Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-13
2004-06-01
Crawford, Gene O. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
C198S370010, C198S803700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742647
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to The Netherlands Application NL 1016186 filed Sep. 14, 2000, and The Netherlands Application NL 1016453 filed Oct. 20, 2000, which applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The sorting of fruits takes place at increasingly higher speeds, for example at speeds of 7-15 fruits per second. Because of said high speeds, the fruits may be damaged upon being transferred from a first conveyor to a second conveyor, which is undesirable.
From European patent application EP A 0 687 508 there is known a conveyor which is fitted with grippers. Said grippers are used for conveying products to individual stations. Consequently, a relatively large number of gripping hands are required. Furthermore, flexible arms are used on the grippers so as to be able to engage fruits of varying diameter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for conveying and/or transferring relatively vulnerable products, such as fruits, wherein the fruits are held in grippers while being conveyed and transferred, wherein said grippers comprise a first gripper portion and a second gripper portion, which are movable over sliding elements substantially in the direction in which the gripping force is exerted on the products.
Furthermore, the present invention provides an apparatus for transferring vulnerable products, such as fruits, from a supply conveyor to a discharge conveyor, wherein said fruits are held in grippers and wherein the said products that are present in said grippers are weighed while being transferred.
Preferably, a pivoted suspension on the outer side is used, so that it is possible to use a three-point support so as enable a stable weighing process. Furthermore, the bearing sliding surfaces for said three-point weighing are preferably spaced apart as far as possible.
The present invention also provides a method for conveying and discharging one or more fruits, wherein:
the fruits are separated from each other in a singling device;
the individual fruits are taken out of said singling device by means of grippers and transferred to a conveyor fitted with product carriers, during which transfer the individual fruits are weighed; and
wherein said fruits are discharged from the conveyor with the product carriers, by tilting said product carriers and causing the fruits to move past a flexible element.
The above method enables a relatively simple construction of the appropriate apparatus, in particular of the conveyor fitted with product carriers, since weighing takes place in the grippers.
With a view to obtaining a calibration hallmark, it is important that the apparatus be standardized, that is, that a fixed number of parts and a fixed length of (a weighing portion of) the apparatus are used.
It is possible, however, to set a different track width, for example by adjusting the pin length, for example for fruits ranging in a diameter between 22 mm and 250 mm.
In the past, the applicant furthermore marketed an apparatus wherein fruits were sorted and discharged at specific positions in dependence on measured quantities, such as weight, size, colour and the like. A slab of a flexible material was used during the discharge of the fruits so as to reduce the velocity thereof. Since the fruits were weighed in the fruit carriers, said slab was in fact detached from the cup or fruit carrier and it was fitted near the front side thereof—seen in the conveying direction. As a result, said slab had a considerable length of about 30 cm, for example, which caused quite some inconvenience in the device when discharging took place into water channels, because the long slabs scooped up (a great deal of) water. In dry discharging situations, the long slab had an abrasive effect on the fruits, which had an negative effect on the quality of said fruits.
The present invention furthermore provides an apparatus for conveying and discharging vulnerable products, such as fruits, comprising:
product carriers that can be moved in the conveying direction;
tilting means for causing the product carriers to tilt at a specific conveying position, so as to discharge the product from the product carrier in rearward direction, seen in the conveying direction, at said conveying position;
wherein a product carrier is provided laterally of a conveying element, wherein the product carrier can be returned to the conveying position after the fruit has been discharged, and wherein a flexible element is disposed on the rear side of the product carrier for the purpose of discharging the product from the product carrier in a controlled manner.
The apparatus according to the present invention has been optimized for conveying and discharging fruits, both in the situation in which the products are carried off without water being used and in the situation wherein water channels are used. With the apparatus according to the invention, the weighing process has preferably taken place already, so that it is possible to attach a much shorter slab, for example a slab having a length of 15 cm, to the rear edge.
The apparatus according to the present invention does not produce much noise, not even at high speeds. The present invention makes it possible to conveyor more than five fruits (such as apples) per second, for example 7-9 fruits per second, wherein the construction of the apparatus and the controlled discharging speed prevent vulnerable fruits being damaged. Preferably, the fruits are placed into the carriers by grippers, as a result of which the quality, for example of apples, remains ensured, even at the aforesaid high speeds.
In one preferred embodiment, each product carrier is furthermore provided with a snap mechanism for discharging the fruits in a reliable manner and pushing the product carrier back into the conveying position and securing it in said position as soon as possible after a product has been discharged, so that the slab need not drag over next products and will not scoop water in the situation wherein water is used.
In another preferred embodiment, a product carrier is approximately S-shaped in section, seen in the conveying direction, which has appeared to be the most advantageous shape for various types of fruits having varying dimensions. The fruit is properly engaged (on the convex surface thereof), using the lowest possible pressure forces, whilst discharging is facilitated.
In order to enable the gripping hands to engage properly, the product carrier has an approximately S-shaped profile in cross-sectional view as well.
The present invention furthermore provides a method for conveying and discharging one or more fruits, wherein:
products carriers containing fruits are moved in the conveying direction;
the respective product carriers are tilted at specific conveying positions, and the respective fruits are discharged in rearward direction from said product carriers into a water channel; and
wherein the fruit is slowed down upon being discharged by means of a flexible element which is attached to the rear edge of the product carrier.
This method, which is preferably carried out in combination with the apparatus according to claims
12
and
13
, enables a practical realisation of such an apparatus, since the trouble which the water causes to the chain and other parts of the conveyor is significantly reduced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3330400 (1967-07-01), Alexander
patent: 3370691 (1968-02-01), Mostard
patent: 3837474 (1974-09-01), Brooke
patent: 3884184 (1975-05-01), Arrandale et al.
patent: 4087970 (1978-05-01), Slazas et al.
patent: 4262795 (1981-04-01), Hecker
patent: 4411366 (1983-10-01), De Greef
patent: 4488637 (1984-12-01), Loeffler
patent: 4823934 (1989-04-01), Lemaire et al.
patent: 4830195 (1989-05-01), De Greef
patent: 4965982 (1990-10-01), Jesperson et al.
patent: 5117966 (1992-06-01), Kuhn et al.
patent: 5267654 (1993-12-01), Leverett
patent: 5611437 (1997-03-01), Okada
patent: 5626236 (1997-05-01), Hiebert
patent: 5630311 (1997-05-01), Flix
patent: 5703332 (1997-12-01
Crawford Gene O.
De Greef's Wagen- Carrosserie- en Machinebouw B.V.
Needle & Rosenberg P.C.
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for conveying and/or transferring fruits does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for conveying and/or transferring fruits, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for conveying and/or transferring fruits will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3300057