ES1184660U - Fruit handling equipment (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Fruit handling equipment, characterized in that it comprises a hopper feeding the fruit towards a calibration tape, provided with holes for the passage of the fruits of a smaller size than desired, a calibration tape that unloads on a selection and elimination strip of damaged fruit, leaves or branches, selection tape that unloads on a distributor of the selected fruit, endowed with several exits to respective smaller transport belts and that end on respective balance plates destined to receive the containers to be filled and associated to the electronic control and actuation of the tapes discharging thereon, it being provided that in correspondence with said balance plates push arms of the containers are established once filled towards a last transverse tape of capping of the containers by the operators. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fruit handling equipment, intended to carry out the operations of selection, packaging and weighing of fruits such as blueberries and

10 similar.

The object of the invention is to provide the market and, in particular, the fruit handling sector with equipment to facilitate the process of selecting and packaging the fruit from it supplied in bulk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although machines are known that perform various operations, such as calibration of

20 fruits, and others to perform the weighing of containers, as well as machines to make the selection and timely distribution of the fruits themselves, the existence of equipment that integrates all the operational phases that are carried out since the reception of the fruit is unknown until its final packaging.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The recommended team solves in a fully satisfactory way the problem 30 described above, based on a simple but effective solution.

For this purpose, and more specifically in said equipment, different fruit treatment areas are established, starting with a hopper or receiving tank for the fruit (preferably blueberries), so that said hopper feeds a calibrating tape 35 affected by holes , in which the selection of large fruits takes place, since

the smaller ones will fall through the holes towards a lower conveyor belt, while the large fruit, which remains on the calibrated and perforated belt, accesses a smooth manual selection belt, in which the operators will eliminate the damaged fruits, rotten or simply looking bad, also eliminating branches or leaves that could have been arranged between fruits.

The manual selection tape ends at a fruit distributor, in which sensors are provided that detect the volume of fruit that accesses said distributors, in case they overload automatically stop the feeding belt so that the Fruit does not overflow.

From said distributor the fruit passes to a plurality of tapes provided in correspondence with as many outlets of said distributor, smaller tapes that perform the function of transporting the fruit to the corresponding containers or tubs so that these containers are deposited on respective plates of scales arranged immediately below the outlet of the minor distribution tapes, so that these plates work automatically, so that an operator manually deposits the container on the balance plate that is automatically weighed to be tared and is loaded by the corresponding conveyor belt, so that it is gradually loaded by dumping the fruit on it, so that the system controls both the gross weight and the net weight and tare of the containers.

As it is a product formed by indivisible units, such as blueberries, it is normal for the containers to be loaded with a few grams more, although the system as the container is filled reduces the speed of the belt that feeds it .

Once the balance plate detects that the container reaches the expected weight for it with the fruit contained therein, the feeding belt stops automatically, and a small pneumatic / hydraulic arm will push and eject said full and heavy container towards a transverse belt in which the containers of the different filling lines are deposited, which transports said containers so that the operators are responsible for closing said containers, running these on the tape until reaching an area where a rotating table is provided for in final packaging of the containers.

The equipment will have a system of detectors or sensors totally automated that by means of a software is controlled from a screen from which all the movements that are made are managed, so that when the equipment is fully digitized, it can be controlled remotely from anywhere, having a modem with a specific IP of its own.

In short, it is a team in which the operations of selecting the size of the fruit, rejection and cleaning of the fruit, packaging and weighing are carried out, which although it needs a certain workforce, automates and simplifies a large part of said process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that will then be made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows a general perspective view of a fruit handling equipment made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

Figure 2.- Shows a detail in perspective of the part of the equipment in which the calibration of the fruit takes place.

Figure 3.- Shows a perspective detail of the part of the equipment in which the damaged fruit is removed as well as leaves and / or branches.

Figure 4.- Shows a detail in perspective of the part of the equipment corresponding to the fruit distributor to the weighing stations.

Figure 5.- Shows a perspective detail corresponding to a pair of tapes in communication with the distributor of the previous figure, to take the fruit to the weighing area.

Figure 6.- Shows a perspective detail of the part of the equipment corresponding to the balance plate on which the containers destined to receive the fruit are deposited manually.

Figure 7.- Shows a detail in perspective of the part of the equipment in which the closing of the containers and final packaging of the same takes place.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures outlined, it can be seen how the equipment of the invention includes a hopper (1) in which the fruit is deposited, specifically blueberries, and from which said fruit accesses a calibration tape (2) with holes or perforations (3) so that smaller fruits pass through them, accessing them to a transverse and inferior belt that drags them into the appropriate container for use in other sectors, so that the fruit of the appropriate size is arranged on the surface of said calibration tape to access a selection tape (4) in which the operators are responsible for removing damaged or bad-looking fruits, as well as removing leaves or branches.

The selection belt (4) flows into a distributor (5) with detectors (6) of the level of filling thereof through which the drive of the tapes is controlled in the event of a filling that could cause an overflow of the product, activating said tapes when the filling level is below the preset level by means of said sensors or detectors (6).

The distributor (5) has a plurality of outlets in correspondence with which other so many small tapes (7) are provided that transport the fruit to respective balance plates (8) in which previously and manually have been deposited the empty containers or tubs, in a unitary way, so that the balance carries out the weighing of the empty container, determining the tare of the same, and afterwards through the control of the operation of the small tapes (7) proceed to the filling of the containers and stop said filling when the package reaches a predetermined weight level, this being

ejected by means of a swing arm (9), this area having sensors (10) for position of the tubs or containers, which are displaced once filled by means of said swing arm (9) towards a transverse belt (11), of remarkable length in which the operators will be responsible for closing the already full and heavy containers, so that said

5 transverse belt (11) drags the containers until a rotating circular table (12) is reached in which the boxes are arranged in which the already closed containers will be stored.

Claims (1)

1st.- Fruit handling equipment, characterized in that it comprises a hopper for feeding the fruit towards a calibration belt, equipped with holes for the passage of the 5 fruits of smaller size than the desired one, calibration tape that unloads on a selection belt and elimination of deteriorated fruits, leaves or branches, selection tape that unloads on a distributor of the selected fruit, equipped with several outlets to respective smaller transport belts and which flow into respective balance plates intended to receive the containers to be filled and associated with the electronics of 10 control and actuation of the tapes that discharge on them, having been provided that in correspondence with said balance plates, push arms of the containers are established once they are filled towards a last transverse tape covering the containers by the operators. 15 ..- Fruit handling equipment, according to claim 1, characterized in that a smaller conveyor belt of the fruit is established under the calibration tape to the corresponding storage container thereof. 3.- Fruit handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the 20 distributor includes level sensors associated with a control electronics of the drive means of the calibration and selection belt. 4th.- Fruit handling equipment, according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse tape covering the containers by the operators unloads on a table 25 rotating circular in which storage boxes of full, heavy and closed containers are arranged. 5th.- Fruit handling equipment according to previous claims, characterized in that the control electronics of the equipment includes a modem for remote control of the 30 same.