Harvesting conveyor belt for mushrooms

Abstract

The present invention relates to a harvesting conveyor belt for mushrooms, comprising a conveyor belt, having a width and extending in a length direction perpendicular to said width, comprising at least one aperture for receiving a mushroom stipe, wherein said aperture comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length decreases, wherein the decrease in the length of the aperture extends over at least 20 mm in the width direction and the decrease is between 10 and 20 mm and in particular between 15 and 20 mm at least 20 mm in the length direction.

Description

[0001] Harvesting conveyor belt for mushrooms

[0002] The present invention relates to a harvesting conveyor belt for mushrooms.

[0003] It is known in the art to make use of harvesting conveyor belts when harvesting mushrooms. These belts are usually arranged besides or along the growing beds for the mushrooms and may extend to a sorting and packaging location or station. The use of conveyor belts takes away the need for harvesters to carry baskets with them.

[0004] The harvesting conveyor belts according to the art can mainly be divided in two types: those with rounded holes or apertures for receiving the stipe of a mushroom, and those that are actually composed of two conveyor belts that are placed next to each other, with a gap in between for receiving the stipe of a mushroom.

[0005] A common disadvantage of both types however is that they are optimised for one size of mushrooms. In case of a harvesting belt with rounded holes, the diameter of the holes sets restrictions to a maximum size of the stipe and a minimum size of the cap of the mushrooms. One solution may be to provide multiple sizes of holes in the conveyor belt, but this makes the harvesting process more difficult for the harvesters.

[0006] The solutions with a belt with gap have the additional disadvantages of a more complex construction and the fact that their use is mainly limited to horizontal transportation of the mushrooms, since mushrooms may tend to slide when an up- or downhill trajectory is comprised.

[0007] Nowadays mushroom growing cells and shelvings have growing beds at multiple levels, which makes it necessary to transport the harvested mushrooms from different levels to the sorting and packaging location. For that purpose, the state of the art conveyor belts have appeared to be less suitable. The European patent EP3741204B1 describes a harvesting conveyor belt suitable for transporting mushrooms in a downward or an upward slope. However, each configuration is only suitable for one of both. It is therefore a goal of the present invention to provide a conveyor belt for harvesting mushrooms that takes away the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0008] The invention thereto proposes a conveyor belt, having a width and extending in a length direction perpendicular to said width, comprising at least one aperture for receiving a mushroom stipe, wherein said aperture comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length decreases, wherein the decrease in the length of the aperture extends in the width direction over a distance that is more than half of the decrease in length.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the decrease in the length of the aperture extends over at least 20 mm in the width direction and the decrease is between 10 and 20 mm and in particular between 15 and 20 mm at least 20 mm in the length direction.

[0010] The belt according to the invention has an aperture for receiving mushrooms, with a varying length and is this suitable for accommodating mushrooms with stipes of different sizes. The wedge-like shape that is the result of the decrease in length of the aperture allows to place mushrooms with a range of stipe-sizes.

[0011] The orientation of the decrease in the length of the aperture may either be to the direction of one or the other long sides of the conveyor belt. This allows a mushroom to remain stable in a downhill trajectory, and in case of an uphill trajectory. This has the benefit that gravity does not cause mushrooms to be pulled toward the direction where the hole has a larger diameter. The harvesting conveyor according to the invention is used in combination with a trajectory where the conveyor belt is only twisted at locations where mushrooms are to be discharged from the belt. In a preferred embodiment, the decrease in the length of the aperture extends over at least 25 and preferably over at least 30 mm. These sizes allow to place the normal range of mushroom sizes.

[0012] The decrease in width is preferably a a gradual decrease, so harvesters can place the mushroom at the widest part of the aperture and then move it to the smaller part to clamp it.

[0013] Although multiple forms and shapes are thinkable, those wherein the decrease in length is a linear decrease may be preferred for the ease of production.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the harvesting conveyor according to the invention comprises at least one aperture for receiving a mushroom stipe, wherein said aperture comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length increases. In other words, there is also a decrease in the length of the aperture in the other direction. This increase (or reversely oriented decrease) in the length of the aperture may also extend over at least 20 mm in the length direction and the increase is between 10 and 20 mm and in particular between 15 and 20 mm at least 20 mm in the width direction. This allows to put two mushrooms in an aperture.

[0015] The increase and decrease of the width of the aperture may be in different apertures, but in a further embodiment of the present invention, they are part of the same aperture. This aperture comprises for instance a diamond shape, in particular a rounded diamond shape.

[0016] However, an aperture comprising a triangular shape, in particular a rounded triangular shape is also thinkable.

[0017] In case of multiple apertures, at least some of them may be mirorred in a mirror line in the length direction of the conveyor belt. Said conveyor belt may preferably be an endless belt. The invention also relates to a mushroom harvesting device, comprising a harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, guided around at leas two rollers, wherein at least one of the rollers is provided with a drive. At least part of the harvesting conveyor belt may herein extend uphill or downhill between a pair of rollers it is guided around.

[0018] In particular the present invention relates to a harvesting conveyor belt having an aperture with a droplet shape, in particular a rounded droplet shape, wherein a tapered end of the droplet points toward a side in the width direction of the belt.

[0019] The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures. Herein:

[0020] - Figures 1 shows a harvesting conveyor belt with a number of apertures according to the present invention;

[0021] - Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a harvesting conveyor belt according to the present invention; and

[0022] - Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a harvesting conveyor belt according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a harvesting conveyor belt for mushrooms, comprising a conveyor belt 1 , having a width and extending in a length direction 3 perpendicular to said width 2, and comprising a number of examples of apertures 4, 5, 6, 7, each for receiving a mushroom stipe A. The mushroom stipe A has a smaller diameter than the mushroom cap B, that is supported by the conveyor belt 1 . Figure 1 shows a belt that has apertures 4, 5, 6, 7, with different shapes, having in common that all apertures 4, 5, 6, 7, comprise in the width direction 2 of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length 8, 9, 10, 11 decreases, wherein the decrease in the length 8, 9, 10, 11 of the aperture 4, 5, 6, 7 extends over at least 20 mm in the width direction and the decrease is between 10 and 20 mm in the length direction. As such, the decrease in the length of the aperture extends in the width direction over a distance that is more than half of the decrease in length. Mushrooms can be placed in the apertures by a harvester and then be shifted in the direction 3A, until their stipe touches the edge of the aperture. The shape of the aperture having a part wherein its length decreases guarantees that there is always one position where a mushroom is supported, regardless of its size. In a practical embodiment, all apertures of one specific conveyor belt are likely to have the same or an identical shape. All embodiments of a belt according to the invention also provide the benefit of being able to support mushrooms of various sizes.

[0024] Figure 2 shows a harvesting conveyor 12, according to the invention, wherein the decrease in the width W of the aperture extends over a width W of at least 25 and preferably over at least 30 mm. The decrease L in length is a gradual decrease and more in particular a linear decrease, leading to an essentially triangular shape of the aperture. The conveyor belt comprises multiple apertures 13-20, of which the triangular shapes are rounded at their comers, and wherein at least some apertures 17-20 are mirrored in a mirror line in width direction (not shown).

[0025] Figure 3 shows yet a further embodiment 21 of a conveyor belt according to the invention, wherein all apertures 22-26 comprise a rounded diamond shape. Aperture 24 is provided with size indicators in millimetres, showing optimal experimental sizes of the aperture. Subsequent apertures may for instance be at least 30 mm spaced, and the conveyor belt is preferably an endless belt.

[0026] The examples given are examples only and do by no means (serve to) limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the following claims.

Claims

Claims1 . Harvesting conveyor for mushrooms, comprising:- A conveyor belt, having a width and extending in a length direction perpendicular to said width;- comprising at least one aperture for receiving a mushroom stipe, wherein- said aperture comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length decreases, characterised in that:- decrease in the length of the aperture extends in the width direction over a distance that is more than half of the decrease in length.

2. Harvesting conveyor, according to claim 1 , wherein the decrease in the length of the aperture extends over at least 20 mm in the width direction, preferably at least 25 mm and more preferably over at least 30 mm, and the decrease is between 10 and 20 mm and in particular between 15 and 20 mm.

3. Harvesting conveyor, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the decrease in length is a gradual decrease.

4. Harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the decrease in length is a linear decrease.

5. Harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one aperture for receiving a mushroom stipe, wherein said aperture comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length increases.

6. Harvesting conveyor according to claim 5, wherein the increase in the length of the aperture extends over at least 20 mm in the width direction and the increase is between 10 and 20 mm and in particular between 15 and 20 mm at least 20 mm in the length direction.

7. Harvesting conveyor according to claim 5 of 6, wherein the aperture that comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length decreases and the aperture that comprises in the width direction of the conveyor belt at least a part wherein its length increases are one and the same aperture.

8. Harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture comprises a diamond shape, in particular a rounded diamond shape or a droplet shape, in particular a rounded droplet shape.

9. Harvesting conveyor according to any of claims 1 -7, wherein the aperture comprises a triangular shape, in particular a rounded triangular shape.

10. Harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, comprising multiple apertures.11 . Harvesting conveyor according to claim 10, wherein at least some apertures are mirorred in a mirror line in length direction.

12. Harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor belt is an endless belt.

13. Mushroom harvesting device, comprising a harvesting conveyor according to any of the preceding claims, guided around at least two rollers, wherein at least one of the rollers is provided with a drive.

14. Mushroom harvesting device according to claim 13, wherein at least part of the harvesting conveyor belt extends uphill or downhill between a pair of rollers it is guided around.

15. Method for transporting mushrooms, in particular uphill or downhill, comprising the use of a harvesting conveyor according to any of claims 1-12 and / or a device according to claim 13 or 14.

Images