In order to design the fruit separator for a processing tomato harvester, fruit removal tests were carried out with a vibrating sifter driven by reciprocating slider-crank mechanism, using Wasedaruma fruits. Vibrational direction, frequency and amplitude of the device were adjustable.
1) Separation of fruits from vines begun at the frequency when the maixmum acceleration of the sifter had reached to 0.9-1.1
g without regarding to vibrational direction or amplitude, and yet separative performance of horizontal vibration was obviously inferior to vertical vibration in each length of stroke.
2) Based on comparison of the experimented frequencies and analytical frequencies required for fruit separation, it is estimated that the great majority of fruits was separated by bending moment and scarcely by tensile force.
3) Effective vibration for selective removal of matured fruit from vines could not be found experimentally in any amplitude and frequency.
4) With the experimented shaking device, good separation performance was obtaind at a frequency of 4Hz and 80
mm amplitude or 3.3Hz and 120
mm respectively.
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