KR20210152248A - Apparatus for feeding fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for feeding fruits, which performs complex functions as a single facility to reduce overall size of the whole facility. The apparatus for feeding fruits according to the present invention comprises a fruit transfer unit installed in an upper part of a tray conveyor which sequentially transfers trays for loading fruits to sequentially transfer fruits and load the same, wherein the fruit transfer unit includes: a pair of rotational belts in a structure of a caterpillar installed on a top of a frame, disposed to be separated by a gap from each other and face each other, and extended long such that an exit-sided leading end is disposed on the tray conveyor; a driving gear and a driven gear installed on the frame to engage with both leading ends of each rotational belt and rotate the rotational belt; a driving unit connected to the driving gear to rotate the driving gear; a plurality of rotational shafts installed on the outer lateral surface of the rotational belt, extended horizontally, and disposed at predetermined intervals along the rotational belt; and a roller installed to be coupled with the rotational shaft and able to rotate freely while supporting fruits. Accordingly, provided is an apparatus for feeding fruits, which checks the state of a fruit's surface as well as transfers and loads the fruit.

Description

FRUIT FEEDING DEVICE {APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FRUIT}

The present disclosure relates to a device for continuously feeding fruit.

For example, since the grades of fruits such as apples, pears, and watermelons vary according to external conditions, sizes, and weights, products are sorted and shipped according to grades. A selection system of various structures has been introduced and used depending on the product.

In order to supply the superheat to the separator, a transfer means and a supply means are provided. The fruits transported from the production area are continuously fed into the sorting machine through the transport and supply means, and are separated and sorted by grade according to weight, etc.

In order to prevent damage to the fruits in the process of sorting fruits, the fruits are loaded one by one on a separate tray and transported. To this end, the fruit supply means has a structure in which the fruits are transported and placed in trays that are sequentially transported. Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1921185 (Title of the Invention: Automatic tray feeding device for fruit sorter) discloses a structure in which fruits are automatically loaded onto a tray while being transported. However, the conventional structure has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to use it for multiple purposes, as it can simply transport fruits and load them on a tray. That is, in the conventional case, in order to inspect the appearance of the fruit, a fruit inspection facility must be provided separately from the fruit loading facility. Accordingly, in order to have all the facilities required by the fruit sorting system, the size of the entire system increases.

Recently, many studies have been conducted on a compact device for quickly and effectively sorting and processing a large amount of fruit according to the environment in which mass production and distribution are carried out. Therefore, implementing various functions in one facility can give users many advantages.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fruit supply device capable of transporting and loading fruit on a tray and simultaneously performing an inspection of the surface of the fruit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fruit supply device capable of effectively inspecting the entire surface of a fruit with a simpler structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a more compact fruit supply device that reduces the overall size of the entire facility by performing multiple functions in one facility.

The supply device of this embodiment may include a fruit transfer unit that is disposed on the tray conveyor for sequentially transporting the trays for loading fruits, and sequentially transports the fruits and loads them onto the trays.

The fruit transport unit is installed on the frame and spaced apart from each other to face each other, and a pair of rotating belts of a long track structure extending so that the exit end is arranged on the tray conveyor, is installed on the frame and each of the rotating belts A driving gear and a driven gear for rotating the rotating belt by meshing with both ends of a driving part connected to the driving gear to rotate the driving gear, installed on the outer surface of the rotating belt and extending horizontally, and spaced along the rotating belt It may include a plurality of rotation shafts to be placed and installed, and rollers that are shaft-coupled to the rotation shafts and rotatably installed to support and support the fruit.

It may be of a structure in which the fruits are supported between the rollers of the adjacent rotating belts and transferred according to the rotation of the rotating belts fall from the exit side of the rotating belts and are loaded on the tray.

It may further include an inspection unit installed on the upper portion of the fruit transfer unit and supported by rollers to detect the surface state of the transferred fruits.

It may further include a rotating unit for rotating the roller to return the fruit.

The rotating unit may include a fixed plate installed on the frame and extending along the traveling direction of the rotating belt, disposed below the roller and in contact with the roller to apply a frictional force to the roller.

The roller may have a circular cross-sectional shape and may have a conical structure in which the diameter decreases toward the tip.

The fixing plate may have a structure in which it is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane and is in surface contact with the roller.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to complete the inspection of the surface state of the fruit in the process of transferring the fruit and sequentially loading it on the tray.

The fruit transfer facility and the inspection facility are combined to perform complex actions in one place. Accordingly, since a separate fruit surface inspection section is not provided, the overall equipment size can be reduced to make the system compact. In addition, it is possible to construct the entire facility easily and at a lower cost.

Fruit can be easily returned through a simpler structure that rotates the roller with the frictional force of the fixed plate. Also, by returning the fruit, a more accurate inspection of the entire fruit surface can be performed.

Accordingly, the structure of the device is simpler, so it is easy to manufacture and has the advantage of easy maintenance of the equipment.

1 is a schematic plan view of a fruit supply device according to the present embodiment.
2 is a schematic side view of the fruit supply device according to the present embodiment.
3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fruit supply device according to the present embodiment.
4 is a schematic view for explaining the operation of the fruit supply device according to the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, this is provided as an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims to be described later. The embodiments to be described below may be modified in various forms without departing from the concept and scope of the present invention. Wherever possible, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

The terminology used below is for the purpose of referring to specific embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms also include the plural forms unless the phrases clearly indicate the opposite. The meaning of "comprising," as used herein, specifies a particular characteristic, region, integer, step, operation, element and/or component, and other specific characteristic, region, integer, step, operation, element, component, and/or group. It does not exclude the existence or addition of

Hereinafter, preferred examples and comparative examples of the present invention will be described. However, the following examples are only preferred examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

1 to 3 show the configuration of a fruit supply device according to the present embodiment.

As shown, the supply device of this embodiment may include a fruit transfer unit 100 for sequentially transferring the fruits P and loading them on the tray 210 . The tray 210 is sequentially transferred through the tray conveyor 200 . The fruit transfer unit 100 is disposed on the tray conveyor 200 to transport the fruit and drop it onto the tray 210 moving along the tray conveyor 200 to be loaded.

The tray 210 may be understood as a container containing the fruits P one by one. The tray 210 is, for example, a container structure of a circular cross-section with a flat bottom so as to be placed on the transfer belt of the tray conveyor 200, and may have a space in which the product is accommodated. The tray 210 may be transferred to a post-process along the conveyor of the entire system until the selection of fruits is completed in a state of wrapping each of the fruits. The trays 210 are all made of the same shape and size, and may be disposed and transported at regular intervals on the tray conveyor 200 .

The fruit transfer unit 100 includes a pair of rotating belts 120 installed on the frame 110 , a driving gear 130 and a driven gear 132 for rotating the rotating belt 120 , and a driving gear 130 ). It may include a driving unit connected to the, a rotation shaft 150 installed on the rotation belt 120 , and a roller 160 installed on the rotation shaft 150 to support and support the fruit.

The frame 110 is a structure that is fixedly installed on the ground to support each component of the fruit transfer unit 100 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , two rotation belts 120 are disposed opposite to each other in the width direction of the tray conveyor 200 , and may be installed to extend along the tray conveyor 200 . The fruit P supported on the roller 160 is transferred between the two rotating belts 120 . The tip of the rotating belt 120 is positioned on the tray conveyor 200 to form an outlet through which the fruit is separated. Accordingly, the fruit P supported and transported by the roller 160 may fall as the roller 160 spreads at the exit end of the rotating belt 120 and be loaded onto the tray 210 on the tray conveyor 200 .

Each of the rotation belts 120 is arranged to rotate along a horizontal plane in an endless track structure in which both ends are connected. The two rotating belts 120 and each component coupled to the rotating belt 120 are the same except for the oppositely arranged structures. Hereinafter, a horizontal plane may mean an xy plane in FIG. 1 .

A driving gear 130 and a driven gear 132 engaged with the rotation belt 120 are rotatably installed in the frame 110 . Both ends of the rotation belt 120 are coupled to the driving gear 130 and the driven gear to support the rotation belt 120 .

The two rotation belts 120 are supported by the frame 110 while maintaining a predetermined interval in a state in which they are engaged with the driving gear 130 and the driven gear 132 , respectively. The rotating belt 120 may be variously deformed in terms of a structure capable of maintaining a constant distance between the rotating belt 120 and the neighboring rotating belt 120 .

A driving unit may be connected to the driving gear 130 to apply power. The driving unit may include, for example, a driving motor 140 , and a gear block 142 installed between the driving motor and the driving gear 130 . In this embodiment, only one driving motor 140 may be provided to apply power to the two driving gears 130 through the gear block 142 .

A pair of rotation belts 120 engaged with each of the driving gears 130 may be synchronized and rotated at the same speed. Accordingly, each of the rollers 160 installed on the rotating belt 120 can be moved in the same manner as they face each other. The driving unit may have a structure that rotates the two rotating belts 120 in different directions. For example, the driving unit may be driven to rotate both of the two rotary belts 120 in the tray 210 transport direction by the tray conveyor 200 .

The rotation shaft 150 is horizontally installed on the outer surface of the rotation belt 120 . A plurality of rotation shafts 150 may be arranged and installed at regular intervals along the rotation belt 120 . The installation interval of the rotating shaft 150 may be variously modified and is not particularly limited.

The roller 160 is freely rotatably installed on the rotating shaft 150 . Accordingly, the rollers 160 protrude from the outer surface of the rotating belt 120 in the horizontal direction, and are arranged and installed at regular intervals along the rotating belt 120 .

The rollers 160 installed on the two rotating belts 120 are disposed opposite to each other, and as shown in FIG. 1 , between the adjacent rollers 160 of each rotating belt 120 and the two rotating belts 120 . The fruit P may be supported by the facing rollers 160 . The fruit supported and supported by the rollers 160 may be moved according to the rotation of the rotating belt 120 and may be dropped to the tray 210 through the exit end.

That is, as the rotation belt 120 is rotated, the roller 160 facing between the two rotation belts 120 is turned and opened while passing the exit end of the rotation belt 120 . As the roller 160 is spread, the fruit P placed on the roller 160 passes between the gapped rollers 160 and falls to the tray 210 located below. In this way, as the rotating belt 120 is rotated, the rollers 160 are spread on both sides, gathered again, and repeating the process of facing each other while sequentially transferring the fruits P to be loaded onto the tray 210 .

The roller 160 of this embodiment may have a circular cross-sectional shape and may have a conical structure in which the diameter decreases toward the tip. In addition, the roller 160 may be freely rotatably coupled to the rotation shaft 150 . Accordingly, even when the roller 160 is rotated on the rotating shaft 150, the state in which the fruit P is supported and supported can be continuously maintained. Accordingly, it is possible to return the fruit P in contact with the roller 160 by rotating the roller 160 if necessary. These actions will be described again later.

The supply device of this embodiment may have a structure for inspecting the state of the fruit in the process of transferring the fruit P to the tray 210 through the fruit transfer unit 100 .

To this end, it may further include an inspection unit 170 installed on the upper portion of the fruit transfer unit 100 and supported by the roller 160 to detect the surface state of the transferred fruit (P).

Accordingly, in the process of transferring the fruits P and sequentially loading them on the tray 210 , it is possible to complete the inspection of the surface state of the fruits. In this way, fruit inspection can be performed in one place along with fruit transfer, so there is no need to separately provide a fruit surface inspection section. Accordingly, the overall facility space can be reduced compactly, and the facility can be easily constructed and the facility can be built at a lower cost.

The inspection unit 170 may have, for example, a structure including a camera, and may have a structure that detects the state of the surface of the fruit by taking an image. The inspection unit 170 may be applied in various ways in terms of the structure for detecting the state of the fruit.

The inspection unit 170 may be disposed above the two rotating belts 120 . Accordingly, in the process of being supported by the rollers 160 of the two rotating belts 120 and being transported, the state of each fruit may be detected by the inspection unit 170 located above the rotating belt 120 .

The inspection unit 170 of the present embodiment may further include a rotating unit for rotating the roller 160 to return the fruit P. As the roller 160 is rotated by the rotating part, the fruit supported on the roller 160 is rolled in the opposite direction to the roller 160 . Accordingly, the inspection unit 170 can reliably and easily inspect the entire surface of the fruit.

The rotating part is installed on the frame 110 and extends long along the moving direction of the rotating belt 120, is disposed under the roller 160 and comes in contact with the roller 160 to apply a frictional force to the roller 160. A fixing plate 180. may include

The fixed plate 180 is a planar plate structure and may be installed in an area between the pair of rotation belts 120 . Accordingly, the roller 160 can be rotated through a simple structure including the fixing plate 180 , and the manufacturing of the device is easy and the maintenance of the equipment can also be performed simply.

As the rotating belt 120 moves while the rotatable roller 160 is in contact with the fixed plate 180 , the roller 160 rolls along the fixed plate 180 . Accordingly, the fruit P supported by the roller 160 may be rotated.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the fixing plate 180 may be provided under each rotating belt 120 , respectively. Each fixing plate 180 may be inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the fixing plate 180 may be inclined at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 160 .

Accordingly, the fixing plate 180 may be in surface contact with the cone-shaped roller 160 . In this way, as the fixing plate 180 is in contact with the roller 160 reliably, it is possible to maximize the frictional force between the roller 160 and the fixing plate 180 . Accordingly, the roller 160 may be accurately rotated without sliding on the fixing plate 180 in the process of passing the fixing plate 180 .

4 shows the operation of the rotating part according to the present embodiment.

As shown in Figure 4, the fruit (P) is placed between the rollers 160 and is transferred according to the transfer of the rotating belt 120 in a supported state.

Above the rotating belt 120, the inspection unit 170 is disposed to inspect the surface of the transferred fruit.

The roller 160 is in contact with the fixing plate 180 fixed to the frame 110 , and is rotated while rolling the fixing plate 180 according to the transfer of the rotating belt 120 . That is, the roller 160 is rotatably coupled to the rotation shaft 150 , and passes through the fixing plate 180 while rolling about the rotation shaft 150 by friction with the fixing plate 180 .

Accordingly, the fruit P placed on the roller 160 rotates while rolling in the opposite direction to the roller 160 . The fruit (P) is rotated in the opposite direction as the roller 160 supporting the fruit (P) is rotated in one direction in a state where it is simply placed between the roller 160 and the roller 160 .

Accordingly, the fruit P may be transported while being rotated by itself. As the fruit P is rotated, the surface of the fruit P on the far side may be moved upward and detected by the inspection unit 170 .

As such, it is possible to easily return the position of the fruit P through a simpler structure of rotating the roller 160 by the frictional force of the fixing plate 180 . Returning the fruit makes it possible to perform a more accurate inspection of the entire surface rather than just a portion of the fruit.

As described above, although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications and other embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art. All such modifications and other embodiments are intended to be contemplated and included in the appended claims without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

100: fruit transfer unit 110: frame
120: rotation belt 130: drive gear
132: driven gear 140: drive motor
150: rotation shaft 160: roller
170: inspection unit 180: fixed plate
200: tray conveyor 210: tray

Claims (4)

It is disposed on the upper part of the tray conveyor for sequentially transporting the tray for loading fruit, and includes a fruit transport unit for sequentially transporting fruits and loading them onto the tray,
The fruit transport unit is installed on the frame and spaced apart from each other to face each other, and a pair of rotating belts of an endless track structure extending long so that the exit end is disposed on the tray conveyor, is installed on the frame and each of the rotating belts A driving gear and a driven gear for rotating the rotating belt by meshing with both ends of a driving part connected to the driving gear to rotate the driving gear, installed on the outer surface of the rotating belt and extending horizontally, and spaced along the rotating belt A fruit supply device comprising: a plurality of rotation shafts installed to be placed; and a roller that is shaft-coupled to the rotation shaft and rotatably installed to support and support the fruit. The method of claim 1,
The fruit supply device further comprising an inspection unit installed on the fruit conveying unit and supported by rollers to detect the surface state of the conveyed fruit. 3. The method of claim 2,
Fruit supply device further comprising a rotating part for returning the fruit by rotating the roller. 4. The method of claim 3,
The rotating part is installed on the frame and extends long along the traveling direction of the rotating belt, and includes a fixing plate disposed under the roller and in contact with the roller to apply a frictional force to the roller.

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