A way of dealing with challenges to the pepper processing industry and pepper growers is to mechanize pepper processing, including the de-stemming of whole peppers. The present example provides a method for mechanically de-stemming whole peppers. The method provides for the recognition of a pepper's shoulder and or interior regions and stem in order to generate a control signal to initiate a process to de-stem the pepper. In particular, several implementations of the method are provided that may include a mechanical system, a laser system, a machine vision system, a combination of a machine vision system and the laser system, and other equivalent implementations. Additionally disclosed, are methods of processing whole peppers utilizing automated de-stemming.

The present invention relates to an automatic machine for cutting fruit, particularly strawberries or radishes, comprising an aligning and transporting unit (4, 140, 340, 404) for aligning, according to at least one line, and transporting fruits (F) from an origin zone to a first destination zone; a placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405) for placing said fruits (F) according to a predetermined orientation and transporting said fruits (F) from said first destination zone to a second destination zone, said placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405) being arranged downstream said aligning and transporting unit (4, 140, 340, 404); a conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) for conveying said fruits (F) from said second destination zone to a third destination zone, said conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) comprising a vacuum-generating device (66) to make a respective waste portion of said fruits (F) adhering to said conveying unit (6, 160, 210) by vacuum, said conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) being arranged downstream said placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405); and a cutting unit (7, 170, 211, 407) for cutting said fruits (F) in correspondence of said third destination zone such as to remove said respective waste portion of said fruits (F).

The present invention relates to an automatic machine for cutting fruit, particularly strawberries or radishes, comprising an aligning and transporting unit (4, 140, 340, 404) for aligning, according to at least one line, and transporting fruits (F) from an origin zone to a first destination zone; a placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405) for placing said fruits (F) according to a predetermined orientation and transporting said fruits (F) from said first destination zone to a second destination zone, said placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405) being arranged downstream said aligning and transporting unit (4, 140, 340, 404); a conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) for conveying said fruits (F) from said second destination zone to a third destination zone, said conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) comprising a vacuum-generating device (66) to make a respective waste portion of said fruits (F) adhering to said conveying unit (6, 160, 210) by vacuum, said conveying unit (6, 160, 210, 406) being arranged downstream said placing and transporting unit (5, 5′, 150, 205, 350, 405); and a cutting unit (7, 170, 211, 407) for cutting said fruits (F) in correspondence of said third destination zone such as to remove said respective waste portion of said fruits (F).

A destemming device includes a housing, a motor, and a belt system configured to fit within the housing. The housing includes at least one cutting aperture. The belt system includes a first belt assembly and a second belt assembly. The first belt assembly includes a first plurality of rollers and a first gripper belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The second belt assembly includes a second plurality of rollers and a second gripper belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first gripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip. The at least one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip. The motor is operatively connected to the belt system.

A destemming device includes a housing, a motor, and a belt system configured to fit within the housing. The housing includes at least one cutting aperture. The belt system includes a first belt assembly and a second belt assembly. The first belt assembly includes a first plurality of rollers and a first gripper belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The second belt assembly includes a second plurality of rollers and a second gripper belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first gripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip. The at least one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip. The motor is operatively connected to the belt system.

This invention is a mechanical harvesting device which uses a novel approach to cut stems on agricultural products such as apples. The device is comprised of a system including levers and a unique cutting blade profile which allows for directional transfer of force from the wrists and forearms to effectuate cutting. The device is designed so that the cutting of stems on agricultural products can be performed separately and autonomously by both arms, thus offering improvements in efficiency and safety over other harvesting practices where the cutting is performed using both hands together. Current improvements include revisions to the product interface and safety guide as well as new versions of the device, employing many of the same design elements but having as the main difference a powered motor to actuate the cutting sequence in place of levers. Future improvements include options for data generation using electronic signal processing to tabulate periodic count totals on harvested product. Such data would help growers and marketers gather valuable information about crop sizing and labor efficiency.

A tumble trimmer system having a tumbler barrel with a perforated axle adapted for introducing a freezing agent such as liquid carbon dioxide or other liquefied gas adapted to flash freeze the plant material when infused into the mesh tumbler barrel, the mesh tumbler barrel adapted with mesh netting or screening for trimming and/or separating plant material enclosed therein, and with an open funnel or chute positioned below the tumbler barrel adapted to catch and direct trimmed and/or separated plant material exiting the tumbler barrel into a bin or container positioned under the funnel or chute, wherein the perforated axle comprises a plurality of perforations positioned around a circumference of and along an entire length of the axle.

A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.

A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.

A tumble trimmer system having a tumbler barrel with a perforated axle adapted for introducing a freezing agent such as liquid carbon dioxide or other liquefied gas adapted to flash freeze the plant material when infused into the mesh tumbler barrel, the mesh tumbler barrel adapted with mesh netting or screening for trimming and/or separating plant material enclosed therein, and with an open funnel or chute positioned below the tumbler barrel adapted to catch and direct trimmed and/or separated plant material exiting the tumbler barrel into a bin or container positioned under the funnel or chute, wherein the perforated axle comprises a plurality of perforations positioned around a circumference of and along an entire length of the axle.