Claims
- 1. An automated device for separating a peel from a flesh of a substantially elliptical commodity, the commodity in a nonspecific orientation, the device comprising:
means for simultaneously making a circumferential score in a commodity to form two peel sectors; means for gripping the peel sectors in a first position wherein the peel sectors are substantially in contact with the flesh; and a thruster movable between an upper position wherein a bottom surface is positioned adjacent the first intersection point and a lower position wherein the gripping means grip the peel sectors and open to a second position wherein the peel sectors are substantially separated from the flesh, the thruster bottom surface having a substantially concave orientation in the upper position for conforming to a shape of the commodity and having a substantially convex orientation in the lower position for gripping the peel sectors and for releasing the flesh from the peel sectors.
- 2. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the scoring means comprises a plurality of spaced-apart support means and a blade affixed to an inner end of each of the support means, the support means spring loaded and biased to a central position wherein the blades are generally closely adjacent.
- 3. The device recited in claim 2, further comprising a frame having a central lumen dimensioned to permit the commodity to pass therethrough, and wherein the support means each comprise a blade arm affixed adjacent an outer end to the frame.
- 4. The device recited in claim 3, wherein the blades each comprise a knife blade having a substantially straight edge.
- 5. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the gripping means comprises a frame having a central lumen dimensioned to permit the commodity to pass therethrough, a plurality of gripping arms movably affixed in spaced apart relation adjacent an outer end to the frame, and a gripping element affixed to an inner end of each gripping arm, the gripping element having barbs adapted for piercing and holding a sector of the peel.
- 6. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a base; means affixed to the base for supporting the thruster adjacent a top end thereof and for impelling the thruster along a substantially vertical pathway; a substantially conical hopper affixed to the base beneath the thruster support means having a central hole at a lowest point of the hopper, the hopper conformable between a first state wherein the central hole has a first diameter dimensioned for retaining the commodity thereatop and for positioning the commodity beneath the thruster and a second state wherein the central hole has a second diameter larger than the first diameter dimensioned for passing the commodity therethrough, the hopper biased to the first state; means affixed to the base beneath the hopper for supporting the scoring means in a position to accept a commodity passing through the hopper hole and for supporting the gripping means beneath the scoring means in a position to accept a scored commodity; wherein in a starting configuration a top end of a commodity is in contact with the bottom surface of the thruster, and during use the thruster is impelled downward relative to the base, forcing the commodity through the hopper hole, the hopper in the second state, forcing the commodity past the scoring means and onto the gripping means, and forcing the gripping means into the second position for releasing the commodity flesh.
- 7. The device recited in claim 6, wherein the thruster comprises a slide-bearing type magnetically coupled rodless pneumatic cylinder operatively connected with the thruster for impelling the thruster between the upper and the lower positions.
- 8. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the thruster comprises a cylindrical member and a fruit-releasing cylinder housed within the cylindrical member, the fruit-releasing cylinder actuatable to move the thruster bottom surface between the concave and the convex orientations.
- 9. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising means for releasing the peel sectors from the gripping means.
- 10. The device recited in claim 9, wherein:
the gripping means comprises a plurality of gripping arms having a plurality of barbs at a second end and a first end opposed to the second end, the gripping arms pivotable about a fulcrum between the first and the second ends; and the releasing means comprises a grip-lifting ring and means for lifting the ring between a lower position wherein the gripping arms are in the first position and an upper position wherein the ring-lifting means lifts the ring into contact with the gripping arms first end and further lifts the gripping arms first end for moving the gripping arms into the second position.
- 11. An automated method of peeling a fresh commodity, the commodity in a nonspecific orientation, the method comprising the steps of:
making a generally circumferential score in a commodity to form two peel sectors; gripping the peel sectors with gripping means in a first position wherein the peel sectors are substantially in contact with the flesh; automatically thrusting the scored commodity from the scoring means to the gripping means; pressing against the score; and moving the gripping means apart into a second position for separating the peel sectors from the flesh.
- 12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the score-making step comprises contacting the peel with a plurality of spaced-apart support means and a blade affixed to an inner end of each of the support means, the support means spring loaded and biased to a central position wherein the blades are generally closely adjacent.
- 13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the support means each comprise a blade arm affixed adjacent an outer end to a frame.
- 14. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the blades each comprise a knife blade having a substantially straight edge.
- 15. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the gripping means a plurality of gripping arms movably affixed in spaced apart relation adjacent an outer end to a frame, and a gripping element affixed to an inner end of each gripping arm, the gripping element having barbs adapted for piercing and holding a sector of the peel.
- 16. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the thrusting step comprises:
impelling the thruster downward along a substantially vertical pathway; cupping the commodity with a bottom surface of the thruster in a substantially concave orientation; continuing to impel the thruster downward to move the gripping means into the second position; changing the orientation of the thruster bottom surface into a substantially convex orientation, to release the commodity from the gripped peel.
- 17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the thruster comprises a slide-bearing-type magnetically coupled rodless pneumatic cylinder operatively connected with the thruster for impelling the thruster between the upper and the lower positions.
- 18. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the thruster comprises a cylindrical member and a fruit-releasing cylinder housed within the cylindrical member, the fruit-releasing cylinder actuatable to move the thruster bottom surface between the concave and the convex orientations.
- 19. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising releasing the peel sectors from the gripping means.
- 20. The method recited in claim 19, wherein:
the gripping means comprises a plurality of gripping arms having a plurality of barbs at a second end and a first end opposed to the second end, the gripping arms pivotable about a fulcrum between the first and the second ends; and the releasing step comprises lifting a grip-lifting ring between a lower position wherein the gripping arms are in the first position and an upper position wherein the ring-lifting means lifts the ring into contact with the gripping arms first end and further lifts the gripping arms first end for moving the gripping arms into the second position.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/548,962, filed Apr. 13, 2000, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,014, “Fresh Commodity Peeling System and Method,” which itself claims priority from provisional application No. 60/129,146, filed Apr. 14, 1999.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60129146 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09548962 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10123901 |
Apr 2002 |
US |