Abstract:
An apparatus that allows a storage bin to be evenly loaded while providing an environment which prevents fruit from colliding into machinery and into each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     NOTE TO SELF TO FILL IN PRIORITY INFORMATION 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     Apples and other similar fruits are grown all over the world and every apple grower has the same concern—reducing the apples that are bruised before sale. In most cases, after apples are picked they are sent to a packing factory where they are washed (and sometimes waxed), sorted according to size, and then deposited in storage bins. Sorting is automated. Apples may be evaluated for color, sugar content, size, or some combination thereof while moving through a series of conveyors. The sorted apples are loaded into an appropriate storage bin. 
     Apples that are sold for eating or baking have shiny skin, are firm, and are free of bruises. Not only is bruising unappealing to the eye but it can also become a source of bacterial growth. Apples that are bruised are sold for processed products such as juice. Bruised apples are sold for up to several hundred dollars per ton less than apples sold for eating or baking. 
     Most apples are bruised when they moved from a supply conveyor to large bins for storage. This bruising usually occurs when the apple lands into a storage bin at high velocities, when apples collide with each other, and when apples collide with machinery. 
     Efforts have been made to reduce bruising when apples are moved from a supply conveyor belt into storage bins. For example, Fruit Handling Systems, www.fruithandling.co.nz, and Durand Wayland, www.durand-wayland.com, produce rotating head bin fillers. Since both systems are comparable, they are referred to, individually and in combination, as the fill apparatus. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the fill apparatus ( 10 ) accepts fruit from the supply (or sorting) conveyor ( 20 ) into the fill conveyor ( 11 ). The fill conveyor ( 11 ) moves the apples to a rotating arm ( 12 ). The purpose of the rotating arm ( 12 ) is to decrease the velocity of apples as they move from the sorting conveyor ( 20 ) into a storage bin ( 30 ). The rotating arm ( 12 ) is separated into segments by a plurality of steel rods. Each steel rod is dressed with a small chute which delivers the fruit from the rotating arm to the storage bin ( 30 ). The chutes also lower the velocity of the fruit as it moves from a higher level, the supply conveyor ( 20 ), to a lower level, a storage bin, preventing fruit from colliding with the storage bin or other fruit. The fill apparatus ( 10 ) also has a single sensing device indicating when a storage bin ( 30 ) is full. 
     The fill apparatus ( 10 ) has multiple drawbacks. If fruit is loaded unevenly onto the fill conveyor ( 11 ), it will be loaded unevenly into the storage bins. As a consequence, the fruit will fall from a higher location, in the storage bin, to a lower location causing fruit collision and bruising. Additionally, if the storage bin ( 30 ) is loaded unevenly, the sensor may stop the filling process prematurely reducing fill efficiency. If fruit has not achieved a sufficiently low velocity after leaving the chute ( 14 ), the fruit may also collide into the edge of the storage bin ( 30 ) causing the fruit to bruise. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore, a purpose of this invention to provide an apparatus that allows a storage bin to be efficiently and evenly loaded while providing an environment which prevents fruit from colliding into each other and into machinery. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art bin filler; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded view of the invention disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2C  is a top view of the invention disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2D  is a top view of a conveyor belt; 
         FIG. 2E  is a front end view of a conveyor belt; 
         FIG. 2F  is a side view of a conveyor belt; 
         FIG. 2G  is a perspective view of the vibrating brush assembly; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the discharge head; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top view of the discharge head where the drive shaft is shown within the gear box and dressed with elephant ears; 
         FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the discharge head and gear box assembly; 
         FIG. 3D  is a perspective view of elephants ears assembled to show their configuration when loaded onto the discharge head; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an elephant ear; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of an elephant ear; 
         FIG. 4C  is an exploded view of the attachment arm showing the cavity that mate with the section arm; 
         FIG. 4D  is a bottom perspective view of the elephant ear; 
         FIG. 4E  is an exploded view showing the cavity that mates with a spoke; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a halo curtain; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention described herein; 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the description of the invention above and in the detailed description of the invention, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. Referring now in detail to the  FIGS. 2A through 6B , wherein the same call out numbers are used where applicable, an apparatus for transferring dry fruit, or other similar matter, gently into storage bins so that the fruit does not bruise (hereinafter “Apparatus”) is described in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is identified generally as the reference number  100 . 
     The Apparatus ( 100 ) is generally shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  as having at least two elongated conveyors systems ( 200 ), a vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ), and a discharge head ( 400 ). The elongated conveyor system ( 200 ) is comprised of two parallel frame assemblies ( 203 ) and two conveyor belts ( 206 ). 
     The frame assemblies ( 203 ) consist of two portions—an inlet portion ( 201 ) and an outlet portion ( 202 ). The inlet portion ( 201 ) accepts fruit from the vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) which accepts feed from a supply conveyor ( 20 ), for example. The outlet portion ( 202 ) is attached to the discharge head ( 400 ). The inlet portion ( 201 ) and the outlet portion ( 202 ) have a near end ( 204 ) and a far end ( 205 ). The inlet portion ( 201 ) and outlet portion ( 202 ) of the frame assemblies ( 203 ) are hinged together  210 ) at the near end ( 204 ). The hinged frame assemblies ( 203 ) allow the discharge head ( 400 ) to travel in the vertical direction as a storage bin fills. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , the two conveyor belts ( 206 ) have integrated side flights ( 207 ) and flat top base flights ( 208 ). In its preferred embodiment, the conveyor belts ( 206 ) are fabricated from polypropylene approved by the FDA. However, it will be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that the conveyors ( 200 ) can be fabricated with any thermoplastic polymer or other similar material having properties approved by the FDA for food handling. The conveyor belts ( 206 ) are sprocket driven. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2C and 2E , the vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) is located at the inlet portion ( 201 ) of the frame assemblies ( 203 ). The vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) is comprised of directional brushes ( 310 ), a triangular projection ( 320 ), and a sensor (not shown). The sensor is located in the vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) at the same location as the directional brushes ( 310 ). The directional brushes ( 310 ) gently accept fruit from the supply conveyor ( 20 ) and move the fruit to the triangular projection ( 320 ). 
     Optimally, the directional brushes ( 310 ) are made from nylon bristle and are glued within the vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) at an angle of 45 degrees to the direction of fruit flow from the supply conveyor ( 20 ). And, optimally, the triangular projection ( 320 ) is embedded on the vibrating brush assembly and projects approximately 20 degrees off the vertical. The bristles of the directional brush are tilted 20 degrees off of vertical downstream, towards the discharge head ( 400 ), to promote movement. 
     The combination of directional brushes ( 310 ), triangular projection ( 320 ) and a reflective photo eye sensor equally splits a single flow of fruit coming from a supply belt to the parallel framed assemblies ( 203 ). Additionally, the reflective photo eye sensor allows for automated operations. 
     The photo eye sensor has two modes—off and on. When in the on mode, fruit accumulates in the vibrating brush assembly ( 300 ) until the photo eye sensor “sees” the fruit. Once the photo eye sensor “sees” the fruit, the conveyor belts ( 204 ) turn on for a predetermined period of time, carrying the fruit towards the discharge head ( 400 ). After the predetermined period of time, the conveyor belts ( 204 ) stop moving and fruit is allowed to accumulate. This operating system allows more gentle conveyance of fruit from the feed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A through 4D , the discharge head ( 400 ) is a rotating wheel that has a plurality spokes ( 401 ) and is positioned at a ninety degree angle from the conveyor belt system ( 200 ). The spokes ( 401 ) are attached to a hub ( 420 ) and that hub ( 420 ) is attached to a drive shaft ( 403 ). The drive shaft ( 403 ) is attached to a gear box which synchronizes the conveyor ( 200 ) with rotation of the spokes ( 401 ). The drive shaft ( 403 ) is hollow. 
     Optimally, the conveyor ( 200 ) to discharge head ( 400 ) rotation is 3 to 1 and the discharge head ( 400 ) has six spokes ( 401 ). Fewer/greater spokes reduces the amount of fruit that safely enters the discharge head ( 400 ) at one time. With six spokes, the Apparatus ( 100 ) can load, depending on fruit size, approximately 16-19 bins per hour. Prior art fillers load approximately 12 bins per hour. 
     A section arm ( 404 ) extends from each spoke ( 401 ). Each section arm ( 404 ) and spoke ( 401 ) defines an open space ( 405 ). 
     The conveyor ( 200 ) flat top base flights ( 208 ) are synchronized with each section of the discharge head. This is accomplished with a right angle thru bore helical gear box ( 420 ). The drive shaft ( 403 ) is located at the approximate center of the discharge head ( 400 ) and each spoke ( 401 ) is attached to this drive shaft ( 403 ). Each spoke ( 401 ) of the discharge head ( 400 ) is attached to a paddle ( 402 ) that swings freely. Each paddle ( 402 ) is attached to a spoke ( 401 ) using ¼″ rod. The ¼″ rod mates with the sensor actuator. Each ¼″ rod has an inside end and an outside end. The inside end of each ¼″ rod is comprised of a disc which mates with the sensor actuator and actuates a proximity switch. When the proximately switch is activated, the discharge head ( 400 ) raises to allow even flow of fruit into the storage bin. 
     The paddles ( 402 ) in combination with the sensor actuator and the proximity switch, are known as the sensor actuating assembly. The proximity switch looks for the sensor actuator. When the sensor actuator is raised to a pre-set level, the Apparatus ( 100 ) raises. The level of the actuator is determined by each of the plurality of paddles ( 402 ). As the storage bin ( 30 ) fills, the paddles ( 402 ) are pushed in the upward direction by the fruit preventing uneven bin fill. Having a plurality of paddles ( 403 ) or sensors gives a more complete picture of the bin fill level. 
     Each section ( 404 ) accepts an elephant ear ( 410 ). Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4F , an elephant ear is comprised of a rectangular portion ( 430 ) and an attachment arm ( 411 ). The rectangular portion ( 430 ) comprises of a top ( 412 ), a bottom ( 413 ), a front side ( 414 ), and a back side ( 415 ). In a preferred embodiment, the top ( 412 ) is made by sandwiching poron between nylon, and wraps around a spoke ( 401 ). The attachment arm ( 411 ) slides onto a section arm ( 404 ) and is made by sandwiching bubble wrap between nylon. The side of the rectangular portion ( 430 ) opposition to the attachment arm ( 411 ) is comprised of a bumper ( 431 ). The bumper ( 431 ) prevents the fruit from sliding off the edge of the elephant ear ( 410 ). 
     If the elephant ears ( 410 ) are too short, fruit enters the bin too quickly and distributes unevenly. If the elephant ears ( 410 ) are too long, the fruit never discharges into the bin. Optimally, the rectangular portion ( 430 ) of the elephant ear ( 410 ) is 31″×17″. 
     Optimally, portions of the elephant ears ( 410 ) which need to be flexible are constructed by sandwiching bubble rap between eight ounce rip stop nylon. Although other material was tested (corduroy, velveteen, canvas), it was found that eight ounce rip stop nylon does not mar the fruit, is durable and flexible. Portions of the elephant ears ( 410 ) which do not need to be flexible are made by sandwiching poron between eight ounce rip stop nylon. 
     In the preferred embodiment, approximately ⅓ of the top ( 412 ) of the rectangular portion ( 430 ), the attachment arm ( 411 ), and bumper is made of the poron composition. The rest of the rectangular portion is made from bubble composition. 
     Each elephant ear ( 410 ) comprises at least 3 flaps ( 440 ). The flaps ( 440 ) reduce the velocity of the fruit as they enter the elephant ears ( 410 ) and prevent multiple fruit from colliding into each other as they enter the elephant ears ( 410 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the Apparatus ( 100 ) further comprises a halo curtain ( 500 ). The halo curtain ( 500 ) sits inside a storage bin and completely curtains each all sides of the storage bin. The purpose of this curtain is to prevent fruit released from the elephant ears ( 410 ) from tumbling into the side of the storage bin. In the preferred embodiment, the halo curtain ( 500 ) is comprised of sandwiching Poron® in two layers of eight ounce rip stop nylon. Poron® is a trade name used to describe a particular type of Microcellular Urethane. This halo curtain ( 500 ) is framed by a self-supporting frame. The shape and size of the halo curtain ( 500 ) will be dependent on the storage bin. The halo curtain ( 500 ) is used in conjunction with the apparatus to reduce marring fruit. 
     In one preferred embodiment the Apparatus is stationary as shown in  FIG. 3A . In a second, preferred embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the Apparatus ( 100 ) also comprises an articulating arm ( 160 ) allowing the discharge head ( 400 ) to swing from one storage bin ( 30 ) to another.