Plastic fruit bag unsealing device

Abstract

A device for unsealing a plastic fruit bag comprises a conveyor device, a heating device, and a blower. A fruit contained in a sealed plastic bag is conveyed by the conveyor device to the heating device which melts a portion the plastic bag and thus opens the plastic bag. The opened plastic bags are sucked by the blower to a place for collection, and the fruits are collected in another place.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a plastic fruit bag unsealing device for unsealing a plastic bag to thereby remove a fruit inside the plastic bag.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Fruits can be packed in plastic bags one by one by means of a fruit packing machine to thereby save labor and reduce loss of the fruits resulting from rot. However, it is inconvenient and labor-intensive to remove the fruits from plastic bags one by one. The present invention is intended to provide a plastic fruit bag unsealing device to solve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a plastic fruit bag unsealing device for automatically unsealing plastic fruit bags to save labor and time.

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, a device for unsealing a plastic fruit bag comprises a conveyor device, a heating device, and a blower. A fruit contained in a sealed plastic bag is conveyed by the conveyor device to the heating device which melts a portion the plastic bag and thus opens the plastic bag. The opened plastic bags are sucked by the blower to a place for collection, and the fruits are collected in another place.

[0007] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic bag unsealing device in accordance with the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the plastic bag unsealing device in accordance with the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a plastic fruit bag unsealing device in accordance with the present invention generally includes a conveyor device 1, a heating device 2, and a blower 3. The conveyor device 1 has a conventional structure and includes a feeding trough 11 for placing fruits each of which is packed and sealed in a plastic bag. A conveyor belt 12 is mounted to a side of the feeding trough 11 for conveying the packed fruits 13 to the heating device 2 so as to separate fruits from plastic bags.

[0012] The heating device 2 includes two side walls 21 that have a downwardly tapering space therebetween; i.e., the space tapers from an upper end thereof toward a lower end thereof and thus has a funnel-like structure that opens at a top thereof for receiving packed fruits 13 from the conveyor belt 12. The packed fruits 13 falls along the side walls 21. First ends of the side walls 21 are fixed by a plate 22 and second ends of the side walls 21 are fixed by another plate 22 which has an outlet 25. A cylinder 27 is mounted below the space between the side walls 21 and includes a longitudinal slot 271 in a top thereof that faces the space. A plurality of parallel metal wires 272 are mounted on the cylinder 27 and located in the longitudinal slot 271. The metal wires 272 can be heated to melt the plastic bag 14 for a fruit 13, thereby unsealing (i.e., opening) the plastic bag 14. The gap between each two adjacent metal wires 272 is smaller than a diameter of the fruit 13 yet allows passage of the unsealed plastic bag 14.

[0013] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of conveying rollers 23 and screw-type rollers 24 are provided in sequence along a vertical direction above the cylinder 27 for forcibly moving packed fruits 13 to pass above the cylinder 27 toward the outlet 25. In order to prevent damage to the packed fruits 13 that fall from the conveyor belt 12 onto the conveying rollers 23, the conveying rollers 23 are covered by soft material 26, such as sponge. In addition a lower portion of the cylinder 27 is connected to the blower 3 via a tube 273.

[0014] The blower 3 has a conventional structure and includes a fan (not labeled) that can be driven by a power element 31 (such as a motor) to provide a suction force for sucking unsealed (opened) plastic bags, which will be described later. An end of the blower 3 is connected with the tube 273 and the other end 32 of the blower 3 is connected to a collecting bag 33.

[0015] In use, the metal wires 272 are heated by electricity to a temperature sufficient to melt a sealed plastic bag 14 that contains a fruit 13 therein. The melt and broken plastic bag 14 is sucked by the suction force provided by the blower 3 and is thus passed through the gap between two adjacent metal wires 272 and then enters the collecting bag 33 via the tube 273 and the outlet end 32. The fruit 13 that has a diameter greater than the gap between two adjacent metal wires 272 is forcibly moved by the screw-type rollers 23 toward the outlet 25 and then collected.

[0016] It is appreciated that the user may just place the packed fruits 14 into the feeding trough 11, the plastic fruit bag unsealing device in accordance with the present invention will separate the plastic bags 14 from the fruits 13 automatically, and the plastic bags 14 and the fruits 13 after separation are collected, respectively. Thus, a convenient and useful plastic fruit bag unsealing device is provided.

[0017] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A plastic fruit bag unsealing device comprising:

a conveyor device, a heating device, and a blower,

the conveyor device including a feeding trough for placing fruits each of which is packed and sealed in a plastic bag, a conveyor belt being mounted to a side of the feeding trough for conveying the packed fruits to the heating device;

the heating device including two side walls that have a downwardly tapering space therebetween and an opening in a top thereof for receiving the packed fruits that come from the conveyor belt and fall along the side walls, the side walls having first ends that are fixed by a first plate and second ends that are fixed by a second plate, the second plate having an outlet, a cylinder being mounted below the space between the side walls and including a longitudinal slot in a top thereof that faces the space;

a plurality of parallel metal wires being mounted on the cylinder and located in the longitudinal slot, the metal wires being heated to melt the plastic bag for each said packed fruit, thereby unsealing the plastic bag;

a plurality of conveying rollers and screw-type rollers being provided along a vertical direction above the cylinder for forcibly moving the packed fruits to pass above the cylinder toward the outlet;

the blower including a fan driven by a power element to provide a suction force for sucking plastic bags that are melt and opened by the heating device, the blower including a first end connected with the cylinder via a tube and a second end connected to a collecting bag.

2. The plastic fruit bag unsealing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each two adjacent said metal wires have a gap therebetween that is smaller than a diameter of the fruit yet allows passage of the plastic bag.