JPH03202183A - Separating device for grain - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit unusual grains to be removed by a method wherein the light reflected and emitted from grains is converted into an electric signal commensurating with its quantity and the position of the unusual grain is detected by the electric signal. CONSTITUTION:If unusual grains A and B are mixed in the grains spred on belt conveyor 6, an output from a camera 8 to a monitor zone is lowered at times t1 and t2. A control part 14 receives this output signal from the camera 8, computes the time T required for the detected grain to move from a position directly below the camera 8 to directly before the nozzle of an air jet device 9 from the moving speed of the belt conveyor 6 determined by the rotational speed of a motor 5 and generates a signal to open a solenoid 10 momentarily. In this way, air jet is delivered momentarily from the air jet device 9 to blast off the unusual grain A into a receiving tray 13. This method ensures the removal of the unusual grains.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a granule sorting device for sorting granules such as grains such as wheat and rice.

(Prior Art) Various devices for sorting granular materials such as grains have been known, and most of them have a system in which grains are allowed to flow down an inclined passageway and a beam of light is irradiated onto the grains as they flow down through a break in the passageway. , identify abnormal particles based on changes in the amount of transmitted or reflected light,
A method is adopted in which abnormal particles are blown away and removed from the flow by blowing air downstream (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-22195). Furthermore, with this method, abnormal particles in the center of the flow are often overlooked.

In this type of optical sorting device, since the flow of grains is fast, the cross-sectional area of the flow can be made small or thin, so the device can be made relatively small, or it is necessary to read changes in the amount of light caused by grains flowing down at high speed. Therefore, it is difficult to increase the selection accuracy and sensitivity and perform careful selection. Therefore, with this optical sorting method, the contamination rate of abnormal particles is at least 10%.
It cannot be used for sorting that requires a 0% removal rate,
Sorting by human eyes and hands is absolutely necessary.

(Object and Structure of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and aims to ensure the selection of abnormal particles. Light is applied to the granules while they are transported in a layered manner, and the reflected or emitted light from the granules is converted into an electrical signal according to the amount of light, while multiple monitoring zones are set in the direction in which the granules spread. , disposing an exclusion means for each monitoring zone, detecting from the electrical signal which monitoring zone the position of the abnormal particle falls into;
After a predetermined period of time after detection of the abnormal particles, the removing means having a monitoring zone to which the abnormal particles belong is operated to remove the abnormal particles from the flow of the granular material.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a transport route diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of a granular material sorting device according to the present invention.

In the figure, a hopper 3 containing grains 2 is a roll feeder installed directly below the lower discharge port of the hopper 1, and is driven by a motor 4.

The roll feeder 3 is formed with grooves or surfaces that feed the grains 2 evenly in the longitudinal direction of the roll. A lower limit level sensor 1a is provided near the discharge port at the bottom of the hopper l for detecting the lower limit level of the amount of grain remaining in the hopper l.

A belt conveyor 6 driven by a motor 5 in the direction of the arrow extends from just below the roll feeder 3, and a light source unit 7 is disposed above the belt conveyor 6. The light source unit 7 has an open lower door a at the center of the upper surface of the housing, and inside thereof a plurality of (four in the illustrated embodiment) fluorescent lamps 7b as light sources are arranged in line in the width direction of the belt conveyor 6. There is. Above the light source unit 7, a camera 8 equipped with a CCD is disposed facing downward so as to monitor the belt conveyor 6. The light-receiving surface of the camera 8 is divided in the width direction of the belt conveyor 6 into a plurality of (for example, 10) monitoring zones indicated by ■ to [phase] in FIG. 3, and the CCD corresponds to the amount of light received by each monitoring zone. It is designed to output the same signals in series.

On the other hand, immediately below the tip of the belt conveyor 6 (the right end in the figure), an air jet device 9 or a plurality of units (for example, 10 units) are arranged in a line in the width direction of the belt conveyor 6 as an abnormal particle removal device for each monitoring zone. ing. Compressed air is supplied to the air jet device W9 when the solenoid valve 10 is opened.

A pressure switch 11 that is turned on when pressure is applied is provided in the compressed air passage.

12 is a chute for receiving the grains conveyed and discharged by the belt conveyor 6; 13 is a receiving tray for receiving abnormal particles removed from the flow of grains; 14 is a motor that receives the output from the camera 8 and the moving speed of the belt conveyor 6; This is a microcomputer-configured control unit that outputs an opening/closing signal for the electromagnetic valve 10 in response to the rotation speed of 5.

Next, the operation of the granular material sorting device will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the power switch is turned on, the operation of the flowchart starts, and compressed air is supplied to the passage of the air jet device 9.

The control 1 part 14 determines whether compressed air is supplied to the compressed air passage and pressure is applied by checking whether the pressure switch 11 is ON or not (Fl), and if it is ON, supplies power voltage to the CCD of the camera 8. (F-2). One second after the power supply voltage is supplied, it is determined whether the CCD is abnormal or not based on the output from the camera 8 (F-3). If there is an abnormality, an abnormality alarm is output and all operations are stopped (F-4). Abnormal alarms are issued with a warning sound or a warning lamp.

Two seconds after power is supplied, the fluorescent lamp 7b of the light source unit is turned on (F-5). When 2 seconds have passed after the fluorescent lamp is turned on, the motor 5 is driven to move the belt conveyor 6 (F-6). After 2 seconds have elapsed, it is detected whether or not there is grain 1 inside the hopper 1 based on the output of the lower limit level sensor la provided at the bottom of the hopper (F-7). When the hopper 1 is filled with grains 2, the motor 4 drives the roll feeder 3 (F-8).

Return to step (F-5) and check whether the fluorescent lamp 7b of the light source unit 7 is turned on 2 seconds after it is turned on, based on the output from the camera 8 (F9). If it is not turned on, there is a problem with the CCD. As in the case, an abnormality alarm is output and all operations are stopped (Flo).

Returning to step (F-8), as the roll feeder 3 rotates, the grains in the hopper 1 are conveyed onto the belt conveyor 6 in a layered manner, preferably to a thickness of -.grain. When the grains move below the light source unit 7,
It is irradiated with light from the fluorescent lamp 7b, and the reflected light is received by the camera 8 directly above. In the camera 8, a current corresponding to the amount of reflected light received from the grain is outputted from the CCD and sent to the control unit 14.

Now, as shown in Figure 3 (a), if abnormal particles A and B are mixed in the grains spread on the belt conveyor 6, the output from the camera 8 will be as shown in Figure 3 (b). As shown, at time t□, the output level of the monitoring zone ■ becomes low, and at time t2, the output level of the monitoring zone ■ becomes low.

The control unit 14 receives this output signal from the camera 8 and also controls the belt conveyor 6 determined by the rotation speed of the motor 5.
The time T required for the detected particle to pass from the position directly below the camera 8 to just in front of the nozzle of the air jet device 9 is calculated from the moving speed of Solenoid valve 1 of air jet device 9
Outputs a signal that opens 0 momentarily (for example, 0.2 seconds). As a result, an air jet is instantaneously ejected from the air jet device 9, and the abnormal particles A are blown away and thrown into the saucer 13.
Enter (F-11). Immediately after that, that is, after the same time T from time t2, a signal is output that instantaneously opens the solenoid valve lO of the air jet device 9 that covers the area of the monitoring zone ■, and an air jet is ejected to remove the abnormal particles B. It is blown away and ends up in the saucer 13. In this way, abnormal particle A
, B are removed from the grain stream and the grains free of abnormal particles flow into the chute 12.

The camera 8 constantly monitors the grains on the belt conveyor 6, and its output is continuously sent to the control unit 14, but the control unit 14 sends a message every time an abnormal particle is detected from the output level of the camera 8. A signal is output to momentarily open the solenoid valve IO of the air jet device 9 in the section where the abnormal particles are removed by the air jet.

The moving speed of the belt conveyor 6 depends on the type and diameter of the grains, the rate of inclusion of abnormal particles, and the type of abnormality (for example, a difference in color).
You can change it to make it easier to sort.

In step (F-8), if there is an abnormality in the roll feeder 3 and the rotation stops after rotating the roll feeder 3 (F-12), an abnormality alarm is output and all operations are stopped (F-12). 13). Similarly, when hopper 1 becomes empty (F-14), an abnormality alarm is output and all operations are stopped (F-15).

Although the above-mentioned embodiment illustrated the sorting of grains such as wheat and rice as granules, the present invention is of course applicable not only to grains but also to other granules.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, in the present invention, the granules to be sorted are made into a thin layer and are irradiated with light while being conveyed, and the amount of reflected light or emitted light from the granules is On the other hand, multiple monitoring zones are set in the direction in which the granular material spreads, and removal means are placed in each monitoring zone, and the position of the abnormal particle is determined from the electrical signal in which monitoring zone. The structure is configured to detect whether or not an abnormal particle enters the flow of the granular material, and to operate the removal device that has a monitoring zone to which the abnormal particle belongs after a predetermined time after detecting the abnormal particle to remove the abnormal particle from the flow of the granular material, so that all the particles are layered. Because it spreads, monitoring can be done by knowing all particles. Since the moving speed of abnormal particles can be set slowly, there is a sufficient difference in light intensity to ensure detection, and the time from detection of abnormal particles to removal by air jet ejection is sufficiently long, allowing removal of abnormal particles. becomes certain. In addition, since the location of abnormal particles can be detected accurately, the number of air jet devices can be increased to ensure that each air jet device has a good reception. It will be possible to remove it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the granular material sorting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the granular material sorting device according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating removal of abnormal particles in the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Hopper, 2... Grain, 3... Roll tweeter, 6... Belt conveyor, 7... Light source unit, 8... Camera, 9... Air jet device, 14...
・Control unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] A transport means for spreading the granular material to be sorted into a thin layer and transporting it, a light source for illuminating the granular material being transported, and a photoelectric conversion means for outputting an electrical signal according to the amount of light reflected or emitted from the granular material. , an eliminating means disposed downstream of the conveying means, adjacent to the flow of the granular material, and corresponding to each of a plurality of monitoring zones set in the direction in which the granular material spreads; and electricity output from the photoelectric conversion means. A granular material sorting device comprising a control means for detecting a monitoring zone to which an abnormal granular material belongs based on a signal and outputting a command signal for activating a removal means for the monitoring zone to which the abnormal granular material belongs.