NL1004707C2 - The washing of fruits with an indented surface - in an automatic process with minimal damage to the products. - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for washing fruit with at least one indented surface, e.g.sweet peppers, contains a roll transporter (2) with stationary rotating rolls (2a-2d) and brushes (9-15) rotating above the rolls. The rolls have a soft absorbent surface. Sprays (7,8) are provided for e.g. water. At least some of the rolls contain separate sections which alternate in size, smaller diameters on one roll matching larger diameters on the next. Also claimed is the method of cleaning fruit in the apparatus described above.

Description

Apparatus and method for washing fruits with an external surface showing at least one indentation, such as peppers.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for washing fruits with an external surface showing at least one indentation, such as peppers, the apparatus comprising: a roller conveyor with rotatably drivable, stationary arranged rollers; - brush means for transporting fruits with the roller conveyor, brushing fruits with brushes during this transport; wherein the brush means comprise rotating brushes disposed above the roller conveyor, and wherein the or a number of rollers of the roller conveyor are provided on their periphery with a soft, preferably absorbent material.

Such a device is known from US-A-2,267,641. US-A-2,267,641 describes a device for brushing fruit, in particular apples, pears, and peaches. This brushing device comprises a roller conveyor with rotatably drivable, stationary arranged cylindrical rollers which can be rotated via a gear chain drive, and which are provided with bristles on their circumference. Above the roller conveyor are three movable units with rotating brushes. The drawback of such a conveyor is that, especially in the case of somewhat elongated oval fruits, the end ends, in particular any indentations present therein, are not easily accessible to the brushes.

A device for drying tomatoes is also known. Use is made here of a roller conveyor, the rollers of which consist of sponge bodies. The rollers are connected to a drive to rotate these rollers in the same direction, so that the tomatoes are transported over the roller conveyor. The sponge of the rollers meanwhile absorbs the moisture from the wet tomatoes. The rollers are squeezed on the underside of the conveyor by pressure means in order to remove the moisture absorbed from the rollers on the transport surface of the conveyor of the tomatoes.

When growing peppers, the problem arises that the peppers are generally dirty because sand and other contaminants stick to them. However, the consumer demands clean paprika 1004707 2 cheeses. Until now, cleaning of the peppers has often been done manually, which is very labor-intensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for washing fruits with an at least one indented external surface, in particular peppers, which device can operate largely automatically and thereby saves labor costs.

This object is achieved with a device of the type indicated at the outset according to the invention, in that the device comprises 10 spray means for spraying the fruits to be transported with the roller conveyor during this transport with a liquid, such as water, and in that at least over a part of the roller conveyor that lies at the level of the brushing and spraying means, each roller thereof is built up from a series of alternating roller bodies of smaller and larger diameter, the smaller and larger roller bodies of the one roller always lying height of the larger or smaller diameter roll bodies of the adjacent roll (s) in diameter. Surprisingly, it has been found that the fruits, in particular also the indentations herein, can be washed well by spraying the fruits with liquid and brushing them with brushes. Spraying and brushing can take place simultaneously, but preferably spraying will take place before brushing, or, if the fruits are subjected to several brushing operations, before one or more of these brushing operations. Using such a device, the washing of fruits, as will be clear, can be largely automated. A roller conveyor with rollers, the diameter of which varies according to such a pattern, offers the great advantage that, as a result of the difference in diameter of the roller bodies, it causes the passing fruits in an up and down, often shocking, movement, in particular a up and down movement transverse to the conveying direction of the conveyor. Such an up-and-down, possibly jerking movement offers a great advantage in particular when washing fruits, such as peppers, which have an elongated shape and are provided with indentations at one or more ends. After all, such fruits will be oriented longitudinally in the transverse direction of the roller conveyor during transport over a roller conveyor. The indentations at the ends become relatively difficult to reach, especially if several such fruits are aligned in the transverse direction of the conveyor. The tilting movement caused by the diameter differences of the roller bodies ensures that the fruits and the bristles of the brushes can also reach the indentations located at the end or the ends of such fruits. The softness of the material on the circumference of the rollers of the roller conveyor ensures that the fruits passing over the conveyor are not damaged or bumped, and the material's preferred absorbent property allows moisture to be absorbed by those roles.

It is noted that from US-A-2,102,340 an apparatus is known for washing fruit or the like, which apparatus comprises a roller conveyor consisting of rotatably drivable, stationary brush rollers, which apparatus is further provided with spray means for the roller conveyor to spray fruits to be transported during transport with the roller conveyor with water.

It is further noted that from US-A-2,080,197. US-A-4,985,956 and CH-A-230,643 roller conveyors are known, in which, as is the case with the present invention, the diameter of the conveyor rolls, viewed in the longitudinal direction of a respective roller, varies. US-A-2,080,197 and US-A-4,985-956 involve recesses in which the fruits to be treated may lie, and CH-A-230.6 ^ 3 involves cylindrical rollers with regular intervals on the brush rings mounted on rollers. US-A-2,080,197. US-A-4,985,956 and CH-A-230,643, however, concern all roller conveyors in which the rollers are circulated just as with an endless belt conveyor. The recesses formed in the rollers in US-A-2,080,197 30 and US-A-4,985,956 have the purpose, as is clear from the respective figures alone, for the purpose of picking up fruit to be treated so that it is quietly transported stays in place and can be brushed while each piece of fruit is rotated around its respective longitudinal axis. Each piece of fruit will hereby remain substantially in the same place during transport in a certain cavity, formed by two adjacent rollers, and is therefore not optimally accessible due to the 1004707 4 brushes arranged above the conveyor, in particular when this piece of fruit has a dent in a head end.

Preferably, the axes of rotation of adjacent rollers are arranged at an intermediate distance slightly larger than the diameter of the larger rollers. This ensures that the adjacent rollers just do not touch each other and that a larger diameter roller body does not engage between two larger diameter roller bodies of an adjacent roller. This is favorable for the service life and the proper functioning of the rollers of the roller conveyor.

The soft, preferably absorbent material on the periphery of one or more rollers of the roller conveyor is advantageously formed by a sponge-like material, such as natural or artificial sponge. Such a spongy material can absorb the sprayed liquid well and easily release it again by compressing the sponge-like material.

In order to be able to reach all the fruits to be transported over the conveyor, it is advantageous according to the invention if the brush means comprise rotating brushes arranged above the conveyor, the axes of rotation of which run substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface. It is particularly advantageous here if the brushes are arranged in at least one row running transversely to the direction of transport.

According to the invention, in order to give the fruits additional movement to further increase the accessibility of dimples, it is advantageous if at least two adjacent rows of brushes are provided, the brushes per row having the same direction of rotation, and wherein the brushes have the two adjacent rows have an opposite direction of rotation. A fruit passing along the brush means will thereby be additionally set in motion on the one hand by the fact that two adjacent brushes from one row have a relative speed relative to each other at the location of the abutment, and on the other hand because as a result of the relatively aligned speed from adjacent brushes from adjacent rows the fruit is pushed in lateral direction of the conveyor track.

In order to be able to spray all fruits passing over the conveyor with a liquid, it is advantageous according to the invention if the spraying means comprise at least one spray tube extending above the conveyor, preferably in the transverse direction thereof. The spray nozzles are preferably arranged such that the spray jet is directed towards the transition between two adjacent rollers of the roller conveyor.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the spraying and brushing means are arranged in pairs, the spraying means being arranged upstream of the brushing means with each pair of spraying and brushing means. If desired, several pairs of spraying brush means can be arranged one after the other in the transporting direction, in order to repeat the spraying and brushing operations and thus better wash the fruits.

In order to be able to dry the washed fruits and thus prevent deterioration thereof during storage, it is advantageous according to the invention when downstream of the spraying and brushing means, drying means are applied, which dry fruits transported with the conveyor during this transport. Such drying means may comprise a fan suitable for blowing air, preferably ambient air, along the fruits passing over the conveyor. In the case of ambient air, the air used for drying will be of ambient temperature. The drying means may further comprise rags, such as one or more rag curtains extending transversely over the conveyor and / or rows of rag brushes.

The invention further relates to a method for cleaning fruits with an external surface showing at least one indentation, such as peppers, wherein the fruits, while being transported with a roller conveyor provided with rotatable and stationary rollers, are transported in a Tilting movement reciprocating and transverse to the conveying direction 30 and held in the meantime: - to be sprayed with a liquid, such as water; and brushed with fixed, preferably rotating, brushes disposed above the roller conveyor.

The invention relates in particular to a method in which a roller conveyor is used as a roller conveyor, each roller of which, at least over a part of the roller conveyor lying at the level of the brushing and spraying means, is built up from a series of alternating roller bodies of small diameter, larger and larger diameter, wherein the smaller and larger diameter roller bodies of one roller always lie at the level of the larger or smaller diameter roller bodies of adjacent roller (s). After spraying and brushing, the fruits will preferably be dried with desiccants.

Within the scope of the invention, fruits with an indented, external surface showing fruit are understood to mean fruits which exhibit a relatively greater indentation, such as the indentation at the attachment of the stem with which the fruit hangs or has hung on the crop. and the often opposite indentation where flower or leaf remnants are or have been on the fruit.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing. Herein shows: FIG. 1 shows a top view of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the device of FIG. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top view of the roller conveyor of the device according to the invention.

The device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, which shows only an example of an embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprises a roller conveyor 1 transporting in the direction of the arrows T, provided with rollers 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

According to the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the roller conveyor comprises six rollers 2a, five rollers 2b, six rollers 2c and five rollers 2d, i.e. a total of twenty-two rollers. Depending on the required length of the conveyor, these can easily be more or less rolls. Upstream of the roller conveyor 1, an infinite-type conveyor belt 3 is provided, provided with a belt 4 of soft material, such as a sponge, which is guided over two return rollers. 5. The soft material has the object of not damaging the fruits. The fruits are fed to the conveyor belt 3 via a highly diagrammatically depicted feed conveyor 6. The purpose of arranging a conveyor belt 3 for the roller conveyor 1 is to prevent the peppers supplied with the feed conveyor from lying on top of one another. Namely, the conveyor 3 conveying in the direction T will ensure that peppers supplied via the supply conveyor 6 are immediately removed. The belt conveyor 3 ΛΥ! At its discharge end, the peppers will deliver the peppers to the roller conveyor 1. The rollers 2a and 2b of the roller conveyor, in order to further transport the peppers in the transport direction T, are driven in the clockwise direction. clockwise.

Spray tubes 7 and 8 extending transversely of the roller conveyor are arranged above the roller conveyor 1, each of which, viewed in a downstream direction, is followed by a brush unit 9 and 10, respectively.

The peppers passing over the conveyor are sprayed with water with the aid of the spray tubes 7 and 8, after which the dirt adhered to the peppers, which has become moist due to the water, can be removed by the brushes 18 of the brush units 9 and 10. As will be apparent from the figures, the exemplary embodiment shown comprises two pairs of spraying and brushing means, namely pair 7,9 and pair 8, 10.

The brushes 18 of the brush counters 9 and 10 are drivable by motors 11 and 12, respectively. To this end, the brushes 18 of each brush unit are interconnected by strings shown by dashed-dot lines.

As shown in Fig. 1 and the strings shown by dashed-dot lines and the directions of rotation indicated by arrows R will be apparent, viewed in transverse direction of the roller conveyor, brushes 18 in one row always rotate in the same direction. However, the brushes of two adjacent rows of brushes rotate in opposite directions. By rotating the brushes in the same direction per row, it is achieved that, due to the opposite relative speed of adjacent single-row brushes, the adjacent fruits are subjected to an additional movement, which is advantageous for cleaning the fruits . By rotating the brushes from adjacent rows in opposite directions, it is achieved that passing peppers can undergo a transverse movement D of the roller conveyor here, which has also proved to be advantageous when washing the fruits.

After the fruits have been cleaned with the two pairs of spraying and brushing units 7, 35, 9 and 8, 10 respectively, they are dried by cloth brushes 14 placed downstream of the roller conveyor with cloth brushes 14, and possibly further cleaned. The cloth brushes consist of brushes, in which cloths are provided instead of bristles, as is the case with brush units 9 and 10. The brushes of the brush unit 13 are driven in a similar manner as the brushes of the brush units 9 and 10 by one motor 15. As can be seen from the strings again shown with dash-dot-5 lines, at the brush unit 13, all cloth brushes per row rotate in the same direction again, while the brushes of adjacent rows rotate in opposite directions φ. The effect of the directions of rotation selected in this way has already been discussed with regard to the brush units 9 and 10.

Downstream of the brush unit 13 comprising the rag brushes, a unit 16 of seven rag curtains 17 arranged one behind the other and extending over the width of the roller conveyor is arranged. Each curtain 17 consists of a plurality of patches. These rag curtains 17 will further dry the passing fruits.

Above the unit 16 of rag curtains 17, a blower, such as a fan, 19 is provided, which directs ambient air over the fruits passing below to further dry these fruits. This fan 19 also causes the rags of the rag-gor-20s 17 to dry, so that the drying effect of the rags thereof is preserved. For the same purpose, a further blower may optionally be provided to dry the patches of the rag brushes 1 * 1.

The three types of desiccants described above, namely: lap-25 brushes, rag curtains and fan, can be used individually or in any combination as desiccant.

The rollers of the roller conveyor are, as particularly apparent from FIG. 3 appears to consist of four types of rolls, namely roll type 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. The rollers of roll type 2a and 2b are arranged in an alternating pattern under the spraying and brushing means 7, 9. 8 and 10; the rollers of roll type c are arranged under the rag brushes; and the rollers of roll type 2d are arranged under the rag curtains 17 and fan 19.

The rollers of the roller type 2a and 2b are each built up from a succession of alternating roller bodies 26 of small diameter and roller bodies 25 of large diameter. The terms "small" and "large" should be seen in mutual relation to each other. I ^ - * 7 η j 9. The rollers 2a are always built up successively from a roller body of small, of large, of small, of large, of small, of large, of small, of large, and of small diameter The rollers 2b are always built up successively of a roller body of large, 5 of small, of large, of small, of large, of small, of large , of small diameter and of large diameter The rollers 2a and 2b are herein arranged such that a large diameter roller body of one roller, viewed in transport direction T, always lies next to a small diameter roller body of an adjacent other roller. further, the arrangement of adjacent rollers 2a and 2b is such that the larger roller bodies 25 of one roller cannot just engage between the larger roller bodies 25 of the other roller.

Due to the pattern of alternating small diameter rollers and large diameter rollers, the peppers transported over the roller conveyor are set in motion, in particular in a reciprocating tilt in direction D, whereby the end ends of the peppers are better accessible, especially for the brushes.

In a prototype of the device according to the invention, the roller bodies 25 and 26 all have a length (in the transverse direction of the conveyor) of about 50 mm, the diameter of the small roller bodies 26 is about 100 mm, and the diameter of the large roller bodies about 125 mm.

The roll bodies 25 and 26 of the rollers 2a and 2b are coated with a soft, absorbent, preferably sponge-like material, or are entirely made up of a soft, absorbent, preferably sponge-like material. The absorbent property of the material ensures that moisture can be absorbed by the rolling elements.

The rollers of roll type 2c have a substantially constant diameter over the axial length. As shown in Fig. 3, the rollers 2c are constructed from roller bodies 25, i.e. roller bodies of so-called larger diameter. It will be clear, however, that the rollers 2c can also be constructed as a one-piece roller with a roller body extending over the width of the conveyor. The rollers 2c are also covered with a soft, absorbent, preferably sponge-like material, or built entirely from such a material.

The rolls of roll type 2d have a substantially constant diameter along the axial length, are coated with a soft, preferably 1004707, non-absorbent material, and are made in one piece. The rollers 2d are arranged with a spacing 40, for example about 10 to 20 mm, such as 15 mm, such that the air from the fan can escape in between, while the fruits to be treated, in particular peppers, are cannot pass through.

In order to be able to remove the moisture absorbed by the roller bodies 25 and 26 from the roller bodies again, and thus to maintain their absorbing capacity, pressure rollers 20 are provided on the underside of the roller conveyor and are provided by means of a rack 21 and a rod mechanism 22 can be pressed against the rollers 2a, 2b and 2c during operation of the roller conveyor. The pressure rollers 20 are herein preferably arranged in a freely rotating manner.

It will be clear that many variants are conceivable on the device and method according to the invention.

1 00- "

Claims (18)

An apparatus for washing fruits with an external surface showing at least one indentation, such as peppers, the apparatus comprising: 5. a roller conveyor with rotatably drivable, stationary disposed rollers; brushing means for brushing fruits to be transported with the roller conveyor with brushes during this transport; wherein the brush means comprise rotating brushes arranged above the roller conveyor, and wherein the, or a number of rollers of the roller conveyor, are provided on their circumference with a soft, preferably absorbent material, characterized in that the device comprises spray means in order to roller conveyor to spray fruits to be transported during this transport with a liquid, such as water, and that at least over a part of the roller conveyor lying at the level of the brushing and spraying means, each roller thereof is built up from a series of alternating roller bodies of smaller and larger diameter, the smaller and larger diameter roll bodies of one roller always being at the same height as the larger and smaller diameter roller bodies of the adjacent roller (s). 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rotation axes of adjacent rollers are arranged at an intermediate distance which is slightly larger, for instance about 1 mm larger, than the diameter of the larger roller bodies. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soft, preferably absorbent material on the periphery of at least a number of rollers of the roller conveyor comprises a sponge-like material, such as natural or artificial sponge. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotation axes of the rotating brushes arranged above the conveyor run substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bogies are arranged in at least one row running transversely to the direction of transport. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least two adjacent rows of brushes are provided, wherein the brushes per row have the same direction of rotation, and the brushes of the two adjacent rows have an opposite direction of rotation. 7. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the spraying means comprise at least one spray tube extending above the conveyor, preferably in the transverse direction thereof. 8. Device according to claim Ί, characterized in that the at least one spray tube is provided with spray nozzles, which are arranged such that the spray jets thereof are directed at the transition zone between two adjacent rollers of the roller conveyor. 9. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the spraying and brushing means are arranged in pairs, wherein the spraying means are arranged upstream of the brushing means with each pair of spraying and brushing means. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that downstream of the spraying and brushing means, drying means are provided which dry fruits transported with the conveyor during this transport. 11. Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the drying means comprise a fan suitable for blowing air, preferably ambient air, past the fruits passing over the conveyor. 12. Device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the rollers of the roller conveyor located below the fan or blow-out opening thereof are rollers of a substantially constant diameter, which are arranged at radial intervals, such that the air between the fans below the fan rollers located in the blow-out opening, while the fruits to be washed cannot pass through them, wherein those rollers located under the fan or blow-out opening comprise a substantially non-absorbent coating of preferably an absorbent material. 13. Device as claimed in any of the claims 10-12, characterized in that the drying means comprise rags, such as one or more rag curtains and transverse rows with rag brushes extending transversely over the conveyor. 100 4 '; ^ 14. Device as claimed in claim 13. Provided with rag brushes, wherein the rag brushes are arranged above rollers of substantially constant diameter. 15. Device as claimed in any of the claims 2-14, characterized in that the length of the rolling bodies of smaller and larger diameter is approximately 50 mm, that the diameter of the rolling bodies of smaller. diameter is about 100 mm, and that the diameter of the larger diameter roller bodies is about 125 mm 16. A method for cleaning fruits with an outer surface exhibiting at least one indentation, such as peppers, wherein the fruits, while being conveyed with a roller conveyor, are tilted in a reciprocating motion transverse to the conveying direction, and held in the meantime: to be sprayed with a liquid, such as water; and 15 - to be brushed with fixed, preferably rotating, brushes arranged above the roller conveyor, A method according to claim 16, wherein as a roller conveyor is used a roller conveyor provided with a rotationally driven, stationary disposed roller. 20 l8. A method according to claim 17, wherein a roller conveyor is used as a roller conveyor, each roller of which, at least over a part of the roller conveyor lying at the level of the brushing and spraying means, is built up from a series of alternating roller bodies of smaller and larger diameter, wherein the diameter smaller and larger roller bodies of one roller always lie at the level of the larger or smaller roller bodies of adjacent roller (s) in diameter respectively. A method according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the fruits are dried with drying agents after spraying and brushing. The method of any one of claims 16-19, wherein the brushes disposed above the roller conveyor are rotated about substantially vertical axes of rotation. # 900 ^