Flatwire belt conveyor systems and methods

A flatwire conveyor belt system comprising:

• a flatwire belt comprising:
• a leading row including leading longitudinal members connected at ends by leading lateral members, each leading lateral member defining a lateral member length;
• an intermediate row including intermediate longitudinal members connected at ends by intermediate lateral members;
• a trailing row including trailing longitudinal members connected at ends by trailing lateral members;
• and
• openings proximate the ends of the leading longitudinal members, the intermediate longitudinal members, and the trailing longitudinal members, a first group of the openings configured to receive a first cross-rod to interconnect the leading row and the intermediate row, and a second group of the openings configured to receive a second cross-rod to interconnect the intermediate row and the trailing row;
• a flight comprising:
• a body extending from a first end to a second end;
• a first tab extending from the body at a first tab position, the first tab defining a first tab opening;
• a first longitudinal tab extending from the body adjacent the first tab, the first longitudinal tab defining a first longitudinal tab opening;
• and
• a second tab extending from the body at a second tab position spaced apart from the first tab a tab distance, the second tab defining a second tab opening;
• wherein the first tab is nested between a first one of the leading longitudinal members and a first one of the intermediate longitudinal members;
• wherein the first longitudinal tab is nested between the first one of the intermediate longitudinal members and a first one of the trailing longitudinal members;
• wherein the second tab is nested between a second one of the leading longitudinal members and a second one of the intermediate longitudinal members;
• wherein the first tab opening and the second tab opening receive the first cross-rod to couple the flight adjacent to the flatwire belt;
• the first longitudinal tab opening receives the second cross-rod to couple the flight adjacent to the flatwire belt;
• and
• wherein the tab distance is approximately a whole number multiple of the lateral member length.

A flatwire conveyor belt system comprising:

• a flatwire belt with a plurality of flatwire pickets wherein each individual flatwire picket has a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of lateral members extending between and connecting the plurality of longitudinal members;
• a flight with a set of tabs comprising a leading tab and a trailing tab, the flight affixed to the flatwire belt;
• wherein the plurality of flatwire pickets comprises:
• a leading flatwire picket having a leading longitudinal member defining a leading face;
• an intermediate flatwire picket having an intermediate longitudinal member defining an intermediate first face and an intermediate second face;
• and
• a trailing flatwire picket having a trailing longitudinal member defining a trailing face;
• wherein the leading tab is nested between the leading face and the intermediate first face;
• and
• wherein the trailing tab is nested between the intermediate second face and the trailing face.