Modular roller-top conveyor belt

A modular conveyor belt suitable for transferring articles off a side edge of the belt, comprising a series of rows of belt modules and hinge pins hingedly interlinking consecutive belt rows end-to-end to form an endless conveyor belt, each row extending between two side edges and including at least one module comprising a body section extending from a first end to a second end in the direction of belt travel and forming an upper article conveying surface, a first plurality of hinge elements along the first end, and a second plurality of hinge elements along the second end, the first plurality of hinge elements of a row being interleaved with the second plurality of hinge elements of an adjacent row and pivotally joined by a hinge pin in a hinged connection between consecutive rows of belt modules, wherein the body section of at least some of the modules includes:

• a pair of opposing walls formed in the body section transverse to the direction of belt travel and bounding a cavity opening onto the upper article conveying surface, each wall having a hole in the direction of belt travel and aligned with the hole in the opposing wall,
• an axle supported in the aligned holes, and
• a roller disposed in the cavity with a salient portion protruding above the upper article conveying surface and having a central bore encircling the axle for rotation about an axis of rotation in the direction of belt travel as defined by the axle,
• wherein at least one of the aligned holes opens into a gap between consecutive hinge elements of the belt row.

A conveyor belt module comprising:

• a body section extending from a first end to a second end and including a bottom surface and an opposite upper article conveying surface and at least one cavity formed between the first end and the second end and opening onto the upper article conveying surface;
• a first plurality of hinge elements along the first end;
• a second plurality of hinge elements along the second end;
• and
• a roller rotatably disposed in the cavity with a salient portion of the roller protruding from the cavity;
• wherein the contour of the upper article conveying surface slopes upwardly from the first end and from the second end toward the roller.

A conveyor belt module comprising:

• a body section extending from a first end to a second end;
• a first plurality of hinge elements along the first end;
• a second plurality of hinge elements along the second end;
• wherein the body section of at least some of the modules includes a bottom surface and an opposite upper deck forming a substantially continuous upper surface except for at least one cavity formed in the body section and opening onto the upper surface and a roller rotatably disposed in the cavity with a salient portion protruding through the upper surface.

A conveyor belt module, comprising:

• a body section extending from a first end to a second end and in a transverse direction from a first module side edge to a second module side edge and forming an upper article conveying surface;
• a first plurality of hinge elements along the first end;
• a second plurality of hinge elements along the second end;
• wherein the body section of at least some of the modules includes;
• a pair of opposing walls formed in the body section in the transverse direction and bounding a cavity opening onto the upper article conveying surface, each wall having a hole in the direction of belt travel and aligned with the hole in the opposing wall;
• an axle supported in the aligned holes;
• and
• a roller disposed in the cavity with a salient portion protruding above the upper article conveying surface and encircling the axle for rotation about an axis of rotation defined by the axle;
• wherein at least one of the aligned holes opens into a gap between consecutive hinge elements along an end of the belt module.