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US 4,585,126 AGranted
Method and apparatus for high speed processing of fruit or the like
AssigneeSunkist Growers, Inc.
InventorsPaul F. Paddock, Everett G. LaVars
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSunkist Growers, Inc.
InventorsPaul F. Paddock, Everett G. LaVars
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-speed processing of fruit or the like wherein the fruit is initially accumulated and aligned at a pick-up point for capture in spaced-apart pockets of a singulation conveyor at the pick-up point to maintain the fruit in predetermined linear spacing and to accelerate the fruit to a predetermined processing speed, a processing conveyor being operated at a synchronized speed relative to the singulation conveyor for receiving the individual units of fruit, the fruit being carried in trays past a sensor station after which the fruit is discharged from the trays into one of a plurality of discharge passages according to the individual characteristics of the fruit units. A preferred construction for accumulating and aligning the fruit at the pick-up point comprises multiple interconnecting ramps of different inclinations to further assure a continuous supply of fruit at the pick-up point. The singulation conveyor preferably includes an endless belt having spaced-apart pockets for receiving individual units of fruit and being adapted for passing the pick-up point along an upward incline, each of the pockets being adapted for capturing a first unit of fruit and rejecting subsequent units of fruit, the fruit being projected from the pockets along a short arc for reception by respective trays of the processing conveyor. The trays in the processing conveyor preferably provide three-point support for the fruit to assure proper exposure of random-sized fruit to an optical sensor. Furthermore, the trays are also adapted to facilitate interchangeable connection with the processing conveyor and to facilitate discharge of the fruit into one of the plurality of discharge passages.
Apparatus for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, comprising
Apparatus for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, comprising
Apparatus for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, comprising
Apparatus for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, comprising
Alignment apparatus for accumulating and aligning a continuous supply of fruit or the like at a pick-up point in order to permit high-speed processing thereof, comprising
A singulation conveyor for receiving individual units of fruit or the like at a pick-up point, maintaining the fruit in predetermined linear spacing and accelerating the fruit to a predetermined speed for further processing, comprising a continuous conveyor means formed with an endless array of spaced-apart pockets for receiving the individual units of fruits, each of said spaced-apart pockets in said continuous conveyor means being formed with an upstanding end wall for engaging an individual unit of fruit at said pick-up point, each of said pockets having inwardly inclined surface means forward of said end wall for capturing a first unit of fruit engaged by said end wall and outwardly inclined surface means forward of said inwardly inclined surface means and adjacent the upstanding end wall of a preceding pocket for causing additional units of fruit to be rejected from said continuous conveyor means.
A processing conveyor adapted for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, the processing conveyor comprising an endless array of trays for receiving individual units of fruit at an initial transfer point, each tray being supported for rotation about an axis transverse to a path of travel for said endless array of trays and including a laterally extending projection,
A processing conveyor for receiving individual units of fruit or the like at a transfer point and conveying the fruit past a sensor station including sensor means for optically scanning the individual units of fruit and determining their individual characteristics, the processing conveyor then conveying the fruit to a discharge station adapted for discharging individual units of fruit into one of a plurality of discharge passage means according to individual characteristics of the fruit units, the processing conveyor comprising an endless array of trays for receiving the individual units of fruit and conveying them past the sensing station and the discharge station, each of said trays including a floor forming a central opening with three triangulated surfaces forming three-point support for respective units of fruit in order to uniformly fix the position of the units of fruit in said respective trays and thereby assure exposure of the fruit units to said optical sensor means for facilitating processing of the fruit, each of said trays further being formed with inwardly and downwardly inclined walls for urging the fruit units onto said three-point support and out of engagement with the walls of the trays to further enhance exposure of the fruit units to said optical sensor means.
A replaceable tray for use in a processing conveyor adapted for high-speed processing of fruit or the like, the processing conveyor including endless drive means for connection with an array of the replaceable trays to receive individual units of fruit at an initial transfer point, for causing the trays to convey the fruit past a sensor means and for selectively discharging the fruit at a discharge station, the replaceable tray comprising releasable means for interconnecting the tray with the endless drive means and for permitting pivotable movement of said replaceable tray, and means projecting laterally from said tray for riding in a track adapted for maintaining the tray in an upright fruit containing position, said projecting means further being adapted for release from the track in order to permit said tray to pivot into an unloading position,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.