Patent ID: 7114608

Claim:
A directional transition module for moving an article translating on a primary roller conveyor having left and right sides and extending along a first axis to a secondary conveyor for translation along a second axis angularly disposed with respect to the first axis, the directional transition module comprising: a chassis; and a first drive-member set including at least one belt supported by the chassis for cycling through a predetermined driver cycle having an upper cycle portion and a lower cycle portion, the upper cycle portion being such that, when the directional transition module is installed for use in conjunction with the primary roller conveyor, the at least one belt is capable of cycling between first and second rollers of the primary roller conveyor, the at least one belt including a first segment and a second segment, the first segment having a profile sufficiently low such that, when the first segment cycles through the upper cycle portion, no section of the first segment extends above a plane defined by the tops of the first and second rollers, and the second segment having a profile sufficiently high such that, when the second segment cycles through the upper cycle portion, at least one section of the second segment extends above the plane defined by the tops of the first and second rollers to engage the article for directional transition, wherein at least one of the at least one belts further includes at least one tapered transition region that gradually increases in thickness between the first and second segments.