JP3475496B2 - Fruit and vegetable sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sorting of fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, tomatoes and potatoes by size and weight and by quality such as color luster. It concerns the device. 2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
No. 2 publication is available. [0003] In this prior art, a supply unit for fruits and vegetables is provided on the front side of a straight conveyor, and
Distributing sections for distributing fruits and vegetables by quality and size are arranged respectively on the rear side of the transport, and an unsorted conveyor for transporting unsorted fruits and vegetables is provided in the feeding section of the conveyor, and the feeding section of the conveyor is transported. A quality-specific supply section divided by quality along the direction, and a quality resource
Address sensor and an address reader for reading the placement address of fruits and vegetables, a size read sensor is provided between the supply unit and the distribution unit of the conveyor, and the distribution unit is provided with a plurality of distribution unit tables corresponding to quality and size. In this configuration, fruits and vegetables are distributed according to quality and size. [0004] With such a configuration, a worker in a supply section visually judges the quality of fruits and vegetables conveyed by an unsorted conveyor and places the fruits and vegetables in a corresponding quality section of the conveyor. There is no consideration for the work area in which the operator can reload when the operator is in the fixed position, so the operator must perform the reloading operation while moving along the conveyor conveyance direction, resulting in increased fatigue, There is a problem that the empty area where fruits and vegetables cannot be placed is generated, and the sorting efficiency is not improved. [0005] In view of the above, the present invention sets a plurality of quality placement areas in the supply section on the front stage side of the conveyor, where the quality placement areas are long enough to allow the workers to reload the fruits and vegetables at a fixed position. By using a plurality of quality areas, it is possible to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional apparatus and improve the sorting efficiency. [0006] The present invention takes the following technical means in order to solve such problems of the prior art. That is, according to the present invention, the transport start end side of the conveyor 1 is used as the fruit and vegetable supply section 2 and the transport end side is selected and distributed.
And the supply unit 2 of the conveyor 1 has a plurality of quality placing areas 2
a, 2a and the quality placement areas 2a, 2a.
Is set so that the worker at the intermediate position can place the fruits and vegetables on the entire area without substantially walking, and the quality placement area 2a,
2a is divided into a plurality of quality zones a and b, and a quality sensor for detecting the first quality based on whether or not fruits and vegetables are placed on the conveyor 1 at the boundary between the quality zones a and b. 4a, 4
b, and a boundary between the supply unit 2 of the conveyor 1 and the sorting and distributing unit 3 is a second unit for detecting the second quality of fruits and vegetables.
A sensor 5 is provided to move the fruits and vegetables whose quality has been detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b to the second sensor 5 during transportation by the conveyor 1 and to the transport end side of the fruits and vegetables whose quality has been detected by the second sensor 5. A moving distance detector 8 capable of detecting a moving distance is provided, and is based on the first quality detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b and the second quality detected by the second quality sensor 5 in opposition to the sorting and distributing section 3 of the conveyor 1. Sorting and unloading units 6a, 6b, ... for extracting fruits and vegetables by quality judgment are provided .
First and second functions for inputting the detection of the moving distance detector 8
In the fruit or vegetable sorting apparatus provided with calculation control unit 7 and 9, the
2 The operation control unit 9 includes a quality sensor 4 for detecting the first quality.
a) inputting the first quality result based on 4b
Moving distance from the first quality detection position to the second sensor 5
When the second sensor 5 is reached, the second
2 The first quality result of the operation control unit 9 and the distance data correspond to the first performance.
Input to the arithmetic control unit 7 and the second quality result.
The first arithmetic control unit 7 determines the moving distance from the second sensor 5 to the transport end based on the comprehensive quality judgment based on the first quality and the second quality, and the moving distance based on the moving distance. According to the detection of the detector 8, the fruits and vegetables are sorted and taken out by the sorting section 6a,
6b, which is configured to be taken out from the device 6b. [0007] The quality zones a and b of the plurality of quality placement areas 2a and 2a of the supply unit 2 on the transport start end side of the conveyor 1 are
The worker places the fruits and vegetables while visually judging the quality of unsorted fruits and vegetables. At this time, the operator places the quality placement areas 2a, 2a.
If it is located at the middle position in the length direction a, it is possible to easily and efficiently place and supply the fruits and vegetables of all qualities that are visually judged without almost walking by the worker to the entire quality placing area 2a. Next, the fruits and vegetables placed in the quality zones a and b of the quality placement areas 2a and 2a are replaced with the quality zones a and b.
The first quality is detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b when passing through the boundary portion, and the distance to the second sensor 5 of the fruits and vegetables having the first quality detected is detected by the moving distance detector 8. The detection information is input to the second arithmetic control unit 9.
Then, when the fruits and vegetables reach the second quality sensor 5 at the boundary between the supply unit 2 and the sorting and distributing unit 3 of the conveyor 1, the first quality detection information is sent from the second operation control unit 9 to the second operation control unit 9. While being input to the control unit 7, the first arithmetic control unit 7 detects the second quality of the fruits and vegetables by the second quality sensor 5, and then determines the moving distance of the fruits and vegetables from the second sensor 5 to the transport end side. It is detected by the moving distance detector 8. Thus, the overall quality of the fruits and vegetables is determined on the basis of the first quality detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b and the second quality detected by the second quality sensor 5, and the fruits and vegetables of the sorting and extracting units 6a, 6b,. It is taken out to the quality take-out part. An embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below. First, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. The conveyor 1 is configured such that fruits and vegetables are placed on a loading device (not shown) such as a large number of cups and conveyed to the terminal side, and includes a supply unit 2 on the start side and a sorting / distributing unit 3 on the terminal side. The supply unit 2 of the conveyor 1 is divided into quality placement areas 2a, 2a adjacent to each other in the transport direction, and the length of the quality placement areas 2a, 2a in the transport direction is, for example, 1
When the worker 15 is approximately 60 cm to 200 cm and is at a substantially intermediate position in the longitudinal direction, the vegetables and fruits can be placed and supplied to the entire area of the quality placing areas 2a and 2a without walking. The quality placement areas 2a, 2a are divided into quality zones of excellent a, excellent b, good c, and average d, and the operator 15 visually observes the cups in the quality zones a, b. The fruits and vegetables determined are placed one by one. The quality sensors 4a, 4b, and 4b are located at the boundaries of the quality zones of excellent a, excellent b, good c, and average d.
4c and 4d are provided respectively, and when the fruits and vegetables placed on the conveyor 1 pass, the quality is detected. The detection operation of the quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d will be described. Fruits and vegetables are placed on a cup in a quality zone of average d, and when passing through the quality sensor 4d, it is determined that the quality is average d. When the quality of the fruits and vegetables in the cup is determined once, and then passes through the quality sensors 4c, 4b and 4a on the terminal side, it is checked whether or not the quality has already been determined on the transport start side, and the quality determination is performed on the start side. In this case, the quality determination is not performed again, and the once determined quality is not changed. Also, when fruits and vegetables are placed on the cup in other quality zones of good c, excellent b, and excellent a, the quality is similarly determined. A second sensor 5 for detecting a second quality such as shape, color or weight is provided at a boundary between the supply section 2 and the sorting / distributing section 3 of the conveyor 1. In addition, at the position opposite to the sorting and distributing section 3 on the transport end side of the conveyor 1, the first
For each of the qualities of excellent a, excellent b, good c, and average d, a large number of sorting / extracting units 6a, 6b, 6a, 6b, which are respectively distinguished based on the second quality detected by the second quality sensor 5. 6c and 6d are configured. An unsorted conveyor 13 that transports unsorted fruits and vegetables along the outside of the supply unit 2 of the conveyor 1.
Is arranged. A moving distance detector 8 is provided on a portion of the conveyor 1 where a chain drive sprocket (not shown) is provided. When the driving sprocket of the chain of the conveyor 1 rotates, a pulse signal is output from an encoder (not shown), and the fruits and vegetables of the cup of the conveyor 1 are supplied to the quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d. When the quality of the cup is determined, measurement of the moving distance is started. When the cup moves to the terminal side and reaches the second quality sensor 5, the determined quality is input to the arithmetic and control unit 7. Next, control for sorting and extracting fruits and vegetables will be described with reference to FIGS. The moving distance detector 8
Is input to the first and second arithmetic control units 7 and 9. Quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d
, The first quality of the fruits and vegetables is detected, but is input to the second arithmetic control unit 9 of the arithmetic control units 7 and 9 and the cup on which the fruits and vegetables of which the first quality is detected is placed. Is detected by the moving distance detector 8 and input to the second arithmetic control unit 9. Next, the detection information of the quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d input to the second arithmetic control unit 9 indicates that when the cup moves to the second quality sensor 5, the data output device 10 and the data input Via device 11
It is input to the first arithmetic control unit 7. Next, the second quality sensor 5 detects the shape or weight of the fruits and vegetables, and detects the cup on which the fruits and vegetables of the second quality are placed from the second quality sensor 5 to the transport end side. The moving distance to the moving distance detector 8
Is detected by Thus, these pieces of detection information are input to the CPU including the control unit, the arithmetic unit and the register unit, and the first arithmetic control unit 7 including the memory unit of the program memory and the arithmetic memory. In the first arithmetic control unit 7, the second operation
Outgoing information of the first quality from the arithmetic control unit 9 and the second quality sensor
Vegetables and fruits are sorted based on the detection information of the service 5, then,
The sorting command signal from the first arithmetic control unit 7 is supplied to the sorting and extracting device 1
2 is driven to drive a cup sorting / driving device (not shown) of the conveyor 1 to take out fruits and vegetables. Next, the operation will be described. When the unsorted fruits and vegetables are placed on the unsorted conveyor 13 and conveyed, the operator determines whether the quality of these fruits is excellent a, excellent b, good c, or average d. It is visually determined that if the quality is excellent a, the quality zone a of the supply unit 2a is used.
If the quality zone is good c, the quality zone is c quality zone of the supply unit 2a. If the quality is average d, the d quality zone zone of the supply unit 2a
And put them on the cups of the conveyor 1 on the conveyor. Therefore, fruits and vegetables are placed on the cup in the a-quality zone of the supply section 2a, the quality sensor 4a detects that the quality is excellent, and the moving distance of the fruits and vegetables is placed. The moving distance of the detector 8 is sequentially detected and input to the second arithmetic control unit 9. Next, these pieces of detection information are input to the first arithmetic control unit 7 via the second arithmetic control unit 9. Next, when the cup on which the fruits and vegetables are placed is conveyed and reaches the second quality sensor 5, the weight or shape of the fruits and vegetables is detected. Therefore, the quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4c,
4d and the total quality in consideration of the detection information of the second quality sensor 5 are determined by the first arithmetic control unit 7, and the distance from the second quality sensor 5 to the discharge position of the sorting and distribution unit 3 is also determined by the moving distance detector 8. is detected, the control command signal sorting extraction is the first
1 When the cup is output from the arithmetic and control unit 7 and the cup of the conveyor 1 reaches the sorting and unloading position, a cup unloading drive device (not shown) is operated, and the fruits and vegetables are unloaded into the corresponding sorting and distributing unit 3. In the same manner, the quality sensor 4a, 4b,
The first quality is detected by 4c and 4d, then the second quality is detected by the second quality sensor 5, the overall quality is determined based on these qualities, and the quality is extracted from the sorting and distribution unit 3 of the corresponding quality. Next, the difference between the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The conveyor 1 is composed of three sorting lines, and the supply unit 2 at the start end of the conveyor 1 is divided into adjacent quality placing areas 2a, 2a.
In the quality placing areas 2a, 2a of the central conveyor 1, the starting end side has a quality zone of the same quality d, and the end side has a good quality c.
The conveyors 1 on both the left and right sides and the supply section 2 at the start end of the conveyor 1 have a quality zone of excellent quality at the start end and a quality zone of excellent quality at the end. The quality and quality zone is set according to the quality ratio of unsorted fruits and vegetables to streamline sorting. It should be noted that the quality zone of excellent quality can be freely changed by an operator using a setting device (not shown). Next, with reference to FIG. 4, differences from the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be described. The conveyor 1 is composed of two left and right sorting lines.
Are divided into adjacent quality placement areas 2a, 2a, and the quality placement areas 2a, 2a each have
A quality zone of excellent b, good c, and average d is set. Containers 14, 14,... Containing unsorted fruits and vegetables are arranged on the sides of the quality placing areas 2a, 2a, and workers 15, 15,. Take it out and visually judge the quality, and
Is placed on a cup of the conveyor 1 that is passing through the conveyor. Then, the quality sensors 4a, 4b, 4
The overall quality is determined based on c, 4d and the quality detected by the second quality sensor 5, and is taken out from the sorting / distributing section 3 to the corresponding sorting / extracting section 6a. Next, with reference to FIG. 5, differences from the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be described. The conveyor 1 is composed of three sorting lines, and the supply unit 2 at the start end of the conveyor 1 is divided into adjacent placement quality areas 2a, 2a,
In the quality placement areas 2a, 2a of the central conveyor 1, the starting end is a quality zone of the same quality d, the end is a quality zone of good quality c, and the conveyors 1, 1 on both the left and right sides are provided. The supply unit 2 on the start end side has the start end side as a quality zone of excellent quality b and the end side as a quality zone of excellent quality a. Containers 14, 14,... Containing unsorted fruits and vegetables are arranged on the sides of the quality placing areas 2a, 2a, and workers 15, 15,. The quality is visually determined by taking it out, and the quality zone is placed on the cup of the conveyor 1 passing through the corresponding quality zone. Next, FIG. 6 will be described. Fruits and vegetables being conveyed by a cup (not shown) of the conveyor (not shown) are imaged by the camera 16, and this imaged information is input to the arithmetic and control unit 7 via the camera input device 17, and is being conveyed by the conveyor. Is weighed by the load cell 18 and the weighing information is input to the arithmetic and control unit 7 via the load cell input device 19. Further, detection information detected by the quality sensor 20, the taste sensor 21, the X-ray sensor 22, and the like, which are other sensors, is input to the control device 23. Then, the detection information is converted into predetermined numerical information by the control device 23, and then input to the arithmetic and control unit 7 via the known general-purpose input device 24. The imaging information and the weighing information are input to a control circuit (not shown) via an A / D converter (not shown), and numerical information from a general-purpose input device 24 is input. Is directly input to the control circuit. Next, based on the plurality of pieces of detection information, the fruits and vegetables are sorted and sorted, and the quality is graded. When the conveyor cup reaches the sorting and extracting unit (not shown) of the quality, the cup is output via the output device 25. Is driven, and the fruits and vegetables are taken out to the take-out part of the corresponding quality. In the case where a new sensor is added to an existing control device to improve the specification, if the detection information is digitized and input through the general-purpose input device 14 as described above, the change of the existing arithmetic control unit becomes unnecessary. Therefore, cost can be reduced. Next, FIG. 7 will be described. The two conveyors 1 and 1 are arranged close to each other, and fruits and vegetables are placed on a cup or a slat-shaped receiving plate (not shown) of the conveyors 1 and 1, and the color, shape and the like are conveyed during transportation. It is to be measured. On the starting end side of the conveyors 1, 1, for example, C
A color measuring camera 26 of a CD type is arranged. In the color measurement camera 26, the fruit is, for example, 1.
The red, green, and blue color elements are measured each time 5 mm is conveyed,
The data is captured by a CPU (not shown) and sequentially stored, and data of about 50 times is stored for one vegetable. Then
A color value is calculated by dividing the accumulated amount of red by the accumulated amount of green from the accumulated data, and then, for the red and green of the accumulated data, the data which is equal to or smaller than the standard deviation of each. The flaw value is calculated from the number of data, the color value is compared with the reference color value, and the color is determined. Next, FIG. 8 will be described. Above each of the conveyors 1 and 1, for example, a shape imaging means 27, 27 constituted by, for example, a CCD type is arranged, and the shape of the fruits and vegetables being conveyed by the conveyor 1 by the shape imaging means 27, 27. Is measured, and the camera input devices 28, 28 are connected to the arithmetic control unit 7,
7 is input. Further, on the starting end side of the conveyors 1, 1, for example, CC
A D-type color measurement camera 26 is arranged, and the color measurement information of the color measurement camera 26 is transmitted to the color determination device 2.
9. The data is input to the arithmetic and control units 7, 7 via the general-purpose input device 24. Then, the grade of the fruits and vegetables is determined from the shape information and the color determination information, and a take-out command signal is output to the output devices 25 and 25, and the fruits and vegetables are taken out when the fruits and vegetables are conveyed to the corresponding grade take-out section. . A configuration in which a plurality of fruits and vegetables are image-processed by one shape imaging unit 27 may be adopted. As described above, since the detection information is digitized and input via the general-purpose input device 24, the detection information can be processed at high speed without causing a problem of the processing speed.
Can measure the color of a plurality of fruits and vegetables, so that the cost can be reduced as compared to a single device like a conventional device, and a plurality of conveyors 1, 1 can be arranged close to each other,
The installation place is also small. Since the present invention is configured as described above, the quality visually determined by the operator and the second quality sensor 5
, The fruits and vegetables are sorted into a number of quality categories and taken out to the sorting / extracting sections 6a, 6b,... While the supply section 2 at the start end of the conveyor 1 is divided into a plurality of quality zones.
The length of the plurality of quality placement areas 2a, 2a, which are divided into two areas, is set to the entire area without walking when the operator is located in the middle of the quality placement areas 2a, 2a in the longitudinal direction. Since fruits and vegetables can be placed and supplied, fruits and vegetables of all quality determined visually can be placed and supplied to the conveyor 1 easily and efficiently.
Sorting efficiency can be improved by preventing empty conveyance of the conveyor. The first quality is detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b, and the second quality is detected from the detection positions of the quality sensors 4a and 4b.
The moving distance to the sensor 5 is input to the second arithmetic control unit 9.
When reaching the second sensor 5 , the first quality is input to the first arithmetic control unit 7, and the first arithmetic control unit 7 detects the second quality. And the second quality sensor 5
It can be discharged to this by the moving distance of the al transfer terminal end side to reach the fruits or vegetables are detected in this predetermined movement distance. Therefore, the first arithmetic control unit 7 controls the first quality sensor.
Receiving the detection information, and comparing the information with the second quality and the distance data;
Ejection processing can be performed with input, and target fruits such as bucket addresses
There is no need to specify the position and address of the
Thus, stable control can be performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view FIG. 2 is a block diagram FIG. 3 is a plan view FIG. 4 is a plan view FIG. 5 is a plan view FIG. 6 is a block diagram FIG. Front view [FIG. 8] Plan view and block diagram [Description of reference numerals] 1 Conveyor 2 Supply unit 3 Sorting / distributing units 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Quality sensor 5 Second quality sensors 6a, 6b, 6c Sorting / unloading unit 7 First Arithmetic control unit 8 Moving distance detector 9 Second arithmetic control unit 10 Data output device 11 Data input device 12 Sorting and unloading device 13 Unsorted conveyor 14 Container 15 Worker

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-27478 (JP, A) JP-A-1-231882 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B07C 5/00-7/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] The conveyor 1 has a transport start end as a fruit and vegetable supply unit 2 and a transport end as a sorting and distribution unit 3,
The supply section 2 is made up of a plurality of quality placement areas 2a, 2a, and the length of the quality placement areas 2a, 2a is set so that a worker at an intermediate position can place fruits and vegetables on the entire area without walking substantially. The quality placing areas 2a, 2a are divided into a plurality of quality zones a, b, and whether or not fruits and vegetables are placed on the conveyor 1 at the boundary between the quality zones a, b is determined. First
Sensors 4a and 4b for detecting the quality of the fruits and vegetables, respectively, and a second sensor 5 for detecting the second quality of fruits and vegetables is provided at the boundary between the supply unit 2 and the sorting and distribution unit 3 of the conveyor 1. ,
The moving distance of the fruits and vegetables whose quality has been detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b to the second sensor 5 and the moving distance of the fruits and vegetables whose quality has been detected by the second sensor 5 to the transportation end side can be detected during the transportation by the conveyor 1. A moving distance detector 8 is provided, and the first quality detected by the quality sensors 4a and 4b and the second quality detected by the second quality sensor 5 are opposed to the sorting and distribution unit 3 of the conveyor 1.
Selecting extraction portion 6a which fresh produce is taken out by overall quality judgment based on quality, 6b, ... and provided, the moving distance detector
The first and second arithmetic control units 7, 9 for inputting the detection of
In the provided fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, the second arithmetic control unit 9
Is based on the quality sensors 4a and 4b for detecting the first quality.
Inputting the first quality result and checking the first quality.
Enter the travel distance from the exit position to the second sensor 5.
And when it reaches the second sensor 5, the second arithmetic control unit 9
The first quality result and the distance data are input to the first arithmetic control unit 7
Input the second quality result and the first arithmetic control
The unit 7 determines the moving distance from the second sensor 5 to the transport end based on the comprehensive quality judgment based on the first quality and the second quality, and detects the moving distance detector 8 based on the moving distance. And a fruit and vegetable sorting device, wherein the fruit and vegetable are taken out from the sorting and taking-out sections 6a and 6b.