IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,760,516
Granted Patent B2
US 11,760,516 · App. 17/691,481 · Granted Sep 19, 2023

Automated packing of crops

Inventors: Robert Henry Pitzer (Tampa, FL); Scott Gordon Scarpinato (Seminole, FL); Ryan McGee (Tampa, FL)
Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
B65B25/045B65B1/22B65B1/32B65B25/046B65B35/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,760,516
App. No.
17/691,481
Granted
Sep 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system including a flume. The flume can include a fluid and be configured to receive crops. The system also can include crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale. The system additionally can include the scale. The scale can be configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale. The system further can include a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops. Other embodiments are described.

Claims (81)

1. A system comprising:

a flume comprising a fluid and configured to receive crops;

crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale;

the scale, wherein the scale is configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale; and

a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flume further comprises:

a drop area configured to receive the crops as the crops are dropped individually into the flume; and

a crop selection region adjacent to the crop selectors,

wherein:

the flume is configured such that the fluid flows from the drop area toward the crop selection region to move the crops toward the crop selectors.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

dividers between the crop selectors,

wherein:

the dividers are configured to pulsate to agitate the crops in the crop selection region.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the crop selectors are independently controlled to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a sensor configured to receive information about sizes of the crops; and

one or more processors configured to execute computing instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving the information about the sizes of the crops; and

selectively activating the crop selectors individually, based on the sizes of the crops, to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an air knife configured to dry the crops in the container after the container has been lifted out of the fluid.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more harvesters on a harvesting vehicle and configured to automatically pick the crops;

a transporter configured to automatically clean and transport the crops picked by the one or more harvesters on the harvesting vehicle; and

an inspector configured to individually inspect the crops on the harvesting vehicle and classify the crops for packing,

wherein:

the system is configured such that the crops that are classified for packing are dropped into the flume and packed in the container within a predetermined time period after the crops are picked by the one or more harvesters.

8. A method of providing a system, the method comprising:

providing a flume comprising a fluid and configured to receive crops;

providing crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale;

providing the scale, wherein the scale is configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale; and

providing a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the flume further comprises:

a drop area configured to receive the crops as the crops are dropped individually into the flume; and

a crop selection region adjacent to the crop selectors,

wherein:

the flume is configured such that the fluid flows from the drop area toward the crop selection region to move the crops toward the crop selectors.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

providing dividers between the crop selectors,

wherein:

the dividers are configured to pulsate to agitate the crops in the crop selection region.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the crop selectors are independently controlled to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale; and

the method further comprises:

providing a sensor configured to receive information about sizes of the crops; and

providing one or more processors configured to execute computing instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving the information about the sizes of the crops; and

selectively activating the crop selectors individually, based on the sizes of the crops, to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing an air knife configured to dry the crops in the container after the container has been lifted out of the fluid.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing one or more harvesters on a harvesting vehicle and configured to automatically pick the crops;

providing a transporter configured to automatically clean and transport the crops picked by the one or more harvesters on the harvesting vehicle; and

providing an inspector configured to individually inspect the crops on the harvesting vehicle and classify the crops for packing,

wherein:

the crops that are classified for packing are dropped into the flume; and

the crops are packed in the container within a predetermined time period after the crops are picked by the one or more harvesters.

14. A method comprising:

receiving crops in a fluid in a flume;

individually moving the crops, using crop selectors, from the flume into a scale, wherein the scale weighs the crops while the crops are in the scale;

dumping the crops from the scale into a container held by a container carrier while the container is submerged in the fluid; and

lifting the container carrier to raise the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the fluid flows in the flume from a drop area of the flume that receives the crops as the crops are dropped individually into the flume toward a crop selection region of the flume adjacent to the crop selectors, to move the crops toward the crop selectors.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

pulsating dividers located between the crop selectors to agitate the crops in the crop selection region.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the crop selectors are independently controlled to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving, using a sensor, information about sizes of the crops; and

selectively activating the crop selectors individually, based on the sizes of the crops, to move the crops individually from the flume into the scale.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

drying the crops in the container, using an air knife, after the container has been lifted out of the fluid.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

automatically picking the crops using one or more harvesters on a harvesting vehicle;

automatically cleaning and transporting the crops picked by the one or more harvesters on the harvesting vehicle; and

individually inspecting the crops on the harvesting vehicle and classifying the crops for packing,

wherein:

the crops that are classified for packing are dropped into the flume and packed in the container within a predetermined time period after the crops are picked by the one or more harvesters.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2026
From: HARVEST CROO, LLC
To: FARM CREDIT OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, ACA
Reel/Frame 075485/0928 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2023
From: PITZER, ROBERT HENRY; MCGEE, RYAN
To: HARVEST CROO, LLC
Reel/Frame 064215/0953 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2023
From: SCARPINATO, SCOTT GORDON
To: HARVEST CROO, LLC
Reel/Frame 064215/0978 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 17547642 · Dec 10, 2021
Continuation 16803607 · Feb 27, 2020
Provisional Application 63159359 · Mar 10, 2021
Provisional Application 62827466 · Apr 1, 2019
Related Publication 20220194641A1 · Jun 23, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 12,727,542 US 12,747,050