Abstract:
A decelerator comprising a deceleration tank and an extraction conveyor is disclosed. The decelerator is adapted for use with apples or similar objects. These objects are delivered to the tank from a pneumatic tube transport system. The tank contains a quantity of liquid such as water. In one embodiment, the objects splash into the water and are extracted from the water by an extraction conveyor. In a second embodiment, a baffle gate divides the tank between a forward section and a rear section. The delivered objects splash into the water in the forward section, travel under the baffle gate, and are extracted from the water by an extraction conveyor in communication with the rear tank section. In another embodiment, the tank is divided into first, second and third sections by selectively appeasable gate which provides an air lock arrangement. The extraction conveyor can comprise a plurality of side belts and a plurality of foraminous, flexible cradles hung between the belts.

Description:
RELATED CASES AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/145,899 filed Jan. 20, 2009 entitled “Deceleration Tank and Extraction Conveyor” and from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/146,468 filed Jan. 22, 2009 entitled “Multi-Section Decelerator Tank.” The invention relates generally to decelerator devices for receiving relatively delicate objects such as apples from a pneumatic vacuum tube transport system and for transferring those decelerated objects to an extraction and conveyance device. 
     
    
       [0002]    Fruit such as apples are traditionally hand-picked and gently handled. In accordance with widespread current practice, the picking personnel climb ladders and then carefully separate the apples or other fruit from the trees and then place the picked fruit in bags which are worn by the pickers. The pickers, carrying the filled fruit bags, then climb down their picking ladders, walk to a collecting bin, and then carefully and gently unload the fruit from the bags into the bin. The pickers then return to the ladders near the trees and repeat the cycle. In some environments, as much as 70% of the picker&#39;s time is spent in traveling from the tree to the bin, unloading the bag into the bin, and returning to the tree; in these environments, only 30% of the picker&#39;s time will be spent in actually picking fruit from the tree. 
         [0003]    New systems have been developed which will greatly reduce the need for the pickers to move between the trees and bins. One family of such systems provides a pneumatic tube transport system. In use, the pickers are able to pick fruit substantially continuously; each picker deposits the picked fruit in a sleeve or other device which leads to a pneumatic transport tube. The picked fruit travels through the tube for further processing. The invention which is the subject of this patent application provides for the safe and gentle deceleration of the fruit traveling through the pneumatic tubes, so that the fruit can be further processed and then gently placed in a collecting bin. 
         [0004]    It is contemplated that the invention described and claimed herein can be used with the invention described and claimed in U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/028,351 filed Feb. 13, 2008 entitled “Mobile System for Improving the Picking and Preliminary Processing of Apples, Citrus, Stone Fruit and like Objects,” which has been claimed as priority in follow-on U.S. Ser. No. 12/371,446 filed Feb. 13, 2009 with the same title, and also claimed as priority in follow-on PCT International Application No. PCT/US2009/034132 filed Feb. 13, 2009 entitled “Mobile System for Improving the Picking and Preliminary Processing of Apples, Citrus, Stone Fruit and Like Objects” now Publication No. WO 2009/103008 published on Aug. 20, 2009. 
         [0005]    It is contemplated that the invention described and claimed herein can also be used with the invention described and claimed in U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/920,069 filed Mar. 26, 2007 entitled “Picking and/or Moving Device” and Ser. No. 60/949,630 filed Jul. 13, 2007 entitled “Modifications And Improvements To Membranes Inside Pneumatic Transport Tubes,” both of which were claimed as priority in U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 12/055,209 filed Mar. 25, 2008, entitled “Transport System for Fruit and Like Objects” now Publication No. US-2008-0279640-A1 published on Nov. 13, 2008, and both also claimed as priority in follow-on PCT International Application No. PCT/US08/058,151 filed Mar. 25, 2008 entitled “Transport System for Fruit and Like Objects” now Publication No. WO 2008/118915 A1 published Oct. 2, 2009. All of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. These novel delivery systems and this present invention are expected to substantially increase the productivity of the pickers, and favorably affect the economics of the fruit orchard business. 
         [0006]    It is an object of this invention to provide mechanism and apparatus for receiving apples or other objects moving from the delivery end of a pneumatic tube system, for decelerating the motion of those objects, and for delivering those objects to a device such as an extraction conveyor for further transport and processing. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide an extraction conveyor which will gently collect and transport objects from the deceleration device so as to minimize bruising or other damage to the objects. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a combined deceleration device and downstream extraction conveyor for gently handling fruit or like delicate objects. 
         [0009]    Yet another object of this invention is to receive and decelerate the transported objects from the pneumatic tubes and then present the decelerated objects to downstream processing equipment operating in an ambient pressure environment, all without bruising or otherwise damaging the objects being transported and presented. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will reliably and inexpensively accomplish the foregoing tasks. 
         [0011]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon a reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an elevational schematic view of an embodiment of the novel deceleration tank and extraction conveyor as they appear when incorporated into and used with the novel fruit transport and collection system. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic side elevational view of the deceleration tank and extraction conveyor shown in  FIG. 1 . The sidewall has been omitted for clarity. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the deceleration tank and extraction conveyor shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention. Sidewalls of the invention have been omitted for clarity. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  are isometric views of gate mechanisms shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5   a  and  5   b.    
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the invention shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5   a  and  5   b.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment and procedure, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this embodiment and procedure. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0020]    Turning first to  FIG. 1 , there is a mobile fruit harvester transport and management system  8  designed in accordance with the patent applications incorporated by reference and referred to above. This harvester system  8  includes a novel decelerator subsystem  10  here comprising a novel deceleration tank  18  and a novel extraction conveyor  20 . Pickers P pick fruit such as apples from trees (not shown) and deposit the picked fruit in sleeves  14  or equivalent receivers which lead to pneumatic tubes  16 . These pneumatic tubes  16  transport the fruit to the novel vacuum deceleration tank  18  and extraction conveyor  20  comprising the deceleration subsystem  10 . Fruit extracted from the deceleration tank  18  by the extraction conveyor  20  is deposited upon a scanning cross conveyor  22  where it can be examined manually or by automated equipment  23 . Fruit having blemishes or fruit of an undesired color or size can be diverted, or culled, into a cull dry bin  24 . Desired fruit can be delivered to a dry bin conveyor  26  which places that fruit in a dry bin  28 . The collection dry bin  28 , when filled, can be placed on the ground for subsequent pick up by a vehicle which will take the filled dry bin  28  to a packing shed or other facility. An engine  29  provides power to the various conveyors and subsystems. 
         [0021]    An embodiment of the deceleration tank  18  and extraction conveyor  20  are more particularly shown in  FIG. 2 . An adjustable inlet  40  connected to one or more pneumatic tubes  16  leads the traveling apples A or other fruit to the deceleration tank  18 . The tank  18  is enclosed by a bottom  41 , sides  42  and top  43 . Within the tank  18 , baffle gate  45  can be provided which divides the deceleration tank  18  into a forward section  47  and a rear section  48 . At least part of the baffle gate  45  preferably extends at an angle (here, 45°) from a mount  50  inside the tank diagonally downward toward, but not completely to, the tank bottom  41 . A suitable liquid (preferably water) partly fills the water bath tank  18 , including the two intercommunicating sections  47  and  48 . Cleansers, disinfectants, or other agents can be mixed in the water or other fluid if desired. 
         [0022]    An exhaust connection  55  functionally communicates via tubing  56  with a remote conventional vacuum source (not shown) to provide a partial exhaust vacuum E in the forward section  47 . Known adjustment means  57  such as an air flow valve can be provided to adjust the amount of vacuum over the liquid in the forward section  47 . This decreased air pressure above the water causes the water level  59  in the forward section  47  to rise slightly above the water level  61  in the rear section  48 . The partial vacuum also provides an air-pressure differential across the apples in the pneumatic transport tubing  16 , causing them to travel toward and into the deceleration tank  18  in accordance with the patent applications referred to above. 
         [0023]    In operation, the apples A or other objects traveling along the tube  16  are delivered by the tank inlet  40  to the forward section  47  of the water bath tank  18 , where the apples splash into the water. As suggested by the arrows T, the apples are momentarily immersed in the water, and the momentum of their travel carries them angularly downwardly into the water and past a lower edge  65  of the baffle gate  45  and into the rear section  48  of the tank  18 . The buoyancy of the apples carries them up to the surface  61  of the water in the rear section  48 . Angle adjustment mechanism  70  permits the pneumatic tube gate delivery end and tank inlet  40  to be positioned relative to the surface of the water so that the incoming objects will travel under the baffle gate edge  65  and along the desired path of travel T. An observation window  68  can be provided in the tank wall to permit the system operator to check for sunken apples, debris, or system malfunctions. Alternatively, it may be possible to merely introduce the apples or other objects to the water bath without deeply immersing them, in which case the baffle  45  would not be necessary. 
         [0024]    The extraction conveyor  100  here comprises two separated endless side belts  105 ,  106  which are routed over drive pulleys  108  and locating idlers  109 ,  110 ,  111 ,  112 . Extending between the belts  105 ,  106  are a series of leading and following cross rods  115 ,  116  which can be padded with rubber or other resilient covers  118  ( FIG. 3 ) if desired. To reliably engage, extract, lift and transport the apples A or other objects in accordance with the invention, a flexible mesh net or other pliable foraminous or fenestrated material extends between each of the leading cross rods  115  and its partnered trailing cross rod  116  to form a depending curvilinear cradle  120  extending between the side belts  105 ,  106 . 
         [0025]    When the pulleys  108 - 112  are arranged as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a diagonally ascending belt run  125  orients correspondingly ascending cradles  120  so as to engage and gently extract an apple A or other floating object with a diagonally upward scooping motion. Water adjacent the Apple A or other objects drains through the mesh and back into the tank rear section  48 . The Apple A or other object is discharged from the conveyor  100  as the object-containing cradle  120  turns over the top drive pulley  108 . Each discharged apple A can be there engaged by a cross conveyor  22  ( FIG. 1 ) for examination and further transport and processing. 
         [0026]    If desired, the lower pulleys  110 ,  111  can be located relatively close to the tank bottom  41  so that the cradles  120  will engage sunken items resting on the bottom of the tank. If desired, the cradles  120  can be provided in a continuous array between each of the cross rods  115 ,  116  so that no object can travel between the side belts  105 ,  106  without being engaged by a cradle  120 , and so that each object will be engaged by a cradle and then will be lifted out of the tank  18 . 
         [0027]    As indicated in  FIG. 3 , the tank  18  and the discharge conveyor  100  are relatively narrow; they are not much wider than the pneumatic transport tube  16  and its associated tank inlet  40  or the apples A or other objects being transported and handled. By confining the width of these mechanisms to dimensions ranging from just slightly wider than a single apple or object to a maximum width of less than twice the width of that apple or object, the floating apples A or objects are encouraged to form a single file, and each apple A or object is engaged and extracted from the tank  18  by a single conveyor cradle  120 . The apples A or objects are thus delivered one at a time to the receiving cross conveyor so that they can be individually examined and further processed. Object organizing or distributing equipment thus may be unnecessary. 
         [0028]    If desired, the discharge conveyor  100  can be mounted on a subframe  101  ( FIG. 3 ), so that the conveyor can be conveniently removed from the tank  18  for maintenance or repair. 
         [0029]    A second embodiment of the deceleration device is shown in  FIGS. 4 through 7 . Here, the deceleration device  200  takes the form of a tank divided into three sections  211 ,  212  and  213 . Each of these sections  211 ,  212 , and  213  contain a fluid such as water. Apples or other objects move rapidly toward the tank along pneumatic transport tubes (not shown) to a tube nozzle  215 . A vacuum is maintained in these tubes and in the nozzle  215  by a conventional source of vacuum  217 . 
         [0030]    Apples and many other fruits and objects float when placed in water. As described above, these objects exit the pneumatic tube nozzle  215 , and they are immersed in the water. Under some conditions, the momentum of the apples might carry the apples down into the water with sufficient force to impact the tank bottom and thus bruise or otherwise damage the apples. To inhibit this, flexible fingerlike elements  220  made of foam plastic or other suitable materials are mounted to the bottom of the first tank section  211  in positions to intercept and slow the travel of the apples or other objects being immersed in the water. 
         [0031]    When a number of objects (for example, 20 to 30 apples) have been collected in the first tank section  211 , a first gate  222  can be opened by a mechanical pulley arrangement  219  or a hydraulic device  223  as suggested in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . A water jet  224  shown in  FIG. 4  can be provided to direct a flow of water, and if desired, air across the top of the water in this first section  211  so as to urge the floating apples from the first section  211  through the open gate  222  to the second section  212 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a pump  216  can be provided to draw water from the second section  212  and return that water to the first section  211 . Thus, there may be a difference in depth of water or fluid in the first and second sections of as much as one or 2 inches. Under these circumstances, the apples or other floating objects will flood through the gate  222  and into the second section  212 . 
         [0032]    After the floating objects have been delivered from the first section  211  to the second section  212 , the first gate  222  is closed and a second gate  232  is opened to permit the floating objects to be directed or urged from the second section to the third section  213 . It will be noted that, although a slight vacuum is provided in the first section, when the first gate  222  is closed and the second gate  232  is opened, both the second section  212  and the third section  213  experience ambient air pressure. Thus, the second section  212  and the gates  222  and  232  act as an air pressure lock between the reduced-air-pressure first section  211  and the ambient-air-pressure third section  213 . The second gate  232  can be opened and closed by any suitable device such as a hydraulic cylinder  233  ( FIG. 6 ). A water and/or air jet  235  can be provided to urge the floating objects from the second section  212  into the third section  213 . 
         [0033]    An extraction or transmission transition conveyor  240  can be connected to and partially submerged in the third section  213 . Here this extraction conveyor  240  takes the form of opposed but spaced apart belts  242  and  244  between which are cradle like structures  248  adapted to engage and lift the floating objects out of the water in the third tank section  213 . This conveyor can be like the extraction conveyor  100  described above.