JP3335663B2 - Agricultural sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a plurality of agricultural products whose sorting categories are determined by measuring the sorting category elements by a measuring device while being transported by a sorting conveyor are provided for each sorting category. The present invention relates to a sorting device for agricultural products that is sorted and discharged from a sorting conveyor by a corresponding discharging device among the discharging devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of discharge devices are provided for each sorting section, and the agricultural products whose sorting categories are determined are discharged from any of the plurality of discharging apparatuses of the corresponding sorting section. And Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-250982 are known.

[0003] The intermittent transfer device for each set number described in the above-mentioned publication includes a plurality of discharge actuating devices (discharge devices) for each class (an example of a sorting section) and a plurality of discharge actuating devices in a sorting section of a sorting conveyor. Each time a predetermined number of vegetables are discharged (discharged) onto the discharge conveyor for each class, the discharge destination is automatically switched and discharge is performed. In this conventional apparatus, the sorting signal for each class is output to only one discharging actuating device that is switched to perform the discharging operation for a plurality of discharging actuating devices of the corresponding class, and the release of vegetables is performed. Is performed, and when this one discharging actuator releases a predetermined number of vegetables, the sorting signal of this class is automatically switched to be output only to another discharging actuator of that class. It is. In addition, this conventional device is
It is configured to intermittently drive a carry-out conveyor on which a number of released vegetables (a predetermined number) is loaded.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus,
Although a plurality of discharge actuating devices (ejecting devices) are provided for each class, as described above, the sorting signal for each class is switched to a plurality of discharge actuating devices of the corresponding class to perform discharge operation. Since the output is output to only one of the discharge actuation devices, it is possible that the switched discharge actuation device breaks down or the discharge actuation timing is shifted due to some phenomenon in the device, thereby causing malfunction. Then, the vegetables are not released at a predetermined release position (release position for each class), and become a return product (a product that is transported to the end of the sorting conveyor and then returned to the starting end of the conveyor and re-sorted). However, there is a disadvantage that the sorting efficiency is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and in the agricultural product sorting apparatus provided with a plurality of discharging devices for each sorting section of the agricultural product, any one of the discharging devices may be out of order or the discharge operation timing may be shifted. Even if malfunctions occur due to abnormalities, agricultural products can be discharged at a predetermined discharge position (discharge position according to sorting category) as much as possible, and the generation of return products can be reduced as much as possible, improving sorting efficiency. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for sorting agricultural products that can be used.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in the invention of an apparatus for sorting agricultural products according to the first aspect of the present invention, the agricultural products are placed along a transfer path of a sorting conveyor for placing and transferring the agricultural products sequentially in a line. A measuring device for sequentially measuring the sorting components of the agricultural products, and a plurality of discharging devices respectively prepared for each of the sorting devices, and a discharge device corresponding to the sorting signal for each of the sorting devices based on the measurement result of the measuring device. device to actuate the by the sorting apparatus that performs a sorting discharge of agricultural products, said meter
A sorting control device that outputs a sorting signal for each of the sorted sorting of the measured agricultural product to each of the plurality of discharge devices of the sorting category in synchronization with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural product each time the measuring device measures. When, the outputted sorting segment of sorting signals that are input to the corresponding sorting segment plurality of discharge device for, for each plurality of the discharge device of the relevant sorting segment
Is obtained by a construction which is characterized in that a control device for switching in one of the states to prevent non state arrested.

[0007] In the invention of the agricultural product sorting apparatus according to the second aspect, in the invention according to the first aspect, the control device may be configured so that the number of agricultural products discharged by the same discharging device is set to a predetermined number. When the discharge reaches the predetermined number of agricultural products, the discharge device is set to the non-blocking state after the predetermined number of agricultural products are sent out.

[0008]

According to agricultural sorting apparatus of the present invention configured as described above [action], sorting classification elements of agricultural products which are sequentially <br/> transported is placed on the sorting conveyor in a row successively by the measuring device < When the measurement is performed, the measurement is performed each time the measurement is performed by the measurement device .
Sorting signals for each sort of agricultural products are sorted by the sorting control device.
The output is output to each of the plurality of discharge devices of the corresponding sorting section in synchronization with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural product. All for each of the plurality of discharge device for sorting sections of appropriate for sorting signals for this sorting Ward fractionation is output, each of the discharge device by the control device switching to the state to block the state of not blocking the input of the sorting signals Is controlled, for example, if each of a plurality of discharge devices prepared for the same sorting section is in a state where the input of the sorting signal is not blocked, the most upstream discharging device along the transfer path of the sorting conveyor. Agricultural products are discharged from the sorting conveyor by the operation of the apparatus. In this case, each of the discharging devices of the sorting section downstream of the most upstream discharging device is operated by a sorting signal output in synchronization with the movement of the position where the agricultural product was placed on the sorting conveyor. However, since the agricultural products have already been discharged from the sorting conveyor, the agricultural products are operated idle (they do not discharge agricultural products but operate). Therefore,
Among a plurality of discharge devices in the same sorting section, the discharge device on the most upstream side fails, or the discharge operation timing is shifted due to some phenomenon in the device, and does not operate normally, and the discharge device discharges agricultural products. Even if something cannot be done, the agricultural products can be discharged from the sorting conveyor by the operation of the discharging device of the sorting section immediately downstream of the most upstream discharging device, and the agricultural products can be returned products. Absent. Further, for example, the most upstream discharge device of the plurality of discharge devices of the same sorting section is in a state in which the input of the sorting signal is blocked, and each of the downstream discharge devices is not blocked from input of the sorting signal. In this state, the most upstream discharging device among the respective downstream discharging devices is operated to discharge agricultural products. In this case as well, the discharge device of the sorting section downstream of the discharge device that has discharged agricultural products on the upstream side operates idle as described above (three or more discharge devices are provided for the same sorting section). In case you have). Therefore, even in this case, even if the upstream discharge device malfunctions or the like does not operate normally, the agricultural product can be discharged from the sorting conveyor by the downstream discharge device, and the agricultural product can be discharged. Is never returned. That is, in the agricultural product sorting apparatus of the present invention, the discharging apparatus located at the most upstream side in the state where the input of the sorting signal is not blocked out of the plurality of discharging apparatuses prepared for the same sorting section has priority. It operates to discharge the agricultural products of the sorting section from the sorting conveyor, and the discharge device located at the most upstream side breaks down or the discharge operation timing is shifted due to some phenomenon in the device, and it is normal. total of it even occurs, sorting controller from the measurement apparatus does not operate in
Each time the measurement is performed, the measured sorting signal for each sorting category of the agricultural product is output to each of the plurality of discharge devices of the corresponding sorting category in synchronization with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural product, so that the normal The agricultural products in the sorting section can be discharged by the discharging device of the sorting section on the downstream side of the discharging device that does not work, and the agricultural products do not become return products, so that the sorting efficiency can be improved. still,
In the present invention, in a plurality of discharge devices of the same sorting section,
If any of the discharge devices does not operate normally, and there is no discharge device that is not blocked from inputting the sorting signal downstream of the generated discharge device, a return product is generated. As long as there is an unblocked discharge device, no return products are generated, and the generation of return products can be reduced as much as possible, and the sorting efficiency can be improved.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an agricultural product sorting and packaging facility suitable for implementing the agricultural product sorting apparatus of the present invention will be described below.

1 is a plan view showing a sorting and packaging facility for agricultural products, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, FIG. 3 is a detailed explanatory view of a hopper device, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a control device for controlling the number. It is.

This sorting facility sorts relatively small agricultural products such as peppers and the like into classes such as four or five for each class as an example of sorting and packs them in small bags. Facility, and in the example shown in FIG.
4 are packed for each class, and 5 for the class M.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a sorting device as a sorting device, which is roughly composed of a sorting conveyor 2, a measuring device 3, a calculating device 4, each discharging device 5 (5a,..., 5f), each control device 9 and the like. It is configured. The sorting conveyor 2 is provided in a single-row type, on which sorting objects, which are agricultural products, are placed and sequentially transferred in a line. The measuring device 3 is provided as a measuring means such as a camera device (not shown) at a predetermined position on the upstream side of the sorting conveyor 2, and sequentially measures the shape and dimensions as sorting and sorting elements of the sorting objects sequentially transferred in a line on the sorting conveyor. The measurement signal is sent to the arithmetic unit 4.

Although not shown, the arithmetic unit 4 includes a class determining unit and a sorting control unit as a sorting control unit. The class determining unit determines a predetermined class and a minimum based on a measurement signal sent from the measuring device 3. , The classification control unit determines the class or the minimum or maximum by comparing with the standard value of the maximum, and the sorting control unit sorts and discharges the sorted objects having the class determination or the minimum or maximum at a predetermined position. Alternatively, the minimum / maximum sorting signal is sent to each of the plurality of discharge devices (5a ... c or 5d ... f) of the corresponding class or to the minimum / maximum discharge device 52. The output is synchronized with the movement of the placement position of the sorting object on the sorting conveyor 2. That is, they are sequentially conveyed in a line on the sorting conveyor 2
Agricultural products that are to be sorted are sequentially measured by the measuring device 3.
The arithmetic unit 4 applies each time the measurement by the measuring device 3 is performed.
All of the multiple emission devices of the class
The sorting signal is output in synchronization with the movement of the placement position.

Reference numerals 5a ... f denote discharge devices provided at predetermined intervals along the transfer path of the sorting conveyor 2. Three upstream devices (5a ... c) of the plurality of discharging devices 5 are set to discharge those of the L class, and the following three downstream devices (5d ... f) It is set to discharge those of the M class. In the vicinity of the discharge devices 5a... F, sensors S for counting the number of objects to be sorted discharged from the discharge devices 5a. The signals output from the sensors S are input to corresponding control devices 9 described later.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a draw-out conveyor, which is provided in a direction orthogonal to the sorting conveyor 2 in correspondence with each of the discharging devices 5, receives a sorting object discharged from the sorting conveyor 2, and carries it out of the machine ( Sending out).

Numeral 52 is a discharge device for discharging a very small or a maximum unsorted unsorted material.
a ... f can be used. The sorting object discharged by the discharging device 52 is stored in a receiving box 53.

The above-described minimum, maximum, and maximum specification values, determination of the minimum and maximum, output of the minimum and maximum sorting signals from the sorting control unit to the discharge device 52, and the like are described above. Since the matters relating to the maximum have nothing to do with the present invention, description thereof will be omitted below.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a hopper device, which stores a predetermined number of objects to be sorted which are carried out by the respective draw-out conveyors 51 provided below the end portions of the respective draw-out conveyors 51. In the drawing of the example, four objects are accommodated in the class and five objects are accommodated in the class of M. This hopper device 6 has a shutter 61 at the bottom.
The shutter 61
Although not shown, an actuator such as a cylinder is combined, and is configured to open and close by a signal.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a transfer conveyor, which is provided at a predetermined position below each hopper device 6 in a direction parallel to the sorting conveyor 2. The transfer conveyor 7 is provided with a large number of storage units or buckets 71 capable of storing a predetermined number of objects to be sorted in a traveling conveyor chain 72.
A predetermined number of items to be sorted, which are discharged from the container, are accommodated in each bucket 71 and transferred, and are automatically supplied to the bagging and packaging device 8 arranged at the end of the transfer path.

As the bag packing device 8, for example, a known bag making and filling machine using a plastic film can be used.

In some cases, the bag packing and packaging apparatus 8 is provided with the transfer conveyor 7 integrally.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a control device provided for each hopper device 6, that is, for each discharge device 5.
Counts the signal output from the sensor S that detects the sorting object every time the sorting object is discharged from the sorting conveyor 2, and when the counted number reaches a preset number, the discharging device 5 In order to stop the operation, the sorting signal is prevented from being input to the discharge device 5. When the discharge portion of the hopper device 6 in which the sorted objects are accommodated and the empty bucket 71 of the transfer conveyor 7 during transfer correspond to each other, the discharge signal for operating the shutter 61 is output. The sorted objects in the hopper device 6 are stored in the bucket 7 of the transfer conveyor 7.
1 so that the sorting signal is not prevented from being input to the discharging device 5 so that the operation of the discharging device 5 in the blocking state is restarted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 9 for discharging the objects to be sorted into the empty bucket 71 includes a position sensor A for detecting the position of the bucket 71, When a signal is sent to the control device 9 after detecting the bucket 71 transferred to a position slightly upstream from the discharge timing, the sensor K detects whether or not there is an object to be sorted at the bottom of the bucket 71. 9 is sent to the hopper device 6 from the control device 9.
An emission signal is output to the actuator of the shutter 61 of FIG.

Although the control devices 9 are individually arranged for each hopper device 6 in the illustrated example, they can be collectively controlled in one place.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.

The object to be sorted placed and transported on the sorting conveyor 2 is measured in shape and dimension as a class element by the measuring device 3, and a measurement signal is inputted to the class judging section of the arithmetic device 4. The class determination unit of the arithmetic unit 4 determines the class based on the measurement signal by comparing it with a preset standard value of the class, and sends a class determination signal to the sorting control unit of the arithmetic unit 4.
The sorting control section outputs a sorting signal for each class for sorting and discharging the determined sorting object at a predetermined position to all of the three discharging devices 5 of the corresponding class, respectively. Output in synchronization with movement. According to the sorting signal, the sorting object transported on the sorting conveyor 2 is the most upstream of the discharging devices 5 capable of discharging (in a state where the input of the sorting signal is not prevented by the control device 9). By the operation of the discharge device 5 on the side, the paper is sorted and discharged onto the pull-out conveyor 51 and stored in the hopper device 6 by the pull-out conveyor 51. At the time of this discharge, if the discharge of the sorted material is detected by the sensor S, the signal is input to the control device 9. It should be noted that, among the discharge devices 5 that can perform the discharge operation, the discharge device 5 of the class on the downstream side of the discharge device 5 on the most upstream side operates idle. Therefore, even if the discharge device 5 on the most upstream side breaks down or the discharge operation timing is shifted due to some phenomenon in the device 5 and the discharge device 5 does not operate normally, the discharge device that does not operate normally The discharge device 5 immediately downstream of the device 5 can sort and discharge the sorting object from the sorting conveyor 2 to the discharging position of the class, and the sorting object does not become a return product.

Each of the control devices 9 is controlled in accordance with the flow chart of FIG. 4. When the sorted objects are sorted and discharged by the corresponding discharging device 5, they are inputted from a sensor S for detecting this. The signal is counted each time the signal is input, and this value is set to a preset number (L in the example in the figure).
When the number reaches four (M5), the operation of the discharging device 5 that has performed the discharging operation is stopped (the sorting signal is prevented from being input to the discharging device 5). In the hopper device 6 in which the predetermined number of objects to be sorted are thus stored, the position sensor A detects that the bucket 71 of the transfer conveyor 7 can be received, and the empty state is detected by the sensor K. At this time, the shutter 61 is opened by the release signal output from the control device 9, and the contained sorted objects are discharged into the empty bucket 71. When the detection is completed, the control device 9 clears the counted number and restarts the operation of the stopped discharge device 5 (in a state where the input of the sorting signal is not prevented), and repeats the same operation as described above. .

On the other hand, for the sorted objects to be discharged at the discharge position of the class when the operation of the discharge device 5 is stopped, a sorting signal of the same class as the stopped discharge device 5 is sent from the sorting control unit. The discharge device 5 on the most upstream side among the other discharge devices 5 is discharged from the sorting conveyor 2 onto the pull-out conveyor 51, accommodated in the hopper device 6, and discharged to the transfer conveyor 7 in the same manner as described above. Done. During this time, when the stop of the operation of the discharging device 5 that is stopped on the upstream side is released by the control device 9, the discharging device 5 is the most upstream discharging device 5 among the discharging devices 5 of the three classes. Is immediately discharged from that location.

Also, while the hopper 6 is waiting for the empty bucket 71 of the transfer conveyor 7 after the hopper 6 has been determined, the controller 9 inputs a sorting signal to the discharge device 5 corresponding to the hopper 6. And discharge is performed by the discharge device 5 on the most upstream side among the discharge devices 5 that can perform the discharge operation in the class.

That is, the operation of the discharge devices controlled by the respective control devices 9 is such that when there are a plurality of discharge devices 5 that can be discharged in the same class, the discharge device 5 on the most upstream side
Acts so as to operate with priority.

The objects to be sorted, which are discharged in this way and are separately transferred by the transfer conveyor 7 by a predetermined number of ranks, are supplied to the bagging and packaging apparatus 8 arranged at the end of the sorting and bagging by rank. Is done.

If the number of ejected pieces (count value) is different from the set value, the control device 9 can display the abnormal number so that the number can be corrected manually (count matching).

The selected objects in the small bag state packed into four or five small bags by the bag packing device 8 can be sorted manually, but for each bucket 71 to be transferred,
If the information for each class of the sorted articles stored is sent to the bag packing apparatus 8 in synchronization, automatic sorting can be performed after the small bags are packed.

In the example shown, the class for sorting and discharging is 2
Although the description has been made with the class (L, M) set, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0035]

Sorting apparatus for agricultural products of the present invention exhibits, along the transfer path of the sorting conveyor for successively transferring in one row by placing the agricultural products to the measuring device and the sorting segment for sequentially measuring the sorting compartment component of agricultural products A plurality of discharging devices respectively provided for the sorting device, wherein the sorting device performs sorting and discharging of agricultural products by operating a corresponding discharging device according to a sorting signal for each sorting category based on the measurement result of the measuring device. Measurement
A sorting control device that outputs a sorting signal for each of the sorted sorting of the measured agricultural product to each of the plurality of discharge devices of the sorting category in synchronization with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural product each time; Switching of the input of the sorting signal for each of the sorting categories to the plurality of discharge devices of the corresponding sorting category is switched to a state of not blocking or a state of blocking the discharging signal for each of the plurality of discharging devices of the corresponding sorting category. And a control device, the sorting control device controls the measured agricultural product every time the measurement device performs measurement.
By outputting all synchronized with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural products to each of the corresponding sorting discharge in the sorter to the sorting segment-specific sorting signals of the object, prepared for the same sorting segment
Among the plurality of discharge device that is, the control device is the sort discharge the agricultural products from the sorting conveyor by the operation on the most upstream side discharge apparatus is in a state that does not block the input of the sorting signals, outermost even upstream of the discharge device Since the discharge device of the sorting section downstream of the device is operated idle, the discharge device on the most upstream side malfunctions or the discharge timing is shifted due to some phenomenon in the discharge device and does not operate normally. Even if this occurs, the agricultural product can be sorted and discharged from the sorting conveyor by the discharge device immediately downstream of the most upstream discharge device, and the generation of return products can be reduced as much as possible. Can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sorting and packaging facility for peppers embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a detailed explanatory view of a hopper device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for controlling the number in the control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Sorting device 2: Sorting conveyor 3: Measuring device 4: Computing device 5, 5a,..., 5f: Discharging device 51: Pull-out conveyor 52: Discharging device 53: Receiving box 6: Hopper device 61: Shutter 7: Transfer Conveyor 71: Bucket 72: Conveyor chain 8: Bag packing device 9: Control device S: Sensor A: Position sensor K: Sensor

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-32770 (JP, A) JP-A-2-4488 (JP, A) JP-A-62-250982 (JP, A) JP-A-49-20667 (JP) , B1) Jikken 46-2296 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B07C 5/36 B65G 47/46-47/51

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] Along the transfer path of a sorting conveyor on which agricultural products are placed and sequentially transferred in a row, sorting elements for agricultural products are separated.
Measuring device to measure sequentially and prepared separately for each sorting section
And a plurality of discharge devices, the sorting apparatus that performs a sorting discharge of agricultural products by actuating the discharge device applicable by sorting Segment of sorting signals based on the measurement result of the measuring device, each time the measurement of the measuring device A sorting control device for outputting the measured sorting signal for each sorting category of the agricultural product to each of the plurality of discharge devices of the corresponding sorting category in synchronization with the movement of the mounting position of the agricultural product; and A control device for switching the input of the sorting signal for each sorting category to the plurality of discharge devices of the corresponding sorting category to a state in which it is not blocked or a state in which the sorting signal is blocked for each of the plurality of discharging devices of the corresponding sorting category. And a sorting device for agricultural products. 2. The control device sets the blocking state when the number of agricultural products discharged by the same discharging device reaches a predetermined number set in advance, and sets the blocking state after sending out the discharged predetermined number of agricultural products. The agricultural product sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a discharge device is set to the unblocked state.