Multi-lane fruit guide assembly having integral ridge ends for a juice extractor and related methods

Abstract

A fruit guide assembly may include a frame to be positioned between the fruit conveyor and the multi-position fruit feeder, a vibrator connected to the frame, and a fruit guide body having a series of alternating ridges and valleys therein defining a plurality of fruit lanes. Each pair of adjacent ridges may extend outwardly beyond an end of an intervening valley to define an opening to permit passage therethrough of a corresponding portion of the multi-position feeder. This defines integrally formed cantilevered ridge ends for supporting the fruit. In other embodiments, the fruit guide body may be used without a vibrator, for example. The fruit guide body may include an upper wall and a bottom wall spaced therefrom defining a hollow fruit guide body. For example, the fruit guide body may include rotationally molded polyethylene.