# US 12,110,185 B2 · Roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting

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- Number: US 12,110,185 B2
- Document ID: US12110185B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/924,370
- Filed: 2021-09-08
- Published: 2024-07-04
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-14
- Assignees: Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Kepler Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Zhejiang University; Zhejiang Kepler Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Huirong Xu; Shuai Wang; Yibin Ying
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110185B2

## CPC

- B65G 17/16: comprising individual load-carriers which are pivotally mounted, e.g. for free-swinging movement (guides inverting or tilting load-carriers for emptying {B65G47/38; B65G17/20 takes precedence})
- B65G 47/965: {tilting about a sided-axis, i.e. the axis is not located near the center-line of the load-carrier}
- B07C 5/3422: {using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras}
- B07C 5/36: Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)}
- B65G 13/07: having endless driving elements
- B65G 17/12: comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element
- B65G 17/32: Individual load-carriers
- B65G 17/38: Chains or like traction elements (drive chains F16G13/00); Connections between traction elements and load-carriers
- B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)}
- B65G 2201/0211: Fruits and vegetables
- B65G 2203/0258: Weight of the article
- B65G 2203/042: Sensors
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)

## Abstract

A roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting includes a chain assembly and a conveying unit. Fruits and vegetables are placed on the conveying unit. The chain assembly includes a drive chain and a chain support bar, and the drive chain is arranged on the chain support bar. A conveying unit is arranged along a drive chain. The conveying unit includes outer rollers, a roller frame, pin shafts, rubber bushings, a roller shaft, and a support base. The two outer rollers are fixed coaxially on the two ends of the roller shaft. The roller shaft is equipped with the rubber bushing. The roller shaft is movably fitted into a special-shaped hole slot on the top of the roller frame. The roller shaft is arranged axially perpendicular to the transmission direction of the drive chain. The support base is mounted on the drive chain.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting, comprising a chain assembly, and conveying units, wherein fruits and vegetables are placed on the conveying units;
the chain assembly comprises a drive chain and a chain support bar;
the drive chain is arranged on the chain support bar;
the conveying units are arranged along with each chain link of the drive chain;
each conveying unit comprises outer rollers, roller frames, pin shafts, rubber bushings, a roller shaft, and a support base;
the two outer rollers are fixed coaxially set two ends of the roller shaft, and the roller shaft is equipped with the rubber bushings;
the roller shaft is movably set in a special-shaped hole slot at a top of the roller frame;
the roller shaft is arranged axially perpendicular to a transmission direction of the drive chain;
a bottom of the roller frame is movably connected to a top of the support base through the pin shaft and the special-shaped hole slot;
the support base is mounted on the drive chain;
the main body of the roller frame is a U-shaped frame comprising a bottom plate located in the middle and vertical plates connected on two sides of the bottom plate;
the vertical plates on the two sides are provided with roller shaft sliding slots on an upper side along the transmission direction of the drive chain;
the roller shaft sliding slots are vertical kidney-shaped slots along a length direction;
the roller shaft is movably mounted and moves up and down in the two roller shaft sliding slots arranged in the vertical plates on the two sides;
a support claw is connected between the two vertical plates along with a lower side of the moving direction of the drive chain;
the support claw is arranged obliquely upward from a middle of the vertical plates in the transmission direction of the drive chain;
the fruits and vegetables are placed in a recessed portion formed between the support claw and the vertical plates;
the fruits and vegetables are supported by the support claw and a middle of the roller shaft;
a bottom surface of the bottom plate of the roller frame is fixed with the rectangular base connection portion;
the rectangular base connection portion is provided with the two pin shaft mounting holes, wherein the two pin shaft mounting holes are symmetrical and each pin shaft is mounted in each pin shaft mounting hole;
the support base comprises two parts: a chain base located in a lower part and a roller frame base located in an upper part; the chain base is connected to the drive chain;
the roller frame base comprises two side plates arranged oppositely along the transmission direction of the drive chain;
a pin shaft sliding slot set is set on one side of the two side plates, and another pin shaft sliding slot set is set on the other side of the two side plates, wherein each pin shaft sliding slot set comprises two pin shaft sliding slots, and the two pin shaft sliding slots are special-shaped and located on the two side plates respectively and along with the same transmission direction of the drive chain;
the two pin shaft sliding slots on each side plate are symmetrically arranged;
a rectangular mounting slot is formed between the two side plates roller frame base, and the rectangular base connection portion is embedded in the rectangular mounting slot; each pin shaft inside the two pin shaft mounting holes on the rectangular base connection portion passes through one pin shaft sliding slot set;
the pin shaft passes through two pin shaft sliding slots in the pin shaft sliding slot sets, so that the bottom of the roller frame is movably connected to the top of the support base, and then the roller frame and the support base are adjusted to form different postures to achieve different working states;
two sides of the rectangular base connection portion of the roller frame are symmetrically provided with two limit bevels having chamfered structures, and each of the two limit bevels on each side comprises a first limit bevel and a second limit bevel arranged from bottom to top;
a bottom of the rectangular mounting slot between the two side plates of the roller frame base is equipped with a third limit bevel, and the third limit bevel tilts upward and outward; and
the third limit bevel is configured to cooperate with the first limit bevel and the second limit bevel on the roller frame to achieve a position limiting function.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 1, wherein
at least one side plate of the two side plates of the roller frame base protrudes upward in a direction of the drive chain to form the limit protrusion;
the bottom surface of the bottom plate of the roller frame above the limit protrusion is provided with a limit slot; and
the limit protrusion is configured to cooperate with the limit slot by embedding the limit protrusion to the limit slot.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 1, wherein
weighing points are arranged at four corners of the bottom plate of the roller frame;
the weighing points comprise two outer weighing points and two inner weighing points;
the two outer weighing points are arranged on two sides of the bottom plate of the roller frame, adjacent to the lower side of the transmission direction of the drive chain; and
the two inner weighing points are arranged on the two sides of the bottom plate of the roller frame, adjacent to the upper side of the transmission direction of the drive chain.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 1, wherein two outer sides of the bottom plate of the roller frame are provided with a sorting toggle bar, wherein the sorting toggle bar is driven to drive the roller frame to tilt and unload the fruits and vegetables.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 1, wherein
the roller shaft comprises central rollers, conical mounting blocks, and a rotating shaft;
the central rollers are fixed coaxially in a middle of the rotating shaft; the central rollers are equipped with the rubber bushings outside;
the conical mounting blocks are coaxially fastened to the two ends of the roller shaft;
the conical mounting blocks are set within conical mounting holes of the outer rollers to form an interference fit; and
parts of the rotating shaft on two sides of the central roller are arranged in the two roller shaft sliding slots of the roller frame, and the rotating shaft moves up and down in the roller shaft sliding slots.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 1, wherein
a shape of each pin shaft sliding slot is special-shaped;
a main body of each pin shaft sliding slot is a straight bar-shaped slot arranged vertically;
a top of the bar-shaped slot is provided with an upper circular hole on a side adjacent to a center of the side plate;
the top of the bar-shaped slot and the upper circular hole are connected;
a bottom of the bar-shaped slot is provided with a lower circular hole on the side adjacent to the center of the side plate;
the bottom of the bar-shaped slot and the lower circular hole are connected;
a width of the bar-shaped slot, a diameter of the upper circular hole and a diameter of the lower circular hole are identical to a diameter of the pin shaft, the pin shaft is configured to move up and down along the bar-shaped slot, wherein the pin shaft is configured to move to the upper circular hole through the top of the bar-shaped slot, and move to the lower circular hole through the bottom of the bar-shaped slot.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The roller-type conveying device for fruit and vegetable sorting according to claim 6, wherein
on the same side plate, a distance between centers of circles at the tops of the bar-shaped slots of the pin shaft sliding slots on the two sides, a distance between centers of circles at the bottoms of the bar-shaped slots of the pin shaft sliding slots on the two sides, a distance between a center of a circle of the upper circular hole of the pin shaft sliding slot on a first side and the center of the circle at the bottom of the bar-shaped slot of the pin shaft sliding slot on a second side, and a distance between the center of the circle at the top of the bar-shaped slot of the pin shaft sliding slot on the first side and a center of a circle of the lower circular hole of the pin shaft sliding slot on the second side are identical and equal to a distance between the two pin shaft mounting holes on the rectangular base connection portion.