Device for removing the peduncle and sepals on strawberry fruits

Abstract

The present invention relates to a semi-automated device for removing the peduncle and sepals on strawberry fruits, characterised in that it comprises a conveyor with a rotating belt driven by a transmission system, the rotating belt comprising a plurality of holes distributed in a certain pattern, each hole configured to receive an inverted strawberry press-fitted therein, exposing the peduncle and sepals of the plurality of strawberries on the lower portion of said rotating belt. The device further comprises a cutting system arranged transversally under said rotating belt conveyor having a tension adjustment and distance calibration system with respect to said rotating belt to calibrate the cutting area on the strawberries and remove the peduncle and sepals. The cutting system comprises a cutting saw belt assembled on two wheels that act as guides for said cutting saw belt and that are driven by a motor with a reducer that provides traction to make said cutting saw belt rotate.

Description

[0001] EQUIPMENT FOR REMOVING PEDICLES AND SEPALS FROM FRUITS

[0002] OF STRAWBERRIES

[0003] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to the agricultural sector of fruit harvesting, more particularly to the agro-industrial sector of post-harvest fruit processing and more specifically refers to a novel equipment for removing the pedicle and sepals in strawberry fruits for marketing.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In the strawberry production sector, the presence of stems

[0007] (the fruit stem) and sepals (the small green leaves at the base of the strawberry) that remain on the fruit after harvest can pose several problems, such as the presence and permanence of peduncles and sepals attached to strawberries after harvest reduces their visual and sensory quality, consumers tend to prefer strawberries that are clean and without inedible parts; in addition, peduncles and sepals can increase the susceptibility of strawberries to decay and deterioration, which reduces their shelf life.

[0008] On the other hand, stems and sepals can harbor microorganisms that accelerate the decay process. Manually removing stems and sepals is a labor-intensive process. This can increase production costs and affect farmers' profitability. Furthermore, buyers and distributors often reject strawberry batches containing attached stems and sepals, which can result in economic losses for producers.

[0009] In many markets, there are regulations and quality standards that prohibit the sale of products with inedible parts or high levels of microbiological contamination. The presence of stems and sepals may violate these regulations.

[0010] Strawberry growers can implement more careful harvesting practices, such as clean stem cutting, and use sorting and processing technologies to more efficiently remove stems and sepals before strawberries reach the market.

[0011] Strawberry stemming machines and cutting tables that use the vacuum suction technique to secure strawberries are known on the market. These are equipment designed to process and clean strawberries after harvest. These machines are specifically designed to remove the stems (or tails) of strawberries and, in some cases, also the sepals, in order to improve the quality of the final product and make it more attractive to the consumer. These machines are specifically designed to remove strawberry stems efficiently and without damaging the fruit. They use a vacuum suction system to secure the strawberries to a conveyor belt or handling device. The strawberries move along the conveyor belt while held by the vacuum, and a series of blades or cutting devices cut the strawberry stems, separating them from the fruit. The vacuum also helps remove cut stems and other process debris.

[0012] Vacuum suction cutting tables are equipped with a vacuum suction system on the work surface. The strawberries are placed on the table and held in place by the vacuum, keeping them stable during the cutting process. Operators can then cut the stems and, in some cases, the sepals from the strawberries precisely and efficiently. Once the cutting process is complete, the strawberries can be easily removed from the table.

[0013] Although strawberry trimming equipment and vacuum suction cutting tables offer many advantages, they can also present some drawbacks. These include a considerable initial cost, which can be a barrier for small producers or companies with limited budgets. They require regular, and sometimes specialized, maintenance to ensure optimal operation, which entails additional costs and the need for trained personnel. Vacuum suction requires energy to operate, which can increase operating costs and have an environmental impact in terms of energy consumption.

[0014] A search was conducted to determine the closest prior art, and the following documents were found.

[0015] Document CN111632861 A by Yang Jiguan et al. dated June 11, 2020, was found to disclose an automatic post-picking strawberry sorting tool. The automatic post-picking strawberry sorting tool comprises a material lifting device, a material transfer device, a material arranging device, a sorting device, and a material receiving device. A lifting conveyor belt is used to lift strawberries in a material collecting box toward the material transfer device, and the material transfer device is used to transfer the input from the material lifting device to the material arranging device.When the automatic sorting tool works, strawberries entered by a transfer belt conveyor reach the surface of an elastic layer, the elastic layer decelerates the strawberries, the cushioned and decelerated strawberries enter the feeding end of an auxiliary hopper from a strip-shaped discharge port, with the help of a vibration motor, the strawberries reach the discharge end of the auxiliary hopper from the feeding end of the auxiliary hopper and then enter the sorting device for sorting, and then the immature strawberries are transferred through a secondary material collecting conveyor.

[0016] The entire sorting and receiving process is performed automatically, improving strawberry sorting efficiency, reducing human costs and manual labor intensity, and making the automatic sorting tool suitable for large-scale strawberry sorting.

[0017] The sorting device includes a sorting rack, and several sets of sorting transmission structures are arranged on the sorting rack. The sorting transmission structure includes two parallel transmission belts and a sieve opening disposed between the two parallel transmission belts. There is a secondary material collection conveyor belt below the opening, and the secondary material collection conveyor belt transfers the collected secondary materials away from the sorting tools.The sorting transmission structure is provided with a scanning support frame and a sorting support frame, the scanning support frame is provided with a plurality of color recognition sensors, each conveyor belt corresponds to a color recognition sensor, and the sorting support frame is fixed with a number of categories Motor, the extension end of the sorting motor shaft is connected with a strip rod, and the strip rod is arranged perpendicular to the extension end of the sorting motor shaft.

[0018] Document CN111632861 A only discloses a machine or equipment for automatic sorting of strawberries after harvesting, comprising a material lifting device, a material transfer device, a material arrangement device, a sorting device, and a material receiving device. The sorting device is very different from that of the proposed invention, and document D1 does not disclose or suggest a system for cutting the strawberry pedicle. Although it is a strawberry processing machine, it only allows for automatic sorting of strawberries after harvesting.

[0019] Also located was document US9364020B2 by Tao Yang et al. dated March 14, 2014, which discloses a process for high-throughput automated calyx removal from fruits or vegetables that includes a material handling system, a vision system, and a cutting system. The material handling system is capable of transporting the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The material handling system can also orient the fruits or vegetables along a fruit axis and / or align the fruits or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and / or configuration. The vision system identifies the calyx and determines data on its position and the optimal cutting angle for each fruit. The cutting system uses the data received from the vision system to automatically remove the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.

[0020] The cutting system uses data received from the vision system to automatically remove the calyx from the fruit or vegetable. The cutting system can be an automated waterjet cutting system that utilizes the flexibility of the tubing to drive a nozzle of the waterjet cutting system along a separation path determined from the calyx position and optimal cutting angle data. The cutting system includes synchronized waterjet blades or a bladeless removal system with an optional fixed or mobile configuration.

[0021] Implementing such an automated system can involve significant initial costs, including the acquisition of specialized equipment, custom software development, and system installation and commissioning.

[0022] Automated systems require regular maintenance and proper calibration to ensure optimal performance. This may require hiring trained personnel and may represent additional costs over time.

[0023] The integration of multiple components, such as the material handling system, the vision system, and the cutting system, can increase the complexity of the overall system. This can increase the likelihood of technical failures and require careful monitoring during operation.

[0024] Given the need for innovative equipment to remove the pedicle and sepals from strawberry fruits for marketing, which would solve the problem described above, the present invention was developed.

[0025] OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The main objective of the present invention is to make available a semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicle and sepals in strawberry fruits, which allows to quickly and efficiently cut both the pedicle and the sepals.

[0027] Another objective of the invention is to provide said semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits, which also allows the cut to be calibrated and defined with greater precision.

[0028] Another objective of the invention is to provide said semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, which also allows for reduced waste and a higher cutting speed, and consequently a considerable increase in production. Another objective of the invention is to provide said semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, which can also be scaled to larger dimensions and capacities, greatly reducing the space required for production rooms. This means that a single machine can achieve the production requirements of several different pieces of equipment currently in use.

[0029] Another objective of the invention is to provide said semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits, which also allows the strawberry to be cut into halves and quarters.

[0030] Another objective of the invention is to provide said semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits, which also does not require specialized labor.

[0031] And all those qualities and objectives that will become apparent when making a general and detailed description of the present invention supported by the illustrated modalities.

[0032] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] In general, the semi-automated equipment for removing the pedicle and sepals from strawberry fruits, which allows for efficient cutting of both the pedicle and the sepals, in accordance with the present invention, comprises: a) a feed hopper for strawberries previously classified by size that feeds the strawberries towards; b) a rotating belt conveyor driven by a transmission system, preferably made up of a gear motor with a speed variator that rotates in drive end rollers, and which comprises a plurality of holes distributed in a certain pattern, each hole configured to receive a strawberry under pressure in an inverted manner, exposing at the bottom of said rotating belt the pedicle and sepals of the plurality of strawberries arranged in each hole;said rotating belt is configured to rotate continuously at a predetermined low speed or with temporary stops for the placement of the cutters in each hole according to size;c) a cutting system, preferably a cutting saw band system arranged transversely below said rotating belt conveyor where the strawberries are arranged and with a separation calibration system with respect to said rotating belt to calibrate the cutting area in the strawberries to remove the pedicle and sepals of the strawberries. Wherein said cutting saw band system arranged transversely comprises two preferably polyamide flywheels that act as guides for the cutting saw band, driven by a gear motor that provides traction to rotate said cutting saw band to very quickly and precisely cut the pedicles and sepals of the strawberries. The machine comprises in its preferred embodiment an output hopper configured to receive the strawberries without pedicles and sepals and which in one embodiment comprises a folding gate for unloading strawberries into final product collection trays.

[0034] To better understand the characteristics of the invention, the following drawings, which are illustrative but not limiting, are attached to this description as an integral part thereof.

[0035] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Figure 1 shows a conventional perspective view of the equipment for removing pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, in accordance with the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 shows a conventional perspective view of the equipment for removing pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, with a housing covering the cutting system, in accordance with the present invention.

[0038] Figure 3 shows a top view of the equipment for removing stems and sepals from strawberry fruits shown in Figure 1, i.e., without the housing covering the cutting system and the covering panels for the rotating belt according to the present invention. Figure 4 shows a top view of the equipment for removing stems and sepals from strawberry fruits, with a housing covering the cutting system and the covering panels for the rotating belt, according to the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 shows a side view of the equipment for removing stems and sepals from strawberry fruits shown in Figure 1; that is, without the casing covering the cutting system or the panels covering the rotating belt, in accordance with the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 shows a side view of the equipment for removing stems and sepals from strawberry fruits shown in Figures 2 and 4; that is, including the housing covering the cutting system and the covering panels for the rotating belt in accordance with the present invention.

[0041] For a better understanding of the invention, a detailed description will be given of some of its modalities, shown in the drawings attached to this description for illustrative but not limiting purposes.

[0042] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] The characteristic details of the semi-automated equipment for removing the pedicle and sepals from strawberry fruits are clearly shown in the following description and in the attached illustrative drawings, the same reference signs serving to indicate the same parts.

[0044] According to figures 1 to 6, the semi-automated equipment for removing the pedicle and sepals from strawberry fruits, which allows for efficient cutting of both the pedicle and the sepals, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a rotating belt conveyor (1) driven by a transmission system (not shown), preferably consisting of a gear motor with a speed variator (not shown) housed within a side casing (2) to said rotating belt conveyor (1) that rotates in extreme propelling rollers (3), and which comprises a plurality of holes (4) distributed in a certain pattern, each hole configured to receive a cutter (5) under pressure in an inverted manner, exposing at the bottom of said rotating belt the pedicle (6, see figure 5) and sepals (7, see figure 5) of the plurality of cutters (5) arranged in the plurality of holes (4);said rotating belt (1) is configured to rotate continuously at low speed or with temporary stops for the manual placement of the cutters in each hole according to size; a cutting system, preferably a cutting saw belt system (8) arranged transversely below said rotating belt conveyor (1) where the cutters (5) are arranged and with a tension adjustment system and calibration of separation and tension (9) with respect to said rotating belt (1) to calibrate the cutting area in the cutters (5) to remove the pedicle (6, see figure 5) and sepals (7, see figure 5).;

[0045] Wherein said cutting saw band system (8) arranged transversely comprises two flywheels (10) preferably made of polyamide that act as guides for the cutting saw band (8), driven by a motor (12) with a reducer (13) that provides traction to rotate said cutting saw band (8) to cut very quickly and precisely the pedicles (6, see figure 5) and sepals (7, see figure 5) of the cutters (5).

[0046] The semi-automated equipment for removing pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits comprises a discharge ramp (14) arranged at the end of the cutting saw band (8) that guides the strawberries towards at least one tray or strawberry discharge tank (not shown) configured to receive the strawberries without pedicles and sepals as the final product.

[0047] The semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits also comprises a control panel (15) adapted for the configuration of start, stop, and regulation of operating speeds of both the rotating belt (1) and the cutting saw belt (8) arranged transversely below said rotating belt conveyor (1).

[0048] Figure 1 also shows a containment and deflection plate (16) arranged vertically and transversely close to the return area of ​​the rotating belt (1) and to the cutting saw belt (8), between the advance section and the return section of said rotating belt (1) to contain and deflect the pedicles and sepals that have been detached from the cutters (5) that will deflect and fall down the sides of the rotating belt (1) or through the holes (4) of the return section of said rotating belt (1) to be deposited in waste containers (not shown) arranged below the cutting area.

[0049] Figure 2 shows the same elements illustrated in Figure 1 and the same references are used to identify the same parts; in this case the equipment already includes cover panels (17) of the rotating belt (1) and a housing (18) that covers the cutting system.

[0050] The invention has been sufficiently described so that a person with average knowledge in the field can reproduce and obtain the results mentioned in the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having sufficiently described the invention, the content of the following claim clauses is claimed as property. 1.- A semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits, characterized in that it comprises a rotating belt conveyor driven by a transmission system, which comprises a plurality of holes distributed in a determined pattern, each hole configured to receive a strawberry under pressure in an inverted manner, exposing the pedicle and sepals of the plurality of strawberries at the bottom of said rotating belt; a cutting system arranged transversely below said rotating belt conveyor with a tension regulation system and separation calibration with respect to said rotating belt to calibrate the cutting area in the strawberries and to remove the pedicle and sepal. 2.- The semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicle and sepals in strawberry fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmission system comprises a gearmotor with speed variator housed within a casing on the side of said rotating belt conveyor that rotates on end rollers propelled by said transmission system. 3.- The semi-automated equipment for removing pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that said cutting system comprises a cutting saw band mounted on two flywheels that act as guides for said cutting saw band, driven by a motor with a reducer that provides traction to rotate said cutting saw band. 4.- The semi-automated equipment for removing pedicles and sepals from strawberry fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a discharge ramp arranged at the end of the cutting saw band configured to receive and convey the strawberries towards at least one strawberry discharge tray or tank. 5.- The semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicles and sepals in strawberry fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a control panel adapted for the configuration of start, stop, and regulation of operating speeds of both the rotating belt and the cutting saw belt arranged transversely below said rotating belt conveyor. 6.- The semi-automated equipment for the removal of pedicle and sepals in strawberry fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a plate for containing and diverting waste arranged vertically and transversely close to the return zone of the rotating belt and to the cutting saw belt, between the advance zone and the return zone of said rotating belt, configured to divert the pedicles and sepals removed from the strawberries through the sides of the rotating belt or through the holes in the return section of said rotating belt and containers for receiving said waste arranged below the cutting area.

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