Conveyor gap blocker

1 . A gap blocker for a roller conveyor having upstream and downstream rollers for conveying an object in a downstream longitudinal direction and a gap between the upstream and downstream rollers, the gap blocker comprising:

a body configured to be supported in the gap by the upstream and downstream rollers as the upstream and downstream rollers rotate during operation of the roller conveyor;

an upper blocking portion of the body to inhibit the object from falling through the gap;

a plurality of laterally spaced upstream lower members of the body having laterally aligned, upstream lower free end portions to be positioned below a narrowest portion of the gap for keeping the body in the gap;

wherein at least one of the upstream lower free end portions has an upstream recessed portion that is recessed above a lowermost end of one of the other laterally aligned, upstream lower free end portions to provide clearance for a drive member;

a plurality of laterally spaced downstream lower members of the body having laterally aligned, downstream lower free end portions to be positioned below the narrowest portion of the gap for keeping the body in the gap; and

wherein at least one of the downstream lower free end portions has a downstream recessed portion that is recessed above a lowermost end of one of the other laterally aligned, downstream lower free end portions to provide clearance for the drive member.

2 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions includes a plurality of upstream lower free end portions, the upstream recessed portions of the plurality of upstream lower free end portions cooperating to form an upstream lower recess of the upstream lower members to provide clearance for a lower portion of the drive member; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions includes a plurality of downstream lower free end portions, the downstream recessed portions of the plurality of downstream lower free end portions cooperating to form a downstream lower recess of the downstream lower members to provide clearance for the lower portion of the drive member.

3 . The gap blocker of claim 2 wherein the upper blocking portion includes an upper recess to provide clearance for an upper portion of the drive member, the upper recess above and longitudinally aligned with the lower recesses of the upstream and downstream lower members.

4 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions includes an upstream projection extending below the upstream recessed portion, the upstream projection having an upstream lowermost end that is level with the lowermost end of the one of the other laterally aligned, upstream lower free end portions; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions includes a downstream projection extending below the downstream recessed portion, the downstream projection having an downstream lowermost end that is level with the lowermost end of the one of the other laterally aligned, downstream lower free end portions.

5 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the upstream recessed portion extends an entire lateral width of the at least one upstream lower free end; and

wherein the downstream recessed portion extends an entire lateral width of the at least one downstream lower free end.

6 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions has a notched profile; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions has a notched profile.

7 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the upstream lower members include a pair of upstream lower members and an intermediate upstream lower member between the pair of upstream lower members; and

wherein the intermediate upstream lower member includes the at least one upstream lower free end portion having the upstream recessed portion that is above the lowermost ends of the upstream lower free end portions of the pair of upstream lower members.

8 . The gap blocker of claim 7 wherein the downstream lower members include a pair of downstream lower members and an intermediate downstream lower member between the pair of upstream lower members; and

wherein the intermediate downstream lower member includes the at least one downstream lower free end portion having the downstream recessed portion that is above the lowermost ends of the downstream lower free end portions of the pair of downstream lower members.

9 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions comprises a plurality of upstream lower free end portions of a plurality of the upstream lower members; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions comprises a plurality of downstream lower free end portions of a plurality of the downstream lower members.

10 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the upstream lower members include an upstream longer lower member, an upstream shorter lower member, and an upstream transition lower member intermediate the upstream longer lower member and the upstream shorter lower member; and

wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions comprises the upstream lower free end portions of the upstream shorter lower member and the upstream transition lower member; and

wherein the upstream recessed portions of the upstream lower free end portions of the upstream shorter lower member and upstream transition lower member are above the lowermost end of the upstream lower free end portion of the upstream longer lower member.

11 . The gap blocker of claim 10 wherein the downstream lower members include an downstream longer lower member, an downstream shorter lower member, and a downstream transition lower member intermediate the downstream longer lower member and the downstream shorter lower member; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions comprises the downstream lower free end portions of the downstream shorter lower member and the downstream transition lower member; and

wherein the downstream recessed portions of the downstream lower free end portions of the downstream shorter lower member and downstream transition lower member are above the lowermost end of the downstream lower free end portion of the downstream longer lower member.

12 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the upstream lower free end portions does not extend radially inward beyond the upstream lower free end portion of the other upstream lower member relative to the upstream roller; and

wherein the at least one of the downstream lower free end portions does not extend radially inward beyond the downstream lower free end portion of the other downstream lower member relative to the downstream roller.

13 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the body has a unitary, one-piece construction.

14 . The gap blocker of claim 1 wherein the upper blocking portion includes an upstream outboard portion and a downstream outboard portion configured to slidingly contact the upstream and downstream rollers as the upstream and downstream rollers rotate during operation of the roller conveyor.

15 . A conveyor system comprising the gap blocker of claim 1 in combination with the roller conveyor;

wherein the upstream roller includes an upstream outer cylindrical surface and an upstream groove therein;

wherein the downstream roller includes a downstream outer cylindrical surface and a downstream groove therein; and

wherein the drive member is engaged in the upstream and downstream grooves.

16 . The conveyor system of claim 15 wherein the gap blocker is radially outward of the upstream groove of the upstream roller and is radially outward of the downstream groove of the downstream roller.

17 . A gap blocker for a roller conveyor having upstream and downstream rollers for conveying an object in a downstream longitudinal direction and a gap between the upstream and downstream rollers, the gap blocker comprising:

a body configured to be supported in the gap by the upstream and downstream rollers as the upstream and downstream rollers rotate during operation of the roller conveyor;

an upper blocking portion of the body to be positioned above a narrowest portion of the gap and inhibit the object from falling through the gap;

an upstream lower member of the body having a upstream lower end portion to be positioned below the narrowest portion of the gap to keep the body in the gap;

a downstream lower member of the body having a downstream lower end portion to be positioned below the narrowest portion of the gap to keep the body in the gap;

a lateral biasing member of the body depending from the upper blocking portion;

a lower free end portion of the lateral biasing member; and

a removable portion of the lateral biasing member extending laterally from the lower free end portion of the lateral biasing member for contacting a member of the roller conveyor extending longitudinally between the upstream and downstream rollers.

18 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the removable portion has a first surface portion for contacting the member of the roller conveyor; and

wherein the lateral biasing member is configured to have a second surface portion for contacting an adjacent gap blocker upon removal of the removable portion.

19 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the lateral biasing member comprises a resilient arm; and

wherein the removable portion comprises a tab protruding from the resilient arm.

20 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the lower free end portion has a lower end below the removable portion.

21 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the lower free end portion of the lateral biasing member includes at least one flat surface portion for locating a cutting tool to cut the removable portion at a base portion of the removable portion.

22 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the free end portion of the lateral biasing member includes a straight wall portion and the removable portion extends perpendicular to and away from the straight wall portion.

23 . The gap blocker of claim 17 wherein the body has a unitary, one-piece construction.