Apparatus and method for cleaning peeling machines
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorsLars Vedsted, Søren Vedsted, Brent A. Ledet
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims11
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 a peeling section of a peeling machine and having a cleaning tool as an end effector translatable along x and y axes over a range of x and y coordinates defining a working envelope encompassing the peeling section, wherein the y axis is parallel to the lengths of the rollers and wherein the x axis is perpendicular to the y axis and parallel to the width of 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 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 as an end effector translatable along x and y axes over a range of x and y coordinates defining a working envelope encompassing the peeling section, wherein the y axis is parallel to the length of the peeling channels and wherein the x axis is perpendicular to the y axis and parallel to the width of the peeling channels;
- 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.