Abstract: A leafy vegetable having a core end and a leafy end is processed after being harvested. The harvested leafy vegetable is transported to a trim area on a conveyor. A first cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the core end. A second cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the leafy end. The first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, which defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed. As the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements, a set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area sprays a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse off natural juices exuding from the cut sites.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 13, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 27, 2010
Assignee:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Inventors:
Narayan Dnyanadeo Patil, Serafin Albarran, William Christopher Johnson
Abstract: In a system to separate shredded vegetable pieces, a slicer cuts a vegetable having leaves and a core into pieces to form a mixture of leaf and core pieces. The mixture then passes through a sorting mechanism that separates the core pieces from the mixture.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 10, 2003
Date of Patent:
April 6, 2010
Assignee:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Inventors:
Narayan Dnyanadeo Patil, Andrew Dave Fernandez, Seth Marcus Goldsmith, Edward James Wynn
Abstract: A leafy vegetable having a core end and a leafy end is processed after being harvested. The harvested leafy vegetable is transported to a trim area on a conveyor. A first cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the core end. A second cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the leafy end. The first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, which defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed. As the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements, a set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area sprays a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse off natural juices exuding from the cut sites.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 13, 2009
Publication date:
November 5, 2009
Applicant:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Inventors:
Narayan Dnyanadeo PATIL, Serafin Albarran, William Christopher Johnson
Abstract: A leafy vegetable having a core end and a leafy end is processed after being harvested. The harvested leafy vegetable is transported to a trim area on a conveyor. A first cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the core end. A second cutting implement located in the trim area trims a portion of the leafy end. The first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, which defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed. As the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements, a set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area sprays a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse off natural juices exuding from the cut sites.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 26, 2005
Date of Patent:
July 14, 2009
Assignee:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Inventors:
Narayan Dnyanadeo Patil, Serafin Albarran, William Christopher Johnson
Abstract: A produce washer includes a holder to position a single piece of produce and a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance adjacent to the holder. When the produce is a cored lettuce head, the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder with the cored portion facing the nozzle disposed across the horizontal distance. When the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder, the nozzle directs a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion.
Abstract: A produce washer includes a holder to position a single piece of produce and a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance adjacent to the holder. When the produce is a cored lettuce head, the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder with the cored portion facing the nozzle disposed across the horizontal distance. When the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder, the nozzle directs a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion.
Abstract: A produce washer includes a holder to position a single piece of produce and a nozzle disposed at a horizontal distance adjacent to the holder. When the produce is a cored lettuce head, the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder with the cored portion facing the nozzle disposed across the horizontal distance. When the cored lettuce head is positioned in the holder, the nozzle directs a stream of cleansing liquid across the horizontal distance into the cored portion.
Abstract: Lettuce can be commercially harvested by removing the bottom portion of a head of lettuce to obtain only the top portion of the head. After the top portion of the head is obtained, a center section of the top portion of the head is removed to leave a cup-shaped portion of the head. The bottom portion of the head is removed and the center section of the top portion is removed in the field in which the head is harvested.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 14, 2006
Publication date:
September 20, 2007
Applicant:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Inventors:
Kevin Nash, Leon Ventura, Rafael Garibay