JP2008062123A - Weight sorting apparatus with sugar content measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a weight sorting apparatus with a sugar content measuring instrument which is capable of continuously measuring the sugar content and sorting the weight and which improves the existing weight sorting so that the sugar content can be measured to provide an inexpensive apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The weight sorting apparatus with the sugar content measuring instrument consists of the sugar measuring instrument A, the weight measuring device B, the sorting device C and the dividing box D. The sugar measuring instrument A is constituted as an unit of another object, replaceably mounted on the end face of the weight measuring device B, and provided with a sugar measuring dish rotatably on the upper part of a sugar sensor with its front end as a fulcrum. The weight measuring device B is provided with a weight sensor to measure the weight by receiving the object to be sorted that has been transferred from the sugar measuring dish. The sorting device C is provided with solenoids corresponding to trays 9 annexed to a conveyor that moves in order and circulates and sorting divisions of the target. The dividing box D is arranged so that a plurality of vessels corresponding to the sorting divisions are arranged around the periphery of the conveyor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a device that performs weight selection for grading fruits such as tomatoes according to weight and sugar content selection for grading according to sugar content.

Conventionally, an apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a weight sorting apparatus.
This apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 8. This apparatus measures a total weight of a large number of articles S and calculates a weight of an article picked up based on a change in weight before and after picking up the article. Conveyor 01 equipped with a tray 06 on which the articles picked up from 02 are placed, an image processing unit 03 for detecting the form of an article that is moved on the tray 06 by the conveyor 01, and data supplied from the weighing scale 02 And a control unit (not shown) for judging the grade of the article for each tray 06 and outputting a processing signal according to the grade, and the weighing scale 02 measures the individual weights of a large number of articles. The weighing data is input to the control unit, and in response to a signal from the control unit, a specific tray 06 on the conveyor 01 falls to the storage unit 04 side, so that it is placed on the tray 06. After the article S being location passes the slope 07, so as to operate to be received in a predetermined storage unit 04 in accordance with the weight.

Conventionally, an apparatus described in Patent Document 2 has been proposed as a rapeseed sugar content measuring device.
As shown in FIG. 9, spectroscopic analysis using a near-infrared absorption phenomenon is widely used. This non-destructive spectrophotometer uses a halogen lamp as a light source, guides light with an optical fiber, irradiates the surface of the fruit, spectrally reflects the reflected light or transmitted light with a diffraction grating, etc. In general, the sugar content is measured by measuring an absorption spectrum, taking out absorbance at a necessary wavelength, and substituting it in a relational expression prepared in advance.

JP 2000-117198 A JP 2004-219322 A

The sugar content measuring device and the weight sorting device have been used as separate devices.
For this reason, not only is it necessary to manually transfer the objects to be selected to each apparatus, but both have to be provided, so that the equipment is also expensive.
In addition, in the device that measures sugar content and measures weight, a device that simultaneously measures sugar content and weight is formed integrally, and it is selected according to whether or not sugar content needs to be measured. Could not be expensive.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and to provide a low-cost apparatus capable of continuously measuring sugar content and selecting a weight.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the existing weight sorting and attach sugar content measurement.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in a weight sorting apparatus with a sugar content measuring device for measuring and selecting the sugar content and weight of a large number of objects to be sorted, from the sugar content measuring device, the weight measuring device, the sorting device, and the separation box The sugar content measuring device is configured as a separate unit and is attached to the end face of the weight measuring device so as to be replaceable, and can be rotated around the front end of the sugar content sensor as a fulcrum. The sugar content measuring dish is provided, the weight measuring device is provided with a weight sensor that receives the object to be sorted transferred from the sugar content measuring dish, and measures the weight. Adopting a configuration including an attached tray and a solenoid corresponding to a target sorting section, wherein the sorting box has a number of containers corresponding to the sorting section disposed around the conveyor. .

According to the present invention, the sugar content can be continuously measured and the weight can be selected, and no manual operation is required to transfer the object to be selected to each device.
In addition, the present invention has made it possible to measure sugar content and sort by weight with an inexpensive apparatus.
Further, according to the present invention, since the sugar content measuring device is configured as a separate unit and is attached to the end face of the weight measuring device so as to be replaceable, a device suitable for the type of the object to be sorted can be appropriately selected. Became.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire weight sorting apparatus with a saccharimeter of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a sugar content measuring instrument and a weight measuring instrument, FIG. 3 is a top view thereof, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view of the tray portion, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the sugar content measuring device of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the same weight measuring device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of the present invention includes a sugar content measuring device A, a weight measuring device B, a sorting device C, and a sorting box D. The object to be sorted F is sorted and stored in any one of the boxes D1 to D15 of the sorting box D.

The sugar content measuring device A is configured as a separate unit, and is attached to the end surface of the weight measuring device B in an exchangeable manner.
By comprising in this way, the sugar content measuring device suitable for the kind of to-be-sorted body F can be selected suitably.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the sugar content measuring device, and FIG. 3 is a top view thereof.
The sugar content measuring device A uses a halogen lamp as a light source, guides light with an optical fiber, etc., irradiates the surface of the sorting object F such as fruit, and spectrally reflects the reflected light or transmitted light with a diffraction grating or the like. A sugar content sensor 1 for measuring a continuous absorption spectrum of

  Above the sugar content sensor 1, there is provided a slide shutter 2 for intermittently shielding the sugar content sensor 1, stabilizing the light amount of the lamp of the sugar content sensor 1 and initializing the sugar content sensor 1. Above the slide shutter 2, a sugar content measuring tray 3 on which the object to be sorted T is placed is supported by an interlocking bracket 4, and its front end is configured to be pivotable with a pivot point 5. The sugar content measurement dish 3 is provided with a sponge P for stably placing the object T to be sorted.

When the object F is placed on the sugar content measurement tray 3, the slide shutter solenoid S1 is activated, the shutter 2 is opened, and the light of the halogen lamp is irradiated to the object F to measure the sugar content. .
When the sugar content is measured, the sugar content measuring solenoid S2 is activated, and the sugar content measuring plate 3 hinged to the interlocking bracket 4 is rotated by the action to roll the object T to be weighed. Transfer to vessel B side.

The transferred object F is temporarily stopped by the buffering weight measuring sponge dish 6 and then placed on the weight measuring dish 6 of the weight sensor 7 for weight measurement.
While the object to be sorted T is placed on the weight measuring sponge dish 6, the sugar content measuring dish 3 is rotated so that the object to be sorted T is not transferred to the weight measuring sponge dish 6. The push-up solenoid S2 is deactivated.

This operation is as shown in detail in FIGS.
Hereinafter, the operation of the weight sorting apparatus will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. First, the control flow of the sugar content measuring device will be described with reference to FIG.

  “Start” indicates a state in which the operator of the weight sorting apparatus is waiting for the apparatus to be turned on and ready for sugar content measurement.

  The slide shutter solenoid S1 is actuated to close the shutter 2 and initialize the sensor of the sugar content measuring device A (step 1). When the preparation of the first light source measurement is OK (step 2), the sugar content measuring device A knows that the preparation of the sugar content measurement by the light source is completed by opening the shutter 2 (step 3).

  In the sugar content measuring apparatus A, when the object to be sorted F is correctly placed on the sugar meter side dish 3 (step 4: yes), the substance to be sorted F is placed on the sugar meter side dish 3 to the operator of the weight sorter. In response to this, the sugar content measuring apparatus A is informed that it is operating correctly.

  The sugar content measuring device A measures the sugar content by irradiating the light to be sorted F with a halogen lamp (step 5).

  When the sugar content measurement of the object F is completed (step 6: yes), the sugar content measuring device A weights a “transfer permission signal” that permits the object F to be transferred from the sugar content measurement dish 3 to the weight measurement dish 6. It is confirmed whether the measuring device B is outputting (step 7). This confirmation is performed in order to know that the weight measurement of the object to be sorted F previously transferred is completed, the object to be sorted F is transferred from the weight measurement dish 6 to the sorter C, and the weight measurement dish 6 is empty. Do.

  When the sugar content measuring device A confirms that the weight measuring device B outputs the “transfer permission signal” (step 7: yes), the sugar content measuring push-up solenoid S2 is operated (step 8).

  The sugar content measuring device A operates the sugar content measuring push-up solenoid S2, and then outputs an “H / L signal” to the weight measuring device B (step 9).

  When the sugar content measurement is completed and the sugar content measurement push-up solenoid S2 is operated (step 10), the sugar content measurement plate 3 is pivoted in a state of being hinged to the interlocking bracket 4 so as to be mounted on the sugar content measurement plate 3. The operator of the weight sorting apparatus is informed of the state in which the placed object F is transferred toward the weight measuring tray 6.

  The sugar content measuring device A subsequently receives a “transfer prohibition signal” from the weight measuring device B (step 11). As described above, this signal is obtained by rotating the sugar content measuring dish 3 and measuring the weight of the object to be sorted F while the object to be sorted F previously transferred is placed on the weight measuring dish 6. This is necessary for keeping the sugar content measurement push-up solenoid S2 inactive so as not to be transferred to the pan 6.

  During this time, the slide shutter solenoid S1 is actuated to close the shutter 2 and initialize the sensor of the sugar content measuring device A (step 12). When the preparation for measuring the light source of the second shot is OK (step 13), the slide shutter solenoid S1 is set to 0FF, the shutter 2 is opened (step 14), and the sugar content measuring device A is ready for the sugar content measurement using the light source. Know that.

  After receiving the “transfer permission signal” (step 15), the sugar content measuring instrument A is placed on the sugar content measuring instrument side dish 3 in the same manner as the first sugar content measurement.

  After receiving the “transfer prohibition signal” (step 16), the sugar content measuring device A determines whether or not the sugar content measurement of all the objects F has been completed (step 17), and if not completed (step 17: no), It waits for the sugar content measurement of the next to-be-sorted substance F (step 17).

Next, a control flowchart of the weight measuring device will be described with reference to FIG.
“Start” indicates that after the operator of the weight sorting apparatus turns on the power of the apparatus and starts up, the object F is transferred from the sugar content measuring dish 3 of the sugar content measuring apparatus A to the weight measuring dish 6 of the weight measuring apparatus B. A state in which the weight measuring device B is waiting to be loaded is shown.

  When receiving the “H / L signal” indicating that the object F is transferred from the sugar content measuring device A (step 1: yes), the weight measuring device B holds the “H / L signal” (step 2). Subsequently, a “transfer prohibition signal” is output to the sugar content measuring device A (step 3).

  When the object F is correctly transferred from the sugar content measurement dish 3 to the weight measurement dish 6 (step 4: yes), the weight measuring device B measures the weight of the object F (step 5).

  When the object to be sorted F is not correctly transferred to the weight measuring pan 6 (step 4: no), it becomes “measurement NG determination waiting”, and the weight measurement of the object to be sorted F is interrupted, but If the operator determines that the measurement of the object to be selected F can be continued and correctly places the object to be selected F on the weight measuring dish 6 and instructs to resume the weight measurement, the weight of the object to be selected F Measurement resumes. When the operator of the weight sorting apparatus determines that the measurement of the object to be sorted F cannot be continued, the state of the sugar content measuring device A and the weight measuring device B is reset, and the sugar content measurement is started again.

  When the weight measurement of the object to be sorted F is completed (step 6: yes), the weight measuring device B transmits the measured value of the weight of the object to be sorted F to the computer (step 7) and sends the object to be sorted F to the sorter C. Transport.

The weight measuring device B transfers the object to be sorted F to the sorting device C, then cancels the holding of the “H / L signal”, and then outputs the “transfer permission signal” to the sugar content measuring device A. Thereafter, the process waits for weight measurement of the next object F to be sorted (step 1).
The sorter C completes the weight measurement, receives the object to be sorted F transferred to the sorter C side by the tray 9 at the position of the weight meter B, and then moves the endless chain 8 by one tray interval. .

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sorter C includes an endless chain conveyor 8 that circulates in parallel at a predetermined interval in the width direction.
A tray 9 is attached to the conveyor 8 at a predetermined interval.
The tray 9 is hinged in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor 8 and is configured to discharge the object to be sorted F by rotating.
That is, the tray 9 includes a side wall 91 and a tray 92, and both are connected by a hinge 93.

  One T-type plate 10 is provided below the tray 92 for each section width of the sorting box D. A hinge 102 is provided on the support shaft 101 of the T-shaped plate 10, and the T-shaped plate 10 rotates with the hinge 102 as a fulcrum.

  A solenoid S3 is adjacent to the end of the support shaft 101 of the T-shaped plate 10 on the side thereof. As described above, the measured value of the object to be sorted F whose weight measurement has been completed by the load cell (not shown) is stored by the computer, and when the side wall 91 and the tray 92 come to the position corresponding to the weight, from the computer The solenoid S3 is actuated by this signal, and the T-type plate 10 is rotated about the hinge 102 to rotate the tray 92 of the tray 9 downward.

  As shown in FIG. 5, one rail 11 is provided in parallel with the T-shaped plate 10 for each section width of the sorting box D. As shown in FIG. 4, the rail 11 has one end fixed to the main body of the weight sorter with a sugar content measuring device, the other end of the bracket 111, and the upper rail 112 and the upper portion that are in sliding contact with the tray 92 of the tray 9. An inclined rail 113 connected to the rail 112 and a lower rail 114 connected to the inclined rail 113 are included.

  The lower rail 114 acts as a stopper that supports from the lower side that the tray 92 rotates and falls when the tray 92 of the tray 9 rotates and is stored in the sorting box. The rail 113 acts to return the tray 92 supported from below to the normal position, and the upper rail 112 acts to convey the tray 92 returned to the normal position while supporting it so as not to fall.

On the outside of the tray 9, sorting boxes D1-D15 are arranged at intervals corresponding to two adjacent trays.
The sorting boxes 10 have the number corresponding to the target sorting category. As an example, the trays 9 for the sweets to be sorted F are arranged in the order of the weight of the sorted objects F in D1 to D7. In D8 to D14, the trays 9 for the objects to be sorted F that are not sweet are arranged in the order of weight, and in D15, the non-standard trays are arranged.

Each tray 9 on which the object to be sorted F is placed is sequentially moved to a position corresponding to the sorting box D by a circulating endless chain conveyor 8.
When the trays 9 to which the objects to be sorted F are mounted reach the position of the corresponding sorting boxes D1 to D14 whose sweetness and weight are stored by the computer, the trays 9 are rotated by using the hinges as fulcrums to form sorting boxes. The object F is discharged and stored.
Those outside the standard are discharged to the sorting box D14 arranged last.

The present invention can be applied to selection of items that are handled differently depending on the sugar content and weight of fruits and the like.
In addition, an apparatus that can only perform weight selection can be improved at a relatively low cost, and can also be an apparatus that can also measure sugar content.
As described above, the apparatus for manually inputting the object to be selected has been described. However, the hopper described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-89920, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-58825, or the like previously filed by the present applicant is used. This makes it an efficient device.
The sugar content weight sorter of the present invention is a sugar content weight sorter that grades not only small fruits such as mini tomatoes, kumquats, apples, plums, agricultural products or marine products but also small objects according to their sugar content and weight. Can also be applied.

It is a figure which shows the whole weight selection apparatus with a sugar content meter of this invention. It is detail drawing of the sugar content measuring device and a weight measuring device. It is a top view of the sugar content measuring device and the weight measuring device. It is a side view of the tray part. It is a side view of the tray part. It is a flowchart of the sugar content measuring device. It is a flowchart of the same weight measuring device. This is a conventional weight sorting apparatus. This is a conventional nondestructive spectroscopic measurement apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

A
Sugar content meter B
Weighing instrument C
Sorter D1-D7
Sorting box for sweets D8-D14
Sorting box for unsweetened items D15
Non-standard separation box 1
Sugar content sensor 2
Shutter 3
Sugar content measurement dish 4
Interlocking bracket 5
Pivot point S1
Solenoid for slide shutter S2
Push-up solenoid for sugar content measurement 6
Weighing pan 7
Weight sensor 8
Endless Chain 9
Tray 10
T-shaped plate 11
rail

Claims (4)

  In a weight sorting apparatus with a sugar content measuring device for measuring and selecting the sugar content and weight of a large number of objects to be selected, the sugar content measuring device comprises a sugar content measuring device, a weight measuring device, a sorting and a separation box, The sugar content measuring dish is configured as a separate unit and is exchangeably attached to the end face of the weight measuring device, and includes a sugar content measuring dish configured to be rotatable around the front end on the sugar content sensor. The measuring device is provided with a weight sensor that receives the object to be sorted transferred from the sugar content measurement dish and measures the weight, and the sorting device is arranged in a tray attached to a conveyor that moves and circulates sequentially and a target sorting section. A weight sorting apparatus with a sugar content meter, comprising a corresponding solenoid, wherein the sorting box has a plurality of containers corresponding to sorting sections arranged around the conveyor.   Above the sugar content sensor is provided a slide shutter that intermittently shields the sugar content sensor, and above the slide shutter, a sugar content measurement dish on which the object to be selected is placed is supported by an interlocking bracket, and the interlocking bracket The weight selecting apparatus with a sugar content measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the weight selecting device is configured so as to be pivotable with the front end of the frame as a pivot point.   The sugar content is measured with the sugar content measuring dish, the sugar measuring push-up solenoid is actuated, and the sugar content measuring dish hinged to the interlocking bracket is rotated to transfer the object to be measured to the weight measuring sponge dish. The weight selection apparatus with a sugar content measuring device according to claim 1 or 2.   While the object to be sorted is placed on the weight measurement sponge dish, the sugar content measurement push-up solenoid is deactivated so that the sugar content measurement dish is rotated so that the object to be sorted is not transferred to the weight measurement sponge dish. The weight selection apparatus with a sugar content measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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