Embodiments of the invention provide a packaging tray for use in packaging items, the tray having a first region having a cross-section which defines a concave surface having one or more cross-sections suitable to receive an item and a second region having a cross-section which is substantially straight. Embodiments provide a process in which tray may be loaded by depositing kiwi fruit and then agitated to settle and align the kiwifruit in the concave sections assisted with the straight sections providing space for movement of the kiwifruit laterally to the concave sections and directing the kiwifruit of the agitated tray towards the concave section. The tray is wrapped after the items are deposited and the wrapped tray is loaded into a box with settled items and loads the wrapped tray into a box.

An article boxing system includes an image processing apparatus, a first robot, and a first controller. The image processing apparatus detects edges of an article based on an image of the article. The image processing apparatus calculates information relating to a conveyance state. The first robot includes a hand unit and an arm adjusting three-dimensional coordinates and an inclination of the hand unit with respect to a conveyance direction. The first controller controls an operation of the arm to move the hand unit in correspondence with the information relating to the conveyance state and causes the hand unit to adsorb the article, when the article reaches an operation range of the first robot.

An apparatus and method for filling a container with fragile fruit involving submerging the container in water to better distribute the fragile fruit within the container. The container may be filled with fragile fruit either before or after being submerged in water. The fragile fruit may be transported using a stream of water or other suitable fluid medium.

A system including a flume. The flume can include a fluid and be configured to receive crops. The system also can include crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale. The system additionally can include the scale. The scale can be configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale. The system further can include a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops. Other embodiments are described.

The invention relates to a filling device (2) for filling a holder with vulnerable products, for instance apples, and a method therefor. The filling device according to the invention comprises: —a main frame (14) provided with an elevator conveyor (4) with a supply side (10) and a filling side (12); —a distributing device (28) connected operatively to the filling side of the elevator conveyor and provided with one or more distributors configured to distribute products over the holder; —height adjusting means (42,44) configured to move the distributing device in the height relative to the holder such that the distributing device is movable in the height during filling of the holder; and—a supply side guide arranged (66,68,70) on the main frame (14) for operation with the height adjusting means and configured to align the supply side of the elevator conveyor with a delivery end of a feed conveyor during a movement of the distributing device in the height.

The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for reliably inserting packing trays into packing crates. Thus, the present invention solves the problems of conventional packaging lines by providing a positioning device for depositing packing trays into packing crates. Particularly, the present invention can be incorporated into existing fruit and vegetable packing lines.

A mushroom packaging system 10 comprising a mushroom packaging apparatus 11 wherein empty containers 12 are at least partially filled with mushrooms 13. The system further comprises a mushroom loading apparatus 14 comprising a mushroom loading station 15 and a mushroom conveyor 16 for retaining and conveying mushrooms loaded thereon by an operator to the mushroom packaging apparatus 11. A container storage apparatus 50 is also provided which provides a container loading station 17 positioned such that an operator may load empty containers 12 thereinto. A container conveyance apparatus 22 conveys empty containers 12 from the container storage apparatus 50 to a packaged mushroom collection station 18 via the mushroom packaging apparatus 11. Packaged mushrooms 19 received at the packaged mushroom collection station 18 may be retrieved by the operator. A single operator may load mushrooms to the mushroom loading station 15, load containers to the container loading station 17, and retrieve containers from the packaged mushroom collection station 18.

There is discussed a method of picking and placing bulbs, in which bulbs are supplied on a supply surface of a bulbs supply system; the bulbs being identified and picked from the supply surface with a pick-and-place head; wherein picked bulbs are transferred from the pick-and-place head, shoot-first and roots-last to a transfer-receptacle comprising at least one bulb-receptor, wherein the bulb-receptor temporarily clutches said bulb.

A system including a flume. The flume can include a fluid and be configured to receive crops. The system also can include crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale. The system additionally can include the scale. The scale can be configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale. The system further can include a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops. Other embodiments are described.

There is provided a system, installed on a vehicle or trailer, for performing an agricultural task. The system comprises a platform connecting to the vehicle or trailer and comprising a socket for an accessory. A plurality of accessories is provided, wherein one accessory is selected among them for installation in the accessory socket. A vision system is operatively connected to a computer and collects data of the environment about the accessory, the computer using the collected data to determine an instruction for performing the agricultural task and to send the instruction to the accessory installed in the accessory socket to perform the agricultural task. The accessory is interchangeable in the accessory socket depending on the agricultural task. The box handling stage and pallet mounting stage can be robotized for efficient automation.