JP2011102175A - Method and apparatus for automatically sorting fruit and vegetable - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and a method for automatically sorting fruit and vegetables, reducing inertial force received by fruit and vegetables on a pool conveyor to suppress rolling or the like of fruit and vegetables on the conveyor, thereby preventing the damage of fruit and vegetables and facilitating packing work. <P>SOLUTION: When the fruit and vegetables 1 discriminated by a fruit and vegetable discriminating device 4 are conveyed to the pool conveyor 5 corresponding to the discriminated result, the fruit and vegetables 1 move to the pool conveyor 5 from fruit and vegetable carriers 8, and the pool conveyor 5 with the fruit and vegetables 1 placed thereon conveys the fruit and vegetables 1 at a loading-time speed which is the same or substantially same speed as the speed of the fruit and vegetables 1 moving to the pool conveyor 5, and then conveys the fruit and vegetables 1 at a retaining-time speed lower than the loading-time speed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic sorting method and an automatic sorting apparatus for sorting various fruits and vegetables by size, shape, color, sugar content, etc., such as tomato, apple, peach, It is suitable for the selection of fruit vegetables such as pears, eggplants, melons, and Kodama Nishimaki.

  In order to ship fruit vegetables, it is necessary to sort them according to criteria such as size, shape, color, and sugar content, and automation of fruit vegetable selection has been promoted. At present, fruit vegetable sorting methods and fruit vegetable sorting devices are mainly used to sort fruit classes to the pool conveyor located on the side of the conveyance direction based on the results of sorting the fruit and vegetables in the same class, etc. It has become.

  Usually, a plurality of pool conveyors are arranged, and the equal classes of fruit vegetables are determined in advance. When the fruit vegetables are conveyed to the pool conveyor that matches the class, the fruit vegetables are fed to the pool conveyor. The pool conveyor is normally stationary, and when the fruit vegetables are sent, the space for receiving the fruit vegetables gradually disappears. For example, the pool conveyor is manually operated to convey the fruit vegetables on the pool conveyor, and the next fruit vegetables Space was secured for acceptance.

  The applicant of the present application has developed a mechanism for automatically controlling the timing of intermittent operation of the pool conveyor prior to the present application, and has proposed in Patent Document 1.

JP 2001-130741 A.

  Patent Document 1 uses a sensor to detect fruit vegetables sent to a stopped pool conveyor, and when a predetermined number of fruit vegetables is confirmed, the pool conveyor is operated and a space for receiving the next fruit vegetables on the pool conveyor. The pool conveyor is then stopped again. As a result, a certain amount of fruit and vegetable is always sent before the worker who boxes the fruit and vegetables on the pool conveyor, and the boxing operation becomes extremely efficient.

However, since the conventional pool conveyors including Patent Document 1 have been focused on ensuring sufficient work time such as boxing by storing fruit vegetables for a relatively long time, the conveyors always remain stationary, Figure 7 conveyor 1 stroke length at a timing when fruiting a is sent as shown in (a) L (usually distance to make space for receiving the next fruit vegetables) is conveyed only fruit vegetables a at a conveying speed V _m, then So-called intermittent operation, which returns to a stationary state again, was fundamental. As described above, the fruit vegetables placed on the pool conveyor or the fruit vegetables already placed on the pool conveyor are forced to move and stop each time they are transported for one stroke.

Longer waiting time shown in spacing or 8 pool conveyor accept fruit vegetables (a), the acceleration of deceleration it is possible to earn deceleration time to stop the conveying speed V _m is smaller (reduction gradient shown in FIG. And the inertial force received by the fruit vegetables to stop can be reduced. However, immediately after accepting fruit vegetable a in FIG. 7 (a), fruit vegetable b may be continuously accepted in FIG. 7 (b). In this case, the waiting time is remarkably shortened as shown in FIG. 8 (b). As a result, the acceleration at the time of deceleration is large (the deceleration gradient shown in the figure is steep), and the fruit vegetables are subjected to a large inertia force to stop. In FIG. 8 (b), assuming that the travel speed of the fruit and vegetable carrier is V ₀ and the interval between the fruit and vegetable on the fruit and vegetable carrier is d (FIG. 7 (b)), until the vehicle stops during the waiting time d / V _0. This shows a state where the vehicle must be decelerated and further accelerated to V _m .

Fruit vegetables that have received a large inertial force on the pool conveyor may roll on the conveyor, fall from a static posture, or even fall from the conveyor in some cases. When fruit vegetables roll on the conveyor or fall from a stationary position, fruit vegetables such as tomatoes and peaches may be damaged, and when the fruit vegetables fall from the conveyor, the boxing operation becomes complicated.
The subject of the present invention is an automatic fruit vegetable sorting device that reduces the inertial force that the fruit vegetables receive on the pool conveyor, suppresses the rolling of the fruit vegetables on the conveyor, prevents damage to the fruit vegetables, and facilitates the stuffing operation. And it is providing the fruit vegetable automatic selection method.

  In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method of the present invention, the fruit vegetables placed on the fruit carrier are transported by the travel of the fruit vegetable carrier provided with a large number of fruit vegetable carriers on the endless traveling body, and the fruit vegetables being transported are discriminated by the fruit vegetable discrimination device. In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method of moving fruit vegetables to the pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result among the pool conveyors provided on the side of the fruit vegetable transporter, the fruit vegetables determined by the fruit vegetable determination device correspond to the determination result. When the fruits and vegetables are conveyed to the pool conveyor, the fruit vegetables are moved from the vegetable carrier to the pool conveyor and placed on the pool conveyor. Conveying fruits and vegetables at the same speed as the speed moved to the conveyor or substantially the same speed, the pool conveyor, After a predetermined interval conveying the fruit vegetables in fruit during speed, a method of transporting the fruit vegetables with a residence time of speed that is slower than before described results at speed.

  In this case, after the fruit and vegetables are identified by the fruit and vegetable identification device, the number or presence of subsequent fruit and vegetables with the same determination result as this fruit and vegetables are measured within a predetermined time, and this is used as the fruit and vegetables conveyance density. Based on this, it is possible to change the staying speed of the pool conveyor corresponding to the fruit vegetable discrimination result.

  The fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus of the present invention includes a fruit vegetable transport body in which a large number of fruit vegetable carriers are provided on an endless traveling body, a fruit vegetable discrimination device capable of distinguishing fruit vegetables being transported, and a pool provided on the side of the fruit vegetable transport body In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus which includes a conveyor and transports the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable carrier by running of the fruit and vegetable carrier and moves the fruit and vegetables to a pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result determined by the fruit and vegetable determination device. When the fruit vegetables determined by the determination device are transported to the pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result, the fruit vegetables are moved to the pool conveyor from the fruit vegetable carrier and can be placed on the pool conveyor. The pool conveyor is capable of transferring fruit and vegetables at two or more speeds. When the fruit and vegetables are placed on the pool conveyor, the pool conveyor is When driving at a fruit loading speed that is the same speed or substantially the same speed as moving from the top of the rear to the pool conveyor, and transporting fruits and vegetables for a predetermined section at the above-mentioned fruit speed, the pool conveyor is at the above-mentioned fruit speed. It operates at a lower residence speed.

  In this case, a measuring unit that measures the number or presence of subsequent fruit vegetables that have the same determination result as the fruit vegetables within a predetermined time after the fruit vegetables are determined by the fruit vegetable determination device, and sets this as the fruit vegetable conveyance density, Control means for shifting the pool conveyor dwelling speed based on the fruit vegetable conveyance density, and the pool conveyor corresponding to the fruit vegetable discrimination result is operated at a dwell speed corresponding to the fruit vegetable conveyance density measured by the measuring means. It can also be made possible.

  The fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention is the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the pool conveyor is composed of two or more belt conveyors arranged in the transport direction of the pool conveyor, and is closest to the fruit vegetable transporter. The first belt conveyor arranged as described above can receive fruit vegetables from above the fruit vegetable carrier, deliver the fruit vegetables to the second belt conveyor adjacent to the downstream side, and can be operated at a speed at the time of loading. , Having a conveyor length of a predetermined section length that conveys the fruit vegetables at the loading speed, the second and subsequent belt conveyors can deliver fruit vegetables to the belt conveyor when there is a belt conveyor on the downstream side, It is also possible to enable operation at the loading speed and the residence speed.

The fruit vegetable automatic sorting method and fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus of the present invention have the following effects.
(1) Since the inertial force received by the fruit vegetables on the pool conveyor can be reduced, the rolling of the fruit vegetables on the conveyor is suppressed, the fruit vegetables are prevented from being damaged, and the stuffing operation is facilitated.
(2) Since the operation speed of the pool conveyor can be changed according to the fruit vegetable conveyance density representing the degree to which the same selection result fruit vegetables are conveyed within a predetermined time, the pool conveyor with a dense fruit vegetable conveyance density is conveyed at high speed. In addition, a large number of boxing workers can be put in, and a pool conveyor with a low density of fruit and vegetables can be transported at a low speed to postpone the boxing work.

The whole top view which shows the fruit vegetable automatic selection apparatus of this invention. The detailed top view which shows the state which a fruit vegetable carrier sends out fruit vegetables. (A) is a plan view showing a standby state where fruit vegetables are waiting to be transferred, (b) is a plan view showing a state where fruit vegetables are transferred, and (c) is a state in which the fruit vegetables are conveyed by a predetermined section length at the time of loading. (D) is a top view which shows the state which will be in a standby state again. Explanatory drawing showing the change of the rotational speed of a pool conveyor. Explanatory drawing showing the change of the rotational speed of a pool conveyor in the case of measuring fruit vegetable conveyance density regularly. The whole top view which shows the fruit vegetable automatic selection apparatus of the other Example in this invention. (A) is a top view which shows the state in which a fruit vegetable carrier sends out the first fruit vegetable, (b) is a top view which shows the state in which a fruit vegetable carrier sends out subsequent fruit vegetables continuously. (A) is explanatory drawing showing the change of the rotational speed of the conventional pool conveyor when standby time is long, (b) is explanatory drawing showing the change of the rotational speed of the conventional pool conveyor when standby time is short.

(Embodiment 1)
1st Embodiment of the fruit vegetable automatic selection apparatus and fruit vegetable automatic selection method of this invention is described based on figures. FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of an automatic fruit vegetable sorting apparatus according to the present invention. The strip-shaped continuum shown in the figure is a fruit vegetable carrier 2 that conveys fruit vegetables 1 (for example, tomatoes, apples, peaches, pears, eggplants, melons, and Kodama west rice cakes) in the direction of arrow X (from left to right in the figure) On the starting side of the transport body 2 (left side in the figure), a supply unit 3 on which an operator places the fruit vegetables 1 is arranged, and during the transport of the fruit transport body 2, the size, shape, color, A fruit vegetable discriminating device 4 for discriminating an equal class such as sugar content is arranged. Further, a pool conveyor 5 to which the fruit vegetables 1 are delivered is disposed on the end point side (right side in the drawing) from the position where the fruit vegetable determination device 4 is disposed.

  The pool conveyor 5 is provided with a number of pool conveyors corresponding to the equal class of the fruit vegetables 1 determined by the fruit vegetable determining device 4, and in FIG. 1, pool conveyors corresponding to four types of equal classes are arranged. For example, the first pool conveyor 5a has an LL size tomato, the second pool conveyor 5b has an L size tomato, the third pool conveyor 5c has an M size tomato, and the fourth pool conveyor 5d has an S size tomato. Delivered.

In addition, when it is expected that a large number of fruit vegetables 1 are sent in advance like the first pool conveyor 5a, two lanes are provided, and the pool conveyor with a small number of sent fruit vegetables 1 is a single lane. You can also. When it is expected that there are few fruit vegetables 1 sent, two or more equal-class fruit vegetables 1 can be delivered to the same pool conveyor, such as delivering the L-size and S-size fruit vegetables 1 to the second pool conveyor 5b. . However, when two or more equal-class fruit vegetables 1 are mixed, it is desirable to mix the equal-class fruit vegetables 1 having a clear difference that can be visually recognized by a boxing operator.

In FIG. 1, the pool conveyor 5 is arranged on the right side (lower side in the figure) of the fruit vegetable carrier 2, but the first pool conveyor 5 a and the third pool conveyor 5 c of the pool conveyor 5 are on the right side, The two pool conveyor 5b and the fourth pool conveyor 5d may be arranged on both sides of the fruit and vegetable carrier 2 such as arranged on the left side, or of course, all the pool conveyors 5 may be arranged only on the left side. Thus, the pool conveyor 5 can be arbitrarily designed according to the space where the fruit and vegetables automatic sorting device is arranged. In FIG. 1, the pool conveyor 5 is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the fruit and vegetable transport body 2, but the invention is not limited to this, and the pool conveyor 5 may be inclined with respect to the conveyance direction of the fruit and vegetable transportation body 2.

The fruit and vegetable carrier 2 is formed by attaching a large number of fruit and vegetable carriers 8 in the conveying direction (arrow X direction) to an endless traveling body 7 that is an endless chain installed on the drive sprocket 6a and the driven sprocket 6b. The drive sprocket 6a is rotated by the power of the motor M. With this rotation, the endless traveling body 7 travels in the direction of the arrow X, and the vegetable carrier 8 is conveyed.
In FIG. 1, the fruit and vegetable carrier 2 circulates in a straight section. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it can be circulated in a plane.

The fruit vegetable carrier 8 is for mounting the fruit vegetable 1 and is equipped with a fixing support (not shown) for fixing the posture of the fruit vegetable 1 in order to convey the mounted fruit vegetable 1 in a stable state. You can also. This vegetable carrier 8 has a function for sending the placed vegetable 1 to the pool conveyor 5. Specifically, the vegetable carrier 8 is a belt conveyor system, and a protrusion is provided on the lower side of the belt, and the protrusion is guided in the left-right direction with respect to the conveyance direction by the guide rail provided on the fruit vegetable carrier 2, thereby producing the fruit vegetable carrier 8. Rotate the belt. The fruit vegetable 1 placed on the fruit vegetable carrier 8 is sent to the pool conveyor 5 on the side of the fruit vegetable carrier 2 as the belt of the fruit vegetable carrier 8 rotates.
The rotation of the belt conveyor of the fruit vegetable carrier 8 is not limited to the above method, and each of the fruit vegetable carriers 8 may be rotated by being provided with a drive motor, or the fruit vegetable carrier 8 is not a belt conveyor system but a roller conveyor. The fruit vegetables 1 can be sent to the pool conveyor 5 using conventional techniques such as a method and a tilt method.

The vegetable carrier 8 can also be arranged so that the belt conveyor of the vegetable carrier 8 rotates in a direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 2) orthogonal to the conveyance direction (X direction shown in FIG. 2) of the vegetable carrier 2. However, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, it can also be arranged to rotate in a direction inclined by θ from the Y direction toward the rear in the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as “θ direction” for convenience). In this case, when the movement of the fruit vegetable 1 is viewed on the fruit carrier 8, the fruit vegetable 1 moves from the fruit carrier 8 to the pool conveyor 5 at a speed V ₁ in the θ direction, and the X direction component of the moving speed V ₁ of the fruit vegetable 1 is V. It is obtained by ₁ × sin θ, and the Y direction component is obtained by V ₁ × cos θ. Actually, since the fruit vegetables 1 are moving at the conveyance speed V ₀ of the fruit vegetable carrier 2, the direction in which the fruit vegetables 1 move is the velocity value in the X direction (V ₀ −V ₁ × sin θ) and the velocity value in the X direction. V ₁ × cos θ is obtained by tan ⁻¹ {(V ₀ −V ₁ × sin θ) / (V ₁ × cos θ)}, and the speed at which the fruit vegetable 1 moves (hereinafter referred to as “loading speed V _m ”). .) Is obtained by V _m = {(V ₀ −V ₁ × sin θ) ² + (V ₁ × cos θ) ² } ^1/2 . If the speed value (absolute value) of the X-direction component V ₁ × sin θ of the fruit vegetable 1 is the same as the conveyance speed V ₀ of the fruit vegetable transport body 2, the X-direction component of the moving speed of the fruit vegetable 1 is canceled and the fruit vegetable 1 Tries to move only in the Y direction, and the loading speed V _m of the fruit vegetable 1 becomes equal to the Y direction component of V ₁ , and is obtained by V _m = V ₁ × cos θ.

When the belt of the fruit carrier 8 is rotated by guiding the protrusion provided on the belt conveyor-type fruit carrier 8 on the lower side of the belt by the guide rail of the fruit carrier 2, the fruit vegetable 1 moves on the fruit carrier 8. speed, that is the speed V ₁ of the belt of fruit vegetables carrier 8 rotates will depend on the arrangement angle of the guide rail and the conveying velocity V ₀ which fruiting carrier 2. That is, the speed V ₁ becomes larger as the speed V ₀ is large, the arrangement angle of the guide rail with respect to the transport direction of the fruiting carrier 2 (X direction shown in FIG. 2) is also increased velocity V ₁ closer to 90 °. In general, larger values of velocity V _0, (shown by dashed lines in FIG. 2) guide rails as shown in Figure 2 because they are disposed at an angle close to 90 ° with the X-direction, velocity V ₁ also a large value Become. Therefore, when the pool conveyor 5 is set to the intermittent operation method, the fruit vegetables 1 are suddenly stopped on the pool conveyor 5, and a large inertia force acts on the fruit vegetables 1, and as a result, the fruit vegetables 1 rolls on the pool conveyor 5. The problem was occurring. In the present invention, since fine control is performed on the pool conveyor 5 as will be described later, a large inertial force does not act on the fruit vegetables 1, and problems such as the fruit vegetables 1 rolling are improved.

The pool conveyor 5 is a belt conveyor and is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the fruit and vegetable conveying body 2 (Y direction shown in FIG. 2), and similarly rotates in the Y direction and conveys the vegetable 1. The fruit vegetables 1 also move in the Y direction from the fruit carrier 8 and are transferred onto the pool conveyor 5, and further move along the axis of the pool conveyor 5. That is, the direction of movement of the fruit vegetables 1 and the direction of rotation of the pool conveyor 5 are the same, and the fruit vegetables 1 can be smoothly transferred to the pool conveyor 5 and fall down to the side when moving on the pool conveyor 5. There is nothing.

When the fruit vegetables 1 are transferred onto the pool conveyor 5, the pool conveyor 5 rotates at the same speed or substantially the same speed (hereinafter referred to as “substantially constant speed”) as the loading speed V _m . When the pool conveyor 5 rotates at a speed significantly different from the loading speed V _{m of} the fruit vegetables 1, the fruit vegetables 1 roll on the conveyor or fall from a stationary posture due to the inertial force when they are transferred to the pool conveyor 5. or, it is likely to fall from the conveyor, such a possibility can not be rotated at Nohate at speed V _m and substantially constant velocity.

The pool conveyor 5 needs to rotate at substantially the same speed as the loading speed V _m at least when the fruit vegetables 1 are transferred to the pool conveyor 5. Order to smoothly Utsura rests pool conveyor 5 the fruit vegetables 1 be any timing, it is possible for example to always continuously rotating the pool conveyor 5 at Nohate at speed V _m and substantially constant velocity. However, this Nohate at velocity V _m is generally at a high speed as described above, because the fruit vegetable 1 in the pool conveyor 5 is also conveyed at high speed, this case can not be accumulated too many fruit vegetables 1. However, even if the fruit vegetables 1 move on the pool conveyor 5 at a high speed, there is no problem as long as an operator who can carry out the boxing work is arranged.

The rotation speed of the pool conveyor 5 can also be rotated at two or more speeds. This will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (d) and FIG.
FIG. 3 (a) shows a standby state waiting for the transfer of the fruit vegetables 1, which is rotating at a staying speed V _S (speed represented by t ₁ in FIG. 4) lower than the loading speed V _m . .
FIG. 3 (b) represents the timing to shift glue fruiting 1, accelerated to Nohate at speed V _m in accordance with the timing (timing t ₂ in FIG. 3).
FIG. 3 (c) represents a timing at which the pool conveyor 5 to convey the fruit vegetables 1 Nohate time velocity V _m by a predetermined interval length L (timing t ₃ of FIG. 3).
Figure 3 (d) In becomes the standby state again, and rotating continuously at a residence time of the speed V _{S (speed} represented by t ₄ in FIG. 4).

The predetermined section length L in which the pool conveyor 5 transports the fruit vegetables 1 at the fruit loading speed V _m is an average size of one or two equal-sized fruit vegetables 1 that the pool conveyor 5 transports. Of course, the predetermined section length L is not limited to one or two of the fruit vegetables 1, but can be set longer or shorter. The predetermined section length L is set in each of the first pool conveyor 5a to the fourth pool conveyor 5d (FIG. 1), and is stored in advance in a shift control device (not shown). The shift control device may accelerate either the first pool conveyor 5a~ fourth pool conveyor 5d and the appropriate receiving the determination result of the fruiting determination device 4 to Nohate at speed V _m, the pool conveyor length predetermined interval When the time for transporting the fruit vegetables 1 by L elapses, the speed is reduced to the staying speed V _S.

Thus, since the difference in speed between the loading speed V _m and the staying speed V _S can be reduced by rotating the pool conveyor 5 even in the standby state, the inertial force received by the fruit vegetables 1 on the pool conveyor 5 Can be kept small. In addition, since the standby state rotates at a staying speed V _S lower than the loading speed V _m , the fruit vegetables 1 on the pool conveyor 5 are conveyed at a low speed, and a large number of fruit vegetables 1 can be stored. As the staying speed V _S increases, the inertial force received by the fruit vegetables 1 on the pool conveyor 5 decreases as the speed increases, and as the speed decreases, more fruit vegetables 1 accumulate on the pool conveyor 5. The magnitude of the speed V _S can be appropriately designed according to the situation.

(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment of the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus and the fruit vegetable automatic sorting method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment describes an embodiment in the case where the rotational speed of the pool conveyor 5 is changed according to the number of fruit vegetables 1 per unit time transferred to the pool conveyor 5, and the basic structure and operation are implemented. Common to Form 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fruit vegetables 1 are identified by the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4 installed in the middle of the fruit vegetable carrier 2. The equal class discriminated by the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4 is transmitted to the transport density measuring device 9. The transport density measuring device 9 stores the transmitted equal class together with the time when the fruit vegetable 1 is determined by the fruit vegetable determining device 4 (or the time when the equal class is transmitted). The equal class and the determination time in the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4 regarding the fruit vegetables 1 are stored in the transport density measuring device 9 every time the fruit vegetables 1 pass through the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4.

  Further, the transport density measuring device 9 discriminates for each fruit vegetable 1 by the fruit vegetable discriminating device 4 until a predetermined time (hereinafter referred to as “measurement time”) elapses from the time when the fruit vegetable 1 is discriminated by the fruit vegetable discriminating device 4. It also memorizes the subsequent classes of fruit vegetables 1. This measurement time is, for example, a time for discriminating five subsequent fruit vegetables 1 by the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4 and is stored in the transport density measurement device 9 in advance. Furthermore, the conveyance density measuring device 9 calculates the number of the fruit vegetables 1 that are determined to be the same class as the equal class of the fruit vegetables 1 among the following five fruit vegetables 1, and stores the number as the fruit vegetable conveyance density. The fruit transport density in this case is an index representing how much the same class of fruit vegetables 1 is sent per unit time, and if the fruit transport density is high (if the fruit transport density is dense) A lot of fruit vegetables 1 are sent to the pool conveyor 5 corresponding to the same class in a short time. Alternatively, the conveyance density measuring device 9 detects whether or not there is a fruit vegetable 1 that is determined to be the same class as the equal class of the fruit vegetable 1 among the following five fruit vegetables 1, and stores the presence or absence as the fruit vegetable conveyance density. You can also

As described above, the transport density measuring device 9 stores, as information related to the fruit vegetable 1 determined by the fruit vegetable determining device 4, the equal class of the fruit vegetable 1, the time when the fruit vegetable 1 is determined, and the fruit vegetable transport density of the fruit vegetable 1. These pieces of information are transmitted to a shift control device (not shown) that controls the rotational speed of the pool conveyor 5.

The speed change control device is based on information such as the equal class of the fruit vegetables 1 sent from the conveyance density measuring device 9 and the determination time of the fruit vegetables 1 and the distance from the conveyance density measuring device 9 to each pool conveyor. The time at which the fruit vegetables 1 reach the pool conveyor 5 corresponding to the equal class of the fruit vegetables 1 is calculated, and the rotational speed of the pool conveyor 5 is accelerated to the loading speed V _{m according} to the time. When the pool conveyor over time for conveying the fruit vegetables 1 by a predetermined interval length L, the shift control device to return to the rotation speed is decelerated residence time of the speed V _S of the pool conveyor 5.

The time shift control device rotates the pool conveyor 5 to set the residence time of the speed V _S according to the fruit vegetable conveying density of fruit vegetables 1 sent from conveying density measuring device 9. For example, if fruit vegetables conveying density of the fruit vegetables 1 dense (there same equal rank), compare the residence time of the speed V _S since many fruit vegetables 1 sent in a short period of time in the pool conveyor 5 corresponding corresponding thereto specifically fast and then, if fruiting conveying density of the fruit vegetables 1 sparse reversed (without same equal rank), a relatively low speed the residence time of the speed V _S. At this time, if the fruit transport density is low, the succeeding fruit 1 will not be transferred to the pool conveyor 5 for a while, so it takes a sufficient time from the fruit loading speed V _m to the low residence time speed V _S. Can slow down and reduce acceleration.
Of course, depending on the circumstances, the low speed dwell time velocity V _S when fruit vegetable conveying density is dense, it may be a high speed the residence time of the speed V _S when fruit vegetable conveying density is sparse.

In addition, the residence speed V _S can be set as appropriate not only in two stages, high speed and low speed, but also in three stages or more such as high speed, medium speed, and low speed in accordance with the fruit and vegetable conveyance density. Fruit vegetables relationship conveying density threshold and a residence time of the speed V _S corresponding thereto and stored in and shift control apparatus designed in advance. Incidentally, the relationship between the residence time of the speed V _S corresponding thereto and the threshold of fruit vegetables conveying density is stored in the conveying density measuring device 9, the conveying density measuring device 9 determines the residence time of the speed V _S is transmitted to the shift control device May be.

In addition, a conveyance density may be measured with respect to all the fruit vegetables 1, and may be measured regularly at intervals. When the conveyance density is measured for all the fruit vegetables 1, it can be considered that the fruit vegetables 1 having a dense conveyance density are continuously sent to the same pool conveyor 5, and the pool conveyor 5 is sufficiently slowed down. I can't get it. In such a case, the staying speed V _S can be set to a speed very close to the loading speed V _m , or the staying speed V _S can be omitted.

5, fruit vegetables conveying density and speed as Nohate at velocity V _m the residence time of the speed V _S when the dense, pool conveyor case when fruit vegetables conveying density is sparse that slow the residence time of the speed V _S 5 is a graph showing a change in rotational speed at 5. Initially, pools conveyor 5 which has been rotated at a low speed dwell time of the speed V _S is fruit vegetables conveying density by information of the measuring point 1 is a dense state, the corresponding fruit vegetables 1 is conveyed the pool conveyor 5 the mounting It accelerated to result when velocity V _m, to maintain Nohate at velocity V _m even after transporting the fruit vegetables 1 by a predetermined interval length L. The vegetable transport density is sparse by the information of the measurement point 2 which is the next measurement opportunity, and once decelerates from the loading speed V _m to the low staying speed V _S , the corresponding fruit vegetable 1 is transported. The pool conveyor 5 is accelerated again to the loading speed V _m . Since the fruit vegetable transport density is determined to be sparse, this time, after the fruit vegetable 1 is transported for a predetermined length L, the speed is reduced to a low staying speed V _S and the rotation continues in that state.

We have also established a revolving light and a siren or a display panel in each of the pools conveyor 5, the residence time of the speed V _S is also possible to notify the pool conveyor 5 became faster. Thereby, even if it is a case where there are few boxing workers than the number of lanes of the pool conveyor 5, it can move suitably and can carry out boxing work without delay.

(Usage example of Embodiment 2)
A specific usage example of the automatic tomato sorting method using the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus in the second embodiment is as follows.
First, the following work will be performed as advance preparations.
(1) Four rows of pool conveyors are installed, and each of the first pool conveyor 5a has an LL size tomato, the second pool conveyor 5b has an L size tomato, the third pool conveyor 5c has an M size tomato, It is set so that S-size tomatoes are delivered to the 4-pool conveyor 5d.
(2) The measurement time is registered and stored in the transport density measurement device 9 as the time for discriminating the subsequent five tomatoes by the fruit vegetable discrimination device 4.
(3) If the transfer density is 4 or more, the staying speed V _S is high (90% of the loading speed V _m ), and if the transfer density is 2 or more, the staying speed V _S is medium (loading). 60% of the fruit during velocity V _m), the residence time of the speed V _S if the transport density is less than two and a low speed (30% Nohate at velocity V _m), registered and stored in the shift control device.
(4) The predetermined section length L is registered and stored in the transmission control device as one tomato of each size.
Once the above preparations are in place, the automatic selection of tomatoes is then performed.
(5) In the supply unit 3 (FIG. 1), an operator places the tomatoes on the fruit vegetable carrier 8 in order.
(6) The tomato T ₁ is transported by the fruit and vegetable transport body 2, and the size (here, L size) of the tomato T ₁ is determined by the fruit and vegetable determination device 4 in the middle of the transport.
(7) The fruit vegetable discriminating device 4 transmits to the transport density measuring device 9 that the tomato T ₁ is L size and the time when the tomato T ₁ is discriminated, and the transport density measuring device 9 stores these pieces of information.
(8) The fruit vegetable discrimination device 4 continues to discriminate the five subsequent tomatoes (tomato T ₂ to tomato T ₆ ) of the tomato T ₁ and stores the discrimination result and the discrimination time in the transport density measuring device 9.
(9) The conveyance density measuring device 9 transmits the tomato T ₁ conveyance density at the time when the determination result of the tomato T ₆ is transmitted, that is, the number of tomatoes T ₂ to T ₆ determined as the L size (here 2 pieces to) is calculated, and transmits the conveyance density and determine the time of tomato T ₁ to the shift control device.
(10) shift control device, tomato T ₁ is recognized that deliver tomatoes T ₁ to a second pool conveyor 5b since it is L size, the determination time and the conveying speed and tomato T ₁ of the fruiting carrier 2 2 tomato T ₁ etc. the distance to the pool conveyor 5b calculates the time to reach the second pool conveyor 5b, a second pool conveyor 5b is accelerated such that the Nohate at speed V _m to the arrival time.
(11) When the tomato _{T 1} is conveyed to a second pool conveyor 5b, tomato _{T 1} by feeding the function of fruit vegetables carrier 8 is fed to the second pool conveyor 5b.
(12) a second pool conveyor 5b conveys the tomatoes _{T 1} predetermined interval length L, i.e., one minute tomato L size.
(13) Since the transfer density of the tomato T ₁ is two, the transmission control device determines that the staying speed V _S is medium speed (60% of the loading speed V _m ), and determines the tomato T ₁ as a predetermined section. When the length L (one tomato) is conveyed, the second pool conveyor 5b is decelerated to 60% of the staying speed V _S , that is, the loading speed V _m .
(14) by workers deployed in the second pool conveyor 5b, tomato _{T 1} is is boxed.

(Embodiment 3)
A third embodiment of the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus and the fruit vegetable automatic sorting method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment describes an embodiment in the case where the pool conveyor 5 is composed of two or more belt conveyors, and the basic structure, operation, and usage are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  In the pool conveyor 5 shown in FIG. 6, three belt conveyors of a first belt conveyor 51, a second belt conveyor 52, and a third belt conveyor 53 are arranged in series in the conveying direction in the order of approaching the fruit and vegetable conveyor 2. Is configured. The three belt conveyors are all rotated so that the fruit vegetables 1 can be conveyed in the same direction (arrow direction in FIG. 6), and are arranged close enough to allow the fruit vegetables 1 to be smoothly delivered between the belt conveyors.

The first belt conveyor 51 arranged closest to the fruit vegetable transporter is configured to rotate at the loading speed V _m to convey the fruit vegetable 1, and has a predetermined section length L (for example, the corresponding equal-class fruit vegetable 1 Effective belt length of 1 to 2 pieces). Further, those second belt conveyor 52 is intended to convey the fruit vegetables 1 rotates at a residence time of speed V _S, more third belt conveyor 53 that rotates at a low speed dwell time of the speed V _S than the second belt conveyor 52 It is.

The second belt conveyor 52 and the third belt conveyor 53 have a high-speed dwell speed V _S , a medium dwell speed V _S , and a low-speed dwell according to the fruit and vegetable conveyance density measured by the conveyance density measuring device 9. It can be rotated at the speed V _S and can also be rotated at the loading speed V _m . The pool conveyor 5 is not limited to a case where three belt conveyors are arranged, and two or four or more belt conveyors may be arranged side by side.

  The fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus and the fruit vegetable automatic sorting method of the present invention are not limited to fruit vegetable sorting, but can also be applied to automatic sorting of various articles such as primary industrial products such as agricultural products and marine products, and secondary industrial products such as industrial products. it can.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fruit vegetable 2 Fruit vegetable conveyance body 3 Supply part 4 Fruit vegetable discrimination device 5 Pool conveyor 6a Drive sprocket 6b Driven sprocket 7 Endless traveling body 8 Fruit vegetable carrier 9 Conveyance density measuring device 51 1st belt conveyor 52 2nd belt conveyor 53 3rd belt conveyor M motor

Claims (5)

By running a vegetable transporter equipped with a large number of fruit vegetable carriers on an endless traveling body, the fruit vegetables placed on the fruit carrier are transported, the fruit vegetables being transported are identified by the fruit vegetable discrimination device, and provided on the side of the fruit vegetable transport body In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method of moving fruit vegetables to the pool conveyor corresponding to this discrimination result among
When the fruits and vegetables determined by the fruit and vegetable determination device are conveyed to the pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result, the fruits and vegetables are moved from the vegetable carrier to the pool conveyor and placed on the pool conveyor,
The pool conveyor on which the fruit vegetables are loaded conveys the fruit vegetables at the same speed as the speed at which the fruit vegetables have moved from the fruit carrier to the pool conveyor, or at the same speed as the loading speed.
The above-described pool conveyor transports fruit vegetables at a residence speed that is lower than the above-mentioned fruit speed after transporting the fruit vegetables for a predetermined section at the above-mentioned fruit-time speed. In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method according to claim 1,
After the fruit vegetables are identified by the fruit vegetable identification device, the number or presence of subsequent fruit vegetables that have the same identification result as this fruit vegetable within a predetermined time is measured and this is used as the fruit vegetable conveyance density,
An automatic fruit vegetable selection method, wherein the pool conveyor speed corresponding to the fruit vegetable discrimination result is changed based on the fruit vegetable conveyance density. The fruit transporter is provided with a fruit transporter in which an endless travel body is provided with a large number of fruit vegetable carriers, a fruit vegetable discriminating device capable of discriminating the fruit vegetables being transported, and a pool conveyor provided on the side of the fruit transporter. In the fruit vegetable automatic sorting device that conveys the fruit vegetables placed on the fruit vegetable carrier by the above and can move the fruit vegetables to the pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result determined by the fruit vegetable determination device,
When the fruit vegetables determined by the fruit vegetable determination device are transported to the pool conveyor corresponding to the determination result, the fruit vegetables are moved from the fruit carrier to the pool conveyor to be placed on the pool conveyor. ,
The pool conveyor is capable of transferring fruit and vegetables at two or more speeds,
When the fruit vegetables are placed on the pool conveyor, the pool conveyor is operated at the same speed as the speed at which the fruit vegetables move from the fruit carrier to the pool conveyor, or at the loading speed which is substantially the same speed,
An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus characterized in that when the fruit and vegetables are conveyed in a predetermined section at the aforementioned fruit speed, the pool conveyor is operated at a staying speed that is lower than the aforementioned fruit speed. In the fruit vegetable automatic sorting device according to claim 3,
A measuring means for measuring the number or presence of subsequent fruit vegetables having the same determination result as the fruit vegetables within a predetermined time after the fruit vegetables are discriminated by the fruit vegetable discriminating apparatus, and setting this as the fruit vegetable conveying density, and the fruit vegetable conveying density And a control means for shifting the staying speed of the pool conveyor based on
An automatic fruit vegetable sorting apparatus capable of operating a pool conveyor corresponding to the result of discrimination of the fruit vegetables at a staying speed corresponding to the fruit vegetable conveyance density measured by the measuring means. In the fruit vegetable automatic sorting device according to claim 3 or claim 4,
The pool conveyor consists of two or more belt conveyors arranged in the transport direction of the pool conveyor,
The first belt conveyor arranged closest to the fruit vegetable carrier can receive the fruit vegetables from above the fruit vegetable carrier and deliver the fruit vegetables to the second belt conveyor adjacent to the downstream side. It has a conveyor length of a predetermined section length that conveys fruit and vegetables at the speed at the time of loading,
The second and subsequent belt conveyors can deliver fruit and vegetables to the belt conveyor when there is a belt conveyor on the downstream side, and can be operated at a loading speed and a dwelling speed. Sorting device.

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