Device for conveying products, in particular fruit

The invention relates to a device for conveying products, in particular fruit, which is designed to provide transport of the said products, and comprises a plurality of conveyor carrier arms (9, 10), which are articulated on supports (7) which are supported by a longitudinal endless chain (1). According to the invention, each conveyor carrier arm (9, 10) comprises a hollow body (24) which is delimited by a peripheral edge (25), inside which there extends a sleeve (31) which accommodates a longitudinal articulation shaft (33), which is integral with the support (7), the said sleeve being connected to the peripheral edge (25) by a flexible unit (32) which can be deformed during a force of raising of the conveyor carrier arm (9, 10). In addition, each conveyor carrier arm (9, 10) comprises a recess (27), which is disposed such as to accommodate a longitudinal pin (28) which is integral with the support (7), in the position for transport of the conveyor carrier arm (9, 10), and to release the said pin during deformation of the flexible unit (32), derived from a force of raising of the said conveyor carrier arm.

The invention relates to a device for conveying products, in particular
 fruit, which is designed to provide transport of the said products, and
 selected discharge of the latter at unloading areas, and comprising:
 a plurality of conveyor carrier arms, which are articulated on supports
 which are supported by a longitudinal endless chain, and are provided with
 units for maintenance of the said conveyor carrier arms in a position for
 transport of the products; and
 means for release, which are designed to generate selectively tilting of
 the conveyor carrier arms, for the purpose of discharge of the products
 supported by the latter in one of the unloading areas.
 Conveyor devices of this type are used commonly at present in the
 fruit-growing industry, and are conventionally integrated into sorting
 units comprising an area for loading fruit, means for analysis of, and/or
 weighing the said fruit, and areas for unloading this fruit, in which the
 latter are discharged selectively according to the selection criteria
 determined.
 A sorting unit of this type is described in particular in French patent FR
 2,716,874, and comprises a conveyor device which contains an endless
 chain, which supports two series of facing supports, on each of which
 there is articulated a conveyor carrier arm, which is provided with a
 transverse central bar, on both sides of which longitudinal fingers are
 distributed.
 Although at present conveyor devices of this type are very reliable, they
 are relatively complex, for example as a result of the design of the units
 for release of the conveyor carrier arms which are supported by the
 supports, or the arrangement of these supports, which are mounted on both
 sides of endless chains, and which in particular make it necessary to
 provide a support structure which can accept the differences of loading of
 the two conveyor lines carried by a single endless chain.
 In particular, the units for release of the conveyor carrier arms consist
 of numerous moving parts, the ageing and wear of which lead to relatively
 high maintenance costs, and frequent operative stoppages.
 The object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages,
 and its main objective is to provide a conveyor device which has a very
 simple design, and of which the cost price and maintenance costs are
 reduced substantially in comparison with those of the present conveyor
 devices.
 Another objective of the invention is to provide a conveyor device which
 has a transverse dimension which is reduced in comparison with the present
 conveyor devices.
 Another objective of the invention is to provide a conveyor device which
 can permit transport and sorting of fruit of very different sizes and/or
 shapes.
 For this purpose, the invention relates to a conveyor device as described
 in the preceding preamble, wherein:
 each conveyor carrier arm is extended transversely by a hollow body
 delimited by a peripheral edge, inside which there extends a longitudinal
 sleeve which accommodates a longitudinal articulation shaft, which is
 integral with the support, the said sleeve being connected to the
 peripheral edge by a transverse flexible component, which can be deformed
 during a force of raising of the conveyor carrier arm, disposed in its
 position for transport of the products; and
 the units for maintenance of the conveyor carrier arms in their position
 for transport of the products comprise a recess which is provided in the
 body of the said conveyor carrier arm, and a longitudinal pin which is
 integral with the support, and is designed to be accommodated in the
 recess, in the position for transport of the conveyor carrier arms, the
 said recess being disposed such as to release the pin during deformation
 of the flexible unit, derived from a force of raising of the said conveyor
 carrier arms.
 According to the invention and firstly, the articulation of each conveyor
 carrier arm on a support, and release of this conveyor carrier arm for the
 purpose of tilting of the latter, are obtained by means of a number of
 parts which is reduced in an optimum manner, of which only one is in
 motion, ie. the conveyor carrier arm itself.
 Consequently, the cost price of the conveyor units of the conveyor device
 is optimised, and maintenance of the latter is greatly reduced, owing to
 the absence of parts which are liable to wear, as a result of friction
 forces.
 In addition, the design of the articulation of the conveyor carrier arm,
 the articulation shaft of which is offset transversely relative to the
 surface which supports the product, provides a positive opening for the
 said conveyor carrier arm, and instantaneous and quasi-vertical dropping
 of the product, when the tilting has been triggered.
 In practice, this design provides a significant transverse reduction of
 size of the conveyor device in comparison with that of the present
 conveyor devices. In fact, in the case of the latter, and in particular
 that which is described in patent FR 2,716,874, the fruit falls according
 to an oblique path which moves it away from the support, by a distance
 which is variable according to the speed of travel of the conveyor device.
 On the other hand, according to the invention, the products drop
 vertically, and thus the transverse size of the conveyor device can be
 reduced.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, the flexible unit of
 the conveyor carrier arms consists of a flexible plate, which is disposed
 such as to extend horizontally in the position for transport of the said
 conveyor carrier arms.
 Furthermore, the recess is advantageously provided in the peripheral edge
 of the body, on the inner side of the said body, at a portion of the said
 peripheral edge which is disposed in the upper part of the body, in the
 position for transport of the conveyor carrier arms.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, the peripheral edge
 of the body of the conveyor carrier arms comprises an inclined flat ramp
 for access to the recess. In fact, a ramp of this type facilitates locking
 of the conveyor carrier arm, and also makes it possible to limit the
 length of the surface along which the pin rubs after release takes place.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, the release means
 comprise:
 for each conveyor carrier arm, a lower ejection heel, which projects
 beneath the body of the said conveyor carrier arm; and
 at each unloading area, a cam which is associated with pivoting means,
 which can make the cam tilt around a longitudinal axis, between an active
 position in which it is on the path of the ejection heels of the conveyor
 carrier arms, and gives rise to upward displacement of the said ejection
 heels, and initial tilting of the said conveyor carrier arms, and a
 passive position, in which the said cam permits passage of the ejection
 heel.
 In addition, the conveyor carrier arms can be of the type which comprises a
 central bar, which extends transversely relative to the endless chain, and
 a plurality of fingers which are disposed at right angles, and are
 distributed on both sides of the central bar. In this case, the body of
 these conveyor carrier arms advantageously extends into the extension of
 the central bar, and has substantially the same width as the latter.
 It should be noted that in this case, the width of the central bar of these
 conveyor carrier arms can be substantially reduced in comparison with that
 of the conveyor carrier arms of the conveyor device described in French
 patent FR 2,716,874. As a result, when the conveyor device according to
 the invention is fitted onto a sorting unit as described in this patent,
 the distance between centres of the support plates of the carriages of the
 weighing conveyor can be reduced, thus permitting acceptance and weighing
 of fruit of a very small size, or fruit with a shape other than spherical,
 such as pears.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, for each conveyor
 carrier arm, each support comprises a transverse slide, which can
 accommodate the body of the said conveyor carrier arm, whilst permitting
 tilting of the latter. Slides of this type make it possible to guide the
 conveyor carrier arms whilst they are being tilted, thus eliminating risks
 of rupture and wear of the articulation shafts.
 In addition, according to another characteristic of the invention:
 the endless chain is guided on a guide rail which is provided with a
 surface for travel of the said endless chain, and is supported by a
 longitudinal profiled section; and
 each support comprises a cover which is designed to accommodate the endless
 chain, and is provided with means for locking the said support onto the
 said endless chain.
 The support structure of a conveyor device of this type is reduced in an
 optimum manner, since it consists mainly of a profiled support for the
 guide rail, on which the endless chain is displaced. In addition, a
 support structure of this type releases completely the space which is
 provided above the conveyor carrier arms, such that fruit of a large size
 can be transported.
 In addition, in order to guarantee the transverse stability of the
 supports, the means for locking on the endless chain advantageously
 comprise a second cover, which is disposed inside the first cover, and has
 dimensions suitable to cover the guide rail, and, inside the said first
 cover, to delimit two lateral longitudinal spaces, which are designed to
 accommodate the links of the endless chain.
 This second cover preferably additionally comprises outer catches for
 locking the endless chain in longitudinal spaces which are delimited by
 the said second cover.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, each support supports
 two conveyor carrier arms which extend transversely on both sides of the
 said support. A conveyor device of this type thus comprises two conveyor
 lines, which are supported by a single line of supports which are guided
 on a single guide rail, and form a central separation between the said
 conveyor lines.
 In addition, each support advantageously comprises, on both sides of the
 cover, transverse walls, which support the articulation shafts for the
 conveyor carrier arms. In addition, there are preferably two of these
 transverse walls, on each side of the cover, which are designed to delimit
 the slides which accommodate the bodies of the conveyor carrier arms.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, each support
 comprises an upper wall with the general shape of an inverted V, formed by
 two faces which are inclined transversely.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, the upper wall of
 each support comprises an axial longitudinal groove, the said conveyor
 device comprising a longitudinal guide rail which extends beneath the
 lower edge of the endless chain, and is designed to be accommodated in the
 said groove of the supports, such as to guide the supports without
 fatiguing the endless chain.
 In addition, the means for pivoting of the cams advantageously comprise an
 electro-magnet, which is secured to the longitudinal profiled section by
 means of a ring, which is provided with means for detachable securing to
 the said profiled section, thus eliminating any need to adjust the
 relative position of the conveyor carrier arms and of the said
 electro-magnet, as a result of the fact that these two components are
 supported by a single profiled section.
 According to another characteristic of the invention, for each conveyor
 line, the conveyor device comprises a re-engagement disc, which is
 supported by the transverse shaft of the toothed wheel downstream, and is
 disposed such as to be on the path of the conveyor carrier arms.
 In addition, for each conveyor line, it advantageously comprises a disc
 which is provided with a peripheral strip of foam, which is supported by
 the transverse shaft of the toothed wheel downstream, and is disposed such
 as to be on the path of the ejection heels of the conveyor carrier arms,
 and to damp the noise caused by locking of the conveyor carrier arms.

The conveyor device shown in FIG. 1 is designed to provide transport of
 fruit and vegetables, and, according to predetermined selection criteria,
 to permit selective discharge of the said fruit or vegetables at unloading
 areas, disposed one after another, along the path of the said conveyor
 device.
 A conveyor device of this type is designed in particular to be integrated
 in a sorting unit such as described in French patent FR 2,716,874, and to
 constitute the second conveyor of this conveyor unit, which provides
 transport of fruit or vegetables between the area for loading and optical
 analysis of the latter, and the unloading areas, and along the path of
 which there is interposed an intermediate conveyor, which is designed to
 receive the fruit or vegetables temporarily, for the purpose of weighing
 of the latter.
 This conveyor device firstly comprises an endless chain 1, which is engaged
 around two toothed wheels, a single one of which, the downstream toothed
 wheel 2, is shown in FIG. 1, each of which is supported by a transverse
 shaft such as 3.
 At the upper edge of the conveyor device, this endless chain 1 is supported
 by a horizontal longitudinal profiled section 4 with a rectangular
 cross-section, made of polyethylene, which forms a guide rail for the said
 endless chain, on which the rollers of the latter are displaced.
 This guide rail 4 is itself supported by an aluminium profiled section 6,
 which is provided for this purpose with a horizontal upper groove 5, into
 which the lower part of the said guide rail is forced.
 Secondly, the conveyor device comprises a plurality of supports such as 7,
 8, which are designed to be locked onto the endless chain 1, each of which
 supports two conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, which extend transversely on
 both sides of the said supports, and are articulated on the latter such
 that they can pivot between a position for transport of the fruit and
 vegetables, and a tilted position for discharge of the said fruit or
 vegetables at an unloading area.
 Each of these supports 7, 8 firstly comprises an upper wall in the shape of
 a truncated dihedron, consisting of two faces 11, 12 which are inclined
 transversely, and extend on both sides of a central longitudinal groove
 13, which is centred on the longitudinal axis of the conveyor device.
 In addition, each face 11, 12 has a double incline, and comprises a first,
 median strip with a width 11a, which juxtaposes the slot 13, and has
 inclination which is less than that of a second, lateral strip which has a
 width 11b.
 Each support 7, 8 additionally comprises a lower wall 14, which, together
 with the median strips 11a of the faces 11, 12 of the upper wall, is
 designed to delimit a volume, the transverse cross-section of which is in
 the general shape of a rhombus.
 For this purpose, this lower wall 14, comprises two symmetrical inclined
 lateral faces 14a, 14b, which are connected by a horizontal central strip
 14c.
 In addition, longitudinal braces such as 15 are provided between the upper
 walls 11, 12 and lower wall 14, and are disposed such as to extend between
 the base of the groove 13 and the central strip 14c.
 Each support 7, 8 additionally comprises two vertical longitudinal walls
 16a, 16b, which extend beneath the central strip 14c of the lower wall 14,
 and delimit together with the latter a cover with a width equivalent to
 that of the endless chain 1, which can accommodate the latter, and has a
 depth greater than the thickness of the said endless chain.
 In addition, inside the aforementioned cover, each support 7, 8 comprises
 two other longitudinal walls 17a, 17b, with heights greater than those of
 the vertical walls 16a, 16b, which delimit inside the first cover:
 firstly, together with the central strip 14c of the lower wall 14, a second
 cover which has a width and depth designed to cover the quasi totality of
 the portion of height of the guide rail 4 which projects from the groove 5
 of the aluminium profiled section 6; and
 secondly, together with the vertical walls 16a, 16b, two longitudinal
 spaces, in which there are accommodated the links of the endless chain 1.
 In addition, each vertical wall 17a, 17b has a catch 18 for locking the
 links of the endless chain 1 inside longitudinal spaces which are
 delimited by the walls 16a, 16b and the said walls 17a, 17b.
 Each support 7, 8 also comprises two pairs of transverse walls such as 20,
 which are disposed respectively on each side of the longitudinal walls
 16a, 16b, and are delimited firstly by the said longitudinal walls 16a,
 16b, and secondly by the lower wall 14 and upper walls 11, 12, such as to
 define two transverse slides such as 19, flush with which, in addition,
 the lateral strips 11b of the faces 11, 12 of the upper wall have an
 indentation.
 Each of the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, which is made of a material such
 as polyacetyl, which has a shape memory, comprises a central bar 21, with
 a shape which is concave longitudinally, on both sides of which there
 extend at right angles a plurality of fingers such as 22, 23, which are
 disposed opposite one another, and are curved upwards, such as to impart
 to the conveyor carrier arm the form of a bowl which is extended
 transversely relative to the endless chain 1, and can accommodate a piece
 of fruit or a vegetable.
 The central bar 21, which has a width which is substantially constant
 throughout its length, seen laterally in elevation, and on both sides of
 its point of inflexion, additionally has a first end section 21a with a
 constant thickness, and a second section 21b with a thickness which
 increases from the said point of inflexion, thus imparting to the said
 second section, seen in elevation, the general shape of a right-angled
 triangle, the base of which extends substantially horizontally in the
 position for transport of the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, and of which
 the hypotenuse forms the upper surface for receipt of the fruit or
 vegetables.
 In the extension of the second section 21b of the central bar 21, each
 conveyor carrier arm 9, 10 additionally comprises a "body" 24 for
 articulation of the said conveyor carrier arm on a support 7, 8, which is
 designed to be inserted in one of the transverse slides 19 of the said
 support.
 This body 24, which has a width substantially equivalent to that of the
 central bar 21, which, as previously described, is designed to be inserted
 in one of the slides 19 of the supports 7, 8, is additionally hollow, and
 is delimited by a peripheral edge 25, which has:
 a front section portion 25a, which extends in the continuity of the upper
 surface of the transverse bar 21, and, in the locked position of the
 conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, has inclination conjugated with that of the
 lateral strip 11b of the upper wall of the support 7, 8, which is designed
 to extend together with the upper surface of the said lateral strip;
 a lower section portion 25b, which extends in the continuity of the base of
 the second section 21b of the central bar 21; and
 a curved rear section portion 25c.
 This body additionally comprises a rear heel 26, which projects beneath the
 lower section 25b of the peripheral edge 25.
 It also comprises an inner locking recess 27, which is provided
 substantially at the intersection of the front section 25a and rear
 section 25c of the peripheral edge 25, and is designed to accommodate a
 longitudinal shaft 28, which extends through the apertures provided in the
 transverse walls 20, which delimit each slide 19 of the supports 7, 8,
 such as to maintain the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10 in their position for
 transport of the fruit or vegetables.
 In addition, the rear section 25c of the peripheral edge 25 has on its
 interior an inclined flat ramp 29 for access to the recess 27, which
 extends in the continuity of the curved portion of the said rear section.
 Finally, this body 24 comprises an inner longitudinal sleeve 31, which is
 provided at the end of a deformable flexible plate 32, which, at its other
 end, is integral with the rear section 25c of the peripheral edge 25, and
 is disposed such that it extends horizontally in the position for
 transport of the conveyor carrier arms.
 This inner sleeve 31 constitutes a bearing which accommodates the
 longitudinal articulation shaft 33 of the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10,
 which extends through apertures provided in the transverse walls 20, which
 delimit each slide 19 of the supports 7, 8.
 The conveyor device additionally comprises means for release, which are
 designed to give rise selectively to tilting of the conveyor carrier arms
 9, 10 at the unloading areas.
 These means for release comprise a cam 34, which is provided with an
 inclined flat upper surface 35, which rises, looking in the direction of
 travel of the conveyor device, the said cam being supported by an
 electro-magnet 36, which can make the cam tilt around a longitudinal axis
 between two positions, i.e.:
 an active position, in which this cam 34 extends substantially vertically,
 and is on the path of the heels 26 of the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, and
 in which, as a result of its profile, it gives rise to displacement
 upwards of the said heels, and tilting of the said conveyor carrier arms,
 which is made possible by the capacity for deformation of the flexible
 plate 32; and
 a passive position shown in FIG. 3, in which this cam 34 is inclined in the
 direction of the guide rail 4, and permits passage of the heels 26 of the
 conveyor carrier arms 9, 10.
 Each electro-magnet 36 is also mounted on one of the lateral surfaces of
 the profiled section 6, by means of substantially semi-cylindrical rings
 37, which have firstly, at their upper longitudinal edge, a profile 38 for
 hooking onto longitudinal ribs 39 with which the said profiled section is
 provided, and secondly, a flat lower edge 40, for support against the
 profiled section 6, thus making it possible to render the said ring
 integral on the latter by means of screws 41.
 Additionally, at the lower edge of the endless chain 1, the conveyor device
 comprises a guide rail 42, and a profiled section 43, which are similar to
 the guide rail 4 and the profiled section 6, the said guide rail having a
 width which is designed to be accommodated in the central groove 13 of the
 supports 7, 8, such as to guide the said supports without wearing the
 endless chain 1.
 This conveyor device additionally comprises means for re-engagement of the
 conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, which are designed to make the latter pivot
 from their tilted position towards their locked position. These means for
 re-engagement consist of two polyethylene discs 47, 48, which are
 supported by the transverse shaft 3 of the toothed wheel 2 downstream, on
 both sides of the latter, such as to be disposed on the path of the
 conveyor carrier arms 9, 10, in order to make the latter pivot towards
 their position for transport.
 Finally, the conveyor device comprises two other polyethylene discs 44, 45,
 which are supported by the transverse shaft 3 of the toothed wheel 2
 downstream, and are disposed between the said toothed wheel and the
 re-engagement discs 47, 48, such as to be located on the path of the heels
 26 of the conveyor carrier arms 9, 10.
 These two discs 44, 45 are encircled by a peripheral strip of foam 46,
 which acts as a sound damper, to damp the noise caused by locking of the
 conveyor carrier arms.