Apparatus for Packing Leafy Produce into a Tray

Abstract

An automated machine for packing leafy produce into a tray involving a plunger, the plunger having an actuator arm and a footpad, the footpad having an upper surface and a lower surface, being in moveable relation to the actuator arm, for contacting the leafy produce.

1 . An apparatus for packing leafy produce into a tray, comprising:
 a. A primary chute for receiving and apportioning the leafy produce into individual portions;   b. A transfer chute, having two sidewalls, two end walls and a discharge opening, for receiving the portions and guiding each of said tray-sized individual portions through a discharge opening into one of the trays;   c. a means for conveying said trays to a position below said discharge opening of said transfer chute to receive said tray-sized individual portions.   d. A first linear plunger having a first footpad for moving the portions through the transfer chute discharge opening into the tray, said plunger having a retracted first position with the footpad outside of the transfer chute and an extended second position with the footpad inside the transfer chute proximal the discharge opening, said first plunger having a first ram, cylinder and piston rod; and   e. A second linear plunger having a second footpad for moving the portions through the transfer chute discharge opening into the tray, said second plunger being oriented to said first plunger at an acute angle, and having a second ram, cylinder and piston rod, said first and second footpads further each having a manifold for dispersing a puff of gas as the linear plungers reach the extended position.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second footpads is detachably coupled to the respective first and second linear plungers by a coupling. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as in  claim 2  wherein the coupling is at a position selected from the group of positions consisting of a periphery of the footpad at an upper surface, a centerline of the footpad at an upper surface, and a location between the centerline and the periphery. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein at least one of the first and second footpads has a corrugated surface on the side contacting the portion in the tray. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the primary chute includes a secondary chute, wherein the primary chute further includes a flop gate for limiting the amount of leafy produce to be filled in two trays, a flop gate actuator, and a flop gate control device for controlling the flop gate actuator, and wherein the secondary chute includes at least two chute branches for facilitating filling of at least two trays simultaneously. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further having at least one footpad manifold for dispersing a puff of gas. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said means for conveying said trays comprises a conveyor having a stepper for disposing and moving the trays below said discharge opening. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the footpads traverses a path substantially along one of the sidewalls of the transfer chute. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for packing leafy produce into trays comprising:
 a. A primary chute for receiving and apportioning the leafy produce into individual tray-sized portions;   b. At least two transfer chutes, having two sidewalls, two end walls, and a discharge opening, for receiving the portions and guiding each of said tray-sized individual portions through said discharge opening into one of the trays;   c. A linear plunger having a first footpad for moving the portions through the transfer chute discharge opening into the tray, said plunger having a retracted first position with the footpad outside of the transfer chute and an extended second position with the footpad inside the transfer chute proximal to the discharge opening, said plunger having a ram, cylinder and piston rod.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein at least one of the footpads is detachably coupled to the respective plunger by a coupling. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as in  claim 10  wherein the coupling is at a position selected from a group on positions consisting of a periphery of the footpad at an upper surface, a centerline of the footpad at an upper surface, and a location between the centerline and the periphery. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as in  claim 11  wherein at least one of the footpads has a corrugated surface on the side contacting the portion in the tray. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein the primary chute includes at least one secondary chute, wherein the primary chute further includes a flop gate for limiting the amount of leafy produce to be filled in two trays, a flop gate actuator, and a flop gate control device for controlling the flop gate actuator, and wherein the at least one secondary chute includes two chute branches for filling of at least two trays simultaneously. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as in  claim 9  further having at least one footpad manifold for dispersing a puff of gas. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said means for conveying said trays comprises a conveyor having a stepper for disposing and moving said trays below said discharge opening. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein at least one of the footpads traverses a path substantially along one of the sidewalls of the product transfer chute.