Apparatus and method for cleaning peeling machines
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorsLars Vedsted, Soren Vedsted
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for cleaning the peeling section of a roller-type peeling machine. The apparatus includes an x-y robot disposed above the peeling section of the peeling machine. The robot has a cleaning tool, such as a liquid spray nozzle, as an end effector. A controller commands the robot to control the movement of the cleaning tool along a predetermined cleaning path to clean the peeling section. One such cleaning path follows each of the insert rollers in the peeling section of a peeling machine.
Claims18
Apparatus for cleaning the peeling section of a roller-type peeling machine having peeling channels formed by a plurality of parallel, overlapping rollers, comprising:
- an x-y robot disposed above the peeling section of a peeling machine and having a cleaning tool translatable along x and y axes defining a working envelope encompassing the peeling section;
- a controller coupled to the robot to move the cleaning tool along a predetermined cleaning path within the working envelope to clean the peeling section.
A method for robotically cleaning an array of peeler inserts arranged in parallel in the roller-formed channels of a roller-type peeling machine, comprising:
- (a) advancing a robotically positionable cleaning tool along the length of a first insert to clean the first insert;
- (b) translating the cleaning tool to a second insert;
- (c) advancing the cleaning tool along the length of the second insert to clean the second insert;
- and
- (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for third and subsequent inserts until all inserts have been cleaned.
A peeling machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a plurality of side-by-side peeling channels supported in the frame and defining a peeling section of the peeling machine, each peeling channel formed by a reciprocating bottom roller and a pair of flanking side rollers rotated by contact with the bottom roller;
- a plurality of cylindrical inserts occupying spaces between the bottom and side rollers along the length of the peeling channels;
- an x-y robot mounted to the frame above the peeling section and having a cleaning tool translatable along x and y axes defining a working envelope encompassing the peeling section;
- a controller coupled to the robot to move the cleaning tool along a predetermined cleaning path within the working envelope to clean the peeling section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.