John Bean Technologies Corporation

Fmc Technologies, Inc.

Robert R Goetz

Kent A Tabor

Clint P Arrington

Jonathan Michael Stokes

A method and apparatus for washing and sanitizing elongate rotary brushes used for cleaning fruit, produce, and other food products includes revolving the brushes along a travel path about a housing () and simultaneously spinning the rotary brushes about their individual longitudinal axis (), applying a cleaning solution to the spinning rotary brushes in a cleaning zone of the housing, then applying a spray to the spinning rotary brushes in a spray zone of the housing.

Rotary brush washing apparatus and method

An apparatus for washing and sanitizing elongate rotary brushes used for cleaning fruit, produce, and other food products includes a cylindrical housing (), within which is installed a carrier assembly () for supporting the rotary brushes () to revolve around the interior of the housing and also to simultaneously spin the rotary brushes about their individual longitudinal axis (). The interior of the housing is divided into separate zones for carrying out the steps of the cleaning and sanitation process. Effluent from the cleaning process is collected in a tank () located at the bottom of the housing. The brushes are conveniently loaded onto and removed from the apparatus () through a side door opening () provided in the housing.

A mounting assemblyfor mounting a roller brushonto a cleaning apparatus includes a mounting flangeand an end capinterconnected together by extension springsspanning therebetween. An idle shaftis slidably mounted in the mounting flangeby a bearing interfaceThe distal end of the idle shaftis fixed to the end capso that the springsthat urge the end capinto engagement with the mounting flangealso bias the idle shaft to extend forwardly of the mounting flange while also permitting the idle shaft to retract to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the roller brush with the mounting assemblyThe bearing interfaceis designed to permit the projecting proximal end of the idle shaft to tilt upwardly to facilitate engagement with and disengagement from the roller brush

Roller brush mounting assembly

A mounting assemblyfor mounting a roller brushonto an operating apparatus includes a mounting structureconfigured to be mountable on the operating apparatus. The mounting structure has a through hole for receiving an idle shaftthat is sized to be engageable within a blind holeformed in the adjacent end hubof the brush. The idle shaftis resiliently loaded in the direction toward the brush hubby a loader assemblywhich includes a compression springacting against retaining ringengaged with the idle shaft

A mounting assemblyfor mounting a roller brushonto a cleaning apparatus includes a mounting housingconfigured to be mountable on the cleaning apparatus. The mounting housing has a through hole for receiving an idle shaftthat is sized to be engageable within a blind holeformed in the adjacent end hubof the brush. The idle shaftis resiliently loaded in the direction toward the brush hubby a loader assemblywhich includes a compression springacting against retaining ringengaged with the idle shaft

A labeling device may include a platform configured to advance objects, a sensing device directed toward the objects as the objects are advanced, and a label supply. The labeling device may include a robot configured to pick-up labels from the label supply and apply the labels to the objects as the objects are advanced, and a controller configured to operate the robot based upon the vision device.

Labeling apparatus with robot and related methods

A pineapple coating application device may include a frame, and a pineapple roller conveyor carried by the frame and having laterally extending conveyor brushes to advance pineapples along a longitudinal path of travel. Adjacent ones of the laterally extending conveyor brushes may rotatably capture the pineapples therebetween. The pineapple coating application device may include a pineapple coating dispenser, and a laterally extending applicator brush positioned above the pineapple roller conveyor to cooperate with the laterally extending conveyor brushes to apply a coating to the pineapples from the pineapple coating dispenser as the pineapples are rotated and advanced along the longitudinal path of travel.

Pineapple coating application device with applicator and conveyor brushes and related methods

A labeling apparatus is for applying labels to articles advanced along an article conveyor. The labeling apparatus may include a frame to be positioned adjacent the article conveyor, and a labeler carried by the frame. The labeler may include a housing, and a label supply carried by the housing and having a label strip being separable along a longitudinal centerline, and labels carried by the label strip. The labeler may also include a separation notch member carried by the housing for separating the label strip into separated strip portions as it is advanced thereover, a rotary bellows wheel carried by the housing, and bellows carried by the rotary bellows wheel to pick up labels from the separation notch member and to place the labels on the articles advanced along the article conveyor. The labeler may also include a pay-out motor adjacent the label supply to pay out the label strip therefrom, and a take-up motor downstream from the separation notch member to take up the separated strip portions.

Labeling apparatus with pay-out and take-up stepper motors and related methods

A labeling apparatus is for applying labels to articles advanced along an article conveyor. The labeling apparatus may include a frame to be positioned adjacent the article conveyor, and a labeler carried by the frame. The labeler may include a housing, a rotary bellows wheel carried by the housing, and bellows carried by the rotary bellows wheel. The rotary bellows wheel and adjacent portions of the housing may define a porting arrangement for selectively connecting the rotary bellows wheel to a fluid flow to selectively control internal fluid pressure for the bellows so that each bellows is movable between a retracted label pick-up position and an extended label-applying position and so that a peak negative internal fluid pressure is applied at the label pick-up position and a peak positive internal fluid pressure is applied at the label-applying position.

Labeling apparatus having porting arrangement and related methods

A labeling apparatus is for applying labels to articles advanced along an article conveyor. The labeling apparatus may include a frame to be positioned adjacent the article conveyor, and a labeler carried by the frame. The labeler may include a housing having a sidewall, a shaft extending outwardly from the sidewall, a rotary bellows wheel carried by the shaft, and bellows carried by the rotary bellows wheel. The rotary bellows wheel and adjacent portions of the housing may define a porting arrangement for selectively connecting the bellows wheel to a fluid flow to selectively control internal fluid pressure for the bellows so that each bellows is movable/between, a retracted label pick-up position and an extended label-applying position.

Labeling apparatus with sidewall shaft and related methods

A labeling apparatus is for applying labels to articles advanced along an article conveyor. The labeling apparatus may include a frame to be positioned adjacent the article conveyor, and a labeler carried by the frame. The labeler may include a housing, a rotary bellows wheel carried by the housing, bellows carried by the rotary bellows wheel and a fluid pump within the housing and connected in fluid communication with the rotary bellows wheel to provide a fluid flow for the bellows so that each bellows is movable between a retracted position and an extended label-applying position.

Labeling apparatus with housing having fluid pump and related methods

A labeler for applying labels to articles is provided. The labeler includes a label application device having an opening in an end thereof. The label application device is expandable when subjected to pressure. The labeler also includes a positioner for supporting the label application device and moving the label application device between a label pick-up position and a label application position. A vacuum source and a pressure source are also provided which can be selectively connected to the label application device such the label application device is subject to pressure when adjacent the label application position and subject to vacuum for picking up and retaining a label on the label application device at the label pick-up position. The labeler also includes a flow control element having at least one flow control passage therein which defines at least one air flow path through the flow control element to the label application device opening. The flow control passage is configured to allow air flow through the air flow path and out the label application device opening when pressure is applied to the label application device, but being effective to delay the air flow from reaching the label application device opening.

Growing community of inventors

Garden Grove, CA, United States of America

Robert R Goetz