WO2018172376A1 - Appareil de manipulation de champignons - Google Patents

Appareil de manipulation de champignons Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018172376A1
WO2018172376A1 PCT/EP2018/057071 EP2018057071W WO2018172376A1 WO 2018172376 A1 WO2018172376 A1 WO 2018172376A1 EP 2018057071 W EP2018057071 W EP 2018057071W WO 2018172376 A1 WO2018172376 A1 WO 2018172376A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mushroom
guide means
gripper
holders
handling apparatus
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2018/057071
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Alan DOAKE
Original Assignee
Axis Technology and Development Limited
East Coast Growers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Axis Technology and Development Limited, East Coast Growers Ltd filed Critical Axis Technology and Development Limited
Publication of WO2018172376A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018172376A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G17/00—Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface
    • B65G17/30—Details; Auxiliary devices
    • B65G17/32—Individual load-carriers
    • B65G17/323—Grippers, e.g. suction or magnetic
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G18/00—Cultivation of mushrooms
    • A01G18/70—Harvesting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/84—Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/841—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/842—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being grippers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23N—MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS
    • A23N15/00—Machines or apparatus for other treatment of fruits or vegetables for human purposes; Machines or apparatus for topping or skinning flower bulbs
    • A23N2015/008—Sorting of fruit and vegetables

Definitions

  • Mushrooms are usually commercially cultivated in a growing medium provided in trays arranged in vertically tiered relationship on suitable shelving, said trays being located within a growing house which serves to shut out sunlight and provide a controlled environment, in terms of temperature and humidity conditions.
  • Each tray defines a growing bed containing compost, in which the mushrooms are grown.
  • the rows of vertically tiered trays are usually separated by passages running therebetween. Therefore, when harvesting the mushrooms, pickers travel along the passages between said rows, manually picking the mushrooms from the trays and depositing them in a basket or similar punnet for subsequent sorting and packing.
  • the conveyor is arranged to manually grade the mushrooms by size, such that each punnet includes only mushrooms within a given size range. Once one of the punnets has been filled with mushrooms, the picker must cease picking, remove the punnet from the trolley, and deposit the punnet in a suitable location for further processing.
  • the picker Having removed the filled punnet from the trolley, the picker must then get an empty punnet and position it on the trolley in place of the filled punnet which has been removed. Once this has been effected, the picker may resume picking mushrooms from the bed. It will therefore be appreciated that the picker must also continually observe the punnets in the trolley, while simultaneously trying to pick mushrooms, in order to ensure that none of the punnets overflow.
  • a mushroom handling apparatus comprising a first guide means arranged, in use, to extend between a mushroom growing bed and a mushroom transfer region, a plurality of mushroom holders being mounted on said first guide means at spaced locations therealong, drive means being associated with the first guide means for moving said mushroom holders between said growing bed and said mushroom transfer region, wherein each mushroom holder comprises a base portion and a pair of spaced apart fingers extending outwardly from said base portion to be located on either side of the stem of a mushroom such that the cap of the mushroom is supported upon the fingers, and a second guide means for conveying mushrooms between the transfer region and a sorting region, a portion of the second guide means overlapping at least a portion of the first guide means in the transfer region, a plurality of mushroom grippers being mounted on said second guide means, the mushroom holders and mushroom grippers being indexed on the first and second guide means such that said mushroom grippers are aligned with respective mushroom holders in said transfer region, each mushroom gripper comprises a pair of mushroom gripping members displace
  • each mushroom gripper is vertically displaceable at least in said transfer region to facilitate transfer of a mushroom from a respective mushroom holder to a respective mushroom gripper.
  • each gripper may be biased towards one another to grip a mushroom therebetween, actuating means being provided for selectively displacing the gripping members away from one another.
  • Control means are arranged for operating the actuating means of each mushroom gripper, at least in the transfer region, such that the gripping members selectively engage either side of the cap of a mushroom carried by an adjacent mushroom holder to engage mushrooms carried by respective mushroom holders when aligned therewith to transfer mushrooms between the first and second guide means in said transfer region.
  • each mushroom gripper may comprise an operating member extending from each mushroom gripper and having an inner end acting against respective operating levers, whereby said levers urge the respective gripping members away from one another, said control means comprising at least one control surface acting upon an outer end of said operating member to control the spacing between the gripping members of each mushroom gripper as the gripper moves past the control surface.
  • Each mushroom gripper may be associated with a release mechanism adapted to release a mushroom held by a respective mushroom gripper at a selected one or a plurality of positions in the sorting region as a function of the distance between the gripping members of each mushroom gripper when a respective mushroom is held therein, thereby sorting the mushrooms by size.
  • a respective punnet is preferably located at each of said plurality of selected positions. Means may be provided for replacing said punnets when full. Said means may be adapted to transfer full punnets onto a conveyor.
  • the release mechanism may include a control surface defining a grading member arranged to engage the operating member of the actuating means of each gripper as it passes through the sorting region, to release a mushroom held therein at a respective one of said plurality of positions depending upon the distance between the gripping members of the respective gripper.
  • the control surface defining said grading member may be arranged an inclined angle with respect to the path the mushroom grippers in the sorting region.
  • the first guide means may comprise an endless flexible member extending between guide members, such as an endless chain extending between guide sprockets.
  • said endless flexible member defining said first guide means comprises a forward run and a return run, said drive means driving said endless flexible member such that said mushroom holders are moved between said mushroom growing bed and said mushroom processing region when located on the forward run thereof and between said mushroom process region and said mushroom growing bed when located on the return run thereof.
  • said forward run and return run extend in a common horizontal plane. In another embodiment said forward run and return run extend in a common vertical plane. A portion of said first guide means may extend along an inclined path.
  • each mushroom holder may comprise an upright portion extending from the base portion thereof, said upright portion being pivotally mounted about a substantially horizontal pivot axis such that the upright portion depends from the first guide means and is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation when the mushroom holders are in an operative configuration with the fingers arranged in a substantially horizontal plane under the action of gravity during motion of the mushroom holder between the mushroom growing bed and the mushroom processing region.
  • the pivotal connection of the upright portion of each mushroom holder with the first guide means may constrain pivotal movement of the upright portion with respect to the first guide means, such that the upright portion of each mushroom holder depends substantially vertically from the first guide means with the mushroom holders in their operative configuration when the mushroom holders are located on the forward run thereof and such that the upright portion of each mushroom holder extends substantially parallel to the first guide means when the mushroom holders are located on the return run thereof with the mushroom holders in an inoperative configuration.
  • the second guide means may comprise a guide rail upon which the plurality of mushroom grippers are supported and/or guided.
  • the apparatus may include means for replacing each punnet with an empty punnet once the respective punnet has been filled or has reached a predetermined weight.
  • the term "mushroom growing bed” is intended to mean compost bags, compost blocks, trays or shelves containing compost or the like, or any other similar growing systems in which mushrooms are grown, the beds generally being arranged in vertically stacked relationship in elongate rows having corresponding passages therebetween, which passages allow access to the beds for the purpose of harvesting the mushroom.
  • FIG. 1 is a front view of a part of a mushroom handling apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention
  • FIGS. 2 to 4 are detailed views of part of the apparatus of Figure 1 with parts omitted for clarity;
  • Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of the transfer region of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 6 is a detailed plan view of the transfer region of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;
  • Figures 7 is a side view of a mushroom handling apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figure 9 is a detailed plan view of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figure 10 is a detailed plan view of a transfer region of the apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figure 1 1 is a detailed perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figure 12 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figure 13 is a perspective view of a mushroom holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 14 is a plan view of the mushroom holder of Figure 13;
  • Figure 15 is a perspective view of a mushroom holder in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figures 16 to 19 are isometric view of a mushroom gripper in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 20 is a perspective view of a mushroom gripper in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 21 is an end view of the mushroom gripper of Figure 20;
  • Figure 22 is a perspective view of a similar mushroom gripper in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 23 to 29 are front views of the mushroom gripper of Figure 22 illustrating the operation thereof;
  • Figure 30 is a perspective view of a mushroom sorting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 31 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 30. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a mushroom handling apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention for expediting the picking and packing of mushrooms, said apparatus comprising a first conveying device 10 mounted on the shelving 2 upon which vertically stacked trays defining mushroom growing beds 4 are located for conveying mushrooms 1 between the growing beds 4 and a transfer region 6 and a second conveying device 12 for transferring mushrooms 1 between the transfer region 6 and a sorting region, wherein the second conveying device 12 is adapted to sort the mushrooms by size.
  • the first conveying device 10 may comprise a chain 14 mounted on guide sprockets 16 to extend between the mushroom growing beds 4 and the transfer region 6.
  • the sprockets and chain 14, 16 are mounted on a carrier assembly 18 which may be mounted on a side of the shelving 2 and which may be adapted to be raised and lowered to bring the first conveying device 10 alongside respective tiers of the mushroom growing beds 4.
  • each mushroom holder 20 comprising a base portion 22 and pair of spaced apart fingers 24,26 extending substantially horizontally and outwardly from said base portion 22 to be located on either side of the stem of a mushroom 1 , such that the cap of the mushroom can be supported upon the fingers 24,26.
  • Each holder 20 also comprises an upright portion 28 extending from the base portion thereof perpendicular to the fingers 24,26.
  • the base portion 22 of each holder may include an arcuate region 25 between the fingers 24,26 against which the stem of a mushroom may be received.
  • the chain 14 may include tensioning means.
  • the mushrooms 1 once picked, are placed onto individual mushroom holders 20 of the first conveying device 10 as the holders 20 move past the mushroom growing beds 4, each mushroom 1 being placed onto a respective holder 20 with the stalk located between the fingers 24,26 and the cap supported on top of the fingers 24,26 and the arcuate portion 24 of the base portion 22.
  • the mushroom holders 20 are arranged on the chain 14 of the first conveying device 10 such that the fingers 24,26 face towards the adjacent growing beds.
  • An operator platform may be provided adjacent the first conveying device 10. Where the first conveying device is height adjustable to align the mushroom holders 20 with respective stacked growing beds the operators platform may also be adapted to be height adjustable.
  • the upright portion 28 of each mushroom holder 20 may be pivotally coupled to a respective mounting portion 30 secured to the chain 14 such that the respective upright portion 28 is pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, such that the upright portion 28 depends from the respective mounting portion 30 and is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation when the mushroom holders 20 are in an operative configuration with the fingers 24,26 arranged in a substantially horizontal plane under the action of gravity during motion of the mushroom holders 20 between the mushroom growing beds 4 and the transfer region 6.
  • This also allows at least a portion of the path of the first conveying device to follow an inclined path while ensuring that the fingers 24,26 of the mushroom holders remain horizontal during movement from the growing beds to the transfer region.
  • Each mushroom holder 20 may include a laterally extending abutment 32 extending from an upper end of the respective mounting portion 30, said abutment 32 extending parallel to the pivot axis of the respective holder 20, whereby the pivotal movement of the upright portion 28 with respect to said mounting portion 30 of each mushroom holder is limited by the abutment 32 engaging the sides of the upright portion 28 at the limits of its motion.
  • the abutment 32 of each holder 20 limits the pivotal motion of the upright portion 28 thereof through an arc of approximately 180°.
  • each mushroom holder 20 to depend from the chain 14 with the fingers 24,26 of the holder 20 arranged in a horizontal plane when the mushroom holder 20 is carrying a mushroom 1 from the mushroom beds 4 to the transfer region 6 along an upper run of the chain 14, while the abutment 32 retains the upright portion 28 of each mushroom holder 20 substantially parallel to the chain 14 during a return path of the empty mushroom holders 20 between transfer region 6 and the mushroom beds 4 along a lower run of the chain 14.
  • the mushrooms 1 carried by the mushroom holders 20 of the first conveying device 10, proceed to a transfer region 6 where they are transferred to the second conveying device 12 which may be adapted to sort the mushrooms by size, as will be described in more detail below.
  • the second conveying device 12 may comprise a plurality of spaced apart mushroom grippers 40 displaceable along a linear or arcuate track between the transfer region 6 and a sorting region 8, wherein the mushroom grippers 40 of the second conveying device 12 are indexed with the mushroom holders 20 of the first conveying device 10 when in the transfer region 6 and are adapted to engage and remove mushrooms 1 from respective mushroom holders 20, as will be described below in more detail.
  • Each mushroom gripper 40 preferably comprises a pair of mushroom gripping members 42,44 displaceable towards and away from one another to selectively engage either side of the cap of a mushroom 1 , wherein the gripping members are arranged to engage the cap of a mushroom carried by a respective mushroom holder 20 when aligned therewith to transfer mushrooms 1 between the first and second conveying devices 10, 12 in said transfer region 6.
  • the gripping members 42,44 of each gripper may be biased towards one another by a suitable biasing means, such as a spring, and an actuating mechanism may be provided for selectively moving the gripping members 42,44 apart, for example as the respective gripper 40 is lowered into engagement with a mushroom 1 held by a respective mushroom holder 20 of the first conveying device 10.
  • Each mushroom gripper 40 may be mounted on a guide chain and be supported from a guide rail 46 via a support wheel 48.
  • the guide rail 46 may be adapted to control the height of the gripping member 42,44 of each mushroom gripper 40 with respect to the adjacent mushroom holders 20 in the transfer region 6.
  • a control mechanism of the grippers 40 may include operating abutments, levers or cams adapted to engage an operating portion of the actuating mechanism respective gripping members 42,44 of the grippers 40 as they move past.
  • the grippers 40 may be rotatable about a vertical axis.
  • Operating means in the forms of operating abutments, levers or cams 45 may be provided for rotating the grippers between the transfer region and the sorting region, as illustrated in Figure 6.
  • the first conveying device 10 may comprises an endless chain 14 extending around the perimeter of a mushroom growing rack 2 to surround each mushroom growing bed 4 so that the mushroom holders 20 can be loaded from all sides of the mushroom growing bed.
  • both the first and second conveying devices 10,12 may be adjusted in height to be aligned with each stacked growing bed 4 in turn.
  • the first and second conveying devices 10, 12 remain at the same height relative to each other, there is no need for the pivotal movement of the holders 20 with respect to the chain 14 to maintain the fingers 24,26 of the mushroom holders 20 in a horizontal plane.
  • the second conveying device 12 comprises a plurality of spaced apart mushroom grippers 40 mounted on an endless guide chain 41 to be moved in a circular path between the transfer region 6 and a sorting region 8, wherein the mushroom grippers 40 of the second conveying device 12 are indexed with the mushroom holders 20 of the first conveying device 10 when in the transfer region 6 and are adapted to engage and remove mushrooms 1 from respective mushroom holders 20, as will be described below in more detail.
  • each mushroom gripper 40 preferably comprises a pair of mushroom gripping members 42,44 displaceable towards and away from one another to selectively engage either side of the cap of a mushroom 1 , wherein the gripping members are arranged to engage the cap of a mushroom carried by a respective mushroom holder 20 when aligned therewith to transfer mushrooms 1 between the first and second conveying devices 10, 12 in said transfer region 6.
  • Each mushroom gripper 40 may be mounted on the guide chain 41 and be supported from a guide rail 46 via a support wheel 48.
  • the guide rail 46 may be adapted to control the height of the gripping member 42,44 of each mushroom gripper 40 with respect to the adjacent mushroom holders 20 in the transfer region 6.
  • the mushrooms may be sorted by size and delivered into punnets 47 in a sorting region 8, as will be described in more detail below.
  • the fingers 24,26 of each mushroom holder 20 may diverge outwardly from one another to facilitate location of a mushroom into a respective holder 20.
  • the fingers 24,26 of each mushroom holder 20 may extend parallel to one another. At least an outer region of each finger 24,26 may be inclined upwardly to facilitate retention of a mushroom 1 on a respective mushroom holder 20.
  • Figures 16 to 19 illustrate a further modified holder 20, wherein the fingers 24,26 are tapered outwardly from the base portion 22.
  • each mushroom holder 20 may be detachably mounted on the upright portion 28 to enable replacement of damaged parts.
  • the fingers or adjacent portions of each mushroom holder may be provided with weakened portions along which the holder may break should it contact obstructions to prevent injury.
  • mushroom gripper 40 of the second conveying device 12 may be supported from a guide rail 46 via a support wheel 48, the support wheel being rotatably mounted on a upper body portion 60 of each mushroom gripper 40.
  • the body portion 60 may be vertically displaceable with respect to a mounting portion 61 by means of which the mushroom gripper can be attached to a drive chain, to allow the vertical position of the mushroom gripper 40 to be adjusted with respect to the drive chain to facilitate interaction between the mushroom grippers 40 and mushroom holders 20 in the transfer region 6.
  • a main body portion 62 of each gripper 40 may pivotally mounted on the respective upper portion 60 about a vertically arranged axis to allow the gripping members 42,44 of each gripper to rotated about said axis through 90°.
  • a follower 64 may be mounted on the main body portion 62 and is adapted to engage fixed stops adjacent the guide rail 46 at various locations along the path of the second conveying device 12 to selectively rotate the main body portion 62 of each gripper with respect to its upper body portion 60.
  • the gripping members 42,44 may be arranged to be in a first orientation, aligned with the direction of travel of the grippers, in the transfer region 6 to facilitate transfer of mushrooms from the holders 20 of the first conveying device 10 to the grippers 40 of the second conveying device 12, while the main body portion 12 may be rotated through 90° when to a second orientation the grippers 40 enter the sorting region 8, for example due to abutment of a portion of each gripper 40 with a control surface.
  • the grippers may be biased towards their first orientation by means of a spring.
  • the gripping member 42,44 of each gripper 40 are biased towards one another by means of a return spring 66.
  • a mechanical operating mechanism is preferably provided for controlling the separation of the gripping members 42,44 of each mushroom gripper 40 to control the picking up of mushrooms by the grippers 40 in the transfer region 6 and the release of the mushrooms in the sorting region 8, as will be described in more detail below.
  • a pair of opposed operating levers 70,72 are preferably mounted on the main body portion 62 of each gripper 40, adjacent the upper ends of the gripping members 42,44 thereof.
  • Each operating lever 70,72 may be rotatably mounted on the main body portion about a respective pivot axis.
  • Each operating lever 70,72 preferably has a cam face 74 adapted to engage a follower 76 on a respective gripping member 42,44, whereby rotation of the operating lever 70,72 causes the cam face 74 to act against the cooperating follower 76 on the respective gripping member.
  • An operating member 78 is preferably mounted adjacent the operating levers 70,72 to act against the levers 70,72 to rotate the levers 70,72 in opposite directions such that the cam faces 76 act on the cam followers 76 of the gripping members 42,44 to urge the gripping members 42,44 away from one another, against the action of the return spring 66, as the operating member 78 is displaced.
  • each gripper 40 has one end engaging respective portions of the operating levers 70,72 and an opposite end defining a follower 79 adapted to selectively engage respective control surfaces arranged to control the movement of the operating member 78 and thus the spacing of the gripping members 42,44 of each gripper 40 along the path of the second conveying device.
  • the follower may be defined by a roller 79 provided at said opposite end of the operating member for engaging said control surfaces.
  • the displacement of the operating member 78 by the action of said control surfaces on the operating member 78 can be used to determine the spacing of the gripping members 42,44 of each gripper 40.
  • the operating member 78 extends upwardly from the main body portion 62 of each gripper 40.
  • the longitudinal axis of the operating member 78 of each gripper 40 may be coaxially aligned with the vertical axis about which the gripper may be rotated between its first and second orientations.
  • Each mushroom gripper 40 may be associated with a release mechanism adapted to release a mushroom held by the gripping members of a respective mushroom gripper 40 at a selected one or a plurality of positions as a function of the distance between the gripping members 44,46 of the respective mushroom gripper 40 when a respective mushroom is held therein, thereby sorting the mushrooms by size.
  • a respective punnet or punnet 47 may be located at each of said plurality of selected positions for receiving mushrooms dropped by the grippers 40 at such position.
  • the release mechanism preferably includes a control surface 50 in the form of a grading member arranged to engage the operating member 48 of each gripper 40 to urge gripping members 42,44 apart, thus release a mushroom held therein, at a respective one of said plurality of positions depending upon the distance between the gripping members of the respective gripper.
  • control surface 50 comprises a linear ramp arranged at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the mushroom grippers 40, the operating members 78 of the grippers 40 engaging the ramp such that the respective operating levers 70,72 urge the gripping members 42,44 away from one another to facilitate release of the mushroom held thereby at a predetermined position as a function of the distance between the gripping members 42,44 of each gripper 40 and thereby as a function of the size of the mushroom carried by the respective gripper 40.
  • the mounting of the operating member 48 of each mushroom gripper 40 may be such that the distance that a distal end of the operating member 48 extends vertically from the respective gripper 40, and thus the position along the path of the grippers 40 at which the operating member 48 engages the grading bar 50, varies as a function of the distance between the gripping members 42,44 of the respective gripper 40.
  • the release mechanism is adapted to grade the mushrooms 1 and release them at predetermined locations along the length of the second conveying device 12, preferably dropping the mushrooms 1 into respective punnets 47, as a function of the size of the mushrooms.
  • Means may be provided for automatically removing full punnets and bringing an empty punnet into position when full.
  • Each punnet may be located on a weighing mechanism whereby the punnet is replaced with an empty punnet when the weight of mushrooms collected therein reaches a predetermined weight.
  • Full punnets may be transferred onto a conveyor for passage to a packaging or wrapping station.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mycology (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Mushroom Cultivation (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un appareil de manipulation de champignons comprenant un premier moyen de guidage agencé, lors de l'utilisation, pour s'étendre entre un lit de culture de champignons et une région de transfert de champignons, une pluralité de supports de champignons étant montée sur ledit premier moyen de guidage au niveau d'emplacements espacés le long de celui-ci, des moyens d'entraînement étant associés au premier moyen de guidage pour déplacer lesdits supports de champignons entre ledit lit de culture et ladite région de transfert de champignons, chaque support de champignon comprenant une partie de base et une paire de doigts espacés s'étendant vers l'extérieur à partir de ladite partie de base pour être situés de chaque côté de la tige d'un champignon de sorte que le chapeau du champignon est supporté sur les doigts, et un second moyen de guidage permettant de transporter des champignons entre la région de transfert et une région de tri, une partie du second moyen de guidage chevauchant au moins une partie du premier moyen de guidage dans la région de transfert, une pluralité de pinces de champignons étant montée sur ledit second moyen de guidage, les supports de champignons et pinces de champignons étant indexés sur les premier et second moyens de guidage de sorte que lesdites pinces de champignons sont alignées avec des supports de champignons respectifs dans ladite région de transfert, chaque pince de champignons comprend une paire d'éléments de préhension de champignons pouvant se rapprocher et s'éloigner l'un de l'autre pour entrer sélectivement en prise avec l'un ou l'autre côté du capuchon d'un champignon supporté par un support de champignon adjacent, les éléments de préhension de chaque pince étant agencés pour entrer en prise avec des champignons supportés par des supports de champignons respectifs lorsqu'ils sont alignés avec ceux-ci pour transférer des champignons entre les premier et second moyens de guidage dans ladite région de transfert.
PCT/EP2018/057071 2017-03-20 2018-03-20 Appareil de manipulation de champignons WO2018172376A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1704394.4 2017-03-20
GBGB1704394.4A GB201704394D0 (en) 2017-03-20 2017-03-20 Mushroom handling apparatus
GB1802008.1 2018-02-07
GBGB1802008.1A GB201802008D0 (en) 2017-03-20 2018-02-07 Mushroom handling apparatus

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WO2018172376A1 true WO2018172376A1 (fr) 2018-09-27

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CN111227281A (zh) * 2020-01-10 2020-06-05 刘红英 一种农产品冷冻预处理装置
CN111802180A (zh) * 2020-07-27 2020-10-23 罗滨 一种金针菇成排采摘装置
CN112166961A (zh) * 2020-10-14 2021-01-05 王峰 一种高层菌棒自动输送放气装置及其使用方法
CN113197319A (zh) * 2021-05-06 2021-08-03 罗爱翠 一种节能环保型水培蔬菜自动除根设备
GB2595926A (en) * 2020-06-12 2021-12-15 Axis Tech & Development Limited Mushroom handling apparatus
CN114532156A (zh) * 2022-03-16 2022-05-27 郑州市蔬菜研究所 一种便于采摘并具有清洗功能的平菇栽培装置
GB2612076A (en) * 2021-10-21 2023-04-26 Axis Tech & Development Limited Mushroom handling & packing apparatus
IT202100031904A1 (it) * 2021-12-21 2023-06-21 Gd Spa Sistema di trasporto per un articolo

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CN111227281A (zh) * 2020-01-10 2020-06-05 刘红英 一种农产品冷冻预处理装置
CN111227281B (zh) * 2020-01-10 2022-03-15 刘红英 一种农产品冷冻预处理装置
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WO2021250185A1 (fr) * 2020-06-12 2021-12-16 Axis Technology and Development Limited Appareil de manipulation de champignons
CN111802180A (zh) * 2020-07-27 2020-10-23 罗滨 一种金针菇成排采摘装置
CN112166961A (zh) * 2020-10-14 2021-01-05 王峰 一种高层菌棒自动输送放气装置及其使用方法
CN113197319A (zh) * 2021-05-06 2021-08-03 罗爱翠 一种节能环保型水培蔬菜自动除根设备
GB2612076A (en) * 2021-10-21 2023-04-26 Axis Tech & Development Limited Mushroom handling & packing apparatus
WO2023066933A1 (fr) * 2021-10-21 2023-04-27 Axis Technology and Development Limited Appareil de manipulation et d'emballage de champignons
GB2612076B (en) * 2021-10-21 2024-01-24 Axis Tech & Development Limited Mushroom handling & packing apparatus
IT202100031904A1 (it) * 2021-12-21 2023-06-21 Gd Spa Sistema di trasporto per un articolo
WO2023119027A1 (fr) * 2021-12-21 2023-06-29 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Système de transport destiné à un article
CN114532156A (zh) * 2022-03-16 2022-05-27 郑州市蔬菜研究所 一种便于采摘并具有清洗功能的平菇栽培装置

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