Stem removing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a stemming device. The stemming rotor includes a shaft and a plurality of stemming fingers releasably attached to the shaft by an attachment mechanism and extending away from the shaft in a plurality of adjacent planes perpendicular to the shaft, the fingers including a base and a portion extending outwardly from the base. The base of the finger is inserted in the radial direction into a chamber in the shaft, locked in the inserted position by a locking pin. A locking pin is inserted in a radial direction into a through opening through the base of the finger, exerting a clamping force on two or more clamping legs of the base of the finger. The length of the pin is such that an end portion of the pin extends beyond the through opening when the pin is fully inserted, the width of the end portion exceeding the spacing between the clamping legs such that the end portion forces the clamping legs to be clamped in the clamping portion of the chamber. The head of the pin abuts the seat when the pin is fully inserted, the head enabling pulling the pin out of the opening, retracting the end portion of the pin from the space between the gripping legs, thereby enabling release of the fingers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to mechanical harvesting and the processing of harvested fruit, and more particularly, to a destemming device suitable as part of a grape harvester or as a fixing device for processing harvested grapes. Background Technology

[0002] Today, grapes are typically destemmed mechanically using a destemming device, which can be a stand-alone unit or integrated into a grape harvester. Most destemmers include a rotating destemming rotor comprising multiple fingers arranged along a rotation axis. The grape bunches are conveyed on a perforated belt conveyor beneath the rotating destemming rotor, and the interaction between the rotating fingers and the grape bunches results in the removal of the grapes. The grapes are then collected in a container, while the stems are removed as residue.

[0003] Large objects entering the destemming device and / or unavoidable wear of the destemming fingers can cause some fingers to break or otherwise damage, necessitating their replacement with new fingers. In currently used systems, replacing a limited number of destemming fingers is a technically complex and time-consuming task, requiring at least partial disassembly of the rotor. Therefore, a system that allows for faster replacement of individual destemming fingers is desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a destemming rotor and destemming device according to the appended claims, to a self-driven grape harvester equipped with said destemming device, and to a method for attaching and releasing destemming fingers.

[0005] The destemming rotor is configured to be rotatably mounted in the destemming device. The rotor includes a cylindrical shaft and a plurality of destemming fingers attached to the shaft and extending away from the shaft in a plurality of adjacent planes perpendicular to the shaft. Each finger includes a base and a portion extending outwardly from the base, wherein at least one finger is releasably attached to the shaft by an attachment mechanism according to the invention. The base of the finger is configured to be manually inserted radially into a cavity disposed in the shaft. "Insertion of the base" does not mean that the entire base is inserted into the cavity, but rather that an end portion of the base is inserted into the cavity.

[0006] Following manual insertion, the finger is locked in the insertion position by a locking pin. The locking pin is inserted radially into a through-opening formed through the base of the finger and configured to apply clamping force to two or more clamping legs of the base of the finger, the clamping legs being arranged around the exit portion of the through-opening. The length of the pin is such that, when fully inserted, the end portion of the pin extends beyond the exit portion, and the width of the end portion exceeds the spacing between the clamping legs, such that the end portion forces the clamping legs apart to be clamped in the clamping portion of the chamber. The pin includes a head that, when fully inserted, abuts against a seat, the head enabling the pin to be pulled out of the opening to retract the end portion of the pin from the spacing between the clamping legs, thereby removing the clamping force and enabling the release of the finger.

[0007] At least some of the clamping legs are elastically bendable, allowing the end portion of the pin to retract from the gap between the clamping legs, thus returning the elastic leg to a non-deformed state and removing the clamping force. The portion of the finger extending outward from its base may include a first portion inclined radially relative to the axis.

[0008] Preferably, all fingers are attached to the shaft via the same mechanism. This allows for quick replacement of the de-stemming fingers: releasing the fingers requires only a simple action of partially pulling the locking pin out of the through opening, after which the fingers can be manually retracted from the chamber.

[0009] If the shaft is formed from assembled discs, then when one or more destemming fingers need to be replaced, complete or partial disassembly of the shaft is not required. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 A typical destemming device as is currently known in the art is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 It shows the application to Figure 1 The destemming rotor in the prior art device shown.

[0012] Figure 3a and Figure 3b The details of the rotor of the existing destemming device are shown from two different perspectives.

[0013] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The destemming rotor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, along with details of the rotor as viewed from a first direction.

[0014] Figure 6 and Figure 7 It shows the basis with Figure 4 and Figure 5 The destemming rotor of the same embodiment and details of the rotor viewed from the second direction.

[0015] Figure 8a It shows Figures 4 to 7 The diagram shows a cross-section of a disc of a destemming rotor, wherein the destemming fingers are in different conditions relative to the disc. Figure 8b A destemming finger is shown without a pin for attaching and releasing the finger. Figure 8c This is a diagram of a single pin. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This detailed description does not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims.

[0017] Figure 1 A typical destemming device 1, as currently known, is shown. For example, this type of device is currently incorporated into a self-driven grape harvester manufactured by the applicant. The device includes a movable belt 2 configured to move relative to a housing 8. The belt is formed by a grid that allows individual grapes to fall through it. Harvested bunches of grapes are loaded onto a loading section 2a of the belt and conveyed toward an upwardly inclined destemming section 2b, which includes three destemming rotors 3 mounted adjacent to each other in the direction of movement of the belt and rotatable relative to the housing 8. In operation, the destemming section is closed by a cover, but... Figure 1 The cover is not shown to visualize the destemming rotor 3. The interaction between the rotating rotor 3 and the grape bunch removes the grapes from the stems. The grapes fall through the belt grid and are collected in a container (not shown), while the stems move further upward to the inclined end section 2c of the belt, eventually falling over the edge of the end section and thus being removed from the device.

[0018] Figure 2 It shows the application to Figure 1 A partially exploded view of a destemming rotor 3 in a prior art device is shown. The rotor includes a central shaft 4 with a fixing head 5 disposed on one side. The shaft 4 passes through aligned central openings of a series of discs 6 assembled together to form the central shaft 7 of the rotor. Each disc 6 is attached with three destemming fingers 10. (As shown in...) Figure 3a and Figure 3bAs best seen in the best detailed view, the fingers have a specific shape, including a base 10a attached to the shaft 7, a middle portion 10b inclined radially relative to the shaft 7, and a tip portion 10c inclined in the opposite direction relative to the middle portion 10b. This shape of the fingers, along with the material of the fingers, is optimal for the desired interaction with the grape bunch, i.e., removing the grapes from the stem in a manner that causes no or minimal damage to the grapes. The material of the fingers 10 has a degree of flexibility, while the disc 6 is formed of a more rigid material.

[0019] Figure 3b China and Figure 2 and Figure 3a A detailed view of a disc 6 and its associated destemming fingers 3, viewed from the opposite side, illustrates how the fingers are attached to the shaft: each disc comprises three chambers 11, and the base 10a of the fingers is inserted axially into the respective chamber and held in place by the next disc, or, in the case of the last disc, by a closing plate 12. The discs are assembled together by means of radially oriented protrusions 13 on one side of the disc engaging in recesses 14 on the opposite side of the adjacent disc, while smaller protrusions 15 located at the bottom of the chambers 11 and on the opposite side of the disc engage in holes 16 provided in the base 10a of the fingers. A suitable fastening device, mounted to the central shaft 4 but not shown in the figures, securely holds all the discs 6 together to form the shaft 7, and this fastening device is coupled to a rotary bearing and actuator that allows the rotor 3 to rotate relative to the housing 8 over the advancing belt 2.

[0020] The disadvantage of this method of assembling the rotor 3 is that when a finger breaks or wears and therefore needs to be replaced, the retaining device holding the disc 6 together needs to be released before the finger can be removed from its chamber. However, this also releases other fingers near the damaged finger, making reassembly of the rotor cumbersome. Therefore, this replacement method is complex and time-consuming.

[0021] The present invention addresses this problem by providing different methods for attaching destemmed fingers to and removing destemmed fingers from the shaft.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a semi-expanded view of a destemming rotor 3' according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rotor also includes a central shaft 4 provided with a fixing head 5 and an end plate 12, and when the rotor is assembled, a plurality of discs 6' are held between the fixing head 5 and the end plate 12 to form a shaft 7' to which a plurality of destemming fingers 20 are attached.

[0023] Figure 6A semi-exploded view of rotor 3' as seen from the other side is shown, and Figure 5 and Figure 7 Detailed exploded views of a disc 6' and its associated fingers 20, viewed from two corresponding directions, are shown. Protrusions 13 and recesses 14 are present, as in discs of prior art versions.

[0024] The middle portion 20b and the tip portion 20c of the finger have the same shape as in the existing configuration, but the base 20a of the finger is different, and the way the base is connected to the shaft 7' is also different. The disk 6' also includes three chambers 21, but these chambers are configured to receive the base 20a of the finger by inserting the base in the radial direction rather than the axial direction of the shaft 7'.

[0025] The mechanism for attaching and removing the fingers 20 to and from the shaft 7' is defined by the shape of the chambers 21 and the base 20a of the fingers, and by the fact that the mechanism also includes a locking pin 22, which allows the fingers to be attached and removed without disassembling the shaft 7'. In practice, although the shaft 7' in the illustrated embodiment is shown as being assembled from multiple discs 6', the mechanism can also work with shafts integrally formed with chambers 21. The pin 22 can be made of metal (e.g., stainless steel) or a plastic material with suitable strength and rigidity.

[0026] The agency Figure 8a The cross-sectional view shown best illustrates three destemmed fingers 201, 202, and 203. The first finger 201 is ready to be inserted into its corresponding chamber 21. The second finger 202 is clamped into its chamber, and the third finger 203 is ready to be released from the chamber. The function of the pin 22 in these three states will be explained. Each chamber 21 includes an inlet portion 25 and a clamping portion 26. The base 20a of the corresponding destemmed finger includes a pair of clamping legs 28 at its lower end, configured to be inserted into and clamped in the clamping portion 26 of the chamber 21.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, a protrusion 35 is disposed on the sidewall of the chamber 21, separating the inlet portion 25 and the clamping portion 26 of the chamber 21. The base 20a of the finger includes a groove 36 configured to engage with the protrusion 35 when the base 20a is inserted into the chamber 21. The materials and / or dimensions of the base 20a and the chamber 21, particularly the materials and / or dimensions of the groove 36 and the protrusion 35, are configured such that insertion of the base and engagement of the protrusion 35 with the groove 36 can be achieved by manually inserting the base. The protrusion 35 and the groove 36 are preferred features, but the invention can also operate without these features, and therefore they can be considered optional within a wider scope of the invention. The positions of the groove and the protrusion can be reversed, i.e., the protrusion 35 is on the base 20a of the finger and the groove 36 is on the sidewall of the chamber 21.

[0028] The base 20a of the finger has a longitudinal through opening 29, which is radially oriented relative to the disk 6' when the finger is attached. Figure 8b The best visualization is in the image, which shows the first de-pierced finger 201 with the pin not inserted into the through opening 29. The through opening 29 extends between an inlet portion 29a and an outlet portion 29b. Clamping legs 28 are mounted on both sides of the outlet portion 29b of the through opening 29.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the opening includes a first throat portion 37 located directly above the outlet portion 29b and a second throat portion 38 further upstream of the outlet portion, the term "upstream" relating to the insertion direction of the pin, i.e., from the inlet portion 29a to the outlet portion 29b. These throat portions 37 and 38 are preferred but optional elements designed to facilitate the securing of the pin in the locked position (see below).

[0030] Figure 8c The pin 22 shown separately can be inserted into the through opening 29, and the shape of the pin allows the finger 20 to be held and released in the manner described below.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, pin 22 is cylindrical and includes an end portion 22a, a body 22b, and a head 22c. A neck portion 22d is located between the body 22b and the end portion 22a. The end portion 22a and the body 22b have the same diameter. An additional, smaller neck portion 22e is disposed in the lower half of the body 22. The diameter of the head 22c is larger than the diameters of the end portion 22a and the body 22b.

[0032] Pin 22 engages loosely or with minimal resistance (easily overcome manually) in the through opening 29, and prior to attachment of the finger, the pin is... Figure 8aThe detached finger 201 is inserted into the through opening as shown. In practice, the detached finger 20 can be held in this state with the pin 22 inserted no more than the outlet portion 29b of the through opening 29.

[0033] When pin 22 is in this initial position, such as Figure 8a As with the first finger 201, the base 20a of the finger can be manually and with minimal or no resistance inserted into the inlet portion 25 of the chamber 21, and can be further inserted until the protrusion 35 is embedded in the groove 36. At this time, the clamping leg 28 is arranged in the clamping portion 26 of the chamber but is not in the locked position. The base 20a of the finger is inserted radially relative to the disk, so the insertion can be completed at the same time as the shaft 7' is assembled, that is, at the same time as all the disks 6' are assembled together.

[0034] The outer surface of the clamping leg 28 is shaped in a manner similar to the inner surface of the clamping portion 26, such that the corresponding surfaces match. However, when the pin 22 is in the initial position, the clamping leg 28 loosely engages with the clamping portion 26 or can be inserted into it with very little manual force.

[0035] In the illustrated embodiment, the two clamping legs 28 are elastically bendable relative to the exit portion 29b of the through opening 29: the legs 28 can be bent by a suitable bending force. Within a given range of leg displacement, the clamping legs return to their initial position when the bending force is removed. This elasticity of the clamping legs can be achieved by integrally manufacturing the de-branched fingers from a material with a certain degree of flexibility. Currently used in manufacturing... Figure 1 -3 The material of the prior art destemmed finger shown is suitable for this purpose. However, according to other embodiments, the clamping leg 28 may also be made of a different material than the rest of the finger, and the clamping leg is secured to the finger body by adhesive or other attachment means.

[0036] Once the clamping legs 28 are engaged in the clamping portion 26, the pin 22 is pushed further downward. The length of the pin exceeds the length of the through opening 29, such that when the pin is fully inserted into the through opening, the end portion 22a of the pin extends beyond the exit portion 29b of the through opening 29. This allows the end portion 22a of the pin to enter the space between the clamping legs 28. The maximum insertion depth of the pin is determined by the contact between the head 22c and the seat 39 on the base 20a of the finger. The seat 39 extends around the entrance portion 29a of the through opening 29.

[0037] The diameter of the end portion 22a of the pin exceeds the spacing between the clamping legs 28, such that full insertion of the pin forces the end portion 22a into the narrow space between the clamping legs 28, thereby applying the aforementioned bending force to the two clamping legs in opposite directions. This pushes the clamping legs 28 open to close contact with the mating inner surfaces of the clamping portions 26 of the chamber 21. The contact force between the mating surfaces establishes a clamping force that keeps the de-drilling fingers firmly located in the chamber 21, i.e., the fingers are effectively attached to the rotor shaft 7 and are in a locked position, ready for de-drilling. Forcing the end portion 22a of the pin into the space between the clamping legs 28 may require considerable force. This may require the use of a hammer or an equivalent impact tool.

[0038] In the locked position, the end portion 22a of the pin passes through the first throat portion 37 of the opening 29, such that the neck portion 22d interlocks with the first throat portion 37 of the opening. Additionally, an additional neck portion 22e interlocks with the second throat portion 38. These interlocks contribute to the fixation of the pin, and thus the entire finger, in the locked state. However, it should be noted that the locking of the pin is primarily achieved by the end portion 22a of the pin clamping the clamping leg 28 within the clamping portion 26 of the chamber 21. The throat portions 37 and 38 of the opening and the corresponding neck portions 22d and 22e of the pin 22 are preferred but optional additional features. Alternatively, there may be only one throat portion (37 or 38) in the opening 29 and a corresponding neck portion (22d or 22e) on the pin 22.

[0039] To release the de-clamped finger, pin 22 is pulled out of the opening. This can be done by grasping the head 22c of the pin and pulling it upwards until the end portion 22a of the pin retracts from the gap between the clamping legs 28, thereby releasing the clamping force on the clamping legs. This can be achieved using conventional gripping tools (such as pliers or clamps). When the clamping force is released, the finger can be manually retracted from the chamber 21. It is not necessary to pull the pin completely out of the through opening. As described above, the pin can be conveniently held in the opening, for example, when storing the finger separately.

[0040] As can be seen from the preceding description, attaching or removing a single destemmed finger 20 to or from shaft 7' does not require disassembling the shaft.

[0041] The features described above do not limit the scope of the invention. The shapes of the mating surfaces of the clamping legs 28 and the clamping portions 26 of the chamber 21 may differ from those shown in the figures.

[0042] Pin 22 can be non-cylindrical, for example, having a square cross-section, and the through opening 29 has a matching square cross-section, which enables pin 22 to function as described above. Typically, regardless of the shape of the pin's cross-section, the end portion of the pin is wider than the spacing between the clamping legs, such that full insertion of the pin forces the clamping legs to be clamped in the clamping portion of the chamber.

[0043] According to an embodiment, a seal is installed between the pin 22 and the through opening 29. This can be, for example, an O-ring installed in a groove created in the sidewall of the through opening 29. The seal serves as a means to prevent dirt and liquid from entering the chamber 21.

[0044] As described above, instead of being formed from an assembled disc 6', the shaft 7' can be a solid shaft having a plurality of chambers 21 as described above, the chambers passing through its cylindrical outer surface and distributed along the length of the shaft. The shaft can also be formed from a plurality of solid parts assembled together, each part including a chamber 21 configured to receive destemmed fingers 20 in a plurality of parallel planes.

[0045] The number of clamping legs 28 at the lower end of the destemmed finger 20 can be different from two. For example, three clamping legs can be arranged around the outlet portion 29b of the through opening 29, with the clamping legs spaced at 120° intervals, or four legs can be arranged at 90° intervals. Then, the inner surface of the clamping portion 26 of the chamber is shaped according to the number of clamping legs and the outer contour of the clamping legs.

[0046] According to the embodiments, not all clamping legs 28 are resiliently bendable. For example, as an alternative to the illustrated embodiment, one resilient clamping leg 28 and one rigid clamping leg 28 may be provided. When properly sized, clamping force can be generated by pushing the resilient leg away from the rigid leg when the pin is pushed down. It should be noted that pushing the resilient leg away from the rigid leg falls within the scope of the phrase "pushing the leg apart" as used in the appended claims.

[0047] The shape of the fingers 20 attached to the shaft and / or each disc 6' may differ from the figures shown. Furthermore, the number of fingers attached to each disc and / or the entire shaft may differ from the figures shown.

[0048] Preferably, all fingers 20 are attached to the shaft 7' via the same attachment mechanism as described above. However, the invention also covers rotors in which only one or more, but not all, of the fingers are attached to the shaft via said mechanism.

[0049] This invention relates to a destemming device, such as a device similar to... Figure 1 The arrangement shown is a destalking rotor according to the invention, such as a destalking rotor according to any embodiment described above.

[0050] The present invention also relates to a self-driving grape harvester, which includes a destemming device according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] The present invention also relates to a method for attaching a destemmed finger to and releasing it from a destemmed rotor according to any embodiment of the invention. The method steps have been described above with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and are summarized in a more general manner in the appended claims.

[0052] The invention also relates to descrambling fingers suitable for attachment to a descrambling rotor according to the invention. The descrambling fingers according to the invention may be provided with pins 22 inserted into a through opening 29. The invention also relates to a component assembly according to the invention, comprising a descrambling finger 20 and a pin 22 insertable into a through opening 29 of the finger.

Claims

1. A destemming rotor (3') for destemming grape bunches or similar fruits when the rotor is rotatably mounted in a destemming device, the rotor comprising a cylindrical shaft (7') and a plurality of destemming fingers (20) attached to the shaft and extending away from the shaft in a plurality of adjacent planes perpendicular to the shaft, each finger comprising a base (20a) and portions (20b, 20c) extending outwardly from the base, wherein at least one finger (20) is releasably attached to the shaft (7') by an attachment mechanism comprising: - A cavity (21) in the cylindrical surface of the shaft, the cavity being configured to receive the base (20a) of the finger by radial insertion within the cavity, the cavity including a clamping portion (26). - A through opening (29) through the base (20a) of the finger (20), the through opening extending between an inlet portion (29a) and an outlet portion (29b) of the through opening, the through opening being radially oriented relative to the axis (7') when the base of the finger is inserted into the chamber (21). - At least two clamping legs (28), said clamping legs being part of the base (20a) of said finger and located at the lower end of said base (20a) and arranged around the outlet portion (29b) of said through opening, wherein said clamping legs (28) are configured to be arranged in the clamping portion (26) of said chamber (21) when said base of said finger is inserted into said chamber. - Pin (22), which can be inserted into the through opening (29), wherein The length of the pin is such that when the pin is fully inserted into the through opening, the end portion (22a) of the pin extends beyond the outlet portion (29b) of the through opening (29). The end portion (22a) of the pin is wider than the spacing between the clamping legs (28), such that the end portion is configured to push the clamping legs (28) apart when the pin is fully inserted into the through opening (29), thereby forcing the clamping legs to be clamped in the clamping portion (26) of the chamber by clamping force. The pin includes a head (22c) configured to define full insertion of the pin by contacting a seat (39) on the base (20a) of the finger, and to enable gripping of the pin to retract the end portion (22a) of the pin from the gap between the clamping legs (28), thereby removing the clamping force.

2. The destemming rotor (3') according to claim 1, wherein the pin (22) includes at least one neck portion (22d, 22e) configured to interlock with a throat portion (37, 38) disposed in the through opening (29) when the pin is fully inserted into the through opening.

3. The destemming rotor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more grooves (36) and matching protrusions (35) are disposed on the base (20a) of the finger and in the chamber (21) or disposed in the chamber (21) and on the base (20a) of the finger, the grooves and protrusions being configured to engage with each other when the base (20a) of the finger is inserted into the chamber (21).

4. The destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The shaft (7') is formed by assembling a plurality of disks (6') held together to form the shaft, at least one of the disks including a plurality of the chambers (21), and the rotor including a corresponding plurality of destemmed fingers (20) attached to the disks by the attachment mechanism.

5. The destalked rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The shaft (7') is formed of one or more solid cylindrical portions, each portion having a chamber configured to receive destemmed fingers extending in a plurality of adjacent planes perpendicular to the shaft.

6. The destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pin (22) is a cylindrical pin, and the through opening (29) has a circular cross-section.

7. The destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, All destemmed fingers (20) are attached to the corresponding chambers (21) of the shaft (7') via the attachment mechanism.

8. The destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The destemmed finger (20) includes at least a first portion (20b) extending outward from the base (20a) of the finger, wherein the first portion (20b) is inclined in the radial direction relative to the axis (7').

9. The destemming rotor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, A seal is provided between the pin (22) and the through opening (29).

10. A destemming device comprising one or more destemming rotors (3') according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A self-driving grape harvester, equipped with the destemming device according to claim 10.

12. A method for attaching a destemmed finger (20) to the shaft (7') of a destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising the steps of: The base (20a) of the finger (20) is inserted into the cavity (21) of the shaft, such that the clamping leg (28) is arranged in the clamping portion (26) of the cavity. Then the pin (22) is fully inserted into the through opening (29), so that the end portion (22a) of the pin pushes the clamping leg (28) apart, thereby clamping the clamping leg in the clamping portion (26).

13. A method for releasing a destemmed finger (20) attached by the method of claim 12, wherein the destemmed finger is released by grasping the head (22c) of a pin (22) and pulling the pin to thereby retract the end portion (22a) of the pin from the gap between the clamping legs (28).

14. A destemmed finger (20) capable of being attached to the shaft (7') of a destemmed rotor (3') according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The finger includes a pin (22) inserted into the through opening (29) of the finger.

15. A component kit comprising a destemming finger (20) for attaching to a shaft (7') of a destemming rotor (3') according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a pin (22) for inserting into a through opening (29) of said destemming finger (20).

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