Apparatus and methods for conveying objects

Abstract

Disclosed are conveyors and methods for making the conveyors. In one embodiment, a conveyor comprises a modular conveyor belt that includes a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of first rollers disposed in the cavities of the mat-top chains. The conveyor further includes at least one second roller that operatively couples to the first rollers such that the first rollers rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the second roller. The invention can also be construed as providing the method for conveying objects. The method can comprise the steps of driving a modular conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel; rotating a plurality of first rollers disposed into the modular conveyor belt in a manner in which slippage of the first rollers is reduced; and conveying objects on the modular conveyor belt using the rotating first rollers.

1 . A conveyor comprising: 
 a conveyor belt including a plurality of cavities and a plurality of diverting rollers, each diverting roller being disposed in a cavity; and    a transverse roller that is configured to operatively couple to at least some of the diverting rollers to cause those diverting rollers to rotate as they travel along the transverse roller.    
   
   
       2 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse roller is located underneath the conveyor belt and the transverse roller rotates in a direction transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers.  
   
   
       3 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse roller is positioned to rotate substantially perpendicular to a direction of belt travel.  
   
   
       4 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt comprises mat-top chains that include hinge elements that link multiple mat-top chains together to form the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       5 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the hinge elements comprise interleaved hinge elements having axially-aligned holes.  
   
   
       6 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support members that support the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       7 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transverse roller is vertically displaceable toward or away from the conveyor belt, wherein when the transverse roller is displaced toward the conveyor belt to engage the at least some diverting rollers, the transverse roller rotates the at least some diverting rollers.  
   
   
       8 . A conveyor as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the transverse roller is vertically displaced toward or away from the conveyor belt using an air actuator, hydraulic actuator, ball screw actuator, or solenoid actuator.  
   
   
       9 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the transverse roller causes the at least some diverting rollers to rotate with reduced slippage.  
   
   
       10 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the diverting rollers are aligned in the cavities at an angle that is different from a direction of belt travel enabling the diverting rollers to convey objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       11 . A conveyor comprising: 
 a conveyor belt including a plurality of mat-top chains having a plurality of cavities and a plurality of diverting rollers, each diverting roller being disposed in a cavity of the mat-top chains; and    transverse rollers that operatively couple to the diverting rollers causing the diverting rollers to rotate as they travel along the transverse rollers and the transverse rollers to rotate in a direction transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers, wherein the rotation of the transverse rollers causes the diverting rollers to rotate with reduced slippage.    
   
   
       12 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the transverse rollers are located underneath the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       13 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the transverse rollers are positioned to rotate substantially perpendicular to a direction of belt travel.  
   
   
       14 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the conveyor belt comprises mat-top chains that include hinge elements that link multiple mat-top chains together to form the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       15 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the hinge elements comprise interleaved hinge elements having axially-aligned holes.  
   
   
       16 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of support members that support the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       17 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the transverse rollers are vertically displaceable toward or away from the conveyor belt, wherein when the transverse rollers are displaced toward the conveyor belt to engage the diverting rollers, the transverse rollers rotate the diverting rollers.  
   
   
       18 . A conveyor as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the transverse rollers are vertically displaced toward or away from the conveyor belt using an air actuator, hydraulic actuator, ball screw actuator, or solenoid actuator.  
   
   
       19 . The conveyor as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the diverting rollers are aligned in the cavities of the mat-top chains at an angle that is different from a direction of belt travel enabling the diverting rollers to convey objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.  
   
   
       20 . A method for conveying objects, the method comprising: 
 driving a conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel;    rotating a plurality of diverting rollers disposed in the conveyor belt in a manner in which slippage of the diverting rollers is reduced; and    conveying objects on the conveyor belt using the rotating diverting rollers.    
   
   
       21 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises engaging the diverting rollers with a transverse roller.  
   
   
       22 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises rotating a transverse roller in a direction substantially transverse to the rotational direction of the diverting rollers.  
   
   
       23 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises selectively rotating the diverting rollers with a transverse roller.  
   
   
       24 . The method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein selectively rotating the diverting rollers comprises vertically displacing the transverse roller toward the conveyor belt and engaging the diverting rollers, the transverse roller rotating the diverting rollers.  
   
   
       25 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein rotating the diverting rollers comprises rotating the diverting rollers at an angle that is different from the direction of the belt travel.  
   
   
       26 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein conveying objects on the conveyor belt comprises conveying objects toward the sides or the middle of the conveyor belt.