A singulation apparatus and method
AssigneeCompac Technologies Limited
InventorsSheldon Phillip White, Jonathan Patrick Jackson, Max Hilton Hendrikse, Eric Adrianus Plessius
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to apparatus for carrying articles such as fruit for sorting, and in particular though not exclusively to apparatus for singulating the articles. There is provided a singulation apparatus for an article carrying system, the apparatus comprising a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end; a fluid inlet associated with the first end and arranged in use to direct a fluid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end; wherein a parameter of the fluid flow is controlled in order to singulate the received articles along the flume. A method for singulation is also disclosed.
Claims20
A singulation apparatus for an article carrying system, the apparatus comprising:
- a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end;
- and
- a liquid inlet in liquid connection with the first end and adapted to direct a liquid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end,
- a control device adapted to control a parameter of the liquid flow in order to singulate the received articles along the flume.
A method of operating a singulation apparatus having a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end;
- the method comprising:
- directing a liquid flow to carry the received articles along the flume from the first end;
- and
- controlling a parameter of the liquid flow in order to singulate the received articles along the flume.
An article carrying system for sorting articles and comprising a singulating apparatus comprising:
- a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end;
- and
- a fluid inlet associated with the first end and arranged in use to direct a fluid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end,
- wherein a parameter of the fluid flow is controlled in order to singulate the received articles along the flume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.