Apparatus and methods for enclosing product units

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for sealing pallets of fresh produce inside enclosures and for filling the interiors of the sealed enclosures with a modified gaseous atmosphere moves pallets loaded with fresh produce to a squeeze station where the packages as a unit are gripped between opposing walls on two opposing sides and between additional opposing squeeze members on two other opposing sides.

1 . An apparatus for temporarily supporting a load over a pallet, comprising a pair of opposed vertical, substantially planar sidewalls that engage said load on two opposing sides, at least one of said sidewalls being movable independently of the other to control the distance therebetween, and additional opposed squeeze members that engage said plurality of packages as a unit near the bottom of said unit on two additional opposing sides.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising means for moving one of said opposed vertical sidewalls toward the other vertical sidewall, and into a fixed predetermined, desired position for engaging said load, before said other sidewall engages said load with sufficient force to support said load between said sidewalls.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising means for conveying said load to a position between said sidewalls and, at said position between said sidewalls, movable means for lowering support means from beneath said load to a location below said desired position when said load is supported by said opposed vertical sidewalls and by said additional opposed squeeze members.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for conveying said load to a position between said sidewalls and, at said position between said sidewalls, movable means for lowering support means from beneath said load to a location below said desired position when said load is supported by said opposed vertical sidewalls and by said additional opposed squeeze members.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for temporarily supporting a load comprising two opposed, vertical sidewalls on two opposing sides of said load, and between additional opposed squeeze members that engage said load near the bottom of said load on two additional opposed sides of said load, at least one of the sidewalls being movable independently of the other to control the distance between said sidewalls.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  comprising means for moving one of said opposed vertical sidewalls toward the other vertical sidewall, and into a fixed predetermined desired position for engaging said load before the other sidewall engages said load with sufficient force to support said load between said sidewalls and between said additional squeeze members.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising means for conveying said load to a desired position between said opposed vertical sidewalls, and, at said desired position, movable means for removing support from beneath said load to a location below said desired position when said load is supported by said opposed vertical sidewalls and by said additional squeeze members.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising means for conveying said load to said desired position between said opposed vertical sidewalls and, at said desired position between said opposed sidewalls, movable means for lowering support from beneath said load to a location below said desired position when said load is supported by said opposed vertical sidewalls and by said additional squeeze members.  
   
   
       9 . Apparatus comprising: 
 squeezer means including opposing wall-like grippers that engage a plurality of packages as a unit on two opposing sides of said packages and opposing additional squeeze members that engage said plurality of packages as a unit near the bottom of said unit, and then place said unit onto a plastic-lined pallet; 
 dispensing means for dispensing plastic enclosures;  
 positioner means for positioning a loaded plastic-lined pallet beneath said enclosure dispensing means;  
 sealing means for sealing said plastic-lined pallet to one of said enclosures with said pallet inside said enclosure;  
 atmosphere replacing means for replacing the atmosphere inside a sealed enclosure; and  
 means for moving a pallet from said squeezer and pallet replacer means, to said positioner means, to said sealing means, and to said atmosphere replacing means.  
   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said squeezer means comprises a downwardly movable Doorplate and a pair of opposed vertical walls, at least one of which is movable to control the distance therebetween.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said enclosure dispensing means comprises a frame with a plurality of radial arms for the suspension of enclosures therefrom.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said arms are rotatable with respect to a vertical axis.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said sealing means comprises means for sealing said plastic-lined pallet to one of said plastic enclosures with adhesive tape.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said atmosphere replacing means comprises: 
 probe means for transporting gases into or out of said plastic enclosure;    hose means connecting said probe means to a multiposition valve;    evacuation means including a vacuum pump connected to said valve and open to said probe means in one position of said valve for evacuating said plastic enclosure to a predetermined pressure below atmospheric pressure; and    filling means for introducing a gas including a source of gas at a predetermined pressure connected to said valve and open to said probe means in another position of said valve, and timer means connected to said valve for controlling the length of time said valve is in said other position to introduce a predetermined volume of gas into said enclosure.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said at least one wall is hydraulically movable.