Systems and methods for bagging cannulate objects such as carrots

Abstract

Automated bagging of cannulate objects comprises arranging a plurality of cannulate objects to be substantially longitudinally parallel with one another, opening a mouth of a bag so that the sidewalls of the bag are spaced from one another at the mouth of the bag, and forming a longitudinally-extending externally supported constriction between the mouth of the bag and the bottom of the bag. The externally supported constriction is narrower than the open mouth of the bag and the cannulate objects remain confined above the constriction. The cannulate objects are fed into the mouth of the bag, longitudinally parallel with the constriction, and, while feeding the plurality of cannulate objects into the mouth of the bag, the constriction is lowered toward the bottom of the bag, whereby the cannulate objects remain substantially longitudinally parallel with one another in the bag.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automated bagging of cannulate objects, comprising:
 arranging a plurality of cannulate objects to be substantially longitudinally parallel with one another;   opening a mouth of a bag having opposed sidewalls and maintaining the mouth in an open configuration in which the sidewalls are spaced from one another at the mouth of the bag;   tapering the bag toward the bottom thereof by converging the sidewalls of the bag to form a longitudinally-extending externally supported constriction disposed between the mouth of the bag and the bottom of the bag,   wherein the externally supported constriction is narrower than the open mouth of the bag and the cannulate objects remain confined above the constriction; and   feeding the plurality of cannulate objects into the mouth of the bag, wherein the cannulate objects are fed into the mouth of the bag longitudinally parallel with the constriction; and   while feeding the plurality of cannulate objects into the mouth of the bag, lowering the constriction toward the bottom of the bag;   whereby the cannulate objects remain substantially longitudinally parallel with one another in the bag.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after filling the bag to a predetermined quantity of cannulate objects, releasing the sidewall to remove the constriction.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after releasing the sidewall to remove the constriction, closing the mouth of the bag.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accumulating the cannulate objects above the bag while opening the mouth of the bag.   
     
     
         5 . A method for arranging a plurality of cannulate objects to be substantially longitudinally parallel with one another, the method comprising:
 depositing the cannulate objects onto an ascending conveyor belt;   the conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced-apart, widthwise-extending flights; and   shaking the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt ascends so that the cannulate objects are supported lengthwise by the flights.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 arresting falling cannulate objects that surmount the flights.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cannulate objects are carrots. 
     
     
         8 . A method for automated bagging of cannulate objects, comprising:
 arranging a plurality of cannulate objects to be substantially longitudinally parallel with one another;   opening a mouth of a bag;   feeding the plurality of cannulate objects into the mouth of the bag, wherein the cannulate objects are fed into the mouth of the bag substantially longitudinally parallel with one another;   externally of the bag, supporting the cannulate objects inside the bag between the mouth of the bag and a bottom of the bag to limit fall travel of the cannulate objects within the bag and thereby maintain the cannulate objects substantially longitudinally parallel with one another inside the bag.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein supporting the cannulate objects inside the bag comprises supporting the cannulate objects progressively further distally from the mouth of the bag as more cannulate objects are fed into the bag. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising withdrawing support from the cannulate objects after a predetermined quantity of cannulate objects have been fed into the bag. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cannulate objects are carrots. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for automated bagging of cannulate objects, comprising:
 a frame;   a bag support carried by the frame and adapted to maintain a bag in an upright configuration;   a bag opening mechanism carried by the frame and adapted to open a mouth of the bag and maintain the mouth of the bag in an open configuration;   a support mechanism carried by the frame, the support mechanism being movable between:
 an external supporting configuration forming a support platform, externally of the bag, between the mouth of the bag and a bottom of the bag; and 
 a release configuration in which the support platform is withdrawn, 
 wherein the support platform is adapted to support cannulate objects within the bag when the support mechanism is in the external supporting configuration. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the support mechanism is vertically movable relative to the frame toward and away from the bag opening mechanism while in the external supporting configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a support gate formed by opposed ramps that are movable toward and away from one another. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the opposed ramps are movable toward and away from one another by pivoting the opposed ramps to converge distal ends of the ramps toward and diverge distal ends of the ramps away from one another. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein, when the support mechanism is in the external supporting configuration, the ramps decline from pivot ends thereof to the distal ends thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an accumulator, comprising:
 an accumulator hopper disposed above the bag opening mechanism to be in registration with the open mouth of the bag; and   an accumulator gate disposed between the accumulator hopper and the open mouth of the bag, the accumulator gate being movable between:
 an open configuration in which the cannulate objects can fall from the accumulator hopper to the open mouth of the bag; and 
 a closed configuration in which the cannulate objects are retained inside the accumulator hopper. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an endless-loop conveyor belt ascending to communicate with the accumulator hopper;   a drive mechanism coupled to the conveyor belt and adapted to drive the conveyor belt;   confining sidewalls extending along sides of the conveyor belt;   the conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced-apart, widthwise-extending flights; and   an agitator mechanism mechanically coupled to the conveyor belt and adapted to shake the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt ascends so that the cannulate objects are supported lengthwise by the flights.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising arrestor flaps extending between the confining sidewalls and depending beyond the flights on the conveyor belt;
 the arrestor flaps adapted to:
 permit ascending passage of the flights therepast; and 
 arrest cannulate objects that surmount the flights. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising ascendingly inwardly tapered guide ramps disposed on inner surfaces of the confining sidewalls. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising the bag.