Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device (10) for processing pineapples comprising at least one carrier (7) for carrying a pineapple to be processed, and at least one processing unit for removing the outer ends from the pineapple (3) and/or for coring and peeling the pineapple (5). The at least one carrier (7) and the least one processing unit are located inside a housing (50) of the device (10). The housing (50) comprises an entrance (54), wherein the device (10) further comprises a pineapple introduction mechanism (52) configured for automatically introducing the pineapple to be processed in the housing (50) through the entrance (54) in the at least one carrier (7) inside the housing (50).

Abstract: A method of automatically orienting symmetric and asymmetric produce items, such as apples for example, is provided. Individual items of produce are manipulated by a programmable manipulator within the view of one or more depth imaging cameras. Digital three dimensional characterizations of the surface of the produce items are generated by the depth imaging camera or cameras and are utilized by a computer connected to the depth imaging camera or cameras to locate the stem and blossom of each produce item. Asymmetric produce items, such as apples with dropped shoulders as well as symmetric produce items can be properly oriented and processed automatically.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a rind from a food item, the apparatus comprising: a compartment defining an interior area adapted to contain a food item, the compartment having at least one opening and a blade assembly; a pushing apparatus, wherein at least a portion of the pushing apparatus is movable to engage the food item; actuator means for driving the pushing apparatus to contact at least a portion of said food item in the compartment.

Abstract: A coring apparatus and method for coring produce and/or forming a beverage container from produce including a rotatable cutting core or member. The coring apparatus allows linear translation and/or rotation of constituent members to facilitate insertion of a cutting member, separation of a core from produce, and/or removal of the core from produce. A carrier is used to translate a rotatable cutting core for insertion in and removal from produce. The rotatable cutting core is rotatable in relation to the carrier and may optionally include an additional cutting member disposed therein.

Abstract: An avocado pitting device comprises a housing having an inner surface defining a recess. The recess is configured to receive a pit of an avocado. An engagement member projects inwardly from the housing inner surface. The engagement member is configured to engage the pit and retain the pit within the recess such that the pit is removable with the housing from the avocado.

Abstract: A fruit or vegetable slicer, particularly suitable for slicing between the edible portion of a watermelon and its rind. The slicer comprises a cutting blade made a thin flexible or bendable food compatible material and having at least one cutting edge; a positioning strip; and a connector mechanism for operably connecting distal ends of the cutting blade and positioning strip to each other and adapted to allow the positioning strip and cutting blade to swivel relative to the connector mechanism.

Abstract: A produce peeling and coring device having a modular blade assembly which can be removed and positioned on numerous machine embodiments, such as freestanding machines, wall-mount machines, and tabletop machines.

Abstract: A fruit seed removing device includes a body, a sleeve, a button, a positioning block, a toggle, a pull rod, a connecting block and a knife. By pulling a hand of a pull rod, the pull rod will drive the knife to move inwards or expand outwards. Then the button is rotate through an angle to drive the positioning block to rotate. Then the pull rod is tightened and positioned. Therefore, the size of a ring for removing seeds is set. The adjustment of the size of the ring can be performed quickly and easily according to the range of the seeds in a fruit. Thereby no pulp will adhere to the user's hand. The operation is retained in clean state and can be performed easily and conveniently.

Abstract: An automated high volume coring machine having a frame, a lifting device, a coring station, and a programmable controller. The lifting device having a scoop for lifting the produce into the coring station. The coring station having removing the skin and core of the produce.

Abstract: An apple/potato peeler. The peeler includes a base, a main frame mounted to a slightly L-shaped structure on the base, a rotatable and axially movable screw horizontally supported on a screw support member on a vertical frame member disposed at the rear of the main frame, a 3-prong fork fixed to the front end of the screw, a guide piece pivotally mounted on the vertical frame member and being releasably engageable relative to a screw channel of the screw, a resiliently movable peeling arm fore-and aft swingeable pivoted to the front part of the horizontal frame member of the main frame, a U-shaped peeling blade fixed to the upper end of the movable peeling arm by a blade positioning device, and a coring/slicing blade fixed to the front end of the horizontal frame member for cutting flesh of a vegetable fruit held by the 3-prong fork if the screw into continuous spiral slices and for coring fruit.

Abstract: Automatic pear processing machine, performing the operations of singularising the pears, picking them up from a container (2), peeling and coring them, and separating the edible parts, wherein the improvement consists, besides other things, in providing means 14, 15, 16, 17, 20) allowing to immediately reject pears of irregular for, which would necessarily lead to waste material, and moreover, in providing holes (46, 53) of very small diameters, on the blades (44, 45) used for cutting the pears into segments. The holes (46, 53) of very small diameter, or “microholes”, allow to inject a fluid, so as to ensure the detachment of the core from both halves of the pears, and the detachment of these parts from the blades (44, 45).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for narrowing and moving a workpiece from a fruit or vegetable through an opening in a container wherein the workpiece is relatively wider than the opening is provided. The apparatus has a plunger with an extension portion slidably movable within a bore formed in a loader. The loader has a base portion mountable over the opening. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the apparatus includes a compression plate for compressing the fruit or vegetable into a slicer, forming a plurality of workpieces. The slicer, holding the workpieces, is aligned with the plunger and one workpiece is plunged through a first bore and into a container.

Abstract: A folding table having a hole in the table top is combined with a fruit and vegetable peeler. The table may include a plastic bag retained within and under the hole for containing peelings therein, or may include a variety of other containers in alternative embodiments. In one such alternative embodiment, the table and peeler are combined with a sink and garbage disposal, whereby the peelings may pass freely through the table and ultimately through the garbage disposal. The table is preferably constructed of materials and components that are easily cleaned, offer stain resistance, and which may be compactly stored.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an industrial machine used to process a lot of pears, and its object is to obtain an end-item which can be readily stored in vases or containers, or utilized to prepare fruit salads, confectionery products, etc. The work cycle of the machine starts with the automatic collection of the pears from a basin, their successive orientation, the removal of the stem and the related woody part, up to the central core, the external peeling, the removal of the flower, the end cutting, the removal of the central core, and finally the cutting into segments, all of which is done automatically.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for mechanically removing the core of fruits and vegetables. The device is designed to be used on a vertical or horizontal hand press. The device has an upper collar member having a centrally located threaded aperture therein for attachment to the hand press and has a connection to a lower collar member upon which the cylindrical coring blade is attached by use of an adjustment screw. The coring blade has a cross member located internally which passes across its inner bore and also an alternative embodiment is disclosed having cutting teeth for cutting into the fruit or vegetable which cutting teeth are located in the cylindrical wall at one distal end of the coring blade.

Abstract: An apparatus for coring and seed celling pears, apples, honeydew melons, cantaloupe and other fruits is provided in which a seed celler support tube is utilized to drive a seed celler knife and wherein a coring tube is utilized to rotate said fruit by one or more turning fins mounted on the coring tube. Separate and independent stepper motor drives are provided for the coring tube and the seed celler support tube. During a portion of the peeling process, the turning fin and seed celler knife are rotated at the same speed. In order to sever the seed cell, the seed celler blade is caused to either rotate faster or slower than the turning fin to sever the seed cell.

Abstract: Apparatus for the automated removal of cores from vegetables, especially floretting vegetables, comprises a conveyor (13, 14) including vegetable supports (15) for indexed advancing of vegetables (35) from a loading station (A) to a cutting station (B) and a cutting head assembly comprising one or more cutter elements (23) movable in a core-excision cutting movement, in which the cutting head assembly is movable between a cutting position in registration with a vegetable support in the cutting station and a core discharge position displaced from the pass of the conveyor. The apparatus may be single- or multi-lane. The cutter blades may be formed as lobes (23) which retain the excised cores in the closed-together condition pending ejection at the discharge position.

Abstract: A fruit peeling machine comprises a base, a transmission rod, an engagement device, a fruit fastening member, and a peeling tool. The transmission rod is rotatably and slidably mounted on the base and provided with at least two spiral slots different from each other in guide range and forming on the transmission rod a meeting place and a separating place which is separated from the meeting place by a distance. The fruit fastening member is fastened with the front end of the transmission rod. The peeling tool is mounted on the base to facilitate the peeling of the fruit held by the fruit fastening member. The engagement device is mounted on the base and composed of at least two engaging members each having two engaging teeth engageable with the spiral slots to enable said transmission rod to displace variously in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transmission rod at the time when the transmission rod is rotated.

Abstract: A method for dry peeling potatoes includes punching the periphery of a potato to form a partially peeled potato having a standardized dimension, moving the partially peeled potato under and over other cutting members to remove the remainder of the potato skin. According to a presently preferred method, the potato is punched with an oval-cylindrical punch and the punch is utilized to hold the potato as a workpiece for further cutting operations.

Abstract: A system for preparing baked applies (12) and other edible fruits and vegetables which comprises a component for coring through a top of an apple (16) and into a core (18) thereof to remove the core (18) with its seeds, so as to form a hole (20) therein. A facility (22) is for removing some pulp (24) of the apple (16) from within the hole (20), so as to form an expanded chamber (26) therein with a top inlet port (28). A prepared sweet food mass filler (30) can be inserted past the top inlet port (28) and into the expanded chamber (26), a food topping (32) placed thereon and the apple (16) baked.

Abstract: A coring apparatus for coring a substantially annular food item includes a base member, a post member extending from the base member, the post member including a drive shaft guide structure, a drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatably fitted through the guide structure, the drive shaft having shaft external threads, a mechanism for engaging the shaft external threads, so that rotating the drive shaft relative to the post member causes the drive shaft to advance along the longitudinal axis relative to the post member, a food item cutting element mounted on the drive shaft including arched blades having blade cutting edges radially spaced from the drive shaft longitudinal axis for cutting along a circular path, and a food item holding structure connected to the mounting base and located within the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and adjacent to the cutting element for securing the food item against rotation relative to the post member so that the cutting element is advanced toward the hold

Abstract: A safety peeler including a short cylindrical shell having a closed exterior portion and an open interior portion with a cylindrical extension extending therefrom including an external threaded portion and an exterior surface therebetween with a top edge and a bottom edge; a rectangular tab with an upper edge, a lower edge being in communication with the top portion of the shell and four vertical sides being equally spaced from the top edge of the exterior surface of the shell, the upper edge capable of cutting away the skin of a citrus fruit; a long cylinder being hollow having an interior opening with a top edge, an exterior opening with a bottom edge and an exterior surface and an internal wall therebetween including an internal threaded portion being adjacent to the top edge of the interior opening, the internal threaded portion capable of engaging the external threaded portion of the cylindrical shell; a cylindrical tapered edge having an upper edge in communication with the bottom edge of the exterior o

Abstract: An apparatus (110) is provided for cutting the skin (S) of a piece of fruit (F) so it can be peeled off, and making a core cut (C) through the middle of the fruit. A base plate (112) has an upper surface for supporting a piece of fruit in a position in which it can be cut and cored. An inner cutting blade (120) and an outer cutting blade (122) are movable from a first position above the piece of the fruit toward the cutting board. These blades are coaxially aligned with each other. The outer blade is a circular blade which cuts through the skin of the fruit so it can be peeled off. Peel cutting blades (162) extend outwardly from the outer blade to slice the peel so that it may be removed. The peel cutting blades and outer blade are removably secured to apparatus for simple changing of the blades. A handle mechanism is used to simultaneously move the blades.

Abstract: A fruit cutter including a tubular body formed at an upper inner side with a pair of L-shaped grooves, a handle having a cylindrical lower portion provided with a pair of protuberances each engaged with one of the L-shaped grooves of the tubular body, a guide plate slantwise fitted at a lower part of the tubular body, an upper positioning member slantwise fitted at a lower part of the tubular body and arranged opposite to the guide plate, a lower positioning member slantwise fitted at a lower part of the tubular body under the upper positioning member, and a cutting member slidably engaged between the upper and the lower positioning members.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for removing palm hearts from cut lengths of stalks of palm each of which includes a large "meristem" section that is joined to a smaller diameter top section by an intermediate tapered section, and has a palm heart that runs the length of the stalk as a core member inside an intermediate layer that is surrounded by a thorny outer bark layer. Each such stalk is caused to move longitudinally through bark removal means for slitting the outer bark layer of its smaller diameter section and removing the bark from the remainder of the stalk. The smaller section, after having been severed from the rest of the stalk, is caused to move longitudinally through intermediate layer removal means for slitting and removing the intermediate layer from the underlying palm heart. Embodiments include each such means per se and acting cooperatively with the other, and methods for carrying out the foregoing processes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for removing palm hearts from the tapered and "meristem" sections of cut lengths of stalks of palm, each of which had included a large "meristem" section joined to a smaller diameter top section by an intermediate tapered section, and had a palm heart that runs the length of the stalk as a core member inside an intermediate layer that is surrounded by a thorny outer bark layer. After removel of the smaller diameter section from the remainder of the stalk, the remaining tapered and "meristem" sections are caused to be retentively positioned in coring means by which, backed by means for retaining the work piece in position, a coring knife moves substantially coaxially to the piece from one of its ends to core out and remove the palmheart core from the remainder of the work piece. Embodiments include such means per se and methods for carrying out the foregoing processes.

Abstract: A pear processing method and apparatus is provided which includes several mechanisms for properly orienting the pear prior to coring, peeling and seed celling of the pear. Each pear is tumbled between a pair of orienting rolls to a position wherein the stem of the pear is oriented downwardly. Whiskers on one of the rolls speed up this orienting of the pear. A friction clutch on the other roll helps maintain the pear in its proper position, once the proper alignment has been attained. The pear is dropped downwardly into a transfer cup having four resilient fingers which tend to orient the pear. The pear is then pushed out of the transfer cup downwardly into a feed cup having a concave receptacle for centering the stem of the pear and three upwardly extending arms which grasp and center the blossom end of the pear. The pear is then transferred to a station wherein the pear is cored and thereafter peeled and seed celled simultaneously. The stem and blossom are also trimmed.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for cutting the skin (S) of a piece of fruit (F) so it can be peeled off, and making a core (C) cut through the middle of the fruit. A base plate (12) has an upper surface (14) for supporting a piece of fruit in a position in which it can be cut and cored. An inner cutting blade (20) and an outer cutting blade (22) are movable from a first portion above the piece of the fruit toward the cutting board. These blades are coaxially aligned with each other. The inner blade is, for example, rectangular in cross-section to produce a generally rectangular cut in the piece of fruit core. The inner blade may have other configurations. The outer blade is a circular blade which cuts through the skin of the fruit so it can be peeled off. A handle mechanism (24) is used to simultaneously move the blades.

Abstract: A tool is described for separating a core, a rind and flesh of a fruit, in particular a pineapple, including, at least, a cylindrical corer which is provided at one end with a cutting edge and at the other end with a handle or other driving member, such as a motor. In the tool there is provided, close to the cutting edge of the corer at least one flesh cutter extending radially thereon and provided with at least one cutting edge, the shape of the flesh cutter being chosen such that upon rotating of the tool, it executes a helical movement with a predetermined pitch, and in that at the end of the flesh cutter, opposite the end fixed to the corer, there is provided, at least locally, a rind cutter extending parallel to the corer and provided with at least one cutting edge. Further an auxiliary screw connected with the corer may be present to at least partially determine the pitch of the tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a product of predetermined shape from a vegetable, in which the vegetable is split and the opposed sections are scooped out. In another aspect of the invention a shaft penetrates the vegetable and blades are laterally flexed to carve out a cavity when the shaft is rotated. In still another aspect of the invention a pair of sloping U-shaped cutters move together into the vegetable and a U-shaped knife in each of the cutters rotates to form a heart-shaped core.

Abstract: A pineapple cutting and coring device includes a cutting board base plate for supporting a pineapple, an inside cylindrical cutting blade disposed above the cutting board, an outside cylindrical cutting blade positioned coaxial with the inside cutting blade, and first and second diametrically opposed radial cutting blades outwardly extend from the outside cylindrical blade. A leveraged moving device is suitably attached to the cutting blades and the cutting board base to move the blades downwardly through the pineapple. A stationary guide plate keeps the cutting blades in a vertical orientation as the cutting blades move downwardly through the pineapple.

Abstract: A semiautomatic pineapple peeler in which adjustable width knife blades sever the ends of the pineapple and concentric cylindrical knives core and peel it, leaving the detached core in the peeled pineapple. The one step process is driven by two D.C. electric linear ball screw actuators, sequenced by an integrated circuit logic board and magnetic proximity limit switch arrangement. The peel is split in half by two radially mounted fins on the top and bottom of the large cylindrical knife, allowing the waste to be collected below.The pineapple machine completely removes all of the peel and cores a single pineapple automatically, eliminating the two step manual operation of first cutting the ends off and then using the existing labor intensive lever operated coring and peeling devices.

Abstract: A pineapple corer and peeler comprises a power rotated head stock and an adjustable tail stock upon a framework to axially support and rotate a pineapple. A rotatable core cutting tube with sharpened circular edges advances axially through the head stock to longitudinally sever the pineapple core and a peeler blade upon a power rotated lead screw feeds along and spirally peels the pineapple during rotation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus of peeling citrus fruit. Citrus fruits are peeled by utilizing a series of cups for holding the fruit such that the core axis of the fruit lies horizontal at right angle to the path of travel. A conveyor is used for advancing the cups in a series of stop/start motions along the path of travel while the fruit is being held in the cups by means of a series of metallic fingers applying downward pressure on the fruit. The blossom and stem of the fruit are sliced to establish parallel planes on the fruit such that the fruit can be guided along parallel plates to prevent movement of the core axis of the fruit. A pair of photo-electric cells will estimate the diameter of the fruit and the information stored for further processing. The fruits are then pierced by means of forks or tines which will rotate them at a constant speed and be carried below a set of rotating cutters.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for peeling an object having a generally soft interior portion surrounded by a generally hard external surface, where the system is suitable for use by consumers or in areas with consumers. According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus of the invention includes a knife means for removing the hard external surface from the object, leaving substantially the soft interior portion. The apparatus also includes a housing enclosing the knife means to protect consumers or an operator of the apparatus from the knife means. The housing has two openings, one for receiving the object and one for discharging the soft interior portion after the object has been peeled.For some objects to be peeled, such as pineapples, the hard external surface of the object has two end portions and an intermediate body portion.

Abstract: The tool comprises two substantially annular and coaxial blades, an inner one and an outer one respectively, each of which has a frontal cutting edge, and a handgrip for enabling the blades to be pushed into the fruit and possibly rotated so as to separate the core and the skin from the fleshy part through the action of the cutting edge of the inner blade and the cutting edge of the outer blade, respectively. Each blade has associated elongate parts for connecting it to the handgrip which, together with the blades themselves, constitute regions of a single tubular body substantially free from roughness.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing the peel from a pineapple comprises a tubular knife provided with a toothed cutting edge designed to cut through a pineapple and fixed elongated guide means telescopically positioned within the tubular knife and adapted to direct the toothed cutting edge toward a pineapple that is interposed between the guide means and a cutting pad positioned in opposing relationship to the toothed cutting edge. The mechanism for moving the tubular knife towards the cutting pad and through the body of a pineapple includes leveraged means designed to reduce the force required to move the tubular knife through the pineapple. The elongated guide means is adapted to accommodate quickly interchangeable caps which increase the effective diameter of the guide means and which cooperate with annular spacer elements mounted on the inside wall of a tubular knife. This allows the apparatus to be used with different diameter tubular knives for different size pineapples.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing the peel from a pineapple comprises a cylindrical body provided with a toothed cutting edge designed to cut through a pineapple and fixed guide means telescopically positioned within the cylindrical body and adapted to direct the toothed cutting edge of the cylindrical body towards a pineapple that is placed on a cutting pad positioned in opposing relationship to the toothed cutting edge. The apparatus is optionally provided with a core tube slidably disposed in a passageway extending through the guide means and designed to cut through the central core of a pineapple placed on the cutting pad. The apparatus is also provided with means for simultaneously or separately moving the cylindrical body and the core tube towards the pineapple and the cutting pad.

Abstract: A pineapple cutter, wherein a smaller diameter tubular cutter for cutting the core of a pineapple and a larger diameter tubular cutter for cutting the peel of the pineapple are concentrically arranged on upper peripheral edge of a cylindrical body having a base disc, between said cutters a pineapple loading table is inserted loosely in vertically movable state, a horizontal rod for vertical movement of said loading table is connected with a vertically operating rod passing through a slant groove which is provided obiquely in vertical direction in the peripheral said wall of said cylindrical body.

Abstract: A pineapple cutter, wherein a smaller diameter tubular cutter for cutting the core of a pineapple and a larger diameter tubular cutter for cutting the peel of the pineapple are concentrically arranged on upper peripheral edge of a cylindrical body having a base disc, between said cutters a pineapple loading table is inserted loosely in vertically movable state, a horizontal rod for vertical movement of said loading table is connected with a vertically operating rod passing through a slant groove which is provided obliquely in vertical direction in the peripheral said wall of said cylindrical body.According to said arrangement, the disadvantage of usual pineapple cutter is completely eliminated, assuring simultaneous removing of hard peel and core of a pineapple easily and accurately.

Abstract: A machine for processing pineapples, wherein the remaining blemishes and skin are trimmed from the top and butt portions of a sized and partially skinned cylinder of fruit automatically during processing through sizing, coring, and top and butt removal operations. The automatic top and butt trimming permits an increased yield of higher grade product through more precisely controlled cutting and trimming than have previously been accomplished by hand operations. Labor costs are also substantially reduced.

Abstract: A method for processing pineapples by sequentially drilling a central hole, cutting off the upper end, transferring the pineapple to a peeling spindle, indexing the pineapple on the spindle through a series of peeling stations, cutting off the bottom end, rotating the spindle a single turn at each peeling station adjacent an array of rotating cutters to remove spaced bands from the outer surface of the pineapple while maintaining the original ovoid shape of the pineapple, pushing the peeled pineapple through a rotating circular knife to form the pineapple into a cylinder and an outer blanket, and removing the remaining fibrous core prior to discharge.

Abstract: A system for preparing baked applies (12) and other edible fruits and vegetables which comprises a component for coring through a top of an apple (16) and into a core (18) thereof to remove the core (18) with its seeds, so as to form a hole (20) therein. A facility (22) is for removing some pulp (24) of the apple (16) from within the hole (20), so as to form an expanded chamber (26) therein with a top inlet port (28). A prepared sweet food mass filler (30) can be inserted past the top inlet port (28) and into the expanded chamber (26), a food topping (32) placed thereon and the apple (16) baked.