ES1286390U - Adjustable roller peeler for dried fruits (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Adjustable roller roller peeler formed by two bodies of peeling (1, 2) formed in turn by a rotor (3) with projections (4) or brushes and a series of rollers (5) of smaller size around to the above rotor (3) positioned in its lower part in the form of a semi-cylinder, so that the peel of the fruit is carried out by rubbing between the projections (4) and the rollers (5) characterized by that said bodies of peeling (1, 2) are located one on top of each other, performing the feeding of the fruit to the machine through a hopper (7) located at the top at one of the ends of the upper body (1), and there being a displaceable conveyor belt (6) Located between the two bodies (1, 2) under the upper body (1) and above the lower body (2) which serves to feed the lower body (2), existing at the opposite end of the hopper (7) of the upper body (1) in the direction of your shaft a secondary channeling (14) that leads The fruit on the displaceable conveyor belt (6) and at the end opposite of the header (11) of the lower body (2) in the direction of its axis, a tertiary channeling (15) that collects the fruit at its output, being below below of the secondary channeling (14) of the upper body (1). being able the conveyor belt (6) adjusting its fixing position on an axis parallel to the axis of the bodies (1, 2), approaching or moving away from the header (11) of the lower body (2), so that the fruit coming from The belt (6) drops to the lower body (2) at the end through said header (11), or in an intermediate position of the lower body (2) varying the point where the lower body is fed (2 and, therefore, the length of the peeling path in the inner body (2). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

ADJUSTABLE ROLLER PEELER FOR DRY FRUITS

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention falls within the field of machinery for agricultural production, specifically machinery for peeling almonds and other nuts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nuts are characterized by having less than 50% water in their natural composition. They are very energetic foods, rich in fat, protein, as well as trace elements and, depending on the type of nut, they can also provide good amounts of vitamins, especially group B, and fatty acids.

Thanks to these properties, as well as their organoleptic characteristics, they are widely used foods both in domestic cooking and in industrial food production. Among them, the almond is one of the most consumed, thanks to its nutritional properties as well as its flavor and texture.

The almond appears on the tree with a skin or exocarp joined to an intermediate layer or mesocarp, below which is the shell or endocarp. In the process of handling the almonds for consumption, this skin or exocarp must be removed before proceeding to remove the shell and eventually the thin skin of the pip for use as an ingredient in processed foods, either in the domestic environment or in the industrial.

For this reason, peeling to remove the exocarp of almonds and other nuts is an important process in their production for human consumption and, historically, various systems have been developed for their mechanization in order to improve the productivity and profitability of said process.

For example, document ES0333079 describes a machine that performs the peeled by the friction of the fruit between a rotor and some shoes mounted on some elastic elements pressing against said roller. The roller is in a fixed position and the pressure exerted by the shoes can be adjusted by means of nuts. The fruit falls on evacuation cylinders with a spiral projection that separates the skins.

ES0431743 describes a machine that performs the peeling by rubbing the fruit between a rotor with longitudinal brushes with steel spikes and rotating rollers in its lower part located in a semi-cylinder. It contemplates an arrangement with two stages of brushes. The rollers themselves also evacuate the skins, having a spiral projection as in the previous case.

More recently, ES1244977 describes a machine that performs peeling by friction between a rotor with a series of projections and rotating rollers located in a lower semi-cylinder-shaped envelope. There are clear similarities between this invention and the one described in ES0431743, having a main claim that describes the same operating principle. Some differences appear in the dependent claims, such as rubber protrusions instead of brushes, and a parallel arrangement of the cylinders. The distance between central rotor and rollers is fixed.

The use of rollers is widespread as an efficient peeling system, but these inventions, as well as the systems currently on the market, have the main drawback of their rigidity, not being adaptable to different varieties of dried fruit with different hardness and adherence of its skin, some varieties showing different difficulty in detaching the cap from the exocarp. On the other hand, the same variety of almond behaves, in terms of hardness, differently if it is harvested from the ground or from the tree, with various variants of machinery being necessary for different varieties and types of harvesting.

The systems currently on the market are also not adaptable to different production volumes, so it would be especially important to provide producers with machinery that allows them to increase the flexibility of production plants.

For this reason, there is an unmet need in the market for peeling machines for almonds and other nuts based on rollers that are flexible, allowing adapt to different varieties of fruit, harvest methods and production quantities without the need to incorporate different types of machine.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to obtain an adjustable roller peeler for dried fruit that is flexible, allowing it to be adapted to different varieties of fruit, forms of harvesting and production quantities without the need to incorporate different types of machine.

The adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention is made up of, at least, two peeling bodies formed by a rotor with projections or brushes and a series of smaller rollers around the front rotor positioned in its lower part in the form of a semi-cylinder, so that the fruit is peeled by friction between the projections and the rollers. Specifically, each of the rollers rotates in the opposite direction of the adjacent roller, so that the skin or exocarp is removed by friction and separated from the shelled almond.

Through its rotation, the rotor causes the almond to come out of the exocarp and removes the mass of product to cause the maximum amount of skins or skins to be positioned on the roller cradle. Said peels then fall down through the rollers and the peeled fruit moves longitudinally on the same rollers due to their rotation.

The two peeling bodies are located one above the other and this allows to operate with the two bodies in parallel or with the two bodies in series.

Operating in parallel, the flow of fruit is divided into two equal parts, so that both bodies are interlocking and peeling the same amount of almond each. The stripping path is the length of each body.

Operating in series, all the flow will pass through one body and then the other, increasing the peeling path and thus the peeling capacity, necessary in some varieties that show greater difficulty in detaching the cap from the exocarp.

Between the two bodies there is a movable conveyor belt located below the upper body and above the lower body which serves to feed the lower body with fruit. Said belt allows adjusting its fixing position on an axis parallel to the axis of the bodies, and thus the point at which the lower body is fed. Thanks to this, the length of the peeling path in the lower body is varied, which is thus also variable. The conveyor belt can also vary the direction of its movement.

The fruit is fed to the machine through a hopper located in the upper part at one of the ends of the upper body. Two primary pipes depart from said hopper, one towards the head of the upper body and another towards the head of the lower body. The entrance of each of the channels is equipped with a gate or gate that can be opened or closed to allow the passage of the fruit to each of the bodies.

At the opposite end to the hopper of the upper body in the direction of its axis there is a secondary channel that drives the fruit on the movable conveyor belt.

The position of the movable conveyor belt can approach or move away from the head of the lower body, so that the fruit coming from the belt falls to the lower body at the end through said head, or else in an intermediate position of the lower body.

At the opposite end to the head of the lower body in the direction of its axis, there is a tertiary channel that collects the fruit at its exit, being located below the secondary channel of the upper body.

For the operation of the bodies in series, only the gate corresponding to the upper body is opened, the fruit enters through the primary channel to the head of the upper body, passes through said upper body to be peeled, goes down through the secondary channel of the body superior to the movable belt, which transports the fruit to the head of the lower body, or to an intermediate position depending on its location. The fruit passes through the lower body for additional peeling to the tertiary channel and is evacuated for collection.

For the operation of the two bodies in parallel, the two gates are opened and the fruit falls from the hopper to the head of the upper body and to the head of the lower body at the same time. The movable belt reverses the direction of its movement, evacuating downwards through the tertiary channel of the lower body the peeled fruit through the upper body, which comes out through its secondary channel, joining the peeled fruit through the lower body.

The distance between the axes of the rotors and the rollers in each of the bodies is adjustable, which allows the peeling pressure to be varied and thus its peeling aggressiveness depending on the type of fruit. The group of rollers is mounted on a fixed chassis, and the regulation is carried out by means of a spindle, whose axis is solidary with the rotor axis, and a nut inserted in said spindle and fixed to said chassis, so that, when rotating the spindle, it moves longitudinally and with it the axis of the rotor with respect to the rollers. Said regulation can be automated by activating the rotation of the spindle by means of a motor.

In this way, the peeler can be adapted to different varieties of fruit by varying both the peeling path and the distance between the rotor and the roller. Likewise, it can adapt to a higher production when the bodies work in parallel.

Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprise" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical characteristics, components, additives or steps. Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in part from the invention and in part from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the invention covers all possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments indicated here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, where for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented: following:

Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a partial detail in axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for dried fruit object of the present invention.

Figure 3a shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention with an indication of the cross section.

Figure 3b shows a cross-sectional view as indicated in figure 3a of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention in series operation configuration.

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention in series operation configuration with an intermediate feeding point.

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention in parallel operation configuration.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Using the numbering adopted in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this document to identify the elements that make up the adjustable roller peeler for nuts object of the present invention, we proceed to the description of said elements for a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustable roller peeler for dried fruit is made up of at least two peeling bodies (1, 2) formed by a rotor (3) with projections (4) or brushes and a series of smaller rollers (5) around the rotor (3) positioned in its lower part in the form of a semi-cylinder, so that the peeling of the fruit is carried out by friction between the projections (4) and the rollers (5), turning each of the rollers (5) rotates in the opposite direction of the roller adjacent.

The rotor (3) causes by its rotation that the almond leaves the exocarp and removes the product mass so that the skins are positioned on the roller cradle (5), fall through said rollers (5) downwards and the Peeled fruit moves longitudinally on the rollers (5) due to its rotation.

The two peeling bodies (1, 2) are located one above the other and this allows to operate with the two bodies in parallel or with the two bodies in series.

Between the two bodies (1, 2) there is a movable conveyor belt (6) located below the upper body (1) and above the lower body (2) which serves to feed the lower body (2) with fruit. Said belt (6) allows adjusting its fixing position on an axis parallel to the axis of the bodies (1, 2), and thus the point at which the lower body (2) is fed. Thanks to this, the length of the peeling path in the lower body (2) is varied, which is thus also variable. The conveyor belt (6) can also vary the direction of its movement.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fruit is fed to the machine through a hopper (7) located in the upper part at one of the ends of the upper body (1). Two primary pipes depart from said hopper (7), one (8) towards the head (10) of the upper body (1) and another (9) towards the head (11) of the lower body (2). The entrance of each of the channels (8, 9) is equipped with a gate (12, 13) or gate that can be opened or closed to allow the passage of the fruit to each of the bodies (1, 2).

At the opposite end to the hopper (7) of the upper body (1) in the direction of its axis there is a secondary channel (14) that drives the fruit on the movable conveyor belt (6).

The position of the movable conveyor belt (6) can be moved closer to or further away from the head (11) of the lower body (2), so that the fruit coming from the belt (6) falls to the lower body (2) at the end through said head (11), or in an intermediate position of the body bottom (2).

At the opposite end to the head (11) of the lower body (2) in the direction of its axis, there is a tertiary channel (15) that collects the fruit at its exit, being located below the secondary channel (14) of the upper body. (1).

For the operation of the bodies (1, 2) in series, only the gate (12) corresponding to the upper body (1) is opened, the fruit enters through the primary channel (8) to the head (10) of the upper body ( 1), passes through said upper body (1) for peeling, goes down through the secondary channel (14) of the upper body (1) to the movable belt (6), which transports the fruit to the head (11) of the lower body (2), or to an intermediate position depending on its location. The fruit passes through the lower body (2) for additional peeling to the tertiary channel (15) and is evacuated for collection.

For the operation of the two bodies (1, 2) in parallel, the two gates (12, 13) are opened and the fruit falls from the hopper (7) to the head (10) of the upper body (1) and to the head (11) of the lower body (2) at the same time. The movable conveyor belt (6) reverses the direction of its movement, evacuating downwards through the tertiary channel (15) of the lower body (2) the peeled fruit through the upper body (1) that comes out through its secondary channel (14), joining the peeled fruit by the lower body.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance between the axes of the rotor (3) and the rollers (5) in each of the bodies (1, 2) is adjustable, which allows the peeling pressure to be varied and thus its aggressiveness of peeling depending on the type of fruit. The group of rollers (5) is mounted on a fixed chassis (16) and the regulation is carried out by means of a spindle (17), whose axis is integral with the axis of the rotor (3), and a nut (18) inserted in said spindle (17) and fixed to said chassis (16), so that, when the spindle (17) rotates, it moves longitudinally and with it the axis of the rotor (2) with respect to the rollers (5). Said regulation can be automated by activating the rotation of the spindle by means of a motor (19).

Claims (6)

1. Adjustable roller peeler for dried fruit formed by two peeling bodies (1, 2) formed in turn by a rotor (3) with projections (4) or brushes and a series of smaller rollers (5) around to the previous rotor (3) positioned in its lower part in the form of a semi-cylinder, so that the peeling of the fruit is carried out by friction between the projections (4) and the rollers (5) characterized in that said peeling bodies (1, 2 ) are located one above the other, feeding the fruit to the machine through a hopper (7) located in the upper part at one of the ends of the upper body (1), and there is a movable conveyor belt (6) located between the two bodies (1, 2) below the upper body (1) and above the lower body (2) which serves to feed the lower body (2) with fruit, existing at the end opposite the hopper (7) of the upper body (1) in the direction of its axis a secondary pipe (14) that leads the fruit on the movable conveyor belt (6) and at the end opposite the head (11) of the lower body (2) in the direction of its axis, a tertiary channel (15) that collects the fruit at its exit, being located below of the secondary pipe (14) of the upper body (1). the conveyor belt (6) being able to adjust its fixing position in an axis parallel to the axis of the bodies (1, 2), approaching or moving away from the head (11) of the lower body (2), so that the fruit coming from the tape (6) falls to the lower body (2) at the end through said header (11), or else in an intermediate position of the lower body (2) thereby varying the point at which the lower body (2) is fed ) and, therefore, the length of the peeling path in the lower body (2). 2. Adjustable roller peeler for nuts according to claim 1, where two primary pipes start from the hopper (7), one (8) towards the head (10) of the upper body (1) and another (9) towards the head ( 11) of the lower body (2), the entrance of each of the channels (8, 9) being equipped with a gate (12, 13) or gate that can be opened or closed to allow the passage of the fruit to each of the bodies (1, 2). 3. Adjustable roller peeler for nuts according to claims 1 and 2, where the bodies (1, 2) perform a serial peeling operation, opening the gate (12) corresponding to the upper body (1), the fruit entering through the primary pipeline (8) to the header (10) of the upper body (1), passing through said body (1) for peeling, descending through the secondary channel (14) of the upper body (1) to the movable belt (6), which transports the fruit to the head (11) of the lower body (2), or to an intermediate position depending on its location, passing the fruit through the lower body (2) for its additional peeling until the tertiary canalization (15) evacuating for its collection. 4. Adjustable roller peeler for nuts according to claims 1 and 2, where the movable conveyor belt (6) reverses its direction of movement, allowing the two bodies (1, 2) to carry out a peeling operation in parallel, opening for this the two chutes (12, 13) and the fruit falling from the hopper (7) to the head (10) of the upper body (1) and to the head (11) of the lower body (2) at the same time, evacuating downwards through the tertiary channeling (15) of the lower body (2) the fruit peeled by the upper body (1) that comes out through its secondary channeling (14), joining the fruit peeled by the lower body (2). 5. Adjustable roller peeler for nuts according to claim 1, where the distance between the axes of the rotor (3) and the rollers (5) in each of the bodies (1, 2) is adjustable, which allows the pressure to vary of the peeled, being the group of rollers (5) mounted on a fixed chassis (16) and performing the regulation by means of a spindle (17), whose axis is solidary with the axis of the rotor (3), and a nut (18) inserted in said spindle (17) and fixed to said chassis (16), so that, when the spindle (17) rotates, it moves longitudinally and with it the axis of the rotor (2) with respect to the rollers (5). 6. Adjustable roller peeler for nuts according to claim 5, where the rotation of the spindle (17) is driven by a motor (19), so that the regulation of the distance between the rotor (3) and the rollers (5) can be automated. .