JP2003245611A - Image pickup and discharge apparatus for food - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To certainly recognize the different color part to be originally detected present on the surface of food on which a shadow is easily formed by the unevenness present on the surface of food (e.g.; a charred fried refuse part adhering to the surface of fried food) from the image pickup data from an image pickup apparatus without being affected by the shadow of food to exclude food inferior to quality, in an image pickup and discharge apparatus for food. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of first scattering light sources 10 and a pair of second scattering light sources 20 are arranged so as to hold a food chute 30. An image pickup apparatus (CCD cameras 40a and 40b) is arranged so as to have an image pickup position in the region between the first and second scattering light sources. Exclusion means 31 and 32 for selectively excluding falling food on the basis of the image pickup data from the CCD cameras are provided. Preferably, reflecting plates 12a and 12b; 22a and 22b are provided so that reflected light does not directly go toward matter F1 of which the image must be picked up at the time of pickup of an image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food image capturing / discharging device, and in particular, when there is a foreign substance or a damaged portion which should not be originally present on the surface portion of food and it is not a good product, it is grasped by the image pickup information. The present invention relates to a device that discharges the food product outside the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Food such as grains is allowed to flow down from a hopper along a predetermined flow path, food passing through the flow path is imaged by an image pickup device such as a CCD camera, and the obtained image pickup information is analyzed. Then, there are known various food imaging / discharging devices that discharge the food outside the system when the information includes the specific information.

[0003] For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-249981 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-502965, a swash plate inclined at an angle or a free-falling flow path portion for food such as grains sent by a conveyor is provided. An image pickup unit consisting of a light emitting element (light source) and a light receiving element (imaging device) is arranged, and based on the information obtained by the light receiving element, foods whose specific information is detected are excluded from the regular flow path by an air flow. A device adapted to do so is described. In such a device, the light source is usually designed to illuminate an object (specifically, a light source having directivity in principle, a light source emitted by a normal filament or a tube surface emits light. A non-directional light source such as a fluorescent light source with a reflector attached so that light is emitted only in a specific direction.) The presence or absence of specific information is detected from the captured image information. In addition, a background (reference color plate) is placed on the side opposite to the light receiving element across the flow path, and the light from the background is also received at the same time to facilitate the identification of food containing specific information. Be seen.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional food imaging / discharging device is designed so that light is directly directed toward the object and the reflected light is imaged by the imaging device. The required imaging information can be obtained by irradiation with a small amount of light, and the size of the entire apparatus can be reduced.
In particular, the food to be imaged is as small as a grain, has a flat surface, and the specific information to be detected (for example, color) is a foreign matter of the same size as the food,
Further, even if the size of the food is considerably smaller than that of the food, if the entire surface of the food is exposed, the specific information can be detected and analyzed without any trouble.

However, when the target food is relatively large, has irregularities on the surface, and the specific information to be detected is present only on a part of the surface, the conventional food image capturing / discharging device, It is not easy to accurately detect the specific information from the imaged information. The reason is that by directly shining light toward the object, when there is unevenness on the surface of the food to be imaged, a shadow is formed and it appears as a color different from the color of the food surface. In addition, particularly when medium to large foods are targeted, a large difference in brightness and darkness occurs (an outline is formed) in the image of the object, so that the portion originally to be identified as the specific information and the shadow This is because it becomes extremely difficult to clearly analyze and identify the portion or the contour portion from the obtained imaging information. As a result, even for foods that do not originally contain specific information to be detected, it is possible to erroneously analyze and eliminate the information in the shaded areas and the information resulting from the contrast.

Examples of such foods include processed foods such as fried chicken, croquettes, spring rolls, rice balls, dumplings, pork cutlet, sausage, various fruits, tomatoes, pumpkins,
Examples include fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplants, potatoes, and taros. For example, in the case of deep-fried chicken, the information from the blackened burnt residue on the surface is the specific information to be detected, and the potato In this case, the peeled off skins and buds serve as the specific information to be originally detected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a large difference between light and dark is generated in the image of the object.
Even for large foods or foods where shadows are likely to be formed on the surface due to unevenness on the surface, there is a high probability that the different color area parts that should be originally detected on the surface will be detected from the imaging information by the imaging device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved food image capturing / discharging device capable of identifying and selectively excluding food having the specific region on its surface.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a food imaging / discharging device, wherein a food drop passage, a first pair of scatter light sources located across the food drop passage, and a first pair of scatter light sources. 2 located below the food and across the food drop passage
A pair of scattering light sources, and an imaging device arranged to have an imaging position in an area between the first pair of scattering light sources and the second pair of scattering light sources in the food drop passage, It is characterized by comprising at least an excluding means for selectively excluding the falling food product based on the imaging information from the imaging device.

In the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, 4
By arranging a scattering light source instead of a light source that directly illuminates light toward an object, it is possible to apply an equal amount of light to almost all surfaces of the food product. Therefore, even if the food is relatively large, or even if the surface has irregularities, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of light and dark differences in the image of the object, and the shadow caused by the irregularities is formed on the surface. It can be suppressed as much as possible. As a result, when there is a portion of a different color to be originally detected on the food surface (for example, a black portion due to adhesion of dried dust), the image pickup device can reliably capture it as a picked-up image. As a result, it is possible to selectively and surely exclude the falling food item outside the system based on the imaging information from the imaging device.

In a preferred embodiment, a background plate is provided on the side of the first and second scattered light sources opposite to the image pickup device with the food drop passage interposed therebetween. In this aspect, since the image pickup device simultaneously receives the reflected light from the background plate, it is possible to more reliably recognize the portion of different color (for example, the black portion), and the image of the object is displayed. It has a brightening effect.

The food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention uses a scattered light source. Therefore, compared with the case where the amount of reflected light required for imaging is obtained by irradiating the imaged object (falling food) with light from a light source that directly illuminates the object, It requires a scattered light source with a quantity of light. In the experiments conducted by the inventors of the present invention, when the reflector is attached to the scattered light source so as not to directly face the image-captured object, the reflector is attached to the scattered light source more than when the reflector is not attached at all.
It was confirmed that the image was bright. Based on that knowledge, in a preferred embodiment of the food imaging and discharging device according to the present invention,
The scattered light sources forming the first and second pairs are provided with a reflector so that the reflected light does not directly go to the object to be imaged at the time of imaging. The reflected light from the reflecting plate illuminates the imaged object (falling food) as indirect light that is further reflected light from other component members of the device (for example, background plate), and there is no reflecting plate. Imaging with a light source having a smaller amount of light than in the case is possible. As a result, the device can be downsized.

In the above aspect, the reflecting plate provided on the first pair of scattering light sources is attached so that the reflected light is directed downward, and the reflecting plate provided on the second pair of scattering light sources is attached. , A mode in which the reflected light is attached so as to be directed upward, and further, among the reflection plates provided in the first pair of scattering light sources, the reflection plate located on the opposite side of the imaging device with at least the food drop passage interposed therebetween is The reflection plate is attached so that the reflected light is directed toward the background plate, and the reflection plate provided in the second pair of scattering light sources is attached so that the reflected light is directed upward. The reflected light from the plate can be used more effectively as indirect light,
It is possible to more reliably recognize a different color portion (for example, a black portion), and it is possible to further downsize the device.

There is no limitation on the type of image pickup element in the image pickup apparatus used in the present invention, and there are conventionally known CCD, C-
A device such as a MOS type image pickup device can be arbitrarily used. However, when the image pickup element is a CCD in particular, although it is a scattered light source, if it is directly captured, a smear phenomenon may occur on the image pickup screen, and the image information to be originally identified may be erroneously recognized. Therefore, C equipped with a CCD as an image sensor
When using a CD camera, it is desirable to arrange the CCD camera and the four scattering light sources so that the CCD camera does not directly capture any of the four scattering light sources. For that purpose, it is necessary to dispose the first pair of scatter light sources and the second pair of scatter light sources in the vertical direction by being largely separated from each other, and as a result, a scatter light source having a large light quantity is required. In addition, the device becomes larger.

Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, only the upper half of the image capturing area of the CCD camera is used as an effective image capturing area (that is, an area for capturing information used for detection and the like), and the lower half is used. By not capturing the information used for detection and the like, the necessary image information can be obtained without increasing the size of the device and with a small amount of light. And, particularly preferably, a one-sided smeared CCD camera is used.

In this embodiment, the second pair of scattered light sources is allowed to enter the lower half of the image pickup area of the CCD camera, and accordingly, the first pair of scattered light sources and the second pair are separated. The vertical distance from the scattered light source can be shortened, and the device can be downsized and the amount of light can be effectively used. Also, since information from the lower half of the CCD camera's imaging area is not captured as valid information, the information from the second pair of scattered light sources captured in the lower half of the CCD camera's imaging area captures the upper half. Also, the effective image information is not disturbed.

When an image pickup device (for example, an image pickup device provided with a C-MOS type image pickup device) in which the smear phenomenon is unlikely to occur is used, both the first and second scattered light sources are in the visual field. There is no problem even if the positions of the image pickup device and the light source are determined, and in that case, the device can be further downsized.

In the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, the image capturing device may be arranged only on one side of the food drop passage, or may be arranged oppositely on both sides of the food drop passage. In the latter case, the front side and the back side of one food item can be simultaneously imaged, and more complete image information about the food item can be obtained.

In the food imaging / discharging device according to the present invention, the food may be manually inserted into the food drop passage, but the universality of the insertion position, the continuity of the work, and the equal interval of the dropped food. In consideration of the above, it is desirable to provide some kind of food feeding means above the food dropping passage. As such food input means, the type of food to be input,
Although any one can be used in consideration of workability and the like, it is preferably provided with a feed conveyor and a guide plate whose lower side surface located on the discharge end side of the feed conveyor is a curved guide surface. , The food discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor is sent along the guide surface while being pressed against the curved lower guide surface of the guide plate, and then dropped into the food drop passage. It is desirable to use.

In the above-mentioned food feeding means, the food discharged from the discharge end of the feeding conveyor with a required lateral acceleration is in contact with the lower surface of the curved guide surface of the guide plate, and is pressed against the curved lower surface. While moving down, move down along the lower surface. Then, it freely falls from the lower end of the guide plate into the food drop passage. Therefore, by setting the lower end position of the guide plate at an appropriate position, it is possible to reliably insert the food to be imaged into a desired position (usually the central position) of the food drop passage. Even if the lateral acceleration acting on the food when discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor is large, since the food is reliably guided along the lower surface of the guide plate, friction with the feed conveyor and Even if the adhesiveness is unstable (for example, food such as frozen carrot), it can be thrown into a predetermined position in the food drop passage without any trouble. Also, in the case of flat-shaped food (for example, food such as sliced radish),
During the process of moving along the lower surface of the guide plate, the postures are arranged in the same direction, so that all the food items are directed in the same direction and fall through the food product drop passage. Therefore, the orientation of each food item with respect to the imaging device is the same, and a captured image with no individual difference can be obtained.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below based on embodiments. 1 is a side view schematically showing a first embodiment of a food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the same as seen from above. The food image capturing / discharging device 1 has a box-shaped casing 2, and a food inlet 4 is formed in the center of a ceiling surface 3 thereof, and a food outlet 6 is formed in a side wall surface 5. The food feeding port 4 is provided with a food feeding means 50, which will be described later, and the food taking out port 6 is provided with a takeout conveyor 60.

A first pair of scattering light sources 10 is mounted in the casing 2 at a position close to the food inlet 4, and a second pair is provided below the first pair of scattering light sources 10. A scattered light source 20 is attached. In this example, the first pair of scattering light sources 10 are horizontal elongated fluorescent tubes 11a and 11b that are parallel to each other at a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction, and the second pair of scattering light sources 10a and 11b. Light source 20
Similarly, the horizontal fluorescent lamps 21a and 21b are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction at a predetermined interval. Preferably, as shown, the fluorescent tubes 11a and 21a and the fluorescent tubes 11b and 21b are located in the same vertical plane. It is desirable that each fluorescent tube be turned on by a DC power source in order to improve the imaging conditions.

As described above, in the food image capturing / discharging device 1 according to the present invention, the four scattering light sources, that is, the fluorescent tubes 11a, 11b and 21a, 21b are arranged in the casing 2 at predetermined intervals. , The left fluorescent tube 1 in the figure
The area between 1a and 21a and the fluorescent tubes 11b and 21b on the right side forms the "food drop passage" 30 in the present invention. Then, outside the left fluorescent tubes 11a and 21a (that is,
A first CCD camera 40a is set on the side opposite to the food drop passage 30) as an example of an imaging device, and a second CCD camera 40b is also set outside the right fluorescent tubes 11b and 21b. .

In the food imaging / discharging device 1 according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the scattered light sources (fluorescent tubes 11a and 11b) are not the light sources that directly illuminate the object at four locations. And 21a, 21b), it is possible to apply an equal amount of light from almost all directions to the entire surface of the food F falling through the food drop passage 30. Therefore, even if the food F is relatively large like fried chicken and has unevenness on the surface, it does not cause a large difference in brightness between images of the object,
Further, it is possible to suppress the formation of a shadow due to the unevenness on the surface as much as possible. As a result, the CCD camera 40
The a and 40b can capture the surface image (brightness / darkness information, color information) of the food itself from both the front and back sides simultaneously and reliably as a captured image without being influenced by the size of the food F or the surface irregularities.

Although not essential, in the example shown,
Curved background plates 41a and 41b are provided on the side opposite to the CCD cameras 40a and 40b with the food drop passage 30 of the first and second scatter sources 10 and 20 interposed therebetween.
The background plates 41a and 41b also have a function of reflecting scattered light from the scattered light sources 10 and 20 as indirect light, and preferably, those having a color close to the object are used. The CCD cameras 40a and 40b receive the reflected light from the background plates 41a and 41b at the same time, so that different colored portions (for example, black portions) of the food F can be recognized more reliably.

As described above, the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention uses a non-directional scattered light source as a light source to efficiently obtain a sufficient amount of light necessary for the CCD cameras 40a and 40b to image. In the illustrated food imaging / discharging device 1, the scattered light sources 10 and 2 forming the first and second pairs.
0 for each fluorescent tube 11a, 11b and 21a, 21b,
Reflecting plates 12a, 12b and 22a, 22b are provided so that the reflected light does not directly go to the food F1 at the time of imaging. The reflected light from each reflecting plate is additionally radiated to the food F1 at the time of imaging as reflected light (indirect light) from other constituent members (for example, the background plates 41a and 41b) inside the casing 2. The amount of light required for imaging can be obtained with a smaller amount of light from the scattered light source, and the device 1 can be downsized.

In the illustrated example, the reflectors 12a and 12b attached to the respective fluorescent tubes 11a and 11b of the scattered light source 10 forming the first pair are directed downward and the background plates 41a and 41b.
The reflectors 22a and 22b attached to the fluorescent tubes 21a and 21b of the second pair of scattering light sources 20 are attached so as to face upward. The reflection plates 12a and 12b are attached so as to face the background plates 41a and 41b.
This is because the reflected light (indirect light) from is used more effectively, and when the required amount of light is obtained, the light may be attached directly below. Also, all the reflectors are shown as having a semicircular cross section, but this is because the direction of the emitted light is not limited too much, and if this is satisfied, a flat plate with a U-shaped cross section will be used. It may have a bent shape. However, it is not preferable to dispose the scattering light source at a position too deep from the opening of the reflection plate or to make the opening too narrow because it will reduce the brightness of the object image.

In the illustrated example, the first, though not essential,
CCD camera 40a and second CCD camera 40b (preferably both CCD cameras that are smears on one side) face symmetrical positions with food drop passage 30 in between, and
The imaging center line L1 is set as a position close to the scattering light source 20 (fluorescent tubes 21a and 21b) forming the second pair. By offsetting and setting downwards in this way, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper first pair of scattered light sources 10 is not captured within the imaging range, and the first half of the scattering light source is not captured within the imaging range. A captured image in which only the scattered light sources 20 forming two pairs are captured is obtained.

In this embodiment, the food F that freely falls in the food drop passage 30 is imaged when the food F is positioned in the upper half of the CCD cameras 40a and 40b (the position of the food F1). In the state where the image is not disturbed by the first pair of scattered light sources 10, the food F1
Can be obtained. The second pair of scattered light sources 20 is captured in the lower half of the imaging region, and the image is disturbed due to the influence (smear phenomenon). However, by not providing the lower half image pickup area for the image pickup of the food F1, it is possible to obtain the necessary image pickup information without any trouble. Preferably, one side smear CCD cameras 40a, 40b
Is set so that information from the lower half of the image sensor is not captured as information used for detection or the like. Thereby, the required imaging information can be obtained more reliably.

A pop-out plate 31 is provided below the food drop passage 30 and is operated by an appropriate actuator 32 to discharge the falling food F into the container 33. The take-out conveyor 60 described above is located below the flip-out plate 31, and
The food F that has dropped downward without the operation of 1 is carried out of the apparatus.

The food feeding means 50 is a feed conveyor 51.
And the guide plate 5 located on the discharge end side of the feed conveyor 51
2 and. In this example, the guide plate 52 is made by bending a stainless steel plate, and has a guide surface 53 whose lower side surface is curved as required. The lower end 54 is bent further inward. Guide plate 52
Is attached to the food inlet 4 of the casing 2 such that the vicinity of the lower end 54 is in a position close to the fluorescent tube 11a on the left side in the figure in the scattering light source 10 forming the first pair.
The feed conveyor 51 is attached in an inclined state so that the leading end of the feed conveyor 51 is located above the guide plate 52.

In using the above-described food image capturing / discharging device 1, the food F to be imaged is preferably fed at a predetermined interval from a hopper (not shown) or the like to the feed conveyor 5.
Moved over 1. The feed conveyor 51 is rotated in the direction of the arrow at a required speed, and the food F is discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor 51 toward the guide plate 52 at a predetermined initial speed. The discharge speed is experimentally set to an optimum value in consideration of the degree of adhesion and the degree of friction between the food F and the transport surface of the feed conveyor 51.

The discharged food F comes into contact with the lower surface of the curved guide surface 53 of the guide plate 52 with a certain lateral acceleration, and while maintaining a state of being pressed against the curved lower surface,
It moves downward while accelerating along the lower surface. Then, due to the slope formed with the lower end 54 of the guide plate 52, the guide plate 52 is discharged toward a substantially central position of the food drop passage 30 and then freely falls downward there.

By providing the guide plate 52 having such a configuration, even if the lateral acceleration acting on the food F when discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor 51 is large, the food is outside It is surely guided downward along the lower surface 53 of the guide plate 52 without jumping out. Therefore, even if the food F has an adhesive property with respect to the feed conveyor 51, it can be put into a predetermined position in the food drop passage 30 without any trouble. Also, in the case of flat shaped foods like radish cut into slices,
During the process of moving along the lower surface of the guide plate 52, the postures are adjusted in the same direction, so that the foods F all drop in the food drop passage 30 in the same direction.

When the falling food F comes to the position F1 in the figure, that is, when it comes to almost the center of the upper half of the CCD cameras 40a and 40b, an image is picked up by a signal from a control mechanism (not shown). Is done. The image pickup signal is sent to a monitor (not shown) and is expressed as an image. Of course, the electronic shutter may be continuously kept open at regular intervals. In that case, a case where a part of food is missing in the captured image may occur, but even in that case, in the present invention, the image processing can be performed only on the basis of color instead of shape recognition. , No particular hindrance occurs.

If the image contains specific information (for example, in the case of deep-fried chicken, information from black shavings attached to the surface), an appropriate control mechanism is used.
Alternatively, when it is visually recognized, the actuator 32 is further operated by a manual operation, and the falling food F is discharged into the container 33 by the splash plate 31. Those that do not include the specific information are dropped downward without operating the pop-out plate 31, and the take-out conveyor 6
0 causes the food F to be carried out of the apparatus.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view and corresponds to FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 is a schematic top view and corresponds to FIG. The food image capturing / discharging device 1a of this embodiment includes the first and second pair of scattering light sources 10 and 20.
1 is different from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that it is not constituted by a long fluorescent tube but is constituted by light bulb type fluorescent lamps 111 and 211. Further, since such a light source is used, the reflector described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is not attached to each fluorescent tube 111, 211. Other configurations may be the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 5 shows the actual screens (A1, A2) in which the fried chicken is imaged using the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the positions of the reflectors 12a, 12b of the long fluorescent tubes. The actual screen (B) is shown in which the light is radiated and imaged by changing the arrangement so that the light goes to the position of the object (fried) at the time of imaging. In the case of the existing illumination B, in addition to the shadow portion (black portion) due to the raised dust, the shadow depending on the surrounding contour and the unevenness present on the surface of the fried chicken appears, but the new illumination (A
In the image of 1), only the shaded portion Z due to the raised dust clearly appears in a distinguishable manner. Furthermore, when a straight line (actually a plane that does not tilt to the left and right of the image pickup device) is drawn from the image pickup device toward the background in the field of view, the background plate is curved so that the line is always close to a right angle to the background. On the screen (A2) in which the background condition is optimized, since the background brightness is uniform and the brightest component of the reflected light from the light source can be prevented from affecting the image, only the shaded area due to the raised dust is It can be seen that it is clearer.

In the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, a color image capturing device may be used to utilize the difference in color for determining the foreign matter. For black and white images, the difference in lightness is the criterion, but for color images, it is possible to obtain a higher selection ability than that for lightness only. At that time, the background displayed in the field of view of the image pickup device needs to have a substantially uniform color. However, by bending the background plate as described above, it is possible to prevent the color from changing depending on the place. It will be easy.

FIG. 6 shows an actual image pickup screen of a CCD camera (in this case, a CCD camera with a smear on one side) in the apparatus shown in FIG. In this example, the food items are flown in two rows, and the upper half image shows two food images. The image on the right side shows a food containing the above-mentioned specific information (for example, in the case of deep-fried chicken, the information from the black-and-white scallop Z attached to the surface). The opposite CCD camera is shown in the lower half of the screen. Also, it can be seen that the second pair of scattered light sources are captured in the lower half region, and the image is disturbed due to the influence. However, since the information from the lower half image sensor is set so as not to be captured as information used for detection or the like, there is no effect on the upper half image. The image output from the two cameras 40a and 40b is 1
The programmable controllers are programmed so that they can be sent to one programmable controller, and the output from either can actuate the ejector.

Although not particularly shown, in the images shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, by adjusting the background plate as described above and using a background plate having a color close to that of the object, a blackish residue is obtained. It will be appreciated that it is possible to obtain an image with the Z portion clearly highlighted.

[0041]

As described above, by using the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention, a large difference in light and shade occurs (an outline is formed) in the image of the object, so that the portion should be identified as the specific information originally. It is extremely difficult to clearly analyze and distinguish the shadow part or the outline part from the obtained imaging information, or medium to large foods, or foods where shadows are likely to be formed on the surface due to unevenness on the surface However, it is not affected by the contours and shadings of the surface, and the different colored parts that should be detected should be present on the surface (for example, in the case of fried chicken, the black burnt deposits on the surface). It is possible to identify with high probability the (dust portion) based on the image pickup information from the image pickup device such as a CCD camera, and it is possible to selectively and surely exclude such food.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a first embodiment of a food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a second embodiment of the food image capturing / discharging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an actual screen (A1, A2) in which fried chicken is imaged by using the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a position of a reflection plate of an imaged object (fried chicken) when reflected light is imaged. Actual screen imaged by irradiating and changing the position so as to face the position (B)
FIG.

FIG. 6 is an actual image pickup screen of a CCD camera in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Food imaging and discharging device, 2 ... Box-shaped casing, 4 ... Food inlet, 6 ... Food outlet, 10 ... 1st pair of scattered light sources, 20 ... 2nd pair of scattered light sources, 11a, 1
1b, 21a, 21b ... Fluorescent tube, 12a, 12b, 22
a, 22b ... Reflector, 30 ... Food drop passage, 31 ... Splash plate, 32 ... Actuator, 40a ... Imaging device (first CCD camera), 40b ... Imaging device (second CCD)
Cameras), 41a, 41b ... Background plate, 50 ... Food feeding means, 51 ... Feed conveyor, 52 ... Guide plate, 53 ... Curved guide surface, F, F1 ... Food

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yosuke Higa             9th Shinko, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture             Nichirei Technology Development Center F-term (reference) 3F079 AC13 AC21 AC23 BA05 CA31                       CA41 CB25 CB32 CC02 CC05                       DA06 DA12 EA08

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A food drop passage, a first pair of scattering light sources located across the food fall passage, and a second pair of scattering light sources located below the first pair of scattering light sources sandwiching the food falling passage. A pair of scattered light sources and the first in the food fall passage
Image pickup device arranged so as to have an image pickup position in a region between the pair of scattered light sources and the second pair of scattered light sources, and the falling foodstuffs based on the image pickup information from the image pickup device. A food image capturing / discharging device comprising at least an excluding means for selectively excluding. 2. The food image pickup and image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a background plate on the side opposite to the image pickup device with the food drop passage of the first and second pairs of scattering light sources sandwiched therebetween. Ejection device. 3. The scattering light sources forming the first and second pairs are provided with a reflection plate so that the reflected light does not directly go to the object to be imaged at the time of imaging. Alternatively, the food imaging / discharging device according to 2. 4. The reflection plate provided to the first pair of scattering light sources is attached so that the reflected light is directed downward, and the reflection plate provided to the second pair of scattering light source is: The food image capturing and discharging device according to claim 3, wherein the reflected light is attached so as to be directed upward. 5. The reflection plate of the first pair of scattering light sources, which is located on the opposite side of the imaging device with at least the food drop passage interposed therebetween, so that the reflected light is directed toward the background plate. The food image capturing / discharging device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector installed on the second pair of scattering light sources is mounted so that the reflected light is directed upward. 6. The image pickup device is a CCD camera, and the CC
The D camera is arranged at a position where the first pair of scattered light sources is not taken into the imaging range, and the second pair of scattered light sources is arranged at a position where it enters the lower half of the imaging area of the CCD camera at that position. 6. The food image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the CCD camera is set so as not to capture the information from the lower half of the image pickup device as information used for detection. Combined discharge device. 7. The food image capturing / discharging device according to claim 1, wherein two image capturing devices are arranged so as to face each other with a food drop passage interposed therebetween. 8. The food imaging / discharging device according to claim 1, further comprising food feeding means above the food dropping passage. 9. The food feeding means includes a feed conveyor and a guide plate having a curved lower surface located on the discharge end side of the feed conveyor, and the food discharged from the discharge end of the feed conveyor is 9. The guide plate is sent along the guide surface in a state of being pressed against the curved lower guide surface and then dropped into the food product drop passage.
The described food imaging and discharging device.