Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DRY DECELERATOR FOR APPLES OR LIKE OBJECTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This applications claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application
Serial No. 61/187,102 filed June 15, 2009 entitled "Decelerator for Apples or
Like
Objects."
This invention relates generally to devices for decelerating objects delivered
to
the decelerator from a pneumatic or partial vacuum tube of the sort described
and
claimed in U.S. patent application Serial No. 12/055,209 filed March 25, 2008
entitled "Transport System For Fruit And Like Objects" now U.S. Patent No.
7,695,220 and U.S. patent application Serial No. 12/371,446 filed February 13,
2009
entitled "Mobile System For Improving The Picking And Preliminary Processing
Of
Apples, Citrus, Stone Fruit And Like Objects." These applications are hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
As described in those documents, it has been found advantageous to transport
apples, citrus fruit, and stone fruit or like objects through tubes having
spaced apart
baffles installed therein. These tubes can be provided on a mobile harvester
machine
or in a packing house or any other desired location. Objects (for example,
apples) can
be deposited into a distal end of the tube and a partial vacuum created or
drawn at the
end of the tube proximate to the delivery end of the tube, or within
downstream
portions of the upstream tube to pull the object through the tube.
Alternatively, a
positive pressure can be applied to the upstream distal end of the tube or to
upstream
portions of the tube and, consequently, to the trailing portions of the object
being
transported to push the object through the tube. In either event, the pressure
differential across the object in the tube causes the object to move through
the tube
with attractive rapidity and reliability.
At the proximal downstream end of the tube, the apple or other object
emanating from the tube must be gently decelerated and delivered from the
atmospheric environment associated with the tube interior to an ambient
atmospheric
environment. The handling of the object must be gentle so as not to bruise or
otherwise damage the apple or other object.
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Decelerators capable of handling objects as described above are described and
claimed in co-pending PCT application PCT/US 10/021412 filed 19 January 2010
and
in U.S. patent application Serial No. 61/145,899 filed January 20, 2009
entitled
35 "Deceleration Tank and Extraction Conveyor" and 61/146,468 filed January
22, 2009
entitled "Multi-Section Decelerator Tank." These applications are hereby
herein
incorporated by reference.
It is an object of this invention to provide decelerator mechanisms capable of
receiving the apples or other objects emanating from the tubes, to decelerate
their
40 movement, and to deliver the apples or like objects to an extraction
conveyor or other
mechanism.
It is a related object of the invention to provide such a decelerator which
will
receive objects from the transport tubes in either a positive pressure
environment or
negative pressure environment, which will decelerate the objects, and which
will
45 deliver the objects to an ambient pressure environment without bruising or
otherwise
harming the objects.
It is a subsidiary object to provide a decelerator which will operate
effectively
without requiring the objects to be decelerated by immersion in water or other
fluids.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon
50 reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the
drawings.
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevation overview in schematic form of a first embodiment
of the invention.
55 Figure 2 is a side elevation overview in schematic form of a second
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2A is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention embodiment
shown in Figure 2, the section being taken substantially in the plane of line
2A-2A in
Figure 2.
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60 Figure 2B is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention shown in
Figure 2, the section being taken substantially in the plane of line 2A-2A in
Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a side elevation overview in schematic form of a second
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3A is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention embodiment
65 shown in Figure 3, the section being taken substantially in the plane of
line 3A-3A in
Figure 3.
Figure 3B is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention embodiment
shown in Figure 3, the section being taken substantially in the plane of line
3B-3B in
Figure 3.
70 Figure 3C is a fragmentary view of a portion of the device shown in Figure
3
but showing in further detail a portion of the wheel and the seal adjacent the
area C in
Figure 3.
Figure 4 is a side elevation overview in schematic form of a third embodiment
of the invention.
75 Figure 4A is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention
embodiment
shown in Figure 4, the section being taken substantially in the plane of line
4A-4A in
Figure 4.
Figure 5A is a fragmentary view of the invention embodiment shown in Figure
4, showing in further detail portions of a decelerator conveyer in Figure 4.
80 Figure 5B is a partial sectional view of portions of the invention
embodiment
shown in Figure 5, the section being taken substantially in the plane of 5B-5B
in
Figure 5A.
Figure 6 is a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the
invention.
85 Figure 7 is a cut-away isometric view of fifth embodiment of the invention.
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Figure 8 is a cut-away isometric view of the invention shown in Figure 7 and
showing the contemplated paths of travel of objects which have been
decelerated by
the invention.
Figure 9 is a cut-away isometric view of a sixth embodiment of the invention
90 illustrating, in schematic form, the path of travel of the decelerated
object.
Figure 12 is a cut-away isometric view of a seventh embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 13 is a schematic view of an eighth embodiment of the invention.
95 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While the invention will be described in connection with several
embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the
invention to
these embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives,
modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope
of the
100 invention.
A first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2. Apples A or
other objects are transported to the novel decelerator 10 through the
pneumatic tubes
12 of the sort described, illustrated and claimed in the above-cited patent
and co-
pending patent applications. As the apples or other objects emanate from the
105 proximal end 14 of the tube 12, the objects are propelled or fall upon two
counter
rotating wheels 20, 22. These counter rotating wheels are sized, designed and
so
positioned as to engage one another with a substantially pressure-tight inter-
engagement at a contact area 24. To this end, the wheel rims are provided with
deformable materials such as film-covered sponge rubber or other suitable
110 arrangements so as to form the pressure tight seal area 24, yet permit the
apple or
other emanated object to be engaged and held between the wheels 20, 22 at the
area of
inter engagement 24 in a generally pressure tight and completely sealed fit.
As shown in Figures 1, IA, 2, 2A and 2B, the wheels 20 and 22 are also
engaged by sealing rollers 26 and 28. The sealing rollers 26 and 28 are
engaged, in
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115 turn, by wiper blades 32 and 34. The associated walls and sides 36 act to
provide a
three-dimensional space R in which a reduced pressure can be generated by a
vacuum
exhaust 40. It is this vacuum exhaust and reduced pressure space R which
provides
the reduced pressure within the tubes 12 to draw or pull the apples or other
objects
down the tubes 12 and into the space R and, thence, into the engaging and
sealing
120 wheel contact area 24. Suitable pressure seals 44 are provided, and a
driveshaft 46
rotates the wheels 20, 22 to operate the device. It will be understood that
the sealing
walls and sides 36 are open at the point of inter-wheel seal contact to permit
the
apples or other objects to pass out of the area of reduced pressure R and into
the
sealing wheel contact area 24.
125 An alternate mechanism for driving the wheels 20, 22 is shown in Figure 1
B.
Here a motor 50 having a suitable gear drive system 52 is provided to drive
the
wheels 20, 22.
Apples or other objects emanating from the area of pressure sealing inter-
engagement 24 enter in an area P of ambient pressure, and the objects A can
fall or
130 tumble gently into a receiving and extraction conveyor 72.
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3. Here the tube 12
delivers the apples A or other objects to a rotating wheel 60. This wheel 60
is
provided with a rim 62 comprising normally open or V-configured sponge rubber
or
other deformable material 64 as shown in Figure 3A. The delivered apples are
135 engaged and transported along a curved wheel path by the wheel 60. As the
wheel
rotates, this open or V-shaped rim is axially compressed so that the
deformable
material 64 completely closes around the apple or other object as shown in
Figure 3B
with a pressure-tight seal. This closing action is caused by closing cams 66.
These
cams can be stationary guides, or they can be arranged as endless belts which
push in
140 an axial direction against the wheel rim sides. Stationary seals 68 here
define in the
area of reduced pressure R; air pressure within this area R is reduced to a
partial
vacuum by a suitable vacuum draw system 40.
As the wheel 60 rotates and the apples turn out of the rim compression zone C,
the wheel rim 62 reopens from the configuration shown in Figure 3B to the
145 configuration shown in Figure 3A. The apples then drop or otherwise gently
tumble
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into a receiving bin which can be dry, or the apples can be gently dropped
onto a
transfer conveyor 69 for transportation to and extraction conveyor 72 of the
type
described in U.S. patent application Serial No. 61/145,899 filed January 20,
2009 and
entitled "Deceleration Tank And Extraction Conveyor" and follow-on PCT
150 International Application No. PCT/US 10/021412 filed January 19, 2010
entitled
"Decelerator Comprising Deceleration Tank and Extraction Conveyor" claiming
priority therefrom.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 4, 4A, 5A and
5B. Here, the apples A emanating from the delivery tube 12 are directed to an
inter-
155 engagement pressure-sealing area 104 formed between two elongated, endless
conveyors 106 and 108. Again, suitable walls 110, wiper rollers 112 and wiper
blades
114, together with sealing surfaces 116, 118 provide an area R of reduced
pressure;
the pressure within the area R can be reduced by any suitable vacuum generator
40.
An apple A engaged by, and pressure-sealed between, the conveyors 104 and
160 106 is shown in Figure 4A. Deformable material 110 can form the
peripheries of the
two conveyors, and the surfaces of these materials can be provided with
pliable
airtight films or other seals 112, if desired.
As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the conveyer 106 can take the form of a
series of pads 120 which can be provided with soft material to receive the
apples or
165 other objects. A sealing membrane belt 122 surrounding the pads 120 can
provide the
requisite pressure seal. Crescent seals 124 of known construction can provide
additional sealing as required.
In general terms, each of the foregoing embodiments of the invention operates
in a somewhat similar manner. The objects such as apples A are provided to the
170 decelerator at the end of a pneumatic or other fluid tube. The objects
emanate from
that tube at a velocity which can vary from time to time and from object to
object. The
emanating objects are engaged by one or more moving, endless, padded
decelerator
bodies such as a wheel or inter-engaged counter-rotating wheels. The object
can be
engaged by a conveyor or by a series of inter-engaged conveyors
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175 If desired, one or more of these padded wheels, padded conveyors or other
handling mechanisms can have a slower peripheral speed than the initial
velocity of
the arriving object. In other terms, the traveling speed of the pneumatically
delivered
object can be reduced, if desired, to the peripheral speed of the decelerator
wheel or
other body.
180 The fruit or other object is enclosed and is compressively engaged in a
substantially air-tight fit by one or more decelerator wheels, conveyors or
similarly
arrayed decelerator devices. When so engaged, the decelerating object passes
from an
area of either reduced or elevated air pressure to a region of ambient air
pressure.
Finally, the decelerated object, now in a region of ambient pressure, is
released from
185 its air-tight fit within or upon the decelerator device and is delivered
to a downstream
site such as a transfer conveyor, receiving bin, or other object handler.
Figure 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention. Here, no wheels,
conveyors or other endless moving elements are involved. Rather, the transport
tube
12 is provided with a series of spaced apart baffles 132-136 as disclosed in
U.S.
190 Patent No. 7,695,220. As disclosed in that '220 patent, each of these
baffles is
provided with an aperture which can be circular, polygonal, or of any other
effective
shape. As the object A travels along the tube, it is momentarily engaged by
and then
passes through each baffle. This momentary engagement by the baffle permits a
pressure differential to be developed across the object; the pressure on the
forward
195 side of the object becomes less than the air pressure on the rear side of
the object and
the object is forced through the baffle with momentum sufficient to cause the
object to
engage the next succeeding baffle in the tube 12.
In accordance with the invention herein, the series of baffles 133-136 at the
delivery end 140 of the tube 12 are provided with apertures 142-146 of
progressively
200 larger sizes. As the object A travels through these baffles, the pressure
differential
across the object A becomes progressively less, and so the object is urged
along the
tube with progressively less momentum and speed. If desired, the object A is
simply
and gently released from the distal end 1'40 of the tube 12. If desired, a
suitable
airlock mechanism of known design (not shown) can be provided to transfer the
205 object to an extraction conveyor of any convenience sort.
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As shown in Figure 7, the portions of the transport tube 12 adjacent to the
distal end 140 can be positioned so that the object A is traveling in a
substantially
upward direction. Baffles can be eliminated from that portion of the adjacent
the
delivery end 140 so that gravity slows the traveling speed of the object A to
a desired
210 and manageable velocity. Again, a suitable airlock mechanism of known
design (not
shown) and/or an extraction conveyor of any convenient sort can be provided
adjacent
that distal or delivery tube end 140.
As shown in Figure 8, that portion of the tube 12 which is adjacent the object
delivery end 140 can be positioned in a diagonally upwardly and outwardly
extending
215 direction so that the emanating objects are simply tossed out, or pop out,
of the tube
into any known receiving device. The device could be, for example, a trough
conveyor, catchment containers such as bags, bins, brushes, wheels provided
with cup
catchers, or any other suitable device of known design.
Figure 9 shows a sixth embodiment of the invention. Here the tube 12 is
220 provided with a vacuum source 150 at a position located intermediate the
ends of the
tube and at some distance from the distal end or delivery open end 160 of the
tube.
Accordingly, air flows into the tube from the end 160 toward the tube
evacuation
point 150, in the opposite direction of travel of the object A. This counter-
flow of air
slows the momentum of the traveling object A. If desired, a number of baffles
162,
225 163 can be positioned to further engage and further slow the travel of the
object A. As
indicated by the spiral line S, the object A can tumble or spin as it moves
through and
out of the tube 12.
Figure 10 shows a seventh embodiment of the invention. Here, the vacuum is
drawn through the base 151 of a T-shaped tube array, and so the travel of the
object A
230 is diverted down this base 151. Again, air flowing into the tube through
the end 160
confronts the object and slows its momentum.
Figure 11 shows an eighth embodiment of the invention. Here the object A
travels along the tube 12 to its delivery end 140, and the vacuum generator
150 is
located at a position beyond the tube end 140. If desired, an abutment screen
170 can
235 be provided to affirmatively halt object travel. The object A then falls
into a
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convenient device such as a rotating vane wheel 175 for delivery to a transfer
conveyor 180.
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