ES1214060U - DEVICE FOR THE COLLECTION OF FRUIT (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for collecting fruit, which is intended for the collection of fruits that are detached from your plant by mechanical vibration processes, is characterized because it is constituted from a structure acting as a support element for a material hopper textile or flexible, with the particularity that the structure has support elements on the floor, as well as with rods or braces that form a support frame and fixation of the hopper itself, the frame presenting a protruding part towards a side with a concave incoming adaptation to the trunk of the plant whose fruits are to be collected, while below the structure includes a horizontal plate or grid. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

DEVICE FOR COLLECTION OF FRUITS

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for the collection of fruits, preferably provided and fundamentally for the collection of blueberries and other fruits of plants / shrubs with a similar configuration.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that facilitates the collection of fruits, which are previously detached by a vibrating machine or by any other appropriate means.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device for the collection of fruits that is effective in its function, structurally simple, and that gently treats the fruit in said harvesting process so that it does not deteriorate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that in the collection of blueberries or other fruits, machinery is used that, through vibrations produced by driven machinery, either through compressed air produced by autonomous combustion engines (gasoline and diesel) or produced by electric current with autonomous portable batteries or by direct connection to the network cause the detachment of the fruits of the corresponding plants or shrubs.

More specifically, these machines actuate mechanisms that produce vibrations that are adjustable in intensity, installed in a portable tube which has at its final end a system of crimping on the branch of the plant, either in the form of a hook or similar, which hugs the selected place of the plant, subjecting it to vibrations through which they get the fruit to detach from it, and can be collected.

These machinery have an autonomous operation and can be transported by the

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

Operator to the place chosen for collection.

In any case, the protocol for collecting this type of fruit requires certain training of the operators for the use of the machinery, in order to be able to control the maintenance and proper functioning of said machinery used, both in mechanical and electrical components, as well as in a matter of collecting the different parameters in its operation and knowledge of the appropriate employment, depending on the varieties of fruit to be collected, age of the plants, concentration and ripening time of the fruit, as well as other functional parameters of the system of harvest.

Although this type of machinery satisfactorily fulfills the function for which it has been foreseen, that is, allowing the fruits of the corresponding plants or shrubs to be released automatically, the reality is that in said process they fall directly to the ground, and may be damaged. , depending on the degree of maturation of the same, and must be subsequently collected from the soil, which is a laborious task, in addition to the problem of possible damage to the fruit described above.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device for the collection of fruits that is recommended solves in a fully satisfactory way the problem described above, based on a simple but effective solution.

For this, the collecting device is constituted from a structure, preferably metallic or polymeric, with supports on the ground, on which a support frame of a hopper of textile or flexible material is mounted, in order to dampen the fall of the fruits on it, so that the frame has bars or braces that have an inclination towards one of the sides, protruding from this side and presenting on the arm of said side, a recess to adapt to the trunk of the plant in the It is intended to collect the fruit, with the special feature that this frame is square or rectangular upper contour, on which the aforementioned textile or flexible hopper is mounted, responsible for receiving the fruit detached from the plant in the vibrating process , and that it is affected by a lower orifice of discharge of the fruit towards a deposit

- 3 -

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

or boxes that are placed on a lower tray of the general structure of the collecting device.

Said hopper may optionally not be open inferiorly, acting directly as a storage element, since its structure, configuration and nature facilitate its subsequent dump.

The structure can, advantageously, include lower wheels for easy movement from one floor to another, so that the hopper will be fixed to the frame by any appropriate system, either by square brackets, sewn, by means of fasteners, zippers, etc.

It only remains to point out finally that the special structuring of the device makes it have an adapted form for its correct positioning and coupling in front of the plant, being able to be assembled with another identical device located in opposition, that is to say on the other side of the plant getting In this way, it covers the entire reception area of the fruit and can be fully collected at once.

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 perspective view of a device for the collection of fruits made in accordance with the object of the present invention, devoid of the textile hopper in order to be able to clearly visualize the structure on which said hopper is mounted. textile or flexible

Figure 2.- Shows an elevation view of one of the ends of the structure represented in the previous figure, clearly showing the upper inclination of the

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

frame where the hopper will be mounted.

Figure 3.- Shows a view like that of the previous figures, but without a fruit collection tank and where the structure is equipped with wheels and with the textile hopper mounted on the corresponding frame.

Figure 4.- Shows a side view of the assembly represented in the previous figure.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures outlined, it can be seen how the device for the collection of fruits object of the invention, intended primarily for the collection of blueberries, has a structure (1), preferably metallic or polymeric, determined from two profiles in "U", one of greater height than the other, forming the support structure on the ground, establishing between both profiles in "U", specifically between the horizontal and lower branches, a grid (2) in the form of a tray, for support of a deposit (3) for collecting the fruit.

On the structure formed by the two "U" profiles, a frame (4) is mounted which superiorly defines a rectangular or quadrangular frame, and which has braces (5) with downward inclination, to establish an inclination of said frame and place on the, duly fixed, a textile, plastic or similar elastic material hopper (8), which, as can be seen in Figure 3, protrudes laterally with a downward inclination towards that protruding lateral, presenting on one of its sides an arched central section and tucked inwards (6), which corresponds to the inclined side, in order to adapt perfectly to the trunk of the plant whose fruit it is intended to collect.

The support structure (1) on the ground, can be provided with wheels (7), as shown in figures 3 and 4, to facilitate the operations of transfer from one place to another of the device.

The materials in which the device is obtained are made in order not to damage the fruit from the detachment of the plant to the collection tank, and may have

different measures and dimensions, to be able to adapt to each planting frame and varieties.

As stated previously, the special configuration of the device means that it has an adapted shape for its correct positioning and coupling in front of the plant, and can be assembled with another identical device located in opposition, that is, on the other side. of the plant thus being able to cover the entire surface of the reception of the fruit and be able to be fully collected at once.

10 Therefore, it is a collecting device with a hopper (8) with a square or rectangular mouthpiece, which decreases its section in the form of an inverted pyramid trunk, and its lower end may be open, for unloading on a tray or storage tank. collection (3) or closed, so that said download is done manually.

fifteen

It only remains to note finally that, the hopper (8) may be fixed to the frame on which it is supported by sewing, square brackets, zippers, velcro or by any means of conventional fixing.

twenty

Claims (1)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S 1§.- Device for the collection of fruits, which being provided for the collection of fruits that are detached from its plant through mechanical vibration processes, is characterized in that it is constituted from a structure in function of a support element for a hopper of textile or flexible material, with the particularity that the structure has support elements on the ground, as well as with rods or braces that form a support frame and fixation of the hopper itself, the frame presenting an outstanding part towards one side with a concave entree of adaptation to the trunk of the plant whose fruits are going to be collected, while inferiorly the structure includes a horizontal plateau or grid. 2§.- Device for the collection of fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure of the device is metallic or polymeric. 3§.- Device for harvesting fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure of the device has lower wheels for movement. 4§.- Device for the collection of fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the hopper has a configuration in the form of an inverted pyramid trunk, with its lower extremity open and facing a fruit storage tank that is arranged on the tray or lower rack of the device structure. 5§.- Device for harvesting fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the hopper has a configuration in the form of an inverted pyramid trunk, with its lower extremity closed. 6§.- Device for the collection of fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the hopper is fixed to the frame with a removable character, by means of square brackets, zippers, velcro, or any other practicable means. 7§.- Device for harvesting fruits, according to claim 1, characterized in that the hopper is fixed to the frame by means of seams.