
A conveyor for shock-sensitive products and the like, comprising: a conveyor member having: at least one individual compartment for receiving an associated shock-sensitive product therein; an upwardly directed conveyor section; and a downwardly directed conveyor section; an upper conveyor deflector deflecting the conveyor member from said upwardly directed conveyor section to said downwardly directed conveyor section; and wherein said compartment includes: a first support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in said upwardly directed conveyor section; a second support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in said downwardly directed conveyor section; a bottom surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product during movement of said conveyor member over said upper conveyor deflector, wherein said bottom surface of said compartment has a curvature shaped so that when passing over said upper deflector, the shock-sensitive product deposited in said compartment is guided smoothly and gently along said bottom surface from said first support surface to said second support surface such that critically damaging shock forces to the shock-sensitive product are avoided; and wherein said upper conveyor deflector includes a deflection roller; and said curvature of said bottom surface extends in an opposite relationship to the curved shape of said deflection roller, and is of a radius of curvature which is greater than or equal to the radius of said upper deflection roller.