Patent ID: 7412817

Claim:
A method for cleaning and conditioning a harvested produce with a mobile apparatus, the method including the steps of: a) collecting the harvested produce with an uptake section, the uptake section including an infeed scoop and an uptake conveyor, the infeed scoop maintained at a close proximity to a ground surface, the harvested produce lying on the ground surface in a scattered covering, the scattered covering including the harvested produce, and the scattered covering additionally including a debris; b) gathering, the scattered covering into the uptake conveyor; c) depositing the scattered covering onto a separation conveyor; d) enclosing the separation conveyor within a plenum, the separation conveyor including a discharge end and a separation belt, and the separation belt including a mesh; e) directing a suction airstream to flow through the separation belt; f) removing the debris from the separation belt with the suction airstream; g) retaining the harvested produce on the separation belt; h) generating a supply airstream with a fan, the fan having a supply side and a suction side; i) routing an air return duct to the suction side of the fan, the air return duct connected to the plenum at a plenum outlet; j) pulling the suction airstream from the plenum with the air return duct; k) routing an air supply duct from the supply side of the fan, the air supply duct connected to the plenum at a plenum inlet; and l) supplying the supply airstream to the plenum with the air supply duct.