Washing a corded lettuce head
View Patent ↗A produce washer includes a holder to position a single piece of produce and a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance adjacent to the holder. When the produce is a cored lettuce head, the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder with the cored portion facing the nozzle disposed across the horizontal distance. When the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder, the nozzle directs a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion.
1. A method of operating a mechanical produce washer to wash a cored lettuce head having a cored portion, the method comprising:
loading the cored lettuce head onto a holder component of the mechanical produce washer with the cored portion facing a nozzle assembly disposed at a horizontal distance across from the holder component, the nozzle assembly having a nozzle;
adjusting one or more sliding clamps to move the nozzle relative to the holder component, wherein the one or more sliding clamps are adjusted before or after loading the cored lettuce head onto the holder component;
directing a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion with the nozzle assembly; and
unloading the cored lettuce head from the holder component.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting the horizontal distance between the holder component and the nozzle in the nozzle assembly.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
adjusting an angle formed between the nozzle and the horizon.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rotating the nozzle assembly relative to the holder component.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the horizontal distance is adjusted by adjusting a first sliding clamp of the one or more sliding clamps, wherein the first sliding clamp is slid along a bar coupled to the holder component.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
adjusting a vertical distance between the holder component and the nozzle in the nozzle assembly.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vertical distance is adjusted by adjusting a second sliding clamp of the one or more sliding clamps, wherein the second sliding clamp is slid along a strut coupled to the bar.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the holder component includes a rim portion and support bars, wherein the support bars are curved to support and hold the cored lettuce head.
9. A method of washing a cored lettuce head having a cored portion using a mechanical produce washer, the method comprising:
loading the cored lettuce head onto a holder component of the mechanical produce washer with the cored portion facing a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance across from the holder component;
adjusting one or more sliding clamps to move the nozzle relative to the holder component, wherein the one or more sliding clamps are adjusted before or after loading the cored lettuce head onto the holder component; directing a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion with the nozzle;
unloading the cored lettuce head from the holder component; and
placing the cored lettuce head from the holder component onto a conveyer.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting one or more sliding clamps comprises:
adjusting a first sliding clamp of the one or more sliding clamps to adjust the horizontal distance between the holder component and the nozzle, wherein the first sliding clamp is slid along a bar coupled to the holder component.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting one or more sliding clamps comprises:
adjusting a second sliding clamp of the one or more sliding clamps to adjust a vertical distance between the holder component and the nozzle, wherein the second sliding clamp is slid along a strut coupled to the bar.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: adjusting a pivot to adjust an angle formed between the nozzle and the horizon.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the holder component includes a rim portion and support bars, wherein the support bars are curved to support and hold the cored lettuce head.
14. A method of washing a cored lettuce head having a cored portion using a mechanical produce washer, the method comprising:
loading the cored lettuce head onto a holder component of the mechanical produce washer with the cored portion facing a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance across from the holder component;
adjusting a first sliding clamp to adjust the horizontal distance between the holder component and the nozzle, wherein the first sliding clamp is slid along a bar coupled to the holder component;
adjusting a second sliding clamp to adjust a vertical distance between the holder component and the nozzle, wherein the second sliding clamp is slid along a strut coupled to the bar, and wherein the first and second clamps are adjusted before or after loading the cored lettuce head onto the holder component;
directing a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion with the nozzle; and
unloading the cored lettuce head from the holder component.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
adjusting a pivot to adjust an angle formed between the nozzle and the horizon.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the angle includes a range between about positive 45 degrees to about negative 45 degrees relative to the horizon.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pivot couples the bar to a holder for the nozzle.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first sliding clamp is coupled to the strut, and wherein the second sliding clamp is coupled to the holder.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the holder component includes a rim portion and support bars, wherein the support bars are curved to support and hold the cored lettuce head.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
placing the cored lettuce head from the holder component onto a conveyer.