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US 12,364,199 B2Granted
Separator for a fruit collection unit
AssigneeAussie Wine Group Holdings Pty Ltd
InventorsMalcolm Villis, Peter Balnaves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A separator for separating harvested fruit from other plant matter. The separator can be fitted to, positioned above, or integrated with, a collection bin and as such allows for material harvested by an automatic fruit harvester to be processed prior to deposition of the fruit in the collection bin.
Claims30
An apparatus, configured to be fitted to a harvester, for separating fruit from other plant matter from harvested plant material, the apparatus comprising:
- a first separating conveyor system comprising a series of shafts, each shaft including a plurality of spaced apart radially-extending rollers, wherein the shafts are spaced apart such that a radially-extending roller on a shaft extends into a space between two adjacent radially-extending rollers on an adjacent shaft, to thereby provide an array of rollers and a plurality of openings therebetween permitting the transit of separated fruit therethrough while preventing the transit of other plant matter, the radially-extending rollers comprising multiple projections that extend perpendicularly from the shaft in an arc;
- a second separating conveyor system comprising a continuous belt mounted to rotate around an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft, the second separating conveyor system positioned below the first separating conveyor system, the continuous belt of the second conveyor system including a plurality of openings configured to permit the transit of fruit therethrough while retaining other plant matter on the continuous belt;
- and
- a de-stemming unit positioned above the second separating conveyor system downstream of the first separating conveyor system,
- wherein the first and second separating conveyor systems are arranged such that fruit and other plant matter from the first conveyor system are deposited onto the second conveyor system, such that separated fruit transiting through the first conveyor system subsequently transits through the second separating conveyor system prior to the destemming unit, remaining fruit and the other plant matter conveyed along the first separating conveyor are deposited onto the second separating conveyor for further separation of the fruit from the other plant matter by the second separating conveyor system and/or the de-stemming unit.
2 more elements
A method for separating fruit from other plant matter from harvested plant material, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a first separating conveyor system comprising a series of shafts, each shaft including a plurality of spaced apart radially-extending rollers, wherein the shafts are spaced apart such that a radially-extending roller on a shaft extends into a space between two adjacent radially-extending rollers on an adjacent shaft, to thereby provide an array of rollers and a plurality of openings therebetween permitting the transit of separated fruit therethrough while preventing the transit of other plant matter, the radially-extending rollers comprising multiple projections that extend perpendicularly from the shaft in an arc;
- and
- a second separating conveyor system comprising a continuous belt mounted to rotate around an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft, the second separating conveyor system positioned below the first separating conveyor system, the continuous belt of the second conveyor system including a plurality of openings configured to permit the transit of fruit therethrough while retaining other plant matter on the continuous belt;
- a de-stemming unit positioned above the second separating conveyor system downstream of the first separating conveyor system, providing a hopper positioned above the first separating conveyer system;
- and
- providing a collection unit below the second separating conveyer system;
- wherein the hopper receives harvested plant material and directs it to an upstream end of the first separating conveyor system;
- and
- wherein the first and second separating conveyor systems are arranged such that fruit and other plant matter from the first conveyor system are deposited onto the second conveyor system such that separated fruit transiting through the first conveyor system may subsequently transit through the second separating conveyor system prior to the destemming unit, remaining fruit and the other plant matter conveyed along the first separating conveyor are deposited onto the second separating conveyor for further separation of the fruit from the other plant matter by the second separating conveyor system and/or de-stemming unit.
7 more elements
An apparatus, configured to be fitted to a collection unit, for separating fruit from other plant matter from harvested plant material, the apparatus comprising:
- a first separating conveyor system comprising an array of rollers, rotatable to convey harvested plant material in an upstream to downstream direction, the rollers spaced apart to form a plurality of openings therebetween permitting the transit of separated fruit therethrough while preventing the transit of other plant matter;
- a second separating conveyor system located in vertical axial alignment with the first separating conveyor system and comprising a continuous belt mounted to rotate around an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft, the second separating conveyor system positioned below the first separating conveyor system, the continuous belt of the second conveyor system including a plurality of openings configured to permit the transit of fruit therethrough while retaining other plant matter on the continuous belt, wherein the first and second separating conveyor systems are arranged such that fruit and other plant matter from the first conveyor system are deposited onto the second conveyor system, and
- a destemmer positioned above the second separating conveyor system downstream of the first separating conveyor system,
- wherein:
- the first separating conveyor system comprises a series of shafts, each shaft including a plurality of spaced apart radially-extending rollers, wherein the shafts are spaced along a plane at an orientation and distance relative to one or more adjacent shafts such that a radially-extending roller on a shaft extends into a space between two adjacent radially-extending rollers on an adjacent shaft to provide an array of rollers and a plurality of openings,
- the radially-extending rollers comprise multiple projections, radially-extending from the shaft to define the roller, wherein the radially-extending rollers are disposed perpendicular to the shaft, and
- the radially-extending projections extend from the shaft in an arc away from the direction of rotation of the radially-extending rollers.
4 more elements
An apparatus, configured to be fitted to a collection unit, for separating fruit from other plant matter from harvested plant material, the apparatus comprising:
- a first separating conveyor system comprising an array of rollers, rotatable to convey harvested plant material in an upstream to downstream direction, the rollers spaced apart to form a plurality of openings therebetween permitting the transit of separated fruit therethrough while preventing the transit of other plant matter;
- a second separating conveyor system located in vertical axial alignment with the first separating conveyor system and comprising a continuous belt mounted to rotate around an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft, the second separating conveyor system positioned below the first separating conveyor system, the continuous belt of the second conveyor system including a plurality of openings configured to permit the transit of fruit therethrough while retaining other plant matter on the continuous belt, wherein the first and second separating conveyor systems are arranged such that fruit and other plant matter from the first conveyor system are deposited onto the second conveyor system, and
- a destemmer positioned above the second separating conveyor system downstream of the first separating conveyor system
- wherein the first separating conveyor system is inclined at an angle of between 10 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal.
1 more element
A separator comprising:
- a first separating conveyor system comprising an array of rollers, rotatable to convey harvested plant material in an upstream to downstream direction, the rollers spaced apart to form a plurality of openings therebetween;
- a second separating conveyor system comprising a continuous belt mounted to rotate around an upstream shaft and a downstream shaft, the second separating conveyor system positioned below the first separating conveyor system, the continuous belt of the second conveyor system including a plurality of openings, wherein the entirety of the first separating conveyor system is positioned directly and vertically above the second separating conveyor system, and a direction of travel of harvested plant material on the first conveyor system and the second separating conveyor system is the same;
- and
- a de-stemming unit positioned above the second separating conveyor system downstream of the first separating conveyor system,
- wherein the first separating conveyor system is inclined at an angle of:
- (a) between 15 and 25 degrees relative to horizontal:
- or
- (b) between 18 and 22 degrees relative to horizontal;
- or
- (c) about 20 degrees relative to horizontal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.