Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.

Dole Fresh Vegtables, Inc.

Edgar Enrique Valdivia Rodriguez

Stephen C Jens

Serafin Albarran

Frank Edward Davis

Dennis Johnny Castillo

Richard L Bascou

Carlos Uribe Meza

Maximino Corral

Manuel Maldonado Magana

Ignacio Barajas

Jose De Jesus Valdez

Gabriel Fuentes Villasenor

Frank E Davis

Manuel Maldonadod Magana

Dennis Jonny Castillo

A leaf removal apparatus for removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce and its method of use is provided. The apparatus includes a framework, a conveyor comprising a set of parallel rods having a space therebetween, a stripping roller, and a plurality of flexible members. The methods of using the apparatus include feeding a harvested produce onto a conveyor comprising a set of parallel rods having a space therebetween; transporting the harvested produce on the conveyor towards a stripping roller connected to a framework of the leaf removal apparatus; contacting the harvested produce with a plurality of flexible members connected to the framework, and the stripping roller, and loosening or removing one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce, wherein one or more of the removed wrapper leaves fall through the space between the rods of the conveyor.

Leaf removal apparatus and methods of use

Wrapper leaves of a harvested produce can be removed using a leaf removal apparatus. The leaf removal apparatus includes a framework, a conveyor, a stripping roller, and a plurality of flexible members. The method of using the leaf removal apparatus includes feeding a harvested produce onto a conveyor; transporting the harvested produce on the conveyor towards a stripping roller connected to a framework of the leaf removal apparatus; and contacting the harvested produce with a plurality of flexible members connected to the framework, and the stripping roller.

Method of using leaf removal apparatus

A leaf removal apparatus for removing one or more wrapper leaves of a harvested produce is provided. The leaf removal apparatus includes a framework, a conveyor, a stripping roller, and a plurality of flexible members. The conveyor is configured to transport the harvested produce in a forward direction to the stripping roller. The stripping roller is connected to the framework and rotates in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the conveyor. The stripping roller applies a friction force on the harvested produce. The plurality of flexible members are connected to the framework and are configured to loosen or remove one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce and prolong the duration of contact between the harvested produce and the stripping roller. The flexible members may also cause the harvested produce to rotate, helping to remove one or more wrapper leaves. The friction force applied by the stripping roller removes one or more wrapper leaves of the harvested produce.

Leaf removal apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Castroville, CA, United States of America

Edgar Enrique Valdivia Rodriguez