Conveyor apparatus for shock-sensitive products

A conveyor for shock-sensitive products and the like, comprising:

• a conveyor member having:
• at least one individual compartment for receiving an associated shock-sensitive product therein;
• an upwardly directed conveyor section;
• and
• a downwardly directed conveyor section;
• an upper conveyor deflector deflecting the conveyor member from said upwardly directed conveyor section to said downwardly directed conveyor section;
• and wherein
• said compartment includes:
• a first support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in said upwardly directed conveyor section;
• a second support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in said downwardly directed conveyor section;
• a bottom surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product during movement of said conveyor member over said upper conveyor deflector, wherein said bottom surface of said compartment has a curvature shaped so that when passing over said upper deflector, the shock-sensitive product deposited in said compartment is guided smoothly and gently along said bottom surface from said first support surface to said second support surface such that critically damaging shock forces to the shock-sensitive product are avoided;
• and
• a shock absorbing foam damping wall portion disposed along a trailing portion of said bottom surface with respect to the conveyor direction, over which the shock sensitive products roll during movement from said first support surface to said second support surface.

A conveyor member for conveyors used to transport shock-sensitive products and the like of the type having an upwardly directed conveyor section, a downwardly directed conveyor section and an upper conveyor deflection roller deflecting said conveyor member from the upwardly directed conveyor section to the downwardly directed conveyor section;

• said conveyor member comprising:
• at least one individual compartment for receiving an associated shock-sensitive product therein, and having a first support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in upward or downward conveyance;
• a second support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in downward or upward conveyance;
• a bottom surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product during movement of said conveyor member over the upper conveyor deflector, wherein said bottom surface of said compartment has a curvature shaped so that when passing over the upper deflector, the shock-sensitive product deposited in said compartment is guided smoothly and gently along said bottom surface from said first support surface to said second support surface such that critically damaging shock forces to the shock-sensitive product are avoided;
• and wherein
• said bottom surface has a curved configuration which is opposite to the curved configuration of the upper conveyor deflection roller with which a conveyor composed of a plurality of said coupled conveyor members is deflected, and has a uniform radius of curvature which is greater than or equal to the radius of the upper conveyor deflection roller.

A method for making a conveyor for shock-sensitive products and the like, comprising:

• forming a plurality of separate conveyor members, each having:
• a first support surface configured for supporting a shock-sensitive product deposited thereon for upward or downward conveyance;
• a second support surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product deposited thereon in downward or upward conveyance;
• a bottom surface configured for supporting the shock-sensitive product during movement of the conveyor member over the upper conveyor deflector, wherein the bottom surface has a curvature shaped so that when passing over the upper deflector, the shock-sensitive product is guided smoothly and gently along the bottom surface from the first support surface to the second support surface, such that critically damaging shock forces to the shock-sensitive product are avoided;
• and
• assembling the separate conveyor members to form an interconnected, elongate, flexible, endless conveyor;
• and wherein
• said forming step includes two-component injection molding a damping wall portion in that portion of the bottom surface, where the product moves from the first support surface to the bottom surface and first strikes against the bottom surface.