A sorting table for sorting fruit includes a frame with a first side member and a second side member, a plurality of conveying rollers carried by the frame, a plurality of sorting rollers carried by the frame and positioned downstream from the conveying rollers, and a pair of combs positioned respectively with the first side member or the second side member. Each comb includes slots associated with a respective one of the sorting rollers. Each of the combs is pivotally coupled with a corresponding one of the first side member or the second side member. An actuator is coupled with each of the combs for selectively moving the pair of combs in directions transverse to the crop flow direction. An electrical processing circuit coupled with the actuator is configured for controlling the actuator and thereby selectively increasing or decreasing a spacing between the sorting rollers.

A harvesting machine including a harvesting unit and a system for recovering crop detached by the harvesting unit. The recovering system including at least one conveyor adapted to recover the crop detached by the harvesting unit and to convey the crop along a conveying path. The recovering system comprising a removing device for removing debris elements that might be conveyed with the detached crop. The removing device including two rotary organs which form therebetween a mouth that is adjacent to the conveying path to be able to catch debris elements protruding from the conveyor. The mouth converging into an inner gripping zone formed by a narrow gap between the rotary organs. The removing device further including a drive unit for the rotation of at least one of the two rotary organs to extract from the conveyor any debris element caught by the mouth and then gripped between the rotary organs.

A process for conveying a flow of harvested crop along a first conveyor, which is configured to convey the flow along a first direction, and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction. The process includes operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

A sorting table for sorting fruit includes a frame with a first side member and a second side member, a plurality of conveying rollers carried by the frame, a plurality of sorting rollers carried by the frame and positioned downstream from the conveying rollers, and a pair of combs positioned respectively with the first side member or the second side member. Each comb includes slots associated with a respective one of the sorting rollers. Each of the combs is pivotally coupled with a corresponding one of the first side member or the second side member. An actuator is coupled with each of the combs for selectively moving the pair of combs in directions transverse to the crop flow direction. An electrical processing circuit coupled with the actuator is configured for controlling the actuator and thereby selectively increasing or decreasing a spacing between the sorting rollers.

The present invention relates to a separator for separating harvested berries from other plant matter. The invention particularly relates to a separator that can be fitted to, positioned above, or integrated with, a collection bin and as such allows for material harvested by an automatic berry harvester to be process prior to deposition of the berries in the collection bin. In particular the berry harvester can be a grape harvester.

A system for cleaning a flow of harvested crop, including a conveyor to convey the flow downstream of the conveyor into a cleaning zone into which the flow is discharged, and a cleaning unit located above the cleaning zone and operable to generate an upward air flow through the cleaning zone for extracting residues contained in the discharged flow. The system further includes at least two conveying rolls that are disposed behind a downstream end of the conveyor in an upstream part of the cleaning zone to be fed with the flow of harvested crop discharged from the conveyor. The conveying rolls are arranged to convey the crop flow and to discharge it into a downstream part of the cleaning zone. Passages are formed between or through the rolls, and are arranged to allow an upward air flow therethrough for extracting residues from the crop present on the conveying rolls.

A process for conveying a flow of harvested crop along a first conveyor, which is configured to convey the flow along a first direction, and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction. The process includes operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

A system for cleaning a flow of harvested crop, including a conveyor to convey the flow downstream of the conveyor into a cleaning zone into which the flow is discharged, and a cleaning unit located above the cleaning zone and operable to generate an upward air flow through the cleaning zone for extracting residues contained in the discharged flow. The system further includes at least two conveying rolls that are disposed behind a downstream end of the conveyor in an upstream part of the cleaning zone to be fed with the flow of harvested crop discharged from the conveyor. The conveying rolls are arranged to convey the crop flow and to discharge it into a downstream part of the cleaning zone. Passages are formed between or through the rolls, and are arranged to allow an upward air flow therethrough for extracting residues from the crop present on the conveying rolls.

Systems and methods for plant phenotyping using mechanical manipulation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for plant phenotyping includes: agitating a plant with an agitator; acquiring images of the plant with a camera while agitating the plant; and analyzing the images of the plant to determine properties of the plant. The plant may be at least partially agitated at a resonance frequency of oscillation of a stalk of the plant.

Described is a separation apparatus for a harvester, for separating berries from other plant matter from harvested plant material, the apparatus comprising a conveyor system that defines a first separation system, a second separation system located at least partially above the first separation system comprising an array of rotatable rollers to convey harvested plant material in an upstream to downstream direction, the rollers spaced apart to provide a plurality of openings permitting the transit of separated berries through the berries while preventing the transit of other plant matter, a third separation system in the form of a de-stemming unit downstream of the second separation system, a plant matter distribution system, for distributing plant matter away from the collection apparatus, wherein berries pass through any one or more of the first, second and third separation systems for collection in the collection unit.