Horizontal Fruit Sorting with Upward Packaging Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorting and packaging systems for fruits and eggs often result in product damage due to downward release and lack the ability to maintain product classification data, especially for delicate items like pears and cucumbers, and fail to provide traceability of product properties.
Innovation Solution
A system with a horizontal sorting track, sensors for product characteristics, and control for classification, along with transferring devices above the packaging conveyors to handle products gently and maintain classification data, allowing for precise placement into packaging units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If products are released onto packaging conveyors in downward direction, then packaging process is simplified, but product damage increases and landing position becomes poorly defined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional downward release approach by implementing upward conveyance of packaging units to meet the products. Products are conveyed horizontally at a first level, while packaging units are conveyed upward at a second level, and products are transferred to packaging units in a horizontal direction. This inversion eliminates the harmful downward impact while maintaining packaging efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the packaging process by conveying packaging units upward while products move horizontally. This dimensional change allows the packaging units to approach the products from below without requiring downward release, thereby eliminating impact damage while achieving effective packaging.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If products are conveyed horizontally with precise positioning, then product damage is minimized and classification data is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses sensors to create a digital copy of product characteristics and links this information to the specific carrier position. This copying of product data allows the system to track and classify products without adding physical complexity to the conveying mechanism itself, maintaining traceability while minimizing hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate control system that acts as a mediator between the horizontal product conveying and the upward packaging unit conveyance. This intermediary control coordinates the timing and positioning of products and packaging units, enabling precise horizontal transfer while managing system complexity through centralized coordination.
3Ease of operation
If packaging units are supplied from below, then accessibility is improved, but product placement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by having packaging units rise upward to meet horizontally conveyed products rather than products being dropped downward. This inversion allows packaging units to be easily accessible from below while achieving precise horizontal product placement through coordinated conveying and transfer mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical dropping and impact-based placement systems with a coordinated conveying system that uses controlled horizontal motion and timing. This substitution of mechanical impact with controlled positional coordination achieves high placement precision while maintaining accessibility.
4Productivity
If downward release is used for sorting, then processing speed is maintained, but traceability of product properties is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of product classification data and links it to the carrier position information. This copying ensures that product properties and classification information are preserved and traceable throughout the horizontal conveying and transfer process, preventing information loss while maintaining high processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by recording product characteristics and linking them to carrier positions before the actual transfer and packaging occurs. This advance data capture ensures traceability is established early in the process, allowing rapid subsequent operations without compromising information retention.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for sorting and packaging products, chosen from the group consisting of eggs and fruit (10), the system comprising: —a sorting machine with at least one single sorting track (1) with carriers; —at least one sensor for determining at least one characteristic of each product (10); —the control being adapted to classify a said product in accordance with the at least one characteristic; —a plurality of packaging conveyors (2) for supplying and discharging packaging units, such as boxes, crates or trays, crossing the sorting track and extending above the sorting track; —wherein adjacent each packaging conveyor a transferring device (3) is provided at the level of or higher than the packaging conveyor, arranged for taking over a said product from a carrier and for placing the product from above into a packaging unit (20) on the corresponding packaging conveyor.