A conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt, a first roller, a second roller, wherein the conveyor belt extends between the first roller and the second roller so that the conveyor belt has a transport side and a return side; and a frame for positioning the conveyor belt, wherein the frame has at least two upright walls at the position of opposite transverse ends, which two upright walls are formed such that, at the position of the return side, the return side falls within the two upright walls and that, at the position of the transport side, the transport side protrudes to a position outside the upright walls on either sides.

A belt curve adapted to convey an object along a curved conveying direction between a first end and a second end, wherein the conveying direction is perpendicular to a radial direction;

the belt curve comprising: a supporting frame; a conveying belt, which is arranged circumferentially on the support frame and adapted to carry the object; at least one deflection roller located at each of the first end and the second end, the conveying belt is deflected around the deflection roller; a drive adapted to provide a drive power for the conveying belt; a guiding, in particular a guide rail, adapted to guide the conveying belt in the conveying direction, thereby providing a guiding force in radial outward direction, a tensioner adapted for selective amendment of the radial guiding force to the conveying belt.

A conveying and sorting apparatus has a plurality of tilting conveyor units in a row in the conveying direction. Each tilting conveyor unit is able to switch between a horizontal conveying orientation and a tilted orientation for ejecting the object being conveyed, by means of gravity, laterally with respect to the conveying direction and has a belt conveyor with a plurality of ridge portions which extend in the width direction on the inside surface, and on the outside surface the ridge portions which extend in the width direction are provided an equivalent intervals in the length direction of the belt. A plurality of recessed grooves which engage with each of the ridge portions on the inside surface of the belt are provided to the peripheral surfaces of a front pulley and a rear pulley of the belt.

In one example, a conveyance module to advance a belt toward a print station comprises a support structure to support a belt and to permit advance of the belt in a belt-advance direction toward a print station and a pair of guides. In this example, each guide is attached to the support structure and is to engage a portion of a belt. A first guide in the pair is attached to the support structure by a substantially rigid fastener to hold the first guide in a substantially fixed position relative to the support structure. A second guide in the pair is attached to the support structure by a resiliently deformable element to hold the second guide in a movable position relative to the support structure.

In one example, a conveyance module to advance a belt toward a print station comprises a support structure to support a belt and to permit advance of the belt in a belt-advance direction toward a print station and a pair of guides. In this example, each guide is attached to the support structure and is to engage a portion of a belt. A first guide in the pair is attached to the support structure by a substantially rigid fastener to hold the first guide in a substantially fixed position relative to the support structure. A second guide in the pair is attached to the support structure by a resiliently deformable element to hold the second guide in a movable position relative to the support structure.

An active drive spiral conveyor belt system includes a drum configured to rotate about a drum axis, a plurality of modules, a plurality of cross-rods joining together the plurality of modules, and an infeed system. The drum can include a plurality of drive bars, each with a drive member extending therefrom, and spaced an arc length. At least some of the plurality of cross-rods or modules can include a drive end configured to engage with the drive members. The plurality of modules can be configured to be collapsible relative to each other and the plurality of cross-rods. The infeed system can be configured to collapse the spacing between adjacent drive ends prior to transiting into engagement with a cooperating drive member.

An active drive spiral conveyor belt system includes a drum configured to rotate about a drum axis, a plurality of modules, a plurality of cross-rods joining together the plurality of modules, and an infeed system. The drum can include a plurality of drive bars, each with a drive member extending therefrom, and spaced an arc length. At least some of the plurality of cross-rods or modules can include a drive end configured to engage with the drive members. The plurality of modules can be configured to be collapsible relative to each other and the plurality of cross-rods. The infeed system can be configured to collapse the spacing between adjacent drive ends prior to transiting into engagement with a cooperating drive member.

A curved belt conveyor includes a conveyor belt with a hooking element associated with an outer periphery of the conveyor belt and multiple pairs of rollers guiding the hooking element. A plurality of supporting elements is placed at the outer periphery, each for supporting at least one pair of rollers. A holding space for the hooking element is defined among each pair of rollers and a corresponding supporting element. A main roller of one of the pairs of rollers is movable along a trajectory extending along a longitudinal development of a corresponding main roller shaft between a releasing position, wherein the rollers are spaced to define an intermediate space therebetween to allow the passage of the hooking element, and a retaining position, wherein the rollers are close to each other to prevent passage of the hooking element from the corresponding holding space through the corresponding intermediate space.

An arrangement to maintain alignment of a moving conveyor belt. The arrangement includes a sensing assembly arranged for sensing a position or movement of a portion or region of the belt, and an actuator assembly having one or more actuator modules operable so as to adjust or modify a position, alignment, or orientation of a portion or region of a support assembly in order to counter and/or correct an alignment of the belt based on, at least in part, the sensed position or movement of the belt.

An arrangement to maintain alignment of a moving conveyor belt. The arrangement includes a sensing assembly arranged for sensing a position or movement of a portion or region of the belt, and an actuator assembly having one or more actuator modules operable so as to adjust or modify a position, alignment, or orientation of a portion or region of a support assembly in order to counter and/or correct an alignment of the belt based on, at least in part, the sensed position or movement of the belt.