ES2963240A1 - MACHINE FOR PEELING VEGETABLE PRODUCTS (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Machine for peeling vegetable products, comprising a rotating drum (1) that is crossed by the vegetable products for peeling, which comprises at least one brush (3) arranged with its contact surface facing the inner surface of the rotating drum, so that the skin of the plant products comes off due to their friction with the contact surface of the brush (3) when they are located between the brush (3) and the inner surface of the drum (1). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

MACHINE FOR PEELING VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

Technical sector

The present invention refers to a machine for peeling vegetable products, such as peppers, for subsequent processing, for example, prior to canning, thereby achieving a notable improvement in peeling, in parallel with a maintenance of the organoleptic characteristics of the product.

State of the art

In the state of the art, it is common in certain types of vegetable products that, prior to packaging, the skin is removed for different reasons such as flavor or hardness. As an example, it is known that roasted peppers undergo a peeling process after being roasted, but before being canned, given that their skin is hard and indigestible when consumed.

The traditional solution for peeling vegetable products consists of manual peeling, which obviously involves a very high investment in labor and working time. Peeling by hand requires time and experience since you must try to remove the skin carefully so as not to remove part of the meat from the product.

Currently, different types of vegetable skin peeling machines have been developed, which work automatically, reducing the aforementioned labor costs to a minimum. The machines used carry out peeling by different methods, such as: peeling by brushes of ribbons, fringes, rubber bands, threads, etc. All of them are very aggressive for the product, which significantly reduces part of its flavor and meat in many cases.

So that vegetable products, such as roasted peppers, remain hard as long as possible and the removal of the skin is simplified, it is recommended that they be cooled. To do this, the use of water jets or air currents is used, which are aggressive for the product if they impact directly, in addition to contributing decisively to its washing and loss of flavor, specifically due to the loss of its juice.

Another major issue is uniformity in peeling, as many peeling methods do not take into account the movement of the product to ensure complete removal of the skin throughout the product. A common solution is to peel per unit, which slows down the process, but ensures complete peeling.

A document that reflects a solution is document ES2268960 where there is a rotating drum that is crossed by peppers for peeling. The drum is made up of a mesh through which the skin that comes off the peppers is removed by the effect of air jets that are generated by a series of nozzles directly on the products. However, it presents the problem of removing skin, which can become trapped in the drum mesh without being evacuated through its hopper. Additionally, air peeling may not be effective.

Thus, there is no installation in the state of the art that allows the removal of the skin from vegetables in an efficient and complete manner, as well as that solves the problems reflected in the stated state of the art.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is a machine for peeling vegetable products, which comprises a rotating drum that is crossed by the vegetable products for peeling, which comprises at least one brush arranged with its contact surface facing the inner surface of the rotating drum, so that the skin of the vegetable products comes off when they rub against the contact surface of the brush when they are located between the brush and the inner surface of the drum.

The brush comprises a contact surface that favors the detachment of the skin from plant products due to friction. Optionally, the contact surface is provided with spikes or flexible elements that protrude from the surface, which favor the friction of the plant products so that the skin detaches from the meat of the plant product with friction.

Alternatively, the contact surface of the brush may simply be rough, that is, made of a material that offers friction and favors the detachment of the skin due to contact. The impact and drag of the produce drum against this rough contact surface forces the skin to peel away from the meat and remove it.

To solve caking problems that can occur inside the drum, the brush is arranged on a rotating shaft. The brush therefore preferably rotates around an axis parallel to the axis of the drum. This brush is thus located along the entire length of the drum to ensure the correct movement of the vegetables along the entire path.

The brush preferably rotates in the same direction as the drum, which favors the pressure of the product against the inner surface of the drum and the contact surface of the brush, thus favoring the removal of the skin. When the drum and the brush rotate in the same direction, they form a suction of the skin, which is removed from the meat of the vegetable product and is guided in the direction of rotation of the drum for its removal.

The drum and brush can rotate by different motor means, allowing independent regulation of the rotation of each one. The difference in speeds can favor the pressure of the plant product against the contact surface of the brush or against the interior surface of the drum, depending on the friction and speed of each of them. Also, it is possible to adapt the speed of the drum and brush to the vegetable products and the technical characteristics of the product, such as harder or more delicate skin.

Alternatively, they can be made to synchronize the angular velocity of the drum and the brush, which could allow them to contact each other without friction or slipping. Even if contact occurs, the skin must be allowed to pass through for removal, so at least one surface can be elastic, for example, that of the brush. This embodiment ensures that only the skin is sucked by leaving no space between the brush and the drum except for very small thicknesses such as skin.

Preferably, the brush is located close to the drum, but without contacting it, and in the middle towards where the product is dragged by the rotation of the drum. In other words, the brush is in an area where, when the vegetables enter the drum, they are pushed by the rotation of the drum, impacting against the contact surface of the brush from the bottom. The amount of vegetable products inside the drum must be adequate for proper peeling.

In a preferred embodiment, the brush is cylindrical in shape, so that the contact with the plant products as it rotates is constant and stable. Additionally, the brush can have different contact surfaces along its surface to modify the friction exerted against the plant products.

The brush has, on its contact surface, at least one free section as a cavity where the vegetables can be introduced and rotated with the brush. This allows the peeled vegetable product to be removed from the contact area with the drum and the brush from time to time, being propelled over the other vegetable products of the drum to a position further away from the brush. All of this allows all the products to mix, allowing all the vegetables to pass through the contact area with the drum and brush.

Alternatively, you can have two or three distinct cavities in the brush so that plant products can be introduced for mixing. This can be useful in smaller vegetable products, since the more cavities there are, the less exposure time the products have to the surface of the drum, where the skin is removed.

In one embodiment, there can be a shaft in which different brushes are inserted, which can all be the same or have small differences such as the number of cavities, materials, shape of the surface or small variations in size. The shaft will be arranged in the longitudinal direction of the drum, so that the selection of each brush and its characteristics can be selected based on its position along the drum. In any case, the brushes will need a form of fixation to the shaft, such as using a pin or any other known mechanical or fixing means.

The cavity can have different shapes and sizes depending on the vegetable products to be peeled, as well as the total diameter of the brush. One option is for the cavity to correspond to a quarter section (two planes forming 90 degrees) of the triangle-shaped cylinder or, for example, two planes forming 110 degrees for larger products or 70 degrees for smaller products. Other options are, for example, that the cavity corresponds to a circular shape or that it has a square drawer shape. In short, any form in which peeled vegetable products are likely to enter and can be removed from the contact area with the drum and brush.

According to a preferred embodiment, the drum has a mesh-shaped contact surface. This mesh allows the skins or skin remains to exit through its holes so that they are separated from the vegetable products, at the same time it prevents the exit of the vegetable products due to the size of the holes. The mesh of the drum must therefore be suitable for each type of vegetable product to be peeled, according to the size of the vegetable products and the type of skins.

Additionally, the machine includes internal ejection means with the objective of dragging the skins from the inner surface of the drum, that is, removing any possible skins that remain embedded in the mesh of the drum due to the peeling effect of the vegetable products. This removal of skins is necessary to improve peeling and prevent clogging of the inner surface of the drum. The inner ejection means may be of different shapes, such as, for example, ejecting jets of water or air towards the inner surface of the drum in the direction of the outside of the drum.

The internal ejection means are preferably located above the area of action of the brush, that is, above the area where the peeling of plant products is favored, and, therefore, where it could become embedded or be dragged the skin of the vegetable products into the drum. Preferably, the interior ejection means do not interact with the plant products directly.

Alternatively, the interior ejection means could be arranged close to the contact surface of the drum, but without coming into contact. In this embodiment, the plant products could jump said internal ejection means, going from a surface with skins to another without skins. This embodiment could be located, for example, at the bottom of the drum so that the contact surface that reaches the brush area is clean of debris.

The interior water ejection means may comprise a series of nozzles that generate continuous jets of water on the interior surface of the drum. These jets drag the drum skins with the water, projecting them towards the outside of the drum. Preferably, cold water can be used, which means cooling the inner surface of the drum to promote peeling and cool the vegetable products.

Additionally, the water ejection means of the drum can be combined with subsequent air ejection means, in which an air stream impacts against the contact surface of the drum. This air current dries the contact surface of the drum, dragging the skins to the outside. Furthermore, if the air ejection means are posterior to the water ejection means, the air stream removes any water that may remain in the drum of the water ejection means described above, while removing the skins that They could be left behind by the water jets. This air current can also be cold, improving the cooling of the drum and, indirectly, the space.

Alternatively, only air or water ejection means could be used to remove the skins. Both systems work autonomously and the combination is simply a possible improvement of the system.

In none of the aforementioned cases do the internal ejection means come into contact with the plant products, which are removed from the contact surface with the brush and the drum, by the brush, through at least one cavity, in a space always included between the brush and the internal ejection means. The interior ejection means described are intended only to interact with the contact surface of the drum.

Optionally, the drum comprises an outer casing casing, which surrounds the drum, at least partially. The objective of the enveloping casing is to receive the skins that come off the plant products and that are fired from the drum. Said skins are collected by the enveloping casing and conveyed, for example, to a lower part where they can be removed. For the drum with internal ejection means, the surrounding casing receives the skins and the water jets and/or air currents, so that the waste is conveyed for removal.

Said enveloping casing may have external ejection means that favor the dragging of the skins from its surface to prevent their obstruction. Preferably, the external ejection means comprise nozzles that eject jets of water, placed in the highest part of the enclosure to ensure complete cleaning of the surface of the enclosure.

In the lower part of the enclosing casing there can be a drain or hopper, through which the water from the cleaning system and/or the external ejection means and the skins of the plant products are evacuated.

For all these reasons, this machine allows the correct removal of the skin from the vegetable products, ensuring the removal of all the skins by the mixing of the vegetable products and rotation necessary so that all the elements are peeled in transit through the drum with the help of the brush.

Description of the figures

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the machine in perspective with the elements that compose it.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the machine in a profile view with the drum inclined towards the outlet.

Figures 3A-3F show the movement sequence of the brush and its interaction with plant products.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the brush with two cavities for a machine.

Figure 5 shows a cross section of an embodiment of the machine with the inner ejection means, the outer ejection means and dashed lines representing the water and air ejections.

Detailed description of the invention

The figures correspond to non-limiting examples of practical implementations, and variations may occur in the configuration of the system, as long as its essence is not altered. The machine for peeling plant products comprises a drum (1), with a brush (3) inside, into which plant products are introduced that, by friction with the surfaces, release the skin, causing them to be peeled.

In Figure 1 you can see an example of an embodiment in perspective of a drum (1) that comprises inside a brush (3), internal water ejection means (4.1) and air ejector means (4.6). Additionally, it comprises an enveloping casing (5.1) that completely surrounds the drum (1) to collect the skins released after the peeling process from the inside of the drum (1) with the brush (3).

The plant products are introduced through the inlet (1.1) of the drum (1), with the drum (1) rotating and producing friction of the plant products with the inner surface of the drum (1) and with the contact surface of the brush ( 3). The rotation of the drum (1) itself produces movement in the vegetable products, which, added to the entry of new vegetable products, forces their movement through the drum (1) from the entrance (1.1) to the exit (1.2) of the drum (1).

The machine includes a brush (3) inside, for example, in the shape of a cylinder that longitudinally occupies the drum (1). Said brush (3) acts as an upper limit for the vegetable products that are dragged by the drum (1), which favors friction between the vegetable products and the inner surface of the drum (1). Furthermore, the brush (3) exerts added friction on the plant products with its contact surface, improving the removal of the skin.

Said skin can pass through the interior surface of the drum (1), which is in the form of a mesh over its entire surface. If the skin does not pass through the mesh on its own, the internal water ejection means (4.1) and the internal air ejector means (4.6) drag the skins of said mesh to the outside. The surrounding casing (5.1) receives the skins from the drum (1), and by its own gravity, these skins are taken to a lower part where they could be evacuated by different known means.

At the outlet (1.2) of the drum (1) the plant products come out due to the inertia of the drum (1) and are removed, for example, on a conveyor belt or by any other known means.

In Figure 2, the drum (1) is preferably located with a certain inclination in the form of a descending slope from the inlet (1.1) to the outlet (1.2) of the drum (1), thus allowing gravity itself to favor that the vegetables advance more easily towards the exit (1.2) due to the rotation of the drum (1). The speed of movement of the plant products can be controlled so that the transit is not excessively fast and the skins have time to separate from the meat of the plant products.

The brush (3) and the interior ejection means (4.1, 4.6) are substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum (1.7), and preferably along the entire length, so that they are as effective as possible in their objectives. At the ends of the drum (1) and the brush (3) there are the fixings and the rotation motors that drive them, as well as speed regulators that allow their rotation to be controlled. Through these regulators you can control both the direction of rotation and the speed at which they rotate, with which you can control the friction force generated by the drum (1) and the brush (3).

In the same way, the internal ejection means (4.1, 4.6) have the anchors and the necessary water intakes or air pumps at the ends. In the case of the internal water ejection means (4.1), a water pipe is preferably available, which every certain distance will have a nozzle focused on the surface of the drum (1). In the case of the internal air ejection means (4.6), there is preferably a tube into which pressurized air is introduced, leaving only openings on the side through which the pressurized air is directed towards the interior surface of the drum (1).

In Figure 3A-F, a diagram of the rotating movement of the brush (3) inside the drum (1) can be seen, as well as its interaction with a plant product. For a better understanding, a plant product has been marked with a dot, so that you can follow how it is initially peeled with the contact surface of the brush, figure 3A and 3B. The product is peeled until it enters the cavity (3.1), Figure 3C. At this moment, the vegetable product in the cavity (3.1) is removed from the inner surface of the drum (1), Figure 3D and Figure 3E, and thrown above the rest until it is placed in the last position, Figure 3F. The next plant product performs the same sequence, ending later in the same final site and becoming the plant product furthest from the brush (3).

In this way, all the plant products come into contact with the brush (3), ensuring that no skin remains unremoved. In the same way, the brush (3) acts as a limit, preventing the plant products from exceeding it due to the inertia of the drum (1), which represents a force that favors friction with the inner surface of the drum (1).

Since the direction of rotation of the brush (3) and the drum (1) are the same, a suction effect is produced, in which the force exerted by both elements removes the skin of the vegetable product, and in which the meat of the plant product cannot pass through the space between the brush (3) and the drum (1) due to its size. The skin is dragged on the inner surface of the drum (1) until it leaves the drum (1), naturally or forcefully by the inner ejection means (4.1, 4.6).

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the brush with two cavities according to one embodiment of the machine. When the diameter of the brush (3) is substantially large, it may have more than one cavity (3.1), which means that the contact between the plant products and the contact surface of the drum (1) is for less time, but it also exerts a greater mixing of the products by making two collections and, therefore, two removals of the vegetable products from the inner surface of the drum (1) for each revolution. The shape of the cavity (3.1) shown in the figure corresponds to a straight bottom and two side walls in a radial direction.

Figure 5 shows a cross section of an embodiment of the machine with the different ejection means (4.1, 4.6, 5.2) and dashed lines representative of the ejected water and air jets. The surrounding casing (5.1) is also shown and how it interacts with the different ejection means (4.1, 4.6, 5.2).

In this way, it can be seen how the brush (3), in its cavity (3.1), removes a plant product by rotating it, indicated with an arrow. Above the brush (3), internal water ejection means (4.1) are arranged pointing to the inner surface of the drum (1), which causes the water to drag the skins towards the enclosing casing (5.1) through of the drum mesh (1). Above these internal water ejection means (4.1), internal air ejection means (4.6) are located, also oriented to the inner surface of the drum (1), dragging the skins towards the enveloping casing (5.1). Additionally, these internal air ejection means (4.6) can dry the interior surface of the drum (1) by being arranged above the internal water ejection means (4.1).

In the enveloping casing (5.1) there are external ejection means (5.2), which can be water and/or air, whose function is to create a current on the surface of the enveloping casing (5.1) that favors the removal of the skins of vegetable products shed. These ejection means can act alone or in combination with the interior ejection means (4.1, 4.6) as in Figure 5. In any case, when arranged in the highest part of the enveloping casing (5.1) they offer complete cleaning of the surface.

In the lower part of the enveloping casing (5.1) an opening can be provided for the removal of the skins or, as in the figure, a lower channel is simply formed that drags the waste towards one end of the enveloping casing (5.1) and passes through it. evacuation.

Claims (11)

1.- Machine for peeling vegetable products, which comprises a rotating drum (1) that is crossed by the vegetable products for peeling, characterized in that it comprises at least one brush (3) arranged with its contact surface facing the interior surface. of the rotating drum (1), so that the skin of the plant products comes off due to their friction with the contact surface of the brush (3) when they are located between the brush (3) and the inner surface of the drum (1). ). 2.- Machine for peeling vegetable products according to claim 1, characterized in that the brush (3) is rotating. 3. - Machine for peeling vegetable products according to claim 2, characterized in that the brush (3) rotates around an axis parallel to the axis of rotation (1.7) of the drum (1). 4. - Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises a rotation speed regulator that allows different rotation speeds of the brush (3) and/or drum (1) to be selected. 5.- Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the brush (3) is cylinder-shaped. 6. - Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the brush (3) comprises at least one cavity (3.1) on its contact surface to collect the vegetable products from the inner surface of the drum inside. (1) by rotating the brush (3). 7. - Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the surface of the drum (1) is in the form of a mesh. 8. - Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises internal water ejection means (4.1) and/or air (4.6) to drag the skins from the inside of the drum (1). towards the outside of the drum (1). 9.- Machine for peeling vegetable products according to claim 8, characterized in that the interior ejection means (4.1, 4.6) are oriented towards an area of the interior surface of the drum (1) located above the brush (3). 10.- Machine for peeling vegetable products according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises an enveloping casing (5.1), outside the drum (1), to receive the skins. 11.- Machine for peeling vegetable products according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one external ejection means (5.2) by water and/or air to remove the skins from the surrounding casing (5.1) from the outside of the drum (1). ).