JP3321340B2 - Agricultural sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to apples, pears, persimmons,
Tomato, the agricultural products of the flower, etc., the present invention relates to selected BetsuSo location of agricultural products to be used for screening evaluation to every producer in Fruit lot or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a sorting facility for collecting and shipping agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables, producers put the products in containers such as containers and transport the products on a sorting conveyor.
For example, an operation of performing measurement processing by an imaging device and the like, image processing and sorting by an arithmetic processing device and the like, and sorting by a predetermined classification is performed.

[0003] This operation is an important sorting operation for sorting agricultural products into a predetermined category and packing and shipping them in groups of uniform quality. At the same time, the evaluation results of the sorted agricultural products are paid to each producer. This is also an important task in that it provides a basis for calculating consideration. From such a viewpoint, in the following description, “selection” in the following description includes the meaning of sorting into a predetermined classification and the meaning of “selection evaluation” that calculates evaluation data that is the basis for price calculation of agricultural products.

[0004] For sorting evaluation, it is necessary to identify which producer the evaluated agricultural product belongs to,
In the conventional sorting operation, it is common to carry out the sorting operation with a time lag for each producer for this identification.

[0005] For such a conventional sorting method and apparatus, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-454 related to a fruit and vegetable sorting method.
No. 37, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2 for a sorting device using an electronic scale
Japanese Patent Publication No. 34767/34 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-5262 concerning a fruit sorting apparatus for evaluating each cargo port.

[0006] As a conventional concrete method for sorting agricultural products in a mechanized facility with a time lag for each producer, a plurality of pull-in conveyors are arranged in parallel in a agricultural product supply section to the sorting conveyor, and the plurality of pull-in conveyors are arranged. An example is a method of manually supplying (transferring) agricultural products of one producer placed on a drop-in conveyor to a sorting conveyor. As a result, a state is ensured in which only agricultural products of one producer are conveyed on the sorting conveyor in distinction from other cargo ports. The reason why a plurality of pull-in conveyors are arranged in parallel with the sorting conveyor as described above is to enable a large number of workers to work in parallel to improve the producer.

Further, in conjunction with the above-mentioned processing, a full-time operator uses the cargo receiving slip attached to the first container of the agricultural product carried on the incoming conveyor to identify the producer who brought the agricultural product. It is common to input the consignment data such as the code and the number of receiving containers into the evaluation data aggregation processing device. In recent years, the use of magnetic cards, barcodes, ID cards, etc. has become widespread to avoid input errors. I have.

[0008] By the way, in the sorting operation as described above,
After completing the work of transferring the produce (load) of one producer from the incoming conveyor to the sorting conveyor, the work procedure to be performed when switching to the produce of the next producer (load) is to aggregate the evaluation data of the produce. It is important in relation to doing. This will be described in more detail with reference to a conventional cargo switching operation.One of the important things at the time of cargo switching is that agricultural products of different cargoes are transferred to the other conveyor on the sorting conveyor. In order to avoid mixing (mixing) with other agricultural products.

[0009] As described above, the problem of agricultural products being mixed in different consignments is a problem because if they are present, the evaluation of agricultural products cannot be tabulated for each producer, and agricultural products having different consignments are mixed on the sorting conveyor. The possibility arises from the fact that a plurality of draw-in conveyors are juxtaposed in the above-mentioned equipment in order to improve productivity. In other words, it is extremely rare in practice that the work of transferring agricultural products from the pull-in conveyor to the sorting conveyor is simultaneously completed in a plurality of pull-in conveyors. However, if the cargo port is switched for each pull-in conveyor, the mixing is inevitable. Because it is a result.

[0010] Therefore, in the conventional cargo port switching operation, after the transfer operation of all the agricultural products of one producer conveyed to the pull-in conveyor is completed, a break in the load is placed on the sorting conveyor (the agricultural products are placed on the sorting conveyor). In general, the above-mentioned mixture is prevented by making an area (not shown). For example, if the sorting conveyor is a bucket type,
A predetermined number of empty buckets are continuously flown (moved) in the continuously operating sorting conveyor, and it is clarified that the cargo port has been switched before and after the continuous empty buckets, and also indicates a break in the load. While the sorting work is paused due to the empty bucket area flowing on the sorting line, the full-time operator inputs that there has been a change, and also inputs the producer code etc. of the producer who will perform the next sorting evaluation The above-described operation is performed.

[0011]

However, the work of switching the consignments needs to be considered also from the viewpoint of productivity (efficiency of the sorting process) and equipment costs, and from this viewpoint, it is performed as described above. Considering the conventional cargo port switching work, if the above-mentioned work is performed in a facility in which a plurality of incoming conveyors are arranged side by side, if the transfer operation of some of the incoming conveyors is completed, the transfer operation for that conveyor is interrupted. For this reason, there is a problem that an empty area is generated in the sorting conveyor by an amount corresponding to the work related to the pull-in conveyor. As described above, when the transfer of the agricultural products on all the incoming conveyors is completed, an empty area for clearing a break is created for switching to the next consignment port. Therefore, from these facts, the filling rate as a whole is reduced by the amount of free space generated for each of the above-mentioned reasons,
As a result, there is a problem that high productivity cannot be obtained.

Although the degree of the decrease in the filling rate depends on the number of processing cargoes per unit time, generally, the sorting and evaluation equipment has a processing capacity of 20 to 20 when the continuous operation is performed without waste (filling rate is 100%). It is reduced by 30%. For this reason, the equipment to be introduced into the fruit sorting plant must be designed with a sorting capacity in consideration of the reduced capacity, and as a result, the number of sorting conveyors must be designed to be large, or equipment with a high capacity must be designed. Need to be introduced, resulting in a problem that leads to excess equipment having a capacity 20 to 30% higher than required capacity, an increase in installation area, and an increase in equipment cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sorting facility in which a plurality of draw-in conveyors are arranged side by side with respect to the sort-out conveyor, and the transfer work from each of these draw-in conveyors to the sort-out conveyor is performed independently without any restriction. while we possible, simultaneously, different producers of agricultural products are distinguished by producers and allows to select evaluation, while thereby separately reliably aggregating producers evaluation data of agricultural products, agricultural products to simultaneously sorting conveyor selecting another agricultural products can exhibit a high productivity can be substantially 100% filling factor
It is to provide an equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the size of equipment to be introduced into a sorting plant or the like and reduce the equipment area by efficiently utilizing the processing capacity inherent in the sorting equipment as described above. It is to provide a selection BetsuSo location of effective agricultural products.

[0015] Yet another object of the present invention does not require a full-time operator for inputting consignment information regarding agricultural carried into fruit sorting field, etc., mechanization, agricultural products which can constitute the equipment suitable for automated A sorting device is provided.

[0016]

The feature of the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned object is that the conventional "method of supplying agricultural products by producers and sorting and evaluating them so that cargoes by producers do not coexist" has been changed to " producers consignment is intended to provide a selection BetsuSo location of a completely new producers another selection evaluation system be mixed and the selectable sorting evaluation system "in the supply section.

[0017] That is, characteristics of agricultural products of the sorting apparatus of the present invention comprises a sorting conveyor for conveying the produce in a line, it is supplied produce a so many accommodating containers sequentially, and move the agricultural products in the container to the sorting conveyor A plurality of transfer work areas spaced apart in the transport direction of the sorting conveyor so as to perform loading operations independently of each other, and a weighing unit arranged downstream of the transfer work area in the sorting conveyor Means, a measuring device such as an imaging camera, and the sorting device for the agricultural products is measured by the measuring device, and the sorting device that sorts the agricultural products based on the measurement result is used to transfer the agricultural products to the sorting conveyor. the transfer work region work has been performed to the output means of the transfer work area identification signal identifying and outputting for each agricultural products, the container being supplied to the plurality of transfer workspaces And output means of the recording has been produced identification signal output by reading the information identifying at least producers, and output means of the evaluation data signal to output the evaluated data of agricultural products measured by the measuring device, the related to the agricultural Transfer work area identification signal, producer identification signal and evaluation data
Means for associating a data signal, there is to forming a structure that includes an arithmetic processing unit for recording classified by the producer of the evaluation data of each agricultural these signals whose correspondence relationship has been as input information.

[0018] In the above, an operator who performs transfer operations may if carried out in two or more transfer operation <br/> industry region, for example the transport speed and the transfer operations of the sorting conveyor so as not to create an empty bucket Is set as appropriate according to the number of. Note that the structure of the sorting conveyor is not limited to the bucket, belt conveyor for conveying at irregular intervals in the front-rear agricultural products, it is also possible to use a either slat conveyor, or so-called free tray type such as a conveyor.

The sorting of produce to be measured by the measuring equipment, components for the evaluation may be different even common elements of appraisal and sorting sorting is, as these elements, size, weight The necessary elements are appropriately selected and selected from the class elements such as class, external grade elements such as scratches, shapes and colors, and internal grade elements such as sugar content and ripeness.

In order to obtain information on the transfer work area where the transfer work has been performed to the sorting conveyor, for example, although not limited, for example, a certain length in the transport direction of the sorting conveyor At the most downstream position of the transfer work area set in the above, the detection is performed by detecting with a suitable sensor or the like whether or not an agricultural product is loaded on a bucket moving downstream from this transfer work area. be able to. In addition, the record information of the container in which the agricultural product in which the information of the transfer work area is detected is stored (producer identification information ).
Information) can be obtained by reading the record information of the container supplied at that time to the transfer work area where the transfer work was performed. Incidentally, when the consignments (producer) is switched in identifying agricultural filled container, the at the time of該切instead
The transfer operation from the next container whose cargo port has been switched may be interrupted until all the buckets existing in the transfer operation area are detected by the sensor. Specifically, a lamp or the like is turned on in the transfer work area at the time of switching the cargo port to instruct the interruption of the work. From this time, for example, eight buckets corresponding to the number existing in the transfer work area are described above. The lamp can be turned off at the time of detection by the sensor, and the transfer operation can be restarted. The interruption time of this operation is usually 3 to 4 considering the bucket transport speed of 2 to 3 buckets per second.
Is about seconds, yet during interruption of the transfer operation, performs operations for discharging the exhausted container (the container) to another location, predetermined mounting該移 the following agricultural products filled container workspace The operation of carrying the material to the position can be performed, and the sorting with substantially no waste can be performed. With this, the recorded information of the container corresponds to the information of the transfer work area detected by the sensor.
(Producer identification information) can be surely matched.
However, in the present invention is not limited thereto, it may be employed Toka provide a large number over the entire transfer work area the sensor, the method including providing a transfer detecting means to the bucket.

[0021] In a feature of the present invention described above, transferring the work area identification signal, because producers identification signal and evaluating means for associating the data signal, but are not limited to, for example, a transfer workspace The transfer work area identification signal of the agricultural product on a certain bucket detected and output by a sensor or the like is linked to the record information (producer identification signal) of the container in the transfer work area at the time of this detection, and Faith
The signal and the evaluation data signal for the agricultural product on the bucket on which the measurement was performed can be synchronized and matched at the bucket feed pitch. When the sorting conveyor was a free tray type, a unique number such as a barcode was attached to the bucket, and the unique number of the bucket on which the agricultural product was transferred was read and stored, and the agricultural product was measured. Alternatively, the unique numbers of the buckets may be read and associated with each other. In addition, the order in which the buckets are transferred can be matched.

In such a sorting apparatus, the record information recorded in the container is used as information for identifying the producer, information indicating the total number of containers of the producer, and information indicating the container number. For the arithmetic processing device that uses the signal read and output as input information, the counter for integrating the number of containers of the same producer and the producer by detecting that the integrated number of containers has become the total number of containers of the producer. Each of the producers is provided with a discriminating means for discriminating the end of the agricultural product supply and a counting means for counting the evaluation data for each producer based on the determination of the agricultural product supply end. The point in time of the processing may be determined.

[0023]

In the agricultural product sorting apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of
In the transfer work area, at least the producer identification information (producer code) of the container in which the agricultural product is placed, and the total number of containers and the container identification information are read as necessary by the producer identification signal output means.

The agricultural supplied on sorting conveyor, by passing through the position of the output means of the transfer work area identification signal for each transfer the work area provided along the sorting conveyor, transfer was performed transfer operations The loading work area is detected and associated with the producer identification information read from the container.

Next, elements for sorting and evaluation are measured by a measuring device provided along the transport path of the sorting conveyor.

The producer identification signal (and, in some cases, the total number of containers and container identification information) obtained by the producer identification signal output means, and the transfer work area obtained by the transfer work area identification signal output means a signal detected for each agricultural products, the a measuring de <br/> over data signals obtained by the measurement device, is sent to the processing unit each time that it detects.

The arithmetic processing unit is , for example, a sorting conveyor,
By providing a clock generator that outputs a clock signal in synchronization with the movement of the sorting conveyor, the transport position of the agricultural product transported based on the signal of the clock generator can be grasped and tracked over time. This arithmetic processing device , for example, starting from the signal output from the output means of the transfer work area identification signal that the agricultural product supplied on the sorting conveyor first intercepted, the output means of the producer identification signal prior to this The read producer identification information is moved to the measuring device by a clock signal in synchronization with the movement of the agricultural product, and is linked to the evaluation data that is the measurement result of the measuring device. This allows
Even when agricultural products of different producers are mixed and transported from a plurality of transfer work areas on the same sorting conveyor, the evaluation data can be aggregated for each producer.

Further, after the agricultural products in the container have been supplied to the sorting conveyor, the container is replaced with the next container, and the producer identification information (producer code) of the container newly read by the producer identification signal output means is processed by the arithmetic processing unit. At the time of receipt, it can be determined that the supply of the agricultural products in the preceding container to the sorting conveyor has been completed, whereby the arithmetic processing unit checks whether or not the supply of all the containers of the producer has been completed. If all the containers have been completed, a process for ending the evaluation of the producer is performed after the measurement by the measuring device and the processing of the evaluation data are completed.

On the other hand, if the producer identification information (producer code) of the newly received producer identification signal output means is new data (different producer), the arithmetic processing unit performs a new production. It is determined that the sorting of the agricultural products in the container of the producer is to be started, and the evaluation data buffer (memory) for the agricultural products of the producer identification information is secured, and the agricultural products to be supplied to the sorting conveyor from the work area for transferring the agricultural products from now on. And obtains the producer identification information, and performs a sorting process for each agricultural product. Also, if the agricultural product evaluation data buffer is already secured for the received producer identification information, it is recognized as a consignment under evaluation and the individual agricultural products are similarly sorted.

Thus, the reloading process (sorting management for each lot) can be automatically performed.

[0031] Incidentally, at the time when the supply of agricultural products from the next container is not performed, with the signal sorting end of evaluation in the arithmetic processing unit, the end agricultural evaluation data Taba <br/> Ffa which was treated as ongoing Perform processing.

[0032]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

First Embodiment The present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 which shows the present invention as a system including various devices of a general sorting facility.

Numeral 10 denotes a container (container) which is randomly loaded with the agricultural products S and is carried into the fruit sorting place. At least producer identification information is recorded. Preferably, in addition to this, a cargo volume (total number of containers) is added. A data carrier 1 on which container identification information (serial number, unique number, etc.) is recorded is attached to a position (outer wall surface or the like) suitable for reading by data reading devices 2a, 2b described later. The data carrier 1 is an information recording medium in which record data such as characters, numerals, symbols of figures, or magnetic information is recorded on paper, board, magnetic material, or the like. It is desirable to record each record of the container identification information and the unloading amount on the data carrier 1 by using these records so that the number of incoming containers and the actual number of sorting processing (the actual sorting of agricultural products is performed).
This is because the end of the work of the consignment can be confirmed by matching with the container quantity .

In this example, the containers 10 carried into the fruit sorting place are placed in a row on a single container supply conveyor 8, and are distributed and supplied to the following two intake conveyors 9a and 9b.

Reference numerals 9a and 9b denote draw-in conveyors, two of which are arranged side by side at substantially right angles to the vicinity of the downstream end of the container supply conveyor 8 as shown in FIG. When the paper is sequentially distributed and supplied from the conveyer 8, the transfer end portion is stopped as a transfer work position and the transfer work can be performed. 2
Reference numerals a and 2b denote data reading devices, which are disposed near the transfer work positions (end portions in the illustrated example) of the corresponding draw-in conveyors 9a and 9b, respectively. It is provided to read the recorded contents of the data carrier 1.

Numeral 7 designates a bucket type sorting conveyor for rotating buckets provided at regular intervals endlessly, and is provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the two feed-in conveyors 9a and 9b as shown in FIG. From the position where the agricultural products S are transferred from the container 10 on the buckets 9a and 9b one by one to the bucket, the measuring device 4 and the discharge solenoid 11 serving as the sorting device.
, The agricultural product S is sorted, discharged, and then rotated again to the transfer position. In addition, the conveyors on the two-line pull-in conveyors 9a and 9b
As shown in FIG. 1, the operation of transferring the agricultural products S from the tener 10 to the bucket is performed by transferring the agricultural products S to every other bucket in the upstream pull-in conveyor 9b and transferring the remaining agricultural products in the downstream pull-in conveyor 9a. It is preferable to perform the work so as to transfer the data to the bucket, but the present invention is not limited to such a work form.

3a and 3b are the agricultural products S mounted in the bucket.
Transfer area identification, which identifies which of the transfer areas A and B (see FIG. 3) as transfer work areas are divided by these sensors. It is a sensor. In the example of FIG. 3, in the transfer area B, the transfer area identification sensor 3b detects for each bucket of the sorting conveyor 7 whether or not the agricultural product S has been transferred and supplied from the incoming conveyor 9b. In A, the transfer area identification sensor 3a detects whether or not the agricultural product S has been transferred and supplied from the pull-in conveyor 9a. Note that the transfer area identification sensor 3a (that is, the sensor on the most downstream side) is disposed in front of the measuring device 4 in the illustrated example, but may be located at the same position as the measuring device 4. In the case of a sensor such as a camera, the function may be partially used. However, this configuration (the configuration in which the sensor 3a is at the same position as the measuring device 4 ) increases the time from supply to detection when the distance between the downstream pull-in conveyor 9a and the measuring device 4 is long. In many cases, it is preferable to provide the sensors so as to perform one-to-one detection for each pull-in conveyor (for each transfer area). Also, by providing sensors for each transfer area as described above,
Since the upstream sensor (3b in FIG. 3) can identify the bucket for which transfer is prohibited, the bucket in which the agricultural product S has been transferred in the downstream area A can be reliably identified.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a measuring device for measuring predetermined items (elements necessary for sorting and evaluation judgment) necessary for sorting and evaluation of the agricultural products S transported by the bucket of the sorting conveyor 7, such as a camera and It is configured by means capable of measuring a predetermined sorting element (evaluation element) such as a weight measuring apparatus, an internal quality inspection apparatus, or a combination thereof.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a synchronous clock generator for outputting a signal (bucket clock signal) synchronized with the movement of the bucket (agricultural product) as a pulse signal. The synchronous clock generator 5 is provided in connection with the driving of the sorting conveyor 7, and is shown in FIG. As shown, information on the progress of a predetermined bucket is sent to the arithmetic processing unit 6 described later, and this progress information is used for measurement, sorting, totaling of evaluation data, and the like. This will be described later.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a discharge solenoid constituting a sorting device, which is disposed downstream of the sorting conveyor 7 for each sorting section, and which receives a command from a later-described sorting signal from the arithmetic processing unit 6 to sort the corresponding sorting section . Agricultural product S at discharge position
Tilt the bucket to discharge the water.

[0042] Figure 2 is per arithmetic processing apparatus described above, shows the relationship between the hardware circuitry and peripheral devices in block diagram.

Signals from the data reading devices 2a and 2b, the transfer area identification sensors 3a and 3b, the measuring device 4 and the synchronous clock generating device 5 are transmitted to the arithmetic processing device 6 through a communication interface 604 and an input / output interface, respectively. 605, input through the measurement signal input interface 606.

A ROM 602 stores processing procedures.
(Read only memory), 603 RAM showing the temporary data memory definitive in process (random access memory), 601 is a MPU (microprocessor unit) for executing processing.

The sorting signal output by the arithmetic processing unit 6 is output to the discharge solenoid 11 via the input / output interface 605.

The arithmetic processing unit 6 outputs the obtained evaluation data for each cargo port to the personal computer 12 via a LAN (local area network) interface 607. The personal computer 12 includes a touch panel unit 13 or a keyboard, a mouse (not shown), a display 14, a printer 15, and a hard disk 16 as peripheral devices, and is configured to be able to perform operations, display and print evaluation data and the like, save data, and the like. ing.

In the present embodiment, the sorting is performed while simultaneously supplying the agricultural products S of different loading ports from a plurality of transfer work areas ( transfer areas A and B ) on a single sorting conveyor 7.
Apart from sorting and sorting, the evaluation data of each agricultural product S can be evaluated and aggregated by consignment (by producer). That is,
The producer identification information (producer code), cargo volume (total number of containers), container identification information (serial number and unique number) read from the data carrier 1 and the measurement data of the measuring device 4 are stored in the synchronous clock generator 5. utilizing the information can be combined in the processing unit 6 for each agricultural S each, therefore, produce S of the producers in the processing unit 6
Can be tabulated as evaluation data.

It should be noted that in the figure of this example, a single sorting conveyor
It was a 7, the sorting conveyor 7 may be a plural rows, further, the number also pull conveyor 9 can be optionally installed. The setting of the number of strips is usually set based on the amount of sorting at each sorting place.

This processing method will be described with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the details of the supply unit of FIG. At the time of switching to the transferer, the container 10 of the preceding producer of the former is present on the pull-in conveyor 9a, and the transfer area identification sensor 3b
From the transfer area A on the downstream side partitioned by the above, the agricultural products S of the producer A are supplied to the sorting conveyor 7. On the other hand, from the transfer area B, the agricultural product S of the next producer B is supplied. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the agricultural products S of Party A and Party B are mixed and conveyed on the sorting conveyor 7 .

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which agricultural products S of different loading ports are mixedly transported on the sorting conveyor 7. The agricultural products S transported on the sorting conveyor 7 are individually passed after passing through the measuring device 4. Since the producer identification information (producer code) of Party A and Party B and the measurement data of measuring device 4 are linked and transported, for Party A and Party B, the evaluation data of agricultural products S carried by Aggregation can be performed for each producer. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously sort out the consignments of a plurality of producers with one sorting conveyor 7 .

FIG. 5 shows a plurality of transfer work areas (transfer areas
FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating a progress state in which agricultural products S of different producers supplied from A, B) onto the sorting conveyor 7 are advanced in synchronization with the movement of the sorting conveyor 7 and sent to the measuring device 4 for measurement. As can be seen from the figure, the read and stored producer identification information can be sent in synchronization with the movement of the conveyor and linked with the measurement data measured by the measuring device 4.

For the above processing, the RAM 603 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a tracking buffer for registering data relating to the transfer area (that is, identification information of the producer of the agricultural product S in the bucket) and an address pointer of the tracking buffer are provided. In the embodiment, the description has been made such that the producer identification information and the measurement data are linked using the tracking buffer. However, as a different method, for example, unique information (unique number) is given to a bucket by a barcode or the like. The producer identification information is stored together with the number. Further, at the time of measurement, this number is read, and measurement data is stored together with this number. In this way, the identification number of the producer and the measurement data are linked from the unique number of the bucket.
With can also Rukoto.

The tracking buffer schematically shown in FIG. 5 is a buffer related to the number obtained by converting the distance between the upstream transfer area identification sensor 3b and the measuring device 4 into the number of pulses generated by the synchronous clock generating device 5. Capacity (0, 1, 2, ... 1
1) is given, and the address pointer points to the address of the tracking buffer. When the address pointer matches the buffer capacity, the address pointer is returned to 0, and the tracking buffer is managed in a ring shape. In this example, FIG.
As shown in (1), since the interval between the transfer area identification sensor 3b and the measuring device 4 is 10 clocks, the tracking buffer capacity is set to 12. In FIG. 5, the reason why the tracking buffer is expressed in a clock-like manner is to make the description of the process easier to understand, and does not show the actual configuration.

The procedure for registering the producer identification information in the tracking buffer based on the clock signal output from the synchronous clock generator 5 is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment, which is performed as described above, will be described below in accordance with the processing procedure over time.

(1) When the container 10 is carried into the fruit sorting place, data relating to the producer is input by a data writing control device provided on a not-shown receiving line, and the container with each agricultural product is input by the data writing device. Information on the consignment (producer identification information, total number of containers, serial number, etc.) is recorded on the data carrier 1 attached to the data carrier 10.

(2) The container 10 distributed and supplied from the receiving line via the container supply conveyor 8 to the incoming conveyors 9a and 9b is attached to the container 10 and recorded on the data carrier 1 on which information on the cargo port is recorded. The contents are read by the data reading devices 2a and 2b. Thereby, information as to whether the agricultural product S supplied to the bucket of the sorting conveyor 7 belongs to the producer is transmitted to the arithmetic processing device 6 via the data communication means.

(3) The supply worker 20 supplies and transfers the agricultural products S taken out from the container 10 containing agricultural products to the bucket of the identification conveyor 7 in each area separated by the transfer area identification sensors 3a and 3b.

(4) The transfer area identification sensors 3a and 3b detect the agricultural products S conveyed on the sorting conveyor 7 to detect in which area the products S are transferred to the sorting conveyor 7. The signals detected by the transfer area identification sensors 3a and 3b are output to the arithmetic processing unit 6 to identify the producer of the agricultural product S mounted on each packet.

(5) When the agricultural products S conveyed by the sorting conveyor 7 pass through the measuring device 4, items necessary for sorting and evaluating the agricultural products S, for example, grade and rank, are measured, and the measured data is calculated. It is sent to the processing device 6.

[0061] (6) processing unit 6, the data reading device 2a, and the detected output growers regarding the data signal (producer identification signal) by 2b, it was detected by transfer area identification sensor 3 outputs A signal for specifying the producer of the agricultural product S on the sorting conveyor 7 and the measuring device 4
And a signal for evaluation of the agricultural product S measured by the method described above, based on the synchronization signal (clock signal).
Combine as data for When measuring, the measurement result (measurement) is stored in the evaluation data buffer of the corresponding producer.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure for registering the evaluation result (grade class determination result ) and the evaluation result.

(7) The data measured by the measuring device 4 is compared with, for example, class values and class values set in advance in the arithmetic processing device 6 to determine the grade of the agricultural product S and the class. . At this stage, it is specified which producer (consignment) the agricultural product S that has passed through the measuring device 4 is, and what the grade and class for sorting and evaluation are. The arithmetic processing unit 6 outputs the obtained sorting signal for each grade and class to the discharge solenoid 11 in synchronization with the movement of the agricultural product S.

According to the above-described processing, even if the agricultural products S of a plurality of producers (loading ports) are supplied and transported in a mixed state on the sorting conveyor 7 as shown in FIG. The producer data on each of the installed agricultural products S and the evaluation data of the grade and rank determination results are calculated.
Since they are combined in the processing device 6, the evaluation data of the agricultural products can be reliably aggregated for each producer.

The process of totalizing the evaluation data for each producer will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a view for explaining the evaluation data buffer area for each producer secured in the RAM 603 of the arithmetic processing unit 6.

(8) The arithmetic processing unit 6 communicates the contents (producer identification information (producer code) , the total number of consignment containers, and the serial number) of the data carrier 1 of the container 10 containing agricultural products read by the data reading device 2. Receive via interface 604.

(9) When the contents of the data carrier 1 are input, the arithmetic processing unit 6 sets the RAM 60 in each transfer area.
Fruit container reception buffer 6 with its area secured in 3
It is searched whether 031 is empty or registered.

(10) If empty, search the plurality of evaluation data buffers 6032 whose areas are secured in the RAM 603, and retrieve the producer code (producer identification information ) received in (8).
(B) Search whether the evaluation data buffer of ( b) is secured.

(11) If not secured, the producer code and the total number of containers are registered in an empty evaluation data buffer as a new evaluation cargo port, and the evaluation data buffer is secured.

(12) In (9), the processing of the preceding container is already performed, and the fruit container reception buffer 60
If it has already been registered in the container 31, the evaluation data buffer 6032 is searched based on the producer code of the preceding container, and the container end flag of the buffer is set based on the container number.

(13) Further, the total number of containers is checked against the container end flag to check whether or not the supply of all containers in the relevant consignment has been completed.

(14) When the supply is completed, the number of bucket clock pulses generated by the synchronous clock generator 5 corresponding to the distance from the front of the corresponding supply port to the measuring device 4 is registered in the tracking counter.

(15) After the above (9) to (14), the contents (producer code and container number) of the data carrier received in (8) are registered in the fruit container reception buffer 6031.

(16) On the other hand, the tracking counter value of the evaluation data buffer 6032 registered in (14) is based on the bucket clock signal generated by the synchronous clock generator 5 as the sorting conveyor 7 moves. bring down count each time received via the input-output interface 6 05.

(17) Further, it is checked whether the tracking counter has become zero.

(18) Zero, that is, the final agricultural product S put into the sorting conveyor 7 reaches the measuring device 4, and after the final agricultural product S is measured, the evaluation data buffer 6032
In this case, the evaluation data of the agricultural product S is recorded, and the consignment end processing is performed.

The unloading end processing is performed in the evaluation data buffer 6
032 is transferred to the personal computer 12 via the LAN interface 607, the evaluation slip is issued by the printer 15 of the
To store data.

(19) Thereafter, the evaluation data buffer 6032 of the producer code is cleared, and the next use is permitted.

[0078]

As described above, according to the method and apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) In a sorting facility in which a plurality of incoming conveyors are arranged side by side with respect to the sorting conveyor, it is possible to perform the transfer work from each of these incoming conveyors to the sorting conveyor independently without restricting each other. At the same time, it was possible to sort and evaluate the agricultural products of different producers separately for each producer. High productivity of 100% can be achieved.

(2) As described above, the processing capacity inherent in each device such as a sorting conveyor can be effectively exhibited, so that the equipment to be introduced into a fruit sorting place or the like can be reduced in size and the equipment area can be reduced. Is done.

(3) Since there is no need for a dedicated operator to input cargo information on agricultural products carried into a fruit sorting place or the like, mechanized and automated labor-saving equipment can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of an overall configuration of a sorting device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a relationship between a hardware circuit configuration of an arithmetic processing device used in the device of FIG. 1 and peripheral devices thereof.

[3] Details view for explaining a state when agricultural transferring work from pull conveyors to selected conveyor in sorting apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a progress state of a bucket in a measurement part in the sorting device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining processing by a tracking buffer or the like for linking producer identification information or the like and measurement data in the sorting apparatus of FIG. 1;

6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering the producer identification information of the agricultural product on the bucket into the tracking buffer in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering (accounting) the measured value and the grade class determination result in the evaluation data buffer of the corresponding producer when the measurement of the agricultural product is completed.

8 is a diagram illustrating the commentary <br/> value data buffer area producers to be secured in the RAM of the processor.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Data carrier, 2a, 2b ... Data reading device, 3
a, 3b: transfer area identification sensor, 4: measuring device, 5:
Synchronous clock generator, 6 arithmetic processing unit, 7 sorting conveyor, 8 container feeding conveyor, 9a, 9b drawing-in conveyor, 10 container, 11 discharging solenoid, 1
2 ... Personal computer, 13 ... Touch panel unit, 14 ... Display, 15 ... Printer, 16 ...
hard disk.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sorting conveyor for transporting agricultural products in a line and a container containing a large number of agricultural products are sequentially supplied, and the operation of transferring the agricultural products in the containers to the sorting conveyor is performed independently. comprising a plurality of transfer work region set by spaced in the conveying direction of the sorting conveyor, and arranged on the conveyance downstream side of the transfer work region of the sorting conveyor measuring device, of agricultural products by the measuring device sorting the elements for evaluation is measured, the sorting apparatus that performs a sorting of produce on the basis of the measurement result, the transfer work region work has been performed for transferring agricultural products to sorting conveyor identify each agricultural products Means for outputting a transfer work area identification signal to be output, and a producer which reads and outputs at least information for identifying the producer recorded in the containers supplied to the plurality of transfer work areas. Output means of an identification signal, output means of an evaluation data signal for outputting evaluation data of the agricultural product measured by the measuring device, and correspondence of the transfer work area identification signal, producer identification signal, and evaluation data signal relating to each agricultural product. And a processing unit for classifying and recording the evaluation data of each agricultural product for each producer by using these associated signals as input information. 2. The recording information according to claim 1 , wherein the record information recorded in the container is information for identifying a producer, information indicating a total number of containers of the producer, and information indicating a container number. The arithmetic processing device that reads the information and uses the output signal as input information includes a counter that integrates the number of containers of the same producer and a production device that detects that the integrated number of containers has become the total number of containers of the producer. An agricultural product sorting device, comprising: a determination unit that determines the end of the supply of agricultural products for each producer; and a tally processing unit that counts evaluation data for each producer based on the determination of the end of the supply of agricultural products.