FR2976196A1 - DEVICE FOR CONVEYING OBJECTS SUCH AS FRUIT OR VEGETABLES WITH ZONES BEGINNING OF BILATERAL INDIVIDUALIZATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for conveying objects such as fruits or vegetables, comprising a first conveyor (11) forming at least one conveying line (12a, 12b), lateral barriers extending along each side of the upper strand of this conveyor line. The upper strand of the conveying line comprises upstream zones of individualization in which the lateral barriers are open for the recycling of objects dropping laterally from these zones. The upstream zone (43) for individualization on one side of the conveying line has an upstream end (53) offset longitudinally with respect to an upstream end (52) of the upstream individualization zone (42) of the other side of the conveyor line.

Description

The invention relates to a device for conveying objects such as fruits or vegetables, and more particularly (although not exclusively) to a device for conveying objects such as fruit or vegetables. conveying adapted to sort said objects according to predetermined selection criteria, for example a unit for sizing and sorting fruits and vegetables. It is already known (for example EP 0670276) a conveying device comprising a first conveyor comprising at least one pair of conveyor lines, with rollers carried transversely by an endless chain, defining between them individual receiving receptacles for objects, and a second conveyor comprising a median drive chain and, on each side of this drive chain, tilting articulated conveying hands, with a transfer zone between the two conveyors where the endless chains are arranged side by side, the chain center of the second conveyor being interposed between a pair of drive chains of the first conveyor, so that the hands of the second conveyor interlock between the rollers (formed of a plurality of parallel disks) of a line of conveying the first conveyor to take care of the objects. The first conveyor has at least one object analysis station, including an optical analysis station in which the rollers are rotated to allow the analysis of the entire outer surface of the objects. The second conveyor is optionally also provided with an object analysis station, in particular an individual weighing station for the objects, and comprises a plurality of unloading zones distributed along the second conveyor, and for each zone of unloading, release members of the unloading by tilting hands, adapted to selectively generate the lateral unloading of objects arriving at said unloading area. Such a device has the advantage of allowing a high speed of operation and to provide a very high rate of processing objects. However, this flow is limited by the fact that the filling of the first conveyor and, especially, the second conveyor, is not complete. Indeed, this filling is particularly limited by the inevitable presence of "duplicates", that is to say, of several objects inserted in the same receiving housing between the rollers of a conveyor line of the first conveyor. Such a duplicate usually induces a fault analysis (optical or weighing) of at least three objects. EP 1040058 discloses a conveying device intended in particular to prevent the formation of duplicates on a roller conveyor, and provides for this purpose on the one hand the fact that each roller has two parallel disks spaced and of the same diameter, and, on the other hand on the one hand, lateral fixed slides arranged symmetrically on either side of the rollers, the slides being inclined in the direction of the discs so as to have a lower edge extending close to a disc and the transverse shaft of each roll and forming a bottomless gut of v-shaped section truncated in depth greater than the radius of the disks. The slides are interrupted for a predetermined length along the portion of horizontal path upstream of the analysis station, and this interruption is presumed to allow the evacuation of duplicates. In practice, however, the removal of duplicates can be performed only on the inside, that is to say only on the side of the rollers which is opposite the drive chain. Indeed, on the outer side, the transverse shaft of the rollers extends over a relatively large length, and this length, and the presence of the drive chain, prevent the provision of a fall of products on this side. In particular, a recycling conveyor products can be arranged only on the inner side. Therefore, in practice, duplicates may persist and the maximum filling rate that can be obtained at the tilting hands of the second conveyor with a first conveyor according to this document is at best of the order of 65% to 70%. In addition, the residual presence of duplicates on the first conveyor causes analysis errors at the analysis stations of the first conveyor. Furthermore, the interruption of the slide located on the outer side is not practically feasible, because this slide also serves as a guide and horizontal support of the transverse shaft of the rollers, and generally comprises for this purpose a strip, a bracket or a rib of synthetic material against which an outer extension of the transverse shaft of the rollers bears. Furthermore, such rolls consisting solely of two discs are used to allow the conveying of products of variable average dimensions (in particular between 35 mm and 110 mm according to EP 1040058), but do not provide a satisfactory rotation of the products (especially with respect to optical analysis station) for all these dimensions. Indeed, the rotational drive of the products by rotation of the rollers is in practice really effective only for dimensional products well adapted to the spacing between the two discs. On the other hand, large objects do not remain in the receiving receptacles between the rollers if the lateral slides are interrupted, even in the absence of duplicates. These large objects, generally of irregular shape, are subject to lateral tilts during their rotation, which can induce their untimely fall in the absence of the lateral slides, and in any case undermine the quality of the analysis. optical. If the two discs are further apart to overcome these disadvantages, the device can no longer carry small objects, for example those of about 35 mm such as plums. JP 1051177 also discloses a roller conveyor comprising an excess fruit discharge zone in which side barriers are interrupted on both sides, the fruits being able to fall on both sides at this evacuation zone. With such a device, it may happen that some fruits fall laterally in the evacuation zone, even though they are not in excess. For this reason, the device must provide a fruit collection unit before transfer on a conveyor conveyor hands. The invention therefore aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a conveying device as mentioned above but in which the filling rate of the conveyors, especially the hands of the second conveyor, is improved, in particular can be of the order of 90 % or more, without the need for a specific gathering unit before transferring the objects onto a hand conveyor. The invention aims more particularly at providing such a conveying device in which the loading of the first conveyor can be carried out in the total absence of duplicates. The invention also aims at providing such a conveying device compatible with a wide range of object sizes, in particular between 30 mm and 140 mm, and with all kinds of housing for receiving individual objects, in particular all kinds of objects. rollers, including rolls comprising more than two discs, in particular between three and five discs. To this end, the invention relates to a device for conveying objects such as fruits or vegetables, comprising: at least one first conveyor forming at least one conveying line comprising individual receiving receptacles for the objects driven to one another; following the others according to said conveying line to allow the transport of the objects from an upstream longitudinal end of loading in objects of an upper strand of the conveyor line, and along this upper strand 20 by continuous-running drive of the line two lateral barriers extending along the upper run, laterally at the height of the reception seats, a lateral barrier on each side of the upper run, so as to prevent the lateral fall of each side of objects transported in the accommodation units. reception, the upper run of said conveyor line comprising upstream zones of individualization arranged at the downstream end of its loading end, one on each side of the conveying line, in which the lateral barriers are open facing the receiving housings, each upstream individualization zone having an upstream end from and on the side of which the corresponding lateral barriers are open, at least one recycling device capable of receiving the objects falling laterally from said conveying line, so that the objects situated outside the receiving receptacles are liable to fall laterally and to be recovered. and recycled, characterized in that said upstream ends of the upstream zones of individualization of said conveying line are offset longitudinally with respect to each other. In other words, the lateral barriers are open (interrupted) on one side of the conveying line from an upstream end located further upstream than the other upstream end from which the lateral barriers are open from the other. side. Thus, there is an area in which the objects can fall laterally to the recycling device only one side, without falling laterally on the other side. The combination of the features of the invention makes it practically possible to produce upstream zones of individualization on both sides of each conveying line, allowing the objects to fall laterally to one side or the other of each conveying line, and to avoid any duplication on the first conveyor, even when the loading rate is extremely large and far greater than the reception capacity of the first conveyor.

The simple longitudinal offset of the two upstream ends of the two zones of individualization considerably improves the filling rate of the first conveyor and the suppression of duplicates. Indeed, in the case where two objects are juxtaposed transversely in a receiving housing, this shift prevents the two objects fall simultaneously on one side and the other, the receiving housing being then free of objects. On the contrary, when the receiving housing arrives opposite the first upstream end of the upstream individualization zone (situated on the first side), the first duplicate object situated on the side of this first upstream end drops and the second object that is more restrained by the first object but is still retained by the lateral barrier located on the other side, is correctly put in place in the receiving housing (in particular between the two rollers), so that it is not evacuated when the receiving housing arrives opposite the second upstream end of the upstream zone of individualization. In practice, the inventor has found that the filling rate of such a device according to the invention can easily (by simple adjustment of the loading rate of the first conveyor) reach 95% at the second conveyor, with a total absence of duplicates at the weighing stations and optical analysis, and at the second conveyor, including when the objects have a large variation in dimensions, result that had never been achieved until now, and while also benefiting from the speed and flow characteristics of conveying devices whose conveying lines are arranged in pairs (EP 0670276). The invention is generally applicable to many types of conveying lines, and in particular to various embodiments of receiving housings (transverse rollers, conveying hands, receptacles, cups, etc.).

Nevertheless, advantageously a device according to the invention is of the type comprising: - a first conveyor forming at least one pair of conveying lines each comprising: - a driving chain coupled to a motorized continuous drive device 20 according to a longitudinal direction and according to an endless loop, - transverse conveying rollers carried by said drive chain and spaced longitudinally so that two successive rollers define between them a housing for individual reception of an object, so as to allow the transporting objects from an upstream longitudinal end of loading into objects of an upper strand of the conveyor line, and along this upper strand by continuous drive of the drive chain and the rollers, - lateral barriers extending along each side of the upper strand laterally at the height of the rollers so as to to prevent the lateral fall of objects transported in the receiving receptacles between the rollers, - at least a second conveyor with tilting hands, this second conveyor extending downstream of the first conveyor, and a transfer zone of the objects between the first conveyor and the second conveyor, the upper strand of each conveying line of a pair of conveying lines of the first conveyor comprising an upstream zone of internal individualization disposed downstream of its loading end, in which the lateral barriers , said inner side barriers, extending on the inner side with respect to the drive chain are open opposite the rollers, - the upper strand of each conveying line of a pair of conveying lines of the first conveyor comprising a zone upstream of external individualization arranged downstream of its loading end, in which the lateral barriers, called outer lateral barriers, extending from the outer side opposite to the inner side with respect to the drive chain are open facing the rollers, - at least one recycling device adapted to receive objects dropping laterally from each conveyor line, such that the objects situated outside the individual receiving compartments are capable of falling laterally and of being recovered and recycled, and is characterized in that said upstream zone of external individualization has an upstream end offset longitudinally with respect to one end. upstream of said upstream zone of internal individualization. Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the driving chains of a pair of conveying lines are arranged side by side with the rollers which extend orthogonally on the inner side between the two conveying lines 25, one towards the other. the others compared to the two training chains. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, the outer lateral barriers extending from the outer side relative to the drive chain have a horizontal guide and holding surface of a transverse shaft of each roller carried by said chain. and extending orthogonally cantilevered 30 from the inner side thereof, and said upstream outer individualizing zone extends for a length sufficient to cause objects to fall from the outer side, but low enough to prevent twisting of said drive chain may interfere with the operation of the first conveyor. The inventor has indeed found that it is in practice possible to interrupt the barriers on the outer side to a certain length sufficient to allow any suppression of the duplicates, but which is nevertheless not too important to avoid twisting of the chain because the transverse shafts of the rollers are no longer held in a horizontal position. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, preferably, advantageously and according to the invention, the upstream end of the upstream zone of external individualization is shifted downstream with respect to the upstream end of the upstream zone. internal individualization. This makes it possible in particular to minimize the length of the upstream zone of external individualization, and thus the twisting of the chain of the conveying line. Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the recycling device comprises, for each upstream zone of individualization, a continuous-running driven recycling belt disposed parallel to the upper end of the conveying line immediately adjacent to the latter. of said upstream zone of individualization. Advantageously and according to the invention, each recycling belt is driven continuously in order to recycle the objects at the loading end of the latter. Such a recycling belt may be driven in the same direction as the upper run of the conveyor line at least in its portion located under the upstream zone of individualization and / or in a transverse direction and / or in the opposite direction in the drive direction the upper strand of the conveyor line. It is preferably located immediately below the receiving housing level of the upper strand of the conveyor line to minimize the height of falling objects on the recycling mat. Nothing, however, prevents alternatively to provide that the recycling belt is disposed at a level well below that of the upper run of the conveyor line. Nothing prevents either to replace such a recycling belt by a simple container disposed under each upstream zone of individualization to recover objects falling from the conveyor line.

Advantageously and according to the invention, each roll extends orthogonally cantilevered on one side, said inner side, with respect to said drive chain. Furthermore, advantageously, a device according to the invention is also characterized in that it comprises a wall, said outer spill wall, extending laterally from the outer side of the rollers and above said drive chain so as to guide objects dropping individual receiving housing above the drive chain without interfering with the latter during their fall to the recycling device (including outdoor recycling mat). In a device according to the invention, the transverse distance between the drive chain and each roller can be minimized, or even correspond only to the width of the drive chain, so that it is possible to provide such an external spill wall s' extending laterally and downwardly from the transverse shafts of the rollers, without preventing falling objects, even when the outer treadmill is itself disposed at a height very close (immediately below) of the transverse shafts of the rollers so as to to minimize the height of falling objects. In a preferred embodiment, a device according to the invention comprises, for each pair of conveying lines of the first conveyor, a median recycling mat extending along said upstream zone of internal individualization of each conveying line, between the two conveying lines, and, for each conveying line of said pair, an outer recycling belt extending along said upstream zone of external individualization of the outer side to the upper end of the conveying line. Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the first conveyor comprises at least one analysis station of the objects transported on each conveyor line, and each individualization upstream zone is disposed upstream of each analysis station of the objects of the first conveyor. Advantageously and according to the invention, each roller is rotatably mounted relative to said drive chain about a transverse axis.

In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, each roller comprises at least three parallel disks held spaced and arranged orthogonally with respect to a transverse shaft of the roller carried by said drive chain and extending orthogonally in the door-to-door position. false on one side, said inner side, with respect to the latter. Advantageously, preferably and according to the invention, each conveying roller comprises between three and five vertical parallel disks spaced apart from each other along the transverse shaft of the conveying roller. Advantageously and according to the invention, the discs of each conveying roller are adapted so that the conveying roller has an external shape (outer theoretical envelope surface) concave, in particular biconical or other (ellipsoidic ...). Such a concave shape makes it possible to ensure the stability of the objects, whatever their dimensions and shapes. Furthermore, preferably, the number of disks of each conveying roller is odd (equal to three or five), so that each conveying roller comprises a median disc of smaller diameter, allowing the transport of objects of more small dimensions. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, each conveyor line 15 of the first conveyor comprises a device for driving the rollers about their axis, at each upstream zone of individualization, and preferably also at the level of each analysis station - in particular of each optical analysis station - objects of the first conveyor. Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the second conveyor comprises, for each pair of conveyor lines side by side of the first conveyor, a median drive chain carrying tilting hands arranged on one side and the other of said middle drive chain, said middle drive chain being disposed in the transfer zone between the two conveying lines of said pair so that the tilting hands extending from one side of said drive chain the medial drive cooperate in the transfer zone with the rollers of one of the conveying lines of said pair, while the tilting hands extending on the other side of said middle drive chain cooperate in the transfer with the rollers of the other conveying line of said pair. Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the second conveyor comprises a plurality of unloading zones distributed along said median drive chain, and, for each unloading zone, unloading release members adapted to generate selectively the tilting of hands and the lateral unloading of objects arriving at said unloading area. The device according to the invention also comprises a control unit connected to the unloading release members so as to be able to control them selectively according to predetermined criteria for sorting the objects (in particular according to their weight, their size, their appearance determined by optical analysis ...). The invention also relates to a device for conveying objects characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention given in a non-limiting manner and which refers to the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of the device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in partial section of a pair of lines; of a first conveyor along the line III-III of Figure 1, - Figure 4 is a schematic partial sectional view of a pair of conveyor lines of a first conveyor along line IV-IV of the FIG. 5 is a schematic partial sectional view of a pair of conveying lines of a first conveyor along line VV of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view in partial section of FIG. second conveyor according to line VI-VI of FIG. A conveying device according to the invention is adapted to transport objects 33 such as fruits or vegetables, and to allow, according to predetermined selection criteria, selective removal of said fruits or vegetables 33 at the level of zones. 24 unloading arranged one after the other along paths of the conveying device. Such a conveying device is especially designed to form a sorting unit whose general characteristics are well known for example from FR 2716874, US 5626238, or US 6234297, only the features of the invention being described in detail in the present description. The conveying device comprises a frame 10 mechanically welded resting on the ground and carrying a first conveyor 11 extended longitudinally by a second conveyor 21 with a transfer zone 25 between the first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 21. The first conveyor 11 includes the minus a pair of parallel laterally juxtaposed parallel conveying lines 12a, 12b, each comprising an endless drive chain 13a, 13b coupled to a motorized continuous-scrolling drive device in a longitudinal direction and in an endless loop. Each drive chain 13a, 13b is engaged around two end gears each carried by a transverse shaft rotatably mounted relative to the frame 10, and at least one of which is rotated by a motor device. Each drive chain 13a, 13b forms an upper run 17a, 17b from the conveying line for the conveying of objects, which extends longitudinally from a longitudinal end 16a, 16b of the upstream loading object. Upper strand located in an upstream loading zone 36 in objects to be conveyed, for example arriving in bulk in a stream of water. The upper run 17a, 17b from the conveyor line extends longitudinally to the downstream transfer zone 25. The upper strands 17a, 17b of the two lines 12a, 12b for conveying a same pair of lines 12a, 12b for conveying the first conveyor 11 are preferably both at the same horizontal level at all points of the conveyor lines 12a, 12b. . In other words, they are parallel and horizontally facing each other. Preferably, all the upper strands of all the conveyor lines of the first conveyor are parallel and horizontally facing each other. Each drive chain 13a, 13b is carried, at the upper end 17a, 17b of the conveying line, by a horizontal longitudinal profiled section 37, bearing a slide 38 of rectangular section made of low friction material, by polyethylene example, and forming a guide rail of said drive chain 13a, 13b on which move the link rolls of the latter. Each drive chain 13a, 13b carries transverse conveying rollers 14a, 14b extending on one side of the chain 13a, 13b, each roller 14a, 14b being rotatably mounted about a horizontal transverse axis with respect to the latter by a horizontal transverse shaft 18a, 18b carried by the drive chain 13a, 13b. Each transverse shaft 18a, 18b and each roller 14a, 14b extends orthogonally cantilevered on one side, said inner side, with respect to the chain 13a, 13b which carries it. The driving chains 13a, 13b of each pair of conveying lines 12a, 12b are arranged side by side with the rollers 14a, 14b which extend orthogonally on the inner side between the two conveying lines 12a, 12b, one towards the other. the others with respect to the two drive chains 13a, 13b. Each drive chain 13a, 13b extends on the outside of the rollers 14a, 14b. Each roller 14a, 14b comprises a central sleeve 19 rotatably mounted on the transverse shaft 18a, 18b and at least three vertical disks 20, spaced from each other along the transverse shaft 18a, 18b, and extending radially around The discs 20 furthermore have different diameters and peripheral bands adapted so that each roll 14a, 14b has a concave external shape, in particular a biconical shape, ensuring the individual stability of the objects between the rollers, and for a great range of possible sizes and shapes of objects, in particular ranging from mm to 140 mm. Preferably, each roller 14a, 14b comprises between three and five disks. Also preferably, the number of disks of each roller 14a, 14b is odd, so that each roller 14a, 14b includes a middle disk preventing the vertical fall of objects of smaller dimensions. The rollers 14a, 14b are spaced longitudinally along the driving chain 13a, 13b so that two successive rollers define between them a housing 15a, 15b for individual reception of an object, allowing the individual transport of the objects from the end 16a, 16b longitudinal upstream of the upper strand of the conveyor line, and along this upper strand by continuous drive drive chain 13a, 13b.

Advantageously, each line 12a, 12b of conveying comprises, at the level of the loading zone 36, a rolling surface, fixed or movable (belt) capable of causing rotation of the rollers about their axis of rotation. In addition, each conveying line comprises lateral barriers 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b carried by the frame 10 and extending along the upper run of the conveying line so as to channel the objects above the rollers 14a, 14b, in the housing 15a, 15b of individual reception. Conventionally, these barriers 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b may be formed of simple walls inclined downwards and towards the rollers 14a, 14b, the lower edge of each barrier 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b coming from at least substantially level is immediately above the sleeves 19 of the rollers. Each conveying line 12a, 12b thus comprises a lateral barrier, called inner lateral barrier 40a, 40b, extending along the inner side of the rollers 14a, 14b, and a lateral barrier, said external lateral barrier 41a, 41b extending along the outer side of the rollers 14a, 14b above the drive chain 13a, 13b. The lateral barriers 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b may be formed by profiles mounted longitudinally integral with the frame 10. Advantageously, the two inner lateral barriers 40a, 40b, of the two conveying lines 12a, 12b are connected transversely to each other. other so as to form a central crosspiece of transverse cross section of generally triangular shape, arranged longitudinally between the respective rollers of the two conveying lines and adapted to guide objects towards one or the other of the lines 12a , 12b conveying. In addition, each section forming a barrier 41a, 41b outer side advantageously carries an angle bracket 47a, 47b forming a bearing surface 48a, 48b for guiding and horizontal maintenance of the transverse shafts of the rollers. This span 48a, 48b is a face of the angle 47a, 47b in the general shape of a horizontal band pointing downwards and extending on the outside with respect to the driving chain 13a, 13b so as to bear above an axial extension 49a, 49b of the shaft 18a, 18b of each roller 14a, 14b outer side beyond the chain 13a, 13b drive. The span 48a, 48b and / or the axial extension 49a, 49b is (are) formed (s) of low friction material to allow their relative sliding. As a variant, the axial extension 49a, 49b carries a bearing or roller leading to contact with the bearing surface 48a, 48b and rolling on the latter.

The first conveyor 11 also comprises at least one optical analysis station 32 for the objects transported by each conveying line, this station 32 being adapted to deliver signals to a control unit able to control the selective unloading of the objects in a zone. 24 at the level of each optical analysis station, the first conveyor 11 also comprises a drive band in rotation of the rollers 14a, 14b, this band, fixed relative to the frame 10 or driven longitudinally in in the opposite direction to the driving direction of the upper run 17a, 17b of the conveyor line, coming into contact with one of the discs 20 of the rollers 14a, 14b.

The second conveyor 21 comprises, for each pair of lines 12a, 12b of side-by-side conveyance of the first conveyor 11, a single endless drive chain 22 extending in a median vertical plane longitudinally to the vertical planes containing the two chains 13a. , 13b of the two lines 12a, 12b of conveying. This middle drive chain 22 carries swinging hands 23 extending transversely across the middle drive chain 22. The drive chain 22 is engaged around two toothed wheels, one of which is disposed at a downstream end of the conveying device, while another is rotatably mounted on the same transverse shaft as the downstream gears of the first conveyor 11. At least one of the guide gears of the drive chain 22 is rotated by a motor device. The conveying hands 23 extend transversely relative to the supports adapted to snap into the links of the drive chain 22, the conveying hands 23 being articulated on the supports so as to be able to pivot between a position of transporting objects, and a tilted position of evacuation of objects at one of the unloading zones 24. Each support carries two conveying hands 23 extending respectively on either side of the support. Each hand 23 conveying is preferably made of a synthetic material and comprises a central bar extending transversely and having, along its length, a concave shape. Fingers extend on both sides of the central bar. The fingers are arranged facing each other and curved upwards so as to give said hand 23 conveying the general shape of a trough elongate transversely to the longitudinal direction of the drive chain 22, so as to to be able to house an object 33 (fruit or vegetable). Each conveying hand 23 is hinged to its support so as to be pivotable about a longitudinal horizontal tilting axis 27, and extends transversely towards the outside of the drive chain 22 from the axis 27 of failover. Each conveying hand 23 has a locking surface in the transport position of the fruits or vegetables in which the central bar extends at least substantially horizontally so that the hand 23 conveying can receive and carry an object. This locking surface forms a stop against a locking member secured to the support and preventing the tilting of the conveying hand.

The conveying device further comprises triggering means adapted to selectively cause the tilting of the conveying hands 23 at the unloading zones 24. These triggering means comprise, for example, a cam having an inclined flat upper face, ascending by considering the direction of travel of the upper run of the drive chain 22, said cam being carried by the actuating rod of an electromagnet 26 fixedly mounted on a section integral with the frame 10 and able to tilt about a longitudinal axis between two positions: - a passive position in which the cam allows the passage of the hands 23 conveying without interfering with the latter, - a active position where the cam extends substantially vertically and is in the path of a heel of a hand 23 conveying, in which, thanks to its profile, it causes a displacement of the heel upwards so as to unlock the locking range of the locking member, and thus to allow a tilting of the hand 23 of conveying in downward inclined position in which the object originally carried by the conveying hand 23 is discharged by gravity into an unloading zone 24, as described for example by US Pat. No. 6,234,297.

The control unit 30 is adapted to selectively control each electromagnet 26 for discharging as a function of the signals coming from the analysis stations 31, 32 and according to predetermined sorting criteria, and to ensure at each discharge zone 24 a arriving objects unloaded from the hands 23 conveying in an impact zone with a falling damping member such as a rotating brush. The unloading zones 24 are, for example, conveyor belts driven in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second conveyor 21 for feeding packaging stations (not shown) in a manner known per se.

The conveying device also comprises means for re-engagement of the conveying hands 23, adapted to cause them to pivot from their tilted position to their locked transport position. These re-engagement means can be of any kind and are for example formed of ramps or discs associated with the downstream gear (for example as described by US 6234297 or US 5626238) so as to be in the path of the hands of conveying to cause the latter to rotate to their transport position. The second conveyor 21 is furthermore advantageously provided with at least one weighing station 31 comprising a third conveyor 34 as described for example by US Pat. No. 5,626,238. In the transfer zone 25, the tilting hands extend on the inner side with respect to the other. the rollers 14a, 14b of the two conveyor lines 12a, 12b of the first conveyor 11. The tilting hands 23 extending from one side of the middle drive chain 22 of the second conveyor 21 cooperate in the transfer zone 25 with the rollers of one of said conveying lines 12a, 12b of said pair, while the tilting hands extending on the other side of said middle drive chain 22 cooperate in the transfer zone with the rollers of the another line 12a, 12b conveying said pair. The upper run 17a, 17b of each line 12a, 12b for conveying a pair of lines 12a, 12b for conveying the first conveyor 11 comprises a zone, called upstream zone 42 of internal individualization (FIGS. 4 and 5), arranged at the downstream end of its loading end 16a, 16b, and wherein said inner lateral barriers 40a, 40b are open horizontally facing the rollers 14a, 14b so as to allow the objects to fall sideways on the inside. The upper strand 17a, 17b of each line 12a, 12b conveying a pair of lines 12a, 12b conveying the first conveyor 11 also comprises a zone, said zone 43 upstream of external individualization (Figure 5), disposed at 1 downstream of its end 16a, 16b loading, and wherein said outer barriers 41a, 41b external side are open horizontally facing the rollers 14a, 14b so as to allow the lateral fall objects on the outside.

In each zone 42, 43 upstream of individualization, the barriers 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b lateral located on the corresponding side are open so as to let the objects laterally. In practice, this opening can be obtained by the fact that the barriers 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b are interrupted longitudinally and therefore purely and simply absent along each zone 42, 43 upstream individualization. More specifically, the profiles forming each lateral barrier 40a, 40b, 41a, 41b are interrupted longitudinally so as to create the upstream zone of individualization. In this way, each section forming an outer lateral barrier 41a, 41b being interrupted at the zone 43 upstream of external individualization, the bracket 47a, 47b forming a bearing surface 48a, 48b for guiding and holding is also interrupted so that the shafts 18a, 18b of the rollers 14a, 14b are not guided or maintained at the level of the upstream zones 43 of external individualization. Nevertheless, it has been found that this interruption is acceptable over a sufficient length to allow the suppression of duplicates, without causing twisting of the drive chain 13a, 13b. To facilitate the lateral drop of objects on the outer side of each line 12a, 12b conveying a pair of lines 12a, 12b conveying the first conveyor 11, it is advantageously provided a wall, said wall 46a, 46b external discharge, extending laterally from the outer side to the rollers 14a, 14b and above the drive chain 13a, 13b. Furthermore, a median recycling belt, called inner recycling belt 44, is disposed between the two lines 12a, 12b of conveying, facing longitudinally upstream zones 42 of individualization of the latter. This inner recycling belt 44 is driven continuously by adjacent the rollers 14a, 14b of each conveying line on the inner side. The recycling belt 44 is driven continuously relative to the frame 10 preferably in the same direction as the direction of driving of the upper strands of the lines 12a, 12b conveying, so as to minimize the risk of damage to objects during of the fall and their recycling. The inner recycling belt 44 extends immediately below the horizontal level of the shafts 18a, 18b of the rollers, so as to minimize the drop height of the objects between the individual receiving housings formed between the rollers and this inner recycling mat 44. Similarly, a recycling mat, referred to as the outer recycling mat 45a, 45b, is disposed on the outside of each drive chain 13a, 13b so as to receive objects falling from the outside at the upstream zones 43. external individualization. This outer recycling belt 45a, 45b is driven in continuous scrolling adjacent the rollers 14a, 14b of each conveying line on the outer side. Each recycling belt 45a, 45b is driven continuously in relation to the frame 10, preferably in the same direction as the upper run of the corresponding line 12a, 12b conveying. The outer recycling belt 45a, 45b extends immediately below the horizontal level of the shafts 18a, 18b of the rollers, so as to minimize the height of falling objects between the individual receiving housings formed between the rollers and this belt 45a, 45b outdoor recycling. A transverse and return belt 55 is advantageously provided at the downstream end of each recycling belt 44, 45a, 45b for recovering the objects and transporting them on the side of the device to the loading zone 36 in order to recycle them until at the end 16a, 16b of loading of the corresponding conveying line, for example in a feed basin of objects to be conveyed. Each line 12a, 12b conveying the first conveyor 11 of a conveying device according to the invention therefore comprises zones 42, 43 upstream of bilateral individualization of the objects in the housings 15a, 15b of individual reception formed between the rollers 14a, 14b, namely an upstream area of individualization on each side of the conveyor line. Preferably, the two zones 42, 43 of individualization are arranged with respect to the first conveyor 11 upstream of all the stations 32 for analysis and 31 weighing. To facilitate the lateral fall of objects at these areas 42, 43 of individualization, preferably, the rollers 14a, 14b are rotated along these areas 42, 43 of individualization, for example by cooperation with belts 54a, 54b continuously driven in reverse direction to the drive chains 13a, 13b and arranged to come into contact under one of the discs of the rollers. Preferably, as shown, the two zones 42 of internal individualization of the two lines 12a, 12b of conveying a same pair of lines 12a, 12b of conveying the first conveyor 11 coincide, that is to say that the barriers 40a, 40b are interrupted at the same level along the conveyor lines. Similarly, the two zones 43 of external individualization of the two lines 12a, 12b of conveying a same pair of lines 12a, 12b of conveying the first conveyor 11 coincide, that is to say that the outer barriers 41a, 41b are interrupted at the same level along the conveyor lines. Nothing, however, prevents, in the variant not shown, to provide a longitudinal offset between a zone 42, 43 of internal or external individualization of a conveying line relative to the zone 42, 43 of internal or external individualization of the another conveyor line of the same pair of conveyor lines. According to the invention, for each line 12a, 12b conveying a pair of lines 12a, 12b conveying the first conveyor 11, the upstream end 52 of the upstream zone 42 of internal individualization and the upstream end 53 of the upstream zone 43 of external individualization are offset from one another longitudinally. In the example shown, the upstream end 53 of the upstream zone 43 of external individualization is situated further downstream than the upstream end 52 of the upstream zone 42 of internal individualization. In this way, the rollers 14a, 14b driven continuously on the upper run 17a, 17b first reach the level of the upstream zone 42 of internal individualization, so that the objects can fall laterally on the inner side, without it may, however, be able to fall laterally from the outside, the outer lateral barrier 41a, 41b still being present over a certain length corresponding to the longitudinal offset of the two upstream ends 52, 53. In this initial portion, if two objects are present in an individual receiving housing the doublon object on the inner side will therefore fall laterally on the inner side, while the doublon object on the outer side may occupy the individual receiving housing in the normal position. When this individual reception unit will reach the level of the upstream zone 43 of external individualization, the residual object of the duplicate will remain in place in this housing. Nothing prevents variation not shown to provide, on the contrary, that the upstream end 53 of the upstream zone 43 of outer individualization is located further upstream than the upstream end 52 of the upstream zone 42 of internal individualization. In this case, it is the object of the doublon located on the outer side which will fall laterally initially, while the object of the duplicate located on the inner side may come to occupy the individual reception housing in normal position. Nevertheless, the embodiment shown is preferential insofar as it makes it possible to minimize the length of the upstream zone 43 of external individualization, and therefore in particular the kinking of the chain.

The zones 42, 43 of individualization end with downstream ends at which the lateral barriers are replaced and thus have upstream ends. Preferably, the downstream ends of the two zones 42, 43 upstream of internal and external individualization of the same conveyor line (and therefore also the corresponding upstream ends of the lateral barriers) are arranged at the same level with respect to the direction of advancement of the conveying line in order to avoid asymmetrical contacts of the objects with said upstream ends of the lateral barriers, contacts which could lead to their inadvertent fall. In other words, the two zones 42, 43 upstream of internal and external individualization are preferably common over a certain portion of length of the conveying line, corresponding to that of these two zones 42, 43 of individualization which is the most towards downstream, that is to say the area 43 of external individualization in the preferred embodiment shown. The fact of providing zones 42, 43 upstream of individualization on each side of each conveying line makes it possible at the same time to avoid the residual presence of duplicates, for example in the case where three or more objects occupy the same receiving housing individual at the loading end of the conveying line, while ensuring the effective filling of the receiving housing, that is to say by avoiding the inadvertent fall of an object or all the objects initially arranged in reception accommodation. In any event, the invention surprisingly makes it possible, for the first time, to considerably increase the processing flow rate of a device according to the invention, by increasing its speed, the filling rate of the receiving housings, and therefore hands 23a, 23b conveying the second conveyor up to 95%, with a doubling rate of the products at the optical analysis stations, weighing and at the level of hands 23a, 23b conveying the second conveyor up to 0%. The invention may be the subject of numerous variants with respect to the preferred embodiment shown in the figures and described above. In particular, the receiving housings of each conveying line may be formed other than by rollers (for example by cups or other receptacles), the lateral barriers may be the subject of various embodiments, for example formed of each side not of a profile but of a plurality of parallel bars, the upper strand of each conveying line may be at least partially ascending and / or descending and / or horizontal, the upstream zones of individualization located on each side of a same conveyor line may be offset longitudinally not only at their upstream ends, but also at their downstream end, or over their entire length (without having a common portion facing laterally from each other).

Claims (1)

CLAIMS1 / - Conveying device for objects such as fruits or vegetables comprising: at least a first conveyor (11) forming at least one conveying line (12a, 12b) comprising individual receiving housings of the objects driven to one another; following the others according to said conveying line to allow the transport of the objects from a longitudinal end (16a, 16b) upstream loading of objects of an upper strand (17a, 17b) of the conveyor line, and along this strand upper continuous-running drive of the conveying line, two lateral barriers (40a, 40b, 41a, 41b) extending along the upper run laterally to the height of the receiving housing, a lateral barrier on each side of the upper run, in such a way as to prevent the lateral fall of each side of objects transported in the reception receptacles, the upper strand of said conveying line (12a, 12b) comprising zones ( 42, 43) located downstream from its end (16a, 16b) of loading, one on each side of the conveying line, in which the lateral barriers are open facing the receiving housing, each zone (42, 43) upstream of individualization having an upstream end (52, 53) from and side of which the corresponding lateral barriers are open, - at least one recycling device (44, 45a, 45b, 55) adapted to receiving the objects dropping laterally from said conveying line (12a, 12b) so that the objects located outside the receiving houses are capable of falling laterally and being recovered and recycled, characterized in that said upstream ends (52 , 53) upstream areas (42, 43) of individualization of said conveyor line are offset longitudinally relative to each other. 2 / - Device according to claim 1, comprising: - a first conveyor (11) forming at least a pair of 30 lines (12a, 12b) for conveying each comprising: - a drive chain (13a, 13b) coupled to a motorized drive device with continuous running in a longitudinal direction and in an endless loop, - transverse conveying rollers (14a, 14b) carried by said driving chain (13a, 13b) and spaced longitudinally so that two rollers (14a, 14b) define between them an individual receiving housing of an object, so as to allow the transport of the objects from a longitudinal end (16a, 16b) loading upstream objects in an upper strand (17a, 17b) ) of the conveying line, and along this upper run by continuously running drive chain drive and rollers, - lateral barriers (40a, 40b, 41a, 41b) extending along each side of upper strand laterally at the height of the rollers so as to prevent the lateral fall of objects transported in the receiving receptacles between the rollers, - at least a second conveyor (21) with tilting hands (23), this second conveyor (21) s extending downstream of the first conveyor (11), and a zone (25) for transferring objects between the first conveyor (11) and the second conveyor (21), - the upper run of each line (12a, 12b) conveying a pair of conveying lines of the first conveyor (11) comprising an upstream zone (42) of internal individualization disposed downstream from its end (16a, 16b) of loading, in which the lateral barriers, called internal lateral barriers (40a, 40b) extending from the inner side with respect to the drive chain are open opposite the rollers (14a, 14b), the upper run of each conveying line (12a, 12b), and 'a pair of conveyor lines from the first machine (11) comprising an upstream zone (43) of external individualization arranged downstream from its loading end (16a, 16b), in which the lateral barriers, called external lateral barriers (4la, 41b), extending the outer side opposite the inner side with respect to the drive chain (22) are open facing the rollers (14a, 14b), characterized in that said upstream outer individualization zone (43) has an upstream end (53); ) offset longitudinally with respect to an upstream end (52) of said upstream zone (42) of internal individualization. 3 / - Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the chains (13a, 13b) for driving a pair of lines (12a, 12b) for conveying are arranged side by side with the rollers (14a, 14b) which extend orthogonally from the inner side between the two conveying lines, one towards the other with respect to the two drive chains, in that the outer lateral barriers (4la, 41b) extending on the outer side with respect to the chain (13a, 13b) have a bearing (48a, 48b) for guiding and horizontally holding a transverse shaft (18a, 18b) of each roller carried by said drive chain (13a, 13b) and extending orthogonally cantilevered on the inner side thereof, and in that said upstream outer individualization zone (43a, 43b) extends for a length sufficient to cause objects to fall on the side outside, but weak enough to avoid a twisting of said drive chain (13a, 13b) likely to interfere with the operation of the first conveyor (11). 4 / - Device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the upstream end (53) of the zone (43) upstream of external individualization is offset downstream with respect to the upstream end ( 52) of the upstream zone (42) of internal individualization. 5 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device (44, 45a, 45b, 55) for recycling comprises on each side of the conveyor line a continuously scrolled driven recycling belt arranged parallel to the upper strand (17a, 17b) of the conveying line immediately adjacent thereto along said upstream zone of individualization. 6 / - Device according to claims 2 and 5, characterized in that each roller (14a, 14b) extends orthogonally cantilevered on one side, said inner side, with respect to said chain (13a, 13b ), and that it comprises a wall, said wall (46a, 46b) of external spill, extendinglaterally from the outer side of the rollers and above said drive chain (13a, 13b). for guiding objects dropping individual receiving housing (15a, 15b) above the drive chain without interfering with the latter during their fall to the recycling device. 7 / - Device according to claim 2 and according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that it comprises, for each pair of lines (12a, 12b) conveying the first conveyor (11), a mat (44 ) of median recycling extending along said upstream zone (42) of individual individualization of each conveying line (12a, 12b), between the two conveying lines, and for each conveying line (12a, 12b) of said pair, an outer recycling mat (45a, 45b) extending along said upstream outer individualization zone (43) from the outer side to the upper end of the conveying line (12a, 12b). 8 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first conveyor (11) comprises at least one station (32) for analyzing the objects transported on each conveyor line, and in that each zone upstream of individualization is disposed upstream of each object analysis station of the first conveyor (11). 9 / - Device according to claim 2 and according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each roller (14a, 14b) is rotatably mounted relative to the drive chain (13a, 13b) around a transverse axis and comprises at least three parallel disks held spaced and arranged orthogonally with respect to a transverse shaft (18a, 18b) of the roller carried by said drive chain (13a, 13b) and extending orthogonally cantilevered on one side, said inner side, with respect to the latter, and in that the discs of each conveying roll (14a, 14b) are adapted so that the conveying roll (14a, 14b) has a concave external shape. 10 / - Device according to claim 2 and according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each line (12a, 12b) for conveying the first conveyor (11) comprises a device (54a, 54b) for driving. rotation of the rollers (14a, 14b) about their axis at each upstream zone (42, 43) of individualization. 11 / - Device according to claim 2 and according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the second conveyor (21) comprises, for each pair of lines (12a, 12b) conveying side by side of the first conveyor (11), a middle drive chain (22) carrying tilting hands (23) arranged one side and the other of said middle drive chain, said middle drive chain (22) being disposed in the transfer zone (25) between the two conveying lines (12a, 12b) of said pair of such so that the tilting hands (23) extending from one side of said drive chain (22) median cooperate in the zone (25) of transfer with the rollers (14a, 14b) of one of the conveying lines of said pair, while the hands (23) swinging extending on the other side of said chain (22) median drive cooperate in the zone (25) of transfer with the rollers (14a, 14b) of the other conveyor line of said pair, 12 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises at least a second conveyor (21) with tilting hands (23), this second conveyor (21) extending downstream of the first conveyor (11), and a zone (25) for transferring objects between the first conveyor (11) and the second conveyor (21), and in that the second conveyor (21) comprises a plurality of unloading zones (24) distributed along said middle drive chain (22), and, for each unloading zone (24), discharge unloading members (26) adapted to generate lective tilting of hands (23) and the lateral unloading of articles arriving at said area (24) for unloading.