Assignee: Sunkist Growers, Inc.

Location: ShermanOaks, CA
No. of patents: 31

Browse patents
Browse applications

Number	Title	Issue Date
6276510	Conveyor link for monorail conveyor system The various embodiments of the spool link include a body of at least one piece, a drive ring functionally engaged to the body, and a cradle. The spool link body comprises at least a pair of engaged, spaced apart, substantially vertical side walls includin...	08/21/2001
5231921	Apparatus for peeling fresh fruit An apparatus peels fruit, in particular citrus fruit, by washing and sterilizing the fruit in a sterilizing bath. The washed and sterilized fruit is delivered to a perforator which makes a plurality of perforations through the outer surface of the peel of...	08/03/1993
5200217	Enzyme infusion process for preparing whole peeled citrus fruit A process for peeling fresh citrus fruit to provide peeled whole fruit, with ease of peeling and with limited amounts of adhering albedo. The fresh citrus fruit are initially chilled to a temperature well below room temperature, preferably less than about...	04/06/1993
5164795	Method and apparatus for grading fruit A method and apparatus is disclosed for grading the surface of generally apherical fruit according to surface characteristics such as color and blemish. The fruit are moved in single file past a scanning camera while being rotated about a transverse horiz...	11/17/1992
5117611	Method and apparatus for packing layers of articles An apparatus for packing closely-arranged articles into a receptacle includes a rigid funnel having inwardly sloping walls and a downwardly projecting flexible skirt means attached to the funnel. The flexible skirt comprises a plurality of flexible planar...	06/02/1992
5007335	Apparatus for treating fresh fruit and the like to prevent and retard the growth of fungus A method and apparatus are disclosed for treating fresh fruit to prevent and retard the growth of fungus. The techniques of the invention include simultaneously scrubbing the fresh fruit while drenching with a falling liquid containing a fungicide. Large ...	04/16/1991
4990351	Method for treating fresh fruit to prevent and retard the growth of fungus A method are disclosed for treating fresh fruit to prevent and retard the growth of fungus. The techniques of the invention include simultaneously scrubbing the fresh fruit while drenching with a falling liquid containing a fungicide. Large volumes of liq...	02/05/1991
4768919	Vacuum apparatus for transferring round food articles Apparatus for picking up and transferring layers of round food articles and the like is disclosed including movable pickup heads mounted on a carriage, each pickup head comprising a vacuum manifold or plenum forming multiple openings on a lower surface an...	09/06/1988
4712818	Vacuum manifold with quick connect-disconect latch assembly Apparatus for picking up and transferring layers of round food articles and the like including movable pickup heads mounted on a carriage, each pickup head comprising a vacuum manifold or plenum forming multiple openings on a lower surface and adapted for...	12/15/1987
4707367	Solid essential oil flavor composition A solid essential oil flavor composition having a high essential oil content and a process for preparing the product are disclosed, the process involving preparation of a heated or cooked aqueous mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolyzate together with an ...	11/17/1987
4610890	Preparation of solid essential oil flavor composition A solid essential oil flavor composition having a high essential oil content and a process for preparing the product are disclosed, the process involving preparation of a heated or cooked aqueous mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolysate together with an ...	09/09/1986
4585126	Method and apparatus for high speed processing of fruit or the like A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-speed processing of fruit or the like wherein the fruit is initially accumulated and aligned at a pick-up point for capture in spaced-apart pockets of a singulation conveyor at the pick-up point to maintain th...	04/29/1986
4583910	Vacuum apparatus for transferring round food articles Apparatus for picking up and transferring layers of round food articles and the like is disclosed including movable pickup heads mounted on a carriage, each pickup head comprising a vacuum manifold or plenum forming multiple openings on a lower surface an...	04/22/1986
4564893	Method, apparatus and product for illuminating a surface to provide a desired light intensity at discrete points on said surface A method and apparatus for illuminating a surface to provide a desired light intensity. The light intensity at discrete points along the illuminated surface is measured through a light transparent material, and opaque materials are applied to the transpar...	01/14/1986
4499112	Process for forming solid juice composition and product of the process A process is disclosed for making a relatively stable non-hygroscopic solid juice composition as well as a product of the process. The process comprises the steps of clarifying and concentrating a selected aqueous juice to a minimum concentration of about...	02/12/1985
4386491	Apparatus for selectively packing layers of objects in boxes of different depths Apparatus for packing layers of objects into a box, wherein a pickup head equipped with multiple vacuum cups picks up a layer of the objects and descends into the box. The box is initially positioned in a packing station in an approximately correct positi...	06/07/1983
4380194	Apparatus for printing indicia on objects Apparatus for printing ink indicia on objects such as fruit and the like, which includes a conveyor to successively deliver the objects to a printing station where the indicia are applied to the respective objects by inked printing dies carried by a print...	04/19/1983
4324335	Method and apparatus for measuring the surface size of an article A method and apparatus for grading and sorting articles, particularly fruit, according to size, surface blemish and surface color. Fruit is passed sequentially through a camera array which scans the surface of each fruit and measures the intensity of ligh...	04/13/1982
4316557	Beverage dispenser with removable tank connection means An improvement is described for beverage dispensers of the type having a housing, a valve spout for dispensing the liquid beverage, a pump for delivering the beverage to the valve spout and a tank replaceably disposed in the housing for containing the liq...	02/23/1982
4246098	Method and apparatus for detecting blemishes on the surface of an article A method and apparatus for grading and sorting articles, particularly fruit, according to size, surface blemish and surface color. Fruit is passed sequentially through a camera array which scans the surface of each fruit and measures the intensity of ligh...	01/20/1981
4244763	Method of applying a label to an object Method for labeling objects including fruits supplied to a labeling station by an endless conveyor. Labels on a carrier tape are moved from a supply reel by a knurled roller which impresses a surface weakening pattern on each label so it will readily conf...	01/13/1981
4230065	Apparatus for printing and protecting ink indicia on fruits Apparatus for printing an indicium on objects, fruits and the like with an ink which may or may not be water soluble, but which is preferably of a type which may be readily consumed by humans without damaging effect, the fruit being successively pre-orien...	10/28/1980
4180151	Flow diverting gate for conveyors A flow control or flow diverging gate assembly for a conveyor having a sidewall interrupted by an opening along its length, a flow diverting gate or shear being pivotably mounted in the opening and extendable and retractable in length, the unpivoted end o...	12/25/1979
4139766	Apparatus and method for counting fruits and other objects Apparatus and method for the counting of objects and in particular fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and the like, which are randomly continuously presented by a conveyor or other means to a counting area in which the objects are illuminated. An...	02/13/1979
4123310	Apparatus for applying a label to an object Apparatus for labeling objects including fruits supplied to a labeling station by an endless conveyor. Labels on a carrier tape are moved from a supply reel by a knurled roller which impresses a surface weakening pattern on each label so it will readily c...	10/31/1978
4065614	Intermediate amide pectins Novel pectin derivatives having important and useful gel properties are made by direct amidation with high levels of ammonia at low temperatures. The desirable pectin derivatives have not more than 39% carboxyl groups and at least 27% amide groups. The most de...	12/27/1977
4033450	Conveyor with removable receptacles A conveyor having a single row of receptacles to seat individual fruit of a corresponding row of citrus fruit moves the fruit in succession past a station where it is required that the major axis of each fruit, i.e., the axis through the stem and blossom ...	07/05/1977
3961701	Method of and conveyor for transporting fragile objects A conveyor having an endless series of holders equipped with cushions to carry fragile objects has an upper run extending from a receiving station to a discharge station and a lower return run with an upward arcuate return path from the lower run to the s...	06/08/1976
3945489	Article-orienting conveyor A conveyor having a single row of receptacles to seat individual fruit of a corresponding row of citrus fruit moves the fruit in succession past a station where it is required that the major axis of each fruit, i.e., the axis through the stem and blossom ...	03/23/1976
3930995	Grade distributing apparatus In a system for classifying objects, particularly fruits, which pass successively through an inspection station for evaluation according to respective grades and for generating evaluation signals corresponding to such grades. The inspected fruits are then...	01/06/1976
3930994	Method and means for internal inspection and sorting of produce Apparatus and method for automatically evaluating articles particularly citrus fruits, on the basis of the uniformity and non-uniformity of their transparency to light rays and selectively separating them into different grades according to such evaluation...	01/06/1976

PatentStorm

Quotables

PatentStorm News

Assignee: Sunkist Growers, Inc.