Alignment conveyor

Abstract

A passive alignment conveyor suitable for elongated objects, comprising at least one piece of material with a recess in the alignment direction as an alignment lane, the alignment lane comprising at least one slot arranged in the alignment lane at a predetermined angle to the alignment direction, at least one means for optical detection and at least one electronic circuit-based control device, characterized in that at least one movable knife, assembled offset from the means for optical detection in the alignment direction, is assembled at a predetermined angle to the alignment direction and is assembled so as to be able to move in a slot arranged in the alignment lane.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an alignment conveyor that can be used to cut elongated objects.

[0002] Thin, rod-shaped fried potato strips known as chips, French fries or freedom fries became an important convenience food in the 20th century, especially because, with the proper equipment, large quantities of fried potato strips could be converted from frozen to ready-to-eat form in a matter of minutes, making them an ideal street food.

[0003] Due to the great demand for French fries, French fry manufacturing has become an industrial sector with production rates reaching 100 tons per hour in large factories.

[0004] French fries are made from potatoes that are optionally peeled and then cut into strips by pressing a lattice knife to obtain potato strips. During processing into French fries, the potato strips are pre-fried, frozen, and packaged.

[0005] In industrial processing, the demands on the quality of French fries are high and French fry defects such as black spots that sometimes occur on potatoes are highly undesirable.

[0006] The simplest and most intuitive way to provide defect-free French fries is to sort out the potato strips that have defects. However, this method generates a large amount of waste, which can still be used as animal feed or to produce alcohol, but it significantly reduces the efficiency of French fries production and can also lead to ethical issues due to food waste.

[0007] In order to reduce the amount of waste in French fry production, machines have been developed that automatically identify defects in a potato strip and selectively cut the potato strip so that the defect is removed and two shorter potato strips without the defect are obtained. The use of such machines significantly reduces the amount of waste during French fry production. However, the machines known in the art today have several drawbacks, such as being highly technically complex and having large space demands.

[0008] WO 2004 / 034794 and WO 2004 / 106020 describe machines for conveying and dividing fish and meat pieces, using an arrangement of conveyor belts, optical inspection, and rotating knives controlled using the results of the optical inspection. However, these devices are designed for cutting relatively large items and include a large number of moving parts that give rise to a high degree of complexity that makes it uneconomical to use such devices for processing small items such as French fries that must be processed in large quantities.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to improve a machine for the automatic removal of defects from potato slices in such a way that it is compact, technically simple and furthermore its size can be easily adapted depending on the desired throughput.

[0010] This problem is surprisingly solved by a passive alignment conveyor suitable for elongated objects, comprising at least one piece of material with a recess in the alignment direction as an alignment lane, the alignment lane comprising at least one slot arranged in the alignment lane at a predetermined angle to the alignment direction, at least one means for optical detection and at least one electronic-based control device, characterized in that at least one movable knife, mounted offset from the means for optical detection in the alignment direction, is mounted at a predetermined angle to the alignment direction and is mounted so that it can move in a slot arranged in the alignment lane.

[0011] According to the present application, an elongated object is any article having a length at least three times its maximum diameter. The length of an elongated object according to the present application is virtually unlimited, but typical lengths vary from 2 to 50 centimeters. Possible elongated objects, for which the aligning conveyor according to the present application is preferably suitable, are for example French fries, or potato strips that can be processed to form French fries, or strips, cut or whole, of another vegetable or fruit, such as carrots, zucchini, eggplant, cucumber, asparagus, leeks, beans, parsnips, bananas or brahmin.

[0012] French fries, according to the present application, are elongated objects cut from potatoes, whether peeled or unpeeled, raw, blanched, cooked, fried, frozen, or in any other state of processing.

[0013] Throughout this application, the term "potato" is used generally to refer to starch-containing tubers used as human or animal food. In particular, potatoes according to this application are tubers of the common potato (Solanum tuberosum) or any cultivar of this species. However, the term "potato" may also refer to the tuber of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) or any other plant.

[0014] According to the present application, a conveyor is a device that transports objects without performing a translational motion of its own. A conveyor according to the present application can therefore be called a "passive conveyor". Throughout the present application, the terms "conveyor" and "passive conveyor" are used synonymously. A conveyor according to the present application or a passive conveyor should therefore be distinguished from an active conveyor, which transports objects by its own motion, best known in the form of a conveyor belt.

[0015] Unless otherwise stated, throughout this application the term "conveyor" refers to a passive conveyor as described above, but is not always referred to as "passive".

[0016] Thus, a passive conveyor may be a vibrating or shaking device that transports articles by moving the articles themselves, or a smooth, planar incline over which articles slide, or any combination thereof.

[0017] Movement of the elongated object along the alignment lane can also be induced by a water current or a pressurized air current within the alignment lane.

[0018] When a water stream is used, the water flows through an inclined alignment lane to carry the elongated object along the alignment lane, and the speed of the water stream can be controlled by the angle of the slope of the alignment lane, the amount of water flowing through the alignment lane, and the pressure of the water flowing through the alignment lane, as well as any combination thereof.

[0019] If water is used to transport the elongated objects through the inclined alignment lane, the alignment lane should include a water outlet, such as a tab or nozzle at or near its upper end, and a drain connected to the lower end of the alignment lane, which may include a selection unit for separating the elongated objects from the water.

[0020] After passing through the alignment lanes, the water can be discharged as wastewater or reused. In the latter case, at least one water pump is needed to pump the water back to the top end of the alignment lanes. The pump can be combined with a means for treating the water, such as a filter, or a device for disinfecting the water by short-term heating, irradiation with ultraviolet light, X-rays or gamma rays, or by application of a chemical disinfectant, such as ozone, chlorine dioxide, any other chlorine compound, a peroxide such as hydrogen peroxide, or dimethyl dicarbonate.

[0021] In the processing of French fries, the water accumulates the starch, which can be washed out of the French fries and separated from the water and used for any known purpose.

[0022] In French fry processing, it may be desirable to keep the water oxygen-free, or at least the oxygen level low, to ensure that the raw potato pieces do not discolor, in which case organic or inorganic reducing agents such as aldehydes, formic acid, thiosulfates or sulfites may be required.

[0023] An aligning conveyor is a conveyor that transports articles in a predefined orientation and is also capable of bringing the articles into a predefined orientation, called the alignment direction, which, according to one embodiment, is an orientation parallel to the direction in which the articles are transported.

[0024] To bring the articles to a predefined orientation, the alignment conveyor has a three-dimensional structure with depressions and / or surface relief in the alignment direction as the alignment lane. The alignment lane may be a passageway, which is formed so that the articles must pass each line as a single file. The alignment lane may be open at the top or may have a covering such that it is covered or closed towards the top. Thus, the alignment lane may be a covered passageway or a pipe. In an embodiment, the pipe or covering may be transparent to allow optical inspection. In an embodiment, the alignment lane may be a profiled piece of sheet metal or a block of rigid material with depressions that form the alignment lane. The alignment lane may be formed by combining one or more profiled pieces of sheet metal with one or more blocks of rigid material with depressions. To align the articles, the alignment conveyor may further comprise any means for alignment such as a shaker, a bar, a funnel-shaped entrance, or a combination thereof. These are installed before the alignment lane to ensure that the articles have the proper orientation before they enter the alignment lane. For rough alignment of the elongated objects before entering the alignment conveyor according to the invention, the alignment conveyor may be combined with an in-line shaker, which is a device with a conveyor by which the deposited elongated objects can be shaken so as to align them along the direction of movement.

[0025] The slot may be positioned anywhere in the alignment lane. In some embodiments, the slot is positioned in a sidewall of the alignment lane. In some embodiments, the slot is positioned in the bottom of the alignment lane.

[0026] The slot may form an angle of 90-10 degrees with the alignment direction. The slot may form an angle of 90-10 degrees with the bottom of the alignment lane. The selection of the exact angle and positioning of the slot may be tailored to the design considerations of the alignment conveyor.

[0027] In one embodiment, the slot is formed at the interface of two elements, which may be two blocks of rigid material with recesses, two profiled pieces of sheet metal, or a combination thereof.

[0028] In some embodiments of the alignment conveyor, where a water stream is used to transport the elongated objects through the alignment lane, the slots are formed as steps, which are passed by the water stream like a weir passed by a stream or river to ensure that the water does not drain through the slot. The passage of the water stream over the steps may be optimized by influencing the water flow to avoid water loss. The water flow may be regulated by the geometry of the alignment lane over the steps, which can contribute to the formation of a homogeneous and compact flow. The geometry of the corners of the steps may also be optimized to avoid water loss by dripping, by forming sharp edges or geometries similar to the spouts of teapots or coffeepots. Finally, the water flow may be optimized by the surface properties of the upper part of the steps. Hydrophobic materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or polycarbonates, allow the formation of a compact and homogeneous flow, which also separates smoothly and completely from the material. Apart from the selection of the bulk material, the hydrophobic effect can also be achieved by a hydrophobic coating.

[0029] The lower portion of the slot, which is shaped like a step, may be shaped and / or treated to avoid splashing of water when the water stream impinges on the lower portion of the slot, either alone or together with the elongated object and / or part of the object. Splashing may be avoided, for example, by the use of hydrophilic materials and / or coatings, or by the use of a slope of the lower portion of the slot that ensures that the water stream strikes the lower portion of the slot in a brushing manner.

[0030] The rate of water flow down one alignment lane may be at least 100 liters per hour (l / h). In some embodiments, the water flow may be at least 200 l / h, 250 l / h, 300 l / h or 400 l / h.

[0031] The rate of water flow down one alignment lane may be up to 150 l / h, 250 l / h, 300 l / h, 400 l / h or 500 l / h. However, if the water is recirculated, the amount of water required to run the alignment lanes may be 20 liters, 30 liters, 40 liters or 50 liters in total and must be replaced at about 10-20% per hour.

[0032] The alignment conveyor may include a means for vibrating at least one alignment lane. The means for vibrating may be a magnetic rocking device, a motor connected to an unbalanced weight, or a horizontal rocker. In some embodiments, the means for vibrating allows for both horizontal and vertical motion. In some embodiments, the intensity of the vibration induced by the means for vibrating is adjustable. In some embodiments, the minimum frequency of the vibration means is 10 Hz. In some embodiments, the minimum frequency is 20 Hz. In some embodiments, the minimum frequency is 30 Hz.

[0033] The maximum frequency may be 500 Hz. In some embodiments, the maximum frequency may be 150 Hz. In some embodiments, the maximum frequency may be 100 Hz.

[0034] The maximum amplitude is 15 mm. In some embodiments, the maximum amplitude is 10 mm. In some embodiments, the maximum amplitude is 5 mm. In some embodiments, the maximum amplitude is 3 mm.

[0035] The minimum amplitude is 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, the minimum amplitude is 0.7 mm. In some embodiments, the minimum amplitude is 0.9 mm. The vibration can be performed in the alignment direction, perpendicular to the alignment direction, or at any angle to the alignment direction. The vibration can be performed in multiple directions.

[0036] Vibration can be combined with other techniques to induce movement of the elongated objects along the alignment lane: in one embodiment, vibration of the alignment lane may be combined with a current of water flowing down the alignment lane.

[0037] The alignment lanes are made of a rigid material. A rigid material according to the present application is a material having a Young's modulus of 0.1 GPa or greater. In some embodiments, the material has a Young's modulus of 0.2 GPa or greater. In some embodiments, the material has a Young's modulus of 0.3 GPa or greater. In some embodiments, the material has a Young's modulus of 0.4 GPa or greater. In some embodiments, the material has a Young's modulus of 0.5 GPa or greater.

[0038] In some embodiments, the alignment lanes are formed from or covered by a non-reflective material, which is any material that exhibits negligible specular reflection compared to its diffuse reflection.

[0039] In some embodiments, the alignment lanes are made of a translucent, semi-transparent or transparent material. Possible materials are therefore organic polymers, for example polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyamides such as polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, polyamide 4.10, polyamide 6.10, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polylactic acid (PLA), polyurethanes, polyacetals such as POM-H or POM-C, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, polyphenylene sulfide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate or polyimides, or copolymers having two or more monomers of the above mentioned polymers or blends of the above mentioned polymers. The above mentioned materials may be provided as profiled sheets or as monolithic blocks, with the alignment lanes being formed by the initial formation of the block or after the formation of the block or by abrasive techniques such as carving, cutting, milling, grinding or any combination thereof.

[0040] Different portions of the alignment lane may be made from different materials. In an embodiment, the portion above the slot, which may be referred to as the top of the alignment lane, may be made from a polymeric material, such as a translucent, semi-transparent or transparent polymeric material, while the portion of the alignment lane below the slot, which may be referred to as the lower portion, may be made from stainless steel. The choice of different materials may be due to different functions of the different portions of the alignment lane. Therefore, it may be advantageous for optical inspection if the upper portion is translucent, whereas the lower portion of stainless steel may be more durable or easier to clean.

[0041] In some embodiments, the surface of the alignment lanes is treated to prevent the adhesion of articles to the surface, such as wet articles that adhere to the surface to form a liquid film. The surface treatment can be performed by a coating that exhibits chemical properties such as hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, or macroscopic properties such as smoothness or roughness. The coating can be a lacquer or a resin layer. The surface treatment can be a macroscopic pattern or texture that is carved, cut, etched, or pressed into the material of the alignment lanes or any material covering the alignment lanes. In some embodiments, the texture or pattern has straight or curved splines, protrusions or recesses, or any combination thereof.

[0042] In an embodiment, the alignment conveyor may comprise at least one means for illumination. The means for illumination may be a light bulb, a light emitting diode or any other device that emits visible, infrared or ultraviolet light. The means for illumination may be an X-ray tube, a gamma ray source or any other source of electromagnetic radiation, such as a microwave or radio wave generator. Throughout this application, the term "illumination" refers to the description of any kind of electromagnetic radiation, whether or not it is generally referred to as "light". Thus, electromagnetic radiation in this sense covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum, such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible and ultraviolet light, as well as X-rays and gamma rays. The means for illumination may be installed at any position on the alignment conveyor. In an embodiment, the means for illumination is positioned below or inside the alignment lane, so that light can pass through the alignment lane and illuminate the elongated objects passing through the alignment lane from the bottom. In an embodiment, the means for illumination may be installed to illuminate the elongated objects from above. In one embodiment, the alignment lane comprises a plurality of means for illumination that are assembled to illuminate the elongated object passing through the alignment lane from any direction and to prevent the formation of a shadow of the elongated object on the alignment lane.

[0043] At least one movable knife can move in a swinging, rotating or translating manner. The plane of movement of the movable knife always forms an angle between substantially perpendicular and 10 degrees with respect to the alignment direction. The knife can be of any shape and can have a straight or curved blade. If the knife is rotatable, it can be mounted on a shaft with an axis perpendicular to the rotation plane of the motor.

[0044] The knife may have one or more blades. In some embodiments, the knife has two blades that may be oriented in a rotation plane at an angle of 180° to each other. In some embodiments, the knife has three blades that may be oriented in a rotation plane at an angle of 120° to each other. In some embodiments, the knife has four blades that may be oriented in a rotation plane at an angle of 90° to each other. In all the above embodiments, the knife looks like a propeller with two, three or four blades, respectively. A symmetrical arrangement of the blades is particularly advantageous for high rotation speeds of the knife, since it allows a more balanced rotation, reducing wear on the motor and the transmission.

[0045] In some embodiments, the knife may be driven by a motor. In some embodiments, the knife is directly mounted to the motor via a shaft. When the knife is directly connected to the motor via a shaft, the motor is mounted perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the knife. In some embodiments, the knife is connected to the motor via gears, at least one shaft, or any combination thereof. When the knife is connected to the motor via gears and a shaft, the motor may not be perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the knife. In some embodiments, more than one knife is connected to the motor.

[0046] The motor driving the knife may be a servo-controlled motor. The motor driving the knife may be a linear motor. Since the knife must cut a moving article, it is desirable for the motor to provide a very high rotational speed. In some embodiments, the motor may have a rotational speed of up to 5000 revolutions per minute (rpm). In some embodiments, the motor may have a rotational speed of up to 2500 rpm. In some embodiments, the motor may have a reduction gear. The speed at which the elongated body to be cut moves through the alignment conveyor depends on the maximum start / stop frequency of the motor. In some embodiments, the motor may be started and stopped up to 50 times per second. In some embodiments, the motor may be started and stopped up to 40 times per second, 30 times per second, 20 times per second, 15 times per second, 13 times per second, 7 times per second or 5 times per second. Between starts and stops, the motor may perform one 360° rotation. Between starting and stopping, the motor can perform a rotation of 180°, 120° or 90°.

[0047] In one embodiment, the motor is controlled, started and stopped, by an electronic-based control device.

[0048] The motor and shaft may be mounted parallel to the alignment direction or at an angle. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 45° with the alignment direction. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 30° with the alignment direction. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 25° with the alignment direction. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 20° with the alignment direction. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 15° with the alignment direction. In some embodiments, the motor and shaft form an angle of up to 10° with the alignment direction.

[0049] The choice of motor and shaft angle with respect to the alignment direction may depend on the space requirements in the alignment conveyor, where several alignment lanes may be combined with each alignment lane having its own motor and rotating knife with its own space requirements. The assembly of motors and shafts that are inclined with respect to the alignment direction may allow for the placement of several motors and several knives in close proximity, for example, to allow for a compact alignment conveyor with multiple lanes on a small surface area.

[0050] In some embodiments, the motor and knife are mounted in a vibration-isolated manner from the alignment lane. This means that any type of vibration-absorbing material is placed between the alignment lane and the motor. In some embodiments, the alignment lane and motor are mounted on a separate structure. In such a case, the vibration-absorbing material between the alignment lane and the motor is flooring on the ground. In some embodiments, the motor and alignment lane are connected via a bulky elastic material such as a spring or foam.

[0051] In one embodiment, the alignment lane is inclined to accommodate downward movement of the elongated objects.

[0052] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the alignment lane perpendicular to the alignment direction is U-shaped, V-shaped or trough-shaped. The shape of the cross-section may vary along the alignment direction. The transition of the cross-sectional shape may form a sharp shape, for example a step between a V-shaped cross-section and a U-shaped cross-section or between a U-shaped cross-section and a V-shaped cross-section. The transition of the cross-sectional shape may be smooth. The transition of the cross-sectional shape may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The asymmetric transition of the cross-sectional shape between a V-shaped cross-section and a U-shaped cross-section or between a U-shaped cross-section and a V-shaped cross-section may have a specially shaped profile, such as in the form of a helical segment or a helical segment, thus allowing the elongated object in the shape of a rectangular or prismatic shape to be rotated in a defined direction in order to allow optical inspection from all sides of the elongated object passing through the alignment lane.

[0053] In some embodiments, the alignment lane includes an entrance that may be closed to prevent elongated objects from entering the alignment lane, for example due to a defect.

[0054] The optical detection device may be at least one camera or any other detector for electromagnetic radiation. In practice, there is no limitation on the type of camera or detector, and thus the camera may be a camera for visible, ultraviolet or infrared light. In an embodiment, the alignment conveyor may have two or more cameras or detectors for electromagnetic radiation mounted at different positions and / or angles along the alignment direction to enable optical inspection from all sides of the elongated objects passing through the alignment lane.

[0055] In some embodiments, the at least one detector for electromagnetic radiation is a detector for X-rays.

[0056] In some embodiments, the at least one camera or detector for electromagnetic radiation is connected to an electronics-based control device that switches a motor that moves the rotary knife on and off in response to the results of the optical inspection of the elongate body.

[0057] The alignment conveyor according to the present application can be constructed in a modular manner. An alignment lane may be a single element or two or more alignment lanes may form one building block, each with a slot and a movable knife. Single alignment lanes or building blocks of alignment lanes may be combined into a larger unit with a common supply of elongated bodies. Thus, using single alignment lanes and / or building blocks, alignment conveyors may be built in any size according to the user's requirements. Thus, existing alignment conveyors in modular form can also be easily expanded in case of increased production demands. Furthermore, since all alignment lanes operate independently from the other alignment lanes, a single alignment lane may be stopped, for example for maintenance, and a defect in a particular alignment lane does not have to stop the entire alignment conveyor, as long as all alignment lanes can be closed separately using closable entrances. Since the cutting process in all alignment lanes is completely independent from the cutting process in the other alignment lanes, different alignment lanes from each other or groups of different alignment lanes from each other may be driven with different vibration frequencies and / or amplitudes from each other, if necessary.

[0058] Different alignment lanes in an alignment conveyor according to the present application may differ in shape and / or size to be able to handle elongated objects of a particular size. If a water flow is used to transport the elongated objects through the alignment lanes, different alignment lanes in an alignment conveyor may have different water flow velocities and / or flow rates.

[0059] The present application also relates to a method for selectively cutting an elongated object one or more times using an alignment conveyor according to the present application. Selective cutting according to the present application means that a cut is applied at a position of the elongated object selected applying a determined criterion, which may be defined by optical inspection of the elongated object before cutting. The optical inspection of the elongated object allows to identify defects in the elongated object, thus triggering a movement of a movable knife that selectively separates the elongated object so that the elongated object is selectively cut at least twice, i.e. once just before the defect and once after the defect, so that the elongated object is cut into at least three pieces, where the defect is included in one piece or in several pieces. In an embodiment, the pieces with defects are significantly smaller than the pieces without defects and can be sorted after the passage of the alignment conveyor, for example using a sieve or any other sorting device. For sorting the pieces with defects, the alignment conveyor according to the present application may be combined with a sorting shaker including a sieve, which is shaken for easy sorting of the undesired pieces.

[0060] Optical inspection of the elongated objects moving along the alignment lane not only provides a reference for selective cutting, but also allows the actual speed at which the elongated objects move, which may be essential for the control of the process. Due to the properties of the alignment conveyor according to the present application, the elongated objects may have any speed on the alignment lane. The speeds of the elongated objects on different alignment lanes and the uniform speeds of the different elongated objects on the same alignment lane may be different from each other, since the speeds of the elongated objects are individually specified and there is no need for synchronization of the speeds of the different elongated objects or of the elongated objects and the movable knife. The speeds of the elongated objects on different alignment lanes may also be different from each other. In general, the elongated objects move through the alignment lane at a predetermined speed relative to the conveyor. This is different from the transport of elongated objects on a conveyor belt, where the elongated objects do not move at a predetermined speed relative to the conveyor belt.

[0061] In one embodiment, the elongated body is a vegetable such as a french fry, parsnip, eggplant, carrot, cucumber, zucchini, banana, asparagus, leek, beans, bramble, or any one or another of these, cut into julienne or any other type of pieces.

[0062] The present application further relates to the use of an alignment conveyor according to the present application for automatically removing defects from whole, peeled or cut vegetables or fruits such as French fries, parsnips, eggplant, carrots, cucumbers, zucchinis, bananas, asparagus, leeks, beans, green beans or brahminy.

[0063] The present application further relates to the use of an aligning conveyor according to the present application for chopping elongated fruits or vegetables such as parsnips, eggplants, carrots, cucumbers, bananas, asparagus, leeks, beans, green beans or brahminy.

[0064] According to the present application, "chopping" means that an elongated object is cut into pieces with the aim of obtaining pieces of approximately the same size, without following criteria defined, for example by optical inspection.

[0065] The following drawings illustrate selected embodiments of the subject matter of the present application, which should not be considered limited to the illustrated embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0066] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall machine for automatically removing defects from French fries, including an infeed conveyor 10 that transports the French fries to be processed; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of one alignment lane of an alignment conveyor according to the present application, with an upper portion 1 made of plastic, a lower portion 2 made of stainless steel, and French fries 18 sliding on the upper portion 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is another detailed view of the alignment lanes of the alignment conveyor. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of an alignment lane according to the present application.

[0067] FIG. 1 is a general overview of a machine for automatically removing defects from French fries, with an infeed conveyor 10 that transports the French fries to be processed. The French fries are placed on an in-line shaker 11 mounted on a drive frame 12. The in-line shaker brings the French fries into an orientation that is approximately parallel to the alignment direction. From the in-line shaker, the French fries are moved to an alignment conveyor 20 according to the present application, mounted on a drive frame 9. The individual alignment lanes of the alignment conveyor are not visible in the side view of FIG. 1. The upper part 1 of the alignment conveyor 20 is made of a polymeric material and may have a specially shaped profile 8 that allows the French fries to rotate. While sliding on the alignment conveyor 20, the French fries are inspected by a camera system 19.

[0068] After passing the camera system 19, the French fries pass a knife 3 which is connected to a motor 4. The lower part of the alignment conveyor 2 is made from stainless steel.

[0069] After exiting the alignment conveyor, the French fries and pieces cut from the French fries are discharged to a screening shaker 13. The screening shaker 13 is mounted on a drive frame 15 and may include a sieve to screen out defective small pieces 14 that may be removed. The small pieces 14 may be discharged from the screening shaker 13. From the screening shaker 13, the French fries are discharged onto a product conveyor 16.

[0070] 2 is a detailed view of one alignment lane of an alignment conveyor according to the present application, with an upper part 1 made of plastic, a lower part 2 made of stainless steel, and French fries 18 sliding on the upper part 1. Between the upper and lower parts of the alignment conveyor, knives 3 are mounted in a knife assembly 7 and connected by a drive shaft 5 to a motor 4. The motor is triggered by a sensor 6.

[0071] 3 shows another detailed view of the alignment lane of the alignment conveyor with French fries 18 sliding down the alignment lane. The French fries 18 are rotated 17 about their longitudinal axis as they slide down the alignment lane. The rotation is accomplished by a specially shaped profile 8 of the alignment lane. Although the cross section of the alignment lane shown in FIG. 3 is V-shaped, the specially shaped profile 8 provides an asymmetric deviation from the V-shape that rotates the French fries in a predetermined direction.

[0072] 4 shows another embodiment of an alignment lane according to the present application. The alignment lane is based on an M-shaped profile 8, down which the French fries 18 slide. In front of the alignment lane, a knife 3 with a drive shaft 5 is assembled.

Claims

1. 1. A passive alignment conveyor suitable for elongated objects, comprising: At least one piece of material having a recess in the alignment direction as the alignment lane (1 / 2), at least one piece of material, the alignment lane including at least one slot disposed within the alignment lane at an angle relative to the alignment direction; at least one means for optical detection (19) for determining the speed of the elongated objects on the alignment conveyor; at least one electronic circuit-based control device; At least one movable knife (3), mounted offset from the means for optical detection in the alignment direction, is mounted at an angle to the alignment direction and is mounted so as to be movable in the slot provided in the alignment lane. In the alignment conveyor, 11. An alignment conveyor, comprising: at least one alignment lane that is inclined.

2. 2. The alignment conveyor of claim 1, wherein the alignment conveyor includes means for vibrating at least one alignment lane.

3. 3. The alignment conveyor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the alignment lane includes a water outlet at or near an upper end of the alignment lane and a drain connected to a lower end of the alignment lane for transporting the elongated objects through the alignment lane by a water flow.

4. 3. The alignment conveyor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the slot is formed as a step.

5. 3. An alignment conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alignment lane or a part of the alignment lane is made of a material (1) exhibiting a negligible specular reflection compared to its diffuse reflection, preferably a translucent, semi-transparent or transparent material.

6. 3. An alignment conveyor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising at least one source of electromagnetic radiation.

7. 3. An alignment conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable knife (3) rotates.

8. The alignment conveyor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the slots form an angle of between 45° and 90° with the alignment direction.

9. 7. The alignment conveyor of claim 6, wherein the motor is switched on and off by an electronically driven control device.

10. 3. The alignment conveyor of claim 1, wherein the movable knife and the alignment lane are connected via a vibration absorbing material.

11. 3. The alignment conveyor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one optical detection device is at least one camera (19) connected to the electronics-based control device.

12. 3. The alignment conveyor of claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the at least one alignment lane is U-shaped, V-shaped or trough-shaped, and / or different portions of individual lanes have different shapes with symmetrical or asymmetrical transitions between the different shapes.

13. 3. A method for selectively cutting elongated objects one or more times using an alignment conveyor according to claim 1 or 2.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elongated object is French fries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, zucchinis, bananas, asparagus, brahminy or julienned one of these or another vegetable.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the elongated object is rotated on the alignment conveyor through 360° by a profile on the alignment lane.

16. 3. Use of an alignment conveyor as claimed in claim 1 or 2 for automatically removing or chopping defects from whole, peeled or cut vegetables or fruits such as French fries, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bananas, beans, asparagus or brahminchi by identifying defects by optical inspection, said optical detection resulting in movement of a movable knife which selectively cuts the French fries, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bananas, beans, asparagus or brahminchi such that the French fries, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bananas, beans, asparagus or brahminchi are selectively cut at least once in front of the defect and once after the defect, thereby cutting the French fries, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bananas, beans, asparagus or brahminchi into at least three pieces, where the defect is contained in one piece or several pieces.

Images