US 2001/0032807 A1 · Fruit handling with color sorting

Abstract

A method and apparatus handles discrete bruisable articles, such as apples or other pieces of fruit, with a minimum amount of bruising while determining a number of different properties of the articles, including optical properties. The articles are conveyed by conveyor cups over a load cell to determine their weight, and perhaps other properties, and then the cups are tilted so that the articles roll onto soft surface rollers with at least one back stop brush positioned where the rolling occurs. The rollers are rotated as the articles are conveyed by the rollers, so as to turn an article mounted between rollers so that a camera can evaluate optical properties of a large portion of each article, if not substantially all. Then a rotating brush disposed at an angle of between about 25-65 (e.g. about 45) degrees to the direction of roller movement moves the articles back to the cups, substantially without bruising, and eventually the cups are selectively tilted to sort the articles into a number of different categories dependent upon the weight and optical properties, and perhaps other properties, of the articles. The cups and rollers may have the same pitch, or different pitches, depending upon the articles being handled.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method of handling discrete bruisable articles using a first conveyor having first conveying elements, and a second conveyor having second conveying elements, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete bruisable articles on the first conveying elements;
(b) determining at least a first property of the articles while on the first conveying elements while conveying the articles in a first given direction;
(c) moving the articles off the first conveying elements onto the second conveying elements substantially without bruising the articles;
(d) determining at least a second property of the articles, different than the first property, while on the second conveying elements while conveying the articles in a second given direction;
(e) moving the articles off the second conveying elements back onto the first conveying elements substantially without bruising the articles;
and
(f) after (e), moving the articles off the first conveying elements to sort the articles into at least two different categories in response to the first and second properties of the articles determined in the practice of (b) and (d).

4 more elements

Apparatus for sorting discrete bruisable articles, comprising:

a first conveyor having first conveying elements;
a second conveyor having second conveying elements,
a first property determining device which determines at least a first property of the articles while on the first conveying elements being conveyed in a first given direction;
a first mechanism which moves the articles off the first conveying elements onto the second conveying elements substantially without bruising the articles;
a second property determining device which determines a second property of the articles, different than the first property, while on the second conveying elements while being conveyed in a second given direction;
a second mechanism which moves the articles off the second conveying elements back onto the first conveying elements substantially without bruising the articles;
and
a third mechanism which moves the articles off the first conveying elements to sort the articles into at least two different categories in response to the determined first and second properties of the articles.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fruit handling with color sorting

Life of this patent

Fruit handling with color sorting

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33