ES2369186A1 - Automatic olive classification system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system that has been specially designed to be used in olive oil mills, said system comprising the use of a plurality of RFID tags (1-1') which can be placed among the olives or secured to the various trailers (2) used to transport same to the olive oil mill and which contain recorded information relating to the olive harvest type. Antennas (3) are provided at the oil mill entrance in order to read the tags which are associated with an information-storage and -management database (4), thereby identifying the type of olives entering the facility and assigning the corresponding trailer with the correct discharge hopper. The facility includes a series of collection hoppers (6-6'-6"-6''") having a second antenna (7) positioned nearby, for checking the container type. The invention is characterised in that when the tags (1-1') are mixed with the olives the outlets of the discharge hoppers (8-8'-8") of the olive containers (9) are provided with a series of conveyor belts (11-11'-11"), each having an associated read antenna (10) which is used to check the tag information relating to the olives and, upon detection of a tag that does not correspond to the allocated line, the system is stopped and switched to another belt (12), such that the belts (11-11'-12) are communicated respectively with the storage hoppers (13-13'-13") of each perfectly classified olive type, each having a corresponding production line (14-14'-14") at the outlet thereof.

Description

System for automatic classification of olives

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a system that has been specially conceived for its implantation in oil mills.

The object of the invention is to provide a system by which it is possible to identify and classify different types of olives that enter the mill, resulting in to an automatic separation of these olives towards the hoppers adequate.

It is also an object of the invention that by means of the system is possible to identify the parcel of origin of the olives, the workers who have handled them, the harvesting as well as allowing to identify that agricultural work are done correctly, with the right doses and at the time correct, to have higher quality olives in a way automatic.

The invention thus falls within the scope of olive industry.

Background of the invention

Within the scope of practical application of the invention, and to date, determine if the olives entering in an oil mill they are ground or flying is done "by eye", process that can obviously lead to errors when it comes to value said provenance, which can lead to a reduction in the quality of the oil obtained from them, with the consequent and negative repercussions that this can lead to market level.

In this sense, the applicant has no knowledge of the existence of any system or installation whereby, in a totally automatic and unequivocal way, produce the separation and classification of the different types of olives entering it, as well as the automatic registration of different determining parameters of the quality of said olives, such as the identification of the parcel of origin of the olives, the workers who have handled them, the owner of the same, the time of collection as well as allow identify that agricultural jobs are done correctly, with the right doses and at the right time, to have olives of higher quality in an automatic way.

Description of the invention

The system that the invention proposes solves in fully satisfactory the problem above exposed, through a highly effective solution.

For this, it has been foreseen that in the place of collection of olives differentiate those collected from the soil of collected from the tree by including markers or labels with RFID technology, which can be arranged between the olives themselves, or look at the different trailers used, depending on the type of collection.

At the entrance of the oil mill, the least one antenna for reading said RFID tags, which will be associated with a database for storage and management of the information, thus identifying the type of olives that enter installation and assigning the hopper to the corresponding trailer correct discharge.

There will also be devices portable TAGS readers, for coding or reading the themselves, as well as a portable reader to communicate with the tag or with the portable devices mentioned above, in command to allow debugging of read errors incorrect.

Once the trailer is positioned on the appropriate hopper, next to it a second antenna will be located by means of which it is verified that the container really coincides with the appropriate reception hopper, preventing unloading in case this is not
So.

Then we proceed to check that the RFID tag information including information on the type of olive is correct, after which we proceed to the unloading of the olive, which can be of three types: Flight, soil or mixed.

Depending on the information transmitted by the RFID tag and detected by the antenna, which will be processed by the system and stored in the aforementioned database, you can proceed to stop the discharge system or continue if the verifications are correct, so that each hopper would have the correct olive.

In the event that RFID tags are found mixed with the olives, it is expected that at the exit of the unloading hoppers of the container truck olives have a series of conveyor belts, with a reading antenna associated with each one, by means of which the the information on the label associated with said olives, so that if it is detected that any label does not correspond to the line in which it should go, the system is paralyzed and forks towards another belt, which will communicate with the olive production hopper of the corresponding type. If the hopper has already been contaminated download of the next phase, all the content before starting the transport would automatically branch to the other belt that would transport to the bad hopper.

During transport antennas can be attached on the tape to read RFID tags and make checks of the quality of the olive during the screening process and divert the ribbon to other ribbons if label errors are detected.

More specifically, tape bifurcation consists of a mechanical process in which the olive falls to a container hopper that has an outlet, connected to two belts, one upper and lower, one of which, the correct one, according to the information of the RFID tags of the previous phases is always active, until it receives the signal to freeze, because in the current phase or in the previous phases an error is detected, and the motor that activates the exit belt of the hopper would be governed by the RFID control system, which detects the type of tag that carries the pre-tape.

Once the correct tape is stopped it enters the alternative belt or the one at the bottom that transports the other types of olives.

Once the olives, these will be subjected to a washing process, in order to improve its quality, after which the extraction of the labels mechanically, being perfectly identified and classified one and another type of olives.

According to another of the characteristics of the invention, RFID tags can be leveraged to differentiate the olives of different qualities and collected in the correct times in an automatic way, by identification radio frequency of the products.

Schematically the control action is determined from labeling with special labels (not visible to the naked eye), containing the information of the time in which the analysis was done and the correct time of collection based on previous chemical analyzes.

These tags are entered before the harvest in the olives, with a sample of 1 or 2 labels in each plot, every 30 olive trees, a process that would take care of create an independent body in charge of monitoring the product quality.

These labels would be distributed in a random inside the olive, with the information corresponding, to the analyzes made and the quality they have given and the correct harvest time for those olives.

Upon reaching the unloading at the oil mills the RFID system, it can automatically read the information contained in those labels, which could automatically determine if the input quality and harvest time are correct and in consequence could automatically divert it to each of These are the storage hoppers due to the quality grade of the olives that had been given, not requiring intervention human, except for previous chemical analyzes, do not having the possibility of failures.

Likewise, in RFID tags you can enter information about the origin and quality of the olive, so that when it reaches the unloading in the oil mills the RFID system, it can automatically read the information contained in those labels, with which it could automatically generate the delivery note and consequently could automatically divert it to each of the storage hoppers by the quality grade of the olive from that plot that he would have been given.

The described system would also allow identify farm workers who handle food, so that when the worker who handles the olives is next, the label associated with them will be re-recorded with the sanitary characteristics of the food handler, by means of a small automatic recorder that this person would carry built-in.

Every time a food handler is next to these labels this information would be recorded on the labels and registered the sanitary guarantees of these workers.

Upon reaching the unloading at the oil mills the RFID system, it can automatically read the information contained in those labels, which could automatically determine if the agricultural process followed complies with the guarantee regulations set by official bodies and consequently could automatically divert it to each of the hoppers storage for the degree of quality and sanitary guarantee of the olives that would have been given.

This would automatically allow sanitary, quality guarantees, etc., were carried out by the body in charge of supervising quality in an automatic way, only traveling once to the farm and the oil mill, to check that there has been no tampering with the RFID tags.

Finally, it is also worth highlighting the fact that that the system can also be used to homogenize the quality of agricultural work in an automatic way, so that in the labels or tags, all the information on technical characteristics and dosage and use correct.

These labels are inserted into the products at use in agricultural work, with a sample of a label on Each container is sufficient, where it would contain. Indeed in the future nearby, those products will already come with those rewritable labels put by the manufacturer of the product. And at the entrance to the warehouse used by the cooperative or distribution center is will re-record with the date of entry and automatically identify the supplier and characteristics, so it is not necessary to processing of delivery notes and manual documents, automatically incorporated into the system.

The next step is when the product comes out of that cooperative or warehouse removed by the farmer. So: schematically the control action is determined from rewrite the label, containing the information of the time in the that the product was withdrawn from the warehouse, and automatically check that the time and the product withdrawn and the dose are correct suitable for the farmer's plot where it will be used.

Once the farmer communicates that he has carried out the determined work, the independent body in charge of monitoring the quality of the product, I would go to the plot to read those labels and check that the doses have been correct and re-record them with the correct date that product was used in the field.

Upon reaching the unloading at the oil mills the RFID system, it can automatically read the information contained in those labels, which could automatically determine if the agricultural process followed complies with the regulations set and in consequence could automatically divert it to each of These are the storage hoppers due to the quality grade of the olives that would have been given.

This would automatically allow the products to be used, with the corresponding information, to the doses adequate, correct times of use, ..... could be reviewed by the body in charge of supervising quality in an automatic way, only traveling once to the farm each time a product that influences quality.

In this way a perfect traceability of the product that is classified from the oil mill.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description being carrying out and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization of it, is accompanied as an integral part of said description, a drawing game where with character illustrative and not limiting, a diagram of blocks of the different elements that participate in a system for automatic sorting of olives carried out according to the object of the invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

In view of the outlined figure, you can It can be seen how the system proposed by the invention has planned the participation of a number of labels (1-1 ') with RFID technology, which can be arranged between the olives themselves, or be fixed to the different trailers (2) used, depending on the type of collection, labels (1-1 ') that will have an engraved information according to the type of olive harvested, such as is about flight or ground olives, the parcel of origin of olives, the workers who have handled them, the time of collection as well as information about agricultural work made, with the right doses and at the right time.

These olives are transported to the oil mill, at the entrance of which at least one antenna is established (3) to read said labels (1-1 '), antenna (3) that is associated with a database (4) for storage and information management, thus identifying the type of olives that enter the facility and assigning the corresponding trailer the correct discharge hopper, having foreseen the use Portable Device Supplement (5) for encryption or reading the tags, in order to allow debugging of misread errors.

Thus, once the trailer (2) is positioned over the hopper (6-6'-6 '' - 6 '' ') suitable, next to it a second antenna (7) will be placed by means of the which is verified that the container coincides with the adequate reception, preventing the download in case this does not be so.

Then we proceed to check that the label information (1-1 ') including the information on the type of olive is correct, after which proceed to unload the olive.

Depending on the information transmitted by labels (1-1 ') and detected by the antenna (7), the which will be processed by the system and stored in the aforementioned database data (4), you can proceed to stop the discharge system or continue if the verifications are correct, with what in each hopper would have the correct olive.

In the event that the labels (1-1 '), they are mixed with the olives, it has been foreseen that at the exit of the hoppers (8-8'-8 '') discharge containers (9) of the olives are arranged a series of tapes conveyors (11-11'-11 ''), with a reading antenna (10) associated with each one, by means of which the check the information on the labels (1-1 ') associated with these olives, so that if it is detected that any label does not correspond to the line it should go on, it paralyzes the system and branches off to another belt (12), so that said tapes (11-11'-12) communicate respectively with the storage hoppers (13-13'-13 '') of each type of olive perfectly classified, at the exit of which is set up the production line (14-14'-14 '') corresponding.

Also, during the transport of the olives through tapes (11-11'-11 '') antennas (15) can be placed along them to read the labels (1-1 ') and make checks of the quality of the olive during the screening process and divert the tape to other tapes if errors are found on those labels.

Finally, and as has already been said with previously, once the olives have been properly separated, These will be subjected to a washing process, in order to improve their quality, after which the labels are extracted (1-1 ') mechanically, fitting perfectly identified and classified each type of olives.

Claims (6)

1. System for the automatic classification of olives, which being specially designed to be implanted in oil mills, it is characterized in that a plurality of labels (1-1 ') with RFID technology participate in it, which can be arranged between the olives themselves, or to be attached to the different trailers (2) used to transport them to the oil mill, labels (1-1 ') that will have internal information engraved according to the type of olive harvested, so that at the entrance of the mill it is established at least one antenna (3) for reading said labels (1-1 '), antenna (3) that is associated with a database (4) for information storage and management, thus identifying the type of olives that enter to the installation and assigning the correct discharge hopper to the corresponding trailer, having provided for the joint use of portable devices (5) for coding or reading the labels, in order to allow the debugging of errors of incorrect readings, establishing in said mill a series of collection hoppers (6-6'-6 '' - 6 ''') next to which there is a second antenna (7) to verify the type of container, with The particularity that in the event that the labels (1-1 ') are mixed with the olives, it has been foreseen that at the exit of the hoppers (8-8'-8'') for unloading the containers (9) of the olives, a series of conveyor belts (11-11'-11 '') are arranged, with a reading antenna (10) associated with each one, by means of which the information on the labels (1- 1 ') associated with said olives, so that if it is detected that any label does not correspond to the line on which it should go, the system is paralyzed and forks towards another belt (12), so that said belts (11 -11'-12) communicate respectively with the storage hoppers (13-13'-13 '') of each type of perfectly classified olives, at the exit of which the corresponding production line (14-14'-14 ''). 2. System for the automatic classification of olives, according to claim 1, characterized in that the labels (1-1 ') incorporate information regarding whether the olive has been collected from the ground or directly from the tree. 3. System for the automatic classification of olives, according to claim 1, characterized in that the labels (1-1 ') incorporate information related to the parcel of origin of the olives. 4. System for the automatic classification of olives, according to claim 1, characterized in that the labels (1-1 ') incorporate information related to the workers who have handled said olives. 5. System for the automatic classification of olives, according to claim 1, characterized in that the labels (1-1 ') incorporate information regarding the harvest time of said olives, as well as information regarding the agricultural work carried out in their cultivation. 6. System for the automatic classification of olives, according to claim 1, characterized in that along the belts (11-11'-11 '') antennas (15) are established to read the labels (1-1 ') and checking the quality of the olive during the screening process as well as for the possible deviation of the belt to other belts if errors are detected in said labels.