JP2002238532A - Apparatus for cutting down subterranean stem for shipping treatment of welsh onion - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for cutting down a subterranean stem for shipping treatment of a Welsh onion capable of automating a step of cutting the Welsh onion at the subterranean stem part in order to remove roots of the Welsh onion in the shipping treatment of the Welsh onion. SOLUTION: This apparatus is equipped with a pressing plate 44 for pressing each Welsh onion 7 from the upper side of a transporting table 25, a cutter 43 for cutting the Welsh onion 7 and a contour sensor 41 or a color sensor, and the blade position of the cutter 43 is regulated on the basis of a cross section contour or a change in color at the root of the Welsh onion 7 detected with the contour sensors 41 and the color sensor to cut Welsh onion 7 at the subterranean stem part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bamboo stem cutting device used in a device for trimming the roots and leaves of harvested leek, peeling the outer skin, and shaping the leek into a shape that can be shipped.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Harvested leeks are thinned and stripped of their dirty outer skin to expose a beautiful leaf sheath to make the appearance easier to cook. The product is packed in a box for easy handling and is shipped with enhanced product value. At this time, it is preferable to perform processing so that a predetermined number, usually three leaf blades, remain. Conventionally, these operations are performed manually, which takes time and labor for shipping operations, and also has a problem that the working environment is deteriorated due to the odor generated when the skin is peeled. In particular, when farmers are aging, the burden is excessive, and there is a strong demand for automating the leek shipping process.

[0003] In order to automate the process of shipping the harvested leek, the roots of the leek are cut at the pedicle, the unnecessary outer skin is peeled off, and the leaf blade is cut at an appropriate place to make the leek the length. However, it is necessary to mechanize the process of putting several pieces together in a bundle and putting them in a cardboard box or the like.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a stalk cut-off for leek shipping processing, which automates the step of cutting at the stalk in order to remove roots of leek in the leek shipping processing. It is to provide a device.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems To solve the above problems, a stalk cutting device of the present invention in a device for cutting off the root and the tip of a leaf blade of a harvested leek, peeling the outer skin and preparing for shipping is provided. A cutting plate that cuts leek and a contour sensor, and adjusts the blade position of the cutter based on the cross-sectional contour at the root of the leek detected by the contour sensor to cut. . Since the diameter of the leaf sheath and the pedicle are different, the surface shape of the green onion is observed with a contour sensor, and the position where the leaf sheath becomes smaller in diameter toward the pedicle is detected and cut off. Can be cut. By cutting at the pedicle portion, the edible leaf sheath is less likely to wither and the leeks can be kept longer.

[0006] The contour sensor may be constituted by a plurality of stylus plates arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of the leek. The contour sensor protrudes from the root end of the holding plate, and the stylus plate is disposed so as to project below the surface of the holding plate. The stylus plates are urged downward by independent springs. In addition, a position sensor corresponding to each stylus plate is fixed to the contour sensor main body, monitors the upper end position of each stylus plate, and the tip of the stylus plate is a predetermined distance from the surface position of the holding plate. Outputs a detection signal when approaching.
Since the stylus plate hits the leek and retracts, the contour of the leek can be detected by a sensor having such a simple structure. That is, the position of the position sensor that does not output the detection signal for the first time when viewed from the leaf tip side when the green onion is suppressed by the holding plate is the position of the pedicle. Therefore, the green onion may be cut at the position of the pedicle detected in this manner.

Further, a second stalk cutting device according to the present invention includes a holding plate for holding the green onion from above the carrier, a cutter for cutting the green onion, and an optical sensor, and a color sensor at the base of the green onion detected by the optical sensor. The blade position of the cutter is adjusted based on the change. Since the leaf sheath and the pedicle have significantly different colors, the identification can be performed based on the color or the amount of reflected light. In particular, this color change is remarkable in a pretreatment in which the root of the green onion is squeezed and the root connected to the bamboo stem is moved downward. In the stalk cutting device of the present invention, the stalk position is detected using an optical sensor. The optical sensor may be one that detects color or one that measures light quantity.

Further, the optical sensor comprises a light emitting section for irradiating light, a light receiving section for receiving reflected light, a photometer section for measuring the intensity of the received light, and a light meter section for measuring the intensity of the received light when the measured light intensity exceeds a predetermined light intensity. An output unit for generating a switch output may be provided. The optical sensor detects a position where the intensity of light reflected on the leek surface changes while moving along the axis of the leek at a position upstream of the cutter blade. The onion is cut by adjusting the blade position of the cutter based on the detected light intensity change position.

By irradiating light of a specific wavelength from the light emitting portion, the position of the pedicle can be accurately detected without being affected by various light components overflowing around. In addition,
The light sensor is fixed to the cutter at the upstream position of the cutter blade and moves in the axial direction of the leek together with the cutter, and the position where the reflection intensity changes while moving the cutter from the root side of the leek to the blade blade is detected. However, it is preferable to cut the leek at this detection position.

When used in a leek shipping processing device or the like that cuts off the roots and the tips of the leaf blades and peels the outer skin to prepare for shipping, the root is placed immediately downstream of the position where the leek is set on the carrier. It is preferable to install a device for aligning the stalks, and then to provide the device for cutting off the pedicles of the present invention. After the pedicle cutting device of the present invention, a skin peeling device is provided, and further, a cutter for aligning the entire length of the green onion is provided behind the skin peeling device. The stalk cut-off device of the present invention makes it possible to provide an onion shipping processing device that automates or saves labor on the shipping process of green onion. Leek can now be shipped.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an onion stalk cutting device in a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a contour sensor used in the present embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the sensor section, FIG. 4 is a side view of a cutter used in the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a leek shipping processing apparatus incorporating the leek cutting and cutting device of the present embodiment. FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing a device for cutting off green onion stems according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0012]

Embodiment 1 The first embodiment is an onion stalk cutting device for determining a stalk cutting position of leeks using a contour sensor. The stalk cut-off device of the present embodiment is used by incorporating it into the leek shipping treatment device illustrated in FIG.
Labor saving of green onion shipping processing can be realized. In order to enhance the commercial value of leeks, for example, leaving the three leaf blades, peeling the outer skin and exposing fresh leaf sheath, 3
It is required that the books be bundled and shipped to the market.

A leek shipping processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 5 includes a conveyor 2, a stalk cutting-off device 3, a leek skin peeling device 5, and a leaf blade cutting device 6 on a trolley 1, and the leek root is cut off and the leek is cut off. This is a device for stripping off green onions and adjusting the length of green onions. First, the stalk cut-off device 3 cuts the root portion of the green onion 7, then strips off the unnecessary outer skin with the skin peeling device 5, and finally trims the leaf blade to a fixed length with the leaf blade cutting device 6. Drop it into the receiving box 9.

The conveyor 2 is composed of two parallel chains 2
1 and 22 are driven by a chain driving device 23 and move in one direction at the same speed. The two chains 21 and 22 are provided at regular intervals with U-shaped receivers 24 and 25 formed at the same phase position and having a lower center. In the leek shipping processing apparatus 10, the worker 8 peels off the leaf blade to be picked up and discarded to the position of the leaf sheath, and then passes it horizontally to the receivers 24 and 25 of the conveyor 2 one by one. set. Then, the conveyer 2 conveys the leek 2 so as to pass sequentially through the devices while intermittently moving the leek 2.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing in more detail the device 3 for cutting off stalks of green onions. As shown in FIG. 1, the stalk cut-off device 3 is provided at a position corresponding to the root side of the green onion 7, and includes a brush device 30, a contour sensor 41, and a cutter 43. The brush device 30 is a device that exposes the pedicles by squeezing the roots of the set green onion 7 toward the root side as a pretreatment for supplying green onion to the cutter 43.
A device is provided for pressing the base of the green onion 7 against the board and setting the green onion at a fixed position, so that the green onion 7 can be easily cut at the pedicle portion. The brush device 30 includes a rotating brush 31 in which palm wood or a wire is planted around an axis, a holding tool 32 for pressing and fixing the green onion 7 against the receiving tool 25, and an air cylinder for moving the rotating brush 31 back and forth. Translation drive motor 3
5 is provided. The rotating brush 31 is rotated by a rotation driving motor 33 by a transmission belt 34.

The receiving tool 25 on which the green onion 7 is placed is the rotating brush 3
When it is sent to the position 1, the holding tool 32 descends and presses the green onion 7 against the bottom of the receiving tool 25 to fix it. Then, the rotary drive motor 33 rotates the rotary brush 31, and the translation drive motor 35 operates to push out the base on which the rotary brush 31 is mounted. The rotating brush 31 rubs the root from the top to the bottom of the green onion 7 to expose the pedicle portion, thereby facilitating the measurement. At this time, if water is dripped on the rotating brush 31, the mud stuck to the root of the green onion 7 is dropped and a clean skin appears.

The rotating brush 31 is driven for a predetermined time to drive the green onion 7
After the roots have been aligned and the skin has been washed, the rotating brush 31 is retracted and the holding tool 32 is lifted and released.
5 is advanced to the next position adjustment position. At the place where the position of the green onion 7 is adjusted, there are provided a contact plate 37 fixed to the frame 12 of the cart 1 and a pair of sandwiching plates 36 for holding the green onion 7 on both sides thereof from the side outside the holder 25. Have been equipped. The sandwiching plate 36 is opened and closed to sandwich the side portion of the green onion 7, and the horizontal drive device 38 using an air cylinder or the like presses the green onion 7 against the root portion against the abutment plate 37, thereby setting the green onion 7 in a fixed posture. The green onion 7 that has been set in the fixed position and received in the receiver 25 is transported by the conveyor 22 to the next pedicle position measurement position.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 2, a contour sensor 41 is provided at the pedicle position measurement position. When the receiver 25 comes on the stand 420 fixed to the carriage 1,
The base portion protruding from the receiving tool 25 is placed on the receiving table 421 provided so as to substantially match the height of the inner bottom of the receiving tool 25, and the green onion 7 is set at the measurement position. The holding tool 416 hangs down and holds the green onion 7 from above. Holder 416 is
It is connected to a bush 417 supported by a support member 419 and a cylinder 418, so that the retainer 416 is driven up and down while maintaining a horizontal posture. Note that a similar structure is used for the presser 32 attached to the rotating brush 31.

As shown in an enlarged manner in FIG.
A plurality of stylus plates 411 are provided at the distal end of 6. The stylus plate 411 is a plate material having a width in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the green onion 7 and is arranged along the axial direction of the green onion 7.
It is guided by the vertical holes provided in the upper beam 14 and the upper beam 415 and moves up and down independently while maintaining the vertical posture.
Each of the stylus plates 411 is provided with a spring 412 and urges the stylus plate 411 downward with an appropriate force. In addition, an optical sensor 413 is provided in a vertical hole of the upper beam 415 for each stylus plate 411, and generates a detection signal when the upper end of the stylus plate 411 reaches a detection position. The position of the sensor is set to a detection position if the front and lower ends of the stylus plate 411 are slightly lower than the pressing surface of the pressing member 416. Note that a position sensor such as a proximity switch may be used instead of the optical sensor.

When the leek 7 at the fixed position is pressed by the holding member 416, the stylus plate 411 also falls on the leek 7, and is pushed into the guide hole following the contour of the leek 7. The stylus plate 41 pushed back to almost the same surface as the lower surface of the holding member 416
1 is detected by the optical sensor 413. If the stylus plate 411 extends below the lower surface of the holding member 416, the optical sensor 4
13 is not detected. Note that the detection position of the optical sensor 413 is set slightly lower than the position where the lower end of the stylus plate 411 is at the same height as the lower surface of the presser 416 to reduce the detection sensitivity and prevent an error from occurring. .

At the base of the green onion 7, the leaf sheath is narrowed toward the pedicle. Therefore, the stylus plate 411 in contact with the leaf sheath portion of the plurality of stylus plates 411 is the optical sensor 41.
3 generates a detection signal, but the optical sensor 413 does not generate a detection signal for the stylus plate 411 corresponding to the pedicle portion. Therefore, when the position of the light sensor 413 shown in FIG. A which does not output a detection signal for the first time when viewed from the tip side of the light sensor 413 when the green onion 7 is pressed by the pressing tool 416 hits the stalk of the green onion 7. Can be determined.

When the root is cut off at the leaf sheath portion of the green onion 7, the cut surface of the leaf sheath is exposed, so that the leaf sheath withers or rots in a short period of time, reducing the commercial value. If cut off at the peduncle determined as described above, only the roots of green onion 7 can be cut off, leaving available leaf sheaths up to the hairline connected to the pedicle, so that they have a high shelf life and high commercial value Become. As the leek 7 moves to the position of the cutter 43, the contour sensor 41 sends the detected position of the pedicle portion to the cutter 43.

The holding member 44 is another holding member 32, 416.
Has the same structure as However, the support plate 49 for fixing the bush and the cylinder is provided with a fitting projection 47.
7 is fitted into a guide hole provided in the guide plate 46 and guided. The guide plate 46 is fixed to the bogie frame 12. Further, the spring 45 having one end fixed to the guide plate 46 pulls the support plate 49, and returns to the original position when the holding block 48 does not hang down.

When the conveyor 2 transports the green onion 7 to the next stop position, the holding member 44 is pressed from above by the holding block 48 so that the green onion 7 is not shifted. When the receiving tool 25 moves, the pressing tool 44 is pulled and moved in the horizontal direction while holding the green onion 7. While the holding member 44 moves horizontally, the green onion 7 passes the position of the cutter 43 and the root is cut off. Thereafter, when the holding block 48 is lifted, the holding member 44 returns to the original position by the spring 45,
Wait until the next green onion 7 comes.

FIG. 4 is a side view for explaining the structure of the cutter 43. As shown in FIG. The cutter 43 is a disc-shaped rotary saw 4
31 is rotated at a high speed by a rotation shaft 433 of a rotation motor 432. Although not shown, the rotary cutter 431 is provided with a cover to prevent danger. A nut 434 is provided on the mounting table, and a feed motor 4 such as a step motor can accurately control rotation.
The position of the rotary saw 431 can be moved in the axial direction of the green onion 7 by fitting with a screw rod provided on the rotation shaft 35. The mounting table can be smoothly moved while being kept horizontal by being guided by the linear guide 436.

When the information of the stalk position of the green onion 7 is given, the cutter 43 moves the rotary saw 431 in the axial direction of the green onion 7, sets it at the corresponding position, rotates it, and waits. While the receiving tool 25 holds the green onion 7 with the pressing block 48, it is moved horizontally to pass through the cutter 43, and the root of the green onion 7 is cut off. Because the cut edge of the green onion 7 is in the peduncle,
The leaf sheath remains on the green onion 7 with the hull. Note that the contour sensor 41
And cutter 43 are installed independently of each other,
A micrometer-type position adjusting device for finely adjusting the entire cutter 43 in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 433 is provided so that the relative positional relationship between the detection position of the contour sensor 41 and the cutting position of the cutter 43 can be adjusted.

The green onion 7 whose root has been cut off in this way
Then, it is fed to the skin peeling device 5 to peel off unnecessary skin by compressed air, and further cut by the blade blade so that the entire length of the green onion becomes a predetermined length by the blade cutting device 6, and then into the receiving box 9 Drop. In the receiving box 9, a fixed length of green onion, whose roots have been cut off and the leaf sheath has been exposed, accumulates. In the above embodiment, an example in which a mechanical mechanism is used as the contour sensor has been described. However, it goes without saying that various other sensors can be used. For example, the measurement may be performed in a non-contact manner using an optical device or a device using an image processing technique.
Further, the contour can be measured while moving along the axis of the leek using a distance sensor. Various types of distance sensors are known, such as an optical sensor and a sensor that measures the back pressure of a compressed air nozzle.

[0028]

Embodiment 2 A second embodiment is an onion stalk cutting device for determining the stalk cutting position of leeks using a color sensor instead of a contour sensor. Since other components are the same as those used in the first embodiment, the description of the present embodiment is as follows.
The parts different from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

The surface of green onion changes from leaf blade to leaf sheath, and the leaf sheath is connected to the pedicle at the root portion, and many roots grow from the pedicle. The leaf sheath has a white color when exposed and a light brown or yellow color when covered with the outer skin, whereas the pedicle portion has a slightly darker brown color. Therefore, it is possible to identify the stem portion by observing the color of the green onion using a color sensor. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the color sensor 438 of the present embodiment is fixed to the upstream side wall surface of the cover 437 that protects the rotary saw 431, and the green onion 7 at the stopper stop position immediately upstream of the cutter device 43. It is arranged so that the surface of can be observed from above. The color sensor 438 is adjusted so that the detection area is located at an extended position of the surface of the rotary saw 431, and is moved by the feed motor 435 in the axial direction of the green onion 7 together with the presser 416.

When the green onion 7 is carried into the measurement position, the color sensor 438 measures the surface color while feeding the motor 435.
Moves from the root side of the leek toward the leaf tip. The point at which the surface color changes from dark to light is the boundary between the pedicle portion and the leaf sheath portion. When the color sensor 438 detects this color change position, the feed motor 435 is stopped. Then, the rotating saw 431 is located at the pedicle just to be cut.

Therefore, according to the pedicle cutting device of the present embodiment, there is no need for a measurement site dedicated to the measurement required by the device of the first embodiment, and the pedicle measurement position information is transmitted. Positioning can be performed automatically without the need to adjust the cutter position. Note that an adjusting device for adjusting the relationship between the measurement position and the cutter blade position may be provided, and if necessary, the cutting device may be adjusted to cut slightly on the pedicle side from the boundary between the pedicle and the leaf sheath, for example. Note that the difference between the pedicle portion and the leaf sheath portion can also be detected by using an optical sensor that measures lightness instead of the color sensor.

The above two embodiments are exemplarily described for explaining an apparatus for realizing the technical idea of the present invention.
It goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a circular saw is used as a leek cutter, but various other types such as a push-cut blade or a laser cutter for cutting with heat can be used. It goes without saying that various types of translation driving devices used in various places in the device can use well-known devices such as a device combining a rotary motor and a direction conversion mechanism and a linear motor in addition to an air cylinder and the like. Also, the method of supporting and holding the green onion is not limited to the above embodiment, and various known methods can be used.

[0033]

As described above, the leek cutting method according to the present invention makes it possible to semi-mechanize the processing of shipping onion, which has been difficult in the past, to significantly reduce the load on the operator. In particular, small-scale farmers and aged farmers can handle a large amount of green onion in a short time, thereby reducing shipping costs and enabling competitive green onion shipping.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a leek cutting and cutting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a contour sensor used in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a contour sensor unit used in the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a cutter used in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an onion shipping processing apparatus in which the apparatus for cutting off onion board stems of the present embodiment is incorporated.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing an apparatus for cutting off green onion stems according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of the leek cutting device of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 leek shipping processing device 1 cart 2 conveyor 3 stalk cutting-off device 5 leek skin peeling device 6 leaf blade cutting device 7 leek 8 worker 9 receiving box 12 bogie frame 21,22 chain 23 chain drive device 24,25 receiving device 30 Brush device 31 Rotary brush 32 Holder 33 Rotary drive motor 34 Transmission belt 35 Translation drive motor 36 Holding plate 37 Backing plate 38 Horizontal drive 41 Contour sensor 43 Cutter 44 Presser 45 Spring 46 Guide plate 47 Fitting projection 48 Presser block 49 Supporting plate 411 Contact plate 412 Spring 413 Optical sensor 414 Intermediate beam 415 Upper beam 416 Pressing tool 417 Bush 418 Cylinder 419 Supporting member 420 Fixed base 421 Receiving stand 431 Rotating saw 432 Rotating motor 433 Rotating shaft 434 Nut 43 Feed motor 436 linear guides 437 cover 438 colors sensor

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A stalk cut-off device in a device for cutting off the roots and the tips of the leaves of harvested leek and peeling the outer skin to prepare for shipment, wherein a holding plate and a leek for holding the leek from above a carrier table. A stalk cutting device for leek shipping processing, comprising a cutter for cutting and a contour sensor, wherein the blade position of the cutter is adjusted based on a cross-sectional contour at the root of the leek detected by the contour sensor. 2. A plurality of stylus plates arranged at predetermined intervals in an axial direction of a leek and protruding downward from a surface of the holding plate, and each of the plurality of stylus plates is independently attached downward. A biasing spring, comprising a plurality of position sensors for detecting the position when the stylus plate hits the leek and retracts, for each stylus plate,
The position sensor is arranged so as to output a detection signal when a tip of the stylus plate approaches a surface position of the holding plate to a predetermined distance, and the contour sensor is an end of the holding plate on the side of a green onion. The position of the position sensor that is protruded from the portion and does not output the detection signal for the first time as viewed from the leaf tip side when the green onion is suppressed by the pressing plate is determined as the cutting position of the green onion. 2. The stalk cutting device for leek shipping processing according to claim 1. 3. A stalk cut-off device in a device for cutting off the roots and leaves of the harvested leek and peeling the outer skin to prepare for shipping, wherein a holding plate and a leek for holding the leek from above a carrier table. Equipped with a cutter for cutting and an optical sensor,
A stalk cutting device for leek shipping processing, wherein the blade position of the cutter is adjusted based on a color change at the base of the leek detected by the optical sensor. 4. An optical sensor comprising: a light radiating unit for irradiating light; a light receiving unit for receiving reflected light; a photometer unit for measuring the intensity of the received light; An output section for generating a switch output is provided at a position upstream of the cutter so as to move in the axial direction of the leek, and moving along the axis of the leek changes the intensity of light reflected on the leek surface. 4. The stalk cutting device for leek shipping processing according to claim 3, wherein the position is detected, and the blade position of the cutter is adjusted based on the light intensity change position to cut the leek. 5. The light sensor is fixed at a position corresponding to a cutter blade on an upstream side surface of the cutter so as to move together with the cutter, and the cutter is reflected while moving from the root side of the leek to the leaf blade side. The stalk cutting device for leek shipping processing according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the position of the cutter blade is aligned with the detected position and the leek is cut.