JP5846355B2 - Optical sorter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical sorter that sorts granular materials such as grains and resin pellets based on colors and the like.

  Conventionally, raw materials consisting of grains such as rice, wheat, beans and nuts, resin pieces such as pellets and beads, fine articles such as pharmaceuticals, ores, and shirasu, and other granular materials are sorted into good and defective products. In addition, there is known an optical sorter that eliminates foreign matters and the like mixed in raw materials.

One type of optical sorter of this type is a type in which a chute having a predetermined width is disposed at an angle below a granular material supply unit.
The optical sorter supplies a large amount of granular materials to the chute having the predetermined width from the granular material supply unit, spreads in the width direction on the chute surface, and flows from the lower end of the chute to a predetermined trajectory. Irradiate light to the granular material that falls freely along the surface, receive reflected light from the granular material, etc., detect defective products and foreign materials contained in the raw material, and eliminate the detected defective products and foreign materials Thus, the particulate matter is selected (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  By the way, in the optical sorter described in Patent Document 1, the granular material supply unit includes a tank and a vibration feeder, and the optical sorter described in Patent Document 2 includes the granular material supply. The unit includes a tank and a rotary valve, and both can stably feed the granular material in the tank toward the chute by the vibration feeder or the rotary valve.

  However, in each of the optical sorters, when the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank decreases, the feeding of the particulate matter from the vibration feeder or rotary valve becomes unstable, and the particulate matter moves in the width direction of the chute. Since it flows in a sparse state while jumping on the surface, detection errors such as defective products are likely to occur, and the sorting accuracy is reduced.

JP 2009-50760 A JP-A-11-223604

  Therefore, the present invention provides an optical sorter that prevents the granular material from flowing down while jumping on the surface in a sparse state in the width direction of the chute even when the storage amount of the granular material in the storage means decreases. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the optical sorter of the present invention comprises:
Storage means for storing particulate matter;
And Repetitive detecting means feeding the said granules is stored in the accumulating means,
A slanted chute having a predetermined width to flow down the granular material fed from said Repetitive detecting means,
Optical detection means for detecting the granular material falling from the lower end of the chute at a predetermined position;
Ejector means for eliminating and selecting the particulate matter based on the detection result by the optical detection means ;
A feeding width changing means for changing a feeding width of the granular material after being fed out from the feeding means;
Equipped with a,
Wherein by changing by the feeding width changing means feeding width of the granules after being fed towards the chute from the supply means, it can be changed to flow down the width of the granules flowing down on the chute surface Is.

The present invention is the Repetitive Dehaba changing means has a narrow opening from said Repetitive detecting means, a shutter is movably disposed between said Repetitive detecting means said chute, said the shutter move between Repetitive detecting means and the chute, the granules after being fed towards the chute from the Repetitive detecting means by passing the opening of the shutter, to change the Dehaba Repetitive of the particulates It is preferable.

In order to achieve the above object, the optical sorter of the present invention is
Storage means for storing particulate matter;
And Repetitive detecting means feeding the said granules is stored in the accumulating means,
A slanted chute having a predetermined width to flow down the granular material fed from said Repetitive detecting means,
Optical detection means for detecting the granular material falling from the lower end of the chute at a predetermined position;
Ejector means for eliminating and selecting the particulate matter based on the detection result by the optical detection means ;
Flowing trajectory changing means for changing the flow trajectory of the granular material in the middle of flowing down on the chute surface after being fed out from the feeding means;
Equipped with a,
After being fed from the feeding means toward the chute and in the middle of flowing down on the chute surface, the flow path of the granular material is changed by the flow path changing means to flow down on the chute surface. The flow width of the granular material to be changed can be changed .

  The present invention is the guide member in which the flow path changing means is disposed so as to be able to extend from at least one side of the chute onto the chute surface, and the guide member extends on the chute surface. It is preferable to change the flow path of the granular material.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the guide member includes a part of the side wall of the chute and extends on the chute surface in a state in which the part of the side wall is maintained parallel to the side wall of the chute.

  In the present invention, the flow trajectory changing means is a part of at least one side wall of the chute that is swingable on the chute surface, and a part of the side wall is swung on the chute surface. Thus, it is preferable to change the flow path of the granular material.

  According to the present invention, the flow path changing means divides a portion including at least the surface of the chute in a direction parallel to the side wall of the chute, and stands at least one of the divided portions along the dividing line. It is preferable to change the flow path of the granular material by inclining the chute surface.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be changed based on the storage amount of the granular material in the storage means.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be changed based on the flow rate of the granular material.

Optical sorting machine according to the present invention, since it can change the flow-down width of the particulates flowing down over the chute surface, the storage amount decreases the granular materials in the storage means, the amount of particulate matter fed from Repetitive detecting means Even if it is reduced, by narrowing the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface, the granular material will flow down on the chute surface in a dense state rather than a sparse state, Since an object does not flow down while jumping on the surface of the chute, it is possible to prevent a reduction in sorting accuracy.

Optical sorting machine of this invention, if changeable Dehaba Repetitive particulate material after it has been fed out from Repetitive detection means, by narrowing the Repetitive Dehaba, particulate material flowing down over the chute surface The flow width can be narrowed.

Optical sorting machine according to the present invention has a narrow opening than Repetitive detecting means, if intended to comprise a shutter which is movably disposed between said Repetitive detecting means and the chute, fed from the Repetitive detecting means the granules after that to pass through the opening of the shutter, it is possible to narrow the Dehaba Repetitive of the granules.

If the optical sorter of the present invention can change the flow trajectory of the granular material in the course of flowing down on the chute surface, the flow of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be changed by changing the flow trajectory of the granular material. The flow width can be narrowed.

  If the optical sorter of the present invention is provided with a guide member arranged to extend from the side portion of the chute onto the chute surface, the guide member is extended to extend the granular material. The flow trajectory can be changed.

  In the optical sorter according to the present invention, if the guide member includes a part of the chute side wall, and the part of the side wall extends in a state of being parallel to the side wall of the chute, the guide The granular material whose flow path has been changed by the member is guided by a certain length in the flow direction by a part of the side wall, and the subsequent flow path is stabilized early.

  The optical sorter of the present invention can change the flow path of the granular material by swinging the chute if a part of the side wall of the chute can swing on the chute surface. it can.

  If the optical sorter of the present invention divides a portion including at least the surface of the chute in a direction parallel to the side wall of the chute, at least one portion of the divided portion is along the dividing line. It is possible to change the flow trajectory of the granular material by standing and tilting the chute surface.

If the optical sorter of the present invention can change the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface based on the storage amount of the granular material in the storage means, the storage amount of the granular material in the storage means is less and less, if the amount of particulate matter fed from Repetitive detection means is reduced, it is possible to narrow the flow down the width of the granules flowing down on the chute surface at the right time.

Optical sorting machine according to the present invention, based on the flow rate of the granules, if capable of changing the flow-down width of the particulates flowing down on the chute surface, the storage amount of particulates is reduced in the storage means, out Repetitive When the amount of the granular material fed out from the means decreases, the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be reduced at an appropriate timing.

The side sectional view of the internal structure of the optical sorter in an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a granular material supply unit in the optical sorter of FIG. AA sectional drawing of FIG. The schematic diagram of a mode that a granular material is drawn | fed out from the granular material supply part 2 to the chute | shoot 3 in the optical sorter | selector of FIG. The schematic diagram of a mode that a granular material is drawn | fed out from the granular material supply part 2 to the chute | shoot 3 in the optical sorter | selector of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the granular material supply part vicinity in the optical sorter | selector of other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: Explanatory drawing of Example 2. FIG. AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the chute in the optical sorter of further another embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory view of Example 3. It is a schematic diagram of the chute in the optical sorter of other embodiments of the present invention, and is an explanatory view of Example 4. FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the chute in the optical sorter of further another embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory view of Example 5. It is a schematic diagram of the chute in the optical sorter of further another embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory view of Example 6. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The optical sorter of the present invention is capable of changing the flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface, and when the storage amount of the granular material in the tank is reduced, the granular material is It can be prevented from flowing down while jumping on the surface in a sparse state in the width direction.
First, Examples 1 and 2 will be described.
Examples 1 and 2, for example, in the optical sorting machine shown in FIG. 1, is to be changed to Dehaba Repetitive of granules fed toward the chute from the granular substance supply unit.

FIG. 1 is an example of an optical sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a side sectional view in which the internal structure of the optical sorter is simplified.
The optical sorter 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a granular material supply unit 2, a chute 3 and an optical sorting unit 4.
The granular material supply unit 2 is disposed on the optical sorter 1 and includes a tank 21 and a vibration feeder 22 that stably feeds the granular material in the tank 21 toward the chute 3.

  The chute 3 has a predetermined width, is arranged in a state of being inclined below the granular material supply unit 2, and the granular material continuously fed from the vibration feeder 22 of the granular material supply unit 2 is taken into the chute. 3 is allowed to flow down on the surface.

  The optical sorting unit 4 includes a pair of optical detection devices 41a and 41b arranged before and after the dropping trajectory of the granular material, and the granular material is regarded as a non-defective product based on the imaging signals of the optical detection devices 41a and 41b. A discriminating device 42 that discriminates the product into non-defective products, an ejector 43 that eliminates the defective product based on the discrimination result of the discriminating device 42, and sorts the granular material into a non-defective product and a defective product. A discharge hopper 44 for discharging the selected granular material is provided.

  Here, the optical detection devices 41a and 41b incorporate a line sensor such as a CCD or an area sensor that can handle a granular material that freely falls in a state of spreading in the width direction from the lower end of the chute 3, and includes a NIR (near infrared), Imaging means 411a, 411b such as a CCD camera that can receive light in a wavelength region such as visible light or ultraviolet light, and a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, an LED light source, etc. that illuminate the detection position O on the falling locus of the granular material Illumination means 412a and 412b, and backgrounds 413a and 413b that serve as a background when the granular material is imaged by the imaging means at the detection position O are provided.

  In addition, the ejector 43 can correspond to a granular material that falls freely in a state of spreading in the width direction from the lower end of the chute 3 and is formed in the width direction, like the optical detection devices 41a and 41b. A nozzle 431 capable of selectively ejecting air from a plurality of nozzle holes is provided.

  In the optical sorter 1, the granular material stored in the tank 21 of the granular material supply unit 2 is continuously fed out from the vibration feeder 22 to the chute 3, and on the surface of the chute 3 in the width direction. After naturally flowing down continuously in a spread state, it freely falls along a predetermined locus from the lower end of the chute 3.

  The free-falling particulate matter is imaged at the detection position O on the fall locus by the imaging means 411a and 411b in the pair of optical detection devices 41a and 41b in the optical sorting unit 4.

  The particulate matter imaged by the imaging means 411a and 411b is discriminated between the non-defective product and the defective product in the discriminating device 42 by comparing the light quantity and the color component signal level in the imaging signal with threshold values.

  Then, based on the rejection signal sent from the discriminating device 42, the granular material is rejected from the predetermined drop trajectory by air injection in the ejector 43, and is sorted into a good product and a defective product. Are discharged from the non-defective product discharge rod 441 of the discharge hopper 44, and the defective products are discharged from the defective product discharge rod 442, respectively.

  FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the granular material supply unit 2 in the optical sorter 1 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view as seen from the AA cross section of FIG. 2, and shows an explanatory view of the state in which the particulate matter in the tank 21 is fed from the vibration feeder 22 toward the chute 3.

  In the present embodiment, the granular material supply unit 2 in the optical sorter 1 further includes a shutter 23 having an opening that is smaller than the vibration feeder 22. The shutter 23 is attached to, for example, the rod tip of the air cylinder 25 and is disposed between the vibration feeder 22 and the chute 3 so as to be able to advance and retract.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, for example, a sensor 24 is disposed at a predetermined position of the tank 21, and when the sensor 24 detects that the particulate matter in the tank 21 has become a predetermined amount or less. When the air cylinder 25 is activated and the rod is extended, the shutter 23 advances between the vibration feeder 22 and the chute 3.

In this case, since the storage amount of the particulate matter in the tank 21 is small, as shown in FIG. 3, the particulate matter is fed out toward the chute 3 from the vibration feeder 22 in a sparse state in the width direction. Although the said granules, tenter Repetitive by passing through openings of the shutter 23 is narrowed, as a result, dense state in the width direction under a stream width is narrowed when flowing down the chute 3 above the surface It flows down at.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, if the upper surface of the shutter 23 is inclined toward the opening, particulate matter does not stay on the upper surface of the shutter 23.

4 and 5 are schematic diagrams showing how the particulate matter is fed from the particulate matter supply unit 2 to the chute 3 in the optical sorter shown in FIG.
When the storage amount of the particulate matter in the tank 21 is large, as shown in FIG. 4, the shutter 23 is in a position retracted from between the vibration feeder 22 and the chute 3, and the particulate matter fed from the vibration feeder 22 is the chute 3. It falls directly onto the surface of the chute 3 and spreads down in the width direction.

On the other hand, when the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank 21 is small, as shown in FIG. 5, the shutter 23 is in a position advanced between the vibration feeder 22 and the chute 3, and the particulate matter fed out from the vibration feeder 22 is the drop onto the chute in a state where a stenter Repetitive by passing through the opening is narrowed the shutter 23, flows down the chute 3 over the surface in a narrow flow down width.

  In this embodiment, the shutter 23 is moved forward and backward based on the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank 21. However, when the amount of particulate matter in the tank 21 decreases, Since the flow rate of the particulate matter decreases in the steps before and after the optical sorter, the shutter 23 may be advanced and retracted based on the flow rate data of the particulate matter.

  In that case, if flow rate data is calculated from the ratio of the area of the granular material to the total area of the captured image, that is, the flow rate density, using the captured images by the imaging means 411a and 411b of the optical detection devices 41a and 41b. The state is almost the same as that of directly observing the granular material flowing down on the chute surface, and the shutter 23 can be advanced and retracted at a more appropriate timing.

In the optical sorter 1 shown in FIG. 1, the granular material supply unit 2 includes a tank 21 and a vibration feeder 22, but may include a rotary valve instead of the vibration feeder 22.
FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the granular material supply unit 2 </ b> B including the rotary valve 26. FIG. 7 is a view as seen from the AA cross section of FIG. 6, and shows an explanatory view of the state in which the particulate matter in the tank 21 is fed from the rotary valve 26 toward the chute 3.

  In the present embodiment, the granular material supply unit 2 </ b> B further includes a shutter 27 having an opening that is smaller than the rotary valve 26. The shutter 27 is movably disposed between the rotary valve 26 and the chute 3 with the operation of the solenoid 28, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, when the sensor 24 disposed at a predetermined position of the tank 21 detects that the amount of particulate matter in the tank 21 is less than a predetermined amount, the solenoid 28 is activated, When the plunger as a stopper of the shutter 27 is pulled, the shutter 27 moves between the opening of the rotary valve 26 and the chute 3.

In this case, since the storage amount of the particulate matter in the tank 21 is small, as shown in FIG. 7, the particulate matter is fed out from the rotary valve 26 toward the chute 3 in a sparse state in the width direction. Although the said granules, tenter Repetitive by passing through openings of the shutter 27 is narrowed, as a result, dense state in the width direction under a stream width is narrowed when flowing down the chute 3 above the surface It flows down at.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, if the upper surface of the shutter 27 is also inclined toward the opening, particulate matter does not stay on the upper surface of the shutter 27.

  Needless to say, in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the shutter 27 may be moved based on the flow rate data of the particulate matter.

Next, Examples 3 to 6 will be described.
In Examples 3 to 6, for example, in the optical sorter shown in FIG. 1, the flow path of the particulate matter on the chute surface can be changed.

  FIGS. 8 to 11 correspond to Examples 3 to 6, respectively, in which (a) is a schematic view when the chute is viewed from above, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (a). A schematic diagram is shown. Moreover, in each figure (a), (b), the right side from the center of a figure shows a mode that the flow trajectory of the granular material on the chute 3 surface was changed forcibly.

In this embodiment, the optical sorter includes a guide member 32 that can extend through the side wall 31 of the chute 3 and on the surface of the chute 3.
As shown on the left side from the center of the drawing in FIG. 8 (a), the granular material that spreads across the surface of the chute 3 in the width direction and flows in a sparse state, in this embodiment, as shown on the right side from the center of the drawing, The guide member 32 extended from the side portion of the chute 3 toward the downstream side of the chute 3 is guided to the center portion, and the flow width flowing down on the surface of the chute 3 is narrowed so that it is dense in the width direction. It will flow down.

In this embodiment, the side wall part 33 can be separated from the side wall 31 of the chute 3 and the side wall part 33 is attached to the tip of the guide member 32 in the third embodiment.
As shown on the left side from the center of the drawing in FIG. 9 (a), the granular material that spreads across the surface of the chute 3 in the width direction and flows down in a sparse state, in this embodiment, as shown on the right side from the center of the drawing, Guided by the guide member 32 extended toward the downstream side of the chute 3 together with a part 33 of the side wall of the chute 3, the flow width flowing down on the surface of the chute 3 becomes narrower in the width direction. It will flow down in a dense state.

  In this embodiment, if the guide member 32 is extended in a state in which a portion 33 of the side wall of the chute 3 is maintained parallel to the side wall 31, the granular material guided to the central portion by the guide member 32. Since the object is guided by the part 33 of the side wall of the chute 3 for a certain length in the flow-down direction, the subsequent trajectory is stabilized early.

  In the third and fourth embodiments, the guide member 32 can be extended by known driving means. Also, in the third and fourth embodiments, as in the first and second embodiments, the guide member 32 can be extended based on the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank 21 or the flow rate data of the particulate matter.

  In the third and fourth embodiments, the guide member 32 only needs to be able to extend on the surface of the chute 3 from at least one side portion of the chute 3.

In this embodiment, a part 34 of the side wall of the chute 3 can be swung.
As shown on the left side from the center of the drawing in FIG. 10 (a), the granular material that spreads across the surface of the chute 3 in the width direction and flows in a sparse state, in this embodiment, as shown on the right side from the center of the drawing, Guided to the center by the side portion 34 swung on the surface of the chute 3 with the upstream side of the chute 3 as a fulcrum, the flow width flowing down on the surface of the chute 3 is narrowed and dense in the width direction. It will flow down in a state.

  Also in this embodiment, the part 34 of the side wall can be swung by known driving means (not shown). Also in this embodiment, as in the first to fourth embodiments, the part 34 of the side wall can be swung based on the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank 21 or the flow rate data of the particulate matter.

  Also in this embodiment, the part 34 of the side wall of the chute only needs to be able to swing on the surface of the chute 3 from at least one side of the chute 3.

In this embodiment, the part including at least the surface of the chute 3 is divided into three parts 3A to 3C, for example, in the direction in which the granular material flows down, that is, in the direction parallel to the side wall 31 of the chute 3, and the side parts 3A and 3C are raised. And inclined.
As shown on the left side from the center of the drawing in FIG. 11 (a), the granular material that spreads across the surface of the chute 3 in the width direction and flows down in a sparse state, in this embodiment, as shown on the right side from the center of the drawing, By tilting the side portion 3C, the side portion 3C is moved to the central portion 3B, and the flow width flowing down on the surface of the chute 3 is narrowed and flows in a dense state in the width direction.

  Also in this embodiment, the side portion 3C of the chute can be inclined by well-known driving means (not shown). Also in the present embodiment, similarly to the first to fifth embodiments, the lateral portion 3C of the chute can be inclined based on the amount of stored particulate matter in the tank 21 or the flow rate data of the particulate matter.

  Also in this embodiment, at least a side portion of the surface portion of the chute 3 only needs to be able to incline at least one side of the chute 3.

  In the third to sixth embodiments, the configuration for forcibly changing the flow path of the particulate matter on the chute surface is not necessarily provided symmetrically with respect to the flow direction center of the chute 3.

  In the third to sixth embodiments, the optical sorter does not necessarily include the shutters 23 and 27 in the granular material supply unit, and the shutters 23 and 27 are arbitrary.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the configuration can be changed as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.

  Since the optical sorter of the present invention can flow down on the chute surface in a dense state rather than a sparse state even when the amount of stored particulate matter in the storage means decreases, the sorting accuracy Can be prevented, and is extremely practical.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical sorter 2 Granular substance supply part 2B Granular substance supply part 21 Tank 22 Vibrating feeder 23 Shutter 24 Sensor 25 Drive cylinder 26 Rotary valve 27 Shutter 28 Solenoid 3 Chute 31 Side wall 32 Guide member 33 Part of side wall 34 One side wall Unit 4 optical sorting units 41a and 41b optical detection device 42 discrimination device 43 ejector 44 discharge hopper

Claims (9)

Storage means for storing particulate matter;
And Repetitive detecting means feeding the said granules is stored in the accumulating means,
A slanted chute having a predetermined width to flow down the granular material fed from said Repetitive detecting means,
Optical detection means for detecting the granular material falling from the lower end of the chute at a predetermined position;
Ejector means for eliminating and selecting the particulate matter based on the detection result by the optical detection means ;
A feeding width changing means for changing a feeding width of the granular material after being fed out from the feeding means;
Equipped with a,
An optical system capable of changing the flow-down width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface by changing the feed width of the granular material after being fed from the feed-out means toward the chute by the feed-width changing means. Formula sorter. The Repetitive Dehaba changing means comprises a narrow opening from said Repetitive detecting means, a shutter is movably disposed between said Repetitive detecting means said chute, said Repetitive detecting means the shutter moved during the shoot, the granules after being fed towards the chute from the Repetitive detecting means by passing the opening of the shutter, according to claim 1, wherein changing the Dehaba Repetitive of the particulates Optical sorter. Storage means for storing particulate matter;
And Repetitive detecting means feeding the said granules is stored in the accumulating means,
A slanted chute having a predetermined width to flow down the granular material fed from said Repetitive detecting means,
Optical detection means for detecting the granular material falling from the lower end of the chute at a predetermined position;
Ejector means for eliminating and selecting the particulate matter based on the detection result by the optical detection means ;
Flowing trajectory changing means for changing the flow trajectory of the granular material in the middle of flowing down on the chute surface after being fed out from the feeding means;
Equipped with a,
After being fed from the feeding means toward the chute and in the middle of flowing down on the chute surface, the flow path of the granular material is changed by the flow path changing means to flow down on the chute surface. Optical sorter that can change the flow width of granular material . The flow-down trajectory changing means is a guide member arranged to be able to extend on the chute surface from at least one side portion of the chute, and by extending the guide member on the chute surface, The optical sorter according to claim 3, wherein a flow path of the granular material is changed. 5. The optical sorter according to claim 4 , wherein the guide member includes a part of a side wall of the chute, and a part of the side wall extends on the chute surface in a state of being maintained parallel to the side wall of the chute. The flow trajectory changing means is a part of at least one side wall of the chute that can swing on the chute surface, and swings a part of the side wall on the chute surface, The optical sorter according to claim 3 , wherein the flow path of the granular material is changed. The flow trajectory changing means divides a portion including at least the surface of the chute in a direction parallel to the side wall of the chute, and raises at least one portion of the divided portion along the dividing line to form a chute surface. The optical sorter according to claim 3 , wherein the flow path of the granular material is changed by inclining. The optical sorter according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein a flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be changed based on a storage amount of the granular material in the storage means. The optical sorter according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein a flow width of the granular material flowing down on the chute surface can be changed based on a flow rate of the granular material.

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