AUTOMATIC LOADING OF A PACKAGE WITH CELLS PRE-FILLED WITH FRUIT OR VEGETABLES

Abstract

To load trays into a package (51), a conveyor (20) brings the trays into a loading area (100), where they are transferred onto a plate (31) of a guillotine gate (30) that is movable only horizontally. From there, the trays are inserted into the package below the movable plate. The trays can be received by a sling assembly (40) below the movable plate (31) when the gate opens and the movable plate retracts, by horizontal translation in the direction of conveying, under a longitudinal stop element (32). This element is arranged in the upper part (101) of the loading area directly above the movable plate, in a longitudinal position forward of the plate when it is in its rearmost position and behind it when it is in its frontmost position. The compartment then descended towards the bottom of the package. See Fig. 2 for the abbreviated version.

Description

Title of the invention: AUTOMATIC LOADING OF A PACKAGE WITH CELLS PRE-FILLED WITH FRUIT OR VEGETABLES technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the automatic filling of a package, in particular a tray, a "bushel", a tray or a crate, with objects such as compartments previously filled with fruits or vegetables. Previous technique

[0002] Products such as fruits and vegetables, particularly round fruits such as apples or tomatoes, can be transported and / or stored by being placed on honeycomb supports (or cells) with indentations to retain the products. Once filled, each cell is then placed in a package, for example a cardboard box or other container, generally stacked with at least one other cell to form a stack of stacked cells. The external dimensions of the cells are so closely adapted to the internal dimensions of the package, in order to properly secure the products and prevent them from bumping against each other and being damaged, that the cells must be stacked manually in the packages. This manual loading of the packages with the cells is a tedious, repetitive operation that requires the constant attention of an operator and can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) for that operator.

[0003] Document EP0042199 discloses a device for the automatic placement of items in containers or crates, which addresses the drawback that the height at which items are placed depends on the number of layers of items already stacked in the crate, and another drawback that the placement of items must be interrupted when a full crate needs to be replaced by an empty one. The proposed solution to these problems consists of a temporary base that may include a band-shaped strap having a width substantially corresponding to the width of the crate, said strap having ends that are attached to rollers. The strap can be unwound and wound, off the rollers and onto said rollers, respectively, to lower or raise the temporary base, respectively. The strap preferably has an upper face having substantially the same dimensions as the plane of the crate base.Furthermore, a frame can be moved up and down, this frame carrying two guide pins having a mutual distance corresponding substantially to the length of the crates. In a portion of its length, the strap includes an opening of which... The length corresponds at least to the length of the crate base. Thus, when the belt is wound / unwound until this opening is at least partially aligned with the crate base, the items begin to pass through this opening to reach the base of the crate. When the opening is fully aligned with the base of the crate, all the products rest directly on the base of the crate, through the opening. The belt can then be raised by rotating each roller in the opposite direction to its descent, to remove the belt from the crate while leaving the stacked items in place inside, in order to initiate a new cycle of filling a new empty crate.

[0004] In this device, the items are placed directly and individually onto the temporary base or onto an underlying layer of already arranged products, via a movable opening in two directions orthogonal to each other. This makes the device slow and therefore poorly suited to the high speeds required in modern fruit or vegetable packaging applications. Furthermore, as mentioned in the document itself, this device may not be suitable for items that lack a certain degree of flexibility, due to constraints related to raising the strap to remove it from the crate. For items with less flexibility, such as boxes, free space must be reserved in the crate to allow the strap to be raised, resulting in a loss of space within the crate.

[0005] US patent 8015781 discloses a loading device (or loader) capable of inserting tightly fitting items, such as trays of fruits and vegetables, into a receptacle. The loader includes a slinging subsystem arranged at the level of a loading chamber. Furthermore, the loader also includes a conveying subsystem, or infeed conveyor, having a plurality of individual belts and a plurality of conveyor blades. These conveyor blades are normally positioned slightly upstream and above the level of the belts. They can move forward in the direction of the loading chamber. The belts are also aligned with, and positioned above, a second set of blades.The second set of blades can be raised to contact the lower length of the belts from below, pushing the upper length of the belts upwards so that they rise above the level of the conveyor blades. In this way, any item resting on the conveyor blades is carried along with the movement of the belts and deposited into the loading chamber. The conveyor blades can then be retracted to the rear. The loader also includes a subsystem of flaps and legs, which is located in the general area of ​​the loading chamber, in front of the infeed conveyor. This subsystem includes a set of legs. at the rear end. The legs are connected to a rotating rod. The rotating rod is further connected to an actuator, which rotates the rod to move the entire assembly of legs from horizontal to vertical so that they are higher than the upper surfaces of the flaps.

[0006] In operation, the rear leg assembly is positioned horizontally while awaiting delivery of an item onto the flaps and is programmed to activate when an item is placed on the flaps. After an item is delivered to the upper surfaces of the flaps, the rear leg assembly is actuated from the horizontal to the vertical position. The front stop plate is adapted and arranged to prevent items delivered by the blades onto the upper surfaces of the flaps from being transported beyond the delivery area. To deliver the item to be stacked inside the container onto the flaps, the blades transport this first item over the flaps. Then, the rear leg assembly is positioned vertically. This prevents items from being pulled backward when the blades retract. In other words, the leg assembly holds the items in position while the blades retract from beneath the item.

[0007] The positioning of an item (alignment along the front-to-back axis) is ensured during the retraction of the transport blades by the rear stop formed by the set of rear tabs thus raised. The front stop plate, for its part, has the sole function of preventing items from being transported beyond the deposit area, forward, during their delivery onto the upper surfaces of the flaps by the blades. In addition, the flaps serve only to hold the first tray to be inserted into an empty container, before it is delivered to the slinging subsystem. They then pivot from horizontal to vertical, like the doors of a bomb bay (or "bomb bay" style doors), to place the first item onto a sling of the slinging subsystem. The flaps maintain their vertical position during the complete loading of a given container.Subsequent items to be placed in the same container are brought in and placed in the same way by the blades, but are placed directly on and over an item already placed on the sling, until a container is completely full and replaced by an empty one. The flaps are then raised back to the horizontal position, ready to receive the next item, which is inserted first into the next empty container.

[0008] The entire loader is controlled to operate according to the programmed sequence of events mentioned above. To this end, displacement sensors send signals to a computer system as input data to a computer program (software) to trigger each of the appropriate actions of the processes of the slinging subsystem and its associated loading subsystem described above.

[0009] The drawback of this loader lies in the high complexity of the flap and leg subsystem that holds the trays before they are delivered to the slinging subsystem. This complexity is partly due to the structure and operating mode of the upstream conveying subsystem. This results in a significant risk of malfunctions and breakdowns, requiring relatively frequent and extensive maintenance.

[0010] The invention aims to provide an alternative to the devices for replacing manual loading known in the prior art identified and briefly discussed above, which is capable of accurately loading and stacking products previously arranged in groups on supports of the honeycomb type, for example, said supports being of dimensions closely adapted to the dimensions of the package, and this at an acceptable speed while respecting the integrity of the products, and being of a simple design and requiring only reduced maintenance. Description of the invention

[0011] This objective is achieved, in accordance with the invention, by means of a machine for loading at least one object, in particular a compartment previously filled with fruit or vegetables, into a top-loading package, in particular a telescopic bushel-type crate, said machine comprising: a. a fixed chassis defining a loading area with an upper part and a lower part; b. a feed conveyor having an inlet end and an outlet end and extending in a determined longitudinal direction and conveying direction, between said inlet end and said outlet end, adapted to bring objects sequentially into the upper part of the loading area; c. a guillotine gate disposed between the upper and lower parts of the loading area, having a plate that is movable only horizontally and controlled to move alternately from front to back and from back to front, between a rearmost position corresponding to a fully closed state of the guillotine gate and a frontmost position corresponding to a fully open state of said gate, said movable plate being adapted to individually receive objects transferred sequentially from the outfeed end of the infeed conveyor when said movable plate is in its rearmost position; and, d. an insertion device arranged in the lower part of the loading area below the movable plate of the guillotine hatch when said plate is in its extreme rear position, and adapted to, on the one hand, receive from above, when the guillotine hatch opens, an object previously transferred from the infeed conveyor onto the movable plate of said hatch and, on the other hand, lower the object in a controlled manner towards the bottom of the package previously positioned below, in the lower part of the loading area, e. at least one longitudinal stop element, arranged in the upper part of the loading area directly above the level of the moving plate of the guillotine hatch, in a position following the direction forward of said moving plate when it is in its extreme rear position and backward of said moving plate when it is in its extreme front position; the insertion device being adapted to receive the object from the movable plate of the guillotine hatch via the erasure of said plate, by horizontal translation in the direction of conveying, under the longitudinal stop element when opening said hatch.

[0012] The longitudinal stop element is adapted to ensure the referencing of the object, along the conveying direction X, relative to the underlying insertion assembly, and this in a more reliable manner and with simpler means than in the prior art.

[0013] In one embodiment, the tray feed conveyor is an endless belt conveyor that provides, for the transfer of objects to the moving plate of the guillotine gate, a level of adhesion to the objects on the belt that is greater than the adhesion offered to said objects by the surface of said moving plate. Such a conveyor allows the transport of objects by means of an endlessly driven conveyor belt powered by at least one drive unit, such as a geared motor. The drive unit may be located in the center of the belt in the case of a center drive, or at the inlet or outlet end of the belt in the case of an end drive.A belt conveyor consists of an endless conveyor belt, a supporting frame with a sliding base (or rollers) that supports the upper portion of the belt from below, a belt drive drum driven by the motor unit, and one or two end rollers depending on whether the drive is end-drive or center-drive, respectively. In addition, an automatic tensioning device, either gravity-driven or screw-driven, is generally included to maintain the required belt tension.

[0014] The fact that the adhesion of the objects transported on the conveyor belt is greater than the adhesion of the objects on the moving plate of the guillotine gate facilitates the transfer of cells from the belt to the plate. For example, the conveyor belt may be a belt made of or coated with a relatively sticky material, such as polyurethane, while the moving plate is a plate made of or coated with a relatively non-stick material, such as stainless steel.

[0015] In embodiments, the longitudinal stop element can be a transverse extension rail, integral with the chassis.

[0016] In embodiments, the insertion device may include a sling assembly with straps.

[0017] For example, the sling assembly may include a plurality of straps extending parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction through the top of the lower part of the loading area, which are unwindable and rewindable by means of synchronously controlled reels, each arranged on one side or the other of said loading area along said longitudinal direction.

[0018] In embodiments, the insertion device may include a mobile trolley arranged in the longitudinal direction on the side opposite the loading area relative to the reels, to which the straps are attached in a detachable and re-attachable manner, and which is adapted to release said straps after the descent into the package of a batch of objects filling said package in order to deposit said batch of objects into the package and to allow the rewinding of the straps in the reels, on the one hand, and to move in front of the loading area to again grasp a free end of the straps after their rewinding in the reels, and to stretch said straps across the loading area for the purpose of loading a subsequent package, on the other hand.

[0019] In embodiments, the reels can be arranged downstream of the loading area in the longitudinal direction, the mobile trolley being arranged to move upstream of said area during the transfer of objects from the movable plate of the guillotine hatch to the insertion device, and being adapted to move forward through the loading area to grasp downstream of said area a free end of the straps after their release and rewinding in the reels, and then to move backward to pull the straps and bring them back behind the loading area in order to tension the straps through said area.

[0020] In some embodiments, the insertion device may comprise a first transverse beam and a second transverse beam which are arranged in front of the loading area, a. the first transverse beam supporting a first set of hollow brackets extending forwards, with one such bracket for the passage of one of the respective straps of the slinging device, b. the second crossbeam being arranged in front of the first crossbeam and supporting a second set of hollow shoes extending rearward towards the opposite hollow shoes of the first set of shoes, with one such shoe for the passage of one of the respective straps of the slinging device, c. pairs of hollow shoes opposed longitudinally each comprising a determined hollow shoe from the first set of shoes and a corresponding determined hollow shoe from the second set of shoes forming a guide channel for each of the straps of the slinging device, respectively.

[0021] In embodiments, the insertion device may include a sliding connecting piece for each pair of hollow shoes, said sliding connecting piece being hollow and adapted to enclose the corresponding strap in continuity with the opposite shoes of said pair of shoes, and being mounted in a sliding manner along the longitudinal direction between the opposite hollow shoes of the pair of hollow shoes so that when the first cross beam and the second cross beam are brought closer together or moved further apart, the straps of the slinging device each remain enclosed in a guide channel formed by a pair of opposite shoes and by the associated sliding connecting piece.

[0022] In embodiments, the mobile trolley may include clamps in a number and position along the transverse direction which correspond to the straps of the sling device, and wherein, for grasping the free ends of the straps of the sling device, the mobile trolley is adapted to push the first crossbeam forward in the direction of the second crossbeam so that, the straps of the sling device being immobilized longitudinally, the free end of said straps is released rearward by the relative forward movement of the shoes of the first pair of shoes with the first crossbeam which carries them, and can engage in the clamps for the purpose of fixing the straps on the mobile trolley by means of said clamps when they are closed.

[0023] In embodiments, the second beam can carry return roller means adapted to return the straps to the reels, said second beam being adapted to be moved along the longitudinal direction in order to adjust the tension of the straps by means common to said straps.

[0024] In embodiments, the machine may further include means for bending an object along the transverse direction, when said object rests on the straps of the sling assembly, by creating a belly in the sling assembly at the level of at least one central strap of said sling assembly.

[0025] In embodiments applicable to a limited machine in that it corresponds to a machine in which the straps of the sling assembly are returned by means of roller return which are carried by the second transverse beam whose positioning along said direction is controlled to adjust the nominal tension of the straps, it can also be provided that: a. The means for bending a cell comprise a central strap return block with a lower return roller and an upper return roller with respective axes of rotation which are parallel to each other, the axis of rotation of one of said rollers being fixed, while the axis of rotation of the other roller is movable along the longitudinal direction according to the state of a two-state actuation member, relative to the axis of rotation of the first of said rollers while remaining parallel to it, b. the central strap enters the pulley block from above from a corresponding winder located in front of the insertion device, and exits from below the lower roller towards the rear of said device; and, c. the winding angle of the central strap around the lower roller is, in a first state of the actuation member, less than said winding angle in the other state of the actuation member, so that the central strap is less taut in said first state than in said other state of the actuation member.

[0026] In embodiments, the machine may further include longitudinally extending side flanges arranged on each side of the guillotine hatch to laterally wedge objects on the movable plate of said hatch when said plate is in its rearmost position.

[0027] A second aspect of the invention relates to a fruit or vegetable processing installation, for example a fruit or vegetable pre-calibration and / or sorting machine, comprising a loading machine according to the first aspect above, for top loading of previously filled fruit or vegetable cavities into a package such as the bottom box of a bushel-type telescopic crate.

[0028] A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for loading objects, in particular trays previously filled with fruit or vegetables, into a top-loading package, in particular a bushel-type crate, said method comprising: • the bringing of objects in sequence into an upper part of a loading area, following a determined longitudinal direction and conveying direction; • the transfer of objects individually and sequentially onto a plate of a guillotine hatch which is movable only horizontally by being controlled to move alternately from front to back and from back to front between an extreme rear position corresponding to a state completely closed of the guillotine hatch and an extreme forward position corresponding to a completely open state of said hatch, when said movable plate is in its extreme rear position; • the insertion of each item from the top into a package previously positioned below the guillotine hatch in a lower part of the loading area below the movable plate of the guillotine hatch when said plate is in its rearmost position, in which the insertion of each item into the package from the top includes: • the reception of the object by an insertion device arranged in the lower part of the loading area below the moving plate of the guillotine hatch when said plate is in its rearmost position, from said plate when said hatch opens and the moving plate retracts, by horizontal translation in the direction of conveying, under a longitudinal stop element which is arranged in the upper part of the loading area directly above the level of the moving plate, in a longitudinal position in front of the moving plate when said plate is in its rearmost position and behind the moving plate when said moving plate is in its frontmost position; as well as, • the descent of the object towards the bottom of the package under the control of the insertion device.

[0029] In embodiments of the method, the infeed conveyor can offer, during the transfer of objects to the moving plate of the guillotine hatch, an adhesion to the objects which is greater than the adhesion offered to said objects by the surface of said plate.

[0030] In embodiments of the method, the insertion of an object into the package may include the transfer of said object from the movable plate of the guillotine hatch onto a sling assembly of the insertion device comprising a plurality of straps which extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction and which are unwindable and rewindable by means of respective reels controlled synchronously and arranged each on one side or the other of the loading area in said longitudinal direction.

[0031] In embodiments of the method, the sling assembly comprising a mobile trolley disposed on the opposite side, along the longitudinal direction of the loading area relative to the reels and to which the straps are attached in a detachable and reattachable manner, the method may further comprise: • the release of the straps after the lowering of a batch of items filling the package into the package, in order to deposit said batch of items into the package, and the rewinding of the straps in the reels; as well as • the movement of the mobile trolley across the loading area along its length to retrieve the straps after they have been released and rewound by the reels; and, • the tension of the straps across the loading area in preparation for loading the next package, by a new crossing along the longitudinal direction but in the opposite direction, of the loading area by the mobile trolley.

[0032] Finally, a fourth and final aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is loaded into memory and executed by a computer, implements all the steps of the process according to the third aspect as defined above. Brief description of the drawings

[0033] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. This description is purely illustrative and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which show: [Fig.l]: a diagram representing the insertion of a honeycomb-type object loaded with fruit into the bottom box of a bushel-type telescopic crate; [Fig.2]: a simplified, perspective diagram of a device according to embodiments of the invention in use; [Fig.3]: a cross-sectional diagram along a longitudinal plane of the device of [Fig.2]; [Fig.4]: a step diagram illustrating the main steps of an example of implementation of the process according to the invention; [Fig.5]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig.2] during a first step of an example of implementation of the process for inserting a first object into the package; [Fig.6]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig.2] during a second step of the example of implementation of the process for the first object; [Fig.7]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig.2] during a third step of the example of implementation of the process for the first object; [Fig.8]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] during a fourth step of the example of implementation of the process for the first object; [Fig.9]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig.2] during a fifth and final step of the example implementation of the process for the first object; [Fig. 10]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig. 2] of a new iteration of the first step of the example of implementation of the process, this time for the insertion into the package of a second object, on top of the first object; [Fig.11]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] of a new iteration of the second step of the example of implementation of the process, for the insertion of the second object into the package; [Fig. 12]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] of a new iteration of the third step of the example of implementation of the process, for the insertion of the second object into the package; [Fig. 13]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] of a new iteration of the fourth step of the example of implementation of the process, for the insertion of the second object into the package; [Fig. 14]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] of a new iteration of the fifth and final step of the example of implementation of the process, for the insertion of the second object into the package; [Fig. 15]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] during a third of the first step of the example of implementation of the process, for the insertion into the package of a third object, on top of the second object; [Fig. 16]: a diagram, in cross-section, of the device of [Fig.2] when a maximum number of objects have been inserted by stacking into the package, after as many respective iterations of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth steps of the example implementation of the process; [Fig. 17]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig. 2] during a sixth step of the example implementation of the process; [Fig. 18]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig. 2] during a seventh step of the example implementation of the process; [Fig. 19]: a cross-sectional diagram of the device in [Fig. 2] during an eighth and final step of the example implementation of the process; [Fig. 20]: A simplified functional diagram of a system according to embodiments of the second aspect of the invention [Fig.21]: a perspective view of the main elements of the sling assembly of the device of [Fig.2]; [Fig.22]: a perspective view, from back to front, of a sling trolley and a front beam of the sling assembly of [Fig.21]; [Fig.23]: a perspective view, from front to back, of the front beam of [Fig.22] and a rear beam of the sling assembly of the device of [Fig.2]; [Fig.24]: a magnification of the intermediate area between the front beam and the rear beam of [Fig.23], in a longitudinal section plane; [Fig.25]: a detailed view of the strap-pulling trolley in position against the front beam of [Fig.22], in a longitudinal section plane; [Fig.26] a magnification of the view of [Fig.25], in another longitudinal section plane; [Fig.27]: a partial view, in a longitudinal section plane, of the strap-pulling trolley in position against the front beam, as well as of the rear beam, when the strap-pulling trolley comes into contact with the front beam to grasp the straps; [Fig.28]: a magnification of the view of [Fig.27], in another longitudinal section plane, when the trolley pulls straps continued its forward travel, advancing the front beam towards the rear beam; [Fig.29]: a magnification of the view of [Fig.27] comparable to that of [Fig.28], practically at the end of the stroke of the front beam to the rear beam; [Fig.30]: another magnified view in the same plane of section as [Fig.28] and [Fig.29] showing the rearward retraction of the strap-pulling carriage after the straps have been grasped; [Fig.31]: the same view as in [Fig.23], on which other elements of the rear beam are referenced, to illustrate a device for releasing a central strap of the set of languages, in a first state of said device in which the central strap is not released; [Fig.32]: the same view as in [Fig.31] in another state of the release device in which the central strap is released; [Fig.33]: a detailed view of the central strap release device of [Fig.31] and [Fig.32]; [Fig. 34]: the same view as [Fig. 33] in which a socket is shown in position on the straps of the language device while the central strap is loosened, to illustrate the bending of said socket thus obtained; and, [Fig. 35]: a view comparable to that of [Fig. 34], but viewed from the back to the front. Description of embodiments

[0034] There are various types of packaging for grouping fresh fruits or vegetables for transport, storage, display, and / or sale in bulk. For the purposes of this description, we consider the example of fruits or vegetables that are essentially round, such as apples or tomatoes. It goes without saying, however, that the scope of this description is not limited to this example. It also encompasses the packaging of other fruits or vegetables, for example, other stemmed fruits such as pears, plums, peaches, kiwis, or endives, melons, citrus fruits such as lemons, tangerines, or oranges, etc., without these examples being exhaustive.

[0035] Fresh fruits and vegetables presented and sold loose can easily be packaged in 1 kg or 1.5 kg bags, nets, sacks or trays or 2 kg, for example, in crates, or even in pallet boxes (a type of combination of a pallet and a relatively large box (for example, 1000 x 1200 mm or 1200 x 1200 mm)) for fruits or vegetables intended for industrial processing. Generally, however, higher-category fruits or vegetables, intended for fresh consumption, are transported and presented in trays (for example, four or six fruits or vegetables) or in crates. They therefore require a much more complex packaging process.

[0036] These premium fruits or vegetables are first grouped in a specific number and in predefined, spaced positions within semi-rigid flat packaging units such as trays with a honeycomb base. The cells in these trays can be spherical for round fruits and vegetables such as apples and tomatoes, or shaped to fit the shape of the fruit, for example, pears, figs, or kiwis. Such trays are commonly referred to as "cells" in the language of those skilled in the art. The purpose of arranging fruits or vegetables in such a cell is to protect them from potential shocks during handling and transport. The cells, previously filled with fruits or vegetables, must then be placed, in one or more layers, in transport packages, such as open-top trays or closed crates, which can be stacked on pallets.A bushel-type telescopic crate is a packaging crate closed by a removable lid, generally capable of holding fruits or vegetables in two or more superimposed layers, offering high strength and rigidity. It is particularly suitable for the international transport of fruits and vegetables.

[0037] In the context of this description, we consider the non-limiting example of pre-filled fruit or vegetable trays to be loaded into the bottom box of a bushel. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the invention is not limited to this example. It relates to a device and a method for loading any objects, including but not limited to pre-filled fruit or vegetable trays, onto or into any top-loading package. Instead of a bushel-type box as in the example considered, it could be, for example, a tray, a container, a box, or a crate, such as a cardboard box closed by flaps.

[0038] With reference to [Fig. 1], a telescopic closure box 50, or bushel-type box, consists of a bottom box 51, open at the top, with a parallelepiped volume, generally a rectangular parallelepiped, on the one hand, and a complementary lid 52, on the other hand, which fit together more or less deeply as required. For this purpose, the dimensions (length and width) The lid 52 is slightly larger than the base box 51. These two complementary parts 51 and 52 are generally made of corrugated cardboard.

[0039] The firmness of a bushel prevents any deformation or settling, making it particularly suitable for transport over medium and long distances. It can be designed to allow for a net weight of 18.2 kg for a traditional bushel (18 kg for a compact bushel) or 10.8 kg in the case of a so-called "3 / 5" bushel, regardless of the size or number of fruits. For apples, for example, and depending on the size of the fruit, the number of fruit layers varies from 2 to 6.

[0040] As shown in [Fig. 1], the fruits in a given layer are grouped in a predetermined number and in predefined, spaced positions within trays 1. The trays are semi-rigid, flat packaging units. Generally, the trays are rectangular in shape. They form flat supports suitable for receiving the products 3, namely fruits or vegetables. On the trays, the fruits or vegetables are generally arranged in parallel rows along the longest dimension of the tray, and, if necessary, in a staggered pattern along the shortest dimension of the trays, for reasons of space saving on the support. The tray size can be 500 x 300 mm or 600 x 400 mm, for example. The cubbies filled with fruit or vegetables can be stacked to form a stack of 2 (or a pile) of filled cubbies to be assembled and loaded into a parcel.

[0041] The trays can advantageously be made from recycled, 100% recyclable and biodegradable products, for example from Molded Cellulose (MC). Molded cellulose trays, known by the English term "traypack" (or "tray"), are specially adapted for transport after insertion into bushel-type telescopic crates. Alternatively, the trays can be made of paper or plastic, generally polypropylene (PP), expanded polystyrene (EPS), flexible solid polystyrene (FSPS), or polyethylene terephthalate, better known by its English acronym PET (for "polyethylene terephthalate"), which may optionally be recycled PET (r-PET), among other materials.

[0042] Figures 2 and 3 schematically and schematically illustrate a product loading machine equipped with an insertion device for depositing objects, in particular trays pre-filled with products such as fruits or vegetables, onto or into a receptacle formed by a top-loading package, in particular the bottom box of a bushel-type crate. The machine is adapted to deposit a predetermined number of filled trays, fed sequentially, to form and arrange the stack of trays directly into the receptacle. The loading machine may itself be part of an installation of product processing, such as an industrial-scale fruit or vegetable pre-calibration and sorting facility.

[0043] The device comprises a fixed frame, formed of a welded metal structure with uprights, longitudinal members, and cross members (not shown to avoid cluttering the drawings). This frame is fixed in the sense that it is immobile relative to the ground due to its significant weight and / or (generally) its fastening. Preferably, the frame is made integral with the ground, for example, a heavy-duty concrete slab, to which it can be fixed by any suitable means, for example, by bolting and / or anchoring. Hereafter, an element of the device or machine is considered fixed when it is integral with the frame, that is, when it is permanently mounted to an element of the frame, either directly or indirectly.Conversely, an element of the device or system is considered mobile (in translation or rotation, in particular) if it is mounted with a capacity for movement relative to the frame, to which it can be coupled, directly or indirectly, with at least one degree of freedom.

[0044] By virtue of its design, the frame defines a loading area 100, represented by dashed lines in the drawings, where the boxes are filled with the objects to be loaded. The loading area 100 comprises an upper part 101 and a lower part 102 separated by a closing hatch 30, in particular a guillotine hatch with a movable plate 31, which will be discussed later.

[0045] In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the loading machine is designed and adapted to automatically deposit, optionally in top-stacking order, pre-filled cavities of fruit or vegetables, namely apples in the example shown, into receptacles such as single-row (1 row) or multi-row bushel crates, for example 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 rows. A single-row crate is adapted to be completely filled when loaded with only one cavity. A multi-row crate (for example 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 rows) is adapted to be completely filled when it contains that many cavities stacked one above the other, along the vertical direction Z. In all cases, for loading a receptacle such as the bottom box 51 of a bushel crate 50 shown in [Fig.[l] This receptacle is located in the lower part 102 of the filling area 100, with its opening facing upwards. Figures 2 and 3 show three cavities 11, 12, and 13. In the context of these figures, cavities 11 and 12 are stacked one on top of the other (cavity 12 on top of cavity 11) and are being inserted into the box 51. The next cavity 13 is being brought by a conveyor to be stacked on top of cavities 11 and 12 in order to complete the stacking of the cavities and their insertion into the box 51.

[0046] The machine includes for this purpose a feed conveyor 20, having an inlet end 21 and an outlet end 22. The conveyor is, for example, a linear conveyor extending along a longitudinal direction X. The feed conveyor 20 may be substantially horizontal, as in the example shown in the drawings. However, depending on the layout of the various peripheral equipment of the machine, and / or other upstream or downstream equipment within the installation incorporating it, the entire feed conveyor 20, or only one or more longitudinal portions of the feed conveyor 20, may be inclined with respect to the horizontal. This allows for consideration of the differences in height (along the vertical direction Z) of these various pieces of equipment.

[0047] If the infeed conveyor 20 is not entirely linear, but includes a curved section, for example, the longitudinal direction X is considered to be the direction of the terminal linear section, that is, the locally straight direction at the outlet end 22 of the conveyor, along which the objects are transferred into the loading area 100. If the infeed conveyor 20 is not horizontal but is inclined with respect to the horizontal, the longitudinal direction X considered in this description corresponds to the projection, onto the horizontal plane, of the principal direction of the inclined plane of the conveyor. The compartments travel on the conveyor 20 in a specific direction and in a specific and unique conveying direction, namely along the longitudinal direction X from the inlet end 21 to the outlet end 22.

[0048] By convention, Y denotes the transverse direction (or direction perpendicular in a horizontal plane) to the longitudinal direction X of the infeed conveyor 20. When, as in the example shown, the infeed conveyor 20 is substantially horizontal, the directions X and Y define a horizontal plane. In the context of this description, both for the elements of the infeed conveyor and for the other elements of the loading machine and / or the product processing installation incorporating it, and unless explicitly stated otherwise, the terms "upstream," "downstream," "in front," "behind," "front," "back," and derivatives such as "forward" and "backward," as well as the verbs "advance" and "reverse" or equivalent verbs and derived nouns, are used with reference to the longitudinal direction X of the infeed conveyor and the aforementioned sense of conveying.In addition, terms such as "lateral", "laterally", "side" and "beside" are used with reference to the transverse direction Y. Furthermore, terms such as "on", "under", "above", "below" and their derivatives such as "above" and "below" or "over" and "underneath", the terms "lower" and "higher" as well as the verbs "up" and "down" or equivalent verbs and derived nouns, are used with reference to the vertical direction Z, or direction. terrestrial gravitational. In addition, the lengths, widths and heights mentioned in the description are dimensions considered, according to these conventions, with reference to the trio of directions {X,Y,Z} formed by the aforementioned longitudinal direction X, transverse direction Y and vertical direction Z, respectively.

[0049] The infeed conveyor 20 is preferably an endless belt conveyor, as shown in the drawings, although this embodiment is not mandatory. In other possible embodiments, the infeed conveyor 20 can be a roller conveyor, or even a bucket conveyor in the form of trays transporting each cell individually.

[0050] In the example shown, the infeed conveyor belt 20 can be arranged longitudinally between two end rollers as shown in the simplified representations given in the drawings, and driven by any suitable drive means (these means not being shown, so as not to overburden the figures in the drawings). Such drive means may include a drive drum arranged, for example, substantially in the center of the belt's length along the longitudinal direction X, that is, substantially equidistant from the inlet end 21 and the outlet end 22. In an alternative embodiment not shown, the belt can be arranged between a drive drum located at one end 21 or 22 of the conveyor 20, on the one hand, and an end roller located at the other end of the conveyor 20, on the other hand.This drum can be a motorized drum or a drum itself driven by a remote electric motor via a chain, for example, or by any other equivalent means. Since the various components of a belt conveyor are well known to those skilled in the art, it does not appear necessary to describe them in more detail here. Similarly, and apart from the end rollers at ends 21 and 22 of conveyor 20, these components are not shown in the drawings, so as not to unnecessarily clutter the figures.

[0051] The endless belt of the conveyor belt 20 is a flexible belt that can be made of any material, preferably inelastic in longitudinal tension, compatible with the required strength characteristics and with the applications envisaged in the food industry, particularly in a fruit or vegetable processing plant. In some embodiments, the belt is made of or coated with a relatively adhesive material, such as polyvinyl chloride (better known by its acronym PVC). For example, it is a conveyor belt for food products made of polyester (or other similar material) with a flexible PVC coating. Alternatively, it may be a single-material belt made of flexible PVC.

[0052] The inlet end 21 and the outlet end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20 correspond to a loading point and an unloading point, respectively, for the cavities. It is at these two points that the cavities are received from the upstream end and are transferred to the downstream end, respectively, of the infeed conveyor 20. The reception and transfer of the cavities onto and from the belt of the infeed conveyor 20 are generally carried out by gravity and / or due to the movement imparted to the transported cavities. In some embodiments, this reception and transfer are also carried out by using the differences in adhesion between the belt and the upstream and / or downstream transport elements to facilitate the reception of the cavities at the inlet and their release at the outlet.In particular, this will be explained further regarding the transfer of products, at the outlet end 22 of the belt conveyor, from said outlet end to a plate located downstream, in the upper part 101 of the filling area 100.

[0053] The dimensions of the belt are, moreover, adapted to the transport of the relevant cells in the intended application. Thus, the width of the belt is at least equal to the largest dimension of the cells, these two dimensions being the length and width of the cells, which are defined, without regard to the aforementioned conventions, by the largest and smallest dimensions, respectively, of the cells in the plane they define. In the example shown in the figures of the drawings, the cells arrive on the infeed conveyor arranged with their largest dimension (their "length") extending substantially along the transverse direction Y of the infeed conveyor, and with their smallest dimension (their "width") extending substantially along the longitudinal direction X of the infeed conveyor.In figures 2 and 3, the cell 13 is shown in this arrangement, flat on the conveyor belt 20, between the inlet end 21 and the outlet end 22. Knowing that, as already mentioned above, the format of the cells can be 500x300 mm or 600x400 mm, the width of the conveyor belt is therefore slightly greater than 600 mm, for example in the order of 700 mm to 800 mm.

[0054] In order to unload the cavities into the filling zone 100, the outlet end 22 of the conveyor 20 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the upper part 101 of the loading zone 100, at a level just above the moving plate 31 (or guillotine) of a guillotine-type closing hatch 30 when said guillotine-type hatch is closed. Thus, the conveyor 20 is adapted to bring the cavities (such as cavity 13 shown in Figures 2 and 3) sequentially into the upper part 101 of the loading zone 100, and more specifically to transfer them onto the upper face of the moving plate 31 of the closing hatch 30.

[0055] The smooth transfer of the cells from the infeed conveyor 20 to the plate 31 of the guillotine gate 30 is facilitated by the difference in adhesion of the cells to the conveyor belt and to the moving plate of the gate, the adhesion being higher on said belt than on said plate. This result, which will be explained later with reference to the drawings illustrating the operating steps of the device, is obtained, for example, when the moving plate 31 is made of, or coated with, a relatively non-stick material, such as stainless steel. By "relatively non-stick material," we mean a material that is smoother and more slippery than the surface of the conveyor belt of the infeed conveyor 20 (when it is a belt conveyor), which belt is preferably made of, or coated with, a relatively sticky material as mentioned above.Those skilled in the art will understand that the adhesion and anti-adhesion properties of the belt and the plate, respectively, are assessed relative to each of these elements, on the one hand, and with regard to the material from which the conveyed cells are made, on the other. If necessary, even better sliding of a cell on the moving plate 31 can be achieved by a specially anti-adhesive coating on the plate 31, which can then be made of any material. Such a special coating can be obtained by an appropriate surface treatment, for example, a coating with a material based on polytetrafluoroethylene (or PTFE, better known under the brand name Teflon™ or other competing brands) or another similar industrial material known for its specific anti-adhesive properties. With the application of such a coating, the coefficient of friction can reach values ​​as low as between 0.02 and 0.15, depending on the load of the cells, the conveying speed and the type of non-stick coating.

[0056] Thus, a cavity can be transferred by sliding on the plate 31 as its front end is moved forward beyond the outlet end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20, since its forward movement by the belt is maintained as long as the rear part of the cavity continues to rest on, and be in contact with, said belt. Other embodiments can be envisaged, in which the same result can be obtained, where appropriate, with another type of conveyor.

[0057] The machine for loading the cells by stacking them into the bottom box of the bushel-type crate includes the closing hatch 30 already mentioned above, the guillotine-shaped plate 31 of which is movable longitudinally between a first extreme position (or extreme front position) and a second extreme position (or extreme rear position). These two positions define a state of the guillotine hatch 30 that is completely closed and a state of said hatch that is completely open, respectively. More particularly, the movable hatch 31 (or guillotine) is arranged to be moved only horizontally, in a substantially horizontal plane along the longitudinal direction X, in a controlled manner alternately from front to back and from back to front, between its extreme front and rear positions. For this purpose, the movable gate 31 can be moved longitudinally in both directions, forward and backward. This movement is caused by any suitable drive device, for example, a geared motor controlled in both directions of rotation, or a double-acting cylinder. In addition, the movable plate 31 can be guided by fixed rails or slides (not shown) which hold and stabilize it during its movement in the horizontal plane. These could be, for example, ball bearing slides which, moreover, advantageously reduce friction during the movement of the plate.These rails or slides extend horizontally, along the longitudinal direction X, approximately at the height of the output end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20.

[0058] It should be noted that the plate 31 is not vertically movable, and therefore does not function as an elevator. By convention, the horizontal plane of movement of the movable plate 31, which is therefore at a fixed height, separates what is called the upper part 101 from what is called the lower part 102 of the filling zone 100: in other words, the lower part 102 of the loading zone 100 is the part of said zone which is below the level of the movable plate 31.

[0059] In the fully open position of the guillotine gate 30, the movable plate 31 is in its second extreme position, or extreme front position, opposite along the longitudinal direction X to the exit end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20. In this position, the plate 31 fully opens access to the lower part 102 from the upper part 101 of the loading area 100.

[0060] In the fully closed position of the hatch 30, the movable plate 31 is conversely in its first extreme position, or rear extreme position, adjacent to the outlet end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20. More precisely, the movable plate 31 is then contiguous towards the front, that is to say in the immediate vicinity and directly in continuity along the longitudinal direction X and the direction of conveying, with the outlet end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20. In this position, it completely closes off access to the lower part 102 from the upper part 101 of the loading area 100. Furthermore, still in this position, it can receive a tray loaded with fruit or vegetables from the infeed conveyor 20.For this purpose, the movable plate 31 is of a shape and dimensions adapted to receive, on its upper face, individually and sequentially, the cells which are successively transferred to it at the level of its edge adjacent to the exit end 21 of the infeed conveyor 20. It should be noted that the difference between the relative adhesion. higher of the cell on the endless belt of the feed conveyor 20 and the relatively lower adhesion of the cell on the top of the guillotine 31, facilitates this transfer without deformation of the cell.

[0061] The horizontal plane of movement of the movable gate 31 is substantially at the same height as, or slightly lower than, the upper surface of the endless belt of the conveyor 20. Such a slightly lower height is not essential, but it provides a clearance that prevents any upward "step" in the direction of conveying, i.e., from back to front, at the boundary between the surface of the endless belt at the outlet end of the infeed conveyor on the one hand, and the surface of the movable plate 31 on the other. This clearance is preferably limited to a few millimeters (mm), for example, on the order of 10 mm at most, because a higher clearance can conversely generate a downward step in the direction of conveying. Such a downward step could unnecessarily cause deformation of the cavity, which is preferable to avoid.

[0062] In embodiments, at least one stop element 32, forming a longitudinal stop for the cells and preventing their forward movement beyond the filling zone 100, is arranged in the upper part 101 of the filling zone. The longitudinal stop 32 comprises, for example, a transverse extension bar, i.e., extending along the transverse direction Y. Along the vertical direction Z, the stop 32 is positioned directly above the plane of movement of the moving plate 31, and therefore, where applicable, above longitudinal guide rails or slides for the moving plate 31. Along the longitudinal direction X, the stop 32 is positioned substantially between the position of the moving plate 31 in its rearmost position and the position of the moving plate 31 in its frontmost position.Put another way, the longitudinal stop element 32 is arranged in the upper part of the loading area directly above the level of the movable plate 31 of the guillotine hatch, in a position along the longitudinal direction which is in front of said movable plate when it is in its extreme rear position, and which is behind said movable plate when it is in its extreme front position.

[0063] Thus, when the movable plate 31 moves from its rearmost position to its frontmost position during the opening of the guillotine hatch 30, the plate 31 disappears completely under the stop 32, towards the front. Advantageously, the cavity that is then placed on the plate cannot move beyond the stop 32, towards the front. Indeed, once it comes against the stop 32, carried along by the movement of the plate 331 from rear to front, the cavity is held by the stop 32 while the plate 31 slides under it to continue its forward movement and disappear under the stop 32. As we have understood, the removal of plate 31a inevitably results in the cell falling downwards under the effect of gravity.

[0064] The width, along said direction Y, of the crossbar that forms the stop 32 in the example considered above, is preferably equal to the width of the conveyor belt 20 and that of the movable plate 31, in order to block any object, in particular a fruit or vegetable, that may have fallen out of a compartment. The width of the bar may, however, be less, but preferably equal to the two dimensions (length and width) of the front side of the compartment in the arrangement of said compartment on the plate 31 (and therefore its arrangement previously on the feed conveyor belt 20), or to a substantial part of this dimension, in order to guarantee that the compartment will be held without risk of pivoting in the horizontal plane (i.e., of rotating horizontally around a vertical axis).

[0065] Alternatively, the stop 32 may comprise one or more pads arranged in the transverse direction, instead of the transverse bar described above. Preferably, these pads are equally distributed between the two lateral edges of the filling area, corresponding to the lateral edges of the movable plate 31 of the guillotine hatch 30. For example, three pads seem sufficient to fulfill the expected stop function, but it is possible to provide a greater number. In some embodiments, two pads, or even just one arranged, for example, equidistant from the lateral edges of the filling area, may suffice. This is particularly true in embodiments where the cavity is held transversely between flanges or lateral edges that prevent any risk of the cavity pivoting in the upper part 101 of the filling area 100 when the movable plate 31 advances.

[0066] The loading machine according to embodiments of the invention includes a device for inserting the cavities into the box 51. This device includes, for example, a sling assembly 40. It is arranged in the loading area directly below the movable plate 31 of the guillotine hatch 30, when this plate is in its rearmost position, corresponding to the fully closed state of the guillotine hatch 30. The insertion device is adapted to receive from above a cavity previously transferred onto the movable plate 31 of the guillotine hatch 30, when said plate 31 moves horizontally forward, retracting under the longitudinal stop element 32 during a loading cycle corresponding to the processing of a cavity in the loading area.

[0067] In other words, the insertion device is adapted to receive the object from the movable plate of the guillotine hatch by means of the plate being retracted, through horizontal translation in the direction of conveying, under the longitudinal stop element when the hatch is opened. The result thus obtained is that the stop element longitudinal 32 is adapted to ensure the referencing of the object, along the conveying direction X, relative to the underlying insertion assembly 40, in a simple and reliable manner, without any possible play since the stop 32 is fixed.

[0068] The insertion device 40 is further adapted to lower the object in a controlled manner towards the receptacle 51, which has been previously positioned in the lower part 102 of the filling zone and is still at least partially empty. For this purpose, the slings of the sling assembly can descend, for each loading cycle of a cell, by a height corresponding approximately to the height of a cell filled with product. This minimizes the vertical footprint of the insertion device, and therefore of the loading machine.

[0069] To this end, when the insertion device 40 includes a sling assembly as in the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, it comprises a plurality of slings 41, each consisting of a strap. The term "strap" is understood to mean a flat, rectangular-sectioned band of low thickness relative to its width. As will become apparent from the description of the operation of the insertion device given below, it is advantageous for the straps to offer low frictional forces with respect to the products and packages, so that they can be easily removed after the products have been inserted into the package. When the products are molded cellulose trays and the packages are cardboard boxes, the straps can, for example, be made of polyamide.

[0070] These slings or straps 41 extend parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction X. A portion of said straps extends horizontally through the lower part 102 of the loading area 100. Three horizontal extension portions are distinguished for each of the straps 41, these respective portions being parallel to each other for each strap and being at the same height for each of the straps in the plurality of straps 4L. Furthermore, these three portions are located at respective heights along the vertical direction Z: - the portion of the straps 41 which is behind the loading area 100 extends horizontally under the infeed conveyor 20, at a constant height, where appropriate below and preferably as close as possible to the return part of the endless belt of said conveyor 20 in order to minimize the vertical space required; - the portion of the straps 41 that is in front of the loading area 100 extends horizontally under the movable plate 31 of the guillotine hatch 30 when the latter is fully open, at a constant height, preferably as close as possible to said plate 31 in order to minimize the vertical obstruction. In the example shown, the height of this portion is identical to that of the rear portion shown above, but this is not mandatory; and, finally, - an intermediate portion of the straps 41, between the two portions mentioned above, which extends horizontally along the longitudinal direction X through the loading area 100. The height of this intermediate portion of the straps 41 is variable. It is lower the greater the developed length of the straps extending from the reels 42. For each strap, this total developed length includes not only the three horizontal portions mentioned above that extend along the longitudinal direction X, but also the vertical portions of the straps 41 that join said horizontal portions and whose height along the vertical direction Y varies according to the height of the intermediate horizontal portion.

[0071] The straps 41 can be unwound from reels 42 and rewound in said reels 42. For this purpose, one end of each strap is permanently fixed to the hub (i.e., the roller, or drum) of such a reel. In some embodiments, these are self-rewinding reels, which are equipped for this purpose with an elastic return mechanism for their hub, such as a drive spring comprising, for example, a hardened steel strip wound around a wheel and enclosed in a barrel. Alternatively, these may be motorized reels. The reels are arranged on one side or the other of said loading area along the longitudinal direction X. Motorized reels can be ordered to lengthen or shorten the developed length of the straps which is coming out of the reels, with the effect of lowering or raising, respectively, the intermediate horizontal portion of the straps 41 within the loading area 100.We will see later that, in the proposed embodiments, the same result can be obtained differently, through the appropriate movement of a longitudinally mobile trolley, to which the straps can be coupled by their respective free ends.

[0072] In order to perform their function as slings on which one or more compartments rest for loading into the crate 51, the straps 41 are each guided by four pulleys with respective lateral axes, namely: - two fixed upper pulleys 44 and 45, of which pulley 44 (or rear upper pulley) is located on the rear side of the loading area 100, while pulley 45 (or front upper pulley) is located on the front side of said area 100, both in the same horizontal plane extending into the upper part of the lower portion 102 of said area 100; and, - two lower pulleys (not shown) which are vertically movable and each positioned opposite the aforementioned rear upper pulley 44 and front upper pulley 45, respectively, and which are called the rear lower pulley and the front lower pulley, respectively. The synchronous movement of the front and rear lower pulleys in the vertical direction downwards or upwards allows the respective horizontal portion of each of the straps 41 that crosses the loading area to remain horizontal regardless of the height of said portion. Thus, a cell or a stack of cells such as cells 11 and 12 shown in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3], which rests on the straps 41, can descend towards the bottom of the crate 51 while remaining flat when the straps 41 are stretched due to the descent of the lower pulleys (not shown).

[0073] In the example shown, the sling assembly comprises three parallel straps or slings, which can be spaced approximately evenly along the transverse direction Y. However, depending, for example, on the weight of the load to be supported—that is, the weight of a compartment filled with the relevant fruits or vegetables—and the number of compartments, the number of slings can be increased. Increasing the number of parallel slings also makes it possible to reduce the center-to-center spacing of the slings along the transverse direction Y, and thus reduce the deformation of the compartment during the insertion process into the box 51. In summary, a person skilled in the art can choose the number of slings based, in particular, on the weight of the compartments filled with the products and on the flexibility of the compartments in order to avoid undesirable deformation of the compartments, thereby preventing any malfunction and preserving the integrity of the products.A slinging system with two, three, four, or even five slings can be considered, depending on the dimensions of the compartments along the transverse Y direction, and more if necessary. The only limitation is the overall size along the transverse Y direction, in addition to, of course, a cost / benefit compromise. Preferably, the number of slings is odd, so that there is one (or more) central sling(s) between one (or more) first lateral sling(s) on one side and one (or more) second lateral sling(s) on the other side. The advantage of this feature will become clear later, when methods for bending the compartments to facilitate their insertion into the crate are described.

[0074] In the example shown in [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3], the reels 42 are arranged on the downstream side of the loading area 100, that is, in front of said area 100, preferably beyond, towards the front, the movable plate 31 when it is in its extreme forward position corresponding to the fully open state of the guillotine gate 30. The reels 42 may be at a height greater than that of the movable plate 100, the straps 41 then being redirected upwards into the reels 42 by means of redirection comprising, for example, pulleys. Such redirection means will be described later, with reference to [Fig. 31] and the following figures. In other embodiments, the reels 42 can also be arranged on the upstream side of the loading zone 100, i.e. behind said zone 100, for example under the exit end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20.

[0075] In some embodiments, the insertion device may further include a strap-pulling trolley 43, which is movable along the longitudinal direction X. During the placement of the cavities on the sling assembly, the free ends of the straps are coupled to this movable trolley, which is located on the opposite side of the loading area 100 from the reels 42. In the example shown in [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3], this movable trolley is therefore arranged on the rear side, i.e., upstream of the loading area 100. Thus, the straps are tensioned across the loading area 100.

[0076] This mobile trolley 43 has the triple function of: a. to grasp a free end of the straps 41 (namely, the end that is not the one by which the straps are permanently fixed to the hub of the reels 42) on the side of the loading area 100 where the reels 42 are located (namely, in front of said area in the example shown), by moving (from back to front in the example) to cross said area; and, then, to b. pull the straps out of the reels 42 and extend them across the loading area 100, moving in the opposite direction (from front to back, in the example) to cross said area 100 again; and finally c. To cause the compartments to descend towards the bottom of the crate 51 by moving in successive steps towards the loading zone 100 (from back to front in the example) but without crossing it, in order to increase the height of the vertical portions of the straps in the loading zone 100 by correspondingly reducing the length of their horizontal portion upstream of said zone. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, during this maneuver, the automatic rewinding of the straps in the reels 42 is prevented by means of cleats that clamp the straps in associated channels, in front of the loading zone but behind the reels 42.

[0077] The strap-pulling carriage is, for example, guided by longitudinal extension rails in the horizontal plane of its movement. It can be moved in a controlled manner by any suitable motorized means, for example, a stepper motor combined with a rack and pinion to prevent unintentional slippage, or by any equivalent means. Advantageously, the longitudinal movement of the strap-pulling carriage is controlled by a closed-loop system, i.e., based on information relating to its actual longitudinal position. The information taken into account in the feedback loop of this control system can be provided by position sensors of the carriage 43, sensors and / or means for detecting the number of revolutions made by a drive pulley, etc. The implementation of this position control system is within the reach This is a matter for a person skilled in the art and will not be detailed here. This servo system allows for precise and repeatable control of the longitudinal position of the carriage 43.

[0078] The free end of the straps 41 is attached in a detachable and reattachable manner to this mobile trolley. The strap-pulling trolley 43 includes, for this purpose, means forming controlled clamps, which are adapted to firmly hold the free end of the straps 41 and to release them (i.e., to release them completely) only when necessary. The movement of the strap-pulling trolley 43, within the area behind the loading zone 100, towards the reels 42 at the front, and while the automatic rewinding of the straps in the reels is prevented, allows the two respective vertical portions of the straps to extend in said loading zone to cause a compartment or stack of compartments to descend towards the bottom of the crate, during the placement of a compartment onto the sling assembly.

[0079] The clamps can be controlled to open and release the straps 41 after a full batch of items filling the package has been lowered into it, so that the batch of items is actually deposited on the bottom of the package. Releasing the straps 41 from the strap-pulling trolley 43 also allows the straps to be rewound in the reels 42, to be extracted from the loading area 100 and allow the stack of compartments to rest directly on the bottom of the crate 51. For this purpose, automatic rewinding of the straps by the elastic return means of the reels 42 is permitted by unlocking the locking tabs mentioned above.

[0080] Once this is done, the sling-pulling trolley 43 can be commanded to cross the loading area 100 forwards, while remaining in the same horizontal plane above the crate 51 in the upper part of the lower portion 102 of said area 100, to retrieve the slings 41 again after they have been rewound in the reels 42. Positioning means can be provided to position the ends of one or more slings at a precise and reproducible location near the reels 42, so that the ends of the sling(s) can be reliably and more easily grasped by the sling-pulling trolley 43.

[0081] Next, the return of the strap-pulling carriage to its starting position at the beginning of the package loading cycle has the effect of tensioning the straps 41 across the loading area 100 in preparation for loading the next package. Simultaneously or almost simultaneously, the package fully loaded with compartments is automatically replaced by the next package, which is empty for the start of the next full package loading cycle. It will be appreciated that the implementation of the process of replacing a full package with an empty package between two successive package loading cycles is within the capabilities of a person skilled in the art. and that its description would go beyond what is necessary within the scope of this description.

[0082] Preferably, and for the sake of simplicity, a single strap-pulling trolley is provided for all the straps of the plurality of straps 41, but there is nothing preventing the use of as many strap-pulling trolleys as there are straps, which trolleys would then be independent of each other. This can help limit the consequences of the failure of a strap-pulling trolley, in particular the tipping of the stack of cells being loaded in the loading area 100, provided that the other strap-pulling trolleys continue to operate despite this failure.

[0083] We will now describe the sequence of a package loading process using the machine described above with reference to [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3], and now with reference to the step diagram in [Fig. 4]. This description also refers to the illustrations in [Fig. 5] through [Fig. 19], which show the state of the machine at the different stages of this process. These figures are side views of the machine, in which the conveying direction is from left to right.

[0084] The continuous process is doubly cyclic, that is to say, it includes steps repeated cyclically each time for the insertion of a cavity into the crate present in the lower part of the loading area, on the one hand, and steps repeated cyclically each time for the complete loading of a determined crate with the planned number of cavities and the replacement of the full crate in the lower part of the loading area with a new empty crate in order to start a new loading cycle, the steps of the crate loading cycle comprising a corresponding number of successive iterations of the steps of a cycle of insertion of a given cavity into the crate.

[0085] In the example considered here, the number of compartments to be loaded into a crate is five, it being understood that this number is not limiting and may, in particular, be two, three, four or six, for example, depending on the application. A complete loading cycle of a given initially empty crate (hereinafter "loading cycle") with this number of compartments therefore comprises five successive iterations of a compartment insertion cycle into a given crate (hereinafter "insertion cycle").

[0086] The step diagram in [Fig. 4] illustrates these two nested step cycles, namely a loading cycle comprising the number of iterations of an insertion cycle corresponding to the planned number of cavities to be inserted into the crate to fill it completely, i.e., five iterations of an insertion cycle in the example considered. Wherever possible, in the illustrations from [Fig. 5] to [Fig. 19], the numerical references and their connecting symbols designate the elements that are active at the relevant step of the process, generally being animated by a movement, are represented in numbers and in thicker lines than those of other elements which are inactive, and therefore generally static, at the stage considered.

[0087] In a loading cycle initialization step 400, the value N of a counter is initialized to the unit value (N=l), when an empty crate 51 arrives in the lower part 102 of the loading area 100. The machine is then in the state illustrated by [Fig.5], ready for the insertion into the crate 51 of a first compartment filled with fruit or vegetables.

[0088] With further reference to [Fig. 5], this first cavity 11 is brought to step 401 of the process by the infeed conveyor 20, following the longitudinal direction X in the direction of conveying symbolized by a thick arrow from left to right in this figure. Step 401 is the first step of an insertion cycle for cavity 11, which comprises steps 401 to 405 in the example described here. As will be understood, the insertion cycle of cavity 11 is the first insertion cycle of a series of five cycles, to be repeated five times, respectively for five cavities 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 brought in sequentially by the conveyor 20.

[0089] In step 402 of the process, which is illustrated by the diagram in [Fig. 6], the cavity 11 is transferred from the exit end 22 of the conveyor 20 onto the movable plate 31 of the guillotine gate 30, which plate is then, as shown in [Fig. 6], in its extreme rear position, i.e., closest to the exit end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20. The movable plate 31 is then, moreover, directly above the insertion device 40 and the underlying crate 51, at the boundary along the vertical direction Z between what is called the upper part 101 and the lower part 102 of the loading area 100. This transfer of the cavity 11 is symbolized in [Fig. 6] by the thick, horizontal arrow oriented from left to right. This is facilitated by the substantial difference in adhesion between the conveyor belt 20 and the moving plate 31.At the end of this step, and as more specifically illustrated by [Fig.6], the cell 11 rests entirely (or almost entirely) on the plate 31, and no longer on the conveyor belt 20.

[0090] In step 403 of the process, illustrated by the diagram in [Fig. 7], the movable plate 31 is moved forward, retracting completely under the longitudinal stop 32 of the guillotine gate. This downstream movement of the movable plate 31 (in the direction of conveying) is symbolized in [Fig. 7] by the thick horizontal arrow pointing from left to right. As a result, the cavity 11 is transferred to the insertion device 40, more specifically being placed onto the straps 41 of the slinging system of this device. It should be noted that in the side view of Figures 5 to 19, only one strap is visible, although several straps 41 are arranged parallel to each other along the transverse direction Y, which is orthogonal to the plane of said figures. This placement of the cavity 11 is symbolized, on [Fig. 7], indicated by the thick vertical arrow pointing downwards. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, since the straps 41 of the lifting assembly are stretched across the loading area 100 at the top of the lower portion 102 of said area, as close as possible to the movable plate 31, the drop of the compartment 11 onto the straps 41 is from a low height. It therefore occurs smoothly, without excessive deformation of the compartment that could damage the integrity of the fruit or vegetables with which the compartment 11 is filled. The flexibility of the compartment 11, provided by both its design and its constituent material, also allows this placement onto the straps 41 to occur smoothly.

[0091] At the end of step 403, and as shown more specifically in [Fig. 7], the movable plate 31a reaches its extreme forward position, in which it is completely retracted under the longitudinal stop 32. The guillotine gate is then fully open. Advantageously, the simultaneous forward movement of the movable plate 31, on the one hand, and the placement of the cavity 11 onto the straps 41, on the other hand, ensures that the longitudinal stop provides longitudinal alignment of the cavity 11. In other words, the position of the cavity 11 on the straps 41 is automatically and precisely aligned along the longitudinal direction X, in a simple and infinitely reproducible manner.Thus, no maintenance operation is necessary to compensate for possible misalignments such as those that necessarily occur with prior art solutions in which a longitudinal stop is provided by moving elements of great structural and operational complexity.

[0092] In step 404 of the process, which is illustrated by the diagram in [Fig. 8], the mobile strap-pulling carriage 43 is moved longitudinally forward and, simultaneously, the driven reel 42 is actuated so as to unwind a larger portion of the straps 41 backward. It follows, due to the two pairs of superimposed pulleys along the vertical direction Z, of which the two upper pulleys 44 and 45 are fixed and the two lower conjugate pulleys (not shown) are vertically movable and are lowered at this step, that the intermediate longitudinal extension portion of the straps 41 descends downwards towards the bottom of the box 51, while remaining perfectly horizontal. With this movement, the cavity 11 begins its insertion into the box 51. The changes affecting the straps 41 are symbolized in [Fig. 8].[8], by the small horizontal arrows 46 and 47 shown on the strap 41 and by the curved arrow on the reel 42 which indicates the direction of rotation of the reel 42's roller to unwind a larger portion of the strap. The downward descent of the slot 11 is symbolized, again in [Fig. 8], by the thick vertical arrow pointing downwards.

[0093] This descent towards the bottom of the case 51 of the cavity carried by the straps 41, which corresponds to the beginning of the insertion of the cavity into the case 51, is made more This is achieved by the (optional) implementation of insertion flaps (not shown). Such flaps would be tilted at step 404 (or before this step), from their horizontal to their vertical position, in which they would partially penetrate the casing 51 from above. As previously stated, the implementation of such flaps is not specific to the embodiments described here. Therefore, such flaps are not shown in the drawings from [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 19], so as not to clutter the drawings with non-essential details.

[0094] In step 405 of the process, illustrated by the diagram in [Fig. 9], the movable plate 31 is moved back and forth to its rearmost position, emerging from beneath the longitudinal stop 32 of the guillotine gate. This upstream movement of the movable plate 31 is symbolized in [Fig. 9] by the thick horizontal arrow pointing from right to left. At the end of this step 405, and as shown more specifically in [Fig. 9], the movable plate 31 has returned to its rearmost position, adjacent to the outlet end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20. The guillotine gate is thus completely closed again.

[0095] Although they are distinctly illustrated by figures 8 and 9 and described separately in the foregoing, those skilled in the art will appreciate that steps 404 and 405 can be carried out at least partly simultaneously, in order to increase the rate of loading of crate 51.

[0096] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the distance along the vertical direction Z from which the compartment 11 is lowered towards the bottom of the crate 51 corresponds approximately to the height of said compartment filled with fruit or vegetables. A shorter distance would prevent the movable plate 31 from returning to its original position in step 405. A longer distance would cause the compartment to be inserted during the next iteration of the insertion cycle just described for compartment 11 to fall from a greater height than necessary, over said compartment 11.

[0097] Once steps 404 and 405 are completed, the first insertion cycle for cell 11 is finished. The machine is then in the state shown in [Fig. 10], in which it can process the next cell 12 in the sequence of cells brought in by the infeed conveyor 20. From an algorithmic point of view, the process then includes a software-implemented step 410, which compares the value N of the counter to the number of cells that are planned to be inserted into each crate. If this number is reached, i.e., if the current value of the counter is five (N=5), then the process proceeds to the execution of step 411, which will be described below. Otherwise, the counter value is incremented by one unit at step 412 (N=N+1) and the process loops back to step 401 to execute a new insertion cycle. following that which has been described above with reference to the illustrations shown in drawings [Fig. 5] to [Fig. 9], for the processing of cavity 11.

[0098] The execution of the next insertion cycle, for cavity 12, comprises a further iteration of steps 401 to 405 which have already been described above. This explanation will not be repeated here in order not to lengthen the text of the present description, but it can be reread this time with reference to the illustrations given in drawings [Fig. 10] to [Fig. 14], instead of the illustrations in [Fig. 5] to [Fig. 9], respectively. It should be noted that the only significant difference is that, in step 403 illustrated by the diagram in [Fig.

[12] , when the guillotine gate opens by the forward movement of the movable plate 31, the cavity 12 is not placed directly onto the straps 41 as the cavity 11 was during the first iteration of the insertion cycle, but it is placed on (i.e., on top of) said cavity 11. In other words, the second cavity 12 is transferred to the insertion device 40 by being only indirectly placed onto the straps 41 of the sling assembly, on top of the first cavity 11 which rests directly on the straps 41. As illustrated in [Fig.

[12] , a stack is thus created comprising the cells 11 and 12, with cell 12 resting on cell 11, which cell 11 rests directly on the straps 41 while cell 12 rests indirectly (i.e. via cell 11) on said straps.

[0099] Step 410, which tests the counter value, and, if applicable, step 412, which increments the counter, are also executed at the end of the second iteration of the insertion cycle. This process is repeated after each subsequent iteration of the insertion cycle until, at step 410, it is determined that the maximum number of compartments has been inserted into box 51. In this case, the box is replaced with a new empty one, and a new iteration of the package loading cycle is initiated for this new box.

[0100] We will now describe the sequence of steps in the process that are implemented at the completion of each loading cycle. A loading cycle is completed when, at the test step 410 concluding an insertion cycle, it is determined that the maximum number of cavities to completely load the box 51 has been transferred to the insertion device 40. It should be noted that, in the example considered here, this number is equal to five.

[0101] Upon completion of a full crate loading cycle, the loading machine is, at step 406, in the state illustrated in [Fig. 16]. In this state, a stack of compartments, formed in the example shown by the five compartments 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, rests on the straps 41 of the sling assembly of the insertion device 40. It should be noted that the strap-pulling carriage 43 has moved forward, in successive steps at each iteration of the insertion cycle, from its initial position. the rearmost position towards a final, forwardmost position. In an example such as shown in [Fig. 16], this final position of the sling trolley is located near the outfeed end 22 of the infeed conveyor 20, in a horizontal plane at a slightly lower height. Furthermore, the vertical portions of the slings extending in the Z direction between the upper pulleys 44 and 45 on the one hand, and the lower pulleys (not shown) on the other, are then at their maximum length. The temporary base provided by the sling assembly 40 to support the stack of cells 11 to 15 piled one on top of the other, and which corresponds to the horizontal portion of the slings 41 in the loading area 100, is at its lowest level.For example, this level corresponds almost to the level of the bottom of the crate 51, in fact to this precise level, or to a level just above in which case the stack of the cells 11 to 15 still remains suspended on the straps 41 slightly above the bottom of the crate 51, for example one centimeter above said bottom.

[0102] At step 406 illustrated by [Fig. 17], the straps 41 are released from the strap-pulling carriage 43. As a result, the stack of compartments 11 to 15 is instantly deposited onto the bottom of the crate 51 by the effect of gravity. This operation is carried out without damage to the fruit because the drop height is very low. The reels 42 are then activated to rewind the straps 41, which is symbolized by the curved arrow on the reel 42 shown in [Fig. 17].

[16] , which designates the direction of rotation of the reel roller 42 allowing the rewinding of the straps 4L. During their rewinding in the reels 42, the straps 41 are extracted from the box 51 and the loading area 100 to leave the stack of cells resting directly on the bottom of the box 51. In the example as shown in [Fig. 16], the free end of the straps 41 is stopped, at the end of the rewinding, in a position just behind the upper front pulley 45.Preferably, a small portion of each strap remains behind the pulley 45. Given the relative rigidity of the straps, this portion of the strap is ideally horizontal. The free end of the straps 41, on the rear side, is then in the same horizontal plane as the strap-pulling carriage 43 which, initially, remained stationary behind the filling zone 100 as shown in [Fig. 17].

[0103] After the end of step 406, the crate 51 loaded with its five compartments 11 to 15 stacked inside, can be removed from the lower part 102 of the loading area, and replaced by a new empty crate, by any suitable means, preferably automatically.

[0104] The next step 407 is illustrated by the diagram in [Fig. 18], in which neither the full crate nor the empty replacement crate is visible so as not to unnecessarily clutter the figure. At this step 407, the strap-pulling trolley 43 is controlled to cross the loading area 100 forwards, while remaining in the same plane horizontal (where applicable above the full crate being evacuated or above the empty replacement crate arriving), in the upper part of the lower section 102 of zone 100. The webbing puller 43 is adapted to regrip the free ends of the webbing 41, left accessible after rewinding said webbing 41 in the reels 42. As mentioned above with reference to [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3], the machine's insertion device may include positioning means for placing the ends of the slings 41, along the longitudinal axis X, at a precise and reproducible location, close to but behind the reels 42 and advantageously behind the upper front pulley 45, so that gripping the free ends of the webbing by the webbing puller 43 can be reliably and easily achieved. In [Fig.

[18] The forward movement of the strap-pulling carriage 43 is symbolized by the thick horizontal arrow, oriented from left to right.

[0105] The crate loading cycle ends, at step 408 illustrated in [Fig. 19], with the return of the strap-pulling trolley 43 to its starting position, in which it was located at the beginning of the package loading cycle, as shown in [Fig. 5]. During this movement, the trolley 43 crosses the loading area 100 in the opposite direction, i.e., backwards. This has the effect of tightening the straps 41 that it carries with it, through the loading area 100, and more particularly in the upper part 101 of said area where the longitudinal movement of the strap-pulling trolley 43 is constrained by suitable rails. In [Fig. 19], the backward movement of the strap-pulling trolley 43 is symbolized by the thick horizontal arrow, oriented from right to left.Similarly, the unwinding of the reels 42 to allow the straps to extend and stretch horizontally through the loading area 100 is symbolized by the curved arrow on reel 42 shown in this figure. The orientation of this arrow indicates the direction of rotation of the reel roller, enabling the unwinding of the straps 4L.

[0106] At the same time, and as indicated above, the package fully loaded with cells was automatically replaced by the next package, which is empty for the start of the next full package loading cycle.

[0107] At the end of the current loading cycle, the machine is in the state illustrated by [Fig.5] already described previously, with a new empty crate ready to be loaded, in the lower part 102 of the loading area.

[0108] With reference to the functional diagram in [Fig. 20], the loading machine 201, the operation of which has been described above, is controlled to operate according to a process defined by the programmed sequence of steps shown above with reference to the step diagram in [Fig. 4]. The machine comprises for this purpose: - an electronic control unit 202; - sensors 203 that send signals to the control unit 202 to report on events occurring at each stage of the process; and, - actuators 204 controlled by the control unit 202 to cause accordingly the execution of the following steps in the process.

[0109] The control unit 202 is a computer device comprising a processor 202a, a data storage device (memory) 202b, and a computer program (software) 202c. The signals produced by the sensors 203 constitute or enable the generation of input data for the software 202c to trigger each of the appropriate actions of the process. These actions are carried out by actuating the various components of the machine, via the appropriate control of the actuators 204 by the control unit 202.

[0110] The software 202c can be stored in a portion of memory 202b corresponding to permanent memory, and loaded into another portion of memory 202b corresponding to random access memory for execution by the processor 202a. The software 202c comprises instructions which, when the software is loaded into memory 202b and executed by the computer 202a of the computer 202, implement the steps of the process as presented in the preceding description.

[0111] The sensors 203 include, for example, position sensors, displacement sensors, or others, by electrical contact or using optical, magnetic, or other technologies.

[0112] The actuators 204 include, for example, traction or return elements such as cylinders, which may be single-acting or double-acting cylinders. These various elements may also be motorized. They may be replaced by helical compression or tension springs or combined with such springs, at least one of the traction or return elements being a motorized element enabling the movement, the movement of the other elements being derived from it by any suitable motion transmission device, for example, a linkage assembly and / or transmission belts, as appropriate.

[0113] In what follows, we will now describe embodiments of the object insertion device of the parcel filling machine, which are illustrated in the drawings from [Fig.21] to [Fig.35].

[0114] With reference first to [Fig.21], the insertion device essentially comprises the following elements: a. the sling assembly, i.e. the straps; in the example considered here, the sling assembly comprises three straps 41a, 41b and 41c which extend along the longitudinal direction X, aligned and adjacent two-by-two along the transverse direction Y; b. the strap-pulling trolley 43 already presented above; c. a rear crossbeam 450; and, d. a front crossbeam 470.

[0115] The strap puller carriage 43, the rear cross beam 450 and the front cross beam 470 extend transversely, substantially in the same horizontal plane, from one side to the other of the alignment of the straps 41a, 41b, 41c along the transverse direction Y. The horizontal portions of the straps 41a, 41b and 41c extend substantially in this same horizontal plane.

[0116] As shown in [Fig. 22], the rear beam 450 essentially comprises a horizontal, transversely extending top plate 451 with folded edges. The rear edge of this plate 451 carries the front pulleys 45 of the slinging device, namely, in the example shown, pulleys 45a, 45b, and 45c, which are associated with the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, respectively. The rear beam 450 is not mobile transversely or vertically. As will become apparent later in the description, however, the rear beam 450 is slightly mobile longitudinally from front to back. More specifically, the rear beam 450 can be selectively held at a predetermined distance from the front beam 470, or made longitudinally "floating," by the action of two hydraulic cylinders 461 and 462.

[0117] In one example, the free end of the cylinder of the jacks 461 and 462 is fixed to the rear beam 450, on the front side of said rear beam, and the free end of the piston of these jacks is fixed to the front beam 470, on the rear side of said front beam. One of the jacks 461 and 462 is disposed at one of the transverse ends of the beams 450 and 470, and the other jack is disposed at the other transverse end of said beams. The fluid in the jacks 461 and 462 may be air or another gas, or hydraulic oil. When this fluid is pressurized, the piston of the cylinders 641 and 462 is fully extended from the associated cylinder, and the rear beam 450 is maintained at a constant distance from the front beam 470. This distance is determined by the stroke of the piston in the cylinder of each of the cylinders 461 and 462.When these cylinders are purged, the pressure in the cylinders drops, so that the rear beam 450 becomes floating relative to the rear beam 470 and relative to the machine frame. The nominal position of the rear beam 450 along the longitudinal direction X corresponds substantially to the position of the longitudinal stop 32 along said direction X, which stop has been shown with reference to the diagram in [Fig. 2].

[0118] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in one embodiment of the device, the rear beam 450 supports one of the insertion flaps mentioned earlier in this description, which can be pivoted vertically in the box 51 before the insertion of the first cell, to facilitate the insertion of the cells into said box. In the example shown, this is the front flap 452. In the horizontal position of the flap 452, it extends rearward from a bar 453 which is visible at Figures 25 and 26 illustrate this. The flap 452 can pivot from horizontal to vertical by rotating around the bar 453. For this purpose, the bar 453 is supported by two bearings 455 located at each lateral end of the upper plate 451. In Figures 21 and 22, the bar 453 is not visible but is represented by an axis bearing the reference numeral 453, which represents the axis of rotation of the pivoting flap 452 and passes through the center of said bar. The pivoting of the flap 452 is actuated by cylinders 456 arranged horizontally along the longitudinal direction X at each lateral end of the plate 451, on the front side of said plate.

[0119] As shown in [Fig. 22], the cylinder of a jack 456 is fixed to a bracket 457 which extends vertically from the longitudinal end of a bar 458 which extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction X, forwards, from the plate 451, from the corresponding lateral end of said plate. This arrangement of the jack 456 is also visible in [Fig. 23], which shows the rear beam 450 viewed from the front looking rearward.

[0120] Finally, and as shown in [Fig. 23], the rear beam 450 carries brackets 454, one such bracket for each of the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, respectively. Each of these brackets comprises a longitudinal portion extending horizontally forward along the longitudinal direction X from the underside of the plate 451. As shown in the enlarged view of [Fig. 24], a longitudinal channel is provided in each bracket 454 to guide one of the straps longitudinally, in this case the strap 41a for the bracket 454 shown in cross-section in the plane of section of [Fig. 24]. This strap guide channel has, in cross-section, substantially the same dimensions (in larger values) as the dimensions of the corresponding strap, also in cross-section.

[0121] As shown in [Fig. 21] and [Fig. 22], the strap-pulling carriage 43 comprises a horizontal upper plate 431 with transverse extension. The plate 431 comprises three interconnected portions 431a, 431b, 431c, which are adjacent in pairs along the transverse direction Y. A gap exists between portions 431a and 431b, on the one hand, and between portions 431b and 431c, on the other hand, for the passage of the respective pistons of two cylinders 439 which extend longitudinally in the horizontal plane of the strap-carrying carriage 43, and which will be discussed later. At each of its respective lateral ends, the strap-carrying carriage 43 is flanked by a plate 432, which is vertical and extends along the longitudinal direction X. The plates 432 carry rollers 433 and a drive wheel or pulley 434, with a transverse axis.The drive wheel or pulley 434 can be used to cause the movement of the strap carrier 43 in the longitudinal direction X by. training methods not shown and which it does not seem useful to elaborate on here.

[0122] The front beam 470, the rear side of which is shown in [Fig. 21] and the front side of which is shown in [Fig. 23], also includes a horizontal plate 471 with folded edges, horizontal and transversely extending. The front beam 470 is fixed along the transverse direction Y and the vertical direction Z. In one embodiment, the front beam 470 can be slightly movable along the direction of the longitudinal axis X, in order to allow adjustment of the tension of the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c. For this purpose, the front beam 470 is flanked by two plates, which are vertical and longitudinally extending, and which carry pulleys with a transverse axis. These pulleys can be used to cause the rear beam 470 to move along the longitudinal axis X, and thus to adjust the tension of the straps along said direction when the free ends of the straps are held in the clamps of the strap-pulling trolley 43.Advantageously, this tension adjustment can thus be achieved by means of a single drive for all three straps. These means are not shown in the drawings, and it does not seem necessary to elaborate on them here since their manufacture and implementation are within the capabilities of a person skilled in the art.

[0123] As can be seen in [Fig. 23], the rear beam 470 carries pulleys for the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, by means of which the straps are turned upwards and wound by their ends 41a', 41b', and 41c', respectively, around the reels 42 shown in [Fig. 2]. These reels are not shown in [Fig. 23] in order to avoid cluttering this figure. The aforementioned pulleys are visible in [Fig. 31] and [Fig. 32]. It is thus provided: a. a pulley 476 at one lateral end of the rear beam 470 for redirecting the first lateral strap 41a; a. a pulley 478 at the other lateral end of the rear beam 470 for redirecting the other lateral strap 41c; and, b. a pulley block 477 with two pulleys for redirecting the central strap 41b, the role of which will be explained further below with reference in particular to the diagram in [Fig.33].

[0124] The plate 471 of the rear beam 470 carries cleats 474, which are in the same number and position as the cleats 454 carried by the rear beam 450. There is therefore one such cleat 474 for each of the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, respectively. Each of these cleats comprises a longitudinal portion extending horizontally in the longitudinal direction X, rearward, from the underside of the plate 471, toward the cleats 454 of the rear beam 450. As shown in the enlarged figure of [Fig. 24], each cleat 474 comprises a longitudinal channel which serves to guide one of the straps longitudinally, in this case the strap 41a for the shoe 474 shown in section in the cutting plane of [Fig.24]. As the respective channels provided in the shoes 454 of the rear beam 450 the longitudinal channels provided in the shoes 474 of the front beam 470 have a cross section substantially of the same dimensions, by slightly greater values, than the cross section of the straps.

[0125] To guide the straps in the space between the brackets 454 and 474 of the rear beam 450 and the front beam 470, respectively, sleeves 473 are provided, one such sleeve 473 for each of the straps 41a, 41b, 41c, respectively. These sleeves 473 extend along the longitudinal direction X and are arranged side-by-side in pairs along the transverse direction Y. They are in respective transverse positions corresponding to the respective transverse positions of the brackets 454 of the rear beam 450 and the brackets 474 of the front beam 470. In one example, the sleeves 473 can be supported by the brackets 474 of the front beam 470, for example by being screwed to them. Alternatively, the sleeves 473 can also be carried by the shoes 454 of the rear beam 450. In all cases, and as is apparent in the [Fig.24], each of the sleeves 473 enters permanently by one of its longitudinal ends into one of the shoes 454 of the rear beam 450 and into the corresponding shoe 474 of the front beam 470, namely more particularly by its rear end and by its front end, respectively. This is the case, in particular, when the rear beam 450 is held at the distance determined by the jacks 461 and 462. It will be seen that, when the pressure exerted by the jack is removed, only a movement of the rear beam 450 towards the front beam 470 can occur, in this case by means of a thrust exerted by the carriage pulling the straps 43. Thus, in this case, a larger part of the sleeves 473 is included at 454. In other words, the sleeves 473 form sliding connections between the respective longitudinal portions of the shoes 454 of the rear bar 450 and the shoes 474 of the front bar 470.

[0126] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, when the rear beam 450 is moved forward towards the front beam 470, or vice versa, each sleeve 473 remains fixed relative to the bracket 474 to which it is attached, but slides in the longitudinal part of the corresponding bracket 454 of the rear beam 450. Thus, regardless of the relative position of the rear beam 450 with respect to the front beam 470, each strap, such as in particular the strap 41a which is the only one visible in the cross-section of [Fig. 24], remains entirely enclosed in, and guided longitudinally by a bracket 454 of the rear beam 450, by the corresponding bracket 474 of the front beam 470 and finally by the corresponding sleeve 473 which is attached to said bracket 474.

[0127] In other words, thanks to the sliding joints formed by the sleeves 473, the entire length of the straps between the rear bar 450 and the front bar 470 is enclosed within the guide channels formed by the pairs of cleats associated with each of the straps, respectively, and by the corresponding sheath 473. Furthermore, since the hollow sections of these elements have a cross-section that substantially matches, by larger values, the cross-section of a strap, the straps are guided. This prevents any twisting and premature wear of the straps.

[0128] Fig. 24, Fig. 25 and Fig. 26 all show the same configuration of the insertion device, in different vertical section planes which all extend along the longitudinal direction X in respective positions along the transverse direction Y: a. In [Fig.24], the position of the cutting plane of the rear beam 450 along the direction of the transverse axis Y causes it to cut longitudinally the first strap 41a, its upper front pulley 45a as well as the corresponding shoe 454 of the rear beam 450 and the corresponding shoe 474 of the front beam 470. On this same [Fig.24], however, the insertion flap 452 and its pivot bar 453 are cut in a parallel plane whose position along the transverse direction Y is located a little more towards the center of the sling assembly along said direction Y (i.e. towards the position of the central strap 41b along the transverse direction Y), so as to clearly show the area behind the shoe 454; b. the cutting plane of [Fig. 25] is slightly more offset transversely towards the lateral edge of the slinging device on the side of the first strap 41a, so that it does not cut the shoe 454 of the rear beam 450 corresponding to the first strap 41a; and, finally, c. the position of the cutting plane of [Fig.26] along the direction of the transverse axis Y is located at an intermediate position between that of the cutting plane of [Fig.24] and that of the cutting plane of [Fig.25].

[0129] In the configuration shown in these figures, the straps have been released from the strap-pulling carriage 43 and fully rewound into the reels 42. This is the configuration adopted by the machine in step 406 of the process described above with reference to the step diagram in Figure 4, after a crate has been completely filled with its maximum number of compartments. This allows the crate thus filled to be removed and replaced with a new empty crate. In this configuration, the rear end of the straps, which is free, is flush with the rear end of the shoe 454 of the rear beam 450, that is to say, it protrudes slightly backward from said shoe, for example, by only one millimeter or a few millimeters at most, depending on the stiffness of the strap. Those skilled in the art will choose the length of the protrusion, depending on this stiffness, from in such a way that the free end of the strap remains straight, that is to say, perfectly flat in a horizontal plane. The greater the rigidity of the strap, the greater the length of strap extension that can be allowed without risk of the strap bending upwards or downwards, which could impair the effectiveness of the clamps of the strap-pulling trolley 43.

[0130] In one embodiment, the rear end of each shoe 453 is aligned with the axis of the front upper pulley 45 of the corresponding strap 41. Thus, in the example shown in [Fig. 24], the shoe 454 of the rear beam 450 associated with the strap 41a is aligned with the axis of the front upper pulley 45a associated with said strap 41a. More specifically, the strap 41a rests on the front upper pulley 45a and is also directly below the rearmost part of the corresponding shoe 454 of the rear beam 450. In other words, the strap 41a is held downwards by the pulley 45 on which it rests and upwards by the rear edge of the corresponding shoe 454, which directly covers it. Thus pinched, with only a capacity for movement in its horizontal plane, the 41a strap presents little risk of being bent by deformation of its free end upwards or downwards.The integrity of the free end of the straps is therefore preserved.

[0131] The machine insertion device according to the invention further includes strap immobilization means adapted to prevent any movement of the straps along the longitudinal axis X. In the embodiment shown in the figures, these immobilization means comprise cleats 475, which have already been mentioned above. In one embodiment, these cleats pass through respective holes in the plate 471 of the rear beam 470, each at the level of one of the respective straps 41a, 41b, and 41c. More specifically, each cleat 475 is inserted into a recess provided in the base of the shoe 474 corresponding to the strap in question, said recess being open upwards in coincidence with one of the aforementioned holes in the plate 471, and opening into the longitudinal channel provided in said shoe 474 to guide the corresponding strap. This is particularly visible in the cross-section of [Fig.24].When a cleat is pushed vertically downwards, it pinches the strap in the corresponding shoe 474, against the horizontal bottom of the channel which extends longitudinally in said shoe. The upper end of the cleats 475 protrudes upwards from the plate 471 of the rear beam 470, as shown in [Fig. 24] for the cleat associated with the first strap 41a, and as is also visible for all the cleats 475 in the diagram in [Fig. 21] on which said cleats 475 are also referenced.

[0132] The lugs 475 can be pushed vertically from top to bottom, guided in the aforementioned recesses, by any suitable means (not shown) such as respective cams of a transverse extension camshaft, or directly either via corresponding pushbuttons. Preferably, all the cleats 475 are thus pushed downwards simultaneously by means common to all the cleats. This single control simplifies implementation and allows all the straps 41 of the slinging device to be immobilized simultaneously when necessary. The usefulness of selectively locking the straps to prevent their movement along the longitudinal direction X will become clear later.

[0133] With reference now more particularly to [Fig. 26], the strap-pulling carriage 43 includes means for gripping the free ends of the straps, which operates on the principle of a clamp. These means comprise, for clamping each of the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, pads 435 disposed directly under each of the portions 431a, 431b, and 431c, respectively, of the upper plate 431 of the strap-pulling carriage 43. In [Fig. 26], the pad 435 can be seen adapted to cooperate with the portion 431a of the upper plate 431 that is associated with the strap 41a, in order to clamp said strap 41a.

[0134] In order to provide a jaw function for forming a clamp in cooperation with portion 431a, 431b or 431c of the upper plate 431, each of the soles 435 has the general shape of a horizontal plate having substantially the same dimensions as said portion of the upper plate 431. In the example shown, the sole 435 of the clamp associated with the strap 41a is located just below portion 431a of the upper plate 431, and is movable along the vertical direction Z relative to said portion 431a of the plate 431. The same applies to the two other soles 435, not visible in [Fig. 26], which cooperate with the two other portions 431b and 431c, respectively, of the plate 431 to form the clamps associated with the straps 41b and 41c, respectively.

[0135] In what follows, we will describe the operation of the clamp associated with the strap 41a, it being understood that the operation of the other two clamps is identical. To close the clamp in question, the relevant sole 436 can be moved from bottom to top to press against the underside of portion 431a of the plate 431. As will be understood, the free end of the strap 41a can thus be pinched between the upper surface of the sole 435 and the underside of portion 431a of the upper plate 431. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in one embodiment, the three soles can be made from a single metal plate, produced by machining or forming.Put another way, the soles 435 which form the lower jaw of the clamps respectively associated with the straps of the sling assembly, are respective portions of a single metal plate, in the same way that the upper jaw of said clamps is formed by the respective portions 431a, 431b and 431c of the upper plate 431 of the sling puller trolley 43. .

[0136] In an embodiment according to [Fig.26], the base 435 shown therein is held in the longitudinal direction X by the folded edges, i.e., the vertical projections of the edges of the portion 431a of the upper plate 431 of the strap puller carriage 43. In addition, the base 435 rests vertically, by the effect of gravity, on the folded edges of said portion 431a of the upper plate 431, i.e. the curved continuities of said portion 431a which extend horizontally from the aforementioned folded edges, under the plate 431 and parallel to said plate.In the open state of the clamp thus formed by the sole 435 on the one hand, and by the portion 431a of the upper plate 431 of the carriage 43 on the other hand, there is a gap between the upper face of the sole 435 and the lower face of the portion 431a of the upper plate 431, to allow the insertion of the free end of the corresponding strap 41a. This gap may be, for example, on the order of approximately 1 cm (centimeter), for straps with a thickness of approximately 1 mm.

[0137] For closing the clamp associated with the strap 41a, the strap-pulling carriage 43 is equipped with an operating member which, according to the example shown, may include a section of eccentric bar 436 extending transversely under the base 435. This section of eccentric bar is rotatable about a pivot axis 437. It has a flat 438. The section of eccentric bar 436 is adapted and arranged so that, in the open state of the clamp, the base 435 rests on the flat, while, for closing the clamp, the section of eccentric bar 436 is rotated 90°, for example forwards, so that the base 436 is pushed upwards by sliding contact with the rounded part of the section of eccentric bar that has the greatest distance from the pivot axis 437.At the end of the rotation of the eccentric bar section 436, the upper surface of the sole 435 is pressed against the lower surface of the portion 431a of the plate 431, and the clamp is locked in the closed position. For example, respective eccentric bar sections, identical or similar to the section 435 shown in [Fig. 26], can be provided for the other clamps, which are associated with the other straps 41b and 41c.

[0138] Preferably, all the eccentric bar sections 436 are coupled to the same pivot axis 437. Furthermore, the rotation of the eccentric bar 436 about the axis 437 can be caused by the cylinders 439 mentioned above. Figure 25 shows one of these cylinders 439, which is engaged with the pivot axis 437 by means of a connecting rod 437c provided between the clamps respectively associated with the straps 41a and 41b. The cylinder 439 is, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, and comprises a cylinder 439a and a piston 439b. When the fluid in the cylinder 439a is pressurized, the piston 439b is pushed out of the cylinder. When fully extended, the piston 439b of the cylinder 439 rotates the pivot shaft 437 of the bar section The eccentric 436 rotates 90° forward via the connecting rod 439c, thereby raising the base 435 and locking the corresponding clamp. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the other cylinder 439 (visible in [Fig. 22]), which is also engaged by another connecting rod provided between the clamps respectively associated with the straps 41b and 41c, and controlled in the same manner and synchronously to help rotate the eccentric bar sections 436 around the pivot axis 437. In this way, the three clamps respectively associated with the three straps 41a, 41b, and 41c are actuated simultaneously and with the same efficiency.

[0139] The operational function of the clamps of the sling pull trolley 43 is as follows. Consider the configuration of the insertion device after the number of slots provided on the sling assembly have been removed, when the slings have been released from the sling pull trolley (step 406 of the process illustrated by the flowchart in Figure four and the simplified functional diagram in [Fig. 17]), and rewound in the reels 42. In this configuration, the free end of the slings is flush just behind the shoe 454 of the rear beam 450, as shown in [Fig. 26].

[0140] The strap-pulling carriage 43 is driven forward from the area behind the filling area 100, passes through said filling area 100, and positions itself in reference against the shoes 454 which enclose the straps, from the rear of said shoes. The configuration is then that shown in [Fig. 27].

[0141] The purging of the cylinders 461 and 462 that hold the rear beam 450 to the front beam 470 is controlled so as to reduce the pressure in said cylinders. As a result, the rear beam 450 becomes "floating" in the longitudinal direction X. The straps remain held inside the brackets 474 of the front beam 470 by the locking cleats 475. For this purpose, the locking cleats 475 pinch the straps against the lower edge of the channels provided for the passage of the straps, as illustrated in [Fig. 24] for the strap 41a. Thus, the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c of the sling assembly cannot slide in the brackets 474 of the rear beam 470 or in the associated sleeves 473.

[0142] The forward movement of the strap-pulling carriage 43 is then continued slightly, said carriage pushing the rear beam 450 slightly forward. As a result, the shoes 454 of the rear beam 450 move closer to the shoes 474 of the fixed front beam 470, with a larger portion of the sleeves 473 being retracted into the shoes 454, as shown in [Fig. 28]. The straps 41a, 41b, and 41c being held fixed in the longitudinal direction X by the cleats 475 as shown above, their free ends engage between the soles 435 and the portions 431a, 431b, and 431c of the upper plate of the strap-pulling carriage 43, that is, between the jaws of the corresponding clamp. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that straps 41a, 41b and 41c remain fixed while the clamps which move forward in the same way as the 454 shoes of the rear beam 450. The sliding of the straps relative to the shoes 454 is therefore obtained by the sole movement of said shoes.

[0143] Once a sufficient length of the straps 41a, 41b and 41c is engaged in the clamps, as shown in [Fig.29], the closure of said clamps is commanded. This is achieved by actuating the cylinders 439, which then rotate the eccentric bar sections 436 forward, thereby lifting the pads 435 against the underside of the portions 431a, 431b, and 431c of the upper plate 431. In [Fig. 30], the rotation of the bar 436 is symbolized by the curved arrow 301. When the piston 439b of the cylinders 439 is fully extended from their cylinder 439a, the eccentric bar sections 436 have rotated 90° forward, and the pads 435 firmly press the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c against the underside of the portions 431a, 431b, and 431c of the upper plate 431. The clamps are then locked in the closed position, and this state remains as long as the pressure in the varis 434 is maintained.As a result, the straps are hooked onto the strap-pulling trolley 43, by the effect of this pinching.

[0144] The trolley 43 can then be brought back, as symbolized in [Fig.30] by the right arrow 302, to extend the straps across the loading area 100, pulling them out of the reels 42. The next loading cycle can then be started for a new empty package.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, advantageously, since the drive of the strap-pulling carriage 43 is servo-controlled, positional control of said carriage is total. This makes it possible to control the referencing of the strap-pulling carriage 43 behind the rear beam 450, the start and end of the engagement of the free ends of the straps 41a, 41b and 41c between the bases 436 and the portions 431a, 431b and 431c, respectively, as well as the tightening of the corresponding clamps by the actuation of the cylinders 439, before the return of the strap-pulling carriage 43 to the rear to bring it back behind the loading area 100, by pulling the corners, in preparation for the start of the next loading cycle.

[0146] With reference to the drawings, from [Fig. 31] to [Fig. 35], we will now describe an embodiment of means for bending at least the first cell (i.e., the one resting directly on the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c) along the transverse direction Y when said cell rests on the sling assembly. These means also cause, albeit to a lesser extent, the bending of the subsequent cells that are placed, where applicable, on the first cell. This bending of the cells facilitates the insertion of the stack of cells into the package, its width becoming less than when the cells are kept flat. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this result is obtained by creating a bulge in the sling assembly including the straps 41a, 41b and 41c, at the level of the central strap 41a.

[0147] In this embodiment, the means for bending the cell or cells along the transverse direction Y include the pulley block 477, which guides the central strap 41b and is shown in [Fig. 31] and [Fig. 32]. Referring to the detail view shown in [Fig. 33], the pulley block 477 comprises two pulleys or rollers, namely a lower guide roller 481 and an upper guide roller 482, whose respective axes are parallel to each other. The axis of rotation of the upper roller 482 is fixed, except for rotation about itself, of course. The axis of rotation of the lower roller 481, in addition to being rotatable about itself as required, is movable relative to the axis of rotation of the upper roller 482, but always remaining parallel to it.

[0148] In one example, the trunnion of the lower roller 481 is arranged at the distal end of at least one pivoting support arm 483. In the embodiment shown, this support arm 483 of the movable roller is rigid, and therefore of constant length. For example, the pivot axis of the movable support arm of the lower roller 481 may be common to the rotation axis of the fixed upper roller 482, as shown in [Fig. 33]. To this end, the proximal end of the movable roller's support arm is coupled to the ends of flanges 487 which are integral with the upper plate 471 of the rear beam 470, and which also form a bearing supporting the trunnion of the upper roller 482. In other words, the pivot of the support arm 483 which carries the lower roller 481 corresponds to the axis of rotation of the upper roller 482. For example, the pivot axis of the support arm 483 and the trunnion of the upper roller 482 are one and the same part.This embodiment limits the number of parts required, reduces the overall size, and simplifies assembly. However, it is not mandatory. The pivot axis at the proximal end of the arm 483 can indeed be separate from the trunnion of the upper roller 482.

[0149] In all cases, the pivoting of the arm 483 which supports the lower roller 481 can be actuated by a control cylinder 484. The cylinder 484a of the cylinder 484 can be held by a rod 485, which can be disposed in two flanges 486 which extend upwards from the rear end of the shoe 474 of the rear beam 470 which is associated with the central strap 41b, each on a respective lateral side of said shoe.

[0150] In an example of the arrangement of the control cylinder 484 as illustrated in [Fig. 33], the winding angle of the central strap 41b around the lower roller 481 is, when the piston 484b of the cylinder 484 is retracted into its cylinder 484a, less than the winding angle when said piston 484b is extended from said cylinder 484a, so that the central strap 41b is less taut in the first case than in the second case. In other words, it is the retraction of the piston 484b of the control cylinder 484 into the cylinder 484a of said cylinder that allows the central strap 41b of the sling assembly to be released, i.e. to be loosened.

[0151] A bulge is thus obtained in the sling assembly formed by the straps 41a, 41b, and 41c, at the level of the central strap 41b, along the transverse direction Y, as illustrated in [Fig. 32], in which the different position of the pulley block 477 compared to that shown in the diagram of [Fig. 31] should be noted, due to the retraction of the piston 484b into the cylinder 484a of the control cylinder 484. This bulge takes shape solely due to its own weight. The formation of this bulge in the central strap 41b is complete when the first cell of the stack of cells to be formed is deposited on the sling assembly, due to the weight of said cell and its load, i.e., the fruit.

[0152] Figures 34 and 35 show the insertion device in the state already presented in Figure 32, with the central strap 41b slack to form a belly of the sling assembly, but with a plate 500 representing a socket placed on said sling assembly. As can be seen, the natural flexibility of the socket induces a warping of said socket in the transverse vertical plane that is orthogonal to the straps, given that the socket also rests on the two lateral straps 41a and 41c, each extending from a respective side of the central strap 41b, and which are shorter than said central strap 41b. This warping of the cell has the effect of reducing the overall width of the cell, along the transverse direction Y. The insertion into the box of the first cell, and in fact of the entire stack of cells, if applicable, is facilitated.The skilled worker will appreciate that this method achieves the same result as an operator who, by using their hands, would bring the two lateral ends of the cavity together, exploiting its flexibility to slightly reduce its width so that it could be inserted more easily into the crate, and in particular by also plunging their hands into it on each side to guide the cavity down to the bottom of the crate.

[0153] In the example shown in the figure, the free end of the piston 484b of the cylinder 484 is coupled directly to the distal end of the support arm 483 of the lower roller 481. For example, the eye at the end of the piston 484b of the cylinder is crossed by the trunnion of the lower roller 481, which is held in position by any suitable means such as for example a rivet or pin, a circlip, an "E" type ring or any other type of retaining ring.

[0154] The control cylinder 484 can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. An electric cylinder is preferred because of its simplicity of implementation and its precision.

[0155] In the example shown, the lower roller 481 is movable and the upper roller 482 is fixed, and the central strap 41a enters the resulting pulley from above from the corresponding winder located in front of the insertion device, and exits from below the lower roller 481 towards the rear of said device. Other arrangements are possible, depending on the specific constraints of each application. In particular, the lower roller 481 could be fixed, while the upper roller 482 would be movable.

[0156] The present invention has been described in this detailed description and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in possible embodiments. The present invention is not limited, however, to the embodiments thus presented. Other variations and embodiments can be deduced and implemented by a person skilled in the art upon reading this description and the accompanying drawings.

[0157] In particular, the invention remains compatible with the implementation of downward-hinged flaps to form a hopper facilitating the insertion of the trays into the crate, as already proposed in the prior art illustrated by document US8015781, which was identified and discussed in the introduction. These flaps can therefore be incorporated into embodiments of the present invention. As a reminder, such flaps have a width close, by lower values, to the dimension of the interior of the crates along the transverse Y direction. The flaps pivot from horizontal to vertical around a transverse extension axis, like the doors of a bomb bay, to assist in the gentle placement of the trays onto the sling assembly of the insertion device and in lowering the stack of trays to the bottom of the crate. The flaps maintain their vertical position during the complete loading of a given crate.They are raised back to a horizontal position after the crate has been fully loaded and removed from the loading area, in order to allow the placement of a new empty crate and the start of a new corresponding loading cycle. The end of the flaps opposite their pivot axis includes notches adapted for the passage of slings 41, and more particularly of the intermediate portion of said slings which extends horizontally through the loading area 100.

[0158] Furthermore, although the invention is advantageously applicable to the loading of fragile products such as fruits or vegetables, for example apples, plums, peaches, tomatoes or others into receptacles such as bushel-type crates, open-top crates, boxes, wooden crates or boxes, or any other top-opening boxes, it is also applicable to the loading of other products into other types of receptacles for which the same technical problems arise.

[0159] In the claims, the terms "include" or "comprise" do not exclude other elements or steps. A single processor or several other units may be used to implement the invention. The various features shown and / or claimed may be advantageously combined. Their presence in the description or in different dependent claims does not preclude this possibility. Reference symbols shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Demands Machine for loading at least one object, in particular a compartment (1) pre-filled with fruit or vegetables, into a top-loading package (51), in particular a bushel-type telescopic crate, said machine comprising: a) a fixed chassis defining a loading area (100) with an upper part (101) and a lower part (102); b) a feed conveyor (20) having an inlet end (21) and an outlet end (22) and extending along a determined longitudinal direction (X) and conveying direction, between said inlet end and said outlet end, adapted to bring objects (11-15) in sequence into the upper part of the loading area; (c) a guillotine gate (30) disposed between the upper and lower parts of the loading area and having a plate (31), said plate (31) having an edge adjacent to the outlet end (21) of the infeed conveyor (20) and being of a shape and dimensions adapted to receive, on its upper face, individually and sequentially, objects which are successively transferred to it by the infeed conveyor (20) at the level of said edge, and, said plate (31) being movable only horizontally and controlled to move along the longitudinal direction (X) alternately from front to rear and from rear to front, between an extreme rear position corresponding to a completely closed state of the guillotine gate and an extreme front position corresponding to a completely open state of said gate,said movable plate being adapted to individually receive objects transferred sequentially from the output end of the infeed conveyor when said movable plate is in its rearmost position; (d) an insertion device (40) arranged in the lower part of the loading area (100) below the movable plate (31) of the guillotine door (30) when said plate is in its rearmost position and adapted to, during a loading cycle corresponding to the processing of a specific product (13) in the loading area, receive from above when the guillotine door opens, said object (13) previously transferred from a feed conveyor on the movable plate (31) of said hatch (30) and, on the other hand, to lower the object in a controlled manner towards the bottom of the package (51) previously positioned below, in the lower part of the loading area; and, e) at least one longitudinal stop element (32), arranged in the upper part of the loading area (100) directly above the level of the movable plate (31) of the guillotine hatch (30), in a position along the longitudinal direction (X) in front of said movable plate when it is in its extreme rear position and behind said movable plate when it is in its extreme front position, said element (32) forming a longitudinal stop for the objects (13) opposing their forward movement beyond the filling area (100);the insertion device being adapted to receive the object (13) from the movable plate (31) of the guillotine hatch (30) via the removal of said plate, by horizontal translation in the direction of conveying (X), under the longitudinal stop element (32) when the said hatch is opened.;

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the infeed conveyor (20) is an endless belt conveyor offering, for the transfer of objects to the moving plate (30) of the guillotine gate (30) an adhesion to the objects (11-15) on the belt which is greater than the adhesion offered to said objects by the surface of said moving plate.

3. Machine according to claim 2, wherein the feed conveyor belt (20) is a belt made of or coated with a relatively sticky material, such as polyurethane, while the moving plate is a plate made of or coated with a relatively non-stick material, such as stainless steel.

4. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the longitudinal stop element (32) is a transverse extension rail, integral with the frame.

5. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the insertion device comprises a sling assembly (41) with straps (41a,41b,41c).

6. Machine according to claim 5, wherein the sling assembly (41) comprises a plurality of straps (41a, 41b, 41c) extending parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction (X) through the top of the lower part (102) of the loading area (100), which are unwindable and rewindable by means of synchronously controlled reels (42), each arranged on one side or the other of said loading area along said longitudinal direction.

7. Machine according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the insertion device (40) comprises a movable carriage (43) disposed along the longitudinal direction (X) on the side opposite the loading area (100) relative to the reels (42), to which the straps (41;41a,41b,41c) are attached in a detachable and re-attachable manner, and which is adapted to release said straps after the descent into the package (51) of a batch of objects (11-15) filling said package in order to deposit said batch of objects into the package and to allow the rewinding of the straps in the reels, on the one hand, and to move in front of the loading area to again grasp a free end of the straps after their rewinding in the reels, and to stretch said straps across the loading area for the purpose of loading a subsequent package, on the other hand.

8. Machine according to claims 6 and 7, wherein the reels (42) are arranged downstream of the loading area (100) along the longitudinal direction (X), the mobile carriage (43) being arranged to move upstream of said area during the transfer of objects from the movable plate (31) of the guillotine gate (30) to the insertion device (40), and being adapted to move forward through the loading area to grasp downstream of said area a free end of the straps after their release and rewinding in the reels, and then to move backward to draw the straps (41a,41b,41c) and bring them back behind the loading area (100) in order to tension the straps (41a,41b,41c) through said area (100).

9. A machine according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the insertion device comprises a first crossbeam (450) and a second crossbeam (470) arranged in front of the loading area (100), a) the first crossbeam (450) supporting a first set of hollow shoes (454) extending forward, at a ratio of such a shoe for the passage of one of the respective straps (41a,41b,41c) of the sling device (41), b) the second cross beam (470) being disposed in front of the first cross beam (450) and supporting a second set of hollow shoes (474) which extend rearward in the direction of the opposite hollow shoes of the first set of shoes (454), at a rate of one such shoe for the passage of one of the respective straps (41a,41b,41c) of the sling device (41), c) pairs of hollow shoes opposed longitudinally each comprising a determined hollow shoe of the first set of shoes (454) and a corresponding determined hollow shoe of the second set of shoes forming a guide channel for each of the straps (41a,41b,41c) of the sling device (41), respectively.

10. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the insertion device comprises a sliding connecting piece (473) for each of the pairs of hollow shoes, said sliding connecting piece being hollow and adapted to enclose the corresponding strap in continuity with the opposite shoes of said pair of shoes, and being mounted in a sliding manner along the longitudinal direction (X) between the opposite hollow shoes of the pair of hollow shoes such that when the first cross beam (450) and the second cross beam (470) are brought closer together or moved further apart, the straps (41a, 41b, 41c) of the slinging device (41) each remain enclosed in a guide channel formed by a pair of opposite shoes and by the associated sliding connecting piece.

11. A machine according to claim 10, wherein the movable carriage (43) comprises clamps in a number and position along the transverse direction corresponding to the straps (41a, 41b, 41c) of the slinging device (41), and wherein, for gripping the free ends of the straps (41a, 41b, 41c) of the slinging device (41), the movable carriage (43) is adapted to push the first crossbeam (450) forward in the direction of the second crossbeam (470) such that, the straps (41a, 41b, 41c) of the slinging device (41) being immobilized longitudinally, the free end of said straps is released rearward by the relative forward movement of the shoes of the first pair of shoes with the first crossbeam (450) that carries them, and can engage in the clamps for securing the straps on the mobile trolley (43) by means of said clamps when they are closed.

12. Machine according to any one of claims 9 and 10, wherein the second beam (470) carries return roller means adapted to return the straps (41a,41b,41c) to the reels (42), said second beam being adapted to be moved along the longitudinal direction (X) in order to adjust the tension of the straps by means common to said straps.

13. Machine according to any one of claims 5 to 12 comprising means for bending an object along the transverse direction (Y), when said object rests on the straps (41a,41b,41c) of the sling assembly (41), by creating a belly in the sling assembly (41) at the level of at least one central strap (41b) of said sling assembly.

14. A machine according to claim 13, limited in that it corresponds to a machine according to claim 12 in which the straps (41a, 41b, 41c) of the sling assembly (41) are returned by roller return means (476, 481, 482, 478) which are carried by the second transverse beam (470), the positioning of which along said direction is controlled to adjust the nominal tension of the straps, in which, furthermore: a) the means for bending a cell comprise a central strap return block (41b) with a lower return roller (481) and an upper return roller (482) with respective axes of rotation which are parallel to each other, the axis of rotation of one (482) of said rollers being fixed, while the axis of rotation of the other roller (481) is movable along the longitudinal direction as a function of the state of a two-state actuation element (484),with respect to the axis of rotation of the first of said rollers, while remaining parallel to it, b) the central strap (41a) enters the pulley block (480) from above from a corresponding winder (42) located in front of the insertion device, and exits from below the lower roller (481) towards the rear of said device; and, c) the winding angle of the central strap (41b) around the lower roller (481) is, in a first state of the actuating member, less than said winding angle in the other state of the actuating member, so that the central strap (41b) is less, stretched in the said first state than in the said other state of the actuating organ.

15. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising lateral flanges, of longitudinal extension, arranged on each side of the guillotine hatch (30) to laterally wedge the objects (11,12) on the movable plate (31) of said hatch when said plate is in its rearmost position.

16. Fruit or vegetable processing installation comprising a loading machine according to any one of claims 1 to 15, for top loading of cavities pre-filled with fruit or vegetables into the bottom box of a bushel-type telescopic crate (50).

17. Method of loading objects, in particular pre-filled trays of fruit or vegetables, into a top-loading package, in particular a bushel-type crate, said method comprising: - bringing (20) the objects in sequence into an upper part (101) of a loading zone (100), along a determined longitudinal direction (X) and conveying direction; - transferring the objects individually and in sequence onto a plate (31) of a guillotine hatch (30) which is movable only horizontally by being controlled to move alternately from front to back and from back to front between an extreme rear position corresponding to a completely closed state of the guillotine hatch (30) and an extreme front position corresponding to a completely open state of said hatch, when said movable plate is in its extreme rear position;- the insertion from above of each object into a package (51) previously positioned below the guillotine hatch in a lower part (102) of the loading area (100) below the movable plate of the guillotine hatch when said plate is in its rearmost position, wherein the insertion from above of each object into the package (51) comprises: - the reception of the object by an insertion device (40) arranged in the lower part of the loading area below the movable plate (31) of the guillotine hatch (30) when said plate; is in its extreme rear position, from said plate when said hatch opens and the movable plate disappears, by horizontal translation in the direction of conveying, under a longitudinal stop element (32) which is arranged in the upper part of the loading area directly above the level of the movable plate, in a longitudinal position in front of the movable plate when said plate is in its extreme rear position and behind the movable plate when said movable plate is in its extreme front position; as well as, - the descent of the object towards the bottom of the package (51) under the control of the insertion device.

18. A method according to claim 17 in which the infeed conveyor (20) provides, during the transfer of objects to the moving plate (31) of the guillotine gate (30), an adhesion to the objects which is greater than the adhesion provided to said objects by the surface of said plate.

19. A method according to any one of claims 17 and 18, wherein the insertion of an object into the package (51) comprises transferring said object from the movable plate (31) of the guillotine hatch (30) onto a strap sling assembly of the insertion device (40) comprising a plurality of straps (41) which extend parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction (X) and which are unwindable and rewindable by means of respective reels (42) controlled synchronously and arranged each on one side or the other of the loading area (100) along said longitudinal direction.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the sling assembly comprises a mobile trolley (43) disposed on the opposite side, along the longitudinal direction (X), of the loading area (100) relative to the reels (42), and to which the straps (41) are attached in a detachable and reattachable manner, the method further comprises: - releasing the straps after a batch of objects (11-15) filling said package has been lowered into the package (51) in order to deposit said batch of objects into the package, and rewinding the straps into the reels; as well as - the mobile trolley traversing the loading area along the longitudinal direction to grasp the straps after their release and rewinding by the reels; and, - the tension of the straps across the loading area in preparation for loading the next package, by a new crossing along the longitudinal direction but in the opposite direction, of the loading area by the mobile trolley.

Images