JP6805506B2 - Granular appearance grade determination device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for determining the appearance and quality of granules such as cereals.

Conventionally, a purchaser such as an agricultural cooperative who purchases post-harvest paddy, brown rice, etc. (hereinafter referred to as “raw material rice”) from an agricultural producer collects a sample from the raw material rice and prepares each rice grain. The grades of grains, immature grains, colored grains, etc. are inspected to determine the mixing rate of each grade, and the purchase price of the raw material rice is determined with reference to this mixing rate.

Then, when inspecting the sample, the purchaser utilizes a granular material appearance quality determination device. As the granular appearance grade determination device, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. First, this device uses an image acquisition device to obtain grains (hereinafter referred to as "rice grains") of a target sample. An image is taken, and a grain image of rice grains to be displayed on the display unit is created from this captured data (light receiving data), and then supplied to an analyzer to measure the amount of reflected light and the amount of transmitted light of each rice grain to determine the quality. At the same time, the mixing rate is calculated, and finally the grain image of the rice grain, the determination result of the quality of the grain image, and the mixing rate are displayed on the display unit.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-046741 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-209415

By the way, as the granular appearance grade determination device, as in Patent Document 1, a transport means for transporting rice grains using a vibration feeder is provided in the light amount measuring unit of the analyzer, or other methods for transporting rice grains. For example, as in Patent Document 2, a transport means for transporting rice grains to an optical detection unit by rotating a disk having a plurality of grooves formed on the peripheral edge thereof by a motor is known. However, there were the following problems.

That is, in the transport means of the analyzer of the granular appearance quality determination device described in Patent Document 1, the rice grains to be inspected are transported while vibrating, so that the measurement may be performed in a state where the posture is tilted. Further, in the transport means of the granular material appearance quality determination device described in Patent Document 2, the rice grains to be inspected are thrown in a state in which the posture is tilted when the rice grains to be inspected are thrown into the groove of the disk. Similarly, the image may be taken with the posture tilted.

In this way, the length and width of the rice grains in the grain image are the true length of the rice grains measured or imaged in the tilted posture, as compared to the case where the rice grains are measured or imaged in the normal state without tilting. It will be shorter than the width. In addition, the rice grain may have an unnecessary shadow on the germ portion or the like, and the shadow may appear as a black dot in the grain image. Therefore, the rice grains may be erroneously discriminated as immature grains or colored grains by the granular appearance grade determination device.

When the erroneous discrimination occurs, the mixing rate of each grade calculated based on the quality discrimination result of the sample containing the erroneously discriminated rice grain becomes inaccurate, so that the purchase price of the raw rice from which the sample was collected becomes inaccurate. Could be inaccurate. For this reason, there was a risk that the agricultural producers would not be paid a fair amount.

Therefore, in view of the above problems, it is a technical subject of the present invention to provide a granular material appearance grade determination device capable of improving the accuracy of the purchase price of raw materials such as rice grains.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention creates a grain image by obtaining an imaging unit that captures an image of a granular material and acquires imaging data and measurement quality information that becomes optical information based on the imaging data on a grain-by-grain basis. A control unit that discriminates the grade of each of the granules based on the measured grade information and a setting grade information that serves as a predetermined threshold value for discriminating the grade, and the discriminant grade and the grain image determined by the control unit are displayed. In the granular material appearance quality determination device including the display unit, the control unit is a quality input unit in which the user can input an arbitrary quality of the granular material, and the user can arbitrarily input the grain image displayed on the display unit. When the grade is input to the grade input unit by the user and the grain image is selected by the grain selection unit, the determination of the selected grain image is provided. The technical means of changing the grade to the input grade and providing a grade change unit to be displayed on the display unit shall be taken.
More specifically, the present invention has an imaging unit that images a granular object and acquires imaging data, a transport unit that transports the granular material to the imaging unit, and a measurement quality that provides optical information based on the imaging data. While creating a grain image by obtaining information on a grain-by-grain basis, a control unit that discriminates the grade of each of the granules based on the measured grade information and the set grade information that serves as a predetermined threshold for discriminating the grade. In a granular material appearance quality determination device including a display unit for displaying the quality and grain image determined by the control unit, the control unit adjusts the quality of the granular material by a user , and the blue immature grain, milky white grain, etc. A grade selection screen that serves as a grade input unit that allows one of crushed grains, split grains, and colored grains to be input, and a grain selection unit that allows the user to select an arbitrary grain image from the grain images displayed on the display unit. The user inputs one grade from the sized, blue immature grain, milky white grain, crushed grain, split grain, and colored grain on the grade selection screen which is the grade input unit, and the grain is When a grain image is selected in the selection unit, the quality change unit that changes the quality of the selected grain image to the input quality and displays it on the display unit is provided, and the transport unit is provided with the granular material. It has a disk having a plurality of grooves provided one by one around it, and the disk is arranged on a base plate inclinedly supported by a gantry, and a motor fixed to the gantry is located at the center thereof. The output shaft is axially mounted and rotatable, and the groove has a bottom portion made of a transparent material and a peripheral portion formed of an open portion, and the granular material in the groove is opened on the base plate. A dam portion for preventing emission from the portion is formed along the peripheral edge portion of the disk by using a transparent material, and the imaging unit is arranged at an inclined upper position of the disk. It is composed of a first optical detection unit and a second optical detection unit. The first optical detection unit includes a condenser lens, a light receiving sensor, and an irradiation unit provided above the groove, and the groove. It is configured by using a condensing lens and a light receiving sensor provided on the side and an irradiation unit provided below the groove, and these light receiving sensors scan a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the granules. The second optical detection unit is configured by using a condenser lens, a light receiving sensor, and an irradiation unit provided below the groove, and an irradiation unit provided above the groove. The light receiving sensor is arranged so as to scan a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the granules.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the control unit of the granular material appearance grade determination device displays the discrimination grade and the grain image on the display unit, it displays a reference image of the granular material as a sample of each grade. It is characterized by that.

The granular appearance quality determination device according to claim 1 of the present invention creates a grain image by obtaining measurement quality information, which is optical information, on a grain-by-grain basis based on imaging data, while discriminating between the measurement quality information and the quality. Granules including a control unit that discriminates the quality of each of the granules based on set quality information that serves as a predetermined threshold value, and a display unit that displays the discriminant grade and the grain image determined by the control unit. In the appearance grade determination device, when the grade is input to the control unit by the user and the grain image is selected, the discrimination grade of the selected grain image is changed to the input grade and the display is performed. Since it is equipped with a grade changing part to be displayed on the part, even if the grade of granules such as rice grains is erroneously discriminated, the grade of the granules can be determined by the user (operator) who operates the granular appearance grade determination device. It is possible to change and display the correct quality. Therefore, since the display of the mixing ratio of each grade calculated based on the judgment result of the grade can be accurately displayed, the present invention can accurately determine the purchase price of the raw rice. Moreover, in order to correct the erroneous determination, it is not necessary for the user to re-inspect the sample containing the rice grains erroneously determined by the granular material appearance quality determining device, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in work efficiency. ..

According to the granular material appearance grade determination device according to claim 2 of the present invention, the grade and grain image discriminated for each granular material are displayed, and at the same time, a reference image serving as a sample of the granular material of each grade is also displayed. By comparing with the reference image, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the quality of the granular material is determined as desired by the user.

It is a vertical sectional view of the granular material appearance quality determination apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the granular material appearance quality determination apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view of the first optical detection part in embodiment of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view of the 2nd optical detection part in embodiment of this invention. It is a control block diagram of the granular material appearance quality determination apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It shows the procedure of the discrimination method of the granular material appearance quality discriminating apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which showed the discrimination result of the granular material appearance quality discrimination apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a flow chart which showed the method of changing the discrimination result. It is a figure which showed an example of the quality selection screen. It is a figure which showed an example of a reference image. It is a figure which shows the state which rice grain was put into the groove 4a of a disk 4.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a vertical cross-sectional view of the granular material appearance quality determination device 1 according to the present invention. The granular appearance quality determination device 1 of the present invention is provided with a transport unit 3 for transporting grains (hereinafter referred to as “rice grains S”) of the object to be measured to the image pickup unit 2. The transport unit 3 is of a known disc transport system, and has a disc 4 provided with a plurality of grooves 4a in which rice grains S are inserted one by one. The disk 4 is arranged on a base plate 6 inclinedly supported by a gantry 6b, and an output shaft 5a of a motor 5 fixed to the gantry 6b is pivotally attached to a central portion thereof to be rotatable. (See FIGS. 1 and 2). In the present embodiment, the disk 4 is supposed to rotate in the clockwise direction (arrow Y). Each groove 4a has a bottom portion 4b made of a transparent material and a peripheral portion made of an open portion 4c. On the base plate 6, a weir portion 6a for preventing the rice grains S in the groove 4a from being discharged from the open portion 4c is formed along the peripheral edge portion of the disk 4. Further, the rice grain supply unit 7 is configured at a position below the inclination of the disk 4. The rice grain supply portion 7 has a wide flat surface connected to the weir portion 6a so that the rice grains S can stay in the upper portion of the peripheral edge portion of the disk 4. Assuming that the rice grain supply portion 7 is the transport start end side of the disk 4, a notch portion 6c is formed by cutting out the weir portion 6a on the transport end side, and the rice grain S for which measurement has been completed is formed from the groove 4a. It is configured to be dropped.

The imaging unit 2 is composed of a first optical detection unit 2a and a second optical detection unit 2b, and is arranged at a position above the inclination of the disk 4 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The first optical detection unit 2a has a configuration capable of optically detecting (imaging) the upper surface and the side surface of the conveyed rice grains S (see FIG. 3). The first optical detection unit 2a is above the groove 4a (rice grain S) with a condenser lens 8, a CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor) 9, and red (R), green (G), and blue (light receiving sensor) as the irradiation unit 10. The light emitting diode of B) is formed, and the condenser lens 11 and the CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor) 12 are formed on the side of the groove 4a. Further, below the groove 4a, an irradiation unit (light emitting diode) 13 for irradiating the rice grain S from below is configured in the internal space of the concave base plate 6. In the first optical detection unit 2a, the weir portion 6a on the side of the groove 4a is made of a transparent material so that the light from the rice grains S can enter the CCD linear sensor 12. The CCD linear sensors 9 and 12 are those capable of receiving red (R), green (G), and blue (B) lights, and are in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the rice grains S (arrow Y). Is arranged so as to scan.

Next, regarding the configuration of the second optical detection unit 2b, the second optical detection unit 2b is configured to optically detect (imaging) the lower surface (bottom surface) of the rice grain S (see FIG. 4). .. The second optical detection unit 2b has a condensing lens 14, a CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor) 15, and red (R), green (G), and red (G) as the irradiation unit 16 in the concave internal space of the base plate 6. A blue (B) light emitting diode is formed, while an irradiation unit (light emitting diode) 17 that irradiates rice grains S from above is formed above the groove 4a. As the CCD linear sensor 15, a sensor capable of receiving red (R), green (G), and blue (B) lights is used, and the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the rice grains S (the arrow Y) is scanned. Arrange so as to.

Next, an example of the control unit (signal processing unit) 20 that receives the received signals from the CCD linear sensors 9, 12, and 15 and performs signal processing will be described (see FIG. 5). The control unit 20 has a central arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) 21 as the center of the configuration, an input / output circuit (hereinafter referred to as “I / O”) 22 electrically connected to the CPU 21, and a read-only storage unit. It is composed of 23 (hereinafter referred to as "ROM") and 24 reading / writing storage units (hereinafter referred to as "RAM") 24. The I / O 22 is electrically connected to the CCD linear sensors 9, 12 and 15, and also includes a display unit 25 and a setting start button 22a (not shown) that display the quality and determination result determined by the CPU 21. Connect in the same way. The ROM 23 stores an operation program and a look-up table for controlling the granular appearance quality determination device. Further, the control unit 20 is also electrically connected to a circuit (not shown) that controls the start of the motor 5 and the lighting output of the irradiation units 10, 13, 16 and 17 (details of known means). Explanation omitted).

The operation of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a case where the granular material to be inspected is brown rice will be described. FIG. 6 shows the procedure of the discriminating method of the granular material appearance quality discriminating device 1.

(1) Imaging step (step S1):
First, the rice grain S as a sample is supplied to the rice grain supply unit 7, and the measurement start button (not shown) is turned on. Then, the disk 4 rotates, and the rice grains S of the rice grain supply unit 7 enter the groove 4a one by one and are conveyed to the first and second optical detection units 2a and 2b. In the first optical detection unit 2a, irradiation light hits the rice grains S from the irradiation units 10 and 13, and the rice grains S are scanned by the CCD linear sensors 9 and 12. As a result, imaging data of the plane and the side surface of the rice grain S are obtained, and each imaging data is sequentially stored in the RAM 24.

The rice grains S that have passed through the first optical detection unit 2a are imaged by the second optical detection unit 2b. That is, in the second optical detection unit 2b, irradiation light hits the rice grains S from the irradiation units 16 and 17, and the rice grains S are scanned by the CCD linear sensor 15. As a result, the imaging data of the back surface of the rice grain S is obtained, and the imaging data is sequentially stored in the RAM 24.

(2) Image processing step (step S2):
The CPU 21 sequentially reads out the imaging data of each rice grain S stored in the RAM 24 and processes it in the image processing unit 47, obtains optical information for each grain, and obtains the outer shape, area, length, width, and color of each rice grain. , Extract measurement grade information related to grade such as body split.

(3) Discrimination step (step S3):
Then, the quality of each rice grain (grain size, crushed rice, etc.) is compared with the set quality information (for example, threshold value, calibration curve (quality relational expression), etc.) set in advance in the determination unit 48 of the CPU 21. Discriminate dead rice, colored rice, blue immature rice, pest-damaged rice, etc.). The extraction and discrimination can be performed by a general analysis method. For example, the methods described in JP-A-2011-242284 and JP-A-2000-304702 can be used.

(4) Image creation step (step S4):
The image processing unit of the CPU 21 uses the imaging data and optical information to create a grain image of rice grains for each grain. The image creation step may be performed in the image processing step (step S2).

(5) Display step (step S5):
The grain image of each rice grain created in the image creating step is displayed on a display unit 25 such as a display. The method of the display is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the grain image of each rice grain is displayed as a list 33 by attaching the corresponding number (labeling) and grade to the grain image of each rice grain. You should do it. In FIG. 7, 40 grains of brown rice are displayed at the same time, and the corresponding numbers and grades are attached to the lower part of the grain image of each brown rice.

The user (operator) who operates the granular material appearance grade determination device 1 compares the grain image of each brown rice displayed in the display step with the grade attached to the grain image, and performs the discrimination step ( In step S3), it can be confirmed whether or not the granular material appearance quality determination device 1 accurately determines the quality. Then, when brown rice determined to have a grade different from the desired grade is confirmed, the user can easily change the display of the grade of the brown rice.

Here, a state in which rice grains having an inclined posture are inserted into the groove 4a provided in the disk 4 of the granular material appearance grade determination device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 shows the rice grains 61 thrown into the groove 4a of the second optical detection section 2b of the imaging unit 2 in a tilted posture with a solid line, and the rice grains 61 thrown in a normal state without tilting with a broken line. is there. In FIG. 11, the display of the lighting unit and the like is omitted. In FIG. 11, L2 is the grain width when the tilted rice grain 61 is viewed from above, L1 is the grain width when the rice grain 61 in the normal state is viewed from above, and L2 is L1. It shows that it will be shorter than. As shown by the relationship between L1 and L2, the rice grains thrown into the groove 4a in a tilted posture are imaged with a shorter width than the original grain, and even if they are sized, they are immature grains. There is a risk of erroneous determination by the granular appearance quality determination device 1.

The change method will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. Here, in FIG. 8, the brown rice of No. 5 is imaged in a state where the posture is tilted even though the desired grade is sized, so that the grain width is narrower than the original, and the determination unit 48 of the control unit 20. It shows the case where it was recognized by and was determined to be immature grains. The user recognizes the brown rice (granular matter) to be changed to the grade changing unit 31 of the CPU 21 by selecting by clicking or touching the grain image of the brown rice of No. 5 using the input unit 30 serving as the grain selecting unit 43. (Step S51). Next, the grade selection screen 32 serving as the grade input unit 41 as shown in FIG. 6 is superimposed on the display unit 25, and the grade to be changed is selected from the grade selection screen 32 (step S52). The grade may be input directly from the input unit 30. In FIG. 9, the square frame of the grade selection screen 32 is checked, and the sizing is selected. After the selection, if the reset button 36 of FIG. 9 is clicked, the brown rice of No. 5 is registered as sizing by the grade changing unit 31, and the display of the quality of the brown rice of No. 5 is displayed as "Sizing". Then, the change of quality is completed. Either the grain image or the grade may be selected first.

Furthermore, in order to make it possible for even a user who is not skilled in quality discrimination to confirm whether or not the quality of each brown rice is discriminated to the desired one, a reference image as a sample of each grade is inspected. It may be displayed on the display at the same time as the list of brown rice. FIG. 10 shows sized grains, blue immature grains, crushed grains, split grains, and partially colored grains as examples of the reference image 37. As shown in the figure, by visually comparing the reference image of each grade with the actual grain image of brown rice after discrimination, even the user can easily confirm the discrimination result. The reference image may be prepared by the user independently, or used in "Explanation of inspection terms" and "Explanation of damaged grains, dead rice, colored grains, and immature grains" on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It may be created by referring to the grain image of each grade.

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

The display method of the granular material appearance grade determination device of the present invention is not limited to granular materials such as cereals, and is used for displaying granular materials such as resin pellets, crushed products such as glass pieces, and the like. Is possible.

1 Granular appearance quality determination device 2 Imaging unit 2a First optical detection unit 2b Second optical detection unit 3 Transport unit 4 Disk 4a Groove 4b Bottom 4c Opening unit 5 Motor 5a Output shaft 6 Base plate 6a Weir 6b Stand 6c Notch Part 7 Rice grain supply part 8 Condensing lens 9 CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor)
10 Irradiation unit 11 Condensing lens 12 CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor)
13 Irradiation unit 14 Condensing lens 15 CCD linear sensor (light receiving sensor)
16 Irradiation unit 17 Irradiation unit 21 Control unit 22 Input / output circuit 23 Read-only storage unit 24 Read / write storage unit 25 Display unit

Claims (2)

An imaging unit that images particles and acquires imaging data,
A transport unit that transports the granules to the imaging unit, and
While the measurement quality information, which is the optical information, is obtained for each grain based on the imaging data to create a grain image, the measurement quality information and the set quality information, which is a predetermined threshold value for discriminating between the measurement quality information and the quality, are used. A control unit that determines the quality of each granular material,
A display unit that displays the quality and grain image determined by the control unit, and
In the granular appearance grade determination device equipped with
The control unit includes a grade selection screen that serves as a grade input unit that allows the user to input one of granules, blue immature grains, milky white grains, crushed grains, split grains, and colored grains. It is equipped with a grain selection unit that allows the user to select an arbitrary grain image from the grain image displayed on the display unit, and the user can display the grade selection screen that serves as the grade input unit for sizing, blue immature grains, milky white grains, and crushed grains. When one grade is input from the body split grain and the colored grain and the grain image is selected by the grain selection unit, the grade of the selected grain image is changed to the input grade. It is equipped with a quality changing unit to be displayed on the display unit.
The transport portion has a disk provided with a plurality of grooves around which the granules enter one by one, and the disk is arranged on a base plate inclinedly supported by a pedestal, and a central portion thereof. The output shaft of the motor fixed to the gantry is axially mounted and rotatable, and the groove has a bottom portion made of a transparent material and a peripheral portion made of an open portion, and the groove is formed on the base plate. A weir portion for preventing the granules in the groove from being discharged from the open portion is formed along the peripheral edge portion of the disk by using a transparent material.
The image pickup unit is composed of a first optical detection unit and a second optical detection unit arranged at a position above the inclination of the disk.
The first optical detection unit includes a condenser lens, a light receiving sensor, and an irradiation unit provided above the groove, a condenser lens and a light receiving sensor provided on the side of the groove, and a lower portion of the groove. These light receiving sensors are arranged so as to scan a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the granules, which is configured by using an irradiation unit provided in the above.
The second optical detection unit is configured by using a condenser lens, a light receiving sensor, and an irradiation unit provided below the groove, and an irradiation unit provided above the groove. A granular material appearance quality determination device arranged so as to scan a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the granular material. The granular product appearance quality determining device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit displays a reference image of a granular material as a sample of each grade on the display unit when displaying the discrimination grade and the grain image on the display unit. ..

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