NL2032104B1 - Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus - Google Patents
Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- NL2032104B1 NL2032104B1 NL2032104A NL2032104A NL2032104B1 NL 2032104 B1 NL2032104 B1 NL 2032104B1 NL 2032104 A NL2032104 A NL 2032104A NL 2032104 A NL2032104 A NL 2032104A NL 2032104 B1 NL2032104 B1 NL 2032104B1
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- products
- distributor
- lane
- lanes
- singulator
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 14
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 235000013399 edible fruits Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 235000013311 vegetables Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 abstract description 32
- 239000000872 buffer Substances 0.000 description 42
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 23
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 241000249058 Anthracothorax Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000004936 Bromus mango Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 240000004160 Capsicum annuum Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000008534 Capsicum annuum var annuum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000009467 Carica papaya Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 241000219172 Caricaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000005979 Citrus limon Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000131522 Citrus pyriformis Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000013162 Cocos nucifera Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000060011 Cocos nucifera Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000597800 Gulella radius Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000007688 Lycopersicon esculentum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000141359 Malus pumila Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000014826 Mangifera indica Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000025272 Persea americana Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000008673 Persea americana Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 241000220324 Pyrus Species 0.000 description 1
- 240000003768 Solanum lycopersicum Species 0.000 description 1
- 244000061456 Solanum tuberosum Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000002595 Solanum tuberosum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000009184 Spondias indica Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000021016 apples Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000003139 buffering effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000020971 citrus fruits Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000021017 pears Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000012015 potatoes Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000013519 translation Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
- B65G47/68—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
- B65G47/71—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor the articles being discharged or distributed to several distinct separate conveyors or to a broader conveyor lane
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
- B65G2201/02—Articles
- B65G2201/0202—Agricultural and processed food products
- B65G2201/0211—Fruits and vegetables
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
The invention presents an infeed apparatus configured to receive unsorted products, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs, at an input side and 5 transport the products in a transport direction towards an output side Where the products are singularly output. The infeed apparatus comprises a singulator comprising a plurality of lanes, a distributor arranged upstream in the transport direction relative to the singulator, Wherein the distributor is configured to move the products in the transport direction and simultaneously distribute the products transversely relative to the transport direction to provide products to each of 10 the lanes, and a controller configured to obtain a lane filling level of each lane and control the distributor dependent on the lane filling levels. A method of controlling an infeed apparatus is also presented.
Description
INFEED APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING INFEED APPARATUS
The invention relates to infeed apparatuses and methods of controlling these.
An infeed apparatus is generally used in product processing systems, for example to sort harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs. In such cases, it can be used to feed products into a sorting machine positioned downstream of the infeed apparatus. The purpose of the infeed apparatus is to provide a stream of products that can be individually processed.
A known infeed apparatus has a single, wide conveyor belt for transporting products received thereon into a singulator having multiple lanes. Each lane has multiple V-shaped belt conveyors arranged one after another to output products from each lane in a separated manner. The products are separated at non-uniform distances and are output at low density and unequally over the various lanes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved infeed apparatus that allows a higher or at least controllable filling rate at the output.
This object is achieved by the infeed apparatus of claim 1, in which the infeed apparatus is configured to receive unsorted products, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs, at an input side and transport the products in a transport direction towards an output side where the products are singularly output. The infeed apparatus comprises a singulator comprising a plurality of lanes, a distributor arranged upstream in the transport direction relative to the singulator, wherein the distributor is configured to move the products in the transport direction to provide products to each of the lanes, and a controller configured to obtain a lane filling level of each lane and control the distributor dependent on the lane filling levels. The distributor comprises a plurality of conveyors of which a drive speed is independently controllable by the controller.
Preferably, the infeed apparatus further comprises one or more than one lane filling level sensor to sense the lane filling levels.
Preferably, the distributor is configured to move the products in the transport direction and simultaneously distribute the products transversely relative to the transport direction to provide products to each of the lanes.
Further advantages of the invention include that the infeed apparatus provides an increased throughput, or at least a similar throughput of products at a lower number of lanes because the lanes or filled to a higher capacity. This also enables a smaller built, both in width, as fewer lanes are needed, and in length, as less V-shaped conveyor belts would be required per lane compared to the known infeed apparatus.
The singulator with its plurality of lanes may be defined as a device configured to separate collectively received products into individualized, i.e. singularized, products as these products are transported from an input end of the lanes towards an output end of the lanes and thus present singularized products as output of the singulator. The lanes can be implemented with a series of V- shaped bands as known in the prior art or can be of an improved design as disclosed below.
The infeed apparatus according to any embodiment of this disclosure can be employed in a product processing system which, in addition to the infeed apparatus, can comprise at least one of: a transporter that is arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus in the transport direction and that is configured to receive lines of singularized products from the output side of the infeed apparatus; and a supply apparatus that is arranged upstream of the infeed apparatus in the transport direction and that is configured to supply unsorted products to the input side of the infeed apparatus.
The infeed apparatus of the invention enables reliable conversion of product batches to a continuous product stream in such a product processing system.
The infeed apparatus is in particular configured to receive as input unsorted harvested agricultural goods, especially agricultural produce. This can include fruits as well as vegetables, for example apples, pears, citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, tomatoes, bell peppers, unions and potatoes.
More exotic agricultural produce includes coconuts, mangos, papayas and avocados. Flower bulbs are another relevant agricultural product type. Many of these products typically require delicate handling.
Further, the invention provides a method of controlling an infeed apparatus. This method comprises: - providing products onto a distributor of the infeed apparatus at an input side of the infeed apparatus, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs, wherein the distributor comprises a plurality of conveyors of which a drive speed is independently controllable;
- transporting products in a transport direction from the distributor onto a singulator of the infeed apparatus; - obtaining lane filling levels from a plurality of lanes comprised by the singulator; - controlling the plurality of conveyors of the distributor dependent on the lane filling levels to feed the products to each of the lanes; - singularizing the products in each lane of the singulator; and - outputting lines of singularized products from the infeed apparatus
The method can be implemented by any embodiment of the infeed apparatus as disclosed herein, including as part of the processing system. Additional steps of the method and details thereof are thus given by the configuration of the infeed apparatus. In particular, the controller of the infeed is configured to perform various operations, each of which operation defines a method step that can be combined with the claimed method.
Further details and advantageous embodiments are provided in the dependent claims, the figures and the detailed description provided below.
The invention is illustrated in the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an infeed apparatus of the invention in perspective view;
FIG. 2 shows the infeed apparatus of FIG. 1 in top view;
FIG. 3 shows a product processing system having an infeed apparatus of the invention in a top view with products yet contained in an emptying device upstream of the infeed apparatus;
FIG. 4 shows the product processing system of FIG. 3 while processing the products emptied onto the system, the products being drawn as circles.
The following reference signs are used: 1 infeed apparatus 2 input side 3 output side 4 singulator 5 lane 6 distributor 7 controller 8 sidewall 9 conveyor 10 lane filling level sensor
11 distributor filling level sensor 12 roller 13 buffer 14 rotation axis 15 transporter 16 spreader 17 output guide 18 product position 19 line filling level sensor 20 supply apparatus 21 emptying device 22 product sorter
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an infeed apparatus 1 is configured to receive unsorted products, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs, at an input side 2 and transport the products in a transport direction towards an output side 3 where the products are singularly output. The infeed apparatus 1 comprises a singulator 4 which comprises a plurality of lanes 5, a distributor 6 which is arranged upstream in the transport direction relative to the singulator 4, and a controller 7 configured to obtain a lane filling level of each lane 5. The distributor 6 is configured to move the products in the transport direction and simultaneously distribute the products transversely relative to the transport direction to provide products to each of the lanes 5 and the controller 7 is configured to control the distributor 6 dependent on the lane filling levels.
In this way, the infeed apparatus 1 can convert product batch input to a continuous line of individualized products output from the plurality of lanes 5 of the singulator 4, ready for further processing of the products, such as sorting thereof in particular sorting based on individual product parameters such as size, weight, shape, colour, firmness and/or ripeness of each product. The products are output with an improved filling level, i.e. with less empty space between the products output by the lanes 5, because of a lane filling level of each lane 5 is obtained by the controller 7 and used to control the distributor 6 to move the products in the transport direction and simultaneously distribute the products transversely relative to the transport direction to provide products to each of the lanes 5.
Further, compared to conventional infeed apparatuses, a lower number of lanes 5 is sufficient in the singulator 4 and shorter lanes 5 suffice to ensure similar levels of singulation at the output side
3. This enables a shorted infeed apparatus 1 compared to conventional apparatuses which e.g. work with multiple V-shaped conveyor belts arranged behind each other, each having a higher speed than the previous one to output products as individualized products with an irregular interval between the products. This interval of unused empty space can be reduced with the invented 5 apparatus. Further, any devices downstream of the infeed apparatus 1 (e.g. transporter 15 and/or product sorter 22 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) can also be implemented with said lower number of lanes 5 thus enabling an altogether smaller and more efficient product processing system.
One large thick arrow in FIG. 1 indicate product input at the input side 2 of the infeed apparatus 1, while four smaller thick arrows indicate product output at the output side 3 of the infeed apparatus 1 in the form of multiple product lines.
The lanes 5 of the singulator 4 can be arranged in parallel. The transport direction need not follow a straight path but can also be curved, following subsequent components of the infeed apparatus 1 such as the distributor 6 and a lane 5 of the singulator 4 and respective components thereof.
The distributor 6 may taper in the transport direction towards the singulator 4. As illustrated, the distributor 1 comprises sidewalls 8 defining a funnel shape narrowing down the distributor 6 towards the singulator 4, as seen in the transport direction.
The distributor 6 can comprises a plurality of conveyors 9 of which a drive speed is independently controllable by the controller 7. The conveyors 9 are drivable at least in the transport direction.
Products can be urged to move transversely to the transport direction between adjacent conveyors 9 having different drive speeds. The controller 7 can set a drive speed differential between two adjacent conveyors 9 to urge products to move transversely to the transport direction from the conveyor 9 being driven at the higher speed to an adjacent conveyor 9 being driven at the lower speed.
Alternatively or in addition to the plurality of conveyors, the distributor can comprise movable side walls 8 to selectively or preferentially direct products into lanes 5 of the singulator 4.
The distributor 6 can define a plane over which the products are transversely moveable. For example, there are no separating walls between the plurality of conveyors 9 of the distributor 6, or at most a partial wall only which is not completely extending in the transport direction over the full length of the distributor 6.
Preferably, the conveyors 9 are arranged in parallel and along the transport direction. That is, the conveyors 9 can be arranged mutually parallel while conveying in the transport direction. The conveyors 9 can be formed by belt conveyors or by a roller bank driveable in the transport direction.
It is further preferred that two conveyors 9 of the plurality of conveyors 9 are respectively associated with two corresponding lanes 5 of the plurality of lanes 5. Each conveyor 9 of the distributor 6 can be aligned in the transport direction with a selected one of the lanes 5 of the singulator 4, respectively, to feed products primarily from said conveyor 9 onto said lane 5. The number of conveyors 9 may equal the number of lanes 4 so that a one-to-one relation is possible, i.e. that each conveyor 9 is associated and/or aligned with only one particular lane 5. Conversely, each lane 5 of the singulator 4 may be associated with one conveyor 9 of the distributor 6.
The infeed apparatus 1 may further comprise one or more than one lane filling level sensor 10 to sense the lane filling levels. The lane filling level sensor 10 can comprise at least one load sensor.
For example, a load sensor can be arranged below each lane 5. In FIG. 4, lanes filling sensors 10 are drawn as load sensors arranged below the lanes 5 of the singulator 4.
The infeed apparatus 1 can further comprise a distributor filling level sensor 11 to measure a distributor filling level, i.e. a filling level of the distributor 6. In FIG. 4, a distributor filling sensor 11 is drawn as multiple load sensors arranged below the distributor 6. The controller 7 is preferably further configured to obtain the distributor filling level and control the distributor 6 dependent on the distributor filling level. This control of the distributor 6 dependent on the distributor filling level is in addition to that dependent on the lane filling levels. For example, the controller 7 may adjust a drive speed of the distributor 6, or selected conveyors 9 thereof, taking into account the distributor filling level to determine the amount of adjustment.
Preferably, the distributor 6 is equipped with only one distributor filling level sensor even when the distributor 6 comprises a plurality of conveyors 9. That is, a single value for the distributor filling level is provided to the controller 7. Such single distributor filling level sensor 11 may comprise multiple load sensors to come to this single value for the distributor filling level.
The distributor filling level sensor 11 may comprise at least one load sensor. The controller 7 may be configured to obtain a load value from the at least one load sensor of the distributor filling level sensor 11 and determine a common load value that is representative for a filling level of the whole distributor 6.
Alternatively or additionally to the load sensors. whether for the lane filling level sensor or the distributor level sensor, one or more cameras can be employed as the filling level sensors to provide images of the lanes 5 and/or the distributor 6 to the controller 7. These images can be processed digitally to provide a filling level of the lanes 5 and/or the distributor 6.
Preferably, the controller 7 is configured to control the drive speed of at least one of the conveyors 9 of the distributor 6 dependent on the lane filling level of one or more than one lane 5 of the singulator 4 arranged downstream of the at least one of the conveyors 9. For example, the controller 7 can be configured to adjust the drive speed of a particular conveyor 9 when the lane filling level downstream thereof is below or above a reference lane filling level and even to halt transportation of products (at least over the distributor 2) when a target lane filling level is detected. This further allows automatic optimisation towards a target lane filling level and a target distributor filling level. Target filling levels can be set by completely filling the lanes 5 and/or distributor 6 with products.
The controller is preferably configured to adjust the drive speed of the conveyors 9 within a predetermined drive speed range and/or with a predetermined delay time. The drive speed range and delay time, each of which may be predetermined, help to prevent too rapid adjustment of the drive speed that could cause damage to the products, in particular when these are sensitive harvested agricultural goods, such as ripe fruits.
The singulator 4 can further comprises at least one roller 12 arranged at the output side and configured to output products from a buffer 13 of at least one of the lanes 5, wherein the buffer 13 is configured to feed products to the roller 12 in a line. There can be one roller 12 for all lanes 5 combined, one roller 12 for each lane 5 or a number of rollers 12 than can be party shared by two or more of the lanes 5. At least one of the lanes 5 may comprise both the roller 12 as well as the buffer 13, which cooperate to output singularized products as explained below.
The roller 12 is preferably arranged above a surface defined by the buffer 13 and is configured to engage products supported on the buffer 13, wherein the roller 12 is configured to selectively force products that abut against the roller 12 through a space between a rotation axis 14 of the roller 12 and the buffer 13.
Preferably, the roller 12 comprises brushes. In FIG. 1 and 2, the roller 12 is illustrated as a brush roller. The roller 12 can also be provided in the form of a cup roller or a foam roller. However, a brush roller has the advantage of being better suitable to accommodate unsorted products of variable size.
The roller 12 can comprise a first set of brushes extending to a first radius and a second set of brushed extending to a second radius, wherein an offset between the first radius and the second radius is selected in correspondence with a product dimension, The roller 12 can thus be configured to engage products strongly yet carefully. The first and second radius can be measured from the rotation axis 14 of the roller 12.
The controller 7 can be configured to control a drive speed of the buffer 13 dependent on a rotation speed of the roller 12. For the roller 12, the rotation speed may correspond to a drive speed, the two being convertible as rotation and translation speeds using e.g. radius and rpm parameters.
In particular, the controller 7 can be configured to control the drive speed of the buffer 13 to be higher than a corresponding rotation speed of the roller 12. This ensures that products are fed by the buffer 13 to the roller 12 faster than that these products are output by the roller 12. As a result, the buffer 13 has an improved buffering function, i.e. the roller 12 can continuously output products as these are fed by the buffer 13 towards and against the roller 12. The buffer 13 can be implemented as a conveyor device, such as a belt conveyor or roller conveyor.
The controller 7 can be configured to receive a transport speed of a transporter 15 arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus 1 and to control the rotation speed of the roller 12 dependent on the transport speed. The rotation speed of the roller 12 may be matched to the transport speed of the transporter 15, but may also be different to optimize transfer of products from the infeed apparatys 1 to the transporter 15 downstream thereof.
The controller 7 can be configured to receive a product type and to set the rotation speed to a predetermined value corresponding to the product type. For example, the product type can be provided as input to the controller 7 by an operator and the predetermined rotation speed value can be stored in a memory coupled to the controller 7, such as in the form of a lookup table. The rotation speed values for various product types may depend on parameters including product dimension, shape, weight, hardness, sensitivity to mechanical impact and/or ripeness as well as variability with respect to such parameters in the collection of unsorted products.
Further, at least one lane 5 of the singulator 4 can comprise a spreader 16 upstream of the buffer 13, wherein a drive speed of each spreader 16 is individually controllable by the controller 7 dependent on a filling level of the buffer 13. It is advantageous to employ an increased drive speed for the spreader 16, preferably within a predetermined drive speed range, when the filling level of its downstream buffer 13 is below a predetermined reference filling level or target filling level.
When the target filling level of the buffer 13 is reached, the drive speed of its upstream spreader 16 can be reduced to zero. The spreader 16 is configured to spread the products from each other along the transport direction and can be implemented by a V-shaped belt conveyor, as illustrated. V- shaped belt conveyors comprise two conveyor belts disposed at a mutual angle defining a V-shape.
These who belts are generally driveable at different speeds to cause products on the V-shaped belt conveyor to separate into individualized products.
Preferably, the lane filling level sensors 10 are configured to sense filling levels in each of the buffer 13 and the spreader 16. This can be implemented by arranging load sensors below each of the spreader 16 and the buffer 13 of a lane 5 of the singulator 4. The controller 7 can advantageously control the drive speed of each of the distributor 6 (in particular a conveyor 9 thereof), the spreader 16, the buffer 13 and the roller 12, which transport the products in this order, to ensure that the desired filling level is achieved or maintained in each of these. In particular, the drive speed for one of these components can be set by the controller 7 based on the filling level of the next first downstream component, e.g. the filling level of a buffer 13 is used to control the drive speed of the upstream spreader 16 while the filling level of the spreader 16 is in turn used to control the drive speed of the conveyor 9 of the distributor 6 upstream of the spreader 16. A starting drive speed of these various components can be chosen based on a received transport speed of a transporter 15 to which the infeed apparatus 1 supplies its output. Target filling levels can be set by loading the whole infeed apparatus 1 with the products. The controller 7 is preferably configured to control the drive speed of each of the plurality of conveyors 9, each of the plurality of lanes 5, in particular each of the buffers 13 and spreaders 16 thereof, and each of the rollers 12.
The infeed apparatus 1 may further comprise output guides 17 arranged at the output side and configured to guide products out of the infeed apparatus 1 in alignment with the lanes 5 of the singulator 4. The output guides 17 can be implemented as slabs, gutters, bars or other delimiting elements arranged to guide products in a direction aligned with the transport direction onto a transporter 15 downstream of the infeed apparatus 1. Two examples of the output guide 17 are drawn: downwardly sloped slabs are visible in FIG. 1 and protruding bars are visible in FIG. 2.
Turning now to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the infeed apparatus 1 is further explained in the context of a product processing system comprising the infeed apparatus 1 of any embodiment described herein, in addition to a transporter 15 arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus 1 in the transport direction. The transporter 15 is configured to receive lines of singularized products from the output side 3 of the infeed apparatus 1.
The transporter 15 may comprises discrete product positions 18 configured to receive the lines of singularized products output by the infeed apparatus 1. In the illustrated example, the transporter 15 comprises diabolic shaped rollers between which the product positions 18 are defined.
The transporter 15 can comprises one or more than one line filling level sensor 19 configured to detect empty and/or occupied positions in a line of singularized products. The line filling level sensor 19 may be implemented by optical means, such as a camera or an optical sensor, or by mechanical means, such as a product counter. The controller 7 of the infeed apparatus 1 can be configured to receive a line filling level from the line filling level sensor 19 and to control, preferably dependent on a predetermined target line filling level, a drive speed of at least one of: the distributor 6 or a conveyor 9 thereof, the lanes 5 or a buffer 13 and/or a spreader 16 thereof, and a roller 12 at the output. In the illustrated example, the controller 7 may adjust at least one of the rotation speed of the roller 12, the drive speed of the buffer 13, the drive speed of the spreader 16 and the drive speed of the conveyor 9 upstream of the lane 5 comprising the buffer 13 and the spreader 16 to optimize the line filling level in the transporter 15 towards the target line filling level.
The target line filling level can be selected to any value, preferably in the range of 80 — 100%, limits inclusive. Though a line filling level of 100% is desirable for processing efficiency, it is in fact advantageous to select the target line filling level somewhat lower than 100%, e.g. up to 99%, 98%, 97%, 96% or 95%. This reduces the risk of overfilling the transporter 15 by, for example, having two products in one product position 18 of the transporter 15. Tests have shown that this at least in part occurs due to a degree of random variation in product trajectories as the infeed apparatus 1 is optimising product flow towards or around the target line filling level. Having multiple products together rather than singularized usually causes problems in product processing further downstream. It is proposed to overcome this disadvantage by setting the transporter filling level target to a value below 100% that still optimizes the filling rate of the transporter 15 but avoids overfilling, in particular double occupancy of product positions. It is noted that traditionally, transporter filling levels of about 60% are achieved with conventional infeed apparatuses. The present invention allows greater filling levels, even nearing or equal to 100%. The infeed apparatus
1 of the invention can even be employed to deliberately cause overfilling when this would be desirable, for example when using products that are small compared to product positions 18 in the transporter 15.
In various embodiments of the infeed apparatus 1, in particular when part of the product processing system, the controller 7 may be configured to perform at least one operation of: - receive a transport speed of the transporter 15 and control the rotation speed of a roller 12 at the output of the infeed apparatus 1 dependent on the transport speed; - control the drive speed of a buffer 13 configured to supply products to the roller 12 dependent on the rotation speed of the roller 12; - control the drive speed of a spreader 16 upstream of the buffer 13 dependent on a filling level of the buffer 13; - control the drive speed of a conveyor 9 upstream of the spreader 16 dependent on the filling level of the spreader 16.
In this way, an upstream component is controlled dependent on a parameter of a downstream component, in particular a component immediately downstream thereof. This allows optimisation towards desired output characteristics, including filling rate at the output side. The controller 7 may be configured to perform the above operations or a selection thereof in the given order.
The product processing system can further comprise a supply apparatus 20 arranged upstream of the infeed apparatus 1 in the transport direction. The supply apparatus 20 is configured to supply unsorted products to the input side 2 of the infeed apparatus 1. Preferably, the supply apparatus 20 is configured to deliver products onto the distributor 6 of the infeed apparatus 1. The supply apparatus 20 may be controlled by the controller 7, for example dependent on the distributor filling level as measured by the distributor filling level sensor 11.
The supply apparatus 20 may comprises an emptying device 21 configured to empty containers of products. FIG. 3 shows the emptying device 21 with a container full of products, while FIG. 4 shows the products after the container is emptied onto the supply apparatus 20 and are transported over the infeed apparatus 1 onto the transporter 15. The supply apparatus 20 can be configured to supply products in a batch-wise fashion to the input side of the infeed apparatus 1, while the infeed apparatus 1 delivers the products at its output side in the form of a continuous stream, preferably even an uninterrupted line of products. The emptying device 21 can also be provided as a separate apparatus not integrated with the supply apparatus 20.
The product processing system can further comprise a product sorter 22, only schematically indicated, arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus 1, in particular downstream of the transporter 15. The transporter 15 need not be a separate device but may be part of such product sorter 22.
The present disclosure also provides embodiments in accordance with the following numbered clauses.
CLAUSES
1 Infeed apparatus configured to receive unsorted products, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs, at an input side and transport the products in a transport direction towards an output side where the products are singularly output and comprising: - a singulator comprising a plurality of lanes; - a distributor arranged upstream in the transport direction relative to the singulator, wherein the distributor is configured to move the products in the transport direction and simultaneously distribute the products transversely relative to the transport direction to provide products to each of the lanes; and - a controller configured to obtain a lane filling level of each lane and control the distributor dependent on the lane filling levels. 2 Infeed apparatus of clause 1, wherein the distributor tapers in the transport direction towards the singulator. 3 Infeed apparatus of clause 1 or 2, wherein the distributor comprises a plurality of conveyors of which a drive speed is independently controllable by the controller. 4 Infeed apparatus of clause 3, wherein the conveyors are arranged in parallel and along the transport direction. 5 Infeed apparatus of clause 3 or 4, wherein two conveyors of the plurality of conveyors are respectively associated with two corresponding lanes of the plurality of lanes. 6 Infeed apparatus of any previous clause, further comprising one or more than one lane filling level sensor to sense the lane filling levels.
7 Infeed apparatus of clause 6, wherein each lane filling level sensor comprises at least one load sensor.
8 Infeed apparatus of any previous clause, further comprising a distributor filling level sensor to measure a distributor filling level, wherein the controller is further configured to obtain the distributor filling level and control the distributor dependent on the distributor filling level.
9 Infeed apparatus of clause 8, wherein the distributor filling level sensor comprises at least one load sensor.
10 Infeed apparatus of clause 9, wherein the controller is configured to obtain a load value from the at least one load sensor of the distributor filling level sensor and determine a common load value that is representative for a filling level of the whole distributor.
11 Infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 3 — 10, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive speed of at least one of the conveyors dependent on the lane filling level of one or more than one lane arranged downstream of the at least one of the conveyors.
12 Infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 3 — 11, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the drive speed of the conveyors within a predetermined drive speed range and/or with a predetermined delay time.
13 Infeed apparatus of any previous clause, wherein the singulator further comprises at least one roller arranged at the output side and configured to output products from a buffer of at least one of the lanes, wherein the buffer is configured to feed products to the roller in a line.
14 Infeed apparatus of clause 13, wherein the roller is arranged above a surface defined by the buffer and is configured to engage products supported on the buffer, wherein the roller is configured to selectively force products that abut against the roller through a space between a rotation axis of the roller and the buffer.
15 Infeed apparatus of clause 13 or 14, wherein the roller comprises brushes.
16 Infeed apparatus of clause 16, wherein the roller comprises a first set of brushes extending to a first radius and a second set of brushed extending to a second radius, wherein an offset between the first radius and the second radius is selected in correspondence with a product dimension. 17 Infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 13 — 16, wherein the controller is configured to control a drive speed of the buffer dependent on a rotation speed of the roller. 18 Infeed apparatus of clause 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive speed of the buffer to be higher than a corresponding rotation speed of the roller.
19 Infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 13 — 18, wherein the controller is configured to receive a transport speed of a transporter arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus and to control the rotation speed of the roller dependent on the transport speed.
20 Infeed apparatus of clause 19, wherein the controller is configured to receive a product type and to set the rotation speed to a predetermined value corresponding to the product type.
21 Infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 13 — 20, wherein at least one lane of the singulator comprises a spreader upstream of the buffer, wherein a drive speed of each spreader is individually controllable by the controller dependent on a filling level of the buffer.
22 Infeed apparatus of clause 21 at least dependent on clause 6, wherein the lane filling level sensors are configured to sense filling levels in each of the buffer and the spreader.
23 Infeed apparatus of any previous clause, further comprising output guides arranged at the output side and configured to guide products out of the infeed apparatus in alignment with the lanes of the singulator.
24 Product processing system comprising: - an infeed apparatus of any previous clause; and
- a transporter arranged downstream of the infeed apparatus in the transport direction and configured to receive lines of singularized products from the output side of the infeed apparatus. 25 Product processing system of clause 24, wherein the transporter comprises discrete product positions configured to receive the lines of singularized products output by the infeed apparatus.
26 Product processing system of clause 24 or 25, wherein:
- the transporter comprises a line filling level sensor configured to detect empty positions in a line of singularized products; and - the controller of the infeed apparatus 1s configured to receive a line filling level from the line filling level sensor and to control, dependent on a predetermined line filling level target, a drive speed of at least one of: the distributor or a conveyor thereof, the lanes or a buffer and/or a spreader thereof, and a roller at the output. 27 Product processing system of clause 26, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of: - receive a transport speed of the transporter and control the rotation speed of a roller at the output of the infeed apparatus dependent on the transport speed; - control the drive speed of a buffer configured to supply products to the roller dependent on the rotation speed of the roller; - control the drive speed of a spreader upstream of the buffer dependent on a filling level of the buffer; - control the drive speed of a conveyor upstream of the spreader dependent on the filling level of the spreader. 28 Product processing system of any of the clauses 24 — 27, further comprising a supply apparatus arranged upstream of the infeed apparatus in the transport direction and configured to supply unsorted products to the input side of the infeed apparatus. 29 Product processing system of clause 28, wherein the supply apparatus is configured to deliver products onto the distributor of the infeed apparatus.
Product processing system of clause 28 or 29, wherein the supply apparatus comprises an emptying device configured to empty containers of products. 31 Method of controlling an infeed apparatus, comprising: 30 - providing products onto a distributor of the infeed apparatus at an input side of the infeed apparatus, in particular in the form of harvested agricultural goods such as fruits, vegetables or bulbs; - transporting products in a transport direction from the distributor onto a singulator of the infeed apparatus; - obtaining lane filling levels from a plurality of lanes comprised by the singulator;
- controlling the distributor dependent on the lane filling levels to distribute products transversely relative to the transport direction and feed the products to each of the lanes;
- singularizing the products in each lane of the singulator; and
- outputting lines of singularized products from the infeed apparatus.
32 Method of clause 31 comprising employing an infeed apparatus of any of the clauses 1 — 23 or a product processing system of any of the clauses 25 — 30.
Claims (1)
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL2032104A NL2032104B1 (en) | 2022-06-09 | 2022-06-09 | Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus |
| PCT/NL2023/050321 WO2023239240A1 (en) | 2022-06-09 | 2023-06-09 | Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL2032104A NL2032104B1 (en) | 2022-06-09 | 2022-06-09 | Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| NL2032104B1 true NL2032104B1 (en) | 2023-12-18 |
Family
ID=83271488
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL2032104A NL2032104B1 (en) | 2022-06-09 | 2022-06-09 | Infeed apparatus and method of controlling infeed apparatus |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| NL (1) | NL2032104B1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2023239240A1 (en) |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2016011207A (en) * | 2014-06-30 | 2016-01-21 | シブヤ精機株式会社 | Aligning and supplying device |
| WO2016099296A1 (en) * | 2014-12-18 | 2016-06-23 | Compac Technologies Limited | An article carrier apparatus |
Family Cites Families (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3272309A (en) * | 1964-09-01 | 1966-09-13 | Barker Poultry Equipment Compa | Egg handling apparatus |
| JPS60152Y2 (en) * | 1977-03-11 | 1985-01-05 | 井関農機株式会社 | fruit sizer feeding equipment |
| JPS61145016A (en) * | 1984-12-17 | 1986-07-02 | Iseki & Co Ltd | Fruit selection-feeding apparatus |
| JPS63242388A (en) * | 1987-03-30 | 1988-10-07 | 井関農機株式会社 | Aligning transporter for fruit, etc. |
| JPH0825621B2 (en) * | 1987-06-01 | 1996-03-13 | 株式会社マキ製作所 | Alignment transfer device |
| JPH06312840A (en) * | 1993-04-28 | 1994-11-08 | Iseki & Co Ltd | Container damper |
| JP2002145454A (en) * | 2000-11-10 | 2002-05-22 | Fumitoshi Mori | Fruit and vegetables charging device for fruit and vegetables sorting device |
| NL1024299C2 (en) * | 2003-09-15 | 2005-03-16 | Staalkat Internat B V | Transport device. |
-
2022
- 2022-06-09 NL NL2032104A patent/NL2032104B1/en active
-
2023
- 2023-06-09 WO PCT/NL2023/050321 patent/WO2023239240A1/en unknown
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2016011207A (en) * | 2014-06-30 | 2016-01-21 | シブヤ精機株式会社 | Aligning and supplying device |
| WO2016099296A1 (en) * | 2014-12-18 | 2016-06-23 | Compac Technologies Limited | An article carrier apparatus |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2023239240A1 (en) | 2023-12-14 |
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