MULTI-LANE FRUIT GUIDE ASSEMBLY HAVING INTEGRAL RIDGE ENDS FOR A JUICE EXTRACTOR AND RELATED METHODS

Title:

MULTI-LANE FRUIT GUIDE ASSEMBLY HAVING INTEGRAL RIDGE ENDS FOR A JUICE EXTRACTOR AND RELATED METHODS

Document Type and Number:

WIPO Patent Application WO2006023292

Kind Code:

A3

Abstract:

A fruit guide assembly may include a frame to be positioned between the fruit conveyor and the multi-position fruit feeder, a vibrator connected to the frame, and a fruit guide body having a series of alternating ridges and valleys therein defining a plurality of fruit lanes. Each pair of adjacent ridges may extend outwardly beyond an end of an intervening valley to define an opening to permit passage therethrough of a corresponding portion of the multi-position feeder. This defines integrally formed cantilevered ridge ends for supporting the fruit. In other embodiments, the fruit guide body may be used without a vibrator, for example. The fruit guide body may include an upper wall and a bottom wall spaced therefrom defining a hollow fruit guide body. For example, the fruit guide body may include rotationally molded polyethylene.

Inventors:

SUTER MICHAEL L (US)
SOCHA KEVIN G (US)

Application Number:

PCT/US2005/027861

Publication Date:

September 21, 2006

Filing Date:

August 03, 2005

Export Citation:

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Assignee:

FMC TECHNOLOGIES (US)
SUTER MICHAEL L (US)
SOCHA KEVIN G (US)

International Classes:

B65G47/12

Foreign References:

US2324246A	1943-07-13
US2699806A	1955-01-18
US2586586A	1952-02-19
US1755721A	1930-04-22

Other References: