Device and method for dispensing and distributing elongate fruit

Abstract

The invention relates to a device comprising a first conveyor (1), a second conveyor (2) located after the first conveyor (1), and a loading station at which the fruit (P) are placed in boxes (C). The first conveyor (1) feeds the second conveyor (2), which feeds the loading station for filling the boxes (C). The second conveyor (2) supports a series of receiving modules (5) coupled to a series of transverse guides (8) forming a closed-loop structure that pulls the receiving modules (5) with the fruit (P) that they support. Each receiving module (5) comprises a plate (5a) and a support cavity (5b) for receiving individual fruits (P) supplied from the first conveyor (1).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] EQUIPMENT AND METHOD FOR DOSING AND DISTRIBUTING ELONGATED FRUITS

[0003] Object of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to equipment and a method for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, such as zucchini and cucumbers, for example, where said fruits are arranged and finally deposited into boxes in an orderly and parallel manner. For this purpose, a system has been devised that is capable of individually processing the fruits and distributing them to one of several loading or packing points, as required.

[0005] The invention's equipment is specially designed for elongated plant products, and is also applicable to any other product with similar geometric characteristics.

[0006] Background of the invention

[0007] Currently there are multiple pieces of equipment and systems that are capable, starting from a main product flow, of diverting and unloading the elongated products onto a secondary line that is used to place these elongated products in boxes or their final containers.

[0008] Typically, post-harvest handling, the process that takes place after the fruit has been picked from the plant, includes the following steps: washing the product, grading or sizing according to physical or appearance characteristics, and distribution for final packaging. Depending on the product's requirements, the distribution and packaging process may also include a coating or packaging phase.

[0009] In elongated vegetable products, such as cucumbers, an individual wrapping step is sometimes included to improve preservation and protect against impacts and external damage during transport. This can be achieved using heat-shrink plastic, which is molded to the elongated fruit by passing through an oven that momentarily raises the temperature, causing the plastic to shrink without affecting the characteristics of the final product.

[0010] For final sorting and packaging, equipment can be used that is capable of classifying elongated fruits according to their characteristics, unloading them onto the respective lines. Systems exist that include calibrators that weigh, measure, and / or evaluate the overall appearance, among other parameters, and store this information to later divert the elongated fruit at a specific point.

[0011] For example, a system that includes this classification for subsequent packaging is described in the patent with Spanish publication number ES2349695. This patent describes a system that, receiving the elongated product from a main flow, is able to distribute it into packaging boxes. This patent is unique in that it employs channel-like means that redirect the elongated product, distributing it throughout the box, which moves according to the filling requirements. However, it has some limitations, such as the possibility that the channels that modify the trajectory of the elongated products may cause some damage to the products being distributed into the boxes.

[0012] Furthermore, the record cited in the preceding paragraph describes a component that operates perpendicular to the product's cross-flow, allowing for the use of only two sides for box loading stations. These systems can sometimes create a bottleneck effect if they are unable to distribute elongated fruits quickly enough, thus necessitating the development of additional fruit loading stations further downstream of the main flow. Therefore, the described equipment has several limitations when distributing elongated produce into its packaging boxes.

[0013] Another relevant patent is US3250372. This document discloses equipment for filling boxes of elongated products that are initially disorganized. To perform this process, the products are deposited into a series of hoppers that then individually supply them to different lines. Subsequently, these products are placed on a conveyor belt with specially designed trays, and from there they are transferred to boxes for final packaging. This system, disclosed in the patent cited in the preceding paragraph, is quite complex and also has some limitations regarding fragile products because, throughout the process, there are several points where these fragile products can become piled up, bump into each other, etc.

[0014] Description of the invention

[0015] In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks mentioned in the previous sections, the invention proposes equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits comprising in principle at least a first double toothed belt conveyor, a second conveyor located after the first conveyor, and a loading station comprising at least two third parallel belt conveyors for pulling boxes into which the fruits are deposited from the second conveyor.

[0016] The first conveyor feeds the second conveyor, and this in turn selectively feeds one of the two third conveyors to fill the boxes pulled by said third conveyors.

[0017] It should be noted that third-party carriers could be dispensed with, so that instead of having these third-party carriers that move boxes to the loading point and move them once they have been filled, another type of system could be used in which the boxes are manually changed at the loading station, or any other similar system.

[0018] On the other hand, the second conveyor supports a succession of receiver modules coupled to a succession of transverse guides that form a closed-loop structure, whose activation pulls these receiver modules along with the fruit they support.

[0019] Each receiving module comprises a slat and an alveolar support to receive the fruit supplied from the first conveyor individually; where the various alveolar supports are fixed to the slats by means of flat lateral extensions in opposition to the alveolar supports; and where the receiving modules are coupled to the transverse guides by means of pairs of lateral skids that are fixed to the slats.

[0020] Each receiving module comprises a transverse cavity with a curved-concave section arranged parallel to the transverse guides of the second conveyor.

[0021] It is noted that at least the part of the curved-concave cross-section gap of each receiving module is made of a flexible material that is configured to dampen displacements and impact in the transfer of elongated fruits from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

[0022] The invention also includes stabilizing means such as rollers or cylindrical bodies of elastic material (foam), tarpaulins, etc., which accompany the trajectory of each fruit, making contact with its surface and properly directing the transfer of the elongated fruit from one conveyor to the next; where there is a slight difference in elevation between pairs of adjacent conveyors during this transfer. Furthermore, these stabilizing means redirect the fruit toward the next conveyor, eliminating the possibility of it being ejected due to ballistic force.

[0023] The stabilizing means are located in front of the discharge area of ​​the first conveyor and in front of the discharge area of ​​the second conveyor, so that between the discharge area of ​​the respective conveyor and the stabilizing means there is a gap through which each fruit passes snugly as it falls from one conveyor to the next.

[0024] These stabilizing means soften and cushion the fall of the fruit as it falls from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, and from this to each of the loading points or subsequent conveyors.

[0025] Therefore, to overcome the limitations described in the background section, the invention has been designed. This equipment is specifically designed to receive individual fruits via any suitable supply system and transfer them to the box loading stations. The equipment can distribute the fruits individually to various packaging stations or other conveyors as needed, and includes at least two output conveyors.

[0026] The design of the invention's equipment is specifically intended to minimize any impact on the transferred fruit during the various stages of the process, and also to prevent bottlenecks. Furthermore, it allows for the individual distribution of fruit among several loading stations as needed, thus maintaining a high throughput rate. It is worth noting that the proposed configuration allows for a high transmission speed of elongated fruit without affecting the product being handled.

[0027] In the event that any loading station or outbound conveyor is disabled, either because the box to be loaded is being changed or for any other reason, that loading position or outbound conveyor can be blocked, keeping the rest of the stations unaffected.

[0028] The second slat conveyor is specifically designed for handling elongated fruits individually, having specifically designed the product receiving modules specially designed to receive the elongated fruits.

[0029] These specific receiving modules are mounted on the transverse guides of the second slat conveyor, which has a straight first section and a second section. The first section is configured to receive the fruit supplied from the first conveyor, while the receiving modules of the second section have transverse mobility along the transverse guides to direct the fruit one by one to a third conveyor or loading station.

[0030] Finally, to minimize the risk of the fruit impacting or shifting during transfer between the different conveyors, there are cylindrical rollers that control the passage from one conveyor to another adjacent conveyor.

[0031] Third conveyor belts pull the empty boxes to the loading point, which corresponds to the outlet of the second conveyor. There is at least one conveyor line per loading point, which can also advance the box during the loading process, ensuring more even distribution of the product. Although cucumbers are specifically mentioned, the invention described herein is not limited to this particular fruit and can be used for other elongated fruits such as zucchini or eggplant, among others.

[0032] Although slat conveyors are already known, the invention includes a new structure of the various receiving modules for transporting elongated fruits, as well as a new way of distributing said receiving modules among various output lanes.

[0033] In another embodiment of the invention, the equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits further includes an additional station consisting of two additional belt conveyors that are interposed between the second conveyor and the third conveyors; wherein said additional conveyors include end sections of belt that protrude in front of the cylindrical rollers of the second conveyor.

[0034] In this embodiment described in the previous paragraph, the additional conveyors receive the products from the second conveyor which discharges them through its outlet area onto the respective end section of the belt of the two additional conveyors, and then, said fruits are dragged by the additional conveyors to their outlet area until they finally fall onto the boxes dragged by the third conveyors.

[0035] The advantage of incorporating the new additional conveyors is that operators can rotate or reposition the fruit when it is resting on these additional conveyors, thus ensuring that each layer of fruit inside each box is better positioned.

[0036] With the additional fruit receiving station, operators can change the orientation of the fruit and pack it correctly so that it is all perfectly aligned and arranged.

[0037] Next, to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and forming an integral part thereof, a series of figures is included in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the object of the invention has been represented.

[0038] Brief description of the figures

[0039] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, the subject of the invention. It basically comprises a first conveyor, a second conveyor, and two third conveyors.

[0040] Figure 2.- Shows an elevation view of the equipment of the invention.

[0041] Figure 3.- Shows a perspective view of a receiving module of the second conveyor that is specially designed for receiving elongated fruits.

[0042] Figure 4.- Shows another perspective view of the receiver module of the second transporter.

[0043] Figure 5.- Shows a perspective view of a part of the equipment of the invention, where essentially the internal structure of the second conveyor is shown.

[0044] Figure 6.- Shows a perspective view of the equipment of the invention which includes two additional conveyors arranged between the second conveyor and the two third conveyors.

[0045] Figure 7.- Shows a plan view of what is represented in figure 6.

[0046] Description of an example of embodiment of the invention

[0047] The equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits P comprises a first double toothed belt conveyor 1, a second slat conveyor 2 located below and following the first conveyor 1, and two third parallel belt conveyors 3 for pulling boxes C in which the fruits P are deposited; wherein the first conveyor 1 feeds the second conveyor 2, and this selectively feeds one of the two third conveyors 3 to fill the boxes C pulled by said third conveyors 3.

[0048] The third conveyors 3 are located on a lower plane below the second conveyor 2.

[0049] The second conveyor 2 comprises two parallel side chains 12 coupled to two pairs of sprockets 13 joined by a first transverse shaft 14 and a second transverse shaft 14'. The opposite ends of tubular cross-section transverse guides 8 are attached to these side chains 12, such that the mobility of this second conveyor 2 is achieved by means of a drive element that transmits its rotation to one of the two transverse shafts 14, 14'. The succession of side guides 8 constitutes an upper and a lower branch of the second conveyor 2.

[0050] The second conveyor 2 further includes a succession of receiver modules 5 that are coupled on pairs of transverse guides 8 that form a self-propelled closed-loop structure by means of the motor element described in the previous paragraph; where the receiver modules 5 are coupled to the transverse guides 8 by means of pairs of lateral skids 9, which include opposing recesses 9a in which portions of the pairs of transverse guides 8 are fitted.

[0051] Each receiving module 5 comprises a slat 5a and an alveolar support 5b to receive the fruits P supplied from the first conveyor 1, such that the various alveolar supports 5b are fixed to the slats 5a by means of flat lateral extensions 6 in opposition to the alveolar supports 5b. In turn, each receiving module 5 is fixed to a pair of lateral skids 9.

[0052] Thus, each receiving module 5 includes two fundamental parts: a concave upper part consisting of the alveolar support 5b, which is designed to receive each elongated fruit P supplied by the first conveyor 1, and lower parts consisting of the lateral extensions 6, designed to connect to the slats 5a of the second slat conveyor 2. The alveolar support 5b can be made of a flexible material to also cushion the fall of the transferred fruits P, thereby minimizing impacts on them and thus preventing damage to the fruits P.

[0053] On the other hand, to avoid synchronization problems between the first conveyor 1 and the second conveyor 2, a synchronizing device is installed between them 1, 2, which allows constant speeds to be maintained for the fruit on both conveyors 1, 2, thus ensuring that the elongated fruit P is properly unloaded into the hollows of the alveolar supports 5b.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, to prevent the fruits P from being ejected when transferred between the various conveyors 1, 2, 3, stabilizing means are provided comprising cylindrical rollers 7, 7' made of elastic material and adaptable to the shape of the fruits P, which contact the various fruits P during their transfer from one conveyor to the next; where in said transfer there is a small difference in level between the pairs of adjacent conveyors.

[0055] The cylindrical rollers 7, 7' are located in front of the discharge area of ​​the first conveyor 1 and in front of the discharge area of ​​the second conveyor 2; so that between each discharge area of ​​the respective conveyor and each cylindrical roller 7, 7', there is a gap 10 through which each fruit passes snugly as it falls from one conveyor to the next.

[0056] The cylindrical rollers 7, 7' soften and cushion the fall of the fruits P when they fall from the first conveyor 1 to the second conveyor 2, and from this to each of the two third conveyors 3. These cylindrical rollers 7, 7' are coupled to transverse shafts with free rotation.

[0057] The second conveyor 2 has an initial straight section 4a and a second section 4b in which the receiver modules 5 can change their positioning along the transverse guides 8 in order to selectively feed one of the two third conveyors 3.

[0058] The receiving modules 5 of the first straight section 4a are always aligned with the first conveyor 1, in order to correctly receive the fruit transferred from the first conveyor 1, and having reached a point on the second conveyor 2, in the second section 4b the receiving modules 5 can be moved transversely to feed one of the two third conveyors 3 of belt to fill with the fruit P the various boxes C that are pulled by said third conveyors 3.

[0059] In this way, in the area of ​​the outlet of the second conveyor 2, the receiving modules 5 pulled by the succession of transverse guides 8 will feed each of the two third conveyors 3.

[0060] In order to direct the receiving modules 5 towards one of the two third conveyors 3, the second conveyor 2 includes a selector device comprising two opposing Y-shaped structures: an upper one 15a corresponding to the upper branch of the second conveyor 2, and a lower structure 15b corresponding to the lower branch of said second conveyor 2. The selector device is located in an intermediate space delimited between the two branches of the transverse guides 8 of the second conveyor 2.

[0061] Each of the two opposing Y-shaped structures comprises a central branch, and two bifurcated branches starting from the central branch and converging at their divergent ends on two first pulleys 16 aligned with the two third conveyors 3; wherein said first pulleys 16 are rigidly fixed to the first transverse axis 14 of the second conveyor 2. On the second transverse axis 14' is fixed a second pulley 16' on which one end of each central branch of each of the two opposing Y-shaped structures 15a, 15b converges.

[0062] The two opposing Y-shaped structures 15a, 15b include channels 17, and the first two pulleys 16 and the second pulley 16' include grooves 18; where said channels 17 and grooves 18 serve as a guide to direct the receiving modules 5 towards one of the third conveyors 3. For this purpose, the receiving modules include pivots 11a that fit into said channels 17 and grooves 18. Specifically, the pivots 11a are attached to a central body 11 fixed to each of the slats of the receiving module 5.

[0063] Thus, to mobilize and direct the second section 4b of the receiving modules 5, there are pneumatic steering means that are actuated according to the needs to feed one of the two third conveyors 3.

[0064] Said steering means is a pneumatic diverter that selects the guidance of each receiver module 5 to follow one of the two bifurcated branches of the Y-shaped upper structure 15a; wherein said pneumatic diverter is located in the confluence zone of the initial branch and the two bifurcated branches of the Y-shaped upper structure 15a.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the slats 5a that house the entire fruit reception and transport assembly P are mounted on the tubular transverse guides 8, so that the pair of lateral skids 9 can slide freely in the direction perpendicular to the forward movement. At the beginning of the bifurcation of the upper structure 15a of the sorting device, there is a pneumatic diverter that directs the pivot 11a of each receiving module 5 along one of the two bifurcated branches. On the return journey, once the receiving modules 5 have traveled the entire distance from ida to the unloading area for the boxes C, the lower Y-shaped structure 15b is again used, allowing the receiving modules 5 to be recentered so that, once they reach the fruit loading point P, they are properly centered and the previous cycle can be repeated in either direction as needed.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two third conveyors 3 of the boxes C are included: one conveyor for each of the loading or packing stations, which can advance sequentially while the fruit P is being loaded to distribute the fruit P more evenly throughout the interior space of each box C.

[0067] In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly is designed so that boxes C are automatically supplied to every third conveyor 3, such that once the respective box C has been filled with the predetermined number of fruits P, this box C moves, making way for a new, empty box C behind it to continue the filling process. At this moment, when the new box C is moving to the loading point, this loading position is locked by means of a suitable control, directing the receiving modules 5 of the second slat conveyor 2 to a packing position that is still being filled.

[0068] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the outlet of the second conveyor 2 is a loading station where the boxes are held stationary until they are filled. Once the boxes are full, an operator replaces each full box with an empty box to continue the loading process. A safety system in the process alerts the conveyor that this position is blocked until the system receives a new signal when the new empty box has been placed.

[0069] Since the intention is to transport elongated product, cylindrical rollers 7 and 7' are needed to support and guide the fruit P before it falls, as well as to cushion the initial fall. It is very important to note that cylindrical rollers 7 and 7' are also used to direct the product downwards, eliminating the risk of it being ejected due to ballistics (product movement, inertia, etc.), as described above.

[0070] In another embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits P further includes an additional station formed by two additional belt conveyors 19 that are located below the second conveyor 2 and above the third conveyors 3; wherein said additional conveyors 19 include end sections of belt that protrude in front of the cylindrical rollers 7' of the second conveyor 2.

[0071] Thus, with this arrangement described, the additional conveyors 19 receive the products from the second conveyor 2 which discharges them through its outlet area onto the respective end section of the belt of the two additional conveyors 19, and then, said fruits P are dragged by the additional conveyors 19 to their outlet area until they finally fall onto the boxes C dragged by the third conveyors 3.

[0072] The advantage of incorporating the new additional conveyors 19 is that operators can rotate or reposition the fruits P when they are supported on said additional conveyors 19 and thus ensure that each layer of fruits P housed within each box C is better positioned.

[0073] When the additional conveyors 19 are incorporated, the equipment assembly of the invention has a greater height to make room for the additional conveyors 19.

[0074] Therefore, the aim is to incorporate an additional fruit reception station P so that the operators can change their orientation and thus pack them correctly so that they are all perfectly aligned and arranged inside the boxes C.

[0075] On the other hand, in practice, the placement of the fruits P (cucumbers or elongated bodies), as we have already mentioned, will require a placement order, usually in layers, so that these elongated bodies are adequately distributed in the volume of the box C.

[0076] To achieve this, the invention's equipment will allow it to be programmed to deliver batches of, for example, 10 fruits P (the number needed to create one layer) alternately through one output or the other, thus enabling the operator to place these layers of fruits P in their corresponding boxes C in an appropriate and orderly manner. In other words, we will have absolute control over the number of fruit P units delivered to each of the two outputs corresponding to each of the two third conveyors 3 that support the boxes C.

[0077] It comprises a method for dosing and distributing the elongated fruits, which is carried out using the equipment. The method comprises a stage in which a programmed number of fruits (P) are selected to form each of several layers of fruits (P) that are distributed individually and selectively into the boxes (C) pulled by each of the two third conveyors (3).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, comprising at least a first conveyor (1), a second conveyor (2) located after the first conveyor (1), and a loading station where the fruits (P) are deposited into boxes (C); wherein the first conveyor (1) feeds the second conveyor (2), and this feeds the loading station to fill the boxes (C) comprising two third conveyors (3); and wherein the second conveyor (2) supports a succession of receiving modules (5) coupled to a succession of transverse guides (8) forming a closed-loop structure that pulls the receiving modules (5) with the fruits (P) they support; characterized in that each receiving module (5) comprises a slat (5a) and an alveolar support (5b) to receive the fruits (P) supplied from the first conveyor (1) individually.

2. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an additional station formed by two additional belt conveyors (19) that are interposed between the second conveyor (2) and the third conveyors (3); wherein said additional conveyors (19) include end sections of belt that protrude in front of the second conveyor (2) that feeds the additional conveyors (19).

3. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alveolar supports (5b) of the second conveyor (2) are fixed to the slats (5a) by means of flat lateral extensions (6) in opposition and integral with the alveolar supports (5b); wherein the receiving modules (5) are coupled to the transverse guides (8) by means of pairs of lateral skids (9) that are fixed to the slats (5a); and wherein the pairs of lateral skids (9) include opposing recesses (9a) in which portions of adjacent pairs of transverse guides (8) are fitted.

4. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each receiving module (5) comprises a transverse cavity of curved-concave section arranged parallel to the transverse guides (8) of the second conveyor (2).

5. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, according to claim 4, characterized in that at least the part of the transverse cavity of curved-concave section of each receiving module (5) is made of a flexible material that is configured to cushion the displacements and the impact in the transfer of the elongated fruits (P) from the first conveyor (1) to the second conveyor (2).

6. Equipment for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises stabilizing means formed by cylindrical rollers (7, 7') of elastic material adaptable to the shape of the fruits (P), which contact the various fruits (P) during their transfer from one conveyor to the next; wherein in said transfer there is a small difference in level between pairs of adjacent conveyors; wherein the cylindrical rollers (7, 7') are located in front of the discharge area of ​​the first conveyor (1) and in front of the discharge area of ​​the second conveyor (2); and wherein said cylindrical rollers (7, 7') soften and cushion the fall of the fruits (P) when they fall from the first conveyor (1) to the second conveyor (2), and from this to the conveyors selected from among the two third conveyors (3) and the two additional conveyors (19). 7.- Method for dosing and distributing elongated fruits, which is carried out by means of the equipment described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a stage in which a programmed number of fruits (P) are selected to form each of layers of fruits (P) that are distributed in a unitary and selective manner in the boxes (C) pulled by each of the two third conveyors (3).

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