The present invention provides an improved conveyor system that provides for a magnetically driven conveyor system in which a sidewall of the conveyor may have minimal or no perforations therein for connecting rollers or other conveying structures in the conveyor bed to an external driving mechanism. The conveyor system may also provide gapless or nearly gapless roller bed that prevents or reduces the accumulation of debris and contaminants in and between the hardware of the conveyor bed. The system of the present invention may provide a more efficient and sanitary conveyor system for produce washing or other food processing application that requires less maintenance.

The present invention provides an improved conveyor system that provides for a magnetically driven conveyor system in which a sidewall of the conveyor may have minimal or no perforations therein for connecting rollers or other conveying structures in the conveyor bed to an external driving mechanism. The conveyor system may also provide gapless or nearly gapless roller bed that prevents or reduces the accumulation of debris and contaminants in and between the hardware of the conveyor bed. The system of the present invention may provide a more efficient and sanitary conveyor system for produce washing or other food processing application that requires less maintenance.

A material handling system have the ability for the rollers to slip relative to the drive system, such as a roller bed conveyor used an accumulator conveyor system. The rollers include a slip assembly with a clutch surface, wherein the tube of the roller is configured to act as a heat sink.

A power drive unit (PDU) for moving cargo relative to a cargo bay of an aircraft includes a cam shaft. The PDU also includes a lift cam coupled to the cam shaft and configured to cause the PDU to be in at least one of a raised position or a lowered position based on rotation of the cam shaft. The PDU also includes a permanent magnet motor configured to generate a cogging torque sufficient to resist rotation of the cam shaft such that the PDU remains in the raised position in response to power being removed from the permanent magnet motor.

A sleeve for a conveyor roller includes a tubular wall configured to receive and press-fittingly engage with an outer surface of the conveyor roller. The sleeve includes a plurality of engagement members. The plurality of engagement members are formed on an outer surface of the tube and configured to engage with a torque transmitter.

A diverting conveyor has an array of transmissions having powered output rollers that form a conveying surface for selectively diverting articles from a first direction to a second direction. Each transmission has a timing belt pulley to operably engage with a toothed timing belt, and each is configured to simultaneously rotate the output roller from the first direction to the second direction in response to actuation of an actuator. When the timing belt pulley engages with the teeth of the timing belt, the output roller of an actuator is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the conveying surface to a rotational position that is a multiple of the tooth spacing of the timing belt. Each output roller has a driven direction resulting from the engagement of the timing belt with the timing belt pulley. An adjuster is provided to align the driven directions of the array of output rollers.

The power transmission member includes a connecting member, an intermediate member, and an engagement member. The connecting member has an annular portion. The outer peripheral surface of the annular portion is provided with arc-like portions, and the inner peripheral surface of the annular portion is provided with concave-convex portions. The engagement member includes protrusions and a shaft insertion hole. The arc-like portions of the connecting member are in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the roller body, and the connecting member and the roller body are also secured together by securing means. The intermediate member engages with the concave-convex portions and the protrusions, the shaft insertion hole of the engagement member is maintained at the center of the roller body, and a power unit engages with the shaft insertion hole.

A load-bearing roller for conveying items includes an outer cylinder and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a bushing rotatably mounted in an end of the outer cylinder, a transmission member, and a retracting member. The transmission member includes a transmission wheel and a toothed gear non-rotatably coupled to the transmission wheel. The transmission wheel is positioned outside the outer cylinder. The toothed gear is positioned in the bushing. The retracting member is mounted in the bushing. A free end of the retracting member engages with the gear teeth to urge rotation of the bushing and the outer cylinder. When the roller is jammed or prevented from rotating, the retracting member retracts over the teeth of the toothed gear so as to prevent overload of a prime mover. The disclosure also includes a conveying device using the load-bearing roller.

Provided is a workpiece conveyance method for conveying a workpiece (1) in a predetermined direction by applying a conveying force (F) to the workpiece (1) while supporting the workpiece (1) through use of free rollers (11), and the workpiece conveyance method includes: applying flows of a fluid to the free rollers (11) to apply a rotation auxiliary force (f) to the free rollers (11) in a rotation direction of the free rollers (11) during conveyance of the workpiece (1).

Provided is a workpiece conveyance method for conveying a workpiece (1) in a predetermined direction by applying a conveying force (F) to the workpiece (1) while supporting the workpiece (1) through use of free rollers (11), and the workpiece conveyance method includes: applying flows of a fluid to the free rollers (11) to apply a rotation auxiliary force (f) to the free rollers (11) in a rotation direction of the free rollers (11) during conveyance of the workpiece (1).