Pressurized air conveyor curve and method

摘要

An air conveyor is provided with a plenum chamber with a perforated deck plate, side walls, and a holddown with holes of an area density sufficiently low to pressurize an enclosed article transport zone. On curved portions of the air conveyor the holddown holes have an area density gradient which increases from an outer toward an inner side of the curve. In another aspect, the invention provides methods for accumulating articles without undue damage and for moving articles away from the outer side of the curve.