Patents by Inventor Maurice V. Johnson, Jr.

Maurice V. Johnson, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5996482
    Abstract: A high speed, high volume fruit sectionizer is comprised of a pair of suction cup conveyors onto which fruit is loaded. The fruit is coupled by means of suction attachment to a first conveyor and carried to a position wherein the opposing side of the fruit is suction coupled to the second conveyor. The fruit is drawn through a halving guillotine and coring blade. The fruit halves are then positioned on scooping and sectioning assemblies. A rotating semicircular hoop blade cuts the fruit meat away from the peel while leaving the fruit meat and peel in place. The separated peel and fruit meat are moved across the scooping and sectioning assembly through a blade assembly which sections the fruit meat. The meat sectioning blade has a first portion which cuts through the peel and fruit meat to establish a first radial extent of the section cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sunkist Growers, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Kirk, Maurice V. Johnson, Jr., Jaxon W. Potter
  • Patent number: 5787801
    Abstract: A high speed, high volume fruit sectionizer is comprised of a pair of suction cup conveyors onto which fruit is loaded. The fruit is coupled by means of suction attachment to a first conveyor and carried to a position wherein the opposing side of the fruit is suction coupled to the second conveyor. The fruit is drawn through a halving guillotine and coring blade. The fruit halves are then positioned on scooping and sectioning assemblies. A rotating semicircular hoop blade cuts the fruit meat away from the peel while leaving the fruit meat and peel in place. The separated peel and fruit meat are moved across the scooping and sectioning assembly through a blade assembly which sections the fruit meat. The meat sectioning blade has a first portion which cuts through the peel and fruit meat to establish a first radial extent of the section cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Sunkist Growers, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Kirk, Maurice V. Johnson, Jr., Jaxon W. Potter