LEAF REMOVAL APPARATUS

• US 20140200058A1
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bud Antle, Inc. (Dole Plc)
• Original Assignee: Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc (Dole Plc)
• Inventors: BARAJAS, Ignacio, CORRAL, Maximino, CASTILLO, Dennis Johnny, ALBARRAN, Serafin, BASCOU, Richard L., VALDIVIA RODRIGUEZ, Edgar Enrique, FUENTES VILLASENOR, Gabriel, MALDONADO MAGANA, Manuel, URIBE MEZA, Carlos, DE JESUS VALDEZ, Jose, JENS, Stephen, DAVIS, Frank E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 460/140
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/26 of cabbage or lettuce
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 15/00 Machines or apparatus for other treatment of fruits or vegetables for human purposes; Machines or apparatus for topping or skinning flower bulbs treatment of coffee, other than drying or roasting A23F; treatment of cocoa A23G1/02

Abstract

A leaf removal apparatus for removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce is provided. The leaf removal apparatus includes a framework, a conveyor, a stripping roller, and a plurality of flexible members. The conveyor is configured to transport the harvested produce in a forward direction to the stripping roller. The stripping roller is connected to the framework and rotates in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the conveyor. The stripping roller applies a friction force on the harvested produce. The plurality of flexible members are connected to the framework and are configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce and prolong the duration of contact between the harvested produce and the stripping roller. The flexible members may also cause the harvested produce to rotate, helping to remove one or more wrapper leaves. The friction force applied by the stripping roller removes one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce, the apparatus comprising:

a framework;

a stripping roller connected to the framework;

a conveyor configured to transport the harvested produce towards the stripping roller,

wherein a gap exists between the stripping roller and the output end of the conveyor, and

wherein the stripping roller is configured to rotate and exert a frictional force on the harvested produce to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce; and

a plurality of flexible members connected to the framework,

wherein the plurality of flexible members hangs vertically over the output end of the conveyor or over the gap, and

wherein the plurality of flexible members is configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce as the harvested produce moves across the gap.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stripping roller has a smooth or textured surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stripping roller rotates at a speed that is at least twice as fast as the speed at which the conveyor transports the harvested produce.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stripping roller has a diameter between 1 inch and 2 inches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a set of parallel rods, and wherein a space exists between adjacent rods.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of second flexible members connected to the framework,

wherein the plurality of second flexible members hangs vertically above the conveyor, and

wherein the plurality of second flexible members is configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce as the harvested produce is transported on the conveyor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gap between the stripping roller and the output end of the conveyor is between 0.5 inches and 4 inches.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible members is configured to push one or more of the removed wrapper leaves through the gap.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a space exists between adjacent flexible members, and wherein the space between adjacent flexible members is between 1 to 10 inches.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stripping roller is positioned at a level below the transporting surface of the conveyor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the harvested produce is a harvested lettuce or a harvested cabbage.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the harvested produce is a harvested iceberg lettuce.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the flexible members is configured to apply a force on the harvested produce to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce.

14. A mechanical method of removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce using a leaf removal apparatus, the method comprising:

feeding a harvested produce onto a conveyor;

transporting the harvested produce on the conveyor towards a stripping roller connected to a framework of the leaf removal apparatus,

wherein a gap exists between the stripping roller and the output end of the conveyor; and

contacting the harvested produce with the stripping roller to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce,

wherein the stripping roller is configured to rotate and exert a frictional force on the harvested produce to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce;

wherein one or more of the removed wrapper leaves fall through the gap.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

contacting the harvested produce with a plurality of flexible members connected to the framework,

wherein the plurality of flexible members hangs vertically over the output end of the conveyor or over the gap, and

wherein the plurality of flexible members is configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce.

16. A mechanical method of removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce using a leaf removal apparatus, the method comprising:

feeding a first and second harvested produce onto a conveyor,

wherein the second harvested produce is fed after the first harvested produce;

transporting the first harvested produce towards a stripping roller connected to a framework of the leaf removal apparatus,

wherein a gap exists between the stripping roller and the output end of the conveyor;

contacting the first harvested produce with the stripping roller to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the first harvested produce,

wherein the stripping roller is configured to rotate and exert a frictional force on the first harvested produce to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the first harvested produce, and

wherein one or more of the removed wrapper leaves of the first harvested produce fall through the gap;

transporting the second harvested produce towards the stripping roller;

contacting the second harvested produce with the first harvested produce to push the first harvested produce through the gap towards a second conveyor or a container.

17. The method in claim 16, further comprising:

contacting the first harvested produce with a plurality of flexible members connected to the framework,

wherein the plurality of flexible members hangs vertically over the output end of the conveyor or over the gap, and

wherein the plurality of flexible members is configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the first harvested produce.

18. The method in claim 16, further comprising:

contacting the second harvested produce with the stripping roller to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the second harvested produce,

wherein the stripping roller is configured to rotate and exert a frictional force on the second harvested produce to remove one or more wrapper leaves of the second harvested produce, and

wherein one or more of the removed wrapper leaves of the second harvested produce fall through the gap;

19. The method in claim 16, wherein the harvested produce is a harvested lettuce or a harvested cabbage.

20. The method in claim 19, wherein the harvested produce is a harvested iceberg lettuce.