IP Library Granted Patent US 7,861,648
Granted Patent B2
US 7,861,648 · App. 11/464,357 · Granted Jan 4, 2011

Device for separating banana pulp from its peel

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,861,648
App. No.
11/464,357
Granted
Jan 4, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A large scale processing method for separating banana pulp from its peel is shown. In this method bananas are separated into two parts (generally in a transverse direction), each part having a tip end and a cut end. A compression force is applied to those banana parts such that the force increases from the tip end to the cut end. A device which implements that process, comprising a cutting device, a means for feeding bananas into the cutting device, and two processing conveyor devices (to apply the compression force to the banana parts), is also shown.

Claims (13)

1. A device for separating banana pulp from a banana peel comprising:

a) a cutting device which acts to cut a banana in two parts;

b) means for feeding bananas to the cutting device; and

c) two pressing conveyer devices installed after the cutting device and intended for each of the cut banana parts correspondingly, and embodied as diverging from the cutting device in horizontal plane; such that:

(i) each of the said pressing conveyer devices includes a lower feeding conveyer belt and the upper pressing conveyer belt; and

(ii) the feeding and pressing conveyer belts of each of the pressing conveyer devices are installed with a gap that narrows in the longitudinal cross-section relative to the direction from the cutting device, and in the transverse cross-section relative to the direction from the internal to external edges of conveyer belts.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting device is a disk knife.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the said means for banana feeding is such that it orients the bananas for transverse cutting.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the said pressing conveyer devices includes plated located under the feeding conveyor belt and above the pressing conveyer belt, embodied in such a way that a pressing force can be generated on the banana parts.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the said pressing devices has rollers installed under the feeding conveyor belt and above the pressing conveyer belt, these rollers embodied such that they can generate a pressing force on the banana parts.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the said means for banana feeding is a feeding transporting conveyer.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the said means for banana feeding is the conveyer-type pressing devices positioned before the cutting device.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the said means for banana feeding is a hopper.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED; TRANSFRESH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052519/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2016
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; CHIQUITA FRESH NORTH AMERICA L.L.C.; FRESH INTERNATIONAL CORP.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED; TRANSFRESH CORPORATION; B C SYSTEMS, INC.; VERDELLI FARMS INC.; CB CONTAINERS, INC.; V.F. TRANSPORTATION, L.L.C.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 039389/0596 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 035105/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2015
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 035026/0370 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 22, 2013
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; CHIQUITA FRESH NORTH AMERICA L.L.C.; FRESH INTERNATIONAL CORP.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATION; TRANSFRESH CORPORATION; B C SYSTEMS, INC.; VERDELLI FARMS INC.; CB CONTAINERS, INC.; V.F. TRANSPORTATION, L.L.C.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 029854/0576 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2013
From: COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN - BOERENLEENBANK B.A., RABOBANK NEDERLAND, NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED; FRESH INTERNATIONAL CORP.; TRANSFRESH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029761/0848 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 5, 2013
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 029759/0655 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2013
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CHIQUITA BRANDS LLC
Reel/Frame 029713/0408 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 7, 2008
From: CHIQUITA BRANDS L.L.C.; FRESH EXPRESS INCORPORATED; FRESH INTERNATIONAL CORP.; TRANSFRESH CORPORATION
To: COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN - BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "RABOBANK NEDERLAND", NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 020762/0424 →