Produce tray filler

摘要

An apparatus for filling a produce tray with agricultural produce includes a tray loading station with a fill hopper for receiving the agricultural produce, a produce compression station including at least one tuck finger platen, and a conveyer including a plurality of tray carriers for moving the produce tray from the tray loading station to the produce compression station. Some embodiments of the invention also include a split chute for transferring the agricultural produce from the fill hopper to the produce tray and a trolley for selectively positioning the split chute under the fill hopper or tuck finger platen. Another embodiment of the invention includes a tuck finger platen for compressing agricultural produce near the center of the tray less than agricultural produce near the interior walls of the produce tray. Yet another embodiment of the invention includes steps in a method for loading agricultural produce into a produce tray.

主权项

1. An apparatus for filling a produce tray with agricultural produce, comprising:
a tray loading station comprising a fill hopper for receiving the agricultural produce; a produce compression station comprising a tuck finger platen, said tuck finger platen comprising:
a compression side;a plurality of tuck fingers, each of said tuck fingers comprising an end extending downward from said compression side;a plurality of ridges extending laterally across said compression side, each of said plurality of ridges comprising:
a first of said tuck fingers joined to said ridge with said first tuck finger adjacent a lateral outer edge of said tuck finger platen; anda second of said tuck fingers joined to said ridge with said second tuck finger adjacent an opposite lateral outer edge of said tuck finger platen, said end of said first tuck finger and said end of said second tuck finger extending downward beyond said plurality of ridges;at least two additional of said tuck fingers adjacent a first end of said tuck finger platen; andat least two additional of said tuck fingers adjacent a second end of said tuck finger platen; a conveyer comprising a plurality of quick-release tray carriers for moving the produce tray from said tray loading station to said produce compression station; a split chute for transferring the agricultural produce from said fill hopper to the produce tray; and a first trolley for selectively positioning said split chute under said fill hopper or under said tuck finger platen.