Abstract Apparatus for harvesting fruits from trees comprising first conduit means, coupling means adjacent a first end thereof and adapted for attachment to a source of vacuum. Throat means including inner and outer sleeve members are provided, the inner sleeve member having a fruit receiving opening at one end thereof, a generally flexible fruit receiving portion arranged inwardly of said fruit receiving opening and having an inwardly converging conical portion. The inwardly converging conical portion is arranged to have a minimum diameter which is not substantially greater than the diameter of the fruit being harvested. A generally rigid cylinder depends from the inwardly converging conical portion and is coupled to the inwardly converging conical portion at one end thereof. Aspirating openings are formed along the rigid cylinder adjacent the inwardly converging conical portion, and a second generally flexible sleeve or conical member is coupled to the rigid cylinder at the end opposite from the fruit receiving opening. This second flexible member is arranged to form a generally flexible closure in response to vacuum being applied through said aspirating openings. The outer sleeve is sealingly secured to the inner sleeve about axially spaced points disposed on opposite sides of said aspirating openings, and means defining a port are arranged on the wall of the outer sleeve with means for coupling said port to said first conduit means.
Inventors
👤 Khosrow Jamshidi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-25 16:01
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D46/00; A01D46/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
Apparatus for harvesting fruits from trees comprising: a. first conduit means, coupling means adjacent a first end thereof and arranged for attachment to a source of vacuum; b. harvesting head means with throat means including inner and outer sleeve members, said inner sleeve member having a fruit receiving opening at one end thereof, a generally flexible fruit receiving portion disposed inwardly from said opening and having an inwardly converging conical portion, said inwardly converging conical portion having a minimum diameter which is not substantially greater than the normal diameter of the fruit being harvested, and a generally rigid cylinder depending from said inwardly converging conical portion and being coupled to said inwardly converging conical portion at one end thereof, means defining aspirating openings disposed along said rigid cylinder adjacent said inwardly converging conical portion; c. a second generally flexible conical member coupled to said rigid cylinder at the end opposite to said inwardly converging conical portion and adapted to form a generally flexible closure; d. said outer sleeve being sealingly secured to said inner sleeve at axially spaced points disposed on opposite sides of said openings; and e. means defining a port arranged on the wall of said outer sleeve and having means for coupling said outer sleeve member to said first conduit means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
Apparatus for harvesting fruits from trees comprising: a. first conduit means, coupling means adjacent a first end thereof and arranged for attachment to a source of vacuum; b. harvesting head means with throat means including inner and outer sleeve members, said inner sleeve member having a fruit receiving opening at one end thereof, a generally flexible fruit receiving portion disposed inwardly from said opening and having an inwardly converging conical portion, said inwardly converging conical portion having a minimum diameter which is not substantially greater than the normal diameter of the fruit being harvested, and a generally rigid cylinder depending from said inwardly converging conical portion and being coupled to said inwardly converging conical portion at one end thereof, means defining aspirating openings disposed along said rigid cylinder adjacent said inwardly converging conical portion; c. a second generally flexible conical member coupled to said rigid cylinder at the end opposite to said inwardly converging conical portion and adapted to form a generally flexible closure; d. said outer sleeve being sealingly secured to said inner sleeve at axially spaced points disposed on opposite sides of said openings; and e. means defining a port arranged on the wall of said outer sleeve and having means for coupling said outer sleeve member to said first conduit means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The fruit harvesting apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that a fruit guiding sleeve is secured to said rigid cylinder and depends therefrom so as to enclose said second conical member therewithin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fruit harvesting apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that vacuum means are coupled to said first conduit means and are arranged to draw a vacuum through said aspirating openings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The fruit harvesting apparatus as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that said second generally flexible conical member is adapted to close upon itself in response to the vacuum drawn by said vacuum means through said aspirating openings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fruit harvesting apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said inwardly converging conical member is resiliently deformable.