JP2011193749A - Apparatus for peeling fruit skin - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive and high-performance apparatus for peeling fruit skin which enables a mechanism for moving a blade along the surface shape of each fruit in peeling, and a mechanism for returning the blade to the original position (the peeling start position) without damaging the peeled fruit to be incorporated compactly.SOLUTION: The apparatus for peeling the fruit skin is constituted as follows. A four-joint link 43 is constituted of an input link 431 for taking in the power from a motor 440 for peeling, an output link 432 for attaching a blade holder 42 of a site of action in a fixed state, and a connection link 433 for connecting both the links 431 and 432 by link-connecting shafts 433a and 433b at both end parts. When the input link 431 carries out gyration, the link-connecting shaft 433a connecting the output link 432 with the connection link 433 carries out a rocking motion between A, B, and A. The skin-peeling blade 41 held by the output link 432 through the blade holder 42 draws a concave curve-shaped moving locus of going movement from A1 to B1 from the peeling start position A1 on the upper end side of a fruit axis O1 to the peeling end position B1 at the lower end side along the surface of a persimmon P, and the reverse returning movement from B2 to A2.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fruit skin peeling device for spirally peeling the epidermis of a fruit having a circular approximate cross section perpendicular to the fruit axis, such as apples and pears, while rotating around the fruit axis. .

  For example, as a pre-process for making dried strawberries and fruit juices, the work of peeling the skin of a fruit in a spiral shape has been conventionally performed manually. In recent years, in order to improve the efficiency of the skinning operation, the fruit such as straw is sandwiched from the top and bottom (head and tip), rotated around the fruit axis, and the skin is applied to the surface of the fruit by applying a blade. A skin peeling device has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3880938

  In the actual skinning operation, the fruit surface is not a perfect spherical surface (ie, the cross section perpendicular to the fruit axis is a perfect circle). Is different. Further, in order to peel the skin of the fruit one after another, the operation of moving (returning) the blade to the skin peeling start position is also repeatedly performed. However, in the skinning device of Patent Document 1, no device is added for smoothly moving the blade along the surface shape of each fruit. Moreover, the device for returning a blade smoothly to the original position (peeling start position) without damaging the peeled fruit is not added. Therefore, there is a possibility that the efficiency of the skinning operation is reduced or the commercial value of the fruit after skinning is impaired.

  The object of the present invention is to move the blade along the surface shape of each fruit at the time of peeling, or to return the blade to the original position (skinning start position) without damaging the peeled fruit. The object is to provide an inexpensive and high-performance fruit peeling apparatus that can incorporate the mechanism in a compact manner.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

In order to solve the above problems, the fruit peeling apparatus of the present invention is:
A fruit peeler that peels the fruit skin having a circular approximate cross-section perpendicular to the fruit axis, starting with the cocoon, spirally with the rotation of the fruit around the fruit axis,
A blade for peeling that cuts into the surface of the fruit and cuts off the epidermis from the fruit as the fruit rotates around the fruit axis;
A blade holder for holding the blade in a floating state;
The blade is held in one link through the blade holder, and the blade moves along the surface of the fruit from the peel start position on one end of the fruit axis to the peel end position on the other end, and A multi-joint link mechanism that reciprocally moves the one link so as to generate a reverse curved movement trajectory of reverse movement;
A link driving device for driving and rotating an input link, which is another link in the multi-node link mechanism, so that the reciprocating movement occurs in the one link;
A blade biasing spring mechanism for biasing the blade holder so as to elastically press the blade in a floating state against the surface of the fruit;
In the peeling process in which the link driving device is rotated as the same common driving source and the blade moves forward from the peeling start position to the peeling end position, the blade is moved by the blade biasing spring mechanism to the surface of the fruit. In the return stroke in which the blade is moved back from the skinning end position to the skinning start position, the blade biases the blade holder at the skinning end position by acting on the blade holder. A blade position control cam that is displaced in a direction away from the surface of the fruit against the spring force of the spring mechanism, and that maintains the state until the skinning start position;
It is characterized by including.

  As described above, the fruit skinning device has a multi-node link mechanism, a link driving device, a blade biasing spring mechanism, a blade position control cam, and the like, so that it follows the surface shape of each fruit at the time of skinning. The blade can be moved smoothly. Further, the blade can be smoothly returned to the original position (peeling start position) without damaging the peeled fruit. Therefore, the efficiency of the skinning operation can be improved, and the commercial value of the fruit after skinning can be increased. Furthermore, these mechanisms can be incorporated in a compact manner, and an inexpensive and high-performance fruit peeling apparatus can be obtained.

  In addition, since the drive source of the link drive device also serves as the drive source of the blade position control cam, the pressing of the blade against the fruit surface in the peeling process and the separation of the blade from the fruit surface in the return process are linked driving. This can be easily realized based on mutual linkage between the apparatus and the blade position control cam. In other words, the movement trajectory of the blade including the skinning process and the return process can be made into a loop shape, and the fruit skinning device can be further miniaturized. As the blade position control cam, various cams such as a plate cam (peripheral cam) and a groove cam (front cam) can be used.

  For example, a multi-joint link mechanism is composed of four-joint links, of which an input link is driven and rotated by a link driving device, and this input link and one link are connected by a connecting link, and one link swings. In some cases, the reciprocating movement of the forward movement and the backward movement is imparted to the blade supported by one link via the blade holder.

  Four sections including another link (input link) driven by the link driving device, one link (output link) in which the blade is supported (via the blade holder), and an articulated link connecting these links With the link, the output link can be swung by the rotational movement of the input link. In this way, the reciprocating movement of the blade along the fruit surface can be easily realized with a simple structure.

  The link drive device includes a link drive shaft that is connected to the input link of the multi-joint link mechanism and rotates by driving the motor. On the other hand, the blade position control cam uses the motor of the link drive device as a common drive source. The cam drive shaft that rotates by driving the motor is provided, and the link drive shaft and the cam drive shaft can be rotated at a predetermined rotation speed ratio in synchronization with each other by the rotation of the common motor.

  Thus, since the link drive shaft (link drive device) and the cam drive shaft (blade position control cam) are driven by a common motor, the forward movement of the blade and the pressure on the fruit surface in the skinning process are synchronized. It is possible to easily synchronize the backward movement of the blade and the separation from the fruit surface in the return stroke.

  Further, the blade biasing spring mechanism includes a biasing link that constitutes a parallel link mechanism in a plane parallel to one link in the multi-joint link mechanism, and a direction in which the biasing link is translated with respect to the one link. And a blade position control cam that mechanically cooperates with the biasing link and entrusts the biasing link to the biasing force of the spring member within a first rotation angle range within one rotation of the cam. In the remaining second rotation angle range following the first rotation angle range, the biasing link can be translated to displace the blade away from the fruit surface.

  As described above, the blade biasing spring mechanism includes the biasing link and the spring member, so that when the blade moves forward during the peeling process, or when the blade moves backward during the return stroke. Separation from the fruit surface can be easily realized with a simple structure.

The perspective view which shows an example of the fruit peeling apparatus which concerns on this invention. The perspective view which expands and shows the peeling part of FIG. The perspective view showing the principal part of a peeling part. Explanatory drawing which shows a skinning part typically. The perspective view of a peeling blade and a blade holder. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the action | operation of a skinning part. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the action | operation of a peeling part following FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the action | operation of a peeling part following FIG.

(Example)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a fruit peeling apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a skin peeling portion. A fruit peeling apparatus (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a peeling apparatus) 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a fruit having a circular approximate cross section orthogonal to the fruit axis O1 (corresponding to the core of a fruit), for example, like cocoon P. This is an apparatus for efficiently peeling the skin S.

  For this purpose, the skinning device 100 holds the ridges P one by one in a reverse orientation (the head portion C is on the upper side and the tip portion T is on the lower side). An index table 10 having a plurality of (for example, eight) insertion holes 11 at intervals is provided. In addition, the skin peeling device 100 takes out and holds the cocoons P of the insertion hole 1 one by one and rotates the cocoon holding portion 20 (fruit holding portion) for rotating around the fruit axis O1, and the heel portion of the heel P It has a shaving portion 30 for cutting C, a skinning portion 40 for peeling the skin S of the ridge P, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cocoon holding unit 20 includes a lower holding unit 21 that lifts the cocoon P from the lower side (tip T side) along the fruit axis O1, and a fruit axis from the upper side (the back part C side). And an upper holding portion 22 for holding (or pressing) a needle or the like along O1. The lower holding part 21 and the upper holding part 22 are driven and rotated around the fruit axis O1 together with the cocoon P in a state where the cocoon P is sandwiched from above and below. The spatula portion 30 has a spatula blade 31, and the tip portion of the spatula blade 31 is pressed against the upper end portion of the cocoon P rotating around the fruit axis O <b> 1 so that the spatula portion C is circular. cut out. The skin peeling portion 40 has a skin peeling blade 41 (blade). The top edge of the skin peeling blade 41 is pressed against the skin S of the cocoon P rotating around the fruit axis O1, and the skin on the upper end side is peeled off. Move along the surface from the start position A1 to the skinning end position B1 on the lower end side (or from the skinning start position on the lower end side to the skinning end position on the upper end side) (see FIG. 4). Peel in a spiral (cut off).

  Next, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the main part of the peeled portion, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing the peeled portion. 3 and 4 includes a blade holder 42, a four-node link 43 (multi-node link mechanism; blade driving device), a link driving device, in addition to the above-described skinning blade 41 (blade). 44 (blade driving device), a blade biasing spring mechanism 45, and a blade position control cam 46.

  In FIG. 4, the blade holder 42 holds the peeling blade 41 in a floating state (displaceable state) as will be described later. On the other hand, the four-joint link 43 (multi-joint link mechanism; blade drive device) is connected to an input link 431 (other link; prime mover) for taking in power from a peeling motor 440 (motor; common drive source). , An output link 432 (one link; driven node) for attaching the blade holder 42 as the working portion in a fixed state, and a connecting link 433 that connects the links 431 and 432 by the link connecting shafts 433a and 433b at both ends. Conjunctive). Thus, when the input link 431 rotates, the link connecting shaft 433a that connects the output link 432 and the connecting link 433 swings (reciprocates) between A → B → A. At this time, the peeling blade 41 held by the output link 432 via the blade holder 42 is positioned along the surface of the cocoon P from the peeling start position A1 on the upper end side (one end side) of the fruit axis O1 to the lower end side (others). A concave curved movement trajectory of the forward movement A1 → B1 and the reverse movement B2 → A2 toward the stripping end position B1 on the end side) is generated (see FIGS. 6 to 8).

  In the link driving device 44, a link timing belt 444 is connected to link timing pulleys 441a, 442a, and 443a fixed to the motor output shaft 441, link drive shaft 442, and intermediate shaft 443 of the peeling motor 440. The link drive shaft 442 is rotated by driving the skinning motor 440. As will be described later, the blade urging spring mechanism 45 urges the floating holder 41 in the blade holder 42 to elastically press it against the surface of the ridge P.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the blade position control cam 46 has a blade biasing spring mechanism 45 (FIG. 5) in a predetermined rotation angle range α (first rotation angle range; for example, 170 °) of one rotation (360 °). In order to apply the spring force of (see) to the peeling blade 41 and to elastically press the peeling blade 41 against the surface of the ridge P, it is formed with a small radius. On the other hand, in the remaining rotation angle range β (second rotation angle range; for example, 190 °), a radius is used to separate the skinning blade 41 from the surface of the ridge P against the spring force of the blade biasing spring mechanism 45. Largely formed. In addition, in the rotation angle range β ′ (for example, 20 to 30 °), the spring force of the blade biasing spring mechanism 45 is surely applied at the skinning start position A1, and the skinning blade 41 is brought into close contact with the surface of the heel P. Therefore, an abrupt radius difference is provided in the blade position control cam 46.

  A cam timing belt 462 is wound around cam timing pulleys 443b and 461b fixed to the intermediate shaft 443 and the cam drive shaft 461, and the cam drive shaft 461 is rotated by driving the skinning motor 440. The link drive shaft 442 and the cam drive shaft 461 are arranged in parallel, and the link output shaft 432a and the cam drive shaft 461 are dual shafts (the cam drive shaft is connected to the cylindrical link output shaft 432a so that they can rotate independently of each other). 461 is inserted). Further, the link drive shaft 442 and the cam drive shaft 461 rotate at a predetermined rotation speed ratio in synchronization with each other by the rotation of the common peeling motor 440. By these, the link drive device 44 and the blade position control cam 46 can be configured in a compact manner.

  Next, the peeling blade, the blade holder, and the blade biasing spring mechanism will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the peeling blade and the blade holder. 4 and 5, the blade biasing spring mechanism 45 includes a biasing link 451 that constitutes a parallel link mechanism L together with the blade holder 42 in a plane parallel to the output link 432 of the four-bar link 43, and the biasing thereof. And a spring member 452 that urges the link 451 in a direction to move in parallel with the output link 432. The skinning blade 41 is fixed to the biasing link 451 and operates integrally, and the spring member 452 (for example, a compression coil spring) is fixed to the first spring receiver 451a fixed to the biasing link 451 and the blade holder 42. It is stretched between the second spring receiver 42a. As a result, the peeling blade 41 is held in a floating state (displaceable state) with respect to the blade holder 42 via the biasing link 451 (parallel link mechanism L) and the spring member 452, and in a direction parallel to the output link 432 Is spring-biased.

  Further, a bearing 453 (rotating member) having a flexible member such as urethane attached to the outer periphery thereof is rotatably attached to the inside of the biasing link 451, and a part of the peripheral surface thereof extends from the biasing link 451 to the outside. It protrudes and is always in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the blade position control cam 46. By providing such a bearing 453, it is possible to mitigate the impact caused by the radial change of the blade position control cam 46. Further, the urging force of the spring member 452 is surely applied to the peeling blade 41 at the peeling start position A1, and the peeling blade 41 is moved against the urging force of the spring member 452 at the peeling end position B1. It can be reliably separated from the surface of P. The spring member 452 is in a plane parallel to the output link 432 and biases the biasing link 451 (parallel link mechanism L) in a direction parallel to the output link 432. The biasing direction coincides with the direction in which the blade position control cam 46 presses the bearing 453.

  The operation of the peeling apparatus 100 (the peeling part 40) configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6 to 8.

<Peeling start position A1>
At the skinning start position A1 shown in FIG. 4, the blade position control cam 46 rotates in synchronization with the input link 431 and is positioned at the head of the rotation angle range α (small radius). At this time, the urging force of the spring member 452 acts on the skinning blade 41 via the urging link 451 (parallel link mechanism L), so that the skinning blade 41 is pressed against the surface of the ridge P to prepare for skinning. Get ready.

<Peeling process A1 → B1 (forward movement)>
In the skinning process shown in FIG. 6, the output link 433 swings according to the rotation amount of the input link 431. On the other hand, at the intermediate position from the skinning start position A1 to the skinning end position B1, the blade position control cam 46 is within the rotation angle range α (small radius; see FIG. 4). Therefore, the peeling blade 41 is pressed against the surface of the cocoon P by the urging force of the spring member 452, and the epidermis S is peeled off in a spiral as the cocoon P rotates around the fruit axis O1.

<Peeling end position B1 → B2 (backward movement)>
At the stripping end position B1 shown in FIG. 7, the blade position control cam 46 rotates in synchronization with the input link 431 and is positioned at the head of the rotation angle range β (large radius; see FIG. 4). At this time, the bearing 453 (the urging link 451) moves backward against the urging force of the spring member 452 due to contact with the blade position control cam 46, so that the skinning blade 41 moves from B1 to B2 and Separate from the surface.

<Return stroke B2 → A2 (return movement)>
In the return stroke shown in FIG. 8, the output link 433 swings in the direction opposite to the skinning stroke according to the rotation amount of the input link 431. On the other hand, at the intermediate position from the skinning end position B2 to the skinning start position A2, the blade position control cam 46 is within the rotation angle range β (large radius; see FIG. 4). Accordingly, since the skinning blade 41 remains separated from the surface of the heel P, the surface of the heel P after skinning is not damaged.

<Peeling start position A2 → A1 (forward movement)>
When the output link 432 returns to the skinning start position A2 in FIG. 4, the blade position control cam 46 is again positioned at the head of the rotation angle range α (small radius; see FIG. 4). The urging force of the spring member 452 acts on the skinning blade 41, the skinning blade 41 moves from A2 to A1, and is pressed against the surface of the ridge P, so that preparation for the next skinning is completed.

  Thus, by using the peeling apparatus 100, the peeling blade 41 can be smoothly moved along the surface shape of each ridge P at the time of peeling. Further, the skinning blade 41 can be smoothly returned to the original position (skinning start position A1) without damaging the peeled bag P. Therefore, the efficiency of the skinning work can be improved and the commercial value of the bag P after the skinning can be increased. Further, since the link driving device 44 and the blade position control cam 46 are driven by a skinning motor 440 as a common drive source, the pressing of the skinning blade 41 on the surface of the ridge P in the skinning process and the return process Separation of the skinning blade 41 from the surface of the ridge P can be easily realized. As a result, the movement trajectory of the skinning blade 41 including the skinning process A1 → B1 and the return process B2 → A2 can be made into a loop shape, and the skinning device 100 can be miniaturized.

  In the above embodiment, only the case where the skinning start position A1 of the skinning process is the upper end side and the skinning end position B1 is the lower end side has been described, but the present invention reverses the top and bottom of the skinning process. It can also be applied to cases.

100 Peeling device (fruit peeling device)
10 Index table 11 Insertion hole 20 Persimmon holding part (fruit holding part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Lower side holding part 22 Upper side holding part 30 Facet part 31 Facet blade 40 Skinning part 41 Skinning blade (blade)
42 Blade holder (action part)
43 Four-bar link (multi-bar link mechanism; blade drive)
431 Input links (other links; prime movers)
432 Output link (one link; follower)
432a Link output shaft 433 articulated link (joint joint)
433a, 433b Link connecting shaft 44 Link drive device (blade drive device)
440 Motor for peeling (motor; common drive source)
441 Motor output shaft 441a Link timing pulley 442 Link drive shaft 442a Link timing pulley 443 Intermediate shaft 443a Link timing pulley 443b Cam timing pulley 444 Link timing belt 45 Blade biasing spring mechanism 451 Energizing link 452 Spring member 453 Bearing (Rotating member)
46 Blade position control cam 461 Cam drive shaft 461b Cam timing pulley 462 Cam timing belt P 果 実 (fruit)
C Heel T T Tip S Epidermis O1 Fruit axis O2 Rotation axis L Parallel link mechanism

Claims (4)

A fruit peeler that peels the fruit skin having a circular approximate cross-section perpendicular to the fruit axis, starting with the cocoon, spirally with the rotation of the fruit around the fruit axis,
A blade for peeling that cuts into the surface of the fruit and cuts off the epidermis from the fruit as the fruit rotates around the fruit axis;
A blade holder for holding the blade in a floating state;
The blade is held in one link through the blade holder, and the blade moves along the surface of the fruit from the peel start position on one end of the fruit axis to the peel end position on the other end, and A multi-joint link mechanism that reciprocally moves the one link so as to generate a reverse curved movement trajectory of reverse movement;
A link driving device for driving and rotating an input link, which is another link in the multi-node link mechanism, so that the reciprocating movement occurs in the one link;
A blade biasing spring mechanism for biasing the blade holder so as to elastically press the blade in a floating state against the surface of the fruit;
In the peeling process in which the link driving device is rotated as the same common driving source and the blade moves forward from the peeling start position to the peeling end position, the blade is moved by the blade biasing spring mechanism to the surface of the fruit. In the return stroke in which the blade is moved back from the skinning end position to the skinning start position, the blade biases the blade holder at the skinning end position by acting on the blade holder. A blade position control cam that is displaced in a direction away from the surface of the fruit against the spring force of the spring mechanism, and that maintains the state until the skinning start position;
A fruit peeling apparatus comprising:   The multi-joint link mechanism is composed of a four-joint link, of which the input link is driven and rotated by the link driving device, the input link and the one link are connected by a connecting link, and the one link is swung. The fruit peeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fruit peel device according to claim 1 is configured to impart reciprocation of the forward movement and the backward movement to the blade supported by the one link via the blade holder.   The link driving device includes a link driving shaft that is connected to an input link of the multi-joint link mechanism and rotates by driving a motor, while the blade position control cam shares the motor of the link driving device in common. The drive source includes a cam drive shaft that rotates by driving the motor, and the link drive shaft and the cam drive shaft rotate at a predetermined rotational speed ratio in synchronization with each other by the rotation of the common motor. 2. A fruit peeling apparatus according to 2.   The blade biasing spring mechanism includes a biasing link that forms a parallel link mechanism in a plane parallel to the one link in the multi-node link mechanism, and a direction in which the biasing link is translated with respect to the one link. The blade position control cam mechanically cooperates with the biasing link, and the biasing link is biased to the biasing link within a first rotation angle range within one rotation of the cam. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the biasing link is moved in parallel to move away from the fruit surface in the remaining second rotation angle range following the first rotation angle range. The fruit peeling apparatus according to item 1.

Images