# US 11,304,436 B2 · Destemming devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,436 B2 - Document ID: US11304436B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/466,695 - Filed: 2021-09-03 - Published: 2021-12-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-09 - Assignees: Trick Concepts - Applicants: Trick Concepts - Inventors: David Jasiewicz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304436B2 ## CPC - A23N 15/02: for stemming, piercing, or stripping fruit {(for household appliances A47J21/00)}; Removing sprouts of potatoes - A01D 46/28: Vintaging machines, i.e. grape harvesting machines - A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D) - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING ## Abstract A destemming device includes a housing, a motor, and a belt system configured to fit within the housing. The housing includes at least one cutting aperture. The belt system includes a first belt assembly and a second belt assembly. The first belt assembly includes a first plurality of rollers and a first gripper belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The second belt assembly includes a second plurality of rollers and a second gripper belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first gripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip. The at least one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip. The motor is operatively connected to the belt system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A destemming device comprising: a housing comprising at least one cutting aperture; a motor; and a belt system configured to fit within the housing, the belt system comprising: a first belt assembly comprising: a first plurality of rollers; and a first gripper belt extending around the first plurality of rollers; and a second belt assembly comprising: a second plurality of rollers; and a second gripper belt extending around the second plurality of rollers; wherein the first gripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip; wherein the at least one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip; and wherein the motor is operatively connected to the belt system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, wherein the first belt assembly is an upper belt assembly and the second belt assembly is a lower belt assembly located vertically below the upper belt assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, wherein the motor is operatively connected to the belt system via a power transmission belt extending around a drive pulley associated with the motor and a driven pulley associated with at least one roller of the first plurality of rollers or the second plurality of rollers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a chain drive operatively connecting a first sprocket associated with at least one first roller of the first plurality of rollers and a second sprocket associated with at least one second roller of the second plurality of rollers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit electrically connected to the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The destemming device of claim 5, further comprising: a user interface associated with the control unit, the user interface comprising: an on/off switch; an emergency stop button; and a dial for controlling belt speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The destemming device of claim 6, wherein the dial allows switching between a plurality of discrete belt speeds or permits selection of belt speed in a continuously variable manner between predetermined upper and lower limits. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a slide and/or receptacle outside the housing and beneath the at least one cutting aperture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a jam removal system for increasing the nip to facilitate removing a jam. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The destemming device of claim 9, wherein the jam removal system comprises: a foot pedal operatively connected to at least one of the first belt assembly and the second belt assembly; wherein depressing the foot pedal causes an increase in the nip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The destemming device of claim 10, wherein the jam removal system comprises: a first lever extending between the foot pedal and a base on the destemming device; and a second lever extending between the first lever and the second belt assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The destemming device of claim 10, wherein the jam removal system comprises: a carriage vertically mounted on springs within the housing, wherein the second belt assembly is mounted on the carriage, and the carriage is connected to the foot pedal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a base. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The destemming device of claim 13, further comprising: a plurality of support legs extending between the housing and the base. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The destemming device of claim 14, further comprising: a plurality of wheels connected to the base. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, wherein the first belt assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first plurality of rollers extends between the first rail and the second rail; and at least one support bar extending between the first rail and the second rail. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The destemming device of claim 16, wherein the first belt assembly is in a non-floating relationship with the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The destemming device of claim 1, wherein the second belt assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail, wherein the second plurality of rollers extend between the first rail and the second rail; and at least one support bar extending between the first rail and the second rail. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The destemming device of claim 18, wherein the second belt assembly is in a floating relationship with the housing. ### Claim 20 A destemming device comprising: a housing comprising at least one cutting aperture; a belt system comprising: a first belt assembly comprising: a first plurality of rollers; and a first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers; and a second belt assembly comprising: a second plurality of rollers; and a second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers; and a motor that is operatively connected to the belt system; wherein the first belt and the second belt define a nip that is aligned with the at least one cutting aperture; and a base, a plurality of support legs extending between the housing and the base, and a plurality of wheels connected to the base.