Fruit bowl separator and fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus

Abstract

The embodiment of the application relates to the technical field of fruit and vegetable sorting, and particularly relates to a fruit tray separating machine and a fruit and vegetable sorting device. The fruit tray separating machine comprises a rack, a turnover conveying mechanism and a tray removing mechanism. The turnover conveying mechanism is arranged on the rack and is provided with a preset arc-shaped path for upward conveying and turnover of a tray containing fruits and vegetables. The tray removing mechanism is arranged on the rack and is located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path. When the tray moves to the end of the preset arc-shaped path, the posture of the tray has been turned over by 180 degrees, at this time, the fruits and vegetables originally in the groove of the tray are naturally separated from the tray due to the action of gravity. Then, the tray removing mechanism at the end of the preset arc-shaped path removes the tray which has become empty from the working area. The application realizes automatic flexible separation of fruits and vegetables from the tray in a mechanized mode, significantly improves production efficiency, effectively avoids bumping and damage of the fruits and vegetables, and ensures product quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fruit and vegetable sorting technology, and in particular to a fruit tray separator and fruit and vegetable sorting equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In sorting and packaging lines for spherical fruits and vegetables such as apples and pears, the fruits and vegetables are usually neatly placed on fruit trays with individual grooves for easy transportation and initial processing. Before proceeding to subsequent washing, waxing, or packaging processes, the fruits and vegetables need to be removed from the fruit trays for the next step.

[0003] Currently, the process of separating fruits and vegetables from trays is mostly done manually. Operators need to manually pick up the fruits and vegetables one by one from the trays and place them on another conveyor line, or separate the trays and fruits and vegetables by tilting them. This manual operation method is not only labor-intensive and inefficient, making it difficult to match the overall rhythm of automated production lines, but also prone to causing bumps or scratches to the surface of the fruits and vegetables due to improper operation during the frequent picking and placing. Utility Model Content

[0004] One objective of this application is to provide a fruit tray separator and a fruit and vegetable sorting device to solve the technical problems of high labor intensity, low production efficiency, and easy damage to fruits and vegetables caused by manual separation of fruits and vegetables from trays in the prior art.

[0005] This application provides a fruit tray separator, comprising: frame; A flipping conveyor mechanism is provided on the frame, and the flipping conveyor mechanism is provided with a preset arc-shaped path for conveying and flipping the tray containing fruits and vegetables upward; A tray removal mechanism is mounted on the frame and located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path; The flipping conveyor mechanism flips the tray along the preset arc path, causing the fruits and vegetables to separate from the tray under the action of gravity, and the tray removal mechanism removes the separated tray.

[0006] With the above structure, the fruit tray separator's flipping conveyor mechanism carries the tray containing fruits and vegetables, moving along a preset, upward-curving path. When the tray reaches the end of the preset curved path, its posture has completed a 180-degree flip. At this point, the fruits and vegetables, originally in the tray's groove, naturally detach from the tray due to their own gravity. Immediately afterwards, the tray removal mechanism located at the end of the preset curved path removes the now empty tray from the work area. This embodiment replaces traditional manual separation operations with mechanized and automated methods, significantly improving production efficiency and reducing labor intensity. Furthermore, by utilizing gravity for flexible separation, it effectively avoids bumps and damage to the fruits and vegetables during the separation process, ensuring their quality.

[0007] Optionally, the flipping conveyor mechanism includes: A first conveying assembly includes a first conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt including a support section for supporting the pallet; The second conveying assembly includes a second conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt including a pressing section for pressing the fruits and vegetables, the supporting section and the pressing section being spaced apart to form a flipping conveying channel; The supporting section and the pressing section move synchronously along the preset arc path to clamp and drive the tray and the fruits and vegetables through the flipping conveyor channel to achieve flipping.

[0008] With the above structure, the supporting section of the first conveying component supports the tray from below, while the pressing section of the second conveying component gently presses down on the fruits and vegetables inside the tray from above. A channel is formed between these two sections—the flipping conveying channel. The supporting and pressing sections move synchronously along a pre-set arc path. This synchronous clamping method ensures that the tray and the fruits and vegetables inside remain relatively stationary throughout the entire upward flipping process, and the entire tray is smoothly clamped to complete the flipping action. This improves the stability and reliability of the flipping process and effectively prevents the fruits and vegetables from rolling, colliding, or prematurely falling off due to shaking or centrifugal force during the flipping process, thus protecting the fruits and vegetables.

[0009] Optionally, the first conveying component further includes: A driven roller is mounted on the frame and connected to the first conveyor belt; An active roller is mounted on the frame and connected to the first conveyor belt to drive the first conveyor belt to move. A first arc-shaped tensioning member is disposed on the frame. The first arc-shaped tensioning member abuts against the first conveyor belt from the outside of the first conveyor belt and together with the driven roller and the driving roller, tensions the first conveyor belt. The first arc-shaped tensioning member is used to adapt the contour of the supporting section to the preset arc-shaped path.

[0010] With the above structure, the first conveying assembly supports and drives the first conveyor belt by setting a driven roller and a driving roller, and applies a resisting force from the outside of the first conveyor belt through a first arc-shaped tensioner, forcing the supporting section of the conveyor belt to conform to the arc-shaped contour of the first arc-shaped tensioner. In this way, the first arc-shaped tensioner, together with the driven roller and the driving roller, not only effectively tensions the conveyor belt to prevent it from slackening, but also forms the preset arc-shaped path required for the pallet's movement. Through the above configuration, the embodiment of this application has a simple structure, reliable tensioning effect, and ensures that the first conveyor belt can smoothly guide the pallet to complete the flipping movement.

[0011] Optionally, the second conveying component includes: The second conveyor belt has a corresponding chain belt connected to each side edge in the length direction; A driven sprocket is mounted on the frame and connected to the chain belt; A drive sprocket, mounted on the frame and connected to the chain belt, is used to drive the chain belt to move the second conveyor belt; The second arc-shaped tensioning member is disposed on the frame. The second arc-shaped tensioning member abuts against the chain belt from the inside of the chain belt and together with the driven sprocket and the driving sprocket, tensions the chain belt to make the second conveyor belt tensioned. The second arc-shaped tensioning member is used to make the contour of the pressing section adapt to the preset arc-shaped path by tensioning the chain belt.

[0012] With the above structure, the second conveyor belt of the second conveying assembly is driven and supported by chain belts on both sides. The chain belts are tensioned and the path is constructed through a driven sprocket, a driving sprocket, and a second arc-shaped tensioner. The second arc-shaped tensioner abuts against the inside of the chain belt, thereby forming an inner arc profile that matches the first arc-shaped tensioner. This embodiment of the application utilizes the precision and reliability of chain drive to ensure that the second conveying assembly is synchronized with the first conveying assembly. At the same time, the second arc-shaped tensioner ensures the arc state of the holding section, enabling it to stably hold fruits and vegetables, and achieve smooth clamping and flipping of the tray and fruits and vegetables.

[0013] Optionally, the first conveyor belt includes a guide section connecting the supporting section, and the pallet removal mechanism includes a roller brush assembly disposed on the frame. The roller brush assembly and the guide section are spaced apart to form a removal conveying channel. The roller brush assembly and the guide section move synchronously to clamp and drive the pallet away from the fruits and vegetables through the removal conveying channel.

[0014] With the above structure, a guide section connects to the supporting section on the first conveyor belt. The pallet removal mechanism includes a roller brush assembly. Spatially, the roller brush assembly and the guide section form a conveying channel for removing pallets. The rotation of the roller brush assembly is synchronized with the movement of the guide section. When an empty pallet, after being flipped, reaches this area, it is gripped by the guide section and the rotating roller brush and actively conveyed away, thus keeping it away from the already separated fruits and vegetables below. This prevents the disorderly falling of empty pallets, ensures a clear and non-interfering separation path between the pallet and the fruits and vegetables, and improves the reliability of the separation process.

[0015] Optionally, the second conveying component includes a first drive motor, which is connected to the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket is connected to the roller brush assembly. The first drive motor is used to drive the drive sprocket to rotate and drive the roller brush assembly to rotate through the driven sprocket.

[0016] With the above structure, only one first drive motor is used, connected by a transmission, to simultaneously drive the driving sprocket and driven sprocket of the second conveying assembly, as well as the roller brush assembly of the pallet removal mechanism. This embodiment uses a single power source to drive the driving sprocket, driven sprocket, and roller brush assembly separately, which not only simplifies the drive system of the entire device structurally, reducing manufacturing costs and maintenance complexity, but also ensures the synchronization of movement between the second conveyor belt and the roller brush assembly.

[0017] Optionally, the second conveyor belt further includes an output section connected to the holding section. The conveying direction of the output section is inclined downward at a preset angle relative to the horizontal plane. The output section is used to continue to receive and convey the fruits and vegetables after they are separated from the tray.

[0018] With the above structure, the second conveyor belt has a downwardly inclined output section after the holding section. After the fruits and vegetables separate from the tray at the tipping point, they fall onto the second conveyor belt below and are further supported by this inclined output section. Furthermore, the inclined conveyor surface allows the fruits and vegetables to glide or roll smoothly under gravity, or continue to be conveyed by the movement of the second conveyor belt, rather than falling directly. This embodiment provides an effective buffer and transition for the separated fruits and vegetables through the above configuration, avoiding the potentially large impact of them falling directly onto the downstream conveyor belt, further protecting the fruits and vegetables, and achieving a smooth connection with subsequent processes.

[0019] Optionally, the first conveyor belt further includes an input section, the supporting section connects to the input section, and the first conveying assembly further includes an auxiliary support member located below and abutting the input section.

[0020] With the above structure, an input section is set before the support section of the first conveyor belt, and an auxiliary support is added below the input section. When a pallet fully loaded with fruits and vegetables is placed into the input section, this support provides additional rigid support, preventing the conveyor belt from sinking or shaking due to heavy pressure. This ensures that the pallet maintains a stable posture before entering the flipping conveyor channel, facilitating its smooth pressing and clamping by the second conveying component and improving the stability of the pallet and fruit and vegetable input process.

[0021] Optionally, the second conveyor belt includes a plurality of spaced rollers, each end of which is connected to a corresponding chain belt and can move with the chain belt.

[0022] With the above structure, the second conveyor belt does not use a traditional flat belt, but rather multiple parallel rollers, with each end of the roller connected to a chain belt on both sides. When the chain belt moves, these rollers move accordingly. When the second conveyor belt presses down on fruits and vegetables, the rollers can interact with the surface of the fruits and vegetables through rolling contact, rather than sliding friction, greatly reducing the friction on the fruit and vegetable skins and providing excellent protection for fruits and vegetables with delicate skins.

[0023] In another aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a fruit and vegetable sorting device, including a fruit tray separator as described in any of the above claims.

[0024] The embodiments of this application can achieve the following technical effects: The fruit tray separator's flipping conveyor mechanism carries a tray containing fruits and vegetables, moving along a preset, upward arc-shaped path. When the tray reaches the end of the preset arc-shaped path, its posture has been flipped 180 degrees. At this point, the fruits and vegetables that were originally in the tray's groove naturally detach from the tray due to their own gravity. Immediately afterwards, the tray removal mechanism located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path removes the now empty tray from the working area.

[0025] This application's embodiments replace traditional manual separation operations with mechanized and automated methods, which not only significantly improves production efficiency and reduces labor intensity, but also effectively avoids bumps and damage to fruits and vegetables during the separation process by using gravity for flexible separation, thus ensuring the quality of fruits and vegetables. Attached Figure Description

[0026] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fruit tray separator provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of a fruit tray separator provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a fruit tray separator provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a fruit tray separator provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Label Explanation: 100. Fruit tray separator; 10. Frame; 20. Tilting conveyor mechanism; 20a. Tilting conveyor channel; 21. First conveyor assembly; 211. First conveyor belt; 2111. Support section; 2112. Guide section; 2113. Input section; 212. Driven roller; 213. Driven roller; 214. First arc-shaped tensioning member; 215. Second drive motor; 216. Auxiliary support member; 22. Second conveyor assembly; 221. Second conveyor belt; 2211. Holding section; 2212. Output section; 2213. Roller; 222. Chain belt; 223. Driven sprocket; 224. Driven sprocket; 225. Second arc-shaped tensioning member; 226. First drive motor; 30. Tray removal mechanism; 30a. Removal conveyor channel; 31. Roller brush assembly; 311. First roller brush; 312. Second roller brush; 32. Tray recycling plate; 33. Blocking block. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as "connected" to another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements can exist between them. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "upper end," "lower end," "top," and "bottom," etc., used in this specification indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0031] In related technologies, the process of separating fruits and vegetables from trays is mostly done manually. Operators need to manually pick up the fruits and vegetables one by one from the trays and place them on another conveyor line, or separate the trays and fruits and vegetables by tilting them. This manual operation method is not only labor-intensive and inefficient, making it difficult to match the overall rhythm of automated production lines, but also prone to causing bumps or scratches on the surface of the fruits and vegetables due to improper operation during the frequent picking and placing process.

[0032] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a fruit tray separator 100, comprising a frame 10, a flipping conveyor 20, and a tray removal mechanism 30. The flipping conveyor 20 is mounted on the frame 10 and has a preset arc-shaped path for conveying and flipping trays containing fruits and vegetables upwards. The tray removal mechanism 30 is mounted on the frame 10 and located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path.

[0033] The flipping conveyor 20 flips the tray along a preset arc path, causing the fruits and vegetables to separate from the tray under the action of gravity, and the tray removal mechanism 30 removes the separated tray.

[0034] The working principle of the fruit tray separator 100 in this embodiment is as follows: The fruit tray separator 100's flipping conveyor 20 carries a tray containing fruits and vegetables, moving along a preset, upward arc-shaped path. When the tray reaches the end of the preset arc-shaped path, its posture has been flipped 180 degrees. At this time, the fruits and vegetables that were originally in the tray's groove naturally detach from the tray due to their own gravity. Immediately afterwards, the tray removal mechanism 30 located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path removes the now empty tray from the working area.

[0035] During the process of the pallet moving away from the end of the preset arc path, when one end of the pallet leaves the preset arc path, the fruits and vegetables contained therein are released from the pallet due to gravity, but the other end of the pallet is still held in the preset arc path, so that one end of the pallet will not be transported along with the fruits and vegetables due to gravity, but will be received or acted upon by the pallet removal mechanism 30, and the pallet will be completely removed when the other end of the pallet also leaves the preset arc path.

[0036] Understandably, the embodiments of this application replace the traditional manual separation operation with mechanization and automation, which not only significantly improves production efficiency and reduces labor intensity, but also effectively avoids bumps and damage to fruits and vegetables during the separation process by using gravity for flexible separation, thus ensuring the quality of fruits and vegetables.

[0037] The frame 10 provides installation positions for each functional module and supports and accommodates them. The specific structure of the frame 10 can be configured according to actual needs and is not limited here. For example, the frame 10 is provided with windows to facilitate observation of the flipping conveyor mechanism 20 and / or the tray removal mechanism 30, and also to facilitate maintenance operations and troubleshooting such as jamming.

[0038] Please review Figure 1 In some embodiments, the flipping conveyor 20 includes a first conveying assembly 21 and a second conveying assembly 22. The first conveying assembly 21 includes a first conveyor belt 211, which includes a support section 2111 for supporting a tray. The second conveying assembly 22 includes a second conveyor belt 221, which includes a pressing section 2211 for pressing fruits and vegetables. The support section 2111 and the pressing section 2211 are spaced apart to form a flipping conveyor channel 20a.

[0039] Among them, the supporting section 2111 and the pressing section 2211 move synchronously along a preset arc path to clamp and drive the tray and fruits and vegetables to flip through the flipping conveyor channel 20a.

[0040] Understandably, the supporting section 2111 of the first conveying component 21 supports the tray from below, while the pressing section 2211 of the second conveying component 22 gently presses down on the fruits and vegetables inside the tray from above. A channel is formed between these two sections, namely the flipping conveying channel 20a. The supporting section 2111 and the pressing section 2211 move synchronously along a preset arc path. This synchronous clamping method ensures that the tray and the fruits and vegetables inside remain relatively stationary throughout the entire upward flipping process, and the entire tray is smoothly clamped to complete the flipping action. This improves the stability and reliability of the flipping process and effectively prevents the fruits and vegetables from rolling, colliding, or falling off prematurely due to shaking or centrifugal force during the flipping process, thus protecting the fruits and vegetables.

[0041] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first conveying assembly 21 further includes a driven roller 212, a driving roller 213, and a first arc-shaped tensioner 214.

[0042] Driven roller 212 is mounted on frame 10 and connected to first conveyor belt 211. Driven roller 213 is mounted on frame 10 and connected to first conveyor belt 211, used to drive the first conveyor belt 211 to move. First arc-shaped tensioner 214 is mounted on frame 10, abutting against the first conveyor belt 211 from the outside, and together with driven roller 212 and drive roller 213, tensions the first conveyor belt 211. The first arc-shaped tensioner 214 is used to adapt the contour of the supporting section 2111 to a preset arc-shaped path.

[0043] Understandably, the first conveying assembly 21 supports and drives the first conveyor belt 211 by setting a driven roller 212 and a driving roller 213, and applies a resisting force from the outside of the first conveyor belt 211 by a first arc-shaped tensioner 214, forcing the supporting section 2111 of the conveyor belt to partially conform to the arc-shaped contour of the first arc-shaped tensioner 214. In this way, the first arc-shaped tensioner 214, together with the driven roller 212 and the driving roller 213, not only effectively tensions the conveyor belt and prevents it from loosening, but also forms the preset arc-shaped path required for the pallet movement. Through the above-described configuration, the embodiment of this application has a simple structure and reliable tensioning effect, ensuring that the first conveyor belt 211 can smoothly and steadily guide the pallet to complete the flipping movement.

[0044] Optionally, the first conveyor belt 211 can be a chain conveyor belt, and correspondingly, the driving roller 213 and the driven roller 212 are provided with sprocket structures that cooperate with the chain structure of the chain conveyor belt; or, the first conveyor belt 211 can be a V-shaped conveyor belt, and correspondingly, the driving roller 213 and the driven roller 212 are provided with pulley structures that cooperate with the V-shaped conveyor belt.

[0045] For example, the number of drive rollers 213 and driven rollers 212 and their positions on the frame 10 can be set according to actual needs. For example, at least one of the drive rollers 213 and driven rollers 212 can be adjusted relative to the frame 10 to adjust the tension of the first conveyor belt 211.

[0046] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the second conveying assembly 22 includes a chain belt 222, a driven sprocket 223, a driving sprocket 224, and a second arc-shaped tensioner 225.

[0047] Each side edge of the second conveyor belt 221 in the length direction is connected to a corresponding chain belt 222. A driven sprocket 223 is mounted on the frame 10 and connected to the chain belt 222. A driving sprocket 224 is mounted on the frame 10 and connected to the chain belt 222, used to drive the chain belt 222 to move the second conveyor belt 221. A second arc-shaped tensioner 225 is mounted on the frame 10. The second arc-shaped tensioner 225 abuts against the chain belt 222 from the inside of the chain belt 222, and together with the driven sprocket 223 and the driving sprocket 224, tensions the chain belt 222, thereby tensioning the second conveyor belt 221. The second arc-shaped tensioner 225 is used to adapt the contour of the pressing section 2211 to a preset arc-shaped path by tensioning the chain belt 222.

[0048] Understandably, the second conveyor belt 221 of the second conveying assembly 22 is driven and supported by chain belts 222 on both sides. The chain belts 222 are tensioned and path constructed through a driven sprocket 223, a driving sprocket 224, and a second arc-shaped tensioner 225. The second arc-shaped tensioner 225 abuts against the inside of the chain belt 222, thereby forming an inner arc profile that matches the first arc-shaped tensioner 214. This embodiment of the application utilizes the precision and reliability of chain drive to ensure that the second conveying assembly 22 is synchronized with the first conveying assembly 21, while the second arc-shaped tensioner 225 ensures the arc state of the pressing section 2211, enabling it to stably press the fruits and vegetables, and achieve smooth clamping and flipping of the tray and fruits and vegetables.

[0049] In some embodiments, the distance between the first arc-shaped tensioner 214 and the second arc-shaped tensioner 225 is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of fruits and vegetables and different sizes of trays, resulting in changes in overall height.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first conveyor belt 211 includes a guide section 2112 that connects to the support section 2111, and the pallet removal mechanism 30 includes a roller brush assembly 31 disposed on the frame 10. The roller brush assembly 31 and the guide section 2112 are spaced apart to form a removal conveying channel 30a. The roller brush assembly 31 and the guide section 2112 move synchronously to clamp and drive the pallet away from the fruits and vegetables through the removal conveying channel 30a.

[0051] Understandably, a guide section 2112 connects to the supporting section 2111 on the first conveyor belt 211. The pallet removal mechanism 30 includes a roller brush assembly 31. Spatially, the roller brush assembly 31 and the guide section 2112 form a pallet removal conveying channel 30a. The rotation of the roller brush assembly 31 is synchronized with the movement of the guide section 2112. When the overturned empty pallet reaches this area, it is gripped by the guide section 2112 and the rotating roller brush and actively conveyed away, thus keeping it away from the separated fruits and vegetables below. This prevents the empty pallet from falling randomly, ensures a clear and non-interfering separation path between the pallet and the fruits and vegetables, and improves the reliability of the separation process.

[0052] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments, the second conveying assembly 22 includes a first drive motor 226, which is connected to the drive sprocket 224 and the driven sprocket 223 is connected to the roller brush assembly 31. The first drive motor 226 is used to drive the drive sprocket 224 to rotate and drive the roller brush assembly 31 to rotate through the driven sprocket 223.

[0053] Understandably, the first drive motor 226 drives the drive sprocket 224 to rotate, thereby driving the chain belt 222 to move. This chain belt 222 then drives the second conveyor belt 221 to move and the driven sprocket 223 to rotate, ultimately causing the roller brush assembly 31 to rotate. This embodiment uses only one first drive motor 226, connected by a transmission, to simultaneously drive the drive sprocket 224 and driven sprocket 223 of the second conveyor assembly 22, as well as the roller brush assembly 31 of the pallet removal mechanism 30. This embodiment uses a single power source to drive the drive sprocket 224, driven sprocket 223, and roller brush assembly 31 respectively, which not only simplifies the overall drive system of the device, reduces manufacturing costs and maintenance complexity, but also ensures the synchronization of movement between the second conveyor belt 221 and the roller brush assembly 31.

[0054] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments, the roller brush assembly 31 includes a first roller brush 311 and a second roller brush 312. The first roller brush 311 is spaced apart from the guide section 2112, and the second roller brush 312 is spaced apart from both the end of the guide section 2112 and the first roller brush 311. The first roller brush 311 and the second roller brush 312 are drive-connected to achieve synchronous rotation. The pallet removal mechanism 30 also includes a pallet recovery plate 32 and a blocking block 33. The pallet recovery plate 32 is disposed at the end of the removal conveying channel 30a, and the blocking block 33 is located in the extension direction of the input end of the pallet recovery plate 32. The second roller brush 312 is located below the blocking block 33, and the second roller brush 312 is capable of pushing the pallet out from the gap between the pallet recovery plate 32 and the blocking block 33.

[0055] Understandably, the roller brush assembly 31 in this embodiment includes a first roller brush 311 and a second roller brush 312. The first roller brush 311 is used to press down on the empty pallet when one end of the pallet just leaves the tipping conveyor channel 20a, and cooperates with the guide section 2112 of the first conveyor belt 211 to completely remove the pallet from the tipping conveyor channel. Subsequently, the empty pallet is conveyed to the end of the removal conveyor channel 30a, and is pushed towards the pallet recycling plate 32 by the rotation of the second roller brush 312. During the push-out process, some pallets that move away from the pallet recycling plate 32 will be blocked by the blocking block 33 and fall back to the pallet recycling plate 32. These empty pallets flow into the pallet recycling container or fall on the pallet recycling plate 32 for manual collection after passing through the pallet recycling plate 32.

[0056] In some embodiments, the position of at least one of the first roller brush 311 and the second roller brush 312 on the frame 10 is adjustable relative to the frame 10 to adjust the spacing between the roller brush and the guide section 2112 to accommodate trays of different sizes and improve the applicability of the fruit tray separator 100.

[0057] Please refer to the following: Figure 2 and Figure 4For example, a chain drive mechanism is provided between one of the driven sprockets 223 in the second conveying assembly 22 and the first roller brush 311, and another chain drive mechanism is provided between the first roller brush 311 and the second roller brush 312 to achieve synchronous rotation of the three. That is, the first drive motor 226 drives the drive sprocket 224 to rotate, the drive sprocket 224 causes the driven sprocket 223 to rotate through the chain belt 222, the driven sprocket 223 drives the first roller brush 311 to rotate through the chain drive mechanism between the driven sprocket 223 and the first roller brush 311, and the first roller brush 311 then drives the second roller brush 312 to rotate through the other chain drive mechanism between the first roller brush 311 and the second roller brush 312. The chain and sprocket configuration of the above chain drive mechanism can be set according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0058] In other embodiments, the roller brush assembly 31 may also be provided with an independent drive motor and connected to the first roller brush 311 or the second roller brush 312, while the first roller brush 311 and the second roller brush 312 are connected by a transmission to achieve synchronous rotation.

[0059] In other embodiments, the pallet removal mechanism 30 can remove the pallet in other ways. For example, the pallet leaving the flip transport channel can be removed by a mechanical gripper or by blowing air with an air gun.

[0060] Please refer to the following: Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first conveying assembly 21 further includes a second drive motor 215, which is connected to the drive roller 213 and is used to rotate the drive roller 213 to drive the first conveyor belt 211. The first drive motor 226 and the second drive motor 215 can be configured to rotate at different speeds, so that the supporting section 2111 of the first conveyor belt 211 and the pressing section 2211 of the second conveyor belt 221 move synchronously to jointly clamp and convey the tray containing fruits and vegetables.

[0061] In other embodiments, the flipping conveyor 20 is only provided with a first drive motor 226, and the drive sprocket 224 can be connected to the drive roller 213 for transmission, so that the drive roller 213 drives the drive sprocket 224 to rotate, and then the drive sprocket 224 drives the chain belt 222 to move. The chain belt 222 drives the second conveyor belt 221 to move, thereby realizing the synchronous movement of the supporting section 2111 of the first conveyor belt 211 and the pressing section 2211 of the second conveyor belt 221, which together clamp and convey the tray containing fruits and vegetables.

[0062] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 4In some embodiments, the second conveyor belt 221 also includes an output section 2212 connected to the holding section 2211. The conveying direction of the output section 2212 is inclined downward at a preset angle relative to the horizontal plane. The output section 2212 is used to continue to receive and convey fruits and vegetables after they are separated from the tray.

[0063] Understandably, after the holding section 2211, the second conveyor belt 221 is further provided with a downwardly inclined output section 2212. When the fruits and vegetables separate from the tray at the flipping apex, they fall onto the lower second conveyor belt 221 and are continued to be received by this inclined output section 2212. Furthermore, by utilizing the inclined conveyor surface, the fruits and vegetables are allowed to glide or roll smoothly under gravity, or continue to be conveyed by the movement of the second conveyor belt 221, rather than falling directly. This embodiment of the application, through the above-described configuration, provides an effective buffer and transition for the separated fruits and vegetables, avoiding the potentially large impact of them falling directly onto the downstream conveyor belt, further protecting the fruits and vegetables, and achieving a smooth connection with subsequent processes.

[0064] Optionally, the end of the output section 2212 of the second conveyor belt 221 may be equipped with a fruit box or connected to another conveyor belt to package fruits and vegetables or transport them to the next process.

[0065] For example, the number and position of the drive sprocket 224 and driven sprocket 223 on the frame 10 can be set according to actual needs. Also for example, at least one of the drive sprocket 224 and driven sprocket 223 can be adjusted relative to the frame 10 to adjust the tension of the second conveyor belt 221 by adjusting the tension of the chain belt 222, or to adjust the tilt angle of the output section 2212 of the second conveyor belt 221 relative to the horizontal plane by adjusting a portion of the contour of the chain belt 222.

[0066] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first conveyor belt 211 further includes an input section 2113, the supporting section 2111 connects to the input section 2113, and the first conveying assembly 21 further includes an auxiliary support member 216, which is located below and abuts against the input section 2113.

[0067] Understandably, the first conveyor belt 211 has an input section 2113 before the support section 2111, and an auxiliary support member 216 is added below the input section 2113. When a pallet fully loaded with fruits and vegetables is placed into the input section 2113, this support member can provide additional rigid support to prevent the conveyor belt from sinking or shaking due to heavy pressure, ensuring that the pallet can maintain a stable posture before entering the flipping conveyor channel 20a, which is convenient for it to be smoothly pressed and clamped by the second conveyor component 22, thereby improving the stability of the pallet and fruit and vegetable input process.

[0068] For example, the auxiliary support 216 may be a support plate or a roller.

[0069] In some embodiments, the second conveyor belt 221 includes a plurality of spaced rollers 2213, each end of which is connected to a corresponding chain belt 222 and can move with the chain belt 222.

[0070] Understandably, the second conveyor belt 221 does not use a traditional flat belt, but rather multiple parallel rollers 2213, with both ends of the rollers 2213 connected to the chain belts 222 on both sides. When the chain belts 222 move, these rollers 2213 also move. When the second conveyor belt 221 presses down on fruits and vegetables, the rollers 2213 can interact with the surface of the fruits and vegetables through rolling contact rather than sliding friction, greatly reducing the friction on the surface of the fruits and vegetables, and providing good protection for fruits and vegetables with delicate skins (such as pears and peaches).

[0071] For example, the roller 2213 can be a foam roller 2213, which can alleviate the squeezing of fruits and vegetables through its own elastic deformation and prevent the fruits and vegetables from being squeezed and damaged.

[0072] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 In another aspect, this application also provides a fruit and vegetable sorting device, including the fruit tray separator 100 as described in the above embodiment.

[0073] It is understandable that applying the fruit tray separator 100 in the above embodiments to fruit and vegetable sorting equipment not only significantly improves efficiency and reduces labor intensity during transportation or packaging, but also effectively avoids bumps and damage to fruits and vegetables during the separation process by using gravity for flexible separation, thus ensuring the quality of fruits and vegetables.

[0074] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it; under the concept of this utility model, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of this utility model as described above. For the sake of brevity, they are not provided in detail; although the present utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A fruit tray separator, characterized in that, include: frame; A flipping conveyor mechanism is provided on the frame, and the flipping conveyor mechanism is provided with a preset arc-shaped path for conveying and flipping the tray containing fruits and vegetables upward; A tray removal mechanism is mounted on the frame and located at the end of the preset arc-shaped path; The flipping conveyor mechanism flips the tray along the preset arc path, causing the fruits and vegetables to separate from the tray under the action of gravity, and the tray removal mechanism removes the separated tray.

2. The fruit tray separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flipping conveyor mechanism includes: A first conveying assembly includes a first conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt including a support section for supporting the pallet; The second conveying assembly includes a second conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt including a pressing section for pressing the fruits and vegetables, the supporting section and the pressing section being spaced apart to form a flipping conveying channel; The supporting section and the pressing section move synchronously along the preset arc path to clamp and drive the tray and the fruits and vegetables through the flipping conveyor channel to achieve flipping.

3. The fruit tray separator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first conveying component further includes: A driven roller is mounted on the frame and connected to the first conveyor belt; An active roller is mounted on the frame and connected to the first conveyor belt to drive the first conveyor belt to move. A first arc-shaped tensioning member is disposed on the frame. The first arc-shaped tensioning member abuts against the first conveyor belt from the outside of the first conveyor belt and together with the driven roller and the driving roller, tensions the first conveyor belt. The first arc-shaped tensioning member is used to adapt the contour of the supporting section to the preset arc-shaped path.

4. The fruit tray separator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second conveying assembly includes: The second conveyor belt has a corresponding chain belt connected to each side edge in the length direction; A driven sprocket is mounted on the frame and connected to the chain belt; A drive sprocket, mounted on the frame and connected to the chain belt, is used to drive the chain belt to move the second conveyor belt; The second arc-shaped tensioning member is disposed on the frame. The second arc-shaped tensioning member abuts against the chain belt from the inside of the chain belt and together with the driven sprocket and the driving sprocket, tensions the chain belt to make the second conveyor belt tensioned. The second arc-shaped tensioning member is used to make the contour of the pressing section adapt to the preset arc-shaped path by tensioning the chain belt.

5. The fruit tray separator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first conveyor belt includes a guide section connecting the support section, and the pallet removal mechanism includes a roller brush assembly disposed on the frame. The roller brush assembly and the guide section are spaced apart to form a removal conveying channel. The roller brush assembly and the guide section move synchronously to clamp and drive the pallet away from the fruits and vegetables through the removal conveying channel.

6. The fruit tray separator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second conveying assembly includes a first drive motor, which is connected to the drive sprocket. The driven sprocket is connected to the roller brush assembly. The first drive motor drives the drive sprocket to rotate and drives the roller brush assembly to rotate through the driven sprocket.

7. The fruit tray separator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second conveyor belt also includes an output section connected to the holding section. The conveying direction of the output section is inclined downward at a preset angle relative to the horizontal plane. The output section is used to continue to receive and convey the fruits and vegetables after they are separated from the tray.

8. The fruit tray separator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first conveyor belt further includes an input section, and the supporting section connects to the input section. The first conveying assembly further includes an auxiliary support member, which is located below the input section and abuts against the input section.

9. The fruit tray separator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second conveyor belt includes a plurality of spaced rollers, each end of which is connected to a corresponding chain belt and can move with the chain belt.

10. A fruit and vegetable sorting device, characterized in that, Includes the fruit tray separator as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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