Patent ID: 6966432

Claim:
A drive device for a conveyor, said drive device comprising a drive member ( 12 ) with a plurality of engaging elements ( 12 b ) arranged on the drive member with a predetermined engaging element spacing (t 1 ); a flexible conveying member ( 14 ) with a plurality of counter elements ( 14 b ) arranged on the conveying member ( 14 ) with a predetermined counter element spacing (t 2 ), so that said engaging elements ( 12 b ) of the drive member ( 12 ) are arranged to engage with the counter elements ( 14 b ) of the conveying member ( 14 ) so that the conveying member is driven with the drive member; wherein the engaging element spacing (t 1 ) of the engaging elements ( 12 b ) on the drive member ( 12 ) is larger than the counter element spacing (t 2 ) of the counter elements ( 14 b ) of the conveying member ( 14 ); and wherein a ratio of said engaging element spacing (t 1 ) of the drive member ( 12 ) to said counter element spacing (t 2 ) of the conveying member ( 14 ) is between about 1.01 and about 1.10.