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An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, such as, for instance, fruits, potatoes, or eggs, more particularly for unround products, for instance pears or sweet peppers, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction (T), wherein the conveyor is provided with at

An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, such as, for instance, fruits, potatoes, or eggs, more particularly for unround products, for instance pears or sweet peppers, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction (T), wherein the conveyor is provided with at least one row, extending in the transport direction, of carriers (1a; 101a) configured such that between each two successive carriers in the row a transport position for a product is formed, wherein each carrier comprises at least one roller (4; 104), arranged on a respective axis of rotation (5a, 5b; 105); wherein at least one of said rollers (4; 104) includes at least a first roller-section (21; 121) and an adjacent second roller-section (22; 122) having mutually different product engagement properties, wherein at least two successive carriers in a said row of carriers include respective rollers that each include at least a first (21; 121) and a second roller section (22; 122), wherein the second roller sections (22; 122) of the at least two successive carriers are located at mutually different axial positions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction, wherein the conveyor is provided with at least one row, extending in the transport direction, of carriers configured such that between each two successive carriers in th

1. An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction, wherein the conveyor is provided with at least one row, extending in the transport direction, of carriers configured such that between each two successive carriers in the row a transport position for a product is formed, wherein each carrier comprises at least one roller, arranged on a respective axis of rotation;wherein at least one of said rollers includes at least a first roller-section and an adjacent second roller-section having mutually different product engagement properties, wherein at least two successive carriers in a said row of carriers include respective rollers that each include at least a first and a second roller section, wherein the second roller sections of the at least two successive carriers are located at mutually different axial positions, and wherein contours of the first and second roller-sections have a mutually different rolling resistance. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first roller-section of the at least one roller is a brush section. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second roller-section of the at least one roller includes a substantially closed contour. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential surface of the first roller-section of the at least one roller includes apertures located between flexible elements. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential surface of the first roller-section of the at least one roller has a higher radial compressibility than a radial compressibility of a circumferential surface of the adjacent second roller-section of the respective roller. 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a said second roller-section of the roller is located at or near an axially inward position of the roller. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential outer surface of said second roller-section is a surface of a rubber material. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rollers has a circle-cylinder shape, a diameter of an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder being constant. 9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rollers has a varying outer diameter. 10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a said first roller-section of the at least one roller has a low-friction outer surface. 11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least half of the substantially cylinder-shaped rollers includes at least two adjacent roller-sections having mutually different product engagement properties. 12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each carrier comprises two rollers, of which a first is arranged on an associated first axis of rotation and a second on an associated second axis of rotation, wherein a first plane extends vertically and through the middle of the respective row of carriers, wherein said first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are each located in a second plane associated with the respective carrier and wherein the first axis of rotation is situated on a first side of the first plane and the second axis of rotation is situated on a second, opposite side of the first plane, wherein the first and the second axis of rotation each include an acute angle with the first plane and extend from the first plane slightly obliquely upwards, with the sum of said acute angles being less than 180°. 13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said rollers includes only one first roller section and only one second roller section. 14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said rollers includes only two first roller sections and only one second roller section. 15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a total width of the at least first roller section of at least one of said rollers is larger than a total width of the at least one adjacent second roller-section of that roller, said widths being measured in axial direction. 16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said carriers includes two rollers, the two rollers of that carrier each including a second roller-section, wherein both second roller sections of the two rollers are located at or near an axially proximal position of the respective roller. 17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second roller-sections are made of a different material. 18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a width of a said second roller-section is smaller than half of a total width of the respective roller. 19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially each of said rollers includes at least a said second roller section. 20. Method for singulating products, including supplying the products to an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the products are received by an upper part of said endless conveyor, the conveyor being driven in a transport direction. 21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the width of a said second roller section is smaller than 25% of the total width. 22. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the width of a said second roller-section is in the range of about 10-20% of the total width. 23. An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction, wherein the conveyor is provided with at least one row, extending in the transport direction, of carriers configured such that between each two successive carriers in the row a transport position for a product is formed, wherein each carrier comprises at least one roller, arranged on a respective axis of rotation;wherein at least one of said rollers includes at least a first roller-section and an adjacent second roller-section having mutually different product engagement properties, wherein at least two successive carriers in a said row of carriers include respective rollers that each include at least a first and a second roller section, wherein the second roller sections of the at least two successive carriers are located at mutually different axial positions, and wherein at least one of the rollers has a circle-cylinder shape, a diameter of an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder being constant. 24. An apparatus for singulating products supplied in bulk, comprising: an endless conveyor which extends in a transport direction, wherein the conveyor is provided with at least one row, extending in the transport direction, of carriers configured such that between each two successive carriers in the row a transport position for a product is formed, wherein each carrier comprises at least one roller, arranged on a respective axis of rotation;wherein at least one of said rollers includes at least a first roller-section and an adjacent second roller-section having mutually different product engagement properties, wherein at least two successive carriers in a said row of carriers include respective rollers that each include at least a first and a second roller section, wherein the second roller sections of the at least two successive carriers are located at mutually different axial positions, and wherein the first and second roller sections are made of a different material.