A fruit transport device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of fruit and vegetable storage and transportation technology, and discloses a fruit transportation device, including a box for accommodating a restraining device and fruit, with ventilation holes on the sides and bottom of the box; a restraining device, which is mounted inside the box via a rotating shaft, comprising a movable pressure plate, an elastic reset member, an inertial triggering mechanism, and a tray; the movable pressure plate is located at the top of the box and can move vertically relative to the box; the elastic reset member connects the movable pressure plate and the tray; and the inertial triggering mechanism connects the movable pressure plate and the tray. This invention, by providing ventilation holes on the sides and bottom of the box, and combining this with the automatic release of pressure on the fruit surface by the restraining device in a stable state, creates a gap between the movable pressure plate, the tray, and the fruit, allowing for smooth airflow within the box. This avoids the problems of excessive local humidity and mold growth caused by surface or annular contact in traditional grooved trays.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of fruit storage and transportation, and particularly relates to a fruit transportation device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Fruits are still living tissues after being picked, and continue to carry out respiration, and are extremely sensitive to mechanical damage and environmental fluctuations. In the process of being transported from the production place to the consumption market, fruits mainly rely on trucks for long-distance transportation, and the loss rate in the transportation link is high. Especially for fruits with soft texture and thin and fragile skin, the pulp tissue is prone to cell wall rupture, juice leakage, oxidation browning after being squeezed or collided, and then microbial infection and decay are caused, which seriously restricts the economic benefits of the industry.

[0003] In order to reduce the mechanical damage of fruits during transportation, the existing technology mainly adopts fixed groove limiting type packaging or flexible filling type packaging. The fixed groove limiting type packaging is to set a tray with a semispherical or special-shaped groove in the box, and each fruit is placed in an independent groove to prevent the fruits from colliding with each other through the geometric constraint of the groove. However, the groove size is fixed, and the size of the fruits varies significantly, so that the skin of the larger fruits is subjected to radial compression of the groove edge for a long time, resulting in fatigue rupture of the cell wall, and irreversible indentation or soft spots are formed after unloading. At the same time, the size of fruits of different varieties and different batches varies significantly, and the fixed size groove cannot be used universally, so that multiple specifications of trays need to be matched, which increases the packaging cost and the difficulty of warehouse management. In addition, the groove makes the fruits form face contact or ring contact with the tray, blocks the air flow channel at the bottom of the fruits, causes local humidity to be too high and mold to grow, and hinders the uniform distribution of air flow in the box, so that the respiratory heat and ethylene gas accumulate in the groove, accelerating the decay of the fruits.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art for a fruit transportation device that can adaptively adjust the constraint state according to the transportation bump, provide effective constraint during the bump, and release the constraint to facilitate ventilation during the smoothness. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to provide a fruit transportation device to solve the problems of poor size adaptability of fixed groove limiting type packaging, easy local compression damage to fruits, and hindered air flow resulting in fruit decay.

[0006] According to the technical scheme adopted by the present application as conceived above, the present application is as follows: According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a fruit transportation device is provided, comprising a box body for accommodating a constraint device and fruits, and the side and bottom surfaces of the box body are provided with ventilation holes; The constraint device is arranged inside the box through a rotating shaft, and comprises a movable pressing plate, an elastic reset member, an inertia trigger mechanism and a tray.

[0007] In some embodiments, the box is provided with ventilation holes and grooves, the ventilation holes are arranged on the side and bottom surfaces of the box, and the grooves are arranged on the side surface of the box.

[0008] In some embodiments, the movable pressing plate and the tray are both provided with concave cavities and first through holes, the concave cavities are used for fixing air bags, the height of the air bags is less than the depth of the concave cavities, and the number of the first through holes is four and the first through holes are used for sliding connection with the elastic reset member.

[0009] In some embodiments, the air bags are provided with staggered lines.

[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic reset member comprises a guide column and a reset spring, the first end of the guide column is fixedly connected to the tray, the second end of the guide column passes through the first through hole of the movable pressing plate, the reset spring is arranged between the movable pressing plate and the tray, and the reset spring is sleeved outside the guide column.

[0011] In some embodiments, the inertia trigger mechanism comprises a first rotating shaft, a connecting plate, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod and a second rotating shaft. The first rotating shaft is fixedly arranged on the box, and the two ends of the first rotating shaft are fixed to the side surfaces of the box, respectively; the connecting plate is rotationally connected to the first end of the first connecting rod, the second end of the first connecting rod is rotationally connected to the first end of the second connecting rod, and the second end of the second connecting rod is rotationally connected to the second rotating shaft.

[0012] In some embodiments, the two connecting plates are fixedly connected to the two ends of the bottom of the tray.

[0013] In some embodiments, the middle part of the first connecting rod is rotationally connected to the first rotating shaft.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are arranged in the grooves.

[0015] The present application has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention provides a constraint device consisting of a movable pressure plate, an elastic reset component, an inertial triggering mechanism, and a tray. When bumps occur during transportation, the tray moves upward under inertia, causing the first connecting rod to rotate around the rotation axis. The second end of the first connecting rod rotates downward and pushes the first end of the second connecting rod downward, thereby causing the second end of the second connecting rod to drive the movable pressure plate downward, clamping and fixing the fruit between the movable pressure plate and the tray, preventing the fruit from jumping or colliding with each other due to bumps.

[0016] 2. This invention provides ventilation holes on the sides and bottom of the box, and combines them with a restraint device to automatically release pressure on the fruit surface in a stable state. This creates a gap between the movable pressure plate and the tray and the fruit, allowing air to circulate smoothly inside the box. This avoids the problems of excessive local humidity, mold growth, and heat accumulation caused by surface or ring contact with traditional grooved trays. It helps maintain the dryness of the fruit surface and the uniform temperature inside the box, delays fruit spoilage, and improves transportation quality and preservation effect. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the housing of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the constraint device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the movable pressure plate of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tray structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the constraint device of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure label: Box body 100, ventilation hole 110, groove 120, restraint device 200, movable pressure plate 210, elastic reset component 220, guide column 221, reset spring 222, inertial triggering mechanism 230, first rotating shaft 231, connecting plate 232, first connecting rod 233, second connecting rod 234, second rotating shaft 235, tray 240, cavity 241, first through hole 242, airbag 250. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0020] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should be understood in their ordinary sense by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The words “a” or “one” and similar terms used in this application specification and claims do not indicate a limitation of quantity, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. “A plurality” means two or more. The words “comprising” or “including” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding “comprising” or “including” covers the element or object listed following “comprising” or “including” and its equivalents, and does not exclude other elements or objects. The words “connected” or “linked” and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections and can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The words “above” and / or “below” and similar terms are for ease of description only and are not limited to a location or spatial orientation. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application specification and appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0021] The technical concept of this invention includes: Existing fruit transport devices mostly use fixed groove-type restraint packaging or flexible filling packaging. These solutions have two main problems: First, the groove size is fixed, while fruit sizes vary significantly. Larger fruits, subjected to radial pressure from the groove edges over a long period, are prone to cell wall fatigue and rupture, forming indentations or soft spots. Furthermore, different batches of fruit require different sized pallets, increasing packaging costs. Second, the grooves create surface or circumferential contact between the fruit and the pallet, blocking airflow channels at the bottom of the fruit. This leads to excessively high local humidity, mold growth, and the accumulation of respiration heat and ethylene gas within the grooves, accelerating fruit spoilage. It is also impossible to dynamically adjust the restraint on the fruit according to the degree of bumps during transport, making it difficult to simultaneously meet the dual requirements of protection and ventilation.

[0022] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention designs a constraint device 200 consisting of a movable pressure plate 210, an elastic reset member 220, an inertial triggering mechanism 230, and a tray 240. When bumps occur during transport, the tray 240 moves upward under inertia, causing the first connecting rod 233 to rotate around the first rotating shaft 231. The second end of the first connecting rod 233 rotates downward and pushes the first end of the second connecting rod 234 downward. This causes the second end of the second connecting rod 234 to drive the movable pressure plate 210 downward through the second rotating shaft 235, clamping and fixing the fruit between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240, effectively preventing the fruit from jumping or colliding due to bumps. When transport is stable, the inertial triggering mechanism 230 is unlocked, and the elastic reset member 220 drives the movable pressure plate 210 to automatically reset, releasing the continuous pressure on the fruit and creating a gap between the movable pressure plate 210, the tray 240, and the fruit. This, combined with the ventilation holes 110 on the sides and bottom of the box 100, allows for smooth airflow inside the box. This structure enables adaptive adjustment of constraint states based on transportation conditions.

[0023] Therefore, this invention can provide effective restraint to prevent mechanical damage to fruit during bumpy conditions, and release the restraint to facilitate ventilation and heat dissipation when the fruit is stable. It takes into account both the protection and preservation needs during fruit transportation and has the advantages of compact structure, sensitive response, strong adaptability, and reduced transportation losses.

[0024] This application provides a fruit transport device, a box 100 for accommodating a restraint device 200 and fruit, and ventilation holes 110 are provided on the sides and bottom of the box 100. A constraint device 200 is disposed inside the housing 100 via a rotating shaft. The constraint device 200 includes a movable pressure plate 210, an elastic reset member 220, an inertial triggering mechanism 230, and a tray 240. The movable pressure plate 210 is disposed on the upper part of the housing 100 and can move vertically up and down relative to the housing 100. The elastic reset member 220 is connected between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240. The inertial triggering mechanism 230 is used to connect the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240.

[0025] This invention employs a constraint device consisting of a movable pressure plate, an elastic reset component, an inertial triggering mechanism, and a tray. When bumps occur during transportation, the tray moves upward under inertia, causing the first connecting rod to rotate around its axis. The second end of the first connecting rod rotates downward, pushing the first end of the second connecting rod downward. This, in turn, causes the second end of the second connecting rod to move the movable pressure plate downward, clamping and fixing the fruit between the movable pressure plate and the tray, preventing the fruit from jumping or colliding due to bumps. By providing ventilation holes on the sides and bottom of the box, and combining this with the constraint device automatically releasing pressure on the fruit surface in a stable state, a gap is created between the movable pressure plate, the tray, and the fruit. This allows for smooth airflow within the box, avoiding the problems of excessive local humidity, mold growth, and heat accumulation caused by surface or annular contact in traditional grooved trays. This helps maintain a dry fruit surface and uniform temperature within the box, delaying fruit spoilage and improving transportation quality and preservation.

[0026] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 6 This application provides a detailed description of a fruit transport device.

[0027] In this embodiment, the box 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure and is made of corrugated cardboard or plastic sheet with a certain structural strength. The interior of the box 100 forms a space for accommodating the restraint device 200 and the fruit. Multiple ventilation holes 110 are provided on the sides and bottom of the box 100. These ventilation holes 110 are evenly distributed in an array along the length and width of the box 100 to facilitate air exchange between the interior and exterior environments, promptly expelling heat and ethylene gas generated by the fruit's respiration, while simultaneously introducing fresh air to maintain a suitable gaseous environment inside the box. A groove 120 is also provided on the side of the box 100, extending along the height of the box 100. Its depth and width match the dimensions of the first connecting rod 233 and the second connecting rod 234 in the restraint device 200, accommodating the first connecting rod 233 and the second connecting rod 234 and providing them with space for movement. The groove 120 allows the linkage mechanism to rotate inside the side of the box 100, ensuring the normal operation of the mechanism while avoiding interference with the fruit inside the box 100.

[0028] In this embodiment, the constraint device 200 is disposed inside the box 100 and is connected to the box 100 via a rotating shaft. Specifically, the constraint device 200 includes a movable pressure plate 210, an elastic reset member 220, an inertial triggering mechanism 230, and a tray 240. The movable pressure plate 210 is disposed on the upper part of the box 100 and has a rectangular flat plate structure. Its size is adapted to the horizontal cross-sectional size of the box 100, and the movable pressure plate 210 can move up and down relative to the box 100 in the vertical direction. The tray 240 is disposed on the lower part of the box 100 and also has a rectangular flat plate structure, used to support the fruit. The elastic reset member 220 is connected between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240, maintaining a preset distance between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240 under normal conditions. This distance is greater than the maximum vertical dimension of the fruit, ensuring that the movable pressure plate 210 does not contact the fruit or only maintains a small gap with the top of the fruit in a stable state. An inertial triggering mechanism 230 is located on the side of the box 100 and is used to transmit the upward movement of the tray 240 to the movable pressure plate 210 when the transport is bumpy, thereby driving the movable pressure plate 210 to move downward and clamping the fruit between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240.

[0029] In this embodiment, both the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240 are multi-layer composite structures, including a substrate layer and a flexible buffer layer disposed inside the substrate layer. Specifically, both the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240 are provided with a cavity 241 and a first through hole 242. The cavity 241 is disposed on the lower surface of the movable pressure plate 210 and the upper surface of the tray 240. The cavity 241 is a circular or rectangular recessed area used to fix the airbag 250. The airbag 250 is made of elastic rubber or silicone material and is filled with an appropriate amount of gas, which has excellent buffering and energy absorption performance. The height of the airbag 250 is less than the depth of the cavity 241, so that the airbag 250 is completely embedded in the cavity 241. When the airbag 250 is not compressed, the surface of the airbag 250 is lower than the surface of the movable pressure plate 210 or the tray 240, thereby avoiding continuous contact between the airbag 250 and the fruit. The surface of the airbag 250 is provided with interlaced textures, which can be diamond-shaped, wavy, or dotted. These textures increase the coefficient of friction of the airbag 250 surface, preventing the fruit from sliding relative to the surface during transportation. Simultaneously, the grooves between the textures provide tiny airflow channels, preventing the airbag 250 from forming a completely sealed contact with the fruit surface, thus avoiding localized heat and moisture buildup. Four first through holes 242 are located at the four corners of the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240, respectively, for sliding connection with the elastic reset member 220. This ensures that the movable pressure plate 210 maintains a horizontal posture during vertical movement, preventing tilting.

[0030] In this embodiment, the elastic reset member 220 includes a guide post 221 and a reset spring 222. The guide post 221 is a cylindrical metal rod, with its first end (lower end) fixedly connected to the upper surface of the tray 240, and its second end (upper end) passing through the first through hole 242 on the movable pressure plate 210 and extending upward. The guide post 221 and the first through hole 242 are clearance-fitted, allowing the movable pressure plate 210 to slide freely along the axial direction of the guide post 221. The reset spring 222 is a helical compression spring, sleeved on the outside of the guide post 221, with its lower end abutting against the upper surface of the tray 240 and its upper end abutting against the lower surface of the movable pressure plate 210. Under normal conditions, the reset spring 222 is in a pre-compressed state, applying an upward elastic force to the movable pressure plate 210, keeping the movable pressure plate 210 in the upper position of the housing 100. When the movable pressure plate 210 moves downward under the action of external force, the return spring 222 is further compressed, storing elastic potential energy; when the external force is released, the return spring 222 releases the elastic potential energy, driving the movable pressure plate 210 to return upward. There are four guide posts 221, corresponding one-to-one with the four first through holes 242, forming a four-point guide mechanism to ensure the smoothness and centering of the movable pressure plate 210's vertical movement. A limiting retaining ring or an expanded head can be provided at the second end of the guide post 221 to prevent the movable pressure plate 210 from moving excessively upward under the action of the return spring 222 and dislodging from the guide post 221.

[0031] In this embodiment, the inertial triggering mechanism 230 includes a first rotating shaft 231, a connecting plate 232, a first connecting rod 233, a second connecting rod 234, and a second rotating shaft 235. The first rotating shaft 231 is a cylindrical metal shaft, fixedly mounted on the side wall of the housing 100, with both ends fixedly connected to the side of the housing 100. The first rotating shaft 231 extends horizontally and is located slightly below the center of the groove 120 on the side of the housing 100. The connecting plate 232 is a rectangular metal plate, with its lower end fixedly connected to the bottom of the tray 240. Specifically, the two connecting plates 232 are fixedly connected to both ends of the bottom of the tray 240. The first connecting rod 233 is a long strip-shaped member, with its first end rotatably connected to the upper end of the connecting plate 232 via a pin. The middle part of the first connecting rod 233 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 231, allowing the first connecting rod 233 to swing around the first rotating shaft 231 in a vertical plane. The second end of the first connecting rod 233 is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting rod 234 via a pin. The second end of the second connecting rod 234 is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 235, which is fixedly mounted on the side of the movable pressure plate 210. Both the first connecting rod 233 and the second connecting rod 234 are located in the groove 120 on the side of the housing 100, which provides them with accommodating space and motion guidance.

[0032] When bumps occur during transportation, the box 100 accelerates upwards, and the tray 240 and the fruit it carries move upwards relative to the box 100 due to inertia; that is, the tray 240 displaces upwards relative to the box 100. As the tray 240 moves upwards, it drives the connecting plate 232, which is fixedly connected to it, to move upwards. The connecting plate 232 pulls the first end of the first connecting rod 233 upwards. Since the middle part of the first connecting rod 233 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 231 fixed on the box 100, the first connecting rod 233 rotates around the first rotating shaft 231. When its first end moves upwards, its second end rotates downwards. When the second end of the first connecting rod 233 rotates downwards, it pushes the first end of the second connecting rod 234, which is rotatably connected to it, downwards. The second connecting rod 234 moves downwards as a whole, and pulls the movable pressure plate 210 downwards via the second rotating shaft 235. Guided by the guide post 221, the movable pressure plate 210 moves downwards, clamping and fixing the fruit between it and the tray 240, effectively preventing the fruit from jumping, colliding with each other, or hitting the inner wall of the box 100 due to bumps. When the transportation is stable and the inertial force disappears, the return spring 222 in the elastic reset component 220 drives the movable pressure plate 210 to reset upwards. The movable pressure plate 210 drives the second connecting rod 234 and the second connecting rod 233 to move in opposite directions through the second rotating shaft 235, so that the inertial triggering mechanism 230 returns to its initial state. The tray 240 falls back to its reset position under the action of gravity, and the preset distance between the movable pressure plate 210 and the tray 240 is restored, releasing the pressure on the fruit.

[0033] Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. The invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are indicated by the following claims.

[0034] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fruit transport device, characterized in that, include: The box (100) is used to hold the restraint device (200) and the fruit, and the sides and bottom of the box (100) are provided with ventilation holes (110); A restraint device (200) is disposed inside the housing (100) via a rotating shaft. The restraint device (200) includes a movable pressure plate (210), an elastic reset member (220), an inertial triggering mechanism (230), and a tray (240). The movable pressure plate (210) is disposed on the upper part of the housing (100) and can move vertically up and down relative to the housing (100). The elastic reset member (220) is connected between the movable pressure plate (210) and the tray (240). The inertial triggering mechanism (230) is used to connect the movable pressure plate (210) and the tray (240).

2. The fruit transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (100) is provided with ventilation holes (110) and grooves (120). The ventilation holes (110) are located on the side and bottom of the housing (100), and the grooves (120) are located on the side of the housing (100).

3. The fruit transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the movable pressure plate (210) and the tray (240) are provided with a cavity (241) and a first through hole (242). The cavity (241) is used to fix the airbag (250). The height of the airbag (250) is less than the depth of the cavity (241). There are four first through holes (242) for sliding connection with the elastic reset member (220).

4. A fruit transport device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The airbag (250) is provided with an interlaced pattern.

5. A fruit transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic reset component (220) includes a guide post (221) and a reset spring (222). The first end of the guide post (221) is fixedly connected to the tray (240), and the second end passes through the first through hole (242) of the movable pressure plate (210). The reset spring (222) is disposed between the movable pressure plate (210) and the tray (240) and is sleeved on the outside of the guide post (221).

6. A fruit transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inertial triggering mechanism (230) includes a first rotating shaft (231), a connecting plate (232), a first connecting rod (233), a second connecting rod (234), and a second rotating shaft (235); The first rotating shaft (231) is fixedly mounted on the housing (100), and its two ends are respectively fixed to the side of the housing (100); the connecting plate (232) is rotatably connected to the first end of the first connecting rod (233), the second end of the first connecting rod (233) is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting rod (234), and the second end of the second connecting rod (234) is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft (235).

7. A fruit transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The two connecting plates (232) are fixedly connected to the two ends of the bottom of the tray (240).

8. A fruit transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The middle part of the first connecting rod (233) is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft (231).

9. A fruit transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first connecting rod (233) and the second connecting rod (234) are both disposed in the groove (120).

Images