JPH0141512Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement of a sorting machine for sorting fruits and vegetables, including fruits and vegetables with dirt and foreign matter such as flower leaflets and leaves attached.

In conventional fruit and vegetable sorting machines that are equipped with a large number of trays that are rotatably attached to a chain that runs and rotates endlessly using a tray attachment shaft, the upper surface (article receiving surface) of the tray that accommodates fruits and vegetables is As shown in Figure 1, it is a flat surface with no irregularities, so when sorting fruits and vegetables that have been wet with dew or rain and have dirt, flower leaflets, dead leaves, etc. The foreign matter adheres to the top surface of the empty saucer in a surface-adhesive manner, and if the machine is operated as it is, the weight and size of the foreign matter will be added to the measured weight and shape, making it impossible to obtain accurate measurements of the items to be sorted. There was a drawback that it caused poor sorting (Figures 1 and 2).

For this reason, in conventional sorting machines, if the trays become dirty, the operation must be stopped and each tray must be manually cleaned one by one, or the trays must be rotated relative to the tray mounting shaft during the process after sorting and discharging the sorting machine. A brush roll is provided that contacts the top surface of the saucer when the tray is in a movable state, and the brush roll is automatically cleaned during operation. Since it is a flat surface, it is easy to clean, but it requires a lot of labor and time because it is done manually, and there is a disadvantage that there is a lot of waste and is inefficient because the sorting work cannot be done during that time. When automatically cleaning during operation by installing a tray, the conventional method using a saucer as shown in Fig. 1 prevents dirt, etc. from adhering to the boundary between the bottom of the upper surface of the saucer and the slope (especially the front and rear slopes). There is a disadvantage that foreign matter is difficult to peel off and foreign matter accumulates, and since the top surface of the saucer is a flat surface, the contact area and contact time between the top surface of the traveling and rotating saucer and the rotating brush roll are small. There is a drawback that foreign matter adhering to the top surface of the saucer remains without being peeled off.Furthermore, in the conventional method, the brush of the brush roll comes into contact with the top surface of the saucer when the saucer can rotate about the saucer mounting shaft. There was a drawback that the pressing force of the brush against the top surface was weak, making it difficult to remove foreign matter adhering to the top surface of the saucer. In addition, the conventional type has a drawback that the upper surface of the tray is flat, so fruits and vegetables tend to roll on the tray while the tray is running, and this rolling causes poor sorting.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and the top surface of the tray (article receiving surface) is formed in a shape that prevents foreign matter from adhering to it and that prevents fruits and vegetables from rolling on the tray. Even if foreign matter adheres, it can be easily and reliably removed automatically, and it can extremely reduce sorting defects caused by foreign matter adhering to the product-receiving surface of the tray or rolling of fruits and vegetables on the tray. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fruit and vegetable sorting machine that can maintain high sorting accuracy.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following technical measures.

That is, the present invention provides a sorting machine equipped with a large number of trays that are rotatably attached to a chain that runs and rotates endlessly by a tray attachment shaft.・A smooth surface in which the valleys extend in the front-rear direction (the running direction of the saucer and the opposite direction), and the central part of the crests and troughs in the front-rear direction are slightly lower than the front-rear ends. It is formed into a curved shape, and the peaks and peaks of the waveform are
Whether in the direction in which the valley extends (back-and-forth direction) or in the direction perpendicular to this, foreign matter may stick to the product receiving surface of the tray as a point or thin line. This makes it difficult for fruits and vegetables to peel off easily even if they stick, and prevents fruits and vegetables from rolling on the tray.

In addition, the present invention is applicable to a process in which no products are loaded onto a tray, such as at the end (drive side) or start end (driven side) of the conveyor device of the sorting machine, or at the lower part of the return path, and where fruits and vegetables on the tray are not loaded. The saucer which has been sorted and discharged and tilted and rotated is restored to the posture before the tilting and rotation by the saucer restoring device, and the saucer is in a state where it does not rotate with respect to the saucer mounting shaft and is in a state where it faces diagonally downward or downward. A cleaning device with a brush roll is provided at the position opposite to the tray, the tip of the brush rotating in the same direction as the travel rotation direction of the tray extends to the bottom of the waveform and contacts the entire article receiving surface of the tray. Due to the above shape of the article receiving surface of the tray and the arrangement of the cleaning device with the brush roll, the contact area and contact time between the article receiving surface of the traveling and rotating tray and the brush of the rotating brush roll are increased, When the brush and the article-receiving surface of the tray are in contact, the tray should be in a state where it cannot rotate about the tray mounting shaft and is facing diagonally downward or downward, so that the brush is not pressed against the article-receiving surface of the tray. The pressure is relatively strong so that even if hard-to-peel foreign matter adheres to the article-receiving surface of the tray, it can be easily and reliably peeled off and cleaned.

Below, a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1 is a sorting machine frame, 2 is a chain stretched so as to run and rotate endlessly along the frame 1, and 3 is a saucer attached to the chain 2 by a saucer attachment shaft 14 so as to be rotatable in multiple rotations at regular intervals. The sorter frame 1, chain 2, tray 3, etc. constitute a sorting conveyor 5 on which articles 4 are placed one by one and conveyed. Article supply section 6 and sorting section 7 of the sorting conveyor 5 as a conveyor device.
Similar to conventional sorting machines, a weight measuring device 8 or a shape measuring device (imaging camera, etc.) 9 is installed between the two.

The article-receiving surface of the tray 3 is related to the main part of the present invention, and is not a flat surface, but has a corrugated surface of 10 to prevent foreign objects such as dirt, flower leaflets, and dead leaves from adhering to the surface even if they are placed on it. The waveform 10 has an uneven surface in which the extending direction of the peaks and valleys is the front-rear direction (the running direction of the saucer and the opposite direction), and the center portion of the peaks and valleys of the waveform 10 in the front-rear direction is the front-rear end. It has a smooth curved shape that is slightly lower than that of the waveform 10, and in this way, the foreign matter placed on the receiving tray 3 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the peaks and valleys of the waveform 10 with respect to the article receiving surface of the receiving tray 3. Regardless of the direction, the point or linear thin portion makes partial contact, making it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to the article receiving surface of the tray 3, and even if foreign matter adheres to the article receiving surface. Moreover, the fruits and vegetables 4 are difficult to roll on the tray 3. The corrugated shape 10 of the saucer 3 may be formed integrally with the saucer body 3', but preferably the cushion material 1 is attached to the upper part of the saucer body 3'.
1 is formed into a corrugated shape 10 and attached.

12 is a cleaning device equipped with a brush roll 13 for cleaning the article receiving surface of the tray 3;
In this case, the receiving tray 3 which has been tilted and rotated after sorting and discharging the articles 4 on the receiving tray 3 at the end or starting end of the sorting conveyor 5 or the lower part of the return side running path is placed in the receiving tray restoring device 1.
5, the saucer 3 is restored to its original position before tilting and rotation, and the saucer 3 is placed in a position where it does not rotate with respect to the saucer mounting shaft 14 and faces diagonally downward or downward. animal hair (horse hair,
As shown in FIG. 8, a brush roll 13 on which brushes 13' made of boar hair, synthetic resin fibers, etc. are implanted is placed opposite to the saucer 3, so that the brushes 13' of the brush roll 13 are aligned with the direction of travel and rotation of the saucer 3. The brush rolls 13 are arranged so that they rotate in the same direction, and the tips of the brushes 13' extend to the bottom of the corrugations 10 of the tray 3 and come into contact with the entire article receiving surface of the tray 3, The brush 13' is rotated in contact with the article-receiving surface of the tray 3 in a state where the tray 3 is not rotated relative to the tray mounting shaft 14, thereby increasing the contact area and contact time with the article-receiving surface of the tray 3. Brushing is performed so that the pressing force of the brush 13' against the article receiving surface of the receiving tray 3 is relatively strong, and foreign matter adhering to the article receiving surface of the receiving tray 3 is surely peeled off and removed without peeling from the article receiving surface. It is configured to rotate using appropriate power or in conjunction with the sorting conveyor 5.

The curvature of the curved surface formed by the tip of the brush 13' of the brush roll 13 and the curvature of the curved surface formed by the peaks and valleys of the saucer 3 in its extending direction (back and forth direction) are as follows:
Preferably, they match or are very close. The cleaning device 12 also includes a brush roll 1.
A fountain means (not shown) is provided near the saucer 3.
The article receiving surface of the container may be cleaned while being washed.

As described above, in a sorting machine equipped with a large number of trays that are rotatably attached to a chain that runs and rotates endlessly by a tray attachment shaft, the product receiving surface of the tray for placing fruits and vegetables is shaped into a corrugated shape. The extending direction of the peaks and valleys is formed in a wavy surface in the front-rear direction, and the center part of the peaks and valleys of the waveform in the front-rear direction is formed in a smooth curved shape that is slightly lower than the front and rear ends, Even if dirt, dead leaves, flower leaflets, or other foreign objects are placed on the product receiving surface of the receiving tray, the foreign objects may not move in the direction in which the peaks and valleys of the waveform extend (front-back direction) or in this direction. Since the contact area is very small, it has the effect of making it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to it, and even if foreign matter does It has the effect of being easy to peel off even if it adheres, and also has the effect of preventing fruits and vegetables from rolling on the tray due to the shape of the product receiving surface of the tray,
Furthermore, the tray that has been tilted and rotated after sorting and discharging fruits and vegetables is restored to the position before the tilting and rotation, and is in a position where it does not rotate with respect to the tray mounting shaft and is in a state where it faces diagonally downward or downward, A cleaning device equipped with a brush roll is provided in which the tip of a rotating brush facing the tray extends to the bottom of the waveform and comes into contact with the entire article-receiving surface of the tray, thereby cleaning the article-receiving surface of the tray. Therefore, the contact area and contact time between the article receiving surface of the tray formed in the above shape and the brush of the rotating brush roll can be increased, and when the brush and the article receiving surface of the tray are in contact with each other, Since the tray does not rotate with respect to the tray mounting shaft and faces diagonally downward or downward, the tray does not escape due to the pressing force of the brush, and the pressing force of the brush against the article receiving surface of the tray is relatively strong. Therefore, it has the effect of easily and reliably removing even foreign substances that are difficult to peel off, and can also be used to remove foreign substances that adhere to the product receiving surface of the tray or sorting caused by fruits and vegetables rolling on the tray. Not only is it possible to extremely reduce defects and maintain high sorting accuracy, but it also eliminates wasted labor and time such as stopping the sorting machine and manually cleaning the article receiving surface of the tray. At the same time, the operating efficiency of the machine can be increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 show conventional devices with foreign matter attached to them. Figures 3 to 7 all show embodiments of the present invention, with Figure 3 being a side view of the sorter, Figure 4 being a perspective view of a rectangular tray, and Figure 5 being a plan view of a rectangular tray. , Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a front view of Figure 5.
Figure shows a side view. FIG. 8 shows an explanatory view of the main parts of the cleaning device. 1... Sorter frame, 2... Chain, 3...
saucer, 3'... saucer body, 4... article, 5... sorting conveyor, 6... article supply section, 7... sorting section, 8... weight side measuring device, 9... shape measuring device,
10... Waveform, 11... Cushion material, 12...
Cleaning device, 13... brush roll, 13'... brush, 14... saucer mounting shaft, 15... saucer restoring device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a sorting machine equipped with a large number of trays that are rotatably attached to a chain that runs and rotates endlessly using a tray mounting shaft, the extending direction of the crests and valleys of the waveform is the front and back of the product receiving surface of the tray for placing fruits and vegetables. It is formed into a waveform surface in the direction, and the central part of the crests and troughs of the waveform in the front and rear direction is slightly lower than the front and rear ends, and the tray is tilted. The tip of the rotating brush facing the saucer is at the bottom of the waveform when it is restored to its pre-rotation position and is not rotated about the saucer mounting shaft and is facing diagonally downward or downward. A fruit and vegetable sorting machine characterized by being provided with a cleaning device equipped with a brush roll that reaches all the way to the surface of the tray and comes into contact with the entire article receiving surface of the tray.