ES2272934T3 - DEVICE FOR EMPTYING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BOXES IN A TANK CONTAINING LIQUID. - Google Patents

Abstract

In an apparatus for emptying boxes (2) of fruit and vegetable produce (3) into a tank (4) containing a liquid, a tipping device (9) has a pocket (24) movable between an input station (9a), where the pocket (24) is set to a first operating position to receive a box (2) positioned with its concavity facing upwards, and an output station (9b), where the pocket (24) is located inside the liquid and set to a second operating position to release the box (2) with its concavity facing downwards; and an actuating device (36), having at least one orienting member (42, 43) cooperating with at least one tappet (44, 45) carried by the pocket (24), moves the pocket (24) about its hinge axis (37) between the first and second operating position. <IMAGE>

Description

Device to empty the fruit boxes and Vegetable in a tank that contains liquid.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for emptying boxes with fruit and vegetable products inside of a tank containing liquid. It is known from the EP-0167082 an apparatus for emptying said boxes inside a flotation tank, without dumping the boxes. The US-4234279 describes an apparatus for dump boxes of fruit and vegetables for the purpose of emptying them.

More specifically, the present invention is refers to an apparatus of the type comprising a straight upright that it is projected in a first vertical direction and is fixed of sliding form to the tank to move linearly in a second horizontal direction; a slide fixed to the upright for slide linearly along the straight upright in this first direction; and a hopper to receive at least one box articulated to the slide, to oscillate around an axis of joint perpendicular to the first and second direction, between a first operational position, in which, the box is positioned with its concavity up, and a second position operating in which the box is positioned with its concavity down.

The slide is movable along the straight upright between an entrance station in which, the hopper is located substantially outside the liquid in the first operational position to receive the box, and an exit station in which, the hopper is located substantially within the liquid in the second operative position to release the box.

Additionally, the apparatus comprises a cylinder actuator interposed between the slide and the hopper to slide the hopper between the first and second operating position; and a ejector device fixed to the hopper to eject the box from the hopper at the departure station.

Generally, the ejector device comprises two movable conveyor chains in respective planes parallel verticals; and a thrust stop that extends between the conveyor chains, parallel to said articulation axis, and to engage the case at the rear in a third direction in which the box is ejected from the hopper:

Known devices of the type described previously they have several drawbacks, mainly due to to that, as the slide slides from the station input to the exit station, the activation cylinder is immerses in the liquid, therefore requiring a relatively frequent maintenance and / or replacement.

An object of the present invention is to offer a  apparatus for emptying boxes of fruit or vegetable products inside of a tank that contains a liquid, designed to remove previously described drawbacks of easy production and of low cost.

According to the present invention, a apparatus for emptying boxes with fruit and vegetable products inside of a tank containing a liquid, as claimed in the Claim 1.

A non-limiting form of execution of the The present invention will be described as an example, with reference to  attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view in perspective with pieces removed for reasons of clarity, from a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view side, with parts removed for reasons of clarity of the device of figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a schematic view in perspective, with pieces removed for reasons of clarity, of a First detail in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a second detail in Figures 1 and 2.

The number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates in In general, an apparatus for emptying boxes (2) with loose products of fruit and vegetables (3) inside a tank (4) that contains a liquid - in the example shown it is water.

Each box (2) is substantially in the form of cup, being designed for water entry, with a wall of substantially flat bottom (5) and open towards a surface (6) parallel to the opposite wall (5).

The apparatus (1) comprises two units conveyors (7) and (8); a dump device (9), which is located between units (7) and (8), it is connected to the unit (7) at an input station (9a) substantially arranged outside the tank (4), and is connected to the unit (8) in the exit station (9b) arranged substantially at the bottom of the tank (4), and to receive the boxes (2) successively from the unit (7), and dumps and successively releases the unit (8).

The conveyor unit (7) transports the boxes (2) successively with their concavities facing up, and it comprises two conveyor devices (10), (11) arranged in series and connected to each other in a transfer station (12).

The device (10) transports the boxes (2) in a direction of movement (13) substantially horizontal, perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2, and comprises a number of conveyor chains (14) that move in vertical planes respective parallels, and extend, at the station (12) between the rollers (15) of a roller conveyor (16) forming part of the device (11).

The rollers (15) are fixed so intermediate to a support frame (17) articulated to a fixed frame (18) of the apparatus (1) for oscillating - in relation to the frame (18), under the control of two actuator cylinders (19) that cooperate with respective crankshaft mechanisms (20) interposed between the frame (17) and the cylinders (19), and around an articulation axis (21) parallel to the direction (13) - between a lower position of rest (Figure 2), in which the rollers (15) are located under the conveyor surface defined by the conveyors (14), and a high operating position (not shown), in which the rollers (15) are located on the conveyor surface defined by the conveyors (14) to release the boxes (2) of the conveyors (14).

The device (11) comprises a thrust stop (22) extending in direction (13), meshes with the boxes (2) from the rear towards the movement of the boxes (2) on the rollers (15), and is connected in a known manner with the frame (17) to move linearly - in relation to the frame (17) and under the control of a known actuator device (23) - between the stations (12) and (9a).

The device (9) comprises a swinging hopper  (24) which in turn comprises a box body substantially with parallel form (25) with a number of openings by the which takes the water, and a roller conveyor (26) that defines a support surface P1 for the boxes (2). The conveyor (26) is fixed in a known way to the body (25) to move linearly - in relation to the body (25) and under the control of two actuator cylinders (27) fixed to the body (25) - from one side to another from a body face (25) defined by two flat plates (28), which are coplanar with each other defining a surface of support P2 parallel to the surface P1, and are separated by a given distance to define a longitudinal channel (29).

Consequently, the conveyor (16) is movable in relation to the body (25) between a position of release, in which surfaces P1 and P2 are separated for a distance greater than the height of a box (2), and a grip position, in which, the distance between the surfaces P1 and P2 substantially equal the height of a box (2), and, by consequently, the plates (28) substantially contact the related surface (6).

With reference to Figures 1 and 4, the device (9) additionally comprises two parallel guide posts  (30) (only one is shown in Figure 1), which extend from the bottom of the tank (4) in a given direction (31), which are defined by respective sections (32), substantially in the form of a channel, and are located facing each other, and understanding each two sections (32a), (32b) arranged in series in direction (31), and of which, the upper section (32a) has a - depth p1 greater than the depth p2 of the lower section (32b).

Additionally, the device (9) comprises two  Slides (33) (only one shown in Figure 2), each of which is slidably fixed to a respective post (30), being designed to engage with both related sections (32a) and (32b), also being connected by a coupling of spindle, nut-screw to a screw (34) which is turned by a motor (35), generally common to both screws (34) and located on the outside of the tank (4), to move the slide related (33) linearly along the relative post (30) in address (31).

Because the body (25) is connected to rotating form to the slides (33) to oscillate - in relation to the slides (33) and under the control of an actuator device (36) described in detail below - about an axis of joint (37) parallel to the direction (13), the posts (30), the slides (33), the screws (34) and the motor (35) define a actuator device (38) to move the hopper (24) between the stations (9a) and (9b) in direction (31).

Along the sections (32a), the hopper (24)  it is maintained in a first operational position (Figure 1) - in the which hopper (24) receives a box (2) located with its concavity up - by two pusher rollers (39) (only shown one in Figures 2 and 3), each of which is projected from the body (25) in a direction parallel to the direction (13), and has such a length, measured parallel to the direction (13) that gears with the relative section (32a) (Figure 4a) but not with the relative section (32b) (Figure 4b), and has a longitudinal axis (40) aligned with the shaft (37) in one direction (41) (Figure 3) coincident, in sections (32a), with address (31).

The device (36) comprises two pairs of cams  (42), (43), fixed inside the tank (4) and aligned in the direction (13). The cams (42), (43) in each pair of cams (42), (43), are arranged successively in direction (31), and cooperate, as described in detail below, with two rollers of the pusher (44), (45) projecting from the body (25) in a direction parallel to the direction (13), and having respective axes (46), (47), which are located on opposite sides of the shaft (37) in an address (48) (Figure 3) perpendicular to the address (41), being equidistant from the shaft (37) and aligned with the shaft (37) in address (48).

In actual use, and starting from the moment in the  which rollers (15) are in the lower resting position, and the hopper (24) is located at the entrance station (9a), in the first operative and release positions, the chains conveyors (14) are put into operation to feed a box (2) in direction (13) on the rollers (15) and in contact with a stop member (not shown) fixed at the station (12) and transverse to the direction (13).

At this point, the actuator cylinders (19) they work to move the rollers (15) to an operative position raised to release the box (2) from the conveyor (14), and put in operation the push stop (22) to feed the box (2) inside the hopper (24) and in contact with a stop member (49) (Figures 2 and 3) fixed to the body (25).

As the box (2) contacts the member  (49), the actuator cylinders (27) function to displace the hopper (24) inside the grip position in which the dishes (28) prevent the fall of the product (3) from the box (2); and the engine (35) works to move the hopper (24) along the posts (30) in direction (31), with the thrust rollers (39) engaging relative sections (32a) (Figure 4a).

When the rollers (39) release the sections relative (32a) and are located outside the relative sections (32b), enabling the oscillation of the hopper (24) around the axis (37), the rollers (44) contact the upper sections of the relative cams (42), and the hopper (24) rotates in the direction of the clockwise in figure 2 around the shaft (37). Combining the movements of the hopper (24) in direction (31) and around the shaft (37), the rollers (39) are first located between the cams (42) and (43), and the rollers (45) then contact with the lower sections of the relative cams (43) to fix the hopper (24), at the exit station (9b), within a second operating position, in which, the box (2) is placed with its concavity down.

During the course of each operating cycle of the apparatus (1), the hopper (24) acts accordingly along a path P that extends between the stations (9a) and (9b), a reciprocal rotational movement it comprises a forward blow, in which the hopper (24) is moves from the station (9a) to the station (9b) and where the first to the second operational position, and a reciprocal blow, in which hopper (24) moves from the station (9b) to the station (9a) and from the second to the first position operational

When the hopper (24) reaches the station (9b) in the second operating position, the surface P2 is positioned coplanar with a flat inclined surface (50) attached to the tank (4); the motor (35) is deactivated; and the box (2) is ejected from the hopper (24) and fed along the inclined surface (50) by an ejector device (51) that is part of the conveyor unit (8).

The device (51) comprises two guides (52) (only one shown in figure 2) attached to the tank (4) and extending in a given direction (53); and two sliders (54) (only one is shown in Figure (2) each of which is slidably fixed to a respective guide (52), and is connected by a spindle coupling, screw-nut to a screw (55), which rotates by means of a motor (56), generally common to both screws (55) and located outside the tank (4) to move the slide relative (54) linearly along the guide (52) in the direction (53).

The slides (54) support a fin ejector (57), which meshes with the channel (29) defined between the plates (28), gear with the back of the box (2) to in first eject it from the hopper (24), and then cooperate with a push stop (58) of a feeding device (59) known to feed the box (2) along the surface inclined (50). At the end of the inclined surface (50), the product (3) falls freely out of the box (2) onto a roller conveyor (60) known to remove the product (3) of the tank (4).

Once the entire box (2) has been discharged on the inclined surface (50), the hopper (24) return to the station (9 a) by operating the device (38); the rollers (45) and the rollers (44) cooperate successively with the cams (43) and (42) respectively to move the box (2) of new to the first operational position; and the unloaded box (2) is powered by the device (59) along a guide contoured (61) to dump the box (2) on a surface of P3 output, once again with its concavity up.

Consequently, the operation of the device ejector (51) is totally independent of movement Rotary hopper-conveyor (24) in direction (31) and around the axis (37), thus enabling a relatively high percentage of device output (1).

Obviously, the actuator device (36) for rotating the hopper (24) around the shaft (37) can be replaced per device similar actuators comprising at least one pusher, and at least one cam that cooperates with the pusher to swing the hopper (24) around the shaft (37) according to a law of given movement.

Therefore, the apparatus (1) has the advantage of that the motors (35) and (56) are located completely in the outside of the tank (4), and that the hopper (24) is simply rotated around the axis (37) by the cams (42) (43) and the pusher rollers (44), (45).

In a variation not shown, the devices actuators (36) and (38) are replaced by an actuator device comprising at least one gear wheel, which is articulated to the hopper (24) to rotate, relative to the hopper (24), around a axis parallel to the direction (13), and has a fork fixed and projecting the cogwheel in direction (13), and it is engaged by a pusher projecting from the body (25) in the direction parallel to the direction (13). Cogwheel gears simultaneously with a conveyor chain that moves in a vertical plane considerably perpendicular to the direction (13), and with a fixed chain located on the opposite side of the wheel toothed to the conveyor chain.

The movement of the cogwheel along the fixed chain, the fixed chain design, in gear of the fork by the pusher, provides both the movement of the hopper (24) between stations (9 a) and (9b), such as the rotation of the same around the axis (37) between the first and the second operational position

Claims (12)

1. An apparatus for emptying boxes (2) with fruit and vegetable products (3) inside a tank (4) containing a liquid, the apparatus comprising a dump device (9) for dumping at least one box (2) , and in turn comprising an inlet station (9a) substantially outside said liquid; an outlet station (9b) substantially within said liquid; a hopper (24) mounted to rotate around a first given axis (37) to oscillate between a first operative position, in which the hopper (24) receives the box (2) positioned with its concave upwards, and a second position operation in which the hopper (24) releases the box (2) with its concavity down; first actuator means (38) for moving the hopper (24) along a given path (P) extending between said input station and said output station (9a, 9b); and second actuator means (36) for moving the hopper (24) selectively within said first and said second operative position; characterized in that said second actuator means (36) comprise at least a first pusher (44) carried by said hopper (24), and orientation means (42, 43) cooperating with said first pusher (44) to orient the hopper (24 ) around said first axis (37). 2. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 1, wherein said orientation means (42, 43) They comprise cam means. 3. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 1 or 2, wherein said orientation means (42, 43) comprise at least one first cam (42) located along the path (P) to cooperate with said first pusher (44) and move the hopper (24) around said first axis (37) as in a first operating position, and at least a second cam (43) located along the path (P); also understanding the second actuator means at least one second pusher (45) carried by said hopper (24) and cooperating with said second cam (43) to move the hopper (24) around said first axis (37) as in a second operational position. 4. an apparatus as claimed in the Claim 3, wherein said first and said second pusher (44, 45) have a second and, respectively, third axis longitudinal (46, 47) substantially parallel to said first axis (37) and located on opposite sides of the first axis (37) in a first given address (48); said first, said second, and said third axis (37, 46, 47) aligned in said first direction (48). 5. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 4, and also comprising at least a third pusher (39) cooperating with both the first cam (42) and with the second cam (43) as said hopper (24) moves between said first and said second operative position. 6. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 5, wherein said third pusher (39) has a fourth longitudinal axis (40) substantially parallel to said first axis (37); said first and fourth axis being said (37, 40) aligned in a second direction (41) substantially perpendicular to said first direction (48). 7. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 6, and also comprising at least one guide (32a) which extends along part of said path (P); engaging said third pusher (39) with said guide (32a) to keeping the hopper (24) in said first operative position at guide length (32a). 8. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the hopper (24) it comprises a support wall (28) that defines a surface of support (P2) for said box (2) when the hopper (24) is in said second operational position; said wall (28) having a guide channel (29) extending through the wall (28). 9. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 8, and also comprising ejection means (51) to eject the hopper box (2) (24) in said station of exit (9b); the ejection means (51) comprising a member ejector (57) geared and movable along said channel guide (29). 10. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 9, wherein said ejection means (51) comprise transport means (54) slidably fixed over said tank (4) to move said ejection member (57) to along said guide channel (29), and at least one motor (56) for activate the means of transport (54); the engine being (56) located outside said liquid. 11. An apparatus as claimed in any  of the preceding claims, wherein said first actuator means comprises additional means of transport (33) slidably fixed on said tank (4) to move the hopper (24) between said inlet station and said station of output (9a, 9b); and at least one additional motor (35) to drive said additional means of transport (33); said engine being additional (35) out of said liquid. 12. An apparatus as claimed in the Claim 1, wherein said first actuator means they comprise a conveyor chain, a fixed chain, a wheel toothed articulated to said hopper (24) and engaging both with the conveyor chain and with the fixed chain to move the hopper (24) between said input station and said output station (9a, 9b) under the conveyor chain; understanding said second actuator means a seat formed in said wheel toothed and engaged by said first pusher.