EP0620050B1 - Device and method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size - Google Patents
Device and method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0620050B1 EP0620050B1 EP93106176A EP93106176A EP0620050B1 EP 0620050 B1 EP0620050 B1 EP 0620050B1 EP 93106176 A EP93106176 A EP 93106176A EP 93106176 A EP93106176 A EP 93106176A EP 0620050 B1 EP0620050 B1 EP 0620050B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- size
- products
- measuring chamber
- quality
- optoelectronic image
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-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C3/00—Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
- G07C3/14—Quality control systems
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
- B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
- B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
- B07C5/342—Sorting according to other particular properties according to optical properties, e.g. colour
Definitions
- the invention relates to an apparatus and a method for quality and size sorting, in particular for agricultural and natural products such as fruit, vegetables, root crops and other articles.
- a device for sorting fruits is known, the photometric system of which has two photo receivers for two wavelengths.
- the outputs of the photo receivers are connected to two identical amplifiers, the amplification of which can be regulated automatically.
- the outputs of the amplifiers are connected to the inputs of two analog / digital converters via two delay lines, the outputs of which are connected to computing elements for determining the mean value, the amplitude, and the maximum and minimum values.
- the outputs of the computing elements are connected to the inputs of two logical blocks for determining the end result for the quality and the outputs of these logical blocks and to the sorting elements via limit switches.
- a device for automatic sorting of fruits, vegetables and root vegetables according to DE 38 42 098 contains a photometric camera with two photo receivers for two wavelengths. Their outputs are connected via amplifier with error corrector, high-frequency filter with peak detector, low-frequency filter, a logic OR gate, differential amplifier, a multiplier / divider, an analog-digital converter, an interface and a microcomputer with blocks for determining the quality solution, while the outputs of these blocks are connected to the sorting elements via limit switches.
- a method and arrangement for quality sorting of agricultural products which has become known according to DD 272 425, provides for a quality sorting, i.e. classification according to degree of maturity, surface features - such as damage, diseases, pressure points, abnormalities, malformations - and size to be made possible by means of an optical measuring device, if the piece-like goods have been adequately illuminated by means of optimally directed incident light and point across the object surface or the background and the damaged surface areas and / or between the background and the surface edge and / or in the spectral basic level to the reference object.
- the remitted optical radiation exposes an arrangement of line-shaped or matrix-shaped optoelectronic elements in accordance with the punctual light intensity distribution present in each case.
- the converted analog electrical image signal sequences are preprocessed in an evaluation circuit, stored digitally in a storage system, and then the characteristic classes required for quality sorting are assigned to the piece-like goods in an information processing system.
- a downstream control circuit outputs the control signals required for the ejection devices.
- a filter in front of the lens can be used to increase the contrast between the object surface background and the defect area.
- the arrangement of optoelectronic elements is preferably to be implemented as a monolithically integrated circuit, and one or more special or microprocessors are to be used as the information processing system.
- a special electronic control and processing for the signals from line sensors is used in particular to compare the gray values of size-adjustable pixels offset in the line direction and to evaluate the gray value differences as well also from absolute gray values for error detection according to variably adjustable criteria. This comparison is made by forming the quotient of the signals from pixels which are not immediately adjacent but are separated by a whole number of n z intermediate points.
- DE 27 22 368 describes a sorting device in which the small-sized goods to be sorted, such as beans, are illuminated with light, generated by several separate lamps, in a narrow plane perpendicular to the product drop direction, in which several different photodiodes are used to detect reflected Light from two spectral bands are provided, the detected spectral ranges being in the visible and in the infrared range.
- the optical scanner proposed there, the products to be sorted can only be sorted according to color irregularities. A detection of different product forms as well as a differentiation, for example between a healthy small fruit and a rotten larger fruit, is not possible with this solution.
- the invention For the sorting of larger products, such as potatoes, because of the photodetectors used there, the invention reaches its limits that are no longer technically feasible.
- the known devices and methods only allow limited possibilities with regard to the characteristics of the quality determination of the products and limited sorting options, and the irregular geometric shape of the products inevitably results in errors due to light reflected in the photo receivers.
- the structure of the optical-optoelectronic and electronic components and basic assemblies is very time-consuming, and they do not work with sufficient reliability in the event of absolute fluctuations in the optical signal level.
- a correspondingly high expenditure of energy is required to generate sufficient optical signal levels.
- Certain methods only allow a small number of quality classes to be recorded with a limited geometric resolution of the features and require a high degree of illumination and analog computing.
- the invention seeks to remedy this.
- the invention as in the Is characterized, solves the problem, a device and to create a process for quality and size sorting by means of which the products and articles have on a parabolic trajectory moved at high speed through a photometric measuring chamber be a lighting device for generating the incident light as well as several optoelectronic image converters for recording the from Background of the photometric measuring chamber or of which are characterized by the Measuring chamber moving products containing remitted light and above an electronic block with separation mechanisms and one Fall arrester is connected in such a way that an exact Separation accuracy including careful product sorting according to size and quality.
- a feed device 1 with a have downstream photometric measuring chamber 2.
- the Feed device 1 is expediently in the form of a V-shaped band designed on which the potatoes 3 to a precisely defined Brought speed and isolated the photometric Measuring chamber 2 are supplied.
- the photometric measuring chamber 2 is with a glass cylinder 4 and two lighting devices 5 provided, expediently one in the upper and one in the lower Area of the glass cylinder 4 is attached. On the scope of the photometric measuring chamber 2 there are several image converters 6.
- the Glass cylinder 4 leaves that emitted by the lighting device 5 Light through and seals at the same time so that the Illumination device 5 and the optoelectronic image converter 6 Working under extreme operating conditions, especially in the Agriculture, are protected from dirt, dust and moisture.
- the the photometric measuring chamber 2 individually fed potatoes 3 fall in free fall through the drop channel 7 of the photometric measuring chamber 2, where by means of the lighting devices 5, the light with wavelengths radiate from 450 5nm, 550 nm and 620 nm, once the whole Surface of the potatoes 3 and due to the arrangement of several optoelectronic image converter 6 at a certain angle photometric measuring chamber 2 when entering and leaving the same the polar caps of the potatoes 3 can also be detected.
- Towards the middle optical axis 8 of the optoelectronic image converter 6 a line-by-line recording of the surface of the potatoes 3.
- the evaluation and calculation takes place in the photometric Measuring chamber 2 determined results and the control of the Separation mechanism 9, where by means of an air jet or water strables the sorted out bad goods over the separating edge of a parabolic shaped collecting device 11 is promoted, as well like the good goods on belts 12 or other transport, respectively Discharge devices arrives.
- the parabolic Collection device 11 causes the potatoes 3 to be transferred gently to tape 12.
- the detection and evaluation of the individual products is carried out according to the invention in such a way that the data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6) are serialized line by line, a data stream results for the entire measuring surface, a further circuit compares the reference values of individual lines with one another and, if appropriate Defining deviation provides a further error class and that from the data stream a reference value is automatically generated for each line, which corresponds to the brightness of the healthy measuring surface of the product and a comparison is made between current pixels and reference values of the previous line and identification is made possible if the error criterion is met .
- An evaluation circuit determines the number and the extent in the horizontal and vertical direction of the marked error areas and assigns them to different error classes, based on the data volume, the data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6) and their comparison between individual lines, giving a shape evaluation of the measured product is and according to the number of data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6), a size-proportional data word is generated per measurement product, which ensures a size sorting.
- two or more differently composed fractions of sorted material can be separated, and by means of a further, non-linear circuit, the time and the duration of the activation of the discharge devices depending on the size of the product to be discharged can be determined.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
- Investigating Materials By The Use Of Optical Means Adapted For Particular Applications (AREA)
Description
Die Erfindung bezieht sich auf eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zur
Qualitäts- und Größensortierung, insbesondere für landwirtschaftliche
und Naturprodukte wie Obst, Gemüse, Hackfrüchte sowie andere Artikel.
Aus der BG-A 30 805 ist eine Vorrichtung zum Sortieren von Früchten
bekannt, deren fotometrisches System zwei Fotoempfänger für zwei
Wellenlängen aufweist. Die Ausgänge der Fotoempfänger sind mit zwei
identischen Verstärkern verbunden, deren Verstärkung automatisch
regulierbar ist. Dabei sind die Ausgänge der Verstärker über zwei
Verzögerungsleitungen mit den Eingängen von zwei Analog/Digital-Wandlern
verbunden, deren Ausgänge mit Rechengliedern zur Ermittlung
des Mittelwertes, der Amplitude sowie des Maximal- und des
Minimalwertes verbunden sind. Die Ausgänge der Rechenglieder sind
mit den Eingängen von zwei logischen Blöcken zum Ermitteln des
Endergebnisses für die Güte und die Ausgänge dieser logischen Blöcke
und über Endschalter mit den Sortiergliedern verbunden.
Desweiteren ist eine Vorrichtung zum automatischen Sortieren von
Früchten, Gemüse und Wurzelgemüse nach DE 38 42 098 bekannt
geworden, die eine fotometrische Kamera mit zwei Fotoempfängern für
zwei Wellenlängen enthält. Deren Ausgänge sind über Verstärker mit
Fehlerkorrektor, Hochfrequenzfilter mit Spitzendetektor,
Niederfrequenzfilter, ein logisches ODER-Gatter, Differenzverstärker,
ein Multiplizier-/Dividier-Glied, einen Analog-Digitalwandler, ein
Interface und einen Mikrocomputer mit Blöcken für die Ermittlung der
Gütelösung verbunden, während die Ausgänge dieser Blöcke über
Endschalter mit den Sortiergliedern in Verbindung stehen.
Ein nach DD 272 425 bekannt gewordenes Verfahren und Anordnung
zur Qualitätssortierung lanwirtschaftlicher Produkte sieht vor, mittels
einer optischen Meßeinrichtung eine Qualitätssortierung, d.h. die
Klassierung nach Reifegrad, Oberflächenmerkmalen - wie
Beschädigungen, Erkrankungen, Druckstellen, Anormalitäten,
Mißbildungen - und nach Größe zu ermöglichen, wenn die stückartigen
Güter mittels optimal gerichteten Auflichts ausreichend beleuchtet
wurden und über die von der Objektoberfläche bzw. dem Hintergrund
und den beschädigten Oberflächenbezirken und/oder zwischen
Hintergrund und Oberflächenrand und/oder im spektralen Grundniveau
zum Vergleichsobjekt aufweist. Die remittierte optische Strahlung
belichtet dabei entsprechend der jeweilig vorhandenen punktuellen
Lichtintensitätsverteilung eine Anordnung zeilen- oder matrizenförmiger
optoelektronischer Elemente. Die gewandelten analogen elektrischen
Bildsignalfolgen werden in einer Auswerteschaltung vorverarbeitet, in
einem Speichersystem digital abgelegt und anschließend in einem
Informationsverarbeitungssystem die für die Qualitätssortierung
erforderlichen Merkmalklassen den stückartigen Gütern zugeordnet. Eine
nachgeordnete Ansteuerschaltung gibt die für die Auswurforgane
benötigten Ansteuersignale aus. Durch einen Filter vor dem Objektiv
kann der Kontrast zwischen Objektflächenhintergrund und dem
Mangelbereich erhöht werden. Die Anordnung optoelektronischer
Elemente ist vorzugsweise als monolithisch integrierte Schaltung
auszuführen, und als Informationsverarbeitungssystem sind ein oder
mehrere Spezial- oder Mikroprozessoren einzusetzen.
Bei einem weiteren bekannten Verfahren zur Unterscheidung bzw.
Sortierung landwirtschaftlicher Produkte nach Oberflächenmerkmalen
nach DD 255 594 erfolgt mittels einer speziellen elektronischen
Steuerung und Verarbeitung für die Signale von Zeilensensoren
insbesondere ein paarweiser Vergleich der Grauwerte von in
Zeilenrichtung versetzt befindlichen größenverstellbaren Bildpunkten und
eine Bewertung der Grauwertdifferenzen sowie auch von absoluten
Grauwerten zur Fehlererkennung nach variabel einstellbaren Kriterien.
Dieser Vergleich wird durch Quotientenbildung der Signale von
Bildpunkten vorgenommen, die nicht unmittelbar benachbart, sondern
durch eine ganze Anzahl von nz Zwischenpunkten getrennt sind.
In DE 27 22 368 wird eine Sortiervorrichtung beschrieben, bei der das zu
sortierende kleinstückige Gut, wie z.B. Bohnen, mit Licht, erzeugt von
mehreren separaten Lampen, in einer schmalen Ebene senkrecht zur
Produktfallrichtung beleuchtet wird, bei der mehrere unterschiedliche
Fotodioden zur Detektion von reflektierten Licht aus zwei
Spektralbändern vorgesehen sind, wobei die detektierten
Spektralbereiche einmal im sichtbaren und einmal im infraroten Bereich
liegen. Mit dem dort vorgeschlagenen optischen Abtaster lassen sich die
zu sortierenden Produkte nur nach Farbunregelmäßgkeiten sortieren. Eine
Erkennung unterschiedlicher Produktformen als auch eine
Unterscheidung bspw. zwischen einer gesunden kleinen Frucht und einer
faulen größeren Frucht ist mit dieser Lösung nicht möglich. Für die
Sortierung größerer Produkte, wie z.B. Kartoffeln, stößt die Erfindung,
aufgrund der dort zum Einsatz gelangenden Fotodetektoren, an technisch
nicht mehr realisierbare Grenzen.
Die bekannten Vorrichtungen und Verfahren lassen lediglich begrenzte
Möglichkeiten bzgl. der Merkmale der Gütebestimmung der Produkte
sowie begrenzte Sortiermöglichkeiten zu, und infolge der unregelmäßigen
geometrischen Form der Produkte entstehen zwangsläufig Fehler durch in
die Fotoempfänger reflektiertes Licht. Der Aufbau der optisch-optoelektronischen
und elektronischen Bauelemente und
Grundbaugruppen ist einmal sehr aufwendig, und bei absoluten
Schwankungen im optischen Signalpegel arbeiten diese nicht genügend
sicher. Desweiteren ist zu verzeichnen, daß bei einer Erfassung von
mehreren Wellenlängen ein entsprechend hoher Energieaufwand zur
Erzeugung ausreichender optischer Signalpegel erforderlich ist.
Bestimmte Verfahren gestatten nur, eine geringe Anzahl von
Qualitätsklassen bei begrenzter geometrischer Auflösung der Merkmale
zu erfassen und erfordern einen hohen Ausleuchtungsgrad sowie
analogen Rechenaufwand.The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for quality and size sorting, in particular for agricultural and natural products such as fruit, vegetables, root crops and other articles. From BG-A 30 805 a device for sorting fruits is known, the photometric system of which has two photo receivers for two wavelengths. The outputs of the photo receivers are connected to two identical amplifiers, the amplification of which can be regulated automatically. The outputs of the amplifiers are connected to the inputs of two analog / digital converters via two delay lines, the outputs of which are connected to computing elements for determining the mean value, the amplitude, and the maximum and minimum values. The outputs of the computing elements are connected to the inputs of two logical blocks for determining the end result for the quality and the outputs of these logical blocks and to the sorting elements via limit switches.
Furthermore, a device for automatic sorting of fruits, vegetables and root vegetables according to DE 38 42 098 has become known, which contains a photometric camera with two photo receivers for two wavelengths. Their outputs are connected via amplifier with error corrector, high-frequency filter with peak detector, low-frequency filter, a logic OR gate, differential amplifier, a multiplier / divider, an analog-digital converter, an interface and a microcomputer with blocks for determining the quality solution, while the outputs of these blocks are connected to the sorting elements via limit switches.
A method and arrangement for quality sorting of agricultural products, which has become known according to DD 272 425, provides for a quality sorting, i.e. classification according to degree of maturity, surface features - such as damage, diseases, pressure points, abnormalities, malformations - and size to be made possible by means of an optical measuring device, if the piece-like goods have been adequately illuminated by means of optimally directed incident light and point across the object surface or the background and the damaged surface areas and / or between the background and the surface edge and / or in the spectral basic level to the reference object. The remitted optical radiation exposes an arrangement of line-shaped or matrix-shaped optoelectronic elements in accordance with the punctual light intensity distribution present in each case. The converted analog electrical image signal sequences are preprocessed in an evaluation circuit, stored digitally in a storage system, and then the characteristic classes required for quality sorting are assigned to the piece-like goods in an information processing system. A downstream control circuit outputs the control signals required for the ejection devices. A filter in front of the lens can be used to increase the contrast between the object surface background and the defect area. The arrangement of optoelectronic elements is preferably to be implemented as a monolithically integrated circuit, and one or more special or microprocessors are to be used as the information processing system.
In another known method for differentiating or sorting agricultural products according to surface features in accordance with DD 255 594, a special electronic control and processing for the signals from line sensors is used in particular to compare the gray values of size-adjustable pixels offset in the line direction and to evaluate the gray value differences as well also from absolute gray values for error detection according to variably adjustable criteria. This comparison is made by forming the quotient of the signals from pixels which are not immediately adjacent but are separated by a whole number of n z intermediate points.
DE 27 22 368 describes a sorting device in which the small-sized goods to be sorted, such as beans, are illuminated with light, generated by several separate lamps, in a narrow plane perpendicular to the product drop direction, in which several different photodiodes are used to detect reflected Light from two spectral bands are provided, the detected spectral ranges being in the visible and in the infrared range. With the optical scanner proposed there, the products to be sorted can only be sorted according to color irregularities. A detection of different product forms as well as a differentiation, for example between a healthy small fruit and a rotten larger fruit, is not possible with this solution. For the sorting of larger products, such as potatoes, because of the photodetectors used there, the invention reaches its limits that are no longer technically feasible.
The known devices and methods only allow limited possibilities with regard to the characteristics of the quality determination of the products and limited sorting options, and the irregular geometric shape of the products inevitably results in errors due to light reflected in the photo receivers. The structure of the optical-optoelectronic and electronic components and basic assemblies is very time-consuming, and they do not work with sufficient reliability in the event of absolute fluctuations in the optical signal level. Furthermore, it can be noted that if several wavelengths are detected, a correspondingly high expenditure of energy is required to generate sufficient optical signal levels. Certain methods only allow a small number of quality classes to be recorded with a limited geometric resolution of the features and require a high degree of illumination and analog computing.
Hier will die Erfindung Abhilfe schaffen. Die Erfindung, wie sie in den Ansprüchen gekennzeichnet ist, löst die Aufgabe, eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zur Qualitäts- und Größensortierung zu schaffen, mittels denen die Produkte und Artikel auf einer parabelförmigen Flugbahn mit hoher Geschwindigkeit durch eine fotometrische Meßkammer bewegt werden, die eine Beleuchtungseinrichtung zur Erzeugung des Auflichtes sowie mehrere optoelektronische Bildwandler zur Aufnahme des vom Hintergrund der fotometrischen Meßkammer oder von den sich durch die Meßkammer bewegenden Produkten remittierten Lichtes enthält und über einen mit Trennmechanismen versehenen Elektronikblock sowie einer Auffangvorrichtung derart verbunden ist, daß eine exakte Trenngenaugikeit einschließlich schonender Sortierung der Produkte nach Größe und Qualität gegeben ist. The invention seeks to remedy this. The invention as in the Is characterized, solves the problem, a device and to create a process for quality and size sorting by means of which the products and articles have on a parabolic trajectory moved at high speed through a photometric measuring chamber be a lighting device for generating the incident light as well as several optoelectronic image converters for recording the from Background of the photometric measuring chamber or of which are characterized by the Measuring chamber moving products containing remitted light and above an electronic block with separation mechanisms and one Fall arrester is connected in such a way that an exact Separation accuracy including careful product sorting according to size and quality.
Die durch die Erfindung erreichten Vorteile sind im wesentlichen darin
zu sehen, daß durch die Verwendung spezieller Leuchtstofflampen kaum
störende Infrarotanteile auftreten, wobei der Infrarotanteil vorzugsweise
kleiner als 2% der Gesamtstrahlungsleistung ist, und daß durch deren
ringförmige Anordnung in der fotometrischen Meßkammer eine optimale
Ausleuchtung erreicht wird. Die mit der fotometrischen Meßkammer in
Verbindung stehenden Leuchtstofflampen und optoelektronischen
Bildwandler, wie Kameras, sind durch Spezialglas gegen
Verschmutzung, Staub und Spritzwasser abgeschirmt und lassen einen
Einsatz der Sortiervorrichtung unter extremen Bedingungen zu. Durch die
besondere Anordnung der optoelektronischen Bildwandler ist eine
verzerrungsarme Aufnahme der Sortiergutoberfläche gegeben, und die
Verwendung einer parabelförmig gestalteten Auffangvorrichtung
ermöglicht eine schonende Behandlung der Produkte.
Durch einen speziellen Berechnungsalgorithmus ist trotz schwankender
Grundhelligkeit der Meßoberfläche eine sichere Fehlererkennung
möglich, und außerdem erfolgt gleichzeitig eine Größen- und
Formbewertung des Meßobjektes. Die ermittelten Fehler- und
Größenklassen können wahlweise ein oder mehreren Trennmechanismen
zugeordnet werden. Ein Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung ist in den
Zeichnungen dargestellt und wird im folgenden näher beschrieben. Es
zeigen:
- Fig. 1
- die schematische Darstellung der Zuführeinrichtung mit nachgeordneter fotometrischer Meßkammer, Elektronikblock, Trennmechanismus, Auffangvorrichtung und Abführeinrichtung,
- Fig. 2
- die fotometrische Meßkammer im Schnitt,
- Fig. 3
- eine Seitenansicht nach Fig. 2 und
- Fig. 4
- eine Seitenansicht der fotometrischen Meßkammer mit kegelförmiger Anordnung der mittleren optischen Achsen der optoelektronischen Bildwandler.
Thanks to a special calculation algorithm, reliable error detection is possible despite fluctuating basic brightness of the measurement surface, and the size and shape of the measurement object are also evaluated at the same time. The determined error and size classes can optionally be assigned to one or more separation mechanisms. An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. Show it:
- Fig. 1
- the schematic representation of the feed device with a downstream photometric measuring chamber, electronics block, separating mechanism, collecting device and discharge device,
- Fig. 2
- the photometric measuring chamber in section,
- Fig. 3
- a side view of FIGS. 2 and
- Fig. 4
- a side view of the photometric measuring chamber with a conical arrangement of the central optical axes of the optoelectronic image converter.
In den Figuren sind eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zur Qualitäts- und
Größensortierung von Produkten und Artikeln, insbesondere
Kartoffeln dargestellt, die eine Zuführeinrichtung 1 mit einer
nachgeordneten fotometrischen Meßkammer 2 aufweisen. Die
Zuführeinrichtung 1 ist zweckmäßigerweise als V-förmiges Band
gestaltet, auf dem die Kartoffeln 3 auf eine genau definierte
Geschwindgkeit gebracht und vereinzelt der fotometrischen
Meßkammeer 2 zugeführt werden. Die fotometrische Meßkammer 2 ist
mit einem Glaszylinder 4 sowie zwei Beleuchtungseinrichtungen 5
versehen, wobei zweckmäßigerweise eine im oberen und eine im unteren
Bereich des Glaszylinders 4 angebracht ist. Am Umfang der
fotometrischen Meßkammer 2 befinden sich mehrere Bildwandler 6. Der
Glaszylinder 4 läßt das von der Beleuchtungseinrichtung 5 ausgestrahlte
Licht durch und dichtet gleichzeitig so ab, daß die
Beleuchtungseinrichtung 5 und der optoelektronische Bildwandler 6 bei
Arbeiten unter extremen Einsatzbedingungen, speziell in der
Landwirtschaft, vor Schmutz, Staub und Nässe geschützt sind. Die der
fotometrischen Meßkammer 2 vereinzelt zugeführten Kartoffeln 3 fallen
im freien Fall durch den Fallkanal 7 der fotometrischen Meßkammer 2,
wo mittels der Beleuchtungseinrichtungen 5, die Licht mit Wellenlängen
von 450 5nm, 550 nm und 620 nm ausstrahlen, einmal die gesamte
Oberfläche der Kartoffeln 3 und infolge der Anordnung mehrerer
optoelektronischer Bildwandler 6 im bestimmten Winkel zur
fotometrischen Meßkammer 2 beim Eintreten und Verlassen derselben
auch die Polkappen der Kartoffeln 3 erfaßt werden. In Richtung der
mittleren optischen Achse 8 der optoelektronischen Bildwandler 6 erfolgt
eine zeilenweise Erfassung der Oberfläche der Kartoffeln 3.In the figures are a device and a method for quality and
Sizing of products and articles, in particular
Potatoes shown that a
In einem der fotometrischen Meßkammer 2 zugeordneten und mit einem
Trennmechanismus 9 in Verbindung stehenden Elektronikblock 10
erfolgt die Bewertung und Berechnung der in der fotometrischen
Meßkammer 2 ermittelten Ergebnisse und die Ansteuerung des
Trennmechanismus 9, wo mittels eines Luftstrahles oder Wasserstrables
die aussortierte schlechte Ware über die Trennkante einer bspw.
parabelförmig gestalteten Auffangeinrichtung 11 gefördert wird, ebenso
wie die gute Ware auf Bänder 12 oder andere Transport-, respektive
Austrageeinrichtungen gelangt. Die parabelförmig gestaltete
Auffangeinrichtung 11 bewirkt eine schonende Übergabe der Kartoffeln 3
auf das Band 12. In one assigned to the
Die Erfassung und Bewertung der einzelnen Produkte erfolgt gemäß der
Erfindung derart, daß die von den optoelektronischen Bildwandlern (6)
erzeugten Datenströme zeilenweise seriellisiert werden, sich ein
Datenstrom für die gesamte Meßoberfläche ergibt, eine weitere Schaltung
die Referenzwerte einzelner Zeilen miteinander vergleicht und bei
entsprechend zu definierender Abweichung eine weitere Fehlerklasse
liefert und daß aus dem Datenstrom automatisch für jede Zeile ein
Referenzwert gebildet wird, der der Helligkeit der gesunden
Meßoberfläche des Produktes entspricht und ein Vergleich zwischen
aktuellen Bildpunkten sowie Referenzwerten der vorangegangenen Zeile
vorgenommen und eine Kennzeichnung bei Erfüllung des
Fehlerkriteriums ermöglicht wird.
Dabei ermittelt eine Auswerteschaltung die Anzahl sowie die
Ausdehnung in horizontaler und vertikaler Richtung der
gekennzeichneten Fehlerflächen und ordnet diese verschiedenen
Fehlerklassen zu, wobei ausgehend vom Datenumfang, der von den
optoelektronischen Bildwandlern (6) erzeugten Datenströme sowie deren
Vergleich zwischen einzelnen Zeilen eine Formbewertung des
Meßprodukts gegeben ist und entsprechend der Anzahl der von den
optoelektronischen Bildwandlern (6) erzeugten Datenströme pro
Meßprodukt ein größenproportionales Datenwort erzeugt wird, welches
eine Größensortierung gewährleistet.
Durch die wahlweise Zuordnung einzelner Fehler- und/oder
Größenklassen von Meßprodukten zu einer oder mehreren
Austrageeinrichtungen sind zwei, respektive mehrere unterschiedlich
zusammengesetzte Fraktionen von Sortiergut trennbar und mittels einer
weiteren, nicht linear arbeitenden Schaltung der Zeitpunkt sowie die
Dauer der Ansteuerung der Austrageeinrichtungen in Abhängigkeit von
der Größe des auszutragenden Meßproduktes bestimmbar.The detection and evaluation of the individual products is carried out according to the invention in such a way that the data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6) are serialized line by line, a data stream results for the entire measuring surface, a further circuit compares the reference values of individual lines with one another and, if appropriate Defining deviation provides a further error class and that from the data stream a reference value is automatically generated for each line, which corresponds to the brightness of the healthy measuring surface of the product and a comparison is made between current pixels and reference values of the previous line and identification is made possible if the error criterion is met .
An evaluation circuit determines the number and the extent in the horizontal and vertical direction of the marked error areas and assigns them to different error classes, based on the data volume, the data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6) and their comparison between individual lines, giving a shape evaluation of the measured product is and according to the number of data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6), a size-proportional data word is generated per measurement product, which ensures a size sorting.
Through the optional assignment of individual error and / or size classes of measurement products to one or more discharge devices, two or more differently composed fractions of sorted material can be separated, and by means of a further, non-linear circuit, the time and the duration of the activation of the discharge devices depending on the size of the product to be discharged can be determined.
Claims (5)
- A device for sorting products and articles according to quality and size comprising a feeding mechanism, a photometric measuring chamber (2) including an illumination device (5) and optoelectronic image converters (6), and an electronic block (10) with associated separation mechanisms (9), and discharge and catching means, characterised in thatsaid photometric measuring chamber (2) is provided with a plurality of annularly arranged illumination means (5) and optoelectronic image converters (6),said optoelectronic image converters (6) are arranged in said photometric measuring chamber (2) in such a manner that the mean optical axes belong to the respective surfaces of two cones arranged apex to apex within a vertical-trop channel (7) which ensures a distortion poor projection of the pole caps of the passing products and in that an image of the bright background of the photometric measuring chamber (2) is projected onto the optoelectronic image converters (6) in the state of rest and in that the partial surfaces of an optically transmissive prismatic glass cylinder (4) and the background of the photometric measuring chamber (2) in the measuring planes which are not to be projected onto the optoelectronic image converters are so embodied as to geometry and/or colour that the light reflected by them, and which, after being retracted at the critical angle of the total reflection from further elements within said photometric measuring chamber (2), impinges undesired upon said optoelectronic image converters (6), preferably amounts to less than 2% of the mean value of the products passing the vertical-drop channel,in that said illumination means (5) are constituted of gas discharge lamps emitting light at wavelengths of 450 nm, 550 nm, and 620 nm and the infrared portion of which is less than 2% of the entire radiation power,and in that said illumination means (5) are provided externally of the measuring planes and in that said photometric measuring chamber (2) which constitutes a parabolic vertical drop channel (7) is rendered dustproof and watertight, but optically connected by an optically transparent prismatic body, which optionally is said glass cylinder (4),and in that said photometric measuring chamber (2) is connected via a subsequent electronic block (10) which operates at least one separation mechanism (9) to a catching device (11).
- A device for sorting products and articles according to quality and size as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one separation mechanism (9) is arranged in opposition to the trajectory of the products to be separated and wherein said catching device (11) is, for example, parabolic shaped made of a passive area, preferably a curved plate, at least one belt, rollers, and a belt-roller combination (12), respectively.
- A method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size in a device as claimed in one of the claims 1, 2, characterised in that the data streams produced by the optoelectronic image converters (6) is linewise serialised, in that a data stream is obtained for the entire measuring surface, a further circuit compares the reference values of the individual lines with one another and, at a respectively to be defined departure, a further error class is established, and in that a reference value which is indicative of the brightness of the healthy measuring surface of the product is automatically produced for each line from the data stream, and in that a comparison between the actual image points and the reference values of the preceding lines is performed and, when an error criterion is satisfied, a marking is enabled.
- A method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size as claimed in claim 3, wherein an evaluation circuit detects the number and the horizontal and vertical extensions of the marked error areas to assign the latter to respective error classes, and wherein, based on the data volume, the data streams produced by the optoelectronic image converters (6) and the comparison between the individual lines of the former, an evaluation of the shape of the measuring products is given, and a data word proportional to size is produced depending on the number of data streams generated by the optoelectronic image converters (6) per measuring product, said data word proportional to size ensures a sorting according to size.
- A method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size as claimed in any of the claims 3 and 4, wherein due to the optional assignment to individual error classes and/or classes of size of measuring products to one or a plurality of discharge means, it is feasible to separate at least two differently composed fractions of articles to be sorted and wherein the point of time as well as the activation period of the discharge means in dependence on the size of the measuring product to be discharged can be determined by virtue of a further non-linear operating circuit.
Priority Applications (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE4127903A DE4127903C2 (en) | 1991-08-22 | 1991-08-22 | Arrangement and procedure for sorting the quality and size of products and articles |
| DE59309083T DE59309083D1 (en) | 1993-04-15 | 1993-04-15 | Device and method for sorting the quality and size of products and articles |
| EP93106176A EP0620050B1 (en) | 1991-08-22 | 1993-04-15 | Device and method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE4127903A DE4127903C2 (en) | 1991-08-22 | 1991-08-22 | Arrangement and procedure for sorting the quality and size of products and articles |
| EP93106176A EP0620050B1 (en) | 1991-08-22 | 1993-04-15 | Device and method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0620050A1 EP0620050A1 (en) | 1994-10-19 |
| EP0620050B1 true EP0620050B1 (en) | 1998-10-21 |
Family
ID=25906628
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP93106176A Expired - Lifetime EP0620050B1 (en) | 1991-08-22 | 1993-04-15 | Device and method for sorting products and articles according to quality and size |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0620050B1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE4127903C2 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102010030908A1 (en) * | 2010-07-02 | 2012-01-05 | Strube Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method for classifying objects contained in seed lots, sorting methods and associated apparatus |
| DE102011004167A1 (en) | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-16 | Institut Dr. Foerster Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method and device for automated straightening of elongated material |
| DE102011054659A1 (en) * | 2011-10-20 | 2013-04-25 | AeroMegt GmbH | Method and device for measuring aerosols in a large volume flow |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5353937A (en) * | 1993-05-17 | 1994-10-11 | Esm International, Inc. | Automatic variable ejector delay time and dwell type mechanism in a sorting apparatus |
| DE19633326A1 (en) * | 1996-08-20 | 1998-02-26 | Sanner Friedr Gmbh Co Kg | Controlling quality of workpieces by taking successive images of them |
| DE19646753C2 (en) * | 1996-11-01 | 1998-08-20 | Select Ingenieurgesellschaft F | Device for quality and / or size sorting of small-sized products |
| DE19804147C2 (en) * | 1997-02-05 | 2001-01-04 | Peter Lieske | Equipment for size and quality sorting of agricultural products |
| DE19736567C1 (en) * | 1997-08-22 | 1998-11-26 | Select Ingenieurgesellschaft F | Arrangement for sorting products according to their characteristics e.g. in foodstuffs industry |
| JP2001525252A (en) | 1997-11-24 | 2001-12-11 | スバンテ ブジョルク アーベー | Composition and method for sorting granules |
| DE10352526B4 (en) * | 2003-11-05 | 2005-10-27 | select Ingenieurgesellschaft für Optoelektronik, Bilderkennung und Qualitätsprüfung mbH | Process for separating off-type additives from a product stream |
| DE102008020239A1 (en) * | 2008-04-22 | 2009-11-05 | Mas Gmbh | Automated optical test stand for use in automation machine, particularly automated sorter for quality control of test objects, comprises optical measuring station, which comprises optical sensor unit |
| BE1018705A3 (en) * | 2009-03-26 | 2011-07-05 | Best 2 N V | METHOD FOR SORTING POTATO PRODUCTS AND SORTING DEVICE FOR POTATO PRODUCTS |
| IE20120388A1 (en) * | 2012-09-07 | 2014-03-12 | Odenberg Engineering Ltd | Method and apparatus for handling harvested root crops |
| CN110963271B (en) * | 2019-11-21 | 2021-09-07 | 深圳市东研磨料磨具有限公司 | A sieving mechanism for sponge sand production |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2147611A1 (en) * | 1970-09-26 | 1972-05-25 | Nii Konservna Promischlenost | Method and device for sorting tomatoes by color |
| GB1571889A (en) * | 1976-03-11 | 1980-07-23 | Gec Medical Equipment Ltd | Separating apparatus |
| US4350442A (en) * | 1976-05-19 | 1982-09-21 | Accusort Corporation | Light and color detecting scanner for a sorting apparatus |
| FR2353217A1 (en) * | 1976-06-02 | 1977-12-30 | Bystronic Masch | Harvested potato sorter system - has photoelectric system to activate ejector arm and plate above endless belt conveyor |
| US4207985A (en) * | 1978-05-05 | 1980-06-17 | Geosource, Inc. | Sorting apparatus |
| GB2187277A (en) * | 1986-02-08 | 1987-09-03 | Peter Graham Long | Automatic surface colour grading of eggs |
| DD255594A1 (en) * | 1986-10-30 | 1988-04-06 | Mech Landwirtsch Forschzent | PROCESS FOR THE DISTINCTION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS BY SURFACE FEATURES |
| BG47531A1 (en) * | 1987-12-15 | 1990-08-15 | Vissh Inst Khranitelno Vkusova | Device for automatic sorting of fruits, vegetables and tuberiferous plants according to their quality |
| DD272425A1 (en) * | 1988-06-06 | 1989-10-11 | Berlin Ing Hochschule | ARRANGEMENT AND PROCESS FOR QUALITY ASSORTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS |
| GB8909164D0 (en) * | 1989-04-21 | 1989-06-07 | Radix Systems Ltd | Method and apparatus for sorting discrete materials and manufactured products |
-
1991
- 1991-08-22 DE DE4127903A patent/DE4127903C2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1993
- 1993-04-15 EP EP93106176A patent/EP0620050B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102010030908A1 (en) * | 2010-07-02 | 2012-01-05 | Strube Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method for classifying objects contained in seed lots, sorting methods and associated apparatus |
| DE102010030908B4 (en) * | 2010-07-02 | 2014-10-16 | Strube Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method for classifying objects contained in seed lots, sorting methods and associated apparatus |
| DE102011004167A1 (en) | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-16 | Institut Dr. Foerster Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method and device for automated straightening of elongated material |
| WO2012110340A1 (en) | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-23 | Wafios Ag | Method and device for the automated straightening of elongate material |
| DE102011004167B4 (en) * | 2011-02-15 | 2015-05-13 | Institut Dr. Foerster Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method and device for automated straightening of elongated material |
| DE102011054659A1 (en) * | 2011-10-20 | 2013-04-25 | AeroMegt GmbH | Method and device for measuring aerosols in a large volume flow |
| DE102011054659A9 (en) * | 2011-10-20 | 2013-07-04 | AeroMegt GmbH | Method and device for measuring aerosols in a large volume flow |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE4127903C2 (en) | 1995-08-03 |
| EP0620050A1 (en) | 1994-10-19 |
| DE4127903A1 (en) | 1993-04-22 |
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