JP2005060102A - Conveyor for vegetables and fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems of a conventional belt conveyor receiving dropping and supply of conveyed objects such as vegetables and fruit and conveying them wherein the conveyed object dropped and supplied at fixed attitude rolls and jumps up due to repulsion when it is supplied onto an upper face of the belt conveyor, thereby changing its direction and attitude greatly and making stable and accurate sorting processing difficult, and to provide a new belt conveyor capable of absorbing impact force generated when the conveyed object supplied onto an upper face of a belt drops and is supplied to maintain drop attitude and making the longitudinal direction of a long root crop such as, in particular, Japanese white radish constant for the direction of conveyance of the conveyor and the direction of its root part and root tip part constant. <P>SOLUTION: In this sorting conveyor for vegetables and fruit, a jelly-like plastic damper for receiving dropping of the conveyed object and absorbing drop impact is provided on a lower face side of the conveyor belt receiving dropping and supply of the conveyed object and conveying them. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyor for fruits and vegetables.

  In the form in which the belt receiving guide is provided at the beginning of the conveyor belt, when the conveyed object falls, it receives the impact force from the hard conveyor belt surface, jumps and rolls with this repulsive force, and the attitude of the conveyed object changes. To do. In addition, fruits and vegetables are significantly damaged by hitting. In the case of a suspended state without providing a support guide for guiding and supporting the conveyance lower surface of the belt, the posture of the conveyed object is disturbed by the swinging of the belt.

A belt conveyor that receives a fall supply of a transported object such as fruits and vegetables rolls or rebounds when the transported object that is dropped and supplied in a fixed posture is supplied to the upper surface of the belt conveyor. Therefore, the direction and posture change greatly, and it is difficult to perform stable and accurate sorting. The present invention absorbs the impact force generated during the drop supply of the conveyed object or the like supplied to the upper surface of the belt and maintains the dropping posture.
In particular, long root vegetables such as radish require that the longitudinal direction is constant with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyor and that the directions of the root part and the root part are constant.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plastic damper having a jelly shape that absorbs a drop impact by receiving the fall of the transported object A is provided on the lower surface side of the conveyor belt 1 that receives and transports the fall of the transported object A. It is set as the structure of conveyors, such as fruit and vegetables characterized by having laid 2. Upon receiving the fall supply of the object to be conveyed A at the starting end of the rotating conveyor belt 1, the sheet is discharged at a predetermined position such as sorting while being conveyed in this received posture. When the transported object A is dropped on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1, the impact of the falling of the transported object A is absorbed by the distortion of the plastic damper 2, and the transported object A rolls on the upper surface of the belt 1. In such a manner, it is transported while maintaining the posture of being substantially dropped. When the conveyed object A on the surface of the belt 1 is conveyed, the plastic damper 2 restores the surface of the belt 1 to a flat surface by reducing the load of the belt 1 and restoring the next surface of the conveyed object A. It receives the fall supply and has the same damper function.

The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that a bag-packed cold insulating agent is used as the plastic damper 2. The cryogen is used as a plastic damper 2 in a state where it does not freeze, and is laid on the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1. Indented by the fall weight of the conveyed object A dropped on the belt 1 surface, this drop impact force is absorbed. This distorted cold-retaining agent is gradually restored because it has a jelly-like form and has fluidity. It is placed stably without moving or jumping up.
This cold-retaining agent has fluidity in a jelly state at room temperature and is accommodated in a plastic bag or the like. Therefore, even if it is plastically distorted by an external pressing force, it has a moderate restoring force, It is possible to correspond to the subsequent supply of the conveyed object A without causing repulsion rolling. In addition, this cold-retaining agent increases the hardness due to freezing during work in winter or at low temperatures such as in cold regions. In such a case, it increases the jelly-like plastic fluidity by heating with a heater or the like. And adaptability can be adjusted.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, the conveyor belt 1 has a V-belt 3 having a V-shaped cross section along one side of the lower surface, and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 is on the side of the conveyance guide 4 along the other edge. It is characterized by inclining toward. A V-belt 3 is formed on the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1 along one side and is driven to rotate. It is easy to lay the plastic damper 2 by forming a gap on the lower side of the conveyor belt 1, and the object A to be conveyed that is received and conveyed by the upper surface of the belt 1 can be conveyed closer to the conveyance guide 4 side. It is possible to stabilize the conveyance in a fixed posture.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the pair of front and rear link arms 5 and 6 having different lengths are made substantially parallel along one side of the conveyor belt 1, and can be slid along the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1. It is set as the structure of the conveyors, such as fruits and vegetables, which provided and supported the front and back of the discharge | emission board 7 across the front-end | tip part of the link arms 5 and 6 of this front and back. When the conveyed object A conveyed on the conveyor belt 1 is conveyed to the selection position, the discharge plate 7 on this side is operated to the discharge side along the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 and discharged. At this time, since the discharge plate 7 is supported by the pair of front and rear link arms 5 and 6 having different lengths, the discharge plate 7 is rotated around the long link arm 6 side with the short link arm 5 side as the center. The conveyed object A is pushed out at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of the conveyor belt 1 so as to draw a moved arcuate locus.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the conveyed object A falls on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1, the drop impact force is absorbed and relaxed by the plastic damper 2, and the conveyed object A is conveyed without changing the dropping posture. In addition, it is possible to eliminate damage due to the drop impact of the conveyed object A. Moreover, the configuration is simple by laying the plastic damper 2 on the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1.

  In the invention according to claim 2, since the plastic damper 2 uses the cold insulation agent B, the configuration in which the cold insulation agent B is laid on the lower surface of the belt 1 is simple, and absorbs the drop impact of the conveyed object A. At the same time, when a part of the belt that has received the conveyed object A moves and is removed from the upper side of the cooling agent B, distortion is eliminated by the fluidity and restoring property of the cooling agent B, and the lower surface of the belt 1 is supported. In response to the fall of the subsequent transported object A, the drop impact can be absorbed again. Moreover, in the operation | work in a low temperature range, it can maintain to appropriate plasticity by heating this cold insulating agent B, and can improve adaptability.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since one side of the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1 is supported by the V-belt 3 and the belt 1 surface is rotated while being inclined toward the conveyance guide 4 side, the belt 1 surface receives the belt. The object A to be conveyed is unlikely to protrude outward from the edge on the V-belt 3 side, so that the conveyance of the belt 1 surface in a constant posture is stabilized.

  In the invention according to the fourth aspect, the discharge plate 7 receives the object to be conveyed A and pushes it out in a predetermined posture while rotating the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1. It can be made uniform, and the discharge is quick and smooth with little discharge resistance. In particular, it is suitable for long and directional ones such as radishes.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, the case where the radish A of root vegetables is conveyed in the example of the object to be conveyed A is illustrated. The conveyor belt 1 is in the form of an endless flat belt having appropriate softness and width, and is stretched between a pair of front and rear pulleys 8 and is driven to drive. A weighing conveyor 9 is provided in a direct direction above one side of the starting end of the conveyor belt 1 to feed the radishes A one by one to the upper surface of the starting end of the conveyor belt 1. This weighing conveyor 9 comprises a plurality of rows of peristaltic racks 10 and weighing receptacles 11 at the end of the weighing conveyor 9. The weighing conveyor 9 receives the washed radish A supplied from the end of the washing conveyor 12, and performs weighing in the middle. After the weight of the radish A is weighed on the receiver 11, it is placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 along the vertical direction. The plastic damper 2 is provided on the lower surface of the belt at a position where it is dropped and supplied from the weighing conveyor 9 at the start end of the conveyor belt 1.

  Each peristaltic rack 10 has an upper edge formed in a wavy shape, is supported by a pair of front and rear crankshafts 14, and is driven by an elliptical peristaltic trajectory along the lateral side of the transport shelf 13. The upper half is protruded from the upper surface of the conveyance shelf 13. Further, the upper surface of the transport shelf 13 is formed on a rack surface having the same form as the peristaltic rack 10, supports the radish A sent out every peristaltic rack 10 motion, and waits for transport due to the subsequent peristaltic motion. Thus, when the peristaltic rack 10 swings, the radish A is received on each peristaltic rack 10 in an orthogonal state, and is transported intermittently for every pitch of the rack for each peristalsis. The weighing receptacle 11 at the end portion is formed in a substantially Y shape in a side view, receives the radish A conveyed by the peristaltic rack 11, and measures the weight by the load cell 15 provided in the lower part. At this time, at the end of the conveyance by the peristaltic rack 11, the peristaltic rack 11 is moved downward below the measuring receiver 11, so that the radish A is received by the measuring receiver 11 and weighed. The radish A on the weighing receiver 11 is lifted by the above-described peristaltic movement, sent out onto the conveyor belt 1 on the front side, and dropped.

  The crankshaft 14 is driven by a drive crankshaft 16, transmitted between the crankshaft 14 and the drive crankshaft 16, and coupled with a crank rod 18 by rotation of the drive crankshaft 16. The crankshaft 14 is rotated while reciprocating back and forth. The pair of front and rear crankshafts 14 are connected by a connecting body 19 and can slide back and forth along the front and rear long holes 21 of the conveyor frame 20. It is configured to increase the peristaltic stroke.

  The conveyor belt 1 is integrally provided with a V-belt 3 on the inner circumferential surface of the weighing conveyor 9 side. The V belt 3 is guided and rotated by the V pulley groove 22 of the pulley 8. Under the conveyor belt 1, a guide rail 24 for supporting and slidingly guiding the inner surface of the belt edge 23 on the V belt 3 side is provided. The side is inclined at an appropriate inclination angle so that the opposite side is made higher and the opposite side is made lower. A conveyance guide 4 capable of slidingly guiding the conveyance of the radish A along the edge of the inclined conveyor belt 1 is provided. A discharge plate 7 is disposed in the middle of the transport guide 4.

  The plastic damper 2 is laid on the lower surface of the portion that receives the radish A that is conveyed and dropped from the weighing conveyor 9 at the start end of the conveyor belt 1. This plastic damper 2 is a jelly-like or paste-like cryogen B contained in a plastic bag 25 of a predetermined size and sealed, and is sufficient to receive the weight of the radish A falling on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1. It is formed with a layer thickness. A vinyl sheet cover 26 is provided on the upper and lower peripheral surfaces of the plastic damper 2, and the lower surface thereof is supported by the conveyor frame panel 27, and the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1 is received on the upper surface. Although the inner peripheral surface of the rotating conveyor belt 1 is slidably contacted with the upper surface of the plastic damper 2, the vinyl sheet cover 26 prevents wear damage and maintains the functional effect of the plastic damper 2 over a long period of time.

  When the radish A dropped from the terminal end of the weighing conveyor 9 is received on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 by the laying of the plastic damper 2, it absorbs the drop impact of the radish A due to the distortion of the plastic damper 2. Since the plastic damper 2 has a low strain recovery property, the radish A settled on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 has no repulsive force and does not jump up and remains on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1. To maintain the attitude. Accordingly, the radish A dropped from the terminal end of the peristaltic rack 10 of the weighing conveyor 9 to the posture along the direction of the conveyor belt 1 is conveyed in a substantially unchanged state. At this time, since the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 is inclined toward the conveyance guide 4 as described above, the fallen radish A does not roll toward the peristaltic rack 10 on the near side of the fall, and the subsequent It is possible to prevent polymerization collision with the radish A supplied by falling.

As described above, the plastic damper 2 relieves the drop impact of the radish A supplied to the conveyor belt 1 and does not disturb the setting posture. Since the plasticity may change depending on the air temperature, a heater 28 is provided on the bottom surface of the conveyor frame panel 27 in the cold season and the working conditions, and the heater 28 is used to heat the cooling agent B. Without freezing the refrigerant B, it is possible to maintain moderate plasticity and improve workability. Further, at this time, the temperature control of the cooling agent B by the heater 28 can be performed at an appropriate temperature according to the outside air temperature during the work (FIG. 5). Reference numeral 29 denotes an outside air temperature sensor, and reference numeral 30 denotes a controller. The lower the outside air temperature, the higher the power output value of the heater 28 is controlled.
In addition, since this cold-retaining agent B can prevent freezing in the cold by mixing antifreeze instead of water, by replacing it with a mixture of this antifreeze or a mixture ratio changed, It can be adapted to the working conditions.

  The discharge plate 7 scrapes off the radish A conveyed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 at the selection position. A discharge plate port 31 provided with a discharge plate 7 is disposed on the conveyance guide 4, and the discharge plate 7 is connected to the conveyance guide 4 by a pair of front and rear link arms 5 and 6 along the discharge plate port 31. On the other hand, it is supported so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. These link arms 5 and 6 are in a substantially parallel state in plan view, and the front link arm 5 is set to be long and the rear link arm 6 is set to be short with respect to the transport direction. 32 is a pivot shaft for the conveyance guide 4 of each link arm 5, 6, and 33 is a pivot shaft for the discharge plate 7. Such a discharge plate 7 is actuated by the expansion and contraction of the back air cylinder 34. The base of the air cylinder 34 is pivotally supported 35 with respect to the conveyor frame 27, and the plunger 36 on the distal end side is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 33 of the link arm 6.

  The air cylinder 34 is operated based on the weight detection of the load cell 15. When the radish A measured by the load cell 15 is designated and discharged by this weight, and the radish A is conveyed to the designated position, the discharge plate 7 on the conveyance guide 4 side is extended by the air cylinder 34. The radish A on the conveyor belt 1 is discharged to the chute 37 on the side opposite to the conveyance guide 4 side. At this time, since the discharge plate 7 is swung from the discharge plate port 31 to the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 by the rotation of the substantially parallel link arms 5 and 6, the discharge plate 7 is substantially along the length direction of the radish A conveyed. The radish A can be extruded as long as possible by receiving the side surface of the radish A back and forth as long as possible. For this reason, the radish A is not pushed locally at the corners of the front and rear ends of the discharge plate 7 and is not damaged. Moreover, the discharge posture of the radish A in the chute 37 discharged by the discharge plate 7 can be made uniform.

  In the illustrated example, since the lengths of the link arms 5 and 6 are different, the rotation posture of the discharge plate 7 can be set at an appropriate angle in a plan view with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 1. By rotating the radish A according to the shape of the radish A or the conveying posture of the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1, the discharging operation can be performed smoothly and quickly. Further, in this embodiment, since the rear end portion of the discharge plate 7 is located on the side close to the conveyance guide 4, the radish A of the subsequent conveyance is not scratched when the discharge plate 7 is retreated to the discharge plate port 31 side.

  It can be used for root vegetables such as daikon, kabu and carrots, fruit sorting equipment such as apples, oysters and mandarin oranges, and conveyors.

  The perspective view of a part of conveyor belt.   FIG.   The top view of the discharge part.   The whole top view.   The control block diagram of the plastic damper part.   The side view of the measurement conveyor part.   The control block diagram of the plastic damper part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyor belt 2 Plastic damper 3 V belt 4 Conveying guide 5 Link arm 6 Link arm 7 Discharge plate A Conveyed object B Coolant

Claims (4)

  Fruits and vegetables characterized by laying a jelly-like plastic damper 2 that receives the fall of the transported object A and absorbs a drop impact on the lower surface side of the conveyor belt 1 that receives and transports the fallen supply of the transported object A Etc. Conveyor.   The conveyer for fruits and vegetables or the like according to claim 1, wherein the plastic damper 2 is a cold storage agent packed in a bag.   The conveyor belt 1 has a V belt 3 having a V-shaped cross section along one side of the lower surface, and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1 is inclined toward the conveyance guide 4 along the other end edge. A conveyor for fruits and vegetables or the like according to claim 1 or 2.   A pair of front and rear link arms 5, 6 having different lengths are provided along one side of the conveyor belt 1 so as to be able to swing along the upper surface of the conveyor belt 1, and the front and rear link arms 5, A conveyor for fruits and vegetables, etc., characterized in that the front and rear portions of the discharge plate 7 are supported between the six front end portions.

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