JP3174211U - Fruit tray - Google Patents

Abstract

It is possible to prevent the stored fruit from coming into contact with water even if condensed water generated by the stored fruit flows along the side of the peripheral wall of the storage recess or accumulates at the bottom. Furthermore, the present invention provides a fruit tray in which the nozzle of the suction device is pressed against the storage recess of the tray to suck the tray, and the tray is adsorbed to the tray to lift and move the tray.
A fruit tray that is formed from a synthetic resin sheet and has a plurality of fruit storage recesses that are recessed leaving a partition, having two types of first and second storage recesses, A plurality of concave grooves 5 extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the bottom are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 30 of the first storage recess 3a. The inner surface of the peripheral wall 30 of the second storage recess 3b is formed from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the storage recess. The fruit tray is characterized in that a concave groove 5 extending to the middle and terminating is formed, and the inner surface of the region extending from the lower part of the peripheral wall to the bottom part below the concave groove lower end of the storage concave part has no irregularities.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fruit tray used for harvesting, selecting, shipping, transporting various fruits such as tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, apples and pears.

  For harvesting, selecting, shipping, and transporting various fruits, it is easy to handle the fruits and to prevent and protect them from contact with each other and with other objects. A tray in which a plurality of storage recesses capable of storing and holding fruits in an individual packaging state using a material having appropriate elasticity is used.

  As such a tray, there is formed a vertical groove-like rib projecting outward on the side wall portion of each storage recess for the purpose of improving the strength of the side wall and ensuring air permeability around the stored fruit. It is known (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  However, the groove-shaped rib is provided in the upper region excluding the lower end of the side wall of the storage recess, and is not continuous to the bottom. It contacts the bottom and bottom. Therefore, when the condensed water generated in the stored fruit etc. flows along the side wall, the fruit comes into contact with water at the part in contact with the lower part of the side wall or the bottom, and the fruit is damaged, It accelerates the damage of fruits.

  Therefore, even if the condensed water due to the stored fruit flows from the side of the peripheral wall of the storage recess to the bottom, each storage recess can be prevented from remaining in contact with the water. A plurality of concave grooves extending from the opening end of the upper end of the peripheral wall to the bottom are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall.

  By the way, in the fruit storage operation in the fruit collection place or the like, the fruits are stored in the storage recesses of the respective trays while the trays are sequentially conveyed by the storage operation conveyor. In order to automate the operation of supplying each tray on the conveyor during this storage operation, a tray that lifts, moves, and supplies the tray is used, and a tray on which a large number of sheets are stacked is placed from the top. They are lifted one by one, moved onto a conveyor and supplied.

  As the means for lifting and moving the tray in the supply apparatus, air suction means for sucking the tray by generally sucking air is used, and the suction nozzle is pressed against the bottom of the storage recess at a predetermined position of the tray Hold the tray by air suction at. At this time, if a groove is formed on the inner surface of the storage recess of the tray from the side of the peripheral wall to the bottom, air leakage will occur in the groove and the suction force will be reduced. It is difficult to reliably adsorb and hold, and there is a problem that the tray cannot be lifted and moved or dropped during movement.

JP 2007-161309 A JP-A-11-227737

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and as a fruit tray used for fruit harvesting, sorting, shipping, transportation, etc., condensed water due to the stored fruit is transferred from the side of the peripheral wall of the storage recess to the bottom. In the fruit storage operation, in which the concave groove extending from the opening end of the peripheral wall upper end to the bottom is formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the storage recess so that the fruit does not remain in contact with water Provided is a fruit tray in which trays can be reliably adsorbed and held by some storage recesses when the tray is supplied by air suction means.

  The present invention is a fruit tray that is formed from a synthetic resin sheet and has a plurality of fruit storage recesses that are recessed leaving a partition, and has the first and second types of storage recesses. A plurality of concave grooves extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the bottom are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess, and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the second storage recess extends from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the middle of the storage recess. A concave groove is formed, and the inner surface of the region extending from the lower part of the peripheral wall to the bottom part below the lower end of the concave groove of the storage concave part has no irregularities. Further, the second storage concave portion is a storage concave portion at a position where the suction portion by the tray moving suction means is set.

  According to this fruit tray, the fruit stored in the first storage recess is supported in contact with a portion other than the groove on the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and a plurality of fruits extending from the open end to the bottom. There is a gap in the concave groove. Therefore, the condensed water generated in the stored fruit or the like enters the groove and flows to the bottom, so that the stored fruit does not come into contact with water. When the concave groove is continuous at the bottom, the concave groove may extend to the opening end portion, and the concave groove can retain air permeability to the fruit bottom side, and water accumulated in the concave groove can also be retained. Evaporates easily.

  Further, in this fruit tray, a concave groove extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the middle of the storage concave portion and terminating is formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the second storage concave portion, and the peripheral wall below the lower end of the concave groove of the storage concave portion. The region extending from the bottom to the bottom has no irregularities such as a groove, and the region is formed as a suction portion by the suction means. For this reason, in the fruit storage work in the fruit tray, when the tray is held and lifted and moved using the air suction means and supplied onto the conveyor, there are irregularities below the concave grooves of the part of the storage recesses. By pressing the suction nozzle against the non-use area, the tray can be reliably adsorbed without causing air leakage, and can be lifted and moved stably.

  In the tray, a recess may be formed at the center of the bottom of each storage recess. Thereby, the dew condensation water which flows to the bottom through the concave groove is accommodated in the concave portion.

  Further, the groove on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess is formed to be continuous at the bottom. Further, the groove on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first housing recess is formed to be continuous through a recess formed in the center of the bottom. Even if the condensed water generated in the stored fruit etc. enters the concave groove and flows to the bottom, it will be stored in the continuous part of the concave groove or in the concave part. The fruit never comes into contact with water.

  As described above, a plurality of concave grooves extending from the opening end to the bottom are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess of the fruit tray of the present invention. By storing the condensed water in the groove, it is possible to prevent the fruit from coming into contact with the water and to prevent the fruit from being damaged. Moreover, since the said ditch | groove leads from the bottom part to the opening edge part, air permeability and evaporability can be ensured favorable, and the stored fruit can be favorably protected.

  Moreover, on the inner surface of the second storage recess, the concave groove terminates in the middle of the storage recess, and the inner surface of the region extending from the lower part of the peripheral wall to the bottom below the lower end of the concave groove has no irregularities. As a result, in the fruit storage operation, when the trays on which many are stacked are lifted one by one using the air suction means and supplied onto the conveyor, the inner surface of the second storage recess having no irregularities By pressing the suction nozzle against and sucking, the tray can be reliably adsorbed without causing air leakage, and can be lifted and moved stably.

It is a perspective view which shows the Example of the tray for fruits which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the tray for fruits same as the above. It is sectional drawing of the AA line of the fruit tray same as the above. It is a top view which shows the other Example of the tray for fruits which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows the other Example of the tray for fruits which concerns on this invention.

  The fruit tray A of the embodiment shown in the figure has a flange-shaped peripheral edge 1 which forms a substantially rectangular outer periphery of the tray in a plane, and is mainly in the same plane as the peripheral edge 1 inward of the peripheral edge 1. It has a plurality of storage recesses 3 that are recessed downwards with some partitioning parts 2 remaining, so that fruits can be held in an individual packaging state. The storage recess 3 is a recess recessed in a shape, size, and depth corresponding to the type of fruit to be stored, and includes a peripheral wall 30 including a bottom portion that continuously bulges downward from the partition portion 2. However, it is formed so as to form a bowl-like shape that is continuous with a curved surface from the side portion 31 to the bottom portion 32. Further, a concave portion 8 is formed at the center portion of the bottom portion 32, and is provided so that the stored fruit can be supported by the peripheral portion of the concave portion 8.

  This fruit tray A is formed from a thermoplastic synthetic resin foam sheet having moderate elasticity and shape retention, for example, a foamed sheet of polyolefin resin such as crosslinked polyethylene having relatively soft elasticity, vacuum forming, pressure forming, etc. These are integrally molded by means of thermoforming.

  A plurality of concave grooves 5 extending from the open end 33 at the upper end of the peripheral wall 30 toward the bottom 32 are formed on the inner surface of each storage recess 3. The storage recess 3 has first and second types of storage recesses 3a and 3b in which the groove 5 is formed differently.

  Among them, the first storage recess 3 a is formed with a plurality of concave grooves 5 extending from the open end 33 at the upper end of the peripheral wall 30 to the bottom 32, and the fruit to be stored is other than the concave grooves 5. It can be received and supported by the surfaces of the side portion 31 and the bottom portion 32. The concave groove 5 is preferably formed so as to be continuous at the bottom 32 portion. For example, when the concave portion 8 is formed at the center of the bottom portion 32 as shown in the figure, the concave groove 5 is continuous through the concave portion 8. Shall be. Thereby, moisture, such as condensed water, is accommodated in the recessed part 8, and it can prevent that the accommodated fruit will be in the state which contacted water. When the concave portion 8 is not formed on the bottom portion 32, it is preferable that the concave groove 5 be continuous at the center portion of the bottom portion 32.

  As the groove 5 of the first storage recess 3a, for example, a plurality of grooves, for example, three grooves, extending in the radial direction from the center of the bottom 32 and reaching the opening end 33 are formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove extends from the opening end 33 to the bottom 32 and continuously reaches the opening end 33 at the opposite position via the recess 8 of the bottom 32. Are formed.

  The second storage recess 3b has a plurality of concave grooves 5 extending from the open end 33 at the upper end of the peripheral wall 30 toward the bottom, preferably on the lower side of the peripheral wall 30 of the storage recess 3b. The inner surface of the region 9 extending from the lower portion of the peripheral wall 30 below the lower end of the concave groove 5 to the periphery of the concave portion 8 of the bottom portion 32 is formed so as not to have irregularities. Can be used as an adsorbing portion with which the suction nozzle of the air suction means abuts.

  As the groove 5 of the storage recess 3b, it is possible to form an arbitrary plurality of grooves. However, in the embodiment shown in the figure, the cross-sectional shape and arrangement state of the other storage recess 3a are the same. In the structure of the concave groove 5, the bottom side portion is eliminated from the middle of the peripheral wall 30.

  If the concave portion 8 is formed in the central portion of the bottom portion 32 of the storage concave portion 3b, the condensed water can be accommodated in the concave portion even if the concave groove 5 terminates in the middle, so that the fruit is in contact with the water. There is nothing.

  Here, the mechanical work of taking the trays one by one and placing them on the work table is to suck the tray by pressing the suction nozzle B of the air suction means for sucking air against the storage recess of the tray. This is carried out by adsorbing the tray and lifting and moving the tray. When the tray A is lifted and moved, the storage recess 3b is used as a storage recess that is sucked by the nozzle B of the suction means, and is sucked in an area that does not have the unevenness. The length of the concave groove 5 of the housing concave portion 3b from the opening end 33 at the upper end of the peripheral wall 30 is such that the portion of the suction nozzle is located between the lower part of the peripheral wall 30 below the lower end of the concave groove 5 and the bottom 32. It sets so that the area | region 9 which can press a mouth edge part over the perimeter is securable. Accordingly, the portion where the groove 5 on the bottom side from the middle of the peripheral wall 30 is not formed has a gap through which air flows when the nozzle B of the suction means for sucking air is pressed. Can be sucked without causing air leakage to adsorb the tray to the nozzle B, and the tray can be lifted and moved.

  Accordingly, the second storage recess 3b is disposed at a location to be used as a suction portion by the suction nozzle when moving up by the air suction means in the tray supply operation, and the position of the storage recess 3b and the air suction used. The position of the suction nozzle of the means is made to correspond. A storage recess 3a in which the recessed groove 5 extends to the bottom 32 is disposed in another part of the tray.

  Here, various arrangements of the storage recesses 3 in the tray A are possible. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, there are three storage recesses 3 in the vertical direction and four storage recesses 3 in the horizontal direction. Are lined up. In the case of the embodiment of FIG. 4, the row of four storage recesses 3 in the horizontal direction and the row of five storage recesses 3 in the horizontal direction store the positions of the storage recesses 3 alternately. A total of four rows are arranged, shifted by a distance that is half the lateral length of the recess 3. As a result, the line connecting the centers of the storage recesses 3 that are obliquely arranged in parallel forms a rhombus. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, a recess 21 is provided between the adjacent storage recesses 3, 3 in each row in the vertical and horizontal directions so as to form a convex shape on the back side to serve as a reinforcement. ing. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a recess 21 is formed in a part of the partition 2 between the storage recesses 3 and 3 adjacent to each other diagonally (center portion) so as to form a convex shape on the back side while also serving as a reinforcement. Is provided.

  Only one of the storage recesses 3 of the tray A may have the shape of the storage recess 3b, or a plurality of storage recesses 3b may have the shape. Further, the storage recess 3 at any position of the tray A may have the shape of the storage recess 3b. However, the storage recesses 3 at the four corners of the tray A (locations a, b, c, and d in the drawing) or the center of the tray A (locations e, f, and g in the drawing) as shown in FIG. The shape of the storage recess 3b is a desirable form because the tray A is stabilized when the position is adsorbed by the nozzle B of the suction means and lifted.

  The concave groove 5 on the inner surface of each storage recess 3 is formed on the inner surface side of the peripheral wall 30 to have a thickness equal to or greater than the thickness of the peripheral wall 30 by projecting the concave groove portion of the peripheral wall 30 into an outward rib shape. It is formed to have a depth, preferably 1 to 3 times the wall thickness, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 times the wall thickness. The concave portion 8 has the same depth. Thereby, the depth which can accumulate water so that the ditch | groove 5 and the recessed part 8 in the bottom part 32 may not contact the fruit F can be retained, and also the rib-shaped protrusion part (not shown) of the outer side of each accommodation recessed part 3 can be held. However, the shape retaining strength of the housing recess 3 can be improved even if the material is made of a synthetic resin foam sheet having a relatively flexible elasticity.

  The groove 5 is mainly a groove having a V-shaped cross section, and has a required width on the inner bottom surface 5a of the groove, for example, a width that is the same as or slightly wider than the wall thickness of the peripheral wall 30 and faces the opening. It is preferable that the cross-sectional concave shape gradually expands to ensure the volume of the concave groove 5, particularly the volume at the bottom. Of course, a semicircular cross section or an inverted trapezoidal concave shape is also possible. In any of the above cases, opening the end of the concave groove 5 on the opening end 33 side can ensure air permeability and moisture evaporation through the concave groove 5 in the fruit storage state. Particularly preferred.

  As a synthetic resin foam sheet used as a constituent material of the fruit tray A of the present invention, polyolefin resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and cross-linked polyethylene, polyester resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin and other appropriate elasticity There are used various synthetic resin foam sheets having a shape retention and synthetic resin foam sheets obtained by laminating a non-foam resin on one or both surfaces of these synthetic resin foam sheets.

The thickness of the synthetic resin foam sheet varies depending on the material used, but in the case of a foamed sheet of a crosslinked polyethylene polymer, the thickness is about 1.0 to 10.0 mm, preferably about 2.0 to 7.0 mm, and the density Is preferably foamed to about 0.06 to 0.03 g / cm ³ . When the thickness of the foamed sheet is smaller than the above, sufficient support strength cannot be obtained, and when the thickness is larger than the above, molding from the foamed sheet becomes difficult and bulky. Further, if the density due to foaming is larger than the above range, sufficient buffering properties cannot be obtained, the amount of resin used is large and uneconomical, and if the density is smaller than the above range, there is a problem in strength.

  The fruits stored in the storage recesses 3 (3 a, 3 b) by the fruit tray configured as described above are held on the surfaces of the side portions 31 and the bottom portion 32 other than the grooves 5 in the peripheral wall 30 of each storage recess 3. Therefore, even the fruits such as tomatoes and peaches, which have the elasticity of the material and have a relatively soft surface, can be held without damaging the surface.

  When condensed water is generated on the surface of the fruit that has been cooled and stored, and the condensed water flows downward and accumulates on the bottom 32, it enters the groove 5 or the recess 8 in the bottom 32. Therefore, the stored fruit does not come into contact with water. In addition, in the storage recess 3a, the groove 5 is continuous from the bottom 32 to the opening end 33, so that the water accumulated as described above easily evaporates through the groove 5 and the groove 5 As a result, air permeability can be ensured up to the bottom side of the fruit F, and the fruit can be well protected.

  Furthermore, since there is no gap through which air flows when the storage recess 3b presses the nozzle B of the suction means, the suction means sucks the portion to adsorb the tray A to the nozzle B, Can be lifted and moved.

A ... Tray, B ... Nozzle, 1 ... Peripheral part, 2 ... Partition part, 21 ... Recessed part, 3 ... Storage recessed part, 3a ... Storage recessed part, 3b ... Storage recessed part, 30 ... Peripheral wall, 31 ... Side part, 32 ... Bottom part, 33 ... Open end, 5 ... Groove, 5a ... Inner bottom surface, 8 ... Recess, 9 ... Area extending from the lower part of the peripheral wall 30 to the periphery of the recess 8 in the bottom 32

Claims (5)

A fruit tray that is molded from a synthetic resin sheet and has a plurality of fruit storage recesses that are recessed leaving a partition,
Having two types of storage recesses, first and second,
A plurality of concave grooves extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the bottom are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess,
A concave groove extending from the upper end of the peripheral wall to the middle of the storage concave portion and terminating is formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the second storage concave portion, and the inner surface of the region extending from the lower portion of the peripheral wall to the bottom below the concave groove lower end of the storage concave portion is uneven. A tray for fruits characterized by not having.   The fruit tray according to claim 1, wherein the second storage recess is a storage recess at a position where an adsorption portion is set by an air suction means for moving the tray.   The fruit tray according to claim 2, wherein a recess is formed at the center of the bottom of each storage recess.   The fruit tray according to claim 2, wherein the groove on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess is formed to be continuous at the bottom.   The fruit tray according to claim 3, wherein the groove on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the first storage recess is formed so as to be continuous through a recess formed in the center of the bottom.

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