Apparatus for Packing Leafy Produce into a Tray

Abstract

An automated machine for packing leafy produce into a tray involving a plunger, the plunger having an actuator arm and a footpad, the footpad having an upper surface and a lower surface, being in moveable relation to the actuator arm, for contacting the leafy produce.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 11 / 232,830, entitled “Automated Plunger assembly, Machine and Method” filed on Sep. 21, 2005 (retitled “Apparatus for Packing Leafy Product into a Tray” by examiner's amendment), and claims priority thereto. The parent application and all amendments thereto are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. Claims 1 through 8 herein were previously allowed in the parent application. Claims 9 through 16 are new.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to mechanized processing and packaging of agricultural products and produce.BACKGROUND ART[0003]The currently existing art involves several machines for packing leafy produce, such as “spring mix,” spinach, lettuce, endive, arugula, and the like. One such instance of existing art is a packing machine that fills a container with leafy produce then fits a lid onto such container having the produce, but damages the leafy produce at the rim of the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]The present inventive concept pertains to the mechanized packing of a product, such as leafy produce, into a tray without damage and minimizing processing time. In a preferred embodiment, an automated machine for packing leafy produce into a tray generally comprises: one or more transfer chutes for receiving the portions and guiding each tray-sized individual portions into one of the trays; flop gates within the chutes to control the flow of produce through the various chutes; a conveyor for moving the trays into a position below the transfer chute's discharge opening to receive the tray-sized portions; a plunger assembly with at least one linear plunger having a first footpad for moving the portions through the transfer chute discharge opening into the tray, a ram, cylinder and piston rod, a retracted first position with the footpad outside of the transfer chute and an extended second position with the footpad inside the transfer chute proximal to the discharge opening. Mechanized moving parts, including the flop gates and plunger assembly, are coupled with automated actuators to allow automation and sequencing of movement.

Problems solved by technology

One such instance of existing art is a packing machine that fills a container with leafy produce then fits a lid onto such container having the produce, but damages the leafy produce at the rim of the container, thereby shortening the shelf life of the product.

This problem in the related art occurs, because the leafy produce has a tendency to spring back upon loading into the container, to overhang the rim of the container, and to be subsequently damaged during fitting of the lid.

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