Rotating Bucket with Rollers for Gentle Fruit Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for conveying and selecting fruit and vegetable products often damage products by dropping or rolling them from buckets, leading to high rejection rates, especially for delicate items like bunches of tomatoes or grapes.
Innovation Solution
A system where buckets with rollers are rotated to smoothly transfer products onto a conveyor belt, eliminating the need for dropping or rolling, and allowing for controlled discharge based on product features like weight and size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fruit and vegetable product is discharged by dropping or rolling from the bucket onto the conveying belt, then the discharge process is simple and quick, but the product integrity is compromised and damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the controlled rotation assembly with rollers) between the bucket and the conveying belt. This intermediary gently guides the product from the bucket through a controlled path onto the belt, eliminating direct dropping while maintaining efficient discharge. The intermediary structure mediates the transfer process to protect delicate products like bunches of tomatoes or grapes from damage.
2Device complexity
If the bucket is rotated to drop the product onto the conveying belt, then the discharge mechanism is simple, but high quantity of products must be discarded due to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the discharge parameter from free-fall dropping to controlled rotation at a specific angular velocity. By controlling the rotation speed of the bucket assembly, the product is gently released onto the conveying belt rather than dropped. This parameter change (from uncontrolled dropping to controlled rotation) maintains mechanical simplicity while dramatically reducing product damage and rejection rates.
3Loss of time
If the product is transferred by dropping from the bucket, then the transfer process is fast, but the product integrity is prejudiced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the bucket rotation speed variable and controlled. The assembly rotates the bucket at a controlled angular velocity that allows the product to be gently transferred onto the conveying belt. This dynamic control maintains fast transfer rates while preventing damage through controlled motion rather than static dropping, thus preserving product integrity during the transfer process.
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
This method significantly reduces product damage and rejection rates, maintaining product integrity while being easy to construct and assemble, and optimizing the transfer process for packaging.
Implementation Method 1
buckets (2) with rollers (34) which support a fruit and vegetable product
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
AI summary
The system (1) comprises a plurality of buckets (2) presenting a resting surface of a fruit and vegetable product, a line (3) for conveying the buckets (2) along a horizontal axis (X), at least one discharge station (5) arranged by the side of the conveying line (3) and an assembly (6) for controlling the rotation of the bucket (2) between a conveying position and a discharge position of the product towards the station (5). The aforesaid resting surface of the bucket (2) is defined by a plurality of rollers (34) turning about its longitudinal axis.