JP3682099B2 - Bar-shaped produce sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rod-shaped agricultural product sorting apparatus that sorts bar-shaped agricultural products such as green onions and burdock by thickness.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Bar-shaped agricultural products such as green onions and burdock are sorted by thickness and shipped to the market. Farmers' yields such as leek and burdock are generally very large. Therefore, the selection of this bar-shaped agricultural product must be performed at high speed with good workability, and it must be accurately selected according to thickness.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, conventionally, a sorting apparatus that satisfactorily satisfies such a demand has not been put into practice, so that many farmers are in a situation of manually sorting bar-shaped agricultural products.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bar-shaped agricultural product sorting apparatus that can sort bar-shaped agricultural products such as green onions and burdock at high speed and accurately by thickness.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention includes a receiving base 3 on which a bar-shaped agricultural product 10 is placed horizontally, a conveyor 1 that conveys the receiving base 3, and a conveyor path in the middle of the conveyor 1. The receiving base 3 is rotated downward. In the bar-shaped agricultural product sorting apparatus provided with the rotating means 13 to 18 of the cradle 3 for dropping the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 placed on the cradle 3 by lowering the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 to the cradle 3 In addition to providing a pillow portion 4 to be mounted, a grounding element 32 that can be moved up and down to contact the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 on the pillow part 4 above the movement path of the pillow part 4 and a rise of the grounding element 32 are detected. Detecting means 34, 36 for providing the grounding element 32. When the detecting means 34, 36 detects that the rising amount of the grounding element 32 is equal to or greater than a set amount, the rotating means 13-18 are operated to move the receiving base 3 Rotate downward to produce bar-shaped produce 1 The is obtained so as to fall downward.
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 is conveyed by the conveyor 1 in a state of being lifted by the pillow portion 4, and the grounding element 32 is grounded to the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 in the middle of the conveyance, Since the thickness of 4 is detected, the bar-shaped agricultural products 10 can be sorted at high speed and accurately by thickness.
[0006]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a sorting apparatus for bar-shaped agricultural products, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part, FIG. 3 is a side view of the detecting means, and FIG.
[0007]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an endless chain as a conveyor, which is tuned to a sprocket 2. The endless chain 1 rotates along the sprocket 2. A large number of cradles 3 are attached to the endless chain 1, and the cradle 3 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A. As shown in FIG. 2, the cradle 3 has a thin box shape, and a pillow portion 4 is provided on the upper surface thereof. A V-shaped groove 5 is formed on the upper surface of the pillow portion 4, and a leek 10 is fitted into the groove 5 and placed thereon. As shown in FIG. 4, the green onion 10 is bent, and when it is placed on the pillow part 4, it slightly floats and lies on the cradle 3.
[0008]
2 and 4, the rotating shaft 6 is mounted horizontally on the bottom of the cradle 3. Both ends of the rotating shaft 6 are rotatably attached to bearings 7 provided inside the endless chain 1. A guide rail 11 is disposed in parallel with the endless chain 1. The roller 12 mounted on the side end surface of the cradle 3 rolls on the guide rail 12.
[0009]
In FIG. 2, a movable guide rail 13 is provided in the middle of the guide rail 11. The movable guide rail 13 is fixed on the slider 14. The slider 14 is slidably mounted on the base plate 15 in a direction perpendicular to the guide rail 11 (directions of arrows B and C).
[0010]
Two pins 16 are erected on the slider 14. 17 is a solenoid, and its rod 18 is inserted between the pin 16 and the pin 16. When the solenoid 17 is activated and the rod 18 is rotated, the slider 14 and the movable guide rail 13 are moved backward in the B direction. Then, the roller 12 rolling on the guide rail 11 cannot transfer onto the movable guide rail 13, and the cradle 3 loses its support and rotates downward (in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 1) around the rotation shaft 6. Then, the green onions 10 placed on the cradle 3 fall onto the lower carry-out conveyor 8 and are conveyed by the carry-out conveyor 8 to the collection location. When the solenoid 17 is operated in the reverse direction, the movable guide rail 13 moves in the direction of arrow C and returns to the original position (a position on the straight line with the guide rail 11). That is, the elements indicated by reference numerals 13 to 18 constitute rotating means for rotating the cradle 3 downward.
[0011]
Next, a detection mechanism for detecting the thickness of the leek 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the detection mechanisms 30 </ b> A and 30 </ b> B are provided at a plurality of locations (two locations in the present embodiment) on the conveyance path of the cradle 3. In FIG. 3, detection mechanisms 30 </ b> A and 30 </ b> B are composed of a grounding element 32 composed of a roller that is pivotally attached to the lower end portion of the arm 31, a shaft support portion 33 that rotatably supports the upper end portion of the arm 31, and a shaft support portion 33. A lever 34 that is longer than the arm 31 extending upward, a bracket 35 provided at a position facing the upper end of the lever 34, a proximity switch 36 and a stopper 37 provided on the front surface of the bracket 35. Yes. As the arm 31 rotates around the shaft support 33, the grounding element 32 can move up and down. The proximity switch 36 and the solenoid 17 are connected via a control unit 38 (FIG. 2), and the solenoid 17 is operated by a signal sent from the control unit 38. Further, by using the grounding element 32 as a roller, even if the grounding element 32 contacts the green onion 10, the green onion 10 is not damaged.
[0012]
In FIG. 3, the grounding element 32 and the lever 34 indicated by solid lines indicate a state in which the grounding element 32 is not grounded to the leek 10. In this state, the upper end of the lever 34 contacts the stopper 37 and is close to the proximity switch 36, and the proximity switch 36 is OFF. As shown by a chain line in FIG. 3, when the green onion 10 placed on the cradle 3 moves immediately below the grounding element 32, the grounding element 32 contacts the green onion 10, and the grounding element 32 rides on the green onion 10 and rises, The lever 34 rotates clockwise and leaves the proximity switch 36. Then, the proximity switch 36 is turned on and the solenoid 17 is operated, and the movable guide rail 13 is retracted in the direction of arrow B in FIGS. As a result, the roller 12 cannot move from the guide rail 11 to the movable guide rail 13, the roller 12 loses its support, the cradle 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow D (FIG. 1), and the leek 10 has a lower carry conveyor 8 Fall on top.
[0013]
As described above, the lever 34 and the proximity switch 36 serve as detection means for detecting the thickness of the green onion 10 from the amount of rise of the grounding element 32. Note that if the ratio of the length L1 of the arm 31 to the length of the lever L2 is increased, the lever 34 is greatly rotated in the clockwise direction even when the grounding element 32 is slightly lifted, and is largely separated from the proximity switch 36. Therefore, by increasing this ratio, the sensitivity of detecting the thickness of the leek 10 can be increased.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, the first detection mechanism 30A and the second detection mechanism 30B have different detection sensitivities. That is, the first detection mechanism 30A on the upstream side of the conveyance path of the cradle 3 detects the thick leek 10, and the second detection mechanism 30B on the downstream side detects the leek 10 having a small thickness. Accordingly, the green onions 10 are sorted in order from the thickest.
[0015]
Further, the pillow part 4 on the cradle 3 moves immediately below the grounding element 32. Therefore, the grounding element 32 is grounded to the leek 10 on the pillow part 4 (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the green onion 10 is generally bent. If the pillow 4 does not exist, the green onion 10 does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the cradle 3 but floats from the bottom surface of the cradle 3. When the green onion 10 floats in this way, the grounding element 32 misrecognizes the thickness of the green onion 10 (it is erroneously recognized thicker than actual). Therefore, the thickness of the leek 10 can be accurately detected by providing the pillow portion 4 on the cradle 3, placing the leek 10 on the pillow portion 4, and bringing the grounding element 32 into contact with the leek 10 on the pillow portion 4. it can. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a V-shaped groove 5 is formed on the upper surface of the pillow portion 4, and a leek 10 is fitted into the groove 5 and positioned so that the cradle 3 moves in the direction of arrow A. When the grounding element 32 moves and contacts the leek 10 on the pillow part 4, the leek 10 does not rattle, and the thickness of the leek 10 can be reliably detected.
[0016]
This rod-shaped agricultural product sorting apparatus is configured as described above, and the overall operation will be described next. In FIG. 1, the leek 10 is placed on the cradle 3 on the right end side (see arrow E), and the cradle 3 is conveyed to the left.
[0017]
When the cradle 3 moves to just below the first detection mechanism 30A, the grounding element 32 rides on the leek 10 on the pillow part 4, and the lever 34 rotates clockwise, the leek 10 has a predetermined thickness. Become. Then, the solenoid 17 is actuated to rotate the cradle 3 downward, and the leek 10 falls onto the lower transfer conveyor 8. Further, when the leek 10 is thin and the grounding element 32 is not grounded to the leek 10, or even if the grounding element 32 is lifted by a slight amount and the lever 34 does not rotate at all or hardly, the leek 10 has a predetermined thickness. It will not have. Therefore, the green onion 10 does not have a predetermined thickness and is conveyed downstream as it is. Then, the second detection mechanism 30B performs the same operation as that of the first detection mechanism 30A. As described above, according to this sorting apparatus, it is possible to sort by thickness at a high speed while placing the green onions 10 on the cradle 3 one after another.
[0018]
In this embodiment, the green onions have been described as an example of the bar-shaped agricultural products. However, the bar-shaped agricultural products to be selected may be burdocks. Further, as a means for detecting the thickness of the leek 10, a sensor such as a limit switch other than the proximity switch 36 may be used, and any number of thickness detecting mechanisms may be provided in the conveyance path of the receiving base 3. As a rotating means for rotating the receiving base 3 downward, for example, FIG. 3 of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-56305. Of course, other structures such as those described in FIG. 3 of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-33991 may be used, and thus the present invention can be modified in various ways. .
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 is conveyed by the conveyor 1 in a state of being lifted by the pillow portion 4, and the grounding element 32 is grounded to the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 in the middle of the conveyance, Since the thickness of 4 is detected, the bar-shaped agricultural products 10 can be sorted at high speed and accurately by thickness.
[Brief description of the drawings]
[Fig. 1] Whole side view of a rod-shaped produce sorting device [Fig. 2] Perspective view of the main part of the rod-shaped produce sorting device [Fig. 3] Side view of the detection means of the rod-shaped produce sorting device [Fig. Cross-sectional view of equipment stand [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Endless chain 3 Receptacle 4 Pillow part 5 Groove 10 Leek 11 Guide rail 12 Roller 13 Movable guide rail 17 Solenoid 30A, 30B Detection mechanism 32 Contact 34 Lever 36 Proximity switch

Claims (1)

The cradle 3 on which the bar-shaped agricultural products 10 are placed horizontally, the conveyor 1 that transports the cradle 3, and the conveyor 3 that is in the middle of the transport path by rotating the cradle 3 downwardly, In the bar-shaped agricultural product sorting apparatus provided with the rotating means 13 to 18 of the receiving table 3 for dropping the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 placed on the receiving table 3, the bar-shaped agricultural product 10 is lifted and mounted on the receiving table 3. While providing the pillow part 4, above the movement path of this pillow part 4, the earthing element 32 which can be moved up and down which touches the rod-shaped agricultural product 10 on this pillow part 4, and the detection means 34 which detects the raise of this grounding element 32 36, and when the detecting means 34, 36 detect that the amount of rise of the grounding element 32 is equal to or greater than the set amount, the rotating means 13-18 are operated to rotate the receiving base 3 downward. Down the bar-shaped produce 10 Sorting device of rod-like agricultural, characterized in that to made.

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