Sorting apparatus

A sorting apparatus, comprising:

• a vibratory conveyor for transporting a produce stream formed of individual produce, and which has both desirable and undesirable sized produce, and which further includes a liquid component which is derived, at least in part, from the produce stream, and other undesirable non-produce related objects, and wherein the vibratory conveyor has a first, intake end, and a second, discharge end, and wherein the vibratory conveyor has a product conveying surface which defines a path of travel for the produce stream when the vibratory conveyor imparts vibratory motion to the product conveying surface, and wherein the produce stream delivered to the first, intake end, moves thereover under the influence of the vibratory motion, and is reduced to a single layer in height, and which is further spread substantially uniformly over a width dimension of the product conveying surface, and wherein the product conveying surface causes the produce stream to move along a non-linear course of travel between the first, intake end, and the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor as the produce stream transverses the product conveying surface, and wherein the produce stream has a horizontal and a vertical component of movement which diminishes as the produce stream moves from the first, intake end, and in the direction of the second end, and along the product conveying surface such that the produce stream falls substantially, immediately, vertically, downwardly from the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, and wherein the liquid component of the produce stream is substantially separated from the produce stream by both the product conveying surface, and a product separation surface which is located in spaced relation relative to the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, and further travels gravitationally, downwardly, along a liquid pathway which is located below the product conveying surface;
• and
• a pair of vibratory motors which are individually mounted on the vibratory conveyor, and which, when energized, imparts vibratory energy into the vibratory conveyor to cause the product conveying surface to reciprocate, and impart movement to the produce stream which is deposited on the first intake end of the vibratory conveyor, and wherein the produce stream travels from the first intake end to the second discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, and wherein the respective vibratory motors, when energized, produces the vibratory force along a given stroke angle, which is measured relative to the product conveying surface, and wherein the given stroke angle is variable across about an 8 degree horizontal arc, and about a 14 degree vertical arc.

A sorting apparatus, comprising:

• a vibratory conveyor having a first, intake end, and a second, discharge end, and wherein a produce stream to be sorted is deposited on the first, intake end, and travels to the second, discharge end, and then falls substantially uniformly, vertically, downwardly along a path of travel, and wherein the produce stream to be sorted, when deposited on the first intake end, has a first weight, and the produce stream leaving the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor has a second weight, which is substantially less than the first weight, and wherein the produce stream includes both desirable and undesirable sized produce, and further includes a liquid component which is derived, at least in part, from the produce stream, and the other undesirable non-produce related objects, and wherein at least some of the undesirable sized produce;
• liquid component;
• and other undesirable non-produce related objects pass vertically downwardly through the vibratory conveyor as the produce stream moves from the first intake end, to the second discharge end thereof;
• a product conveying surface which is borne by the vibratory conveyor and which further supports the produce stream formed of the individual produce, and non-produce related objects as the produce stream moves from the first, intake end, to the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor and under the influence of a source of vibratory motion imparted to the vibratory conveyor, and wherein the product conveying surface is effective in causing the produce stream to be distributed substantially uniformly, and in a single layer across a width dimension of the product conveying surface, and wherein the product conveying surface causes the individual produce and non-produce related objects forming, at least a portion of the produce stream to move along a non-linear course of travel between the first, intake end, and the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, and wherein the vibratory motion causes the individual produce to have both a vertical and horizontal component of motion, and wherein the produce stream moving along the product conveying surface between the first, and second ends, of the vibratory conveyor has a given substantially horizontal speed of movement, and wherein the product conveying bed is effective in substantially reducing the vertical and horizontal components of motion of the produce such that the produce stream falls substantially uniformly, vertically downwardly and through an inspection station, and wherein the imaging assembly is located in the inspection station;
• a first region of the product conveying surface, and which defines a multiplicity of parallel, spaced ridges, and troughs, each having a predetermined height, and width dimensions, and which are located in predetermined locations across the width dimension of the product conveying surface, and which further induces the produce stream to spread substantially uniformly, and transversely across the width of the conveying surface as vibratory motion is imparted to the product conveying surface so as to cause the produce stream to singulate into individual produce, and to further separate from the undesirable, non-produce related objects which are adhering to the individual produce forming the produce stream;
• a second region of the product conveying surface, and which defines a multiplicity of elongated converging and diverging apertures, which are spaced at predetermined locations, across the width dimension of the product transporting surface, and which individually, frictionally, engage the individual produce forming the produce stream so as to induce the produce stream to form a single layer in height, and to further spread the produce forming the produce stream substantially uniformly across the product transporting surface, and which further permits undesirable, undersized produce;
• undesirable non-produce related solid objects;
• and the liquid component of the produce stream to fall gravitationally, downwardly, through the respective elongated converging and diverging apertures of the product transporting surface, and wherein the multiplicity of elongated converging and diverging apertures cause the individual produce forming the produce stream to move in the non-linear course of movement between the first, intake end and the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor;
• a third region of the product conveying surface and which defines a multiplicity of substantially transverse apertures, which are located in predetermined spaced relation across the width dimension of the product conveying surface, and which induces the product stream to roll thereover, and wherein undesirable non-produce related objects and individual undersized produce, and any remaining liquid component of the produce stream moves gravitationally, downwardly through the respective transverse slots, and wherein the respective substantially transverse apertures further reduces the speed of movement of the produce stream which is induced by the vibratory motion imparted to the product conveying surface before the produce stream departs from the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor;
• a fourth region of the product conveying surface and which defines a multiplicity of transverse slots, which are spaced across the width dimension of the product conveying surface, and near the second, discharge end thereof, and which permits the liquid component of the produce stream to move gravitationally, downwardly, from the product conveying surface;
• an imaging assembly positioned downstream relative to the second, discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, and which generates an image of the produce stream which is falling substantially vertically, downwardly relative to the second, discharge end of the product conveying surface of the vibratory conveyor;
• a controller operably coupled with the imaging assembly, and which receives the generated image produced by the imaging assembly, and which further identifies any undesirable produce, and non-produce related objects within the produce stream, and which appear in the generated image;
• and
• an ejector assembly positioned downstream relative to the imaging assembly and which is operably coupled with the controller, and which selectively removes the undesirable produce, and non-produce related objects from the produce stream and which are identified from the generated image formed by the controller.