JPH0278473A - Method for controlling screening device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve control accuracy and to enhance processing capacity by subjecting the front surface of a screening plate to image pickup by a vision sensor having the resolving power to identify grains, recognizing the image of the vision sensor to detect the amt. of the unhulled rice to be intruded and adjusting the inclination angle of the screening plate or moving a partition plate. CONSTITUTION:The screening plate 1 is subjected to the image pickup by the vision sensor 11 having the resolving power to identify the grains and the amt. of the unhulled rice to be intruded is determined by image recognition. The inclination of the screening plate 1 or the position of the partition plate 8 whichever needed is controlled. The range of monitoring is, therefore, wider than the conventional case in which the difference in reflectivity is spot detected by a photoelectric sensor and is controlled. The position control of the control accuracy incomparably higher than heretofore is thus attained. Only the desired grains are extremely efficiently screened and extracted even if the partition plate 8 is not set to a safe side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling a sorting device for sorting mixed grains after hulling, such as mixed rice, into brown rice and paddy.

Prior Art This type of sorting device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-104681, and is constructed as follows.6 Figures 10 and 11 show the outline thereof0 A sorting plate 1 has a tilting drive means 3 and a vibrating device. It is supported through 2. When the mixed rice 5 is supplied to the upper end 4 of the sorting plate 1, the mixed rice 5 is transferred toward the lower end 6 of the sorting plate 1 by the inclination and vibration of the sorting plate 1. During this transfer, a flow distribution of the paddy layer A1, the mixed rice layer A2, and the brown rice layer A3 occurs on the upper surface of the sorting plate 1, as shown in FIG.

B1 is the boundary between the paddy layer A1 and the mixed rice layer A2, and B2 is the boundary between the mixed rice 711A2 and the brown rice layer A3.

First and second partition plates 7° 8 are provided at the lower end 6 of the sorting plate 1, and the first partition plate 7 corresponds to the boundary line Bl, and the second partition plate 8 corresponds to the boundary line iB2. position. A photoelectric sensor 9 is attached to the second partition plate 8, which detects the position of the boundary line B2 by utilizing the difference in light reflectance between the mixed rice layer A2 and the brown rice layer A3, and detects the position of the boundary line B2.
The position of the partition plate 8 is changed by controlling the partition plate driving means 10 so that the position of the partition plate 8 coincides with the position of the boundary line B2.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional configuration, the position of the partition plate 8 is changed based on the signal from the photoelectric sensor 9, and only brown rice is sorted and taken out from the section C divided by the partition plate 8. However, since the detection by the photoelectric sensor 9 recognizes the brightness level of the entire field of view of the sensor, it does not recognize or recognize individual grains, and the thickness of the grain layer may change. In North America, the brightness is different and the control accuracy is poor.Therefore, the partition plate 8 is located at the brown rice FjJA from the actual position of the boundary ax n 2.
3 is set on the safe side to prevent mixed rice from getting mixed into the sorted brown rice. Since it is necessary to set it on the safe side in this way, the underarm of the brown rice that can be extracted through sorting may leak, resulting in low processing capacity.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a control method that can improve control accuracy and processing capacity compared to conventional methods.

Means for Solving the Problems A control method for a sorting device according to the present invention provides mixed grains to be supplied to the upper part of an inclined sorting plate, and when the mixed grains are separated while flowing down toward the lower part, the upper surface of the sorting plate is Recognizing the image of a television camera positioned to capture the standard position of the image, controlling the inclination angle of the sorting plate so that the amount of paddy mixed in the image approaches a first specified value, and then recognizing the image. Then, move the television camera in the width direction of the sorting plate and position it so that the amount of rice mixed in the image approaches the second specified value, which is smaller than the first specified value, and then adjust the image of the television camera after positioning. The present invention is characterized in that the position of paddy mixed in in the width direction of the sorting plate is determined by recognizing this, and the partition plate is moved to the vicinity of the determined position.

Function: According to this configuration, the TV camera monitors not only one point on the sorting plate, but also the “face” of the area where the sorting plate is located.
The grains of rice are recognized from the image captured by the television camera, and the tilt of the sorting plate and the position of the partition plate are controlled based on the amount of rice mixed in.

Embodiments Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the control method of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1 to 9. Note that the first example shows a conventional example.
Components having the same functions as those in FIGS. 0 and 11 will be described with the same reference numerals.

In the sorting device of FIG. 1, the photoelectric sensor 9 in FIG.
Instead, a television camera 11 and an image processing means 12 are provided. Here, the television camera 11 is attached to an electric lateral movement table 13.

In addition to the image signal a as an input signal, the image processing means 12 includes a limit switch 134 for detecting when the television camera 11 reaches the left end or right end, as shown in FIG.
LS5, an encoder ECI that detects the position of the television camera 11, a limit switch 136 that detects that the sorting plate 1 has reached the upper and lower limit angles, LS7, an encoder that detects the angle of the sorting plate 1 [C3, the partition plate 8 is Limit switch L that detects when the left end or right end has been reached
Signals S8, LS9, and an encoder EC2 for detecting the position of the partition plate 8 are input, and the output devices include the drive motor M7 of the lateral movement table 13, the drive motor M9 of the partition plate drive means 10, and the tilt drive means. 3-1) The 0-image f-image processing means 12 is connected to the μ movement motor M10 and the brown rice switching shutter 14 that switches the delivery route of the brown rice that has passed through the partition plate 8 and is sorted to the fi ring and the unloading.
As shown in the figure, the first step a is to move the television camera 11 from the standby position to the standard position, the second step is to control the angle of the sorting plate 1, and the third step is to finely adjust the position of the television camera 11. The process consists of a step C, and a fourth step d, in which the position of the partition plate 8 is slightly adjusted. Each step will be explained in detail in step 3.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the first step a.

In the initial state, the television camera 11 is at the standby position I at the right end of the sorting plate 1, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, and takes an image of the upper surface of the sorting plate 1 to start image processing (Ca-1). When the vibration device 2 is operated and mixed rice 5 is supplied to the upper end 4 of the sorting plate 1, the mixed rice flows down the sorting plate 1 and is spread out into a paddy layer A1, a mixed rice layer A2, and a brown rice layer A3. . In (a-2), the proportion of the exposed part of the sorting plate 1 in the entire field of view is calculated from the captured image, and this proportion is calculated in (a-3).
) to judge. [, a-3:] is repeated until the rice grain layer A1 comes into the visual field and the exposed portion of the sorting plate 1 becomes less than 10%.

If the number of repetitions of Ca-2) does not reach the first predetermined number of times, this is detected in (a-4), the vibration device 2 is stopped Ca-5), and the abnormal buzzer sounds 1: a -6] and stop all operations Stop operation 1: Execute a-7).

When it is determined that it has been sufficiently expanded in (a-3),
Drive motor M7 1ea-8] L, encoder E
Check in [a-9] whether the position information of C1 has reached the data Y of standard position) d set in advance, and repeat 'a-8). In FIG. 3, the standard position (2) of the television camera 11 is shown by a virtual line. When a match is detected in (a-9) and the television camera 11 reaches the standard position H, the process moves to the next second step.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the second step.

Following (a-9), < [b-13[:b-2] captures images a second predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals, recognizes the rice grains, and performs the following processing on each image. , First, as shown in FIG.
Subdivide into blocks BL1 to BL8 in the width direction of (b
-3) Each block 1 cock BL1-8 of each read image
[Calculate the average value of the number of rice grains in 8, Cb-4,1
Then, the sum of the average values in [b-33 is calculated and used as the average value of the rice grains within the field of view of the television camera 11 at the standard position H.

If it is detected in [b-5] that the number of rice grains detected in [b-4] is larger than N5, it is determined that the sorting plate 1 is tilted or is insufficient, and the brown rice switching shutter 14 is set to the circulation side. (
In b-6)L and [b-7), the drive motor MIO is driven to increase the sorting angle by a predetermined angle -F. Then, check the limit switch LS6 [b-8, I], and if the sorting plate 1 has not reached the upper position, the specified time will be counted.
b-9) After that, return to [b-1]. (b-5'l
until the number of rice grains in the visual field becomes smaller than N5 [b-
73 is repeatedly executed, and when the number of rice grains within the field of view becomes smaller than N5, the inclination of the sorting plate 1 approaches the appropriate value, and the brown rice switching shutter 14 is set to the state for discharging rice to the latter stage (b-io). , then the number of rice grains in [:b-4] is N5
Check if Cb is even smaller than N1, which is smaller than
-11: If IL is smaller than N1, the drive motor 810 is driven to lower the sorting angle by a predetermined angle. Then, check the limit switch LS7 [b-13]l, and if the sorting plate 1 has not reached the lower limit position, execute [b-93]. If it is determined in Cb-11) that the temperature is N1 or higher, the process moves to the next third step C. Note that the range from N5 to N1 in the second step described above is the first specified value.

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the third step.

Following (b -11) < (c-1)Cc-2), C
b-1) [Reread the images five times in the same way as in b-23, and execute [c-3] and [c-4] to obtain the image within the field of view of the television camera 11 after completing the angle control of the sorting plate 1. Next, the number of rice grains obtained in (c-4) is N5.
Check if it is larger than N1.5 which is smaller than Cc-
5] L, if large, drive motor M7. Drive M9 to move the television camera 11 and partition plate 8 to the left, here first by a specified distance from the standard position (Cc-6),
Next, the limit switches LS4 and LS8 are checked (c-7), and if the television camera 11 or the partition plate 8 has reached the left end, the abnormality processing of [c-8] to [c-10] is executed. Cc-7) and normal (c-1
).

[C-5) If it is determined to be smaller than N1.5, [
c-4] Check whether the number of paddy grains determined in step C-4 is smaller than NO,5, which is even smaller than N1.5 (c-11).
If L is smaller, drive the drive motors M7 to M9 to move the TV camera 11 and the partition plate 8 to the right by a predetermined distance (c-12), and limit switch LS5,
Check LS9 (c-13) and TV camera 1
1 or if the partition plate 1 has reached the right end, the process returns to [b-1]. [c-13] If no limit is detected, the process returns to Cc-13.

If the number of rice grains is determined to be N005 or more in [c-11], the process moves to the next fourth step d. Note that the range of N1.5 to N0.5 in the third step C is the second specified value.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the fourth step d.

(Continued from c-113 < Cd-1) Cd-2),
[b-1) Similarly to (b-2), the images are read again five times to find the average values AB1 to AB8 of the number of rice grains in each block BL1 to B18 (d-3). Here, the partition plate 8 is first located at the center position (2) indicated by a triangle mark within the field of view of the television camera 11, as shown in FIG. The boundary positions of each block BL1 to BL818 are set to S81 to SB7,
If the limit position on the left side of the visual field is set to 388 on the right side of the 5BO1 visual field, the partition plate 8 is at position W, SB4.

Cd-3] to the formulas B1 to B1 of the paddy grains in each block 811 to BL8, where 8 B1 of B8 is N smaller than N5.
Check if it is larger than 1 [:d-4] L. If it is larger, return to (c-6) and move the television camera 11 and partition plate 8 to the left.

If it is determined in Cd-4) that it is less than or equal to N1, check [d-5] whether the sum (to ABI 188) is greater than N1, and if it is larger, return to (c-63) and move the TV camera 11 again.
and move the partition plate 8 to the left.

If it is determined that Cd-5:l is less than or equal to (AB1→
- to B28B3) is larger than N1 (d-6)L, if it is, drive the drive motor M9 to move the partition plate 8 to position fisB2 (d-7), and limit 1 Check switch lS8 [d-8)L,
If the partition plate 8 has reached the left end, (c-8) ~ [: c
-10: Execute l abnormality processing.

If normal in Cd-8), the process returns to [:d-1] via [, d-93. If [:d 6] is determined to be less than or equal to (881 10B2-1-8B3+8B
4) Check if the sum is greater than N1 [d-10]
L, Cd-113 that drives the drive motor M9 to move the partition plate 8 to position SB3 if it is large, and [d-8]
Check limit switch LS9 via [:d-9
:IL, if the partition plate 8 has reached the right end (return to b-13). (d-9) If it is determined that the right end has not been reached, return to Cd-1).

If [d-10) is determined to be less than or equal to (AB1+
Check whether the sum of AB2 + ABG + 884± to B5) is larger than N1 [:d-12]L, and if it is, drive the drive motor M9 to move the partition plate 8 to position SB4 [d-133, then Cd -8).

[: If it is determined that the following is true in d-123, (BI
+ to B2 +AB3 +AB4 +AB5 +AB6
) is greater than N1 (d-1431,
, if it is larger, drive the drive motor M9 to move the partition plate 8 to the second position.
Move to 385 [d-153, and (d-8:]
Execute. (If it is determined in d-141 that it is less than or equal to (8Bl + ABZ + 883
5 + AB6 Mohachi B? ) is larger than N1 (d-16)L, if it is, drive the drive motor M9 to move the partition plate 8 to position SB6 [d-17]
, and execute [d-8]. In this way, (d
-4, 5°6, 10.12.14.16) are repeatedly executed to adjust the position of the partition plate 8 lfi to a position near the paddy mixing position in the field of view of the television camera 11.

Note that if it is determined in [d-16] that the value is below, the process returns to (c-12).

In this way, divider plate 8! By controlling the position of gL31i with high precision, only brown rice can be sorted very efficiently.

In the above embodiment, in the third step C, the television camera 11 and the partition plate 8 are connected to each other. t'=take (
c-12], but TV camera 1
The same effect can be obtained even if the partition plate 8 is moved following the completion of the first movement.

In the above embodiment, the case where the target material to be sorted and extracted is brown rice is explained as an example, but the same applies to the case where grains such as wheat are sorted and extracted.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the image of the television camera positioned to capture the standard position on the upper surface of the sorting plate is recognized, and the temperature of the paddy in the image is made to approach the first specified value. The angle of inclination of the sorting plate is controlled, and then the image is recognized and the TV camera is adjusted to the width of the sorting plate so that the paddy mixture I in the image approaches a second specified value, which is smaller than the first specified value. In order to move the partition plate to that position, the partition plate is moved to that position by recognizing the image of the TV camera Lg after positioning, determining the position where the paddy is mixed in in the width direction of the sorting plate, and moving the partition plate to that position. Compared to the case where the difference in reflectance is detected and controlled by spot detection, the monitoring range is wider, and the monitoring range is wider than when the difference in reflectance is detected and controlled by spot detection. The inclination of the sorting plate and the position of the partition plate are controlled using the same method, so it is possible to achieve position control with a level of precision that is incomparable to conventional methods. It is possible to select and extract only the desired grains very efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a sorting device showing a specific embodiment of the control method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of input/output devices around the image processing means in the same device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the same device. 4 is a flowchart of the image processing means in the same apparatus, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the first step in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the second step in FIG. 4. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the field of view of the television camera and image processing, FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the third step in FIG. 4, FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the fourth step in FIG. Figure 10 is a front view of a conventional sorting device.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of essential parts of the device. 1... Sorting board, 2... Vibration device, 3... Tilt drive!
I] Device, 8... Partition plate, 11... Television camera,
12... Image processing device, 13... Lateral movement table,
14... Brown rice switching shutter, ■... Standby position, ■...
・Standard position, B11~BL8... Pro-nk where the field of view of the TV camera is divided in the width direction of the sorting board, 881~A
B8... Number of paddy grains in each pro-nk 811-818. Agent Yoshihiro Morimoto Figure 3-Figure 7 580581--5DI588 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When supplying the mixed grains to the upper part of the inclined sorting plate and separating the mixed grains while flowing down towards the bottom, the image of the television camera positioned to capture the standard position on the upper surface of the sorting plate is taken. It is recognized that the amount of paddy mixed in the image is the first
The inclination angle of the sorting plate is controlled so that the amount of paddy mixed in the image approaches a second specified value, which is smaller than the first specified value, by recognizing the image. Sorting involves moving and positioning the camera in the width direction of the sorting board, recognizing the image of the TV camera after positioning, determining the position of paddy mixed in in the width direction of the sorting board, and moving the partition plate near the determined position. How to control the device.