US 6,684,748 B2 · Apparatus for cutting optimally sized fruit and vegetable pieces

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting optimally sized fruit and vegetable pieces comprised of a dump chute, a trough, a conveyor, a drive means, at least one sensor, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a cutter assembly. The apparatus is configured to receive materials from a source, load these materials onto a conveyor move these items by means of the conveyor to a cutting portion where the materials are cut into appropriate sized pieces, as determined by a programmed logic sensor based upon the input from a plurality of sensors and pre-selected criteria from a user.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

A cutter for use in cutting fruits and vegetables comprising:

a double-edged knife, having a first end portion adapted for attachment to an actuating means, and extending to a second end portion along a generally linear blade, having a right side and a left side, said right side and said left side each having a cutting portion;
and
an actuator;
having a connecting attachment and a body pivotally mounted to a base plate defining an aperture therein for allowing the passage of a portion of said actuator, said connecting attachment pivotally connected to said double-edged knife through a knee joint.

1 more element

An apparatus for cutting optimally sized vegetable from fruits and vegetables having a first end and a second end comprising:

a conveyor assembly for conveying vegetables along a predetermined path to a cutter assembly said conveyor assembly comprised of a frame having a first end extending to a second end, a dump chute with a heel stop pivotally connected to said frame first end;
a trough connected to said frame and extending from said frame first end to said frame second end in a generally linear direction, said trough adapted to receive a conveyor therethrough;
said conveyor having a plurality of equally sized pockets defined by a forward paddle and a rearward paddle, each paddle spatially positioned equidistant along said conveyor and comprising a base plate, a blade having a top with a roller and a bottom;
said paddles and rollers for depositing and positioning a vegetable within each of said pockets in a position wherein at least one portion of each vegetable is positioned in a known reference position within each of said pockets;
said trough further configured to frictionally engage said vegetables in said pockets with sufficient force to drag said vegetables within said pockets to a position wherein one end of each of said vegetables is positioned against the rear paddle of each pocket;
a first sensing means for locating and indexing a first end of a vegetable conveyed along said conveyor,
a second sensing means for and for locating a second end of said vegetable
a programmable logic controller having human interactive capability for determining, the number of cuts and the distance between cuts required to achieve optimally desired lengths of pieces of cut vegetable material based upon pre-selected criteria, and inputs from said sensing means;
control means, comprised of a pivotally mounted pneumatic actuator, operably interconnecting said computing means to said cutter assembly for operating said cutter assembly to cut each vegetable as required for obtaining the optimal desired lengths of pieces of cut vegetable;
and
said cutter assembly comprised of a double-edged swing blade knife connected to said cutter though a pivoting knee joint and a blade sensor for determining if the appropriate cuts have been completed;
wherein a vegetable enters said dump chute and is singly loaded into said pocket within said trough, said conveyor brings said vegetable to said cutter assembly, passing said first sensing means which locates and indexes a first end of said vegetable and passing said second sensing means which locates said second end of said vegetable, and transmits information to said programmable logic component, said programmable logic controller determines the number and location of cuts to be made to obtain optimally sized pieces based upon inputs from the sensors and pre selected criteria, said programmable logic controller transfers information regarding the number and location of cuts required for obtaining the optimal desired lengths of pieces of cut vegetable to said actuator, said actuator then moves said swing blade to make said cuts to obtain the optimal desired lengths of pieces of cut vegetable.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description3,793 words

Summary1,336 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention generally relates to the art of cutting vegetable products, and more particularly relates to a device for cutting optimally sized vegetable and fruit pieces.

#2. Background Information

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#FIG. 1 is a perspective representational view of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective representational view of the cutter assembly and swing blade.

#FIG. 3 is a front view of the cutter assembly and swing blade.

Detailed description2,390 words

#While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

#As previously stated, this invention is presented and described in this description in the context of cutting potatoes. However it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention described herein can easily be adapted or modified to cut other fruits and vegetables, for example carrots, cucumbers, pineapples, bananas and the like. Modifications would include dimensional sizing, conveyor speed, the cutting assembly and perhaps whether the conveyor is temporarily stopped during cutting operations.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, shown is an embodiment of the invention adapted for cutting optimally sized potatoes. This apparatus 10 is comprised of a frame 22 having a frame first end 24 extending to a frame second end 26. A dump chute 28 with a heel stop 30 is pivotally connected to said frame 22 and loads material such as potatoes into trough 34. Trough 34 has a trough first end 35 and trough second end 37 connected to the frame 22 and lies in a generally linear orientation. A conveyor 32, having a plurality of equally spaced paddles 36 attached thereto, and extending outwardly from the conveyor 32, is adapted to fit within the trough 34 and is attached to a drive means 40 whereby the movement of conveyor 32 rotates the paddles 36 up and through trough 34 from the first end 35 to the second end 37. The drive means 40 can be any means of driving a conveyor 32.

Facts

Application

10/039,655Filed 31 Dec 2001

Published

US 2003/0121422 A13 Jul 2003

Granted

3 Feb 2004

Term ended

31 Dec 2021

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification13 codes

B26D 1/30
Moving about an axis substantially perpendicular to the line of cut: with limited pivotal movement to effect cut
B26D 5/00
Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out
B26D 5/08
Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by…
B26D 5/12
Means for actuating the cutting member to effect the cut: fluid-pressure means

Apparatus for cutting optimally sized fruit and vegetable pieces

Life of this patent

Apparatus for cutting optimally sized fruit and vegetable pieces

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description3,793 words

Drawings

Classification13 codes

Life of this patent

Description3,793 words