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EP-4737364-A1 - A BIN TIPPER

EP4737364A1EP 4737364 A1EP4737364 A1EP 4737364A1EP-4737364-A1

Abstract

A bin tipper comprises: - a rotary unit comprising: o two lateral side walls, both of which are bounded at the top by a circular arched edge; o an upper wall which at least partially coincides with the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls in a transverse direction and which spans the distance between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls, and which is rotatable around a first axis of rotation encompassing the centers of the two circular arc edges; o two transverse faces between the two lateral side walls, at least one of which is an open transverse face, o a bottom surface, - a fixed unit comprising a bottom surface that is at least partly open, the rotary unit being suspended rotatable around a second axis of rotation in this fixed unit and where the second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation, - a rotation system to rotate the rotary unit around the second axis of rotation; - at least one blocking means preventing the upper wall from rotating with the rotary unit from a predefined rotation angle of the rotary unit onwards around the second axis of rotation.

Inventors

  • DECLERCK, Jonas
  • SMISMANS, Tomas
  • Deprez, Johan

Assignees

  • Deprez Construct NV

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241029

Claims (16)

  1. 1. A bin tipper (1) comprising - a rotary unit (6) comprising: ∘ two lateral side walls (61, 62), both of which are bounded at the top by a circular arched edge; ∘ an upper wall which at least partially coincides with the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls in a transverse direction and which spans the distance between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls, and which is rotatable around a first axis of rotation encompassing the centers of the two circular arc edges; ∘ two transverse faces (63, 64) between the two lateral side walls, at least one of which is an open transverse face, ∘ a bottom surface, - a fixed unit (7) comprising a bottom surface that is at least partly open, the rotary unit being suspended rotatable around a second axis of rotation (8) in this fixed unit and where the second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation, - a rotation system to rotate the rotary unit around the second axis of rotation; - at least one blocking means preventing the upper wall from rotating with the rotary unit from a predefined rotation angle of the rotary unit onwards around the second axis of rotation.
  2. 2. A bin tipper according to claim 1, wherein said a predefined rotation angle of the rotary unit is 75° or more.
  3. 3. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the full upper wall coincides with at least a part of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls.
  4. 4. A bin tipper according to claim 3, wherein the direction of rotation of the rotary unit defines a leading transverse face and a tailing transfers face, said part of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls abuts the upper edge of the leading transverse face.
  5. 5. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the full upper wall coincides with the total cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls.
  6. 6. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein both transverse faces (63, 64) are open transverse faces.
  7. 7. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second axis of rotation coincide.
  8. 8. A bin tipper according to claim 7, wherein the square of maximum height measured between an outer point of the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls and the bottom surface (B) is less than or equal to four times the square of the radius (R) of the circular arced edges, minus the square of the maximum width of the two lateral side walls (A).
  9. 9. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixed unit comprises a frame, said blocking means comprises one or more parts of said frame intersecting with the rotating path of the leading edge of the upper wall during rotation.
  10. 10. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotary unit comprises one or more bin sensors for detecting the presence of and/or the position of a bin in the rotary unit.
  11. 11. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotary unit comprises one or more sensors for determining the rotational position of the rotary unit.
  12. 12. A bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotary unit comprises one or more movable impediments to block the movement of a bin in view of the rotary unit during rotation.
  13. 12. A bin tipper according to claim 11, wherein the rotary unit comprises one or more sensors for determining the position of the one or more moveable impediments.
  14. 13. The use of a bin tipper according to any one of the preceding claims, for removing goods in a bin or container, such as storage containers of transport containers.
  15. 14. The use according to claim 13, wherein the goods are tipped vertically downwards to a position under the bin tipper.
  16. 15. The use according to any one of the claims 13to 14, wherein the goods are root crops such as potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips, beets and in particular potatoes, bulbs like flower bulbs, e.g. tulip bulbs, whether or not freshly harvested or washed or peeled.

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to bin tippers, more in particularly to bin tippers tipping the content vertically downwards to a position under the bin tipper. The bin tipper may be used to tip root crops or other vegetables and/or fruit. Background of the Invention It is well known and used to store and transport root crops or other vegetables and/or fruit in bins, such as wooden bins (also referred to as cradles or crates). Not only freshly harvested vegetables and fruits are stored and transported in this way, but also washed or partially treated vegetables and/or fruits are carried and kept in bins. These bins have a large dimension to carry large amounts at once, usually several tons of product per bin. During handling and use, the bins needs to be emptied. This must be done cautiously in order not to damage or "hurt" the vegetables or fruits and guide the products in the best conditions to further processes without damage. Bin tippers are known for this cautiously empty bins. An example is shown in JP7137186B2. However there is still a need to provide a bin tipper which can tip the bin and provide the content of the bin vertically downwards to a position under the bin tipper during tipping. This in order to safe surface in the production halls and to make production processes more compact. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention, a bin tipper is provided, which bin tipper comprises: a rotary unit comprising: ∘ two lateral side walls, both of which are bounded at the top by a circular arched edge;∘ an upper wall which at least partially coincides with the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls in a transverse direction and which spans the distance between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls, and which is rotatable around a first axis of rotation encompassing the centers of the two circular arc edges;∘ two transverse faces between the two lateral side walls, at least one of which is an open transverse face,∘ a bottom surface,a fixed unit comprising a bottom surface that is at least partly open, the rotary unit being suspended rotatable around a second axis of rotation in this fixed unit and where the second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation,a rotation system to rotate the rotary unit around the second axis of rotation;at least one blocking means preventing the upper wall from rotating with the rotary unit from a predefined rotation angle of the rotary unit onwards around the second axis of rotation. The open space in the rotary unit, which is defined by the two lateral side walls, the upper wall the transverse faces and the bottom surface, is adapted to receive a bin or container, of which the content is to be emptied though the bottom surface of the fixed unit. According to some embodiments, the predefined rotation angle of the rotary unit may be 75° or more but is less than 180°.. More preferred, this predefined rotation angle may be chosen between 75° and 110°, such as between 85° and 105°, e.g. at about 90°. A rotation angle of 0° is to be understood as the rotatory unit and the fixed unit having their bottom surfaces parallel, the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls being above both bottom surfaces. According to some embodiments, the full upper wall may coincide with at least a part of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls. Hence over the total surface of the upper wall, this upper wall may coincide with the profile of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls. The part or segment of the cylindrical mantle surface with which the upper wall coincide, may have a smaller arc as compared to the arc of the complete circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls. As such the upper wall may close a part of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls. According to some embodiments, the direction of rotation of the rotary unit may define a leading transverse face and a tailing transfers face, said part of the cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls abuts the upper edge of the leading transverse face. According to some embodiments, the full upper wall may coincide with the total cylindrical mantle surface between the circular arced edges of the two lateral side walls. As such the upper wall abuts both the leading transverse face and a tailing transfers face and thereby closes the upper side of the rotary unit. According to some embodiments, both transverse faces may be open transverse faces. The bin or container to be tipped, may be brought in or taken out of the rotary unit from both transverse sides of the rotary unit. Most preferably the bin or container may be inserted via one of the open