Conveyor belt and conveyor comprising said belt

Conveyor, comprising:

• a conveyor belt (20), wherein,
• i) the belt forms a loop and comprises a surface (32) on one face for receiving products to be transported, and another surface (30) on another face for bearing on a support structure (52, 60),
• ii) the belt (20) comprises a shape, along most of its length, of a substantially circular unflattened tube, the belt being self-supporting so that the belt remains in the shape of the unflattened tube and forming a closed tubular space for confining the products to be transported, with the product receiving surface (32) inside the tube, at rest, the belt (20) forming an unflattened closed space, and each section of the belt forms a closed profile, and
• iii) the belt comprises two lips adjacent to each other, and the belt is closed by effect of its own resilience so that a normally-closed longitudinal slit is formed between the two lips;
• belt support means (52, 60);
• means (24) of driving the belt for movement along its path;
• and
• at least one loading station (12) provided with diverging cam surfaces (92A, 92B) engaged between the lips (36A, 36B) of the belt and capable of causing the separation of the lips when the belt advances.