Method and device for harvesting agricultural products, in particular fruit

• US 6,481,190 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Forprema B.V., Valstar W.P.S. B.V.
• Original Assignee: Forprema B.V., Valstar W.P.S. B.V.
• Inventors: Van Zanten, Evert, Valstar, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/780,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 198/300, 198/346, 198/602, 198/586, 198/861.1, 47/17, 47/18, 563/281, 56/1, 56D/IG.2
• US Class Current: 56/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 46/20 Platforms with lifting and lowering devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/143 Equipment for handling produce in greenhouses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/02 Methods

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for harvesting agricultural products, in particular fruit, such as capsicums, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, peppers, etc., from plants which are cultivated in greenhouses. The product-bearing plants are cultivated in parallel rows. Between the rows, processing passages which extend in the longitudinal direction thereof are provided, in such a manner that each row adjoins a processing passage. Between the rows, harvest conveyor tracks which extend in the longitudinal direction thereof are arranged, in such a manner that each row adjoins the harvest conveyor track. The product to be picked from a specific row is harvested from the processing passage which adjoins this specific row, is laid onto the harvest conveyor track which adjoins this specific row and by the harvest conveyor track is removed to a delivery point at one of the ends of the specific row.

Claims

1. A method for harvesting agricultural products from plants, comprising the steps of:

cultivating product-bearing plants in parallel rows;

extending processing passages in a longitudinal direction between the parallel rows so that each row adjoins one of the processing passages;

extending harvest conveyor belts in a longitudinal direction between the parallel rows so that each row adjoins one of the conveyor belts, the harvest conveyor belts being positioned in parallel to the processing passages;

providing product delivery points at one end of each of the harvest conveyor belts; and

while standing in one of the processing passages, placing product picked from the plants onto a corresponding one of the harvest conveyor belts and operating the corresponding harvest conveyor belt to transport the thus-placed product to a corresponding one of the product delivery points.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing passages comprise a movable platform for a product picker to stand upon and when the product picker stands upon one of the movable platforms on a first side of a row of plants, there is one of the harvest conveyor belts positioned in front of the product picker.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one of the harvest conveyor belts positioned in front of the product picker is located on an opposite, second side of the row of plants.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein in the step of standing in one of the processing passages, placing product picked from the plants onto a corresponding one of the harvest conveyor belts, includes the picking being performed by a human harvester, the harvester being moved on a platform along the one processing passage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the platform is moved along rails.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising the further step of vertically moving the platform.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of vertically moving the platform adjusts the platform to a height that is at most 50 cm lower than the highest product to be harvested.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of providing a main conveyor belt positioned to accept product at each of the product delivery points and operating the conveyor belt to further transport the product to a common final delivery point.

9. A agricultural products harvesting system, comprising:

processing passages extending in a longitudinal direction between the parallel rows of product-producing plants so that each of the parallel rows adjoins one of the processing passages;

harvest conveyor belts extending in a longitudinal direction between the parallel rows so that each row adjoins one of the conveyor belts, the harvest conveyor belts being positioned in parallel to the processing passages; and

product delivery points arranged at one end of each of the harvest conveyor belts.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein, the processing passages comprise a movable platform, movable along a length of the processing passages, for a product picker to stand upon,

the movable platform stands on a first side of a row of plants, and

one of the harvest conveyor belts positioned in front of the movable platform.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one of the harvest conveyor belts positioned in front of the product picker is located on an opposite, second side of the row of plants.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the harvest conveyor belts comprise an endless conveyor belt having a conveying part running through a channel having a channel base.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the harvest conveyor belts are positioned immediately between two rows of plants.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the platform is vertically adjustable.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the platform is mounted to a rail system for moving the platform along the length of the processing passages.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a removal conveyor belt positioned to accept product at each of the product delivery points and transport the product to a common final delivery point.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the removal conveyor belt comprises an endless conveyor belt having an active part extending of a channel base.