WO2011069088A1

WO2011069088A1 - Conveyor and delivery apparatus for putting fruit and like objects in a bin in a packing house or like environment

Info

Publication number: WO2011069088A1
Application number: PCT/US2010/058933
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent E. Bryan, Jr.; Randy Allard; Marc Bommarito; Alex E. Kunzler; Pete Kunzler
Original assignee: Picker Technologies Llc
Priority date: 2009-12-03
Filing date: 2010-12-03
Publication date: 2011-06-09

Abstract

A dry bin filling apparatus especially adapted for use in a packing house or like environment is disclosed and claimed. This dry bin filling apparatus includes an endless drive conveyor having an endless drive element and a plurality of filler cups attached to the drive element. At least some of the cups have flaps pivotally attached to the cups. The flaps are adapted to engage and slow the egress motion of objects coming out of other cups. Skirts can be pivotally attached to the flaps. The conveyor can be mounted on a support structure having the shape of a hockey stick so as to locate the depositing distal end of the conveyor closely adjacent to the bottom of a receiving bin or closely adjacent objects already placed in the bin.

Description

CONVEYOR AND DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR PUTTING FRUIT AND LIKE OBJECTS IN A BIN IN A PACKING HOUSE OR LIKE ENVIRONMENT

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims domestic priority from US provisional patent application serial number 61/266,417 filed December 3, 2009 entitled "Concepts, Ideas And Inventions For Apparati And/Or Means For Dry Bin Filling Of Fruit And Like Objects Into A Bin In A Packing House Environment."

This application incorporates by reference and claims priority from US utility patent application serial number 12/703,084 filed February 9, 2009 entitled

Downloader Conveyor for Apples and like Objects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apples and other fruits must be handled gently when they are harvested. In general terms, these objects are picked from the trees or other plants upon which they grow; they are collected; and they are then brought to central processing facilities termed packing houses. Here the apples or other objects are examined for size, quality, and defects; they are washed or otherwise processed; and then they are placed in large receiving bins sometimes referred to as dry bins for storage and ultimate distribution to grocery stores or other facilities. During these manipulations in the packing house, the apples or other objects must be treated gently so as to avoid bruising or otherwise damaging them. Damaged apples or other fruit must be culled or segregated from undamaged objects. Damaged apples are sold at reduced prices, for example, to processors who make applesauce, apple juice, and other products.

It is an object of this invention to provide a downloader conveyor that will accept apples or other objects from a sorting mechanism such as a conveyor; that will then gently and quickly lower the accepted objects into a receiving dry bin; and that will gently place the objects in the receiving bin in such a way as to minimize the likelihood that the objects will be bruised or otherwise damaged.

It is another object to provide a downloader conveyor that will handle a relatively high volume of apples or other objects at a relatively high speed, yet in a gentle manner.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a downloader conveyor that is reliable and rugged in operation and yet relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 and illustrating a dry bin translational movement mechanism supporting the bin.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in Figures 1 -3 but showing a bin translation mechanism supporting the bin.

Figures 5 and 6 are top plan views of the invention shown in Figures 1 -3 but suggesting the rotational motion which the bin can undergo. ■DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment and procedure, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this embodiment or procedure. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turning first to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an embodiment of the invention comprising a plurality of endless drive conveyors 10 mounted on a conveyor support 12. Here, these conveyors each include an endless belt 14 such as a chain-link drive chain to which are mounted a series of buckets or cups 22. As described and illustrated in U.S. patent application Serial Number 12/703,084 filed February 9, 2009 entitled "Downloader Conveyor For Apples And Like Objects", and in Figure 2 herein, each of these cups has a bottom 23, a continuous sidewall 24, and an inclined ramp 25. These cups 22 can be sized and shaped to accept but a single apple or other object which is to be downloaded into the receiving bin B.

The cups can be injection molded from a thermoplastic or formed from polyvinyl chloride or ABS material and lined with Poron PPT material or other dampening material.

It is a feature of the invention that the cups 22 are pivotally mounted to the drive conveyor 40 by any convenient mechanism 47 so that they can pivot as they reach the bottom of their path of travel, as suggested in Figure 1 and 2. This pivoting or dumping action permits the contained objects to gently roll out of each cup as that cup rotates around the bottom of the conveyor drive. This action slows the motion of the apple or other object exiting from the cup, and this relatively slow motion inhibits bruising or damage to the objects. As the cups 22 travel around the lower or distal- end sprocket wheel 50, they undergo centripetal acceleration due to the cup pivoting 75 action relative to the sprocket mechanism 47.

As an object A falls or rolls from the cup 22, it is immediately engaged by a flexible skirt 52 which is pivotally attached to the ramp 25 at an intermediate point 53. This flexible skirt 52 further serves to break, obstruct, and slow the falling motion of the object A. The skirts 52 can be made of neoprene or other soft, flexible but durable 80 material, and they can be faced, if desired, with Poron PPT material.

As suggested in Figure 2, the skirt 52 has a distal end 54 which is positioned and located so as to scrape across the bottom of the dry bin B or across the tops of the apples A or other objects that have already been placed in the dry bin B. (It will be understood that the neat array of apples shown in Figure 2 is illustrative only, and is 85 not achieved in actual operation.) In accordance with the invention, the apples or other objects being delivered from the downloader 10 do not fall freely through any appreciable distance during their travel down into the bin B and into positions atop the bin floor or atop apples or other objects already placed in the bin.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5, the flexible skirt 52, can be long enough 90 and can be positioned so that it overlies and engages the outer lip 71 of the preceding cup ramp 25. This arrangement helps contain the apples or other objects within the respective cups until the objects reach the bottom of the conveyor for discharge. There, the overhanging flexible skirt 52 attached to the upper cup engages and then slows the exiting or roll-out movement of the object A from its cup as the cup pivots 95 and moves around the bottom of its conveyor travel. If desired, the bin B underlying the downloader conveyor 10 can be horizontally traversed by any convenient bin transport mechanism 94 to encourage the creation of a uniform layer of deposited apples or objects in the bin B.

After a first layer of apples A or other objects has been laid down in the bin B,

100 the distal end of the downloader conveyor 10 can be raised by a suitable known

hydraulic, mechanical, or other vertical traversing or pivoting mechanism 77 so that later-delivered apples or objects will be gently deposited upon the top layers of apples already in place in the bin B. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, bruising or other damage to the apples or other objects is greatly ameliorated or eliminated.

105 It will be noted from Figures 1 and 2 that the conveyor guide support or

carriage 12 takes the form of a somewhat L- shaped hockey stick having a first leg 81 and a second leg 82 is oriented at an angle to the first leg 81. Sprockets or rollers are journaled to these legs 81, 82 so that the conveyor cups or buckets 22 carrying the fruit or other objects travel over the top T of the bin B and then travel downwardly

1 10 into the bin along the distal leg 82 so as to clear the bin top end and then deposit the carried objects close to the bottom of the bin B. In accordance with the invention, hydraulic or other mechanism 85 can be provided to raise and lower the distal end 86 of the conveyor so as to always locate the object-depositing buckets in close proximity with the bin bottom or just above the objects already in the bin.

1 15 To evenly spread and distribute the objects arriving in the bin in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a bin rotating mechanism 92 can be provided; or a bin translating mechanism 94 can be provided. If desired, both the translating mechanism 94 and the rotate bin rotating mechanism 92 can be included. To deliver a high volume of apples or other objects to the bin in a short period of time a plurality of similar conveyors 95 are provided. In carrying out the invention, these conveyors are arranged to travel in parallel in a common plane and at a common speed with the other conveyors.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A dry bin filling apparatus comprising, in combination:

an endless drive conveyor having an endless drive element and a plurality of filler cups attached to the endless drive element;

at least some of the filler cups having flaps attached thereto; and the flaps being adapted to engage and slow the egress motion of objects coming out of other cups.

2. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cups are attached to said conveyor by hinged joints.

3. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cups have a closed back and an open front.

4. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a turntable means for supporting an object receiving bin for rotating the bin in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor to encourage relatively equal distribution of the received objects throughout the bin interior.

5. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a bin support translator means for moving an object receiving bin of pre-determined length in translating motion over a distance approximately equal to the interior length of the bin.

6. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a turntable means for supporting an object receiving bin for rotating the bin in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor to encourage relatively equal distribution of the received objects throughout the bin interior, and a bin support translator means for moving the object receiving bin in translating motion over a distance approximately equal to the interior length of the bin.

7. A dry bin filling apparatus comprising, in combination:

an endless drive conveyor having an endless drive element and a plurality of filler buckets attached to the endless drive element, the endless drive element being hinged to a fixed support at a first end for pivotal motion in a vertical plane.

8. A dry bin filling apparatus according to claim 7 comprising a plurality of said endless drive conveyors arranged in a parallel array and in a common plane for common motion.

9. A conveyor, comprising, in combination, at least one endless drive element, a plurality of cups pivotally attached to the drive element, the cups being adapted to receive objects, each cup having a rigid cup bottom and at least a rigid back, rigid sides, and a rigid ramp disposed at an obtuse angle to the cup bottom; a skirt being attached to at least one of the cups, the skirt being adapted to engage and break the fall of objects emanating from the cup.

10. A conveyor according to claim 9 wherein said cups are attached to the drive element by pivotal attachment mechanisms so as to permit the cups to undergo centripetal deceleration as the objects in the cups exit from the cups.

1 1. A conveyor according to claim 9 wherein said skirt is pivotally attached to the cup ramp.

12. A conveyor according to claim 11 wherein at least one skirt is located so as to at least temporarily overlap a neighboring cup during at least part of the travel of said cup and skirt.

13. A method of gently placing objects in a bin, comprising the steps of receiving at least one object in a cup having a ramp disposed at an obtuse angle to the cup bottom; lowering the cup into the bin; tipping the cup so that the object exits out of the cup and over the ramp; and thereafter engaging the exiting object with a skirt attached to the skirt of a neighboring cup.

14. A method according to claim 13 further including the step of rotating the bin in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor to encourage relatively equal distribution of the received objects throughout the bin interior.

15. A method according to claim 13 further including the step of moving the bin of pre-determined length in translating motion over a distance approximately equal to the interior length of the bin.

16. A method according to claim 13 further including the step of raising a distal end of said conveyor as the volume of objects in the bin increases so as to consistently locate the distal end of the conveyor just above the objects already deposited in the bin.