A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

A fuser has a heater, a heat roller, an endless belt, a pressure pad, and a slidable sheet. The pressure pad forms a nipping portion to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the heat roller. The slidable sheet is interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad in the nipping portion. The slidable sheet includes a plurality of dents and a plurality of projections on a surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The plurality of dents are arranged in a first part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The first part is located in a range corresponding to the nipping portion. The plurality of projections are arranged in a second part of the surface of the slidable sheet. The second part is located in a range corresponding to a portion different from the nipping portion.

A cascade conveyor for sorting and conveying container closures, such as for conveying and sorting screw closures in a drinks filling installation, comprising at least one sorting bar which can be moved in a conveying direction and which is orientated transversely relative to the conveying direction for conveying the container closures from a collection receptacle which receives unsorted container closures to a closure unloading zone. There may also be provided in the closure unloading zone a conveyor belt which extends when viewed in the gravitational direction below the sorting bar in order to laterally discharge container closures conveyed by the sorting bar.

A conveyer assembly, and a method of maintenance thereof, the assembly comprising a conveyer belt supported in rotation by a frame, and guard rails on each longitudinal side of the belt, wherein lever arms connected to pivoting fingers resting between the upper run of the belt and the frame connect the guard rail to the frame; and wherein upon deployment of the lever arms, the fingers pivot into contact with the upper run of the belt, thereby pushing the upper run of the belt up away from the frame, while the guard rails are lifted up from the frame; and upon release of the lever arms, the fingers pivot back between the upper run of the belt and the frame, thereby releasing the upper run of the belt while the guard rails are lowered to the frame.

A conveyer assembly, and a method of maintenance thereof, the assembly comprising a conveyer belt supported in rotation by a frame, and guard rails on each longitudinal side of the belt, wherein lever arms connected to pivoting fingers resting between the upper run of the belt and the frame connect the guard rail to the frame; and wherein upon deployment of the lever arms, the fingers pivot into contact with the upper run of the belt, thereby pushing the upper run of the belt up away from the frame, while the guard rails are lifted up from the frame; and upon release of the lever arms, the fingers pivot back between the upper run of the belt and the frame, thereby releasing the upper run of the belt while the guard rails are lowered to the frame.

A processing line includes a conveyor for conveying product from upstream processing equipment to downstream processing equipment. Data structures stored in a memory of a controller comprise a backlog set point for product to be processe. A product sensor for the conveyor is enabled to generate signals representative of a number of the products moving on the conveyor from the upstream processing equipment past the sensor to the downstream processing equipment. A conveyor speed sensor for the conveyor is enabled to generate signals representative of a speed of the conveyor. A backlog measurement for the conveyor based upon the product sensor signals and the conveyor speed sensor signals is determined. The backlog measurement is compared to the backlog set point to determine a difference in backlog. The controller is enabled to generate signals for controlling the processing line based upon the difference in backlog.

A processing line includes a conveyor for conveying product from upstream processing equipment to downstream processing equipment. Data structures stored in a memory of a controller comprise a backlog set point for product to be processe. A product sensor for the conveyor is enabled to generate signals representative of a number of the products moving on the conveyor from the upstream processing equipment past the sensor to the downstream processing equipment. A conveyor speed sensor for the conveyor is enabled to generate signals representative of a speed of the conveyor. A backlog measurement for the conveyor based upon the product sensor signals and the conveyor speed sensor signals is determined. The backlog measurement is compared to the backlog set point to determine a difference in backlog. The controller is enabled to generate signals for controlling the processing line based upon the difference in backlog.

A tunnel may have a housing with an entrance, an exit, and a pathway extending from the entrance to the exit through the housing. The tunnel may be used for performing operations, such as cleaning operations within the tunnel. A conveyor may be configured to move articles through the housing along the pathway. One or more detectors may be configured at discrete locations along the pathway. One or more curtains may be configured between the entrance and the exit of the housing to partition the pathway into two or more segments. One or more sensors may be configured in each curtain. The one or more sensors may be detectable by the one or more detectors to determine the presence, position, orientation, or other characteristic of each curtain.

A tunnel may have a housing with an entrance, an exit, and a pathway extending from the entrance to the exit through the housing. The tunnel may be used for performing operations, such as cleaning operations within the tunnel. A conveyor may be configured to move articles through the housing along the pathway. One or more detectors may be configured at discrete locations along the pathway. One or more curtains may be configured between the entrance and the exit of the housing to partition the pathway into two or more segments. One or more sensors may be configured in each curtain. The one or more sensors may be detectable by the one or more detectors to determine the presence, position, orientation, or other characteristic of each curtain.

An intensive quenching (IQ) apparatus and method of quenching heated parts is provided. The IQ apparatus includes a chute for placing parts into a tank including liquid quenchant. The parts fall through the quenchant in the chute and are received by a conveyor belt. The parts are then transported on the conveyor through an inner channel of a conduit. An agitation rate of the quenchant in the inner channel is increased by an agitator.