Active direct drive spiral conveyor belt systems and methods

An active direct drive spiral conveyor belt system comprising:

• a drum including adjacent drive members spaced apart an arc length;
• a plurality of modules collapsible relative to an adjacent one of the plurality of modules, at least some of the plurality of modules including drive ends configured to engage with the drive members;
• an infeed system configured to control a drive-end distance between adjacent drive ends and the number of drive ends positioned between the adjacent drive members within the arc length;
• and
• a feedback control system configured to monitor the drive-end distance and control the infeed system to dynamically adjust the drive-end distance and the number of drive ends positioned between the adjacent drive members within the arc length.

A method of operating an active direct drive spiral conveyor belt system having a collapsible conveyor belt with a plurality of drive ends and a rotating drum comprising a plurality of drive members, the conveyor system defining a transitional zone between a linear segment and a helical spiral segment, the method comprising:

• adjusting the distance between the drive ends within the transitional zone prior to engagement with the drive members to establish a drive-end distance;
• engaging the drive ends with the drive members proximate the helical spiral segment;
• providing an infeed system within the linear segment;
• providing a feedback device;
• monitoring the feedback device to determine a present drive-end distance between adjacent drive ends within the transitional zone;
• and
• adjusting dynamically operation of the infeed system to alter the distance between drive ends to establish a future drive-end distance between adjacent drive ends that is different from the present drive-end distance.

An active direct drive spiral conveyor belt system comprising:

• a drum including adjacent drive members spaced apart an arc length;
• a plurality of modules collapsible relative to an adjacent one of the plurality of modules, at least some of the plurality of modules including drive ends configured to engage with the drive members;
• an infeed system configured to control a drive-end distance between adjacent drive ends and the number of drive ends positioned between the adjacent drive members within the arc length;
• a linear segment;
• a helical spiral segment;
• a transitional zone between the linear segment and the helical spiral segment;
• a motor engaged with the plurality of modules to establish a velocity of modules of the plurality of modules passing through at least one of the linear segment and the transitional zone;
• and
• a feedback device configured to monitor a present drive-end distance between adjacent drive ends;
• wherein the infeed system is further configured to dynamically control a future drive-end distance by controlling the motor to control the velocity of the modules of the plurality of modules passing through the at least one of the linear segment and the transitional zone.