JP6420886B2 - Fruit vegetable carrier for fruit vegetable automatic sorting device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention measures the size, shape, color, sugar content, etc. while conveying various fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, peaches, pears, persimmons, melons, Kodamanishi persimmons, eggplants, peppers, bitter gourds, etc. It has been the task of sorting equal by rank, regarding fruit vegetable carrier for continuously and automatically can Ru fruit vegetables automatic sorting apparatus of doing.

[Fruit vegetables automatic sorting device]
Various fruit vegetables is measured, to determine the equal rank of fruit vegetables based on the measurement results, as result greens automatic sorting device Ru sorting by equal rank, the present inventors have fruiting automatic sorting apparatus of belt conveyor type previously developed (e.g., There are patent documents 1 to 4).

  The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is a fruit and vegetable conveying line (fruit and vegetable conveying body) in which a large number of belt conveyor type fruit and vegetable mounting bodies (fruit and vegetable carrier) are attached to an endless traveling body (for example, an endless traveling chain). is there. This vegetable transporter is an equal class that is determined in advance by measuring the shape and size (size) of the fruit vegetables loaded on the fruit vegetable carrier, the fruit supply part (fruit vegetables loading area) where the worker places the fruit vegetables on the fruit vegetable carrier, and so on. A measuring / discriminating section (measuring discrimination area) for discrimination, and a sorting area for sorting the fruits and vegetables classified in the equal class for each equal class and sending them out to a pool conveyor provided on the side of the fruit vegetable transport line.

  The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus of Patent Literatures 1 and 2 sends out the fruit and vegetables on the fruit and vegetable carrier belt to the side of the fruit and vegetable sorting line by the forward rotation of the belt (rotating to the pool conveyor side). The belt is rotated backward (returned) until the fruit vegetable carrier returns to the fruit vegetable mounting area, so that the fruit vegetable mounting parts are aligned in a line or substantially in a line.

  The fruit and vegetable carrier described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 feeds the fruit and vegetables on the belt to the pool conveyor side on the side of the conveyance direction by the forward rotation of the belt of the fruit and vegetable carrier during the conveyance of the fruit and vegetable. The attached fruits and vegetables were hurt by rolling or falling when the fruits were sent out. In order to solve these problems, there is also a belt conveyor type fruit vegetable carrier having a support projecting above the belt (Patent Document 2).

  In order to solve the above problem, there is an oblique back type in which the belt is rotated obliquely rearward in the conveying direction and the fruit vegetables on the fruit vegetable mounting portion of the belt are fed obliquely backward (Patent Document 3). Since the vegetable carrier of Patent Document 3 has a plurality of narrow belts (about 1 to 2 cm in width) wound around one frame in a freely rotatable manner, and the vegetable carrier is attached in a row to the endless chain in an oblique direction, There is an advantage that the fruit vegetables are sent out obliquely backward in the conveying direction to reduce the inertia in the conveying direction of the fruit vegetables, the fruit vegetables are not easily toppled, and the fruit vegetables can be prevented from being damaged.

  When fruit and vegetables are selected by the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, visual determination is performed in the fruit and vegetables mounting area prior to measurement in the measurement and determination area. This visual discrimination is performed when a worker who puts fruit vegetables on a vegetable carrier is visually inspected, for example, whether or not there are scratches, corrosion, deformation, etc. on the back side of the fruit vegetables. This is done by determining and pressing the tracking switch. Several (usually two) tracking switches are provided in one fruit vegetable carrier (Patent Document 4: FIG. 7). For example, when none of the tracking switches is pressed, the tracking switch on the right side as viewed from the operator is class A. The relationship between the switch operation and the class is determined in advance, such as class B when pressing only, class C when pressing only the left tracking switch, class D when pressing both tracking switches, etc. If the bottom of the fruits and vegetables on the top is good, visually distinguish it as Class A and do not press any tracking switch. If the bottom is slightly bad, visually identify it as Class B and press the right tracking switch, If the deformation is significant, visually distinguish it from class C and press the left tracking switch. So that pressing the Gusuitchi.

  The fruits and vegetables that are visually discriminated in each class are measured by the measuring device in the measurement discrimination area of the vegetable transporter, and the A class S size (AS) and A class M are measured according to the measurement results. Class classification is performed such as size (AM), C class L size (CL), and D class LL size (DLL).

JP 2010-115654 A JP 2003-053275 A Japanese Patent No. 4469912 JP 2011-037550 A

  The fruit and vegetables automatic sorting apparatus of patent documents 1-4 is a system which sends out the fruit and vegetables put on the fruit and vegetable carrier to a pool conveyor as it is. In the case of long fruit vegetables such as pepper and bitter gourd, they are placed sideways on the fruit vegetable carrier (horizontally wide in the width direction of the fruit vegetable carrier). . In this case, when the number of pool conveyors installed in the conveyance direction of the fruit vegetable carrier increases, the installation space for the pool conveyor becomes wide, and a wide fruit selection area is required for installation of the automatic vegetable vegetable sorting apparatus.

  When boxing the fruit vegetables sent to the pool conveyor, in the case of long fruit vegetables, there is a problem that it is difficult to pick up the fruit vegetables depending on the direction of the fruit vegetables.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fruit and vegetable carrier that can carry a long fruit and a short fruit and carry it .

The fruit vegetable carrier of the present invention is a fruit vegetable carrier that can be loaded with fruit vegetables, is attached to an endless traveling body, moves in the same direction as the endless traveling body along with the travel of the endless traveling body, and transports the fruit vegetables, The vegetable carrier is a belt conveyor type in which a plurality of belts are provided side by side in a single frame, and each belt can be rotated individually. Yes, it can be rotated backward in the diagonal direction, can be rotated back in the reverse direction, and can put fruit vegetables on one belt or on two or more belts. Thus, the fruit vegetables on the belt can be sent out obliquely backward in the fruit vegetable conveying direction.

The fruit vegetable carrier of the present invention has the following effects.
(1) Since there are a plurality of belts in one frame, and these belts can be reciprocally rotated individually, fruit vegetables can be placed on one or more belts, from long fruit vegetables to short fruit vegetables. Can do.
(2) Since the fruit feed direction of the belt is obliquely rearward in the fruit transport direction, it is difficult for the fruit vegetables to fall or shift when the fruit vegetables are fed from the belt to the pool conveyor. Can prevent sticking.

1 shows an example of an automatic vegetable vegetable sorting apparatus using the carrier of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a detailed view of the fruit vegetable carrier and pool conveyor portion of (a), and (c) is (a). FIG. An example of the fruit and vegetable carrier used for the fruit and vegetable automatic selection apparatus of this invention is shown, Comprising: (a) is a plane side perspective view, (b) The back side perspective view. The bottom view of the fruit vegetable carrier shown to Fig.2 (a), (b). (A)-(c) is explanatory drawing of an example which changes direction of fruit vegetables in this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a case where a belt is rotated backward in the present invention, FIG. In the present invention, a method for placing fruits and vegetables on one unit is shown. (A) is a plan view when three belts are placed as one unit and fruits and vegetables are placed, (b) is a unit where five belts are placed as one unit. The top view at the time of mounting fruit vegetables.

(Embodiment)
The case where the fruit vegetable carrier of the present invention is attached to an automatic vegetable vegetable sorting apparatus will be described as an example with reference to the drawings.

[Fruit vegetables automatic selection method]
As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 1 (c), the fruit vegetable automatic sorting method according to the present invention is a fruit vegetable mounting portion 6 (FIG. 1 (b)) on the upper surface of the belt 5 of the fruit vegetable carrier 3 of the fruit vegetable carrier 4 during traveling. ), And the fruit vegetables G are automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10 to determine the equal class of the fruit vegetables G, and the determined fruit vegetables G are separated by the same class into the fruit carrier 4 side. This is a method for automatically sorting fruit vegetables to be sent to the side, and further, a method for sorting as follows.

(1) Out of a plurality of belts 5 of the vegetable carrier 3 attached to the endless traveling body 2 in a line, two or more adjacent belts 5 are set as one unit and straddle the fruit vegetable mounting portion 6 of the belt 5. The fruit vegetables G are loaded and transported.
(2) The measuring instrument 10 automatically measures the shape, size, length, and the like of the fruit vegetables G being conveyed, and determines the equal class of the fruit vegetables G.
(3) Based on the determination result, the unit belt 5 is rotated forward to the side of the fruit and vegetable transporting direction of the fruit and vegetable transporting body 4 and the fruit and vegetable G is sent to the belt conveyor type pool conveyor P. At this time, the plurality of unit belts 5 are rotated forward with a time difference, and the direction of the fruit vegetables G to be sent to the pool conveyor P as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the fruit vegetables G are sent out obliquely backward in the transport direction to reduce the inertia in the transport direction of the fruit vegetables G so that the fruit vegetables G sent to the pool conveyor P are less likely to fall. Although not shown, the belt 5 can be rotated obliquely forward in the conveying direction to send the fruit vegetables G to the pool conveyor P, or can be rotated to the side and sent to the pool conveyor P.

  In the fruit vegetable automatic sorting method, the unit belt 5 on which the fruit vegetables G are placed is sequentially rotated from the belt 5 ahead of the fruit vegetables conveying direction, and the rear belt 5 is rotated forward over time to change the direction of the fruit vegetables G to be sent to the pool conveyor P. It can also be changed from the horizontal orientation during conveyance to the vertical orientation (FIGS. 4A to 4C).

  In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method, the unit belts 5 that have rotated in the forward direction are rotated in the reverse direction (reverse rotation) from the time of the forward rotation until the belts 5 reach the fruit and vegetables transfer area X (FIG. 1) of the fruit and vegetable transfer body 1. Return the fruit and vegetable mounting parts 5 to their original positions and align them in a line. Furthermore, the forward rotation can be advanced to return to the original position.

  In the fruit vegetable automatic selection method, when the fruit vegetable G is placed on the fruit vegetable carrier 3 in the fruit vegetable loading area X (FIG. 1 (a)), the operator visually observes the bottom side of the fruit vegetable G to check whether there is any damage, deformation or the like. And the visual discrimination data and the automatic measurement data such as the shape and size of the fruit vegetable G automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10 in the measurement discrimination area Y (FIG. 1A) It is possible to determine the equal class. For example, fruit vegetables G that are determined to be class A by visual discrimination are classified as S size (AS) by class A when they are determined by automatic measurement, and M size of class A when they are determined as M by automatic measurement. (AM), A class L size (AL) when automatically determined as L size, A class LL size (ALL) when automatically determined as LL size, etc. Class can be distinguished.

[Fruit vegetables automatic sorting device]
An example of the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As an example, in the automatic fruit vegetable sorting apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a fruit conveyor 4 is configured by attaching a number of belt conveyor type fruit carriers 3 to an endless traveling body 2. The fruit carrier 3 travels in the same direction as the endless traveling body 2 travels, and transports the fruit vegetable G placed on the belt 5 of the fruit carrier 3 (FIG. 1B). .

  In the present invention, the shape, size, length, and the like of the fruit vegetables G are automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10 during the conveyance, and the equal classes of the fruit vegetables G are discriminated from the measurement result and a predetermined equal class, and the fruit vegetables G Are sent out to the pool conveyor P obliquely behind the fruit and vegetables conveyance direction for each determined equal class so that they can be sorted according to the equal class.

[Fruit vegetable carrier]
The fruit and vegetable carrier 4 is configured by attaching a large number of fruit and vegetable carriers 3 to the endless traveling body 2 so that the fruit and vegetable carrier 3 travels in the same direction as the endless traveling body 2 travels. The fruit and vegetable carrier 4 includes a fruit and vegetables mounting area X on which the fruit and vegetables G are placed, a measurement and determination area Y that automatically measures the fruit and vegetables G on the fruit and vegetable carrier 3 by the measuring instrument 10 and determines the equal class, and a measurement by the measuring instrument 10. -Based on the discrimination result, the fruit vegetable G is sent to the pool conveyor P arranged on the side of the fruit vegetable carrier 4 and is provided with a sorting area Z for sorting by equal class. The length of the fruit vegetable carrier 4 varies depending on the size of the fruit selection field, but is usually several tens to several hundreds of meters.

[Endless traveling body]
As the endless traveling body 2, a traveling body such as a chain belt, a timing belt, or the like can be used. Endless traveling body 2 is wound around the outer periphery of drive wheel H1 and driven wheel H2 (both in FIG. 1 (a)) rotated by motor M (FIG. 1 (a)), and as these wheels H1 and H2 rotate. So that the outer periphery can be rotated. In this case, the endless traveling body 2 travels by turning around the outside of one wheel (driven wheel H2) from the top to the bottom and turns the outside of the other wheel (driving wheel H1) from the bottom to the top. The direction is changed so that it rotates in the vertical direction.

[Fruit vegetable carrier]
An example of the fruit vegetable carrier 3 of FIG. 1 (a) is shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). This vegetable carrier 3 is a belt conveyor type, and is provided with four rows of belt winding portions 12 having a narrow width in the width direction of one frame 11 made of hard resin, and a front end portion and a rear end of the adjacent belt winding portions 12. The step is provided with a step so that the front end and the rear end are inclined. A belt 5 having a width substantially equal to the width of the belt winding portion 12 is rotatably wound around rollers 13 rotatably provided at the front and rear ends of each belt winding portion 12. The belt 5 is wound along a belt winding portion 12 that is formed obliquely. A support tool 14 protrudes above the upper running part 5x of each belt 5, and the fruit vegetable mounting part 6 (see FIG. 1B) is located on the belt 5 and ahead of the support tool 14 in the direction of transporting the fruit vegetables. ) Is provided. A pin (protrusion) 15 protrudes below the lower running portion 5 y of each belt 5.

  The width of the frame 11, the number of belts 5, the width of the belt 5, and the like can be selected as appropriate. The vegetable carrier 3 shown in FIG. 2 (a) has a size that allows a normal-sized eggplant to be placed sideways across the four belts 5. Although the width and length of each belt 5 vary depending on the fruit vegetables G to be placed, the width of the belt 5 shown in FIG. 2 is approximately the same as (including substantially the same as) the width of the belt winding portion 12 and is 10 to 30 mm. Degree.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the fruit vegetable carrier 3 has its front end portion and rear end portion aligned in a row with its front end portion in the rotation direction (front end portion in the fruit feed direction) obliquely rearward in the transport direction of the fruit vegetable transport body 4. A large number are attached to the endless traveling body 2. In the case of this vegetable carrier 3, the four belts 5 of each vegetable carrier 3 are set as one unit (one unit), and the fruit vegetables G are placed on several specified belts (unit belts) 5. It is.

  The fruit vegetables G can be placed over the frame 11 regardless of the frame 11 (regardless of whether the belt 5 is provided on the same frame 11 or not). For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, fruit vegetables (cucumbers) G can be placed across seven belts 5 of two fruit vegetable carriers 3 attached adjacent to the endless traveling body 2. In FIG. 4 (a), the vegetable G is divided into four belts 5 of one vegetable carrier 3, one belt on the right side of the vegetable carrier 3 on the left side, and two belts on the left side of the vegetable carrier 3 on the right side. A total of seven belts 5 are placed on the belt.

  When the fruit vegetables G are round objects that require three belts 5 (for example, tomatoes), they are placed as shown in FIG. 6 (a), and the fruit vegetables G require five belts 5 (for example, pepper or In the case of an insulator or bitter gourd, it can be placed as shown in FIG.

  The way of placing is an example, and from where to where the belt 5 is a unit can be set according to the type and size of the fruit vegetables G to be selected. When the fruit and vegetable G is placed on the fruit and vegetable mounting part 6 (FIG. 1B) of the unit belt 5 specified as one unit, the fruit and vegetable G is automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10 in the measurement discrimination area Y (FIG. 1A). In the sorting area Z (FIG. 1 (a)), the unit belt 5 can rotate forward to the pool conveyor P (FIG. 1 (a)) side (diagonally backward) to send the fruit vegetables G to the pool conveyor P. It is like that.

  Of the four belts 5 of one fruit vegetable carrier 3, two fruit vegetables G can be placed on one fruit vegetable carrier 3 by placing the fruit vegetables G on the two belts 5.

[Support]
The support 14 shown in FIG. 2A is molded separately from the belt 5, and is fixed on the upper running portion 5x of each belt 5 with a fixing tool (for example, a screw). In this case, a pin 15 (FIG. 2B) is disposed on the back surface of the upper traveling part 5x, and the pin 15 is fixed to the upper traveling part 5x together with the support tool 14 by the fixing tool. The pin 15 protrudes from the bottom surface of the frame 11 to the lower side through a slit 16 (FIGS. 2B and 3) provided over the substantially entire length of the belt 5 at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the belt 5. . By using the belt 5, the support 14 and the pin 15 as an attachment structure, each pin 15 can reciprocate in the front-rear direction of the belt winding portion 12 (winding direction of the belt 5). The belt 5 and the pin 15 can reciprocate in the same direction.

  If possible, the support 14 can be bonded and fixed to the upper surface of the upper running portion 5x of the belt 5 with an adhesive. The support 14 serves as a guide for positioning when the fruit vegetables G are placed on the fruit vegetables placing portion 6, and the fruit vegetables G placed on the belt 5 can be supported during conveyance to prevent the fruit vegetables G from being displaced or overturned. . When the belt 5 rotates and the fruit vegetables G are sent to the pool conveyor P (FIG. 1A) on the side of the fruit vegetable transport body 4, the fruit vegetables G can be pushed out.

  The pin 15 of the fruit vegetable carrier 3 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is fixed to the upper running portion 5x of the belt 5 (FIG. 2B) and protrudes downward. It can also be provided in the lower traveling portion 5y. In this case, since the pin 15, the belt 5 and the support tool 14 move in the reverse direction, when the unit belt 5 is rotated by the movement of the pin 15, the fruit vegetables G on the unit belt 5 are sent to the side pool conveyor P. Like that.

  The fruit and vegetables mounting portion 6 provided on the surface of the belt 5 in FIG. 2A is specified by the relationship with the support tool 14 and is provided closer to the front of the belt 5 in the forward rotation direction than the support tool 14. The fruit vegetable mounting portion 6 can be provided with a display as a mark, or a dish-shaped receiving device can be attached, but nothing may be displayed or nothing may be attached.

  In the fruit and vegetable carrier 3 shown in FIGS. 2 (a), 2 (b) and 3, the fruit and vegetable carrier 6 is provided on each belt 5. However, when two or more belts 5 are used as a unit, Each fruit and vegetable mounting part 6 of the belt 5 which becomes one unit becomes one fruit and vegetable mounting part 6 as a whole.

  Although the illustrated belts 5 are each provided with a support tool 14, the belt 5 of the present invention may not have the support tool 14. In this case, since the fruit vegetable mounting part 6 cannot be specified in relation to the support tool 14, it is specified by another method. For example, the central part of the upper running part 5x of each belt 5 aligned in a horizontal line at the start position of the fruit and vegetables transporter 4 on the fruit and vegetable carrier 4 is identified as the fruit and vegetable placing part 6, or on the upper surface of the upper running part 5x of the belt 5 Thus, the position (location) opposite to the pin 15 projecting downward from the lower traveling portion 5y can be identified as the fruit vegetable placing portion 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the belt 5 is a reciprocating rotation type, the fruit green G is sent to the side in the conveyance direction (for example, the pool conveyor P) and then returned to the fruit vegetable loading area X. In the meantime, when the belt 5 rotates backward and returns to the original position, the support 14 and the fruit mounting parts 6 of the large number of fruit vegetable carriers 3 attached to the endless traveling body 2 are aligned in a line or substantially in a line. It is. By aligning in this way, it becomes easy to place the fruit and vegetables G on the fruit and vegetables mounting part 6 next, and the fruit and vegetables G placed on the fruit and vegetables mounting part 6 are transported in a row and directly under the measuring instrument 10. Passing, the measurement accuracy is improved, and sorting and sorting with high accuracy can be performed.

  The fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus 1 of the present invention can change the number and position of the belts 5 of one unit according to the size and length of the fruit vegetables G to be placed.

  The vegetable carrier 3 shown in FIGS. 2 (a), 2 (b), and 3 is an example. The fruit vegetable carrier 3 can have a structure other than these as long as the intended purpose can be achieved. For example, a single narrow belt 5 may be wound around a narrow frame 11 to form a single vegetable carrier 3, and a large number of the vegetable carriers 3 may be attached to the endless traveling body 2. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1A, the fruit carrier 3 has a front end portion and a rear end with the front end portion in the rotation direction of the belt 5 (front end portion in the fruit feed direction) obliquely rearward in the transport direction of the fruit vegetable transport body 4. A large number of parts are aligned in a horizontal row and attached to the endless traveling body 2. In the case of the fruit vegetable carrier 3 attached in this way, several fruit vegetable carriers 3 can be used as one unit, and the fruit vegetable G can be placed across the unit belt.

  If possible, the vegetable carrier 3 may be configured by only the belt 5 without the frame 11, and the belt 5 may be rotatably attached to the endless traveling body 2.

[Tracking switch]
The automatic measurement by the measuring instrument 10 is generally performed by irradiating the fruit vegetables G with measurement light from above or from the side of the fruit vegetables G, so that the bottom surface of the fruit vegetables G is scratched, deformed, or uneven in color. I can't. In the present invention, it is possible to visually discriminate scratches, deformations, color unevenness and the like on the bottom side of fruit vegetables that cannot be automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10. This determination is made by placing a fruit G on the fruit vegetable mounting portion 6 of the belt 5 and visually confirming the scratches, deformation, color unevenness and the like on the bottom surface of the fruit vegetable. An operator who has made a visual discrimination can input the discrimination result by operating the tracking switch 8 according to the discrimination result when placing the fruit vegetable G on the fruit vegetable placement unit 6 or before placing it on the fruit vegetable placement unit 6. .

  The tracking switch 8 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C has an endless rotating chain 18 such as an endless rotating chain and an endless rotating timing belt on the side of the fruit vegetable transporting body 4 from the fruit vegetable loading area X. It is provided in a section up to the front of the sorting area Z, and the section rotates in a circulating manner. The endless traveling body 18 for the switch is turned back before the sorting area Z so that the tracking switch 8 does not get in the way when the fruit vegetables G on the belt 5 are sent to the side of the fruit vegetables conveying direction. Because.

  The tracking switch 8 is provided at equal intervals with the interval of the belt 5 of the vegetable carrier 3 (FIG. 1A), and the traveling speed of the endless traveling body 18 for the switch is set to the traveling speed of the endless traveling body 2 of the vegetable transporting body 4. Thus, the tracking switch 8 always corresponds to each belt 5 of the vegetable carrier 3 in the running state.

  In FIG. 1 (a), three tracking switches 8 at positions corresponding to one unit of belt 5 (three in FIG. 1 (a)) among the many tracking switches 8 are made into one set.

  The tracking switch 8 of each set is that the fruit vegetables G are in the class A when none of the tracking switches 8 are operated (not pressed), the class B when only the tracking switch 8 on the right side as viewed from the operator is pressed, only the middle switch The relationship between the operation of the tracking switch 8 and the class is determined in advance, such as class C when pressing, class D when pressing only the left tracking switch 8, class E when pressing all three switches, etc. . Under this relationship, when the bottom surface state of the fruit vegetables G placed on the belt 5 is good, it is visually determined as Class A and any tracking switch 8 is not pressed, and when the bottom surface state is slightly bad, it is visually determined as Class B. Then, the right tracking switch 8 is pressed, and when the bottom surface is significantly deformed, it is visually determined as class C and the center tracking switch 8 is pressed. When the color of the bottom surface is poor, it is visually judged as class E, all three tracking switches 8 are pushed, and the respective visual discrimination results are inputted.

  The fruits and vegetables G that have been visually discriminated are transported by the fruits and vegetables transporter 4, and the shape, size and the like are automatically measured by the measuring instrument 10 in the measurement and discrimination area Y. The automatic measurement result is comprehensively discriminated in accordance with the visual discrimination result input from the tracking switch 8 as described above. For example, fruit vegetables G that are determined to be class A by visual discrimination are classified as S size (AS) by class A when they are determined by automatic measurement, and M size of class A when they are determined as M by automatic measurement. (AM), A class L size (AL) when automatically determined as L size, A class LL size (ALL) when automatically determined as LL size, etc. Classification is made.

  The tracking switch 8 moves in synchronization with the movement of the belt 5 so that the corresponding positional relationship with the belt 5 does not shift.

(Example of use)
The usage example of the fruit vegetable automatic selection apparatus 1 of this invention is demonstrated below. This use example is also an example of the fruit and vegetables automatic sorting method of the present invention performed using the fruit and vegetables automatic sorting apparatus 1 described above. In this usage example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the seven belts 5 are one unit (unit belt), and the selection target is a long fruit vegetable such as pepper.
(1) Prior to the sorting operation, the seven belts 5 are set as one unit.
(2) The fruit and vegetable transport body 4 and the switch endless traveling body 18 are rotated, and the operator places the fruit and vegetables G in the fruit and vegetable transporting area X of the fruit and vegetable transporting body 4 (see FIG. 1B). ).
(3) Before placing the fruit vegetable G on the fruit vegetable mounting portion 6, the operator visually checks the back side of the fruit vegetable G for scratches, deformation, etc., and according to a predetermined discrimination criterion, Class A, class B,...) And the tracking switch 8 is operated to input visual discrimination data.
(4) The fruit vegetables G for which the operation of (3) has been completed are transported forward by the travel of the fruit vegetable carrier 3, and are automatically measured and measured by the measuring instrument 10 in the measurement discrimination area Y (FIG. 1A). The determined size, length, etc. are determined to sizes such as SS, S, M, MM, L, LL according to a predetermined determination criterion, and are comprehensively determined from the previous visual determination data, for example, ASS, AS, AM, AMM, AL, ALL, BSS, BS, BM, BMM, BL, BLL,.
(5) The fruit vegetables G determined in the class (4) are transported to the sorting area Z by the fruit transporter 4, and the unit belt 5 rotates in the sorting area Z based on the determination result. Then, it is sent out to a pool conveyor P provided on the side of the fruit vegetable carrier 4 (sorted by equal class). At this time, if the seven unit belts 5 rotate simultaneously, the fruit vegetables G on the unit belt 5 are sent out sideways in the same direction. In this case, if the seven unit belts 5 are rotated forward with a time difference in the order of the belt 5 in the transport direction and the belt 5 in the rear direction, the fruits on the unit belt as shown in FIGS. The direction of G is changed from the horizontal direction at the time of conveyance to the vertical direction and is sent out in the vertical direction.
(6) The fruit and vegetable carrier 3 that has sent the fruit and vegetables G to the pool conveyor P according to (5) continues to move. At this time, the unit belt 5 and the support 14 that have sent out the fruit vegetables G are in the state of being sent out, but the unit between the time when the fruit vegetables G are sent and the time when the fruit carrier 3 returns to the fruit vegetable loading area X of the fruit vegetable carrier 4 The belt 5 rotates backward so that the fruit and vegetable mounting part 6 and the support 14 are returned to their original positions, and the fruit and vegetable mounting part 6 and the supporting tool 14 of the belt 5 are aligned. The unit belt 5 does not rotate backward, and the forward rotation can proceed to return to the original position.

  The rotation of the belt 5 of the vegetable carrier 3 in (5) is performed as follows. The pin 15 protruding below the fruit carrier 3 is obliquely directed toward the straight guide groove 20 and the side (pool conveyor P side) that can guide the pin 15 of the fruit carrier 3 to the sorting area Z of the fruit carrier 4. The pin 15 of the fruit vegetable carrier 3 normally moves along the straight guide groove 20, and when the fruit vegetable carrier 3 on which the fruit vegetable G to be sorted arrives arrives, the switching lever 22 (FIG. 5) is provided. ) Closes the rectilinear guide groove 20 and opens the sorting guide groove 21, and the pins 15 are guided to the sorting guide groove 21 to move sideways. By the movement of the pin 15, the belt 5 interlocked with the pin 15 rotates (forward rotation) in the moving direction of the pin 15 (conveyance direction side: pool conveyor P side), and on the belt 5 of the fruit vegetable carrier 3. The loaded fruit vegetables G are sent out to the pool conveyor P. The switching lever 22 is switched by a rotary solenoid provided below, and the rotary solenoid is operated in response to a determination signal in the measurement determination area Y. A guide roller 23 is rotatably provided on the pin 15.

(Other usage examples)
The fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus 1 can change the number of unit belts 5 according to the size, length, etc. of the fruit vegetables G to be placed, such as four one unit or six one unit.

  Since the fruit vegetable automatic sorting apparatus 1 of the present invention can change the number of belts 5 in one unit, various fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, peaches, pears, melons, and kodama raisins, and long fruit vegetables such as eggplant, pepper and bitter gourd. Selection of fruits and vegetables of shape and size can be performed with one unit.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fruit vegetable automatic sorting device 2 Endless traveling body 3 Fruit vegetable carrier 4 Fruit vegetable conveyance body 5 Belt (unit belt)
5x Belt upper traveling part 5y Belt lower traveling part 6 Fruit and vegetable mounting part 8 Tracking switch 10 Measuring instrument 11 Frame 12 Belt winding part 13 Roller 14 Supporting tool 15 Pin (protrusion)
16 slit 17 display area 18 endless traveling body for switch 19 display unit 20 straight guide groove 21 sorting guide groove 22 switching lever 23 guide roller G fruit vegetable H1 driving wheel H2 driven wheel M motor P pool conveyor X fruit vegetable loading area Y measurement discrimination area Z Sorting area

Claims (4)

A fruit carrier that can be loaded with fruit vegetables, is attached to an endless traveling body, moves in the same direction as the endless traveling body as the endless traveling body travels,
The fruit vegetable carrier is a belt conveyor type in which a plurality of belts are provided side by side in a single frame, and each belt is individually rotatable.
Each belt's fruit and vegetables feed direction ahead is diagonally rearward in the fruit and vegetables conveyance direction, can be rotated forward in the diagonally backward direction, and can be rotated back in the reverse direction.
Fruit vegetables can be placed on one belt or on two or more belts, and the vegetable vegetables on the belt can be sent diagonally backward in the fruit conveyance direction by the forward rotation of the belt.
A fruit vegetable carrier characterized by that. The fruit vegetable carrier according to claim 1 ,
There is a support that can support the rear part of the fruit vegetables on each belt, and the support is movable in the same direction as the belt with the forward or backward rotation of each belt.
A fruit vegetable carrier characterized by that. In the fruit vegetable carrier according to claim 1 or claim 2,
A plurality of belt winding portions are provided on the frame, rollers are rotatably attached to the front and rear ends of each belt winding portion, and each belt is rotatably wound between both rollers.
A fruit vegetable carrier characterized by that. In the fruit vegetable carrier according to claim 3,
In the lower running part of each belt wound on the outer periphery of the roller, a long slit is opened in the winding direction of each belt, and a protrusion protruding downward of each belt protrudes downward through the slit. , Reciprocating in the slit,
A fruit vegetable carrier characterized by that.

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