REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date od U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/605,830 filed March 2, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The field of the invention relates to a vegetable harvester apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Harvesters are known for vegetable crops that are not susceptible to bruising, such as for canning and juicing, but vegetable harvesters are known to cause bruising and to reduce the value of produce for distribution as fresh vegetables. Every day, supermarkets throw away produce that is bruised or otherwise marred by harvesting, packing and shipping of the fresh produce.

[0004] For example, the state of the art in tomato harvesting of fresh tomatoes that will be displayed for purchase in supermarkets is manual labor. Tomatoes are picked by hand, are placed in a bucket and are carried by hand to a truck or flat bed. The bucket is hoisted to the truck or flat bed and is deposited manually by the recipient into a bin or bins. This manual process is repeated for each bucket of tomatoes picked.

[0005] Other harvesters that rip or cut the vines from the ground and separate the tomatoes from the vines are used for tomatoes destined for canning, but these harvesters are not suitable and are not used for harvesting produce for display in supermarkets. These harvesters are known to cause bruising to produce that will result in unsightly marks on the vegetables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A vegetable harvester comprises a bucket loader and conveyor system that gently moves vegetables from a bucket to a storage bin or shipping container for further processing or distribution. For example, the bucket loader raises and lowers a bucket or other container placed into the bucket loader. A registration system may be provided with the bucket loader to allow for tracking and proper crediting of the picker loading tomatoes onto the conveyor system. A video monitoring system provides for recording and monitoring of the operations of the harvester at an operator's location and/or remotely such as recording the volume and/or weight of the tomatoes or other vegetables introduced into the bucket loader. A fan and/or misting system may be mounted on the harvester to increase picker comfort during picking / loading of vegetables.

[0007] In one example, the bucket loader includes a mechanism for delaying the bucket loader at its loading position for inserting a bucket into the bucket loader. Then, the bucket loader raises the bucket until the tomatoes gently roll from the bucket onto a conveyor.

[0008] In one example, the conveyor system gently moves the tomatoes or other vegetables from the point of entry to a packing station distal from the point of entry. For example, a transverse conveyor may extend across one or more rows of vegetables, and a plurality of bucket loaders may provide a plurality of points of entry onto the conveyor. The conveyor system may include a longitudinal conveyor and a transition to move the tomatoes from the transverse conveyor to the longitudinal conveyor. The longitudinal conveyor may be extendable longitudinally in order to allow the operator to extend the conveyor along a packing truck or flat bed, where the vegetables are directed to bins or other containers for further processing or delivery.

[0009] In one example, pads are provided on portions of the conveyor system where vegetables could become bruised, such as the point of entry, the transition region and/or the exit of the longitudinal conveyor.

[0010] In one example, one or more elevational conveyors are provided that convey vegetables from the picker's level to the longitudinal conveyor. For example, an elevational conveyor may be provided forward of the harvester. A camera system and registration system may be provided at the entry point to the elevational conveyors.

[0011] The harvester may be mounted on a mobile chassis that moves under its own power, such as a chassis of a truck, tractor or bus. In one example, the harvester includes its own electrical generators for providing electric and/or pneumatic mechanisms for the conveyors and bucket loaders. [0012] Surprisingly, the harvester doubles the productivity of pickers in the field while reducing the stress of heat, strain of lifting and fatigue. The increased productivity reduces labor necessary for picking fresh produce that will be displayed to customers while preventing additional bruising or reducing the bruising of vegetables during picking and packing of the vegetables for further processing or transport to market.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0013] The examples described and drawings rendered are illustrative and are not to be read as limiting the scope of the invention as it is defined by the appended claims.

[0014] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a harvester disposed in relation to a truck including bins for receiving vegetables such as tomatoes.

[0015] Figure 2 illustrates a detail view of an example of radio frequency

identification (RFID) device and an emergency stop switch operatively coupled with the harvester.

[0016] Figure 3 illustrates a detail view of an example of a bucket loader.

[0017] Figure 4 illustrates a detail view of an example of an elevational conveyor, such as the one illustrated in the example in Figure 1 oriented forward of a transverse conveyor system including bucket loaders.

[0018] Figure 5 illustrates a detail view of an example of a plurality of bucket loaders in a partially raised position on a transverse conveyor system disposed on the left side of a harvester.

[0019] Figure 6 illustrates a detail view of an example of a rotational attachment of a transverse conveyor system.

[0020] Figure 7 illustrates a detail view of an example of a portion of a longitudinal conveyor system.

[0021] Figure 8 illustrates a detail view of an example of a mechanism for raising and lowering a bucket loader.

[0022] Figure 9 illustrates a detail view of a monitor and camera system for monitoring, tracking and recording the harvester bucket loader and conveyor systems. [0023] Figures 10 A-B illustrate a side detail view of a mechanism for raising and lowering a bucket loader in relation to the bucket loader in (A) a lower position and (B) a raised position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a harvester 1 disposed in relation to a truck 4 including bins 2 for receiving vegetables such as tomatoes. The bins are arranged on a flat bed of the truck, and a motor 15 is operationally coupled to an extendable conveyor 16 operationally mounted to a longitudinal conveyor 17 of the harvester 1. A pair of transverse conveyors 3, 5 are arranged transversely to the longitudinal conveyor 17, which transitions the direction of motion of vegetables from a transverse direction to a longitudinal direction and into the bins 2. For example, a pair of electric motors 12, 19 are operatively coupled to the transverse conveyors 3, 5 such that the conveyors operatively move the vegetables from the distal ends of the transverse conveyors toward the longitudinal conveyor. An elevational conveyor 11 may be provided for loading of vegetables forward of the harvester. A plurality of stabilizers 7, 9 may be arranged to stabilize the harvester when the transverse conveyors 3, 5 are pivotally extended as shown in Figure 1. A plurality of tensile support members 9, 13 support the lateral conveyors 3, 5. In one example, a first portion 18 of the longitudinal conveyor 17 helps to elevate the vegetables for delivery to the bins 2. An operations center 14 may be arranged for monitoring the harvester during operation of the conveyors and bucket loaders and for driving the harvester, which may be driven under its own power.

[0025] Figure 2 illustrates a detail view of an example of a radio frequency identification (RFID) device 22 for scanning identification cards of pickers and an emergency stop switch 26 and housing 27 operatively coupled with the harvester. The RFID device 22 may be arranged at each bucket loader and/or elevational conveyor for scanning RFID enabled identification devices, such as a card, for tracking and crediting a picker for produce loaded on the bucket loader and/or on an elevational conveyor. A mounting bracket 21 may be connected to the harvester at a convenient location for scanning of a picker's card when the picker places a bucket in the bucket loader, as illustrated in Figure 3, for example, and data and power lines may be contained in a conduit 23. In the example of Figure 3, a bucket loader 30 comprises a bottom support 31, such as a grate or rods, and sides containing a pair of bucket stops 33, which may be used for retaining the bucket with the bucket loader 30 during raising and lowering of the bucket. As the bucket is raised by the bucket loader, the vegetables will be displaced by gravity onto pad 35, which may be a resilient pad, such as a foam rubber or plastic pad, which cushions the impact of the vegetables on structural materials of the bucket loader. In one example, the bucket loader and pad is capable of preventing raw eggs from breaking as the raw eggs are dispensed from a bucket by a bucket loader, for example.

[0026] Figure 4 illustrates an alternative to a bucket loader arrangement, which may be used instead of, or in addition to, the bucket loader arrangement. An example of an elevational conveyor 40 is shown as one example of the elevational conveyor system 1 illustrated in Figure 1. The conveyor rotates rollers using an electric motor operatively coupled to the conveyor, which moves vegetables up the inclined conveyor system.

[0027] Figure 5 illustrates a detail view of an example of a plurality of bucket loaders 50 in a partially raised position on a transverse conveyor system 5, such as the transverse conveyor 5 disposed on the left side of the harvester 1 in Figure 1. A rotationally oscillating member 52 may engage a portion of the bucket loaders 50 during raising and lowering of the bucket loaders but may be disengaged from the bucket loaders 50 during a portion of its oscillatory rotation, for example. A drive with linkages 51 may transform a rotational motion in a single angular direction, such as the rotational motion of an electric motor, to the oscillatory motion of the rotationally oscillating mechanism 52 that raises and lowers the bucket loaders 50.

[0028] When not in use, a transverse conveyor 5 may be rotated to a storage position oriented alongside the longitudinal conveyor system, for example. A rotational attachment 65 may be mounted by bearings 61, 62, 63, for example, to the structural frame of the harvester 1. For example, a linear, pneumatic actuator 68 may be coupled with a lever arm 67 to rotational displace the transverse conveyor from its stored position during transit to its operational position during harvesting of vegetables.

[0029] In one example, an electric motor 77 is operationally coupled to an extendable conveyor 16 operationally mounted to a longitudinal conveyor 17 of the harvester 1. For example, as illustrated in Figure 7, the extendable conveyor 16 is mounted by a system of rollers 76 engaging a track provided by a side portion of the longitudinal conveyor 17. The operations center 14 may include controls capable of operatively engaging the electric motor 77 to translate the extendable conveyor 17 backward and forward as illustrated by the arrows A in Figure 7. [0030] Figure 8 illustrates a detail view of an example of a mechanism 51 for raising and lowering a bucket loader. Fro example, a first linkage 80 may be operatively rotated about a rotational axis 83 by a drive, such as an electric motor. The electric motor may be powered by a generator mounted on the harvester 1, such as a diesel, natural gas or gasoline powered generator, which may be driven by the main engine of the harvester or, preferably, by a separate electric generation system mounted on the harvester, in one example. The first linkage is pivotably coupled to a second linkage 42. The second linkage may be pivotably coupled to a third linkage 84, which may comprise a pair of lever arms, as illustrated in Figure 8, for example. The lever arm or lever arms 84 may be welded, or otherwise joined, to a rotational shaft for delivering an oscillatory rotational motion to a plate. The plate may continuously oscillate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position. In one example, the plate is not connected to any of the plurality of bucket loaders. Instead, the plate, which may include a resilient material, such as a rubber or other elastic material, on a first surface of the plate contacts the bucket loader during only a portion of its oscillatory rotation. During the remainder of its oscillatory motion, the plate does not contact the bucket loader. When the plate, or the resilient material on the first surface of the plate, make contact with a portion of the bucket loader, such as a portion of the bucket loader near the rotational axis of the bucket loader 30 rotationally mounted to a transverse conveyor, the bucket loader is engaged by the plate and is raised and lowered by the plate during this portion of the plates rotationally oscillatory motion. In one example, the mechanism provides for raising and lowering of the bucket loader 30, with a pause during each cycle to place a bucket into the bucket loader or to remove a bucket from the bucket loader while the bucket loader remains in contact with a limit stop structure supporting the bucket loader when the bucket loader is not in contact with the plate of the mechanism for raising and lowering the bucket loader.

[0031] Figure 9 illustrates a detail view of a monitor 91 and camera system 93 for monitoring, tracking and recording the harvester bucket loader and conveyor systems. The camera may be electrically coupled to a video display or displays within the operations center of the harvester, may be operatively coupled to a remote monitoring location or locations wirelessly and/or may be operatively coupled to a recording device or devices for recording all or a portion of the video feed from one or more cameras. [0032] Figures 10A-10B illustrate a detail view of the mechanism for raising and lowering a bucket loader 50. A plate 125 or other member is attached to a rod or shaft 102 that is coupled operatively to an oscillatory drive mechanism 85 that drives the shaft 102 rotationally. The plate 125 contacts a surface of the bucket loader 50 at a contact region 105, which in one example is not joined to the plate 125, such that as the plate continues in a downward arc, the plate is no longer in contact with the contact region 105. Instead, a bumper 115, which may have a resilient pad, such as foam pad 106 on its surface, makes contact with a surface of the bucket loader 50 retaining the bucket loader 50 in a stationary position for a duration set by the rotational velocity of the shaft 102 and the angular distance that the plate 125 travels before the shaft 102 reverses its rotational direction imposed by the various linkages. For example, a gear or gears 101 provide a first linkage 80 with a rotational motion about a rotational axis 83. Thus, the bucket loader 50 stays at rest for a specified duration for loading and unloading of buckets.

[0033] In one example, the harvester includes a data collection system. The data collection system records the number of buckets of vegetables loaded on a bucket loader by a picker, as well as recording and displaying the picker's identification number and cumulative bucket counts. For example, three screens disposed on three sides of the harvester display the picker's id and bucket count, when the picker interacts with the data collection system, such as by swiping a card with a magnetic strip or RFID unit. A picture of the picker is taken each time the picker interacts with the data collection system and the bucket is overprinted with a date and time that the picker loads the bucket onto the bucket loader. A printer located at a centralized location, such as a cab of the harvester, prints the data and image, for example, providing a paper trail. At the end of a shift, an operator can print a report containing all of the pickers that day with their bucket counts, together with the trucks filled and the number of buckets that it took to fill each truck. In one example, the data and reports are transmitted, such as by a wireless transmitter, such as cellular, WiFi or other wireless transmitters and/or receivers. In addition to the data collection system, a GPS device may provide location and position data as part of the report, allowing the data collection system to determine and/or correlate, automatically, the field and other information related to the location for payroll and reporting purposes. In one example, an internet based camera system permits a viewer located in a remote location, such as an office, to monitor the operations of the harvester over a wireless connection with the camera and data collection system.