Patent ID: 8033383

Claim:
A conveyor for clean manufacturing applications, the conveyor comprising a plurality of interconnected conveyor modules, each of the conveyor modules comprising at least one conveyor belt segment, and each conveyor belt segment comprising: a pair of side rails that are structured and arranged to include a first side rail that is in parallel or substantially in parallel to a second side rail; a pair of autonomous, belt-drives for transporting at least one work piece or object carrying a work piece from a proximal end of the belt segment to a distal end of the belt segment, a first belt-drive of the pair of said belt-drives being disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel on the first side rail of said pair of side rails and a second belt-drive of the pair of said belt-drives being disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel on the second side rail of said pair of side rails; a pair of driving wheels for turning said pair of belt-drives; a pair of return wheels for supporting each of the pair of belt-drives and the at least one work piece or object carrying a work piece; and a motor, having a drive shaft, for directly or indirectly driving each of the pair of driving wheels wherein each of the pair of belt-drives comprises a belt having an L shape, in which a short leg of the L shape is directed away from the pair of driving wheels.