Machine for automatically cutting follicular fruits or pedunculated fruits

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine comprising: - a support and fastening structure; - a continuous conveyor belt (2) on which there is at least one supply assembly (3) (31) for supplying f fruits in rows and at a certain rate; - a computer vision system comprising a camera (4); - as many cutters (6) as there are rows of fruit formed by the at least one supply assembly, wherein the cutters (6) have a blade (21) that separates the calyx of each fruit from the rest of the fruit body; - a power supply and control panel (5) housing the necessary power supply means, as well as the processing means to give commands to the different units of equipment. The machine carries out an automated and continuous separating process by cutting the calyx of the fruits from the body of the fruits. The machine is particularly suitable for use with strawberries.

Description

[0001] MACHINE FOR AUTOMATIC CUTTING OF LEAFY FRUITS OR PEDUNCULATED FRUITS

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the present invention, as stated in the title, is a machine for the automatic cutting of leafy or pedunculate fruits, tested on strawberries, separating the calyx from the fruit using vision positioning and product clamping elements. The machine first aligns the fruits in rows separated by a specific distance to ensure they do not collide during the automatic defoliation process. These systems are integrated into a vision and artificial intelligence solution for automatic defoliation.

[0005] The present invention is characterized by the special design and configuration of each and every one of the pieces, as well as the fact of forming a unique head with a conical cut to minimize waste while holding both the fruit body and the leaf part.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention is circumscribed within the food field and in particular among the structures used in the handling of leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits such as strawberries.

[0007] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In the prior art, strawberry defoliating machines have special compartments that achieve proper clamping if the strawberries are placed one by one manually. However, this need for manual placement makes these machines of little interest to the industry. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art resulting from the use of the aforementioned cutting and clamping heads, by developing a robotic machine with a mechanoelectric assembly that allows both the cutting of the leaf and the clamping of the leaf and the rest of the fruit. The machine has the characteristics described below and is essentially set forth in claim 1.

[0009] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The object of the present invention is set out in its essentials in the independent claim and the different embodiments are set out in the dependent claims.

[0011] The present invention relates to a machine for the automatic cutting of leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits such as strawberries, in such a way that the calyx is separated from the rest of the fruit body.

[0012] The machine that is the subject of the invention comprises a support structure that serves as a means of holding the elements that form part of the machine. On this support structure, a continuous conveyor belt is arranged, and on this, at least one set of fruit supply units is arranged in a aligned manner and separated from each other in the row, forming a certain cadence. Then, after the fruit exits in at least one row, an artificial vision camera is arranged, followed by as many cutters as there are rows of fruit, where the cutters are responsible for making a clean cut, separating the calyx from the body of the fruit.

[0013] The fruit feeding assembly, in a first embodiment, comprises a cylindrical body open at the top, at the bottom of which is a rotating plate provided around its periphery with regularly spaced cavities. At a point on the perimeter of each cavity is an outlet channel accessed by a cam, which may be fixed or movable. Each outlet channel has rotating vanes driven by a first stepper motor that ensures the regular arrangement of the fruit on the continuous conveyor belt. Two fruit feeding assemblies could be arranged on either side of the conveyor belt.

[0014] The fruit supply assembly, in a second embodiment, comprises a vibrator consisting of a fruit reception area in the form of a hopper, which, by gravity and vibration, causes the fruit to descend towards a selector and aligner area arranged subsequently, formed by a folded sheet on which a series of "V"-shaped channels are defined, arranged parallel to each other and oriented in the direction of the fruit's advance, so that the fruit exits said selector area in an aligned and parallel arrangement on the conveyor belt.

[0015] The machine vision system, in combination with processing equipment, determines the position of each fruit so that the necessary commands are given to cutters for its correct positioning and operation.

[0016] There will be as many cutters as there are rows of fruit on the continuous conveyor belt, and each one will have two degrees of freedom: a first degree of freedom transverse to the direction of the conveyor belt's advance, and the second degree of freedom is to rotate the blade to make the cut in the most convenient way.

[0017] The artificial vision system identifies the green zone of the fruit and the red zone of the same, from each identified zone it takes the center, these zones being joined with an imaginary line deciding at what point of the imaginary line the fruit is cut.

[0018] The cutters are equipped with means for holding the fruit during the cutting process. In a preferred, but not limited, embodiment, these means include a pair of needles that pierce the fruit, as well as two clamps that support and secure the fruit during cutting. The holding needles protrude from the cutter body by the same distance as the cutting blade, so that initially both needles pierce the fruit, and only the advancing cutting blade continues the process.

[0019] The cutting blades of the cutters have a "V" cross-section because this is the shape in which the calyx is separated from the fruit body most effectively.

[0020] Thanks to the described features, a continuous, automated separation process is achieved by cutting the calyx of the fruit from the fruit body. The machine is especially suitable for strawberries.

[0021] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by a person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. Similar or equivalent procedures and materials to those described herein may be used in the practice of this invention.

[0022] Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variations are not intended to exclude other technical features, additives, components, or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent partly from the description and partly from the practice of the invention.

[0023] EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] To complement the description being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of its practical embodiment, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes.

[0025] In Figure 1, a perspective representation of the cutting machine for leafy or pedunculate fruits can be observed. In Figure 2, a perspective representation of the fruit supply assemblies can be observed, aligned and with a certain cadence.

[0026] Figure 3 shows a plan view of the rotating disc inside the fruit supply assembly.

[0027] Figure 4 shows the bottom view of the fruit supply assembly.

[0028] Figure 5 shows a cutter and the means of controlling the degrees of freedom.

[0029] Figure 6 shows a detail of a cutter before it is activated.

[0030] Figure 7 shows the cutter in operation.

[0031] Figure 8 shows a schematic representation of the degrees of freedom that the cutters have along axes in space

[0032] Figures 9 and 10 show two views of a second embodiment of a fruit supply assembly aligned in at least one row and with a certain cadence or separation.

[0033] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In view of the figures, a preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described below.

[0035] Figure 1 shows the automatic cutting machine for leafy or pedunculate fruits, particularly applicable to strawberries, which is the subject of the invention. It includes a support and fixing structure (1) for the other machine components, with a continuous conveyor belt (2) mounted on it. Two fruit supply assemblies (3) are arranged on the conveyor belt, feeding the fruit in rows at a specific rate. The number and position of these fruit supply assemblies (3) are not limiting. The row fruit supply assembly (3) shown in Figure 2 is a first embodiment.

[0036] Next, and according to the direction of advance of the continuous conveyor belt (2), an artificial vision system is arranged comprising a camera (4), and then as many cutters (6) are arranged as there are rows of fruit that have been formed.

[0037] The entire assembly above is controlled and powered from a control and power panel (5) which houses the necessary power supply means as well as the processing means to give orders to the different equipment.

[0038] Figure 2 shows the construction features of a fruit supply unit (3) in rows and at a certain rate in a first embodiment, although other embodiments are not excluded. As can be seen, it comprises a cylindrical structure open at the top, at the bottom of which is housed a rotating plate (7) provided on its perimeter with a series of cavities or inlets (8) regularly distributed so that, when the fruit is housed in said cavities, it ensures a regular supply of the fruit onto the continuous conveyor belt (2). It also has a rotating brush (9) with an axis of rotation transverse to the advance of the fruit to ensure that only one fruit is supplied at a time, where said rotating brush (9) is driven by a motor (10).

[0039] On the side band of the supply assembly (3), in the embodiment shown, there is a perimeter opening connected with a movable wedge (11) driven by a cam (25) and a fixed wedge (24) where the fixed wedge (24) is connected with a first outlet duct (12a) and the movable wedge (11) with a second outlet duct (12b), where each outlet duct (12a) (12b) has a ramp at the end of which there are supply regulating vanes (13) driven by a first stepper motor (14).

[0040] Figure 3 shows the same elements as before, noting that the movable wedge (11) is actuated alternately so that the fruit is supplied alternately onto the rows of formed fruit. Figure 4 shows the bottom view of the supplying assembly (3), where the elements described above can be seen.

[0041] Figure 5 shows the cutters (6) and the means it has, which on the one hand are positioning means according to the transverse direction of advance of the belt, and with means of rotation with respect to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the continuous conveyor belt (2), it also has means of regulating the height of a blade that each cutter has (6), in addition the cutters have means of holding during the cutting.

[0042] The cutters (6) are operated by means of an actuator (15).

[0043] The positioning means according to the transverse direction of advance of the conveyor belt (2) in the embodiment shown consist of a spindle (17) driven by a second stepper motor (18), while the means of rotation with respect to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the continuous conveyor belt (2), in the embodiment shown, consist of a rotating belt (19) driven by a third stepper motor (20).

[0044] The blade height regulating means (21) (Figure 6) consist of a stem (16) that allows the blade (21) to be positioned at a higher or lower height.

[0045] Figure 6 shows the clamping means used during cutting, which in the embodiment shown consist of two clamping needles (22), as well as two L-shaped clamps (23) which at their lower end have a hole (not shown) through which the needles (22) pass and serve as a guide for them.

[0046] Figure 7 shows the relative positioning of the different elements described above. Initially, as shown in Figure 6, the needles (22) and the lower end of the blade (21) pierce the fruit body, while the pressure plates (23) secure the fruit. Then, both the needles (22) and the blade (21) descend. The blade (21) is V-shaped because this section is considered the most effective way to separate the calyx from the fruit body.

[0047] Figure 8 shows the degrees of freedom of the cutters (6), observing a first degree of freedom (26) according to the transverse direction of advance of the continuous conveyor belt (2) and a second degree of freedom (27) according to the rotation with respect to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt (2).

[0048] The processing means of the control and feeding box (5) based on the information supplied by the camera (4) of the machine vision system decides which cutter (6) to act on, how to position it according to its two degrees of freedom and when to actuate the cutting means.

[0049] Figures 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the row fruit supply assembly (31) which, as can be seen, comprises a vibrator (28) that has a fruit reception area in the form of a hopper (29), which is followed by a selector and aligner area (30) made up of a series of channels arranged parallel to each other and aligned with the direction of the fruit's advance, whose outlet is connected to the conveyor belt (2).

[0050] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is stated that, within its essential nature, it may be put into practice in other forms of embodiment that differ in detail from the one indicated as an example, and which will also achieve the protection sought, provided that it does not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 29 October 2025 (29.10.2025) 1.- Automatic cutting machine for foliaceous fruits or pedunculated fruits that includes: - a support and fixing structure (1) having on it a continuous conveyor belt (2) on which there is arranged at least one supplying assembly (3), (31) of fruit in rows and at a certain rate, - a machine vision system comprising a camera (4) placed downstream of the at least one supplying assembly (3) in the direction of travel of the continuous conveyor belt (2), - as many cutters (6) as rows of fruit formed by the at least supplying assembly, where the cutters (6) have a blade (21) which is responsible for separating the calyx of each fruit from the rest of the fruit body, - a control and feeding panel (5) housing the necessary feeding means as well as the processing means to give orders to the different equipment, characterized in that the cutters (6) have positioning means according to the transverse direction of advance of the belt, and with means of rotation with respect to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the continuous conveyor belt (2), it also has means for regulating the height of a blade that each cutter (6) has and means of holding during cutting. 2.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 characterized in that the at least one supplying assembly (3) of fruits in rows and with a certain cadence comprises a cylindrical structure open at the top in whose bottom is housed a rotating plate (7) provided on its perimeter with a series of regularly distributed cavities or inlets (8) and also has a rotating brush (9) with axis of rotation transverse to the advance of the fruits to ensure that only one fruit is supplied, where said rotating brush (9) is driven by a motor (10). 3.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy or pedunculate fruits according to claim 2 characterized in that on the side band of the supply assembly (3) there is a peripheral opening in connection with a movable wedge (11 ) driven by a cam (25) and a fixed wedge (24) where the fixed wedge (24) is in connection with a first outlet duct (12a) and the movable wedge (11 ) with a second outlet duct (12b), where each outlet duct (12a) (12b) has a ramp at the end of which there are supply regulating blades (13) driven by a first stepper motor (14). 4.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 characterized in that the fruit supply assembly (31) in rows and at a certain rate comprises a vibrator (28) having a fruit reception area in the form of a hopper (29), which is followed by a selector and aligner area (30) formed by a series of channels arranged parallel to each other and aligned with the direction of advance of the fruits, whose outlet is connected to the continuous conveyor belt (2). 5.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 characterized in that the positioning means according to the transverse direction of advance of the conveyor belt (2) consist of a spindle (17) driven by a second stepper motor (18). 6.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 or 5 characterized in that the positioning means of the rotating means with respect to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the continuous conveyor belt (2), in the embodiment shown, consist of a rotating belt (19) driven by a third stepper motor (20). 7.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 or 5 or 6 characterized in that the means for regulating the height of the blade (21) consist of a stem (16) that allows positioning the blade (21) at a greater or lesser height. 8.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits according to claim 1 or 5 or 6 characterized in that the clamping means used during cutting consist of two clamping needles (22), as well as two L-shaped clamps (23) which at their lower end have a hole through which the needles (22) pass and serve as a guide for them. 9.- Automatic cutting machine for leafy fruits or pedunculate fruits according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blade (21) has a “V” section.

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