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EP0273313A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for the automatic selection of agricultural products such as fruit
Assignee: Materiel pour lArboriculture Fruitiere MAF SA
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Filing: 1987-12-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-12-18
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus for the automatic selection and distribution of products, comprises: a conveyor (2) for transporting individual products from examination stations to discharge stations along a path, comprising an elongate flexible closed-loop belt and a plurality of rollers (5) distributed on the conveyor. The rollers have axes extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor (2), and adjacent rollers define between one another elongated holders for individual products. Forks (8) rotatably support the rollers (5) on the chain (2) and are adapted to allow small vertical oscillations of the rollers (5), as the weight of the product and its holder is lifted from the chain (2) and transferred to a level section of the ramp associated with a weighing device at an examination station. The forks (8) are mounted along the chain (2) oscillable about an axis parallel to the path. The rollers (5) are selectively oscillable for offloading a product from said conveyor (2).
Inventors
- 👤 Luciano Gentili
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:40
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/94; B65G47/96; B65G47/962; B65G47/965; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/16; B07C5/18; B07C5/36; B07C5/361; B07C5/362; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0202; B65G2201/0211
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for the automatic sorting and distribution of products, characterized in that it comprises: - conveyor (2) for transporting individual products along a path (1); - a plurality of rollers (5) distributed on said conveyor (2) with their axes extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor (2), adjacent rollers (5) defining between one another elongated holders for the individual products (6); - means (8) which rotatably support said individual rollers on the conveyor (2) and are adapted to allow vertical oscillation of the rollers (5), said means (8) being mounted along the conveyor (2) oscillating about an axis (10) parallel to said path(1); - means (12,13,13a) for selectively causing oscillation of said rollers (5) and for holding adjacent rollers (5) simultaneously in tilted position to off-load a product (6) from said conveyor (2).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for the automatic sorting and distribution of products, characterized in that it comprises: - conveyor (2) for transporting individual products along a path (1); - a plurality of rollers (5) distributed on said conveyor (2) with their axes extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor (2), adjacent rollers (5) defining between one another elongated holders for the individual products (6); - means (8) which rotatably support said individual rollers on the conveyor (2) and are adapted to allow vertical oscillation of the rollers (5), said means (8) being mounted along the conveyor (2) oscillating about an axis (10) parallel to said path(1); - means (12,13,13a) for selectively causing oscillation of said rollers (5) and for holding adjacent rollers (5) simultaneously in tilted position to off-load a product (6) from said conveyor (2).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises stations (13b) for examining and weighing said products (6), for scanning the surface of said products (6), and for sorting said products (6) on the basis of weight, surface conditions, and dimensions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characteized in that said rollers (5) are equally spaced along the length of said conveyer (2).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a device for scanning the space between an adjacent pair of rollers (5) to determine the presence or absence of products (6), and means responsive to the presence of an individual product adapted to activate an examination station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises means for tracking the position of each individual product (6) transported along said path (1) with relation to said stations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises means for generating a signal corresponding to the weight of each individual product (6) measured at said station for examining said products (6), means for comparing said signal with predetermined criteria, and means for discharging said individual product in accordance with said criteria.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises an electronic weighing device located at one of said stations for examining and weighing said products (6), and a ramp (13a), adapted to engage said rollers (5) when said rollers (5) move towards said stations to shift the weight of said rollers (5) and products (6) supported thereon from said closed-loop belt (2) to said ramp (13a).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a weighing device, including a load cell (13b) positioned above said ramp (13a).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises bifurcated holders (8), open at their top to define a saddle for rotatably supporting said rollers (5).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises separate examination stations for weighing said products (6) and for scanning their surface, at said examination station cooperating with a frictional surface (15), extending parallel to said path (1) and engaging surface portions (14) of adjacent pairs of rollers (5) advancing through said stations, in order to rotate said rollers (5) and the individual products (6) loaded thereby.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a scanning device, adapted for scanning the surface of an individual product (6) to produce a signal corresponding to a parameter of said surface, said apparatus comprising means for discharing the individual product at a discharge station in accordance with the combined criteria of weight and said parameter of said surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said holders (8) rotatably support individual rollers (5) and are tilitable about an axis (10) parallel to said path (1) by means of cam surfaces (12), positioned to engage and tilt said holders (8) and to discharge individual products (6).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said rollers (5) have counterposed portions (5a), substantially in the shape of a truncated cone, converging towards the center and have, at their opposite ends, axial, shafts (7) adapted to rest on said holders (8).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said holders comprise forks (8) protruding upwardly from a crosspiece (9), which is oscillable about an axis (10) extending parallel to said path (1), said crosspiece (9) being pivoted at one end on a pivot (10) rigidly associated with said closed-loop belt (2) and having at the opposite end a flap (11), adapted to engage means (12) for causing oscillation of said holders (8).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said holders (8) comprise forks having converging ends (8a), adapted to prevent the exit of said rollers (5) during movement of said conveyor (2).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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