Methods and apparatus for the acceptance of loose components and feeding of individual components in a known position and orientation are disclosed.

A conveyor belt including a carry cover layer, a reinforcement layer which is situated below the carry cover layer, and a pulley cover layer which is situated below the reinforcement layer, where the reinforcement layer is comprised of steel cordage and rubber matrix, and wherein the rubber matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount greater than 5 phr. In some cases the rubber the matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount of 11 phr or greater, or even in an amount of 16 phr or greater. In some aspects, the rubber matrix is devoid of lead oxide. In some aspects, the steel cordage is zinc coated steel cords.

A conveyor belt including a carry cover layer, a reinforcement layer which is situated below the carry cover layer, and a pulley cover layer which is situated below the reinforcement layer, where the reinforcement layer is comprised of steel cordage and rubber matrix, and wherein the rubber matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount greater than 5 phr. In some cases the rubber the matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount of 11 phr or greater, or even in an amount of 16 phr or greater. In some aspects, the rubber matrix is devoid of lead oxide. In some aspects, the steel cordage is zinc coated steel cords.

An order fulfillment system and method includes a data base that is adapted to store data defining a plurality of customer orders. Each of the customer orders is a single item order having only one particular inventory item assigned to that order or a multiple item order having multiple particular inventory items assigned to that order. An inventory area stores inventory items that are available for fulfilling customer orders, and is responsive to said data base to retrieve particular inventory items from said inventory area that are assigned to customer orders in order to fulfill those orders. A sortation system combines particular inventory items together that make up an order. The sortation system has an automated induct subsystem and a sorter. The induct subsystem receives inventory items from the inventory area and forwards, in responsive to the data base, particular inventory items assigned to multiple-items orders to the sorter to be combined together to make up the multiple-item orders, but not particular inventory items assigned to single item orders. The sorter includes a pouch sorter having individual pouches and an overhead conveyor with tracts that route individual pouches to various destinations. The induct subsystem places a particular inventory item assigned to a multiple item order in an individual pouch and doesn't place a particular inventory items assigned to a single item order in a pouch. In this manner, handling of the particular inventory items for single items orders is separate from the pouch sorter thus reducing handling of inventory items and increasing system through-put.

An order fulfillment system and method includes storing a plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders. Some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order. Inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse are identified with an identifier and the identity of each withdrawn inventory item applied to the data base and matched item with a customer order. Inventory items are combined together that make up an order with a sortation system. The sortation system has an induct subsystem and the induction subsystem has an input. Inventory items are transported from the warehouse to the induction subsystem input with a transportation system. Inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders are forwarded to the sortation system with the induct subsystem responsive to the data base. Inventory items assigned to single item orders are forwarded to a packing station bypassing the sortation system responsive to the data base.

A conveyor apparatus includes an endless conveyor belt wound around outgoing path side guide pulleys in turn along a helical conveyance path in a bent state where the belt is folded in two in a width direction such that an upper edge portion thereof is supported by the outgoing path side guide pulleys, and wound around returning path side guide pulleys in turn along the helical conveyance path in the bent state where the belt is folded in two in the width direction such that the upper edge portion is supported by the returning path side guide pulleys, and folded back at each turning positions of a horizontal conveyance unit located at an upper side and a horizontal conveyance unit located at a lower side of the support frame and being in an expanded state where the belt expanded in the width direction in a vicinity of the turning position.

The present invention allows the friction of the belt with the slide table to be abated as well as restrains dusts from occurring. The conveyor belt 10 for carrying a transported article mounted on the surface thereof comprises: a belt main body 1; and a lower surface layer 3 to cover the lower surface of the belt main body 1, in which the lower surface layer 3 is provided with a projective surface 4b in which a plurality of projections 4 whose peak portions 4a are formed into a curved surface shape.

An order fulfillment system and method includes storing a plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders. Some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order. Inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse are identified with an identifier and the identity of each withdrawn inventory item applied to the data base and matched item with a customer order. Inventory items are combined together that make up an order with a sortation system. The sortation system has an induct subsystem and the induction subsystem has an input. Inventory items are transported from the warehouse to the induction subsystem input with a transportation system. Inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders are forwarded to the sortation system with the induct subsystem responsive to the data base. Inventory items assigned to single item orders are forwarded to a packing station bypassing the sortation system responsive to the data base.

A method for transporting harvested crops from a field includes the step of providing a conveyor belt disposed adjacent a plurality of crops (such as alongside a row of crops or in-between rows). The conveyor belt has a spool attached thereto about which the conveyor belt can be wound. A winder is provided and has an attachment for receiving the spool. The spool is attached to the winder and, when crops being harvested are disposed on the conveyor belt, the winder is used to wind the conveyor belt around the spool, thereby transporting crops to the winder.

The present invention allows the friction of the belt with the slide table to be abated as well as restrains dusts from occurring.

The conveyor belt 10 for carrying a transported article mounted on the surface thereof comprises: a belt main body 1; and a lower surface layer 3 to cover the lower surface of the belt main body 1, in which the lower surface layer 3 is provided with a projective surface 4b in which a plurality of projections 4 whose peak portions 4a are formed into a curved surface shape.