The present invention relates to a machine for the packaging of fruit. In particular, the invention relates to a machine for the packaging of fruit in which the final introduction of the fruit into a container must be carried out with certain care, in order to prevent the squashing of the fruit.

There are present in the market machines for the packaging of fruit which comprise a device in which the fruit to be packaged is selected based on weight and/or size and gathered together in batches, each of which is intended to be introduced into a respective container.

The containers for the packaging may consist for example in nets, bags or boxes into which the fruit is introduced loose. In the machines of known type, the containers are fed to the exit of the batch forming device. Each batch is deposited by gravity inside its own container.

In the machines of known type, substantially, the final introduction of the fruit into the containers takes place by dropping, so that the fruit that falls first and is disposed in the lowest areas of the container is inevitably squashed and bruised.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for the packaging of fruit which enables the drawbacks of machines of known type to be overcome.

One advantage of the machine according to the present invention is that it allows every risk of bruising or squashing the fruit during packaging to be eliminated.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention is that it can be perfectly integrated into already operating packaging plants.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention is that it allows the fruit packaging operations to be sped up.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description which follows of one embodiment of the invention in question, illustrated by way of non- restrictive example in the appended drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of the machine according to the present invention;

- figure 2 shows a schematic front view in vertical elevation of the machine according to the present invention, in a first operative configuration;

- figure 3 shows a schematic front view in vertical elevation of the machine according to the present invention, in a second operative configuration.

With reference to the above-listed figures, the machine according to the present invention comprises a first conveyor surface 2, movable along a feed direction A. The first conveyor surface has a usable section 20 which extends between an area in which the fruit F is placed on the first surface 2 itself by a forming device FL for the formation of batches L and an area in which the first surface 2 is completely unloaded of the fruit F. The first conveyor surface 2 is provided with a plurality of conveyor cells 21 , each of which is suitable for accommodating a batch of fruit F coming from the forming device FL. Said conveyor cells are delimited by a plurality of transverse separators 23 associated with the conveyor surface 2. The transverse separators 23 are separated by a pre- established distance which substantially defines the length of the conveyor cells 21 along the feed direction A. The transverse separators 23 have the function of containing the movements of the fruit along the feed direction A so that the fruit F belonging to one batch cannot join up with an adjacent batch. As can be seen in figure 2, in a preferred but not exclusive embodiment the transverse separators 23 consist of an aligned row of flattened elements that project upward from the conveyor surface 2.

The machine according to the present invention also comprises a conveyor device 3, provided with a plurality of supports 31 for containers C. The supports 31 are movable along a path that has at least an operative section 30 in which each support 31 can take on a position in which it is aligned with and proximate to a conveyor cell 21. In this manner, at the end of a machine feed cycle, which will be better described below, an operator can easily transfer a batch of fruit F from the conveyor cell 21 in which it is contained to a container C which is aligned with the conveyor cell 21 itself, without any risks of bruising or squashing the fruit, as schematized in figure 2. In fact, the machine according to the present invention lends itself particularly to assisting the manual operations of one or more operators who can manually carry out the final introduction of the fruit into the containers, in order to assure the utmost gentleness in this operation.

As an alternative to an operator, it is possible to envisage a motor device, not illustrated, for pushing the batches L from the conveyor surface 2 towards the containers C.

The conveyor device 3 comprises a closed path along which the supports 31 are movable. The closed path is defined for example by a conveyor chain 33 with which the supports 31 are associated. The bars 32 of each support 31 are oriented substantially horizontally and project away from the first conveyor surface 2. The conveyor chain 33 is preferably arranged with two parallel rectilinear sections, one of which defines the operative section 30, along which it slides supported by a guide. The two rectilinear sections are linked by means of two gears 34, 35. The first gear 34 is motorized, while the second gear 35 serves as an idler.

In a preferred embodiment, each support 31 comprises a pair of bars 32 with which a container C can be associated. If the container C is in the form of a net or bag as shown in figure 2, it may be substantially hung from the bars 32 by means of handles or other appendages, so as to remain open between the bars 32. The transfer of the fruit F from the conveyor surface 2 and the depositing of the fruit itself inside the containers are in this manner extremely simplified. If the container C is in the form of a box, the latter may be rested upon the bars 32, so that in this case as well the transfer of the fruit F from the conveyor surface 2 and the depositing of the fruit itself inside the containers are extremely simplified.

As can be seen in figure 2, the conveyor device 3 is operative on a plane that lies below the first conveyor surface 2. The operative section 30 is positioned alongside the first conveyor surface 2 so that the supports 31 project beneath the first conveyor surface 2 itself. This allows the containers C in the form of bags or nets to be situated with their opening below the conveyor surface 2.

The machine according to the present invention also comprises a second conveyor surface 4, which is movable in a direction parallel to the feed direction A and configured to support a plurality of containers C. The second conveyor surface 4 is located next to the first conveyor surface 2 and, preferably, has the possibility of varying its height in order to adapt itself to the height of the containers C. As shown in figure 2, the second conveyor surface 4 can serve as a rest for the containers C, in the form of a bag, associated with the supports 31. The second conveyor surface 4 could however also support containers C in the form of boxes, as shown in figure 3. For adjusting the height of the second conveyor surface 4, it is possible to provide a gear mechanism 41, only schematically represented in the figure, which can be manually actuated by means of a crank like the one represented or by means of a motor- driven actuator.

The operation of the machine is very simple and effective. Considering an initial time at which the machine is stationary, at the start-up of the operations the batch forming device FL prepares a first batch of fruit F, which is sent to the first conveyor surface 2. Initially the first conveyor surface 2 is positioned so that a conveyor cell 21 is situated at the unloading area of the forming device FL for the formation of batches. The depositing of the batches F can take place with the first conveyor surface 2 in movement: it is sufficient to synchronize the motion of the conveyor surface 2 in such a way that each conveyor cell 21 passes into the unloading area of the forming device FL when a batch L is ready to be unloaded. Alternatively, the motion of the first conveyor surface 2 could be of the stepping type, synchronized with the operations of the forming device in such a way that each loading cell 21 is standing in the unloading area of the forming device FL when a batch L is ready to be unloaded.

Simultaneously with the depositing of the batches L on the first conveyor surface 2, the containers C are fed to the second conveyor surface 4 or to the conveyor device 3. As already said, the conveyor device 3 is provided with supports 31 which, in a preferred embodiment of the machine, move along the operative section 30 in a direction parallel to the feed direction A. Preferably, during the operation of the machine, the containers C, by means of the conveyor device 3, move in synchronization with the batches of fruit F disposed on the conveyor surface 2 inside the conveyor cells 21. In the case of containers C associated with the supports 31, each container C is aligned with a conveyor cell 21. In the case of containers C fed to the second conveyor surface, it is sufficient that the containers C be fed in a manner synchronized with the motion of the first conveyor surface 2, so that each container C is aligned with a conveyor cell 21.

The preferred work cycle of the machine is of the continuous type. Along the usable section 20 of the first conveyor surface 2 a given number of operators are positioned. Each operator, during the passage of the batches of fruit L and of the containers C, picks up from the conveyor cell 21 passing in front of him a given number of fruits F and places them in the container C which is travelling in synchronization with the corresponding batch L. Subsequently, the same operator performs the same operation on a subsequent batch L passing in front of him. Each batch L is thus progressively placed in the corresponding container C in a successive manner by the operators aligned along the usable section 20 of the first conveyor surface, where each operator deposits in the container C a given of number of fruits F of the batch L. In a second possible operating mode of the machine, the work cycle involves a feed cycle during which a given number of batches L are successively deposited in an equal number of conveyor cells 21, which are made to advance along the feed direction A, each accompanied by a container C associated with a support 31 and/or disposed on the second conveyor surface 4. When the desired number of batches L is reached, the machine is stopped in a configuration in which each conveyor cell 21 is aligned with a container C disposed on the second conveyor surface 4 and/or hanging from a support 31. At this point each batch L is placed in a container C by an operator or by an automatic device. Once the packaging of the batches L is completed, the work cycle resumes according to the above-described steps.

Although in a preferred embodiment of the machine the advancing of the first conveyor surface 2, of the second conveyor surface 4 and of the conveyor device 3 occurs in synchronization, the advancing movements themselves could take place in a wholly independent manner, provided that the condition is met that, at the end of the advancing movements, the second conveyor surface 4 and the conveyor device 3 bring each container C into alignment with a conveyor cell 21.

The machine according to the present invention offers important advantages. First Of all, it offers the possibility of eliminating every risk of bruising or squashing the fruit during packaging, since it considerably facilitates the work of operators. In every work cycle, each operator in fact finds a batch of fruit positioned immediately above a container, so that he need do nothing else but take the fruit and place it gently inside the container. The machine is moreover capable of being perfectly integrated into already operating packaging plants. It is in fact sufficient to position it at the exit of the device for forming batches of fruit which is already present, with small connection operations if necessary.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention is that it allows fruit packaging operations to be sped up, since it offers the possibility of simultaneously processing several batches of fruit, without prejudicing, however, the gentleness of the packaging.