ES1298121U - MECHANIZED FRUIT COLLECTOR AND CLEANER DEVICE (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device that is coupled to a tractor (3) with an articulated arm (4), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaner block (1) and a collapsible collector shovel (2) attached to it. said cleaning block (1), so that the harvested fruit (19) is deposited on said shovel (2) which, when folded, allows said fruit (19) to be poured onto the cleaning block (1), having the cleaning block (1) a roughly parallelepiped-shaped structure open at the top, and being formed by a hopper (13) in its upper part, a horizontal conveyor belt (14) located under the hopper (13), a limber module (15) located under the belt (14) and a drawer (11) located under the delimbing module (15), the fruit falling from the hopper (13) to the drawer (11). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device

Technical sector

The present invention falls within the field of machinery for agricultural work, specifically in the field of harvesting and cleaning systems for olives and other fruits.

Background of the invention

Harvesting is one of the most important processes related to the cultivation and agricultural exploitation of fruits, such as olives and almonds. It must be carried out in the desired state of maturity in the shortest possible time so that all the tasks of transporting and delivering the fruit for processing are carried out with the least possible degradation.

Collection systems have evolved, coexisting traditional methods with more modern ones. The traditional method in the case of olives is the vareo, in which the olive grower uses a stick or pole to knock down the olive by hitting the branches of the tree. The collection of the ground is also carried out, consisting of picking up the fallen fruits naturally from the ground when they reach their state of complete maturation. In both cases the olives fall on a blanket, canvas or bale placed to collect them.

In modern times, the mechanized vibration system has been developed, in which a clamp, generally driven by a tractor, hugs the trunk of the olive tree and makes it vibrate so that the olives fall. This process is normally accompanied by shaking, since the vibration is usually not enough to make all the olives fall.

There is also milking, in which the olives are collected by hand and one by one directly from the tree. This technique is used for table olives and for top quality oils, since it prevents the fruit from coming into contact with the ground.

Mainly in the method of vareo and in the collection of the soil, the olives that fall on the mantle have to be collected and transferred to a container for transport to the oil mill or for storage.

Normally this phase of soil collection and transfer is carried out mechanized by means of a tractor with an articulated arm and a collecting shovel at its end, in a similar way to excavators. The shovel guided by the arm allows to collect the olives piled up on the ground and deposit them in a large container.

As auxiliary machinery in these operations, there are blanket pullers, hitches that are coupled to quads or similar vehicles and drag the blankets, facilitating their placement, as well as the transfer of the fruit, but they cannot deposit them directly on the shovels and collectors.

To collect the mantles, there are mantle collector mechanisms that, coupled to the collecting shovels, drag the mantles, letting the olives fall on the shovels.

In any of these methods, the olives or almonds thus collected are accompanied by branches and leaves, which must be removed later, which implies a long time to process the final product. This time could be reduced if the fruit were cleaned by removing said branches and leaves at the time of collection.

For this reason, there is an unmet need in the market for systems or devices for fruit collection that, coupled to the articulated arms of vehicles or tractors, allow the use of mantle handles to deposit the fruit and clean it by removing branches and leaves. , thus simplifying and speeding up the collection and processing process.

Explanation of the invention

The object of the present invention is to obtain a device for the collection of fruits that, coupled to the articulated arm of a tractor, allows the use of mantle handles to deposit the fruits and clean them by removing branches and leaves. , thus simplifying and speeding up the collection and processing process.

The mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention is made up of at least one cleaning block and a collapsible collecting shovel attached to said cleaning block, so that the harvested fruit is deposited on said shovel which, when folded, it allows the spillage of said fruit on the cleaning block, being able to couple the assembly to a tractor with an articulated arm.

The cleaning block has a roughly parallelepiped-shaped structure open at the top and is made up of at least one hopper at the top, a horizontal conveyor belt located under the hopper, a delimbing module located under the belt and a drawer located under the module, the fruit falling from the hopper to the drawer.

The hopper channels the fruit towards the horizontal conveyor belt, located below said hopper, which can be driven by a rotary motor. Said belt occupies a part of the open space of the hopper and moves the fruit to the other side, so that it falls towards the delimbing module located below it.

The delimbing module is made up of a series of rotating rollers with a series of toothed discs, cleaning the fruit by removing branches, leaves and other residues that may accompany it. The axes of the rollers of the delimbing module are located transversally to the cleaning block, so that the residues fall towards the outside through a side face of said block.

The clean fruit falls between the rollers towards the drawer located under the delimbing module and which is open at the top to collect said clean fruit, having a flat bottom that folds down to empty it. The drawer has a support attached to its rear part that allows the coupling of the cleaning block assembly to the articulated arm of the tractor.

In order for as much fruit as possible to fall into the box, an endless screw is located under the delimber module on its face closest to the support, which, when rotating, channels any fruit that may have fallen outside into the box.

By lifting the tractor with its articulated arm the cleaning block upwards, the flat bottom of the crate opens by folding down and allows the clean fruit to fall or spill from the crate into a container.

The collecting shovel is made up of a flat platform of approximately rectangular shape, with a fixed wall on its front face and three other folding walls on its other three faces. On the face adjacent to the cleaning block there are two chamfers on which are located two fixed deflectors that help channel the fruit as it is poured into the cleaning block.

The walls of the lateral faces fold down allowing a vehicle to pull the mantles to pass through and the mantle dragged by it with the harvested fruit to deposit it on the shovel.

The lowering of the shovel to deposit the harvested fruit in the cleaning block is carried out by means of two lateral connecting rods fixed to the shovel and each of them actuated by a linear actuator or a hydraulic cylinder, and the shovel is guided in its rotary movement by a curved guide attached to the cleaning block. When the scoop is in the upper position, the third folding wall folds down allowing said fruit to be poured into the hopper of the cleaning block.

In this way, a device is achieved for the collection of fruits that, coupled to the articulated arm of a tractor, allows the use of mantle handles to deposit the fruits and cleans them by removing branches and leaves, simplifying and speeding up This forms the collection and processing process.

Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical characteristics, components, additives or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will emerge 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 herein.

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, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, what has been represented has been following:

Figure 1 shows a simplified perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention mounted on the articulated arm of the tractor.

Figure 2 shows a simplified perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention with a mantle over the collector blade.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention with the collector blade in the lower position.

Figure 4 shows a rear elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention with the collector blade in the lower position.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention with the collector blade in the lower position.

Figure 6 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention with the collector blade in the upper position.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

Using the numbering adopted in Figures 1 to 6 of this document to identify the elements that make up the mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device 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 mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device object of the present invention is made up of at least one cleaner block (1) and a collapsible collector shovel (2) attached to said cleaner block (1). , so that the harvested fruit (19) is deposited on said shovel (2) which, when folded down, allows said fruit (19) to be poured onto the cleaning block (1), the assembly being able to be coupled to a tractor (3) with an articulated arm (4).

The cleaning block (1) has an approximately parallelepiped-shaped structure open at the top and is formed in a preferred embodiment by a hopper (13) in its upper part, a horizontal conveyor belt (14) located under the hopper (13) , a delimbing module (15) located under the belt (14) and a drawer (11) located under the module (15), the fruit falling from the hopper (13) to the drawer (11).

The hopper (13) channels the fruit (19) towards the horizontal conveyor belt (14), located below said hopper (13), which can be driven by a rotary motor (22). Said belt (14) occupies a part of the open space of the hopper (13) and moves the fruit (19) to the other side, so that it falls towards the delimbing module (15) located below it.

The delimbing module (15) is made up of a series of rotating rollers with a series of toothed discs driven by a motor (23) cleaning the fruit, removing branches, leaves and other debris that may accompany it. The axes of the delimber rollers (15) are located transversally to the cleaning block (1), so that the residues fall towards the outside through a side face of said block (1).

The clean fruit falls between the rollers towards the drawer (11) located under the delimbing module (15) and which is open at the top to collect said clean fruit, having a flat bottom (16) that folds down to empty it_ The drawer has Attached to its rear part is a support (12) that allows the coupling of the cleaner block assembly (1) to the articulated arm (4) of the tractor (3).

In order for as much fruit as possible to fall into the box (11), under the delimber module (15) an endless screw (21) is located on its face closest to the support (12) which, when rotating, channels towards the inside of the box. (11) the fruit that may have fallen outside.

When the tractor (3) with its articulated arm (4) lifts the cleaner block (1) upwards, the flat bottom (16) of the drawer (11) opens and folds down and allows the clean fruit to fall from the drawer (11). to a container.

The collecting shovel (1) is formed in a preferred embodiment by a flat platform (5) of approximately rectangular shape, with a fixed wall (6) on its front face and three other folding walls (7, 17) on its other three faces. . On the face adjacent to the cleaning block (1) there are two chamfers on which two fixed deflectors (18) are located that help channel the fruit when it is poured into said block (1).

The walls (7) of the side faces fold down allowing the passage through them of a blanket-pulling vehicle and the blanket (20) dragged by it with the harvested fruit (19) to deposit it on the shovel (2).

The lowering of the shovel (2) to deposit the harvested fruit (19) in the cleaning block (1) is carried out by means of two lateral connecting rods (8) fixed to the shovel (2) and each of them actuated by a linear actuator or a hydraulic cylinder (9), the blade (2) being guided in its rotary movement by a curved guide (10) attached to the cleaner block (1). When the shovel (2) is in the upper position, the third folding wall (17) folds down allowing the discharge of said fruit (19) towards the hopper (13) of the cleaning block (1).

Claims (13)

1. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device that is coupled to a tractor (3) with an articulated arm (4), characterized in that it comprises at least 5 one cleaner block (1) and an attached collapsible collector shovel (2). to said cleaning block (1), so that the harvested fruit (19) is deposited on said shovel (2) which, when folded down, allows said fruit (19) to be poured onto the cleaning block (1), the block having cleaner (1) a roughly parallelepiped-shaped structure open at the top, and being formed by a hopper (13) in its upper part, a horizontal conveyor belt (14) located under the hopper (13), a delimbing module (15 ) located under the belt (14) and a box (11) located under the delimbing module (15), the fruit falling from the hopper (13) to the box (11). 2. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 1, where the hopper (13) channels the fruit (19) towards the horizontal conveyor belt (14), located below said hopper (13), said belt (14) occupying a part of the open space of the hopper (13) and displacing the fruit (19) to the other side, so that it falls towards the delimbing module (15) located below it. 3. Mechanized fruit picker and cleaner device according to claim 2 whose delimbing module (15) is made up of a series of rotating rollers with a series of toothed discs driven by a motor (23), cleaning the fruit by removing branches, leaves and other residues that may accompany it, where the axes of the delimber rollers (15) are located transversally to the cleaning block (1), so that the residues fall outward through a side face of said block (1). 4. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 1, wherein the drawer (11) is open at the top to collect the clean fruit that falls through said delimbing module (15), having a flat bottom (16) that it folds down to empty it. 5. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 1, where the drawer (11) has a support (12) attached to its rear part that allows the assembly of the cleaner block (1) to be attached to the articulated arm (4) of the tractor. (3). 6. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 1 where, in order for as much fruit as possible to fall into the box (11), under the delimber module (15) it is located on its face closest to the support (12) an endless screw (21) that, when rotating, channels the fruit that may have fallen outside into the box (11). 7. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claims 4 and 5 where when lifting the tractor (3) with its articulated arm (4) the cleaner block (1) upwards, the flat bottom (16) of the drawer (11) it opens by folding down and allows the clean fruit to fall from the drawer (11). 8. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 1, wherein the collector scoop (1) is formed by a flat platform (5) of approximately rectangular shape, with a fixed wall (6) on its front face and three other folding walls. (7, 17) on its other three faces. 9. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 8, where on the face adjacent to the cleaner block (1) there are two chamfers on which two fixed deflectors (18) are located that help channel the fruit when it is poured into said block. (1). 10. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 8, where the walls (7) of the side faces fold down allowing a vehicle to pull blankets and the blanket (20) dragged by it with the harvested fruit to pass through it. (19) to deposit it on the blade (2). 11. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 8, where the folding of the collector blade (2) to deposit the collected fruit (19) in the cleaner block (1) is carried out by means of two lateral connecting rods (8) fixed to the blade (2) and actuated each one of them by a linear actuator or a hydraulic cylinder (9). 12. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 11, wherein the blade (2) is guided in its rotary movement by a curved guide (10) attached to the cleaner block (1). 13. Mechanized fruit collector and cleaner device according to claim 8 where, when the blade (2) is in the upper position, the third folding wall (17) folds down allowing the collected fruit (19) to be dumped into the hopper (13). of the wiper block (1).