Continuous quantitative spraying structure for sterilization of harvested fruit

Abstract

A continuous quantitative spraying structure for sterilization of harvested fruits is provided. The continuous quantitative spraying structure includes a track provided thereon with equally spaced trays for conveying fruits, where the trays each include a circular tray body; a central part of the tray body is provided with a central hole allowing the fruit to fall off, a bottom part of the central hole is provided with two parallel rollers; an inner bottom surface of the tray body is provided with a flap; an inner end of a central shaft of the roller passes through the flap, and is fixed to a rolling wheel; a bearing is provided between the roller and the flap; the track is provided with a spraying sterilization section; the spraying sterilization section is sequentially provided with 3 to 4 sets of sterilization nozzles above a tray conveying route.

Claims

1. A continuous quantitative spraying structure for a sterilization of harvested fruits, comprising a track provided thereon with equally spaced trays for conveying fruits, wherein the trays each comprise a circular tray body; a central part of the tray body is provided with a central hole allowing the fruit to fall off; a bottom part of the central hole is provided with two parallel rollers that are able to synchronously swing up and down; an inner bottom surface of the tray body is provided with a swingable flap; an inner end of a central shaft of the roller passes through the flap, and is fixed to a rolling wheel; a bearing is provided between the roller and the flap, and a bearing is provided between an outer end of the roller and an outer bottom surface of the tray body; the track is provided with a spraying sterilization section; the spraying sterilization section is sequentially provided with 3 to 4 sets of sterilization nozzles above a tray conveying route; a receiving tank is provided below the spraying sterilization section; the spraying sterilization section is provided with a rolling belt; the rolling belt is located above the rolling wheel and fitted with the rolling wheel to drive the rolling wheel to roll; and the rolling belt is parallel to the track.

2. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein the rolling belt is a rotating belt, and two ends of the rolling belt are respectively provided with a first driving wheel and a second driving wheel with opposite rotation directions; the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are respectively driven by independent motors; and driven wheels are equally spaced between the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel.

3. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein a set of sterilization nozzles comprises a sterilization nozzle located directly above the tray, or a set of sterilization nozzles comprises two sterilization nozzles diagonally arranged on two sides directly above the tray.

4. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein the rollers each are provided with a silicone or latex surface.

5. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein an inner side of the tray body is provided with a slide carriage; the track is provided with a slider; the slide carriage is detachably buckled onto the slider; the slide carriage and the tray body enclose a quadrangular hollow; and the flap is provided at the quadrangular hollow.

6. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein an inner upper end of the tray body is provided with an inwardly protruding limiting element for limiting a swing amplitude of the roller.

7. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein with a swing shaft of the flap as a fulcrum, a gravitational torque of the inner end of the central shaft of the roller is greater than a gravitational torque of the outer end of the roller and less than a sum of the gravitational torque of the outer end of the roller and a gravitational torque of the fruit.

8. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein the track is a racetrack-type circular track, and is sequentially provided with a feeding section, the spraying sterilization section, an air drying section, and a discharge section along a conveying direction.

9. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 8, wherein an outer side of each section of the track, except for the discharge section, is provided with an auxiliary track for rolling of the bearing located at the outer end of the roller; and the auxiliary track is provided with arc-shaped guide sections at two ends of the discharge section of the track.

10. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 1, wherein a press-to-release snap structure is provided between an end surface of the bearing located at the outer end of the roller and an outer side wall of the tray body.

11. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein a set of sterilization nozzles comprises a sterilization nozzle located directly above the tray, or a set of sterilization nozzles comprises two sterilization nozzles diagonally arranged on two sides directly above the tray.

12. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein the rollers each are provided with a silicone or latex surface.

13. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein an inner side of the tray body is provided with a slide carriage; the track is provided with a slider; the slide carriage is detachably buckled onto the slider; the slide carriage and the tray body enclose a quadrangular hollow; and the flap is provided at the quadrangular hollow.

14. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein an inner upper end of the tray body is provided with an inwardly protruding limiting element for limiting a swing amplitude of the roller.

15. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein with a swing shaft of the flap as a fulcrum, a gravitational torque of the inner end of the central shaft of the roller is greater than a gravitational torque of the outer end of the roller and less than a sum of the gravitational torque of the outer end of the roller and a gravitational torque of the fruit.

16. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein the track is a racetrack-type circular track, and is sequentially provided with a feeding section, the spraying sterilization section, an air drying section, and a discharge section along a conveying direction.

17. The continuous quantitative spraying structure for the sterilization of the harvested fruits according to claim 2, wherein a press-to-release snap structure is provided between an end surface of the bearing located at the outer end of the roller and an outer side wall of the tray body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present disclosure is further described below according to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a tray structure according to the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a section view of the tray structure according to the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing that a roller of the tray structure shown in FIG. 2 swings down for a discharging purpose according to the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a layout of a track according to the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing that a tray on a track conveys a fruit according to the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a spraying sterilization section above the track according to the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 7 is a section view of the spraying sterilization section according to the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a structural diagram of an auxiliary track according to the present disclosure; and

[0025] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another layout of the track according to the present disclosure.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0026] 1. tray; 2. tray body; 3. central hole; 4. slide carriage; 5. limiting element; 6. roller; 7. rolling wheel; 8. bearing; 9. flap; 10. snap structure; 11. slider; 12. track; 13. rolling belt; 14. sterilization nozzle; 15. receiving tank; 16. first driving wheel; 17. second driving wheel; 18. driven wheel; 19. auxiliary track; 20. fruit; A. feeding section; B. spraying sterilization section; C. air drying section; D. discharge section; and E. machine vision section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present disclosure is further described below according to the specific embodiments and drawings.

[0028] Embodiment 1: This embodiment provides a continuous quantitative spraying structure for sterilization of harvested fruits. As shown in FIG. 4, the quantitative spraying structure includes racetrack-type rotating track 12. The track is provided thereon with equally spaced trays 1 for conveying fruits. The track is sequentially provided with feeding section A, spraying sterilization section B, air drying section C, and discharge section D along a conveying direction. The air drying section is configured to perform air drying with atmospheric-pressure plasma and secondary sterilization.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the tray 1 include circular tray body 2. A central part of the tray body is provided with central hole 3 allowing the fruit to fall off. A bottom part of the central hole is provided with two parallel rollers 6 that are able to synchronously swing up and down. An inner bottom surface of the tray body is provided with swingable flap 9. An inner end of a central shaft of the roller passes through the flap and is fixed to rolling wheel 7. Bearing 8 is provided between the roller and the flap. Bearing 8 is provided between an outer end of the roller and an outer bottom surface of the tray body. As shown in FIG. 5, an inner side of the tray body is provided with slide carriage 4. The track 12 is provided with slider 11. The slide carriage 4 is detachably buckled onto the slider 11. The slide carriage and the tray body enclose a quadrangular hollow. The flap is provided at the quadrangular hollow. An inner upper end of the tray body is provided with inwardly protruding limiting element 5 for limiting swing amplitude of the roller. With a swing shaft of the flap as a fulcrum, a gravitational torque of the inner end of the central shaft of the roller is greater than a gravitational torque of an outer end of the roller and less than a sum of the gravitational torque of the outer end of the roller and a gravitational torque of the fruit 20. As shown in FIG. 2, when the roller is unloaded, a right side of the flap is subjected to a greater gravitational torque, and the roller is reset to be horizontal. As shown in FIG. 3, when the roller is loaded, a left side of the flap is subjected to a greater gravitational torque. When snap structure 10 is loosened or the roller is not supported by an auxiliary track, the roller is swung down to discharge the fruit.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the spraying sterilization section B is sequentially provided with four sets of sterilization nozzles 14 located above a tray conveying route. Receiving tank 15 is located below the spraying sterilization section B. The spraying sterilization section B is provided with rolling belt 13 located above the rolling wheel 7 and fitted with the rolling wheel to drive the rolling wheel to roll. The rolling belt 13 is parallel to the track 12. The rolling belt drives the rolling wheel from above to avoid a force causing the roller to swing. The rolling belt is a rotating belt, and two ends of the rolling belt are respectively provided with first driving wheel 16 and second driving wheel 17 with opposite rotation directions. The first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are respectively driven by independent motors. Driven wheels 18 are equally spaced between the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel. The rolling belt is rotatable, and can achieve forward and reverse rotation through the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel, respectively. When there is a significant difference in the size of different fruits, the rolling belt is rotated in a same direction as the rolling wheel to reduce a rolling speed of the fruit. Alternatively, the rolling belt and the rolling wheel are rotated in opposite directions to accelerate the rolling of the fruit. Through this design, when the fruit reaches the position of the sterilization nozzle, the fruit has been rolled at a suitable angle. A position of the rolling wheel is aligned with a position of the tray. The position of the tray can be located based on the position of the rolling wheel, and the corresponding sterilization nozzle can be driven to quantitatively spray a sterilant by monitoring the position of the rolling wheel. The multiple sets of sterilization nozzles can provide full-coverage, precise quantitative spraying on all sides of the fruit during the rolling process, thereby reducing the amount of the sterilant used. A start signal of the sterilization nozzle is sent by a switch triggered by the rolling wheel or a position sensor that monitors the position of the rolling wheel.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the snap structure is a press-to-release snap structure, and is provided between an end surface of the bearing located at the outer end of the roller and an outer side wall of the tray body. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the snap structure may not be provided. In this case, an outer side of each section of the track 12, except for the discharge section D, is provided with the auxiliary track 19 for rolling of the bearing located at the outer end of the roller. The auxiliary track 19 is shown in FIG. 8. The auxiliary track is provided with arc-shaped guide sections at two ends of the discharge section of the track.

[0032] Embodiment 2: This embodiment provides a continuous quantitative spraying structure for sterilization of harvested fruits, as shown in FIG. 9. In this embodiment, a machine vision section is additionally provided between the feeding section A and the spraying sterilization section B. The same rolling belt structure as at the spraying sterilization section B is provided to drive the fruit to roll on the tray. A high-definition camera is provided above the machine vision section to capture images of various sides of the fruit for size and damage detection. In the discharge section, the fruit is graded out based on detected information. The remaining structures of this embodiment are the same as those in Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, a fruit grader based on machine vision is adopted, which is available in the prior art. This embodiment aims to demonstrate that the spraying sterilization structure of the present disclosure can be effectively combined with the existing machine vision-based fruit grader to achieve one-stop fruit grading and sterilization treatment.