JP2017189749A - Article selector - Google Patents

Abstract

SOLUTION: An article selector 2 comprises: transport means 4 for transporting fruit 1; imaging means 5 for imaging the fruit 1 on the transport means 4; determination means 6 for recognizing quality and a position of the fruit 1 based on the image imaged by the imaging means 5; and first and second robots 7, 8 (discharge means) for discharging the fruit 1 from the transport means 4, based on the quality and the position determined by the determination means 6. A brake plate 14 (rotation means) for rotating the fruit 1 on the transport means 4 is provided and a rotation section A for rotating the fruit 1 and a non-rotation section B in which the fruit 1 is not rotated are provided within an imaging range of the fruit 1 imaged by the imaging means 5. The determination means 6 determines the quality of the fruit 1 based on the image of the fruit 1 transported on the rotation section A, and recognizes the position of the fruit 1 based on the image of the fruit 1 transported on the non-rotation section B.EFFECT: As an effect, it is possible to recognize the quality, based on whole circumference of fruit 1, and to discharge the fruit 1 by discharge means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an article sorting apparatus, and more particularly, to an article sorting apparatus including a discharge unit that discharges a required article from a transport unit based on quality and position determined by a determination unit.

Conventionally, conveying means for conveying an article such as fruit vegetables, photographing means for photographing an article on the conveying means, determining means for recognizing the quality and position of the article based on an image photographed by the photographing means, and the determining means There is known an article sorting apparatus provided with a discharging means for discharging a required article from the conveying means based on the quality and position determined by (Patent Document 1).
In the article sorting apparatus of Patent Document 1, the determination unit recognizes the outer shape of the article from the photographed image and determines the grade thereof, and the picking position (pick point) for picking up the article from the recognized outer shape is determined. It comes to recognize.

JP-A-7-237621

However, when the rot occurs only in a part of the fruit vegetables as described above and the rot portion is located at the blind spot from the photographing means, the photographing means of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 cannot photograph the rot portion, and the judging means Could not recognize this.
Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-286515, it is conceivable to rotate the article on the conveying means and take a picture of the entire circumference of the article. Since the points fluctuate, there arises a problem that the discharging means cannot pick up the fruits accurately.
In view of such a problem, the present invention provides an article sorting apparatus that can recognize the quality of an article from the entire circumference of the article, and that can be accurately discharged by the discharging means.

That is, the article sorting device according to the invention of claim 1 recognizes the quality and position of an article based on a conveyance means for conveying the article, an imaging means for photographing the article on the conveyance means, and an image photographed by the imaging means. In an article sorting apparatus comprising: a determination unit that performs the operation, and a discharge unit that discharges an article from the transport unit based on the quality and position determined by the determination unit.
A rotating means for rotating the article conveyed by the conveying means;
The photographing range of the article by the photographing means is set so that a rotating section in which the rotating means rotates the article and a non-rotating section in which the article does not rotate are set,
The determination unit is characterized in that the quality of the article is determined from an image of the article conveyed in the rotating section, and the position of the article is recognized from the image of the article conveyed in the non-rotating section.

According to the above invention, by rotating the article on the conveying means by the rotating means, the photographing means can photograph the entire circumference of the article, and the determining means can reliably determine the quality of the article.
In addition, since the rotation section and the non-rotation section are set in the photographing range of the photographing means, the position of the article can be accurately recognized in the non-rotation section, so that the article can be accurately discharged by the discharge means.

Front view of the article sorting apparatus according to the present embodiment The figure explaining the photography range by photography means

FIG. 1 shows an article sorting device 2 that sorts fruits 1 such as mandarin oranges as articles. The fruit 1 with scratches, poor coloring, and spoiled parts (hereinafter referred to as a defective fruit). ) And fruit 1 whose size deviates from a predetermined standard (hereinafter referred to as an extraordinary fruit) is selected and discharged.
This article sorting device 2 is provided between a supply means 3 for supplying the collected fruits 1 at random and an equal class sorting device (not shown) for sorting the fruits 1 based on size and sugar content. Prior to grading the fruits 1 in the equal class sorting device, the above-mentioned bad fruits and unfavorable fruits are eliminated in advance.
The article sorting device 2 determines the quality and position of the fruit 1 on the basis of the conveying means 4 for conveying the fruit 1, the photographing means 5 for photographing the fruit 1 on the conveying means 4, and the photographed image of the photographing means 5. A recognizing determination means 6; and first and second robots 7 and 8 as discharge means for discharging the defective fruit and the unfavorable fruit from the conveying means 4 based on the quality and position determined by the determination means 6. These are controlled by a control means (not shown), and the determination means 6 can be incorporated in the control means.

The transport means 4 includes a chain conveyor 11 provided in parallel and a plurality of rollers 12 rotatably provided between the chain conveyors 11, and the chain conveyor 11 includes sprockets 11a provided at both ends. It is stretched between them and is driven by driving means 13 such as a motor.
The conveying speed of the chain conveyor 11 is recognized by an encoder (not shown) provided on the sprocket 11a, and the conveying speed can be changed by controlling the driving means 13.
As shown in FIG. 2, the roller 12 is provided in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, and enters the gap between the adjacent roller 12 and the roller 12 so that the fruit 1 does not fall. .
With the above configuration, when the roller 12 rotates, the fruit 1 in contact with the roller 12 rotates in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the roller 12. Means may be formed.

The conveying means 4 of the present embodiment is provided with a brake plate 14 as a rotating means for rotating the fruit 1 on the conveying means 4. A portion where the brake plate 14 adjacent to the downstream side of the rotation section A is not provided is defined as a non-rotation section B.
The brake plate 14 is provided so as to come into contact with the back surface side of the roller 12 that moves on the conveying surface side that conveys the fruit 1, and rotates the roller 12 by generating a frictional force with the roller 12. It is supposed to let you.
As will be described in detail later, the rotation section A provided with the brake plate 14 is within the photographing range of the photographing means 5. Therefore, when the roller 12 is rotated and the fruit 1 is rotated, the entire circumference thereof is The image is taken upward by the photographing means 5 in order.
When the roller 12 passes through the rotation section A provided with the brake plate 14 and reaches the non-rotation section B, the roller 12 stops rotating and the rotation of the fruit 1 is stopped. Means 5 is adapted to photograph the fruit 1.
As the rotation means, in addition to the brake plate 14, each roller 12 is provided with a motor so as to rotate, or a belt conveyor that generates friction with the roller 12 instead of the brake plate 14 is used. It may have other configurations such as providing.

The photographing means 5 is provided above the conveying means 4 and a conventionally known CCD camera can be used. A white LED 15 for irradiating light in the visible wavelength region and an ultraviolet LED 16 for irradiating light in the ultraviolet wavelength region are provided adjacent to the photographing means 5.
The photographing means 5 has a photographing range for photographing the fruit 1 conveyed by the conveying means 4 as shown in FIG. 2, and images the entire width of the conveying means 4 in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. In the transport direction, the rotation section A provided with the brake plate 14 and a part of the non-rotation section B adjacent to the downstream side are photographed.
The white LED 15 and the ultraviolet LED 16 emit light alternately at intervals of, for example, 100 msec, and the photographing unit 5 alternately photographs the image of the fruit 1 irradiated with the visible light and the image of the fruit 1 irradiated with the ultraviolet light. Thus, the photographed image is transmitted to the determination means 6.
As a result, the fruit 1 conveyed by the conveying means 4 is photographed a plurality of times while being irradiated with visible light and ultraviolet light while being conveyed in the photographing range of the photographing means 5, and the rotation section A In this case, the entire circumference is photographed by rotating, while the non-rotating section B is photographed without rotating.
In addition, it is also possible to use a CMOS camera as the said imaging | photography means 5, and it replaces with this about ultraviolet LED16, and combines a near-infrared LED and white LED, or a combination of ultraviolet LED, near-infrared LED, and white LED. Can also be used.

The determination means 6 determines the quality and position of each fruit 1 from the image photographed by the photographing means 5 and transmits the holding position to the first and second robots 7 and 8 using the determination result. It is supposed to be.
As described above, the photographing unit 5 photographs the fruit 1 at a predetermined interval. However, since the fruit 1 in the rotation section A is rotating, the shape of the fruit 1 in plan view every time it is photographed by the photographing unit 5. Will change. Therefore, the same fruit 1 cannot be recognized based on the planar view shape from the preceding and following images.
Therefore, the determination unit 6 recognizes the planar view shape and the center position of all the fruits 1 from the previously photographed image using a conventionally known method, and also recognizes the coordinate value in the photographing range of the center position. .
Subsequently, the determination unit 6 recognizes the center coordinates of all the fruits 1 from the next photographed image, calculates the distance between the center coordinates of the fruits 1 in the preceding and following images, and determines the distance between them as the transport speed of the transport unit 4. And the transport distance calculated from the photographing interval.
And the determination means 6 determines with the same fruit 1 in the image which the corresponding fruit 1 follows before and after when the distance of the center coordinates of the said fruit 1 corresponds to the said conveyance distance, or substantially corresponds.
Thereafter, when the fruit 1 moves to the non-rotating section B, the fruit 1 stops rotating, but the determination means 6 continues to recognize the center position of the fruit 1 moving through the non-rotating section B using the above method.
And if the fruit 1 passes the imaging | photography range of the imaging | photography means 5, the said fruit 1 will continue to be conveyed in the non-rotation area B, and the determination means 6 will convey each fruit 1 based on the conveyance speed of the said conveyance means 4. The position of the means 4 is continuously recognized.
In addition, about the position of each fruit 1 in the said conveyance means 4, it can recognize more correctly by considering the following method in addition to the said method.
As a first method, the determination unit 6 recognizes the color and size of the fruit 1 from the image of the fruit 1 captured by the imaging unit 5, and the fruit 1 having the same color and size in the preceding and following images. Can be recognized as the same fruit 1.
As a second method, a line-shaped laser beam is irradiated onto the fruit 1 conveyed through the imaging range of the imaging unit 5, and the determination unit 6 determines the size of the fruit from the laser beam deformed along the fruit 1. And fruits 1 having the same size in the preceding and following images can be recognized as the same fruit 1.

Next, the determination unit 6 determines whether or not the fruit 1 is scratched and the degree of color development from the image of the fruit 1 photographed by irradiating the white LED 15, and determines whether or not the fruit 1 is an extraordinary fruit. To do.
Regarding the presence or absence of scratches on the fruit 1, it is possible to use a conventionally known determination method, and the entire circumference of the fruit 1 is photographed by the photographing means 5 while the fruit 1 is conveyed in the rotation section A. The determination means 6 can reliably recognize the presence or absence of scratches and the degree of color development for each fruit 1.
Whether or not the fruit is an unfavorable fruit can be recognized based on the diameter in the planar view image of the fruit 1, and the diameter from each direction is measured as the fruit 1 rotates, so even one of them can be recognized. When the diameter is less than or exceeds the required dimension, the fruit 1 is determined as an extraordinary fruit.
In addition, whether or not the fruit is an extra fruit can be determined based on the size and number of scratches formed on the fruit 1 and the degree of color loss such as vitiligo, and the fruit 1 rotates. These determinations can be made from each direction.

Next, the determination means 6 determines the presence or absence of a rot portion in the fruit 1 from the image of the fruit 1 taken by irradiating the ultraviolet LED 16.
Recognizing the presence or absence of rot of the fruit 1 by irradiating ultraviolet light is well known in the art and will not be described in detail. However, when the fruit 1 is transported through the rotating section A, the entire circumference of the fruit 1 is recognized. Is photographed by the photographing means 5, the judging means 6 can reliably recognize the presence or absence of decay for each fruit 1.
And the judgment means 6 was recognized by either a wound or rot about the presence or absence of the damage concerning the said fruit 1 irradiated with the said visible light, and the presence or absence of rot concerning the said fruit 1 irradiated with the said ultraviolet light. In this case, this is determined as a bad fruit.

The first and second robots 7 and 8 are so-called parallel link type robots that are conventionally known, and have a plurality of arms 7a and 8a protruding from a base portion provided at the top, and tips of the plurality of arms 7a and 8a. In the work range of the first and second robots 7 and 8, recovery boxes 17 and 18 are provided, respectively.
Then, the upstream first robot 7 discharges the fruit 1 having the above-mentioned scratches and spoiled parts out of the fruit 1 transported by the transport means 4 to the collection box 17, and the downstream second robot 8 is out of the above. The fruits are discharged into the collection box 18.
The adsorbing portions 7b, 8b are connected to a negative pressure generating means (not shown), and are configured to adsorb and hold the fruit 1 from above. At this time, by adsorbing and holding the upper surface of the center position of the fruit 1, This can be held stably.
The work range of the first and second robots 7 and 8 is provided on the downstream side of the shooting range by the shooting means 5, and the transport means 4 passing through the work range of the first and second robots 7 and 8 is The non-rotating section B is not provided with the brake plate 14.
With such a configuration, the fruit 1 is transported in a non-rotating state in the work range of the first and second robots 7 and 8, and the fruit 1 in a non-rotating state can be held by the suction portions 7b and 8b. In this case, since it is adsorbed and held at the center position of the fruit 1 recognized by the determination means 6, it can be stably held.
As the first and second robots 7 and 8, a parallel type robot, a scalar type robot or an articulated type robot can be used, and the fruit 1 can be obtained using the adsorbing portions 7b and 8b. In addition to the suction holding configuration, for example, the target fruit 1 is sucked by a suction nozzle, and the sucked fruit 1 is collected in the collection boxes 17 and 18 through a pipe provided continuously to the suction nozzle. May be.

The operation of the article sorting apparatus 2 having the above configuration will be described. First, the pre-sorting fruit 1 accommodated in a container or the like is supplied by the supply means 3 provided on the upstream side of the transport means 4, thereby Fruit 1 is randomly supplied onto the conveying means 4.
Since the fruit 1 enters the gap between the roller 12 and the roller 12 constituting the conveying means 4, the fruit 1 thereafter moves from the entered gap to the gap between the roller 12 and the roller 12 adjacent to the upstream side or the downstream side. It becomes difficult to do.
The fruit 1 conveyed by the conveying means 4 then enters the photographing range by the photographing means 5 and is photographed at a predetermined interval by the photographing means 5 while the white LED 15 and the ultraviolet LED 16 are alternately irradiated.

The photographing range of the photographing means 5 includes a rotation section A in which the fruit 1 is rotated by a brake plate 14 serving as a rotating means provided in the conveying means 4, and a fruit 1 positioned downstream of the rotation section A. Is set to a non-rotating section B that is prevented from rotating.
For this reason, while the said rotation area A is conveyed, each fruit 1 will be image | photographed the said circumference | surroundings by the said imaging | photography means 5, and the determination means 6 is a bad fruit about all the fruit 1, or an exceptional fruit. And the determination result is stored for each fruit 1.
And when the said fruit 1 moves from the rotation area A to the non-rotation area B, since the fruit 1 stops rotation, it becomes possible for the determination means 6 to recognize the center position of each fruit 1, and the said center position is set to the said 1st position. 1 and stored as a suction position by the second robot 7 and 8.

The fruit 1 that has passed through the photographing range of the photographing means 5 is conveyed as it is in the non-rotating section B where the fruit 1 is not rotated by the roller 12, whereby the fruit 1 is recognized by the determining means 6 in the non-rotating section B. To enter these work areas.
The first robot 7 adsorbs and holds the defective fruit by the suction part 7 b when the defective fruit having a scratch or a spoiled part enters the work range, and discharges it to the collection box 17.
At this time, since the fruit 1 is not rotating and the center position does not change, the first robot 7 is based on the center position of the fruit 1 recognized by the determination unit 6 and the transport speed of the transport unit 4. By moving the adsorption part 7b to the center position of the fruit 1, the fruit 1 can be reliably adsorbed and held.
Similarly, the second robot 8 sucks and holds the undesired fruit and discharges it to the collection box 18. For example, the undesired fruit is processed with the above-mentioned bad fruit for processing into a beverage or the like. It is to be collected separately.
In contrast to such a configuration, when the fruit 1 is rotated by the roller 12 and enters the working range of the first and second robots 7 and 8, the fruit 1 slips or the irregular shape of the conveying means 4 is increased. Since it behaves in an unpredictable manner such as moving obliquely with respect to the transport direction, there may be a case where this cannot be sucked and held by the first and second robots 7 and 8.
And about the fruit 1 which was not determined to be a bad fruit or an unfavorable fruit, it is conveyed to an equal class sorting apparatus after that, and is graded based on a magnitude | size, a sugar content, etc.

In the above embodiment, the photographing means 5 is provided immediately above the conveying means 4 and the fruit 1 is photographed from directly above. However, for example, the photographing means 5 is provided on both sides of the conveying means 4 so that these By photographing the fruit 1 obliquely from above with the photographing means 5, the side surface of the rotating fruit 1 can be photographed from both sides, and the shape of the fruit 1 and the presence or absence of scratches can be recognized with higher accuracy.
Also, unlike the above embodiment, when the extra fruits are disposed of in the same manner as the bad fruits, the second robot 8 can be omitted and the extra fruits and the bad fruits can be discharged by one robot. . Moreover, you may make it discharge | emit an unfavorable fruit and a bad fruit with a some robot.
Furthermore, although the fruit 1 is mentioned as an article in the above embodiment, other articles having a substantially spherical shape may be used. Further, the quality is not limited to the spherical shape, and the quality can be determined from the entire circumference of the side surface of the cylindrical article, for example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fruit (article) 2 Article selection apparatus 4 Conveyance means 5 Imaging | photography means 6 Judgment means 7, 8 1st, 2nd robot (discharge means)
A Rotating section B Non-rotating section

Claims (2)

Conveying means for conveying the article, photographing means for photographing the article on the conveying means, determination means for recognizing the quality and position of the article based on the image photographed by the photographing means, quality determined by the determining means, and In an article sorting apparatus provided with discharge means for discharging articles from the transport means based on the position,
A rotating means for rotating the article conveyed by the conveying means;
The photographing range of the article by the photographing means is set so that a rotating section in which the rotating means rotates the article and a non-rotating section in which the article does not rotate are set,
The determining means determines the quality of the article from the image of the article conveyed in the rotating section, and recognizes the position of the article from the image of the article conveyed in the non-rotating section. apparatus. The discharging means has a holding part for holding the article from above,
2. The article sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit recognizes a holding position of the article by the holding unit based on a position of the article conveyed in the non-rotating section.

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