Belt conveyor system with carrier plate

1. A conveyor system for transporting a workpiece, said conveyor system comprising:

a drive assembly including a frame having a top surface, at least one drive belt disposed partially on said top surface, and a drive mechanism supported by the frame and engaging said at least one drive belt to displace said at least one drive belt in a longitudinal direction relative to the frame;

a carrier plate having a surface area larger than a surface area of said workpiece to provide a worker platform around at least a portion of said workpiece; and

said carrier plate disposed on said at least one drive belt to move with said at least one drive belt wherein said at least one drive belt provides substantially continuous transverse support for said carrier plate at least in the area of said worker platform to minimize the weight of said carrier plate and provide distributed support to said carrier plates.

2. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism is a drive shaft rotatable relative to the frame and mechanically interlocked with said at least one drive belt such that the rotating shaft displaces said at least one drive belt in a longitudinal direction relative to the frame.

3. The conveyor system of claim 2 wherein said conveyor system further comprises a conductor fixed to said frame.

4. The conveyor system of claim 3 wherein said carrier plate has a contact positioned to operably engage said conductor.

5. The conveyor system of claim 4 wherein said conductor is positioned to engage said contact at a predetermined longitudinal position.

6. The conveyor system of claim 5 wherein said system further includes a plurality of conductors positioned in said gap to engage said contact when said plate is at predetermined longitudinal positions along said frame.

7. A conveyor system for transporting workpieces through a production area comprising:

a drive assembly including a frame, at least one drive belt, and a drive mechanism supported by the frame and engaging said at least one drive belt to displace said at least one drive belt in a longitudinal direction relative to the frame and wherein said frame provides substantially continuous support for said at least one drive belt; and

a plurality of carrier plates each having a surface area larger than a surface area of said workpiece to provide a worker platform around at least a portion of said workpiece; and

said plurality of carrier plates disposed on said at least one drive belt wherein said at least one drive belt provides substantially continuous transverse support for each of said carrier plates at least in the area of said worker platform to minimize the weight of each of said carrier plates and provide distributed support to each of said carrier plates.

8. The conveyor system of claim 7 wherein said drive assembly includes a plurality of drive modules each with said at least one drive belt, the drive belts being arranged in series to transport the plurality of carrier plates through the production area.

9. The conveyor system of claim 7 further including a transfer belt with rollers coupled to the transfer belt, said rollers oriented to rotate in line with the drive belt of the drive assembly to feed carrier plates to or receive carrier plates from the drive assembly.

10. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said carrier plate including first and second lateral sides and a support surface extending between said first and second lateral sides, said belt providing substantially continuous transverse support for said support surface.

11. The conveyor system of claim 7 wherein said drive belt and said top surface provide a stable surface to said carrier plates to minimize relative movement between adjoining carrier plates.

12. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said carrier plate includes a base having a thickness of approximately less than or equal to one inch.

13. The conveyor system of claim 7 wherein said carrier plate includes a base having a thickness of approximately less than or equal to one inch.

14. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said carrier plates are in substantially abutting relationship with one another.

15. The conveyor system of claim 7 wherein said carrier plates are in substantially abutting relationship with one another.