A motorized transfer apparatus is described, comprising: a conveyor belt movable along a predetermined feeding direction and comprising a plurality of modular elements arranged in closed loop; a support structure comprising a sliding surface having a substantially cross-sectional triangular shape, so as to form in sequence: a first flat portion, which is substantially horizontal and which defines a transport plane for the objects transported by said conveyor belt, a second flat portion, which defines a descent path for the conveyor belt, and a third flat portion, which defines an ascent path for said the conveyor belt. The apparatus further comprises a motorized actuator device for the conveyor belt and a drive unit, inserted inside the support structure and arranged to transmit the motion generated by the motorized actuator device to the conveyor belt. Each modular element has a length, measured along the feeding direction, which is between 1.5% and about 6% of the overall length of the conveyor belt. The third flat portion connects the second flat portion with the first flat portion.

A modular omnidirectional hygienic conveyor belt constructed of a series of similar conveyor belt modules connected by pivot pins. Each conveyor belt module includes a modular laterally extending body having first spaced apart hinge eyes extending in a first direction and being connected to a first pivot pin and laterally offset second spaced apart hinge eyes extending in an opposed second direction and being connected to a second pivot pin. A plurality of spheres are captured by, engage and rotate omnidirectionally relative to upper and lower arcuate sphere contact surfaces of the body, which define for the spheres openly exposed opposed upper and lower spherical cap regions and openly exposed spherical segment regions therebetween, wherein openings in the body provide access for hygienic cleaning. A directional control system may drive the omnidirectional rotation of the spheres.

A roller modular conveyor belt module for motorized continuous conveyors includes first and second hinge elements extending from a main body along opposite directions orthogonal to the first direction and spaced from each other. Each of the hinge elements has a through hole with axis parallel to the first direction and being coaxial to each other to receive a respective hinge pin. The first hinge elements are adapted to interpose to second hinge elements of another module with through holes coaxial to each other to receive a hinge pin articulating therebetween. In the space between adjacent hinge elements, there is at least one roller passed through by an axial hole arranged coaxially with the through holes of the adjacent hinge elements delimiting the space. The module includes at least one bushing having an end portion inserted in the through hole, and extending through the roller axial hole.

An apparatus and method of conveying parts underneath an array of inkjet printheads in such a way as to minimize print defects caused by variation in motion. The conveyor is composed of a series of rigid conveyor track segments that are forced to move in a precise straight line due to a combination of accurate ball bearing wheel assemblies and precision machine guideways that are incorporated into the conveying system.

Provided is a conveyor belt including at least two parallel chains each including a plurality of consecutive links; and a plurality of rods extending between the at least two parallel chains for linking the consecutive links. Each rod extends with each end through the corresponding chain linking two consecutive links to each other. One of the two consecutive links is at least axially locked to the rod to avoid movement of the link relative to the rod. The other of the two consecutive links is rotatably arranged around the respective rod. Also provided is at least one device for providing the lock between a rod and a respective link of the conveyor belt. The device includes a body; an insertion hole in which an end of the rod is inserted along an insertion axis, which insertion hole is arranged in the body and a protrusion arranged to the body and extending from the body parallel to and at a distance of the insertion axis; fixing means for fixing the end of the rod in the hole in at least axial direction and preferably also in rotational direction. The respective link is provided with a locking opening through which the protrusion extends.

A modular conveyor belt module includes a base body extending along a first direction transverse with respect to the transport direction, between two opposite lateral faces. The module includes upper and lower surfaces; two opposed longitudinal edges; hinge elements projecting respectively from the two edges along a second direction. Each of the first and second hinge elements is crossed by a first and second hole, respectively, the axes of the holes being parallel to the first direction. The holes are each coaxial to each other. The first hinge elements interpose the second hinge elements of another module with the respective holes coaxially aligned. The hinge elements are interposed to each other leaving free spaces to receive a roller. Each roller projects with a portion from the upper surface, the plane parallel with respect to the two directions and tangent to the portion of the rollers projecting from the upper surface.

A transfer module for a universal sorting conveyor has a ball belt looped around two pulley assemblies mounted to a frame and driven in a machine direction. Two bi-directional cross-belt assemblies are mounted to the frame to provide two smooth surfaced belts each supported on a roller bed. The belts extend beneath and engage the ball belt to advance a conveyed parcel in the cross direction. Each cross belt assembly has internal motorized drive rollers at the ends and a multiplicity of closely spaced idler rollers of smaller diameter than the drive rollers which define the roller bed, with a spacing between the idlers rollers of less than one inch. The ball belt has a plurality of plastic link bodies pivotally connected to one another, each with a downwardly opening socket having downwardly facing entry notches which allow distortion of the socket for entry of a ball therein.

A conveyorized baking system having improved dust shield support. The system includes including a conveyor track, a conveyor chain that moves through the conveyor track, flanged support struts attached to the conveyor chain, and dust shields supported by the flanged support struts for preventing dust and debris from entering the conveyor track.

Conveyor belt modules having rodless hook hinges and modular conveyor belts constructed of those modules. Hooks on opposite ends of belt modules hook into complementary hooks on adjacent modules to interconnect the modules at hinge joints into an endless belt. The geometry of the modules enables them to be manufactured by extrusion.

A modular conveyor belt (10) comprises a plurality of first rows of one or more belt modules (20) and a plurality of second rows of one or more belt modules (40). Each of the first rows comprises a first drive surface (26) for receiving a force-transmitting surface of a first series of force-transmitting surfaces of a drive sprocket, the first drive surfaces (26) of the first rows being arranged along a first line in a direction of belt travel (T). Each of the second rows comprises a second drive surface (48) for receiving a force-transmitting surface of a second series of force-transmitting surfaces of the drive sprocket, the second drive surfaces (48) of the second rows being arranged along a second line in the direction of belt travel (T). The first line and the second line are offset with respect to each other. Each belt module (20) of the first rows comprises a first middle section (22) between two link sections (21), which has a first flat top surface and is arranged adjacent to a second middle section (42) between two link sections (41) of an adjacent belt module (40) of one of the adjacent second rows having a second flat top surface. The first flat top surface and the second flat top surface have a different width in the direction of belt travel (T) at least in adjacent zones and the first and second middle sections (22, 42) are devoid of linking means.