Patent ID: 8561788

Claim:
A differential impulse conveyor for moving goods, comprising: a tray having a tray floor for supporting the goods, the tray being movable in a forward direction to move goods forward during tray forward movement, and movable in a backward direction to slide goods along the tray during tray backward movement; a drive motor for moving the tray floor in the forward direction and the backward direction; and the tray floor including a plurality of dimples each projecting upward from an adjacent product supporting surface on the tray floor, each dimple including a pusher portion extending upward from the product supporting surface for pushing goods forward during the forward movement of the tray, and a tapered ramp portion extending upward from the product supporting surface and engaging the pusher portion for moving goods in front of the pusher portion during backward movement of the conveyor tray; wherein the tapered ramp portion of each dimple includes angled side surfaces for deflecting at least some of the goods laterally away from a centerline of the dimple.