Flower handling apparatus and method

摘要

A flower handling system includes loading, cutting, finishing, and boxing stations. Flowers are unloaded from dry-packed boxes at the cutting stations. Each cutting station includes a positioning arm that secures flower bundles and transports them from a first location adjacent a loading table to a second location above a conveyor. A bucket separating device deposits buckets one at a time onto the conveyor, and the buckets are filled with conditioning fluid. A cutting blade is positioned to cut flower stems as the positioning arm moves from the first to the second location. A clamping arm closes around the flowers and lifts them out of the positioning arm before lowering them into a fluid-filled bucket on the conveyor. The flower filled bucket is then transported through the finishing station to a boxing station where the bucket is deposited into a box for shipping to a wholesaler or retailer.

主权项

1. A method of handling bundles of flowers utilizing a flower handling apparatus, the method comprising:
inserting stems of a plurality of flower bundles into an opening of a carrier portion of a positioning arm at a first location, the positioning arm including at least one side wall defining the opening and a base portion mounting the carrier portion to a frame, wherein the positioning arm is in communication with at least one controller to cause movement of said positioning arm between the first location and a second location during a processing cycle, and wherein the base portion includes a pivoting connector enabling the carrier portion to rotate with respect to said base portion; rotating the positioning arm about the pivoting connector from a first position wherein an axis extending through the opening is in a first direction, to a second position wherein the axis is in a second direction at an angle with respect to the first direction; transporting the positioning arm between the first location and the second location such that stems of the plurality of flower bundles are transported past a cutting blade of a cutting apparatus and the stems of the plurality of flower bundles are cut by the cutting blade; closing respective first and second clamping portions of a robotic clamping arm about the plurality of flower bundles at the second location; raising the robotic clamping arm to withdraw the plurality of flower bundles from the positioning arm; returning the positioning arm to the first location; moving a bucket on a first bucket conveyor to an end station below said robotic clamping arm; lowering the robotic clamping arm such that the flower bundles are deposited into the bucket; opening the first and second clamping portions to release the plurality of flower bundles into the bucket; directing cut stems to a debris carrying conveyor; carrying the cut stems from a location beneath the cutting apparatus to a debris bin; and depositing the cut stems in the debris bin.