Automated Pepper Destemming via Vision-Guided Air Jets
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Solution Overview
Problem
The fruit and vegetable industry faces challenges with manual labor dependency and increased costs due to the labor-intensive process of destemming, which leads to bottlenecks and competition from countries with subsidized labor, and existing automated destemming solutions are impractical for certain produce like peppers that require stems to be pulled intact.
Innovation Solution
A destemmer system comprising a cleated conveyor belt with an orientator, vision system, and positioning system that uses air jets to orient and remove stems, allowing peppers to pass over a pulley and motor-driven belt for efficient stem removal without damaging the produce.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used to destem fruits and vegetables, then the stems can be removed, but labor costs increase and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical destemming with an automated system that uses vision technology to detect stems and controlled air jets to blow them away. This substitution of human labor with automated mechanical and pneumatic systems directly increases productivity while reducing the time required for destemming operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs air jets as the primary mechanism for stem removal. Compressed air is directed at detected stems to blow them away from the produce, providing a non-contact, efficient, and rapid destemming method that significantly outperforms manual labor in terms of speed and productivity.
2Productivity
If automated destemming is implemented, then productivity increases, but existing solutions damage produce by cutting stems instead of pulling them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses controlled air jets to blow stems away from the produce rather than cutting or mechanically removing them. This pneumatic approach eliminates physical contact between the destemming mechanism and the produce, preventing damage while maintaining high processing throughput and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary medium between the stem and the produce. Instead of directly contacting and potentially damaging the produce with mechanical cutting tools, the system uses air flow as a mediator to remove stems, thereby protecting the produce integrity while achieving efficient destemming.
3Reliability
If manual destemming is used to meet industry standards, then produce integrity is maintained, but labor dependency increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual destemming operations with an automated vision-guided air jet system. This automation maintains produce integrity by using non-contact air flow to remove stems, while simultaneously eliminating labor dependency and reducing operational costs associated with manual labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service destemming where the automated vision system detects stems and the air jets automatically remove them without human intervention. This self-operating system maintains produce quality standards while achieving full automation, eliminating the need for manual labor.
4Loss of time
If automated destemming systems are deployed, then labor costs decrease, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual operations with a streamlined automated system combining vision detection and air jet actuation. While automation inherently adds system complexity, the use of air jets simplifies the mechanical complexity compared to other automated destemming methods, achieving rapid destemming with relatively simple components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces labor costs, increases efficiency, and prevents produce damage by enabling automated destemming, addressing the industry's reliance on manual labor and improving processing times while maintaining produce integrity.
Implementation Method 1
At least one air jet may be activated to bias the stem to a side of the cleated conveyor belt
Implementation Method 2
The stemmed object may pass over the pulley such that the stein may engage the pulley and motor driven belt to remove the stem
Data Source
AI summary
A destemmer system may be shown. The destemmer system may have a cleated conveyor belt with a first end and a second end. An orientator system may be above the first end of the cleated conveyor belt. The orientator may have means for placing at least one stemmed object onto the cleated conveyor belt. A vision system may be between the first end and the second end of the cleated conveyor belt. A positioning system may be between the vision system and the second end of the cleated conveyor belt. A destemmer may be at the second end of the cleated conveyor belt.