JPH0386286A - Method and device for sorting massive farm product - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To precisely perform sorting work by equipping an area sorting stage based on optical area measurement and a weight sorting stage. CONSTITUTION:After setting of data is completed, a potato sorter 1 is driven and potatoes to be sorted are introduced into a dispersion feeder 23. Thereby potatoes are successively extruded from single row alignment feeders 24 and moved to the starting end parts of the carrier belts 25 of the area sorting lines 4, 5, 6. When the tips of potatoes reach the positions of the detection parts 28, 29, 30 of the area sorting lines 4, 5, 6 and a contactless switch 32 is actuated, the area measuring instruments 31 of the detection parts 28, 29, 30 are driven and the projection area value P of potatoes is measured. This measured value P is inputted to a CPU 34 in a controlling device 33 together with information of the sorting lines via an input/output circuit 36 and temporarily stored to a resistor. The measured value P is compared with the sorted area value and decided by the sorting parts 11-22. Thereby sorting precisely is performed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Application This invention is applicable to lumpy agricultural products that have a substantially uniform shape, such as root vegetables such as potatoes, daikon radish, and carrots, and fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, melons, and nasu. The present invention relates to a method for sorting a large number of the same kind of lumpy agricultural products into several grades based on weight, and an apparatus for carrying out the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION After harvest, bulk agricultural products, such as potatoes, are often sorted into grades based on weight, packed in boxes, and shipped.

Traditionally, weight has been the standard for sorting, so weigh scales have been used for sorting, and in workplaces where sorting is automated, each potato is weighed one by one as it moves on a conveyor at a predetermined interval. - They were weighed using a weighing machine and sorted into different grades according to their weight.

However, in order to weigh each individual potato, it is necessary to leave enough space between each individual potato so that multiple potatoes are not present on the weighing machine at the same time. The input cycle must be lengthened, resulting in time loss. It is possible to keep the potatoes sufficiently spaced by increasing the transport speed of the conveyor itself, but in this case, it is not possible to keep the potatoes in the weighing machine until the reading on the weighing machine becomes stable. Therefore, precise weight measurement is difficult.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for sorting lumpy agricultural products, which can shorten the sorting operation time and perform precise sorting operations.

Means [method] for solving the problem consists of a sampling process, an area sorting process, and a weight sorting process, namely; For each grade sorted by weight, the maximum area value, minimum area value, and Sample the average area value.

From each area value obtained above, a selected area value is obtained for each grade, including the average area value and within a range that does not overlap with the preceding and succeeding grades.

From the lumpy agricultural products to be sorted, those corresponding to each selected area value are sorted into each grade, and those that do not belong to any selected area value (clumpy agricultural products with polymerization range values) are separated.

The aggregated agricultural products having the polymerization range value are weight-sorted using the predetermined weight.

〔Device〕

It consists of an area sorting device followed by a weight sorting device.

The area sorting device comprises a sorting line (area sorting line), a delivery line and a sorting means.

The area sorting line separates the lumpy agricultural products into individual pieces and conveys them in one line.

The sorting means includes a detection unit that detects the planar projected area of each lumpy agricultural product according to each grade to be sorted, a setting unit that can set the planar projected area of the lumpy agricultural product for each grade based on weight, and the above-mentioned. A comparison unit that compares the detected value by the detection unit with a set value and issues a drive signal when the value is within the set value, and a sorting unit that moves the corresponding lumpy agricultural products from the area sorting line to the sending line based on the drive signal. has a department.

The weight sorting device includes a sorting line (weight sorting line) following the area sorting line and sorting means.

The means for sorting are a detection unit that detects the weight of each block of agricultural products, a setting unit that can set the weight of the block of agricultural products for each grade, and a value detected by the detection unit that is compared with a set value and is within the set value. and a comparator section that sometimes issues a drive signal, and a sorting section that moves the corresponding bulk produce to the delivery line of the area sorting device according to the drive signal.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a potato sorting device (hereinafter referred to as potato sorting device) that implements the method for sorting lumpy agricultural products according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the main parts of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the device, and first, the configuration of the device will be explained.

The potato sorting device 1 consists of an area sorting device 2 and a weight sorting device 3 following it, and the area sorting device 2 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to sorting lines (hereinafter referred to as area sorting lines) 4 to 6. Distribution lines 7 to 10 and the distribution placed on the area sorting line at the intersection of these two lines are part 1.
1 to 14 degrees, 15 to 18 degrees, and 19 to 22 degrees, and a dispersion feeder 23 is connected to the starting end side of the area sorting line.

Each area sorting line consists of a single-row alignment feeder 24 and a conveyor belt 25 connected to the feeder 24, and the potato transfer speed of the conveyor belt 25 is larger than the feeding speed of the single-line alignment feeder 24 and is kept constant. It is composed of

Each delivery line is composed of belt conveyors 26, and the same number of belt conveyors 26 are arranged as the number of grades to be sorted. In the case of the embodiment, four delivery lines are arranged according to the number of grades to be actually sorted (described later), and these are located passing below the area sorting line, and each of the delivery lines An automatic weighing and boxing device 27 is arranged at the downstream end.

In this example, potatoes are sorted, and the weight range of each grade is determined as shown in Table 1.

Table 19 Relationship between grade and weight range However, in this example, potatoes belonging to grade name C8, that is, a grade of 81 g or more, are to be actively selected, and grade name C8 is a reference value. Therefore, the number of grades to be sorted by this device is four.

In addition, among potatoes, 5000 kg of potatoes belonging to the grade name C1, that is, 81 g or more, were arbitrarily extracted, and the extracted potatoes were further sorted into the above-mentioned grades C1 to C4 using the same conventional method. , the data shown in Table 2 were obtained.

Table 21 Grade and Weight Ratio The apparatus of this embodiment has a configuration in which the potatoes on the area sorting line are distributed to one of the delivery lines based on the weight of the potatoes (described later), and the total length of each delivery line is Since they are the same, in order to minimize the energy consumed in the process of transporting the potatoes, it is desirable to sort the potatoes that belong to the grade with a larger weight percentage on the upstream side of the area sorting line.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the delivery line 10. 9. 8
．． The structure is such that potatoes with grade names C2, C1, C3, and Ca are sorted into categories 7 and 7, respectively. (In addition, if the total length of each delivery line is different, it is not necessarily the case that potatoes belonging to a grade with a large weight percentage will be sorted on the upstream side of the area sorting line.) Also, each area sorting line 4.
5. 6 are provided with detection units 28, 29, and 30 each equipped with an area measuring device 31 that detects the projected area of the potato, and a proximity switch 32 that detects the approach of the potato.
Driving solenoids SQL for driving the distribution sections (not shown) are provided in each of the distribution sections 11 to 14, 15 to 18, and 19 to 22, respectively.

The control device 33, which constitutes a part of the sorting means, is a microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 34 which constitutes the comparison section.
It has a memory 35 consisting of ROM, RAM, and CP.
The input circuit 36 of U34 includes the detection unit 28, 29, 30.
The area measurement output from the proximity switch 32, the detection output from the proximity switch 32, and a setting means 37 consisting of a keyboard etc. are connected, and the distribution is sent to the output circuit 38 of the CPU 34 via a drive driver (not shown). Parts 11-14.
Drive solenoids SQL 15 to 18 and 19 to 22 are connected. That is, the sorting means of the area sorting device 2 in this embodiment consists of the detecting section 28, 29, 30, the setting means 37 constituting the setting section, the memory 35, and the CPU 34 constituting the comparing section. 11-14.15-18.
19 to 22.

The dispersion feeder 23 is a hopper-shaped flat plate having a plurality of outlets connected to the single-row feeder 24, and is tilted toward the single-row feeder 24 to apply vibrations.

The weight sorting device 3 includes a sorting line 39 (weight sorting line) and sorting sections 40 to 43.

The weight sorting line 39 consists of a re-sorting conveyor 44 that collectively receives the ends of the area sorting lines, a single row feeder 45 and a conveyor belt 46 connected to the tip thereof,
The re-sorting conveyor 44 performs the same function as the dispersion feeder 23 described above, and the transfer speed of the conveyor belt 46 is made slightly faster than the transfer speed of the single row feeder 45.

The conveyor belt 46 is bent with respect to the re-sorting conveyor 44 as shown in FIG. It intersects with the belt conveyor 26 that constitutes each delivery line.

Further, distribution sections 40 to 43 are arranged at each of the above-mentioned intersection points.

The detection unit 47 in the weight sorting device 3 has a configuration in which the area measuring device 31 in the area sorting device 2 described above is used as a weight measuring device, that is, a weighing device, and the distribution is performed in the sections 40 to 43.
Also, the distribution in the area sorting device 2 has the same configuration as the sections 11 to 22, and therefore, the input/output relationship between the detection section 47 and the distribution sections 40 to 43 and the control device 33 is also the same as that of the area sorting device 2. Same as in case. That is, the setting section in the weight sorting device 3 is the setting means 37. It is composed of a memory 35.

At the end of the weight sorting line 39, a box 48 for receiving standard 4 potatoes is arranged.

Next, preprocessing for applying the method of the present invention to this device will be explained.

First, select the same type of potatoes (potatoes in this case) as the ones to be sorted.
They are classified into grades C6 to C4 according to the weight range shown in Table 1, and the maximum value (maximum area value), minimum value (minimum area value) and average value ( (average area value) (sampling process). The results are shown in Table 3 and FIG.

Next, based on the maximum area value, minimum area value, and average area value for each grade, a selected area value is determined for each grade that includes the average area value and defines a range that does not overlap with the previous and previous grades (
process of obtaining selected area values).

The range that includes the average area value in each grade and does not overlap with the previous and previous grades is from the maximum area value of the grade immediately before the target grade to the minimum area value of the grade immediately after the target grade. is within the range of Therefore, the selected area value for each grade is the area to which the soching has been applied in FIG. Numerical data of selected area values are shown in Table 4.

The sampling process and the process of obtaining selected area values include:
This is a pretreatment for applying the method of the present invention to the apparatus of the embodiment, and in this embodiment, the area sorting process and the weight sorting process are automatically carried out by the manual sorting apparatus l.

Therefore, first, as data for carrying out the area sorting process and weight sorting process, the relationship between each grade and the selected area value (
(see Table 4) and the relationship between each grade and weight range (see Table 1)
is set and stored in the memory 35 (nonvolatile RAM) of the control device 33 via the setting means 37. The memory 35 has a table-like setting storage area, and the data is stored in the setting storage area in a state as shown in Table 5.

After the data setting is completed, the manual sorting device 1 is driven and the potatoes to be sorted are put into the dispersion feeder 23.The potatoes are broken from overlapping and flow into the plurality of single-row alignment feeders 24, and then further into the single-row alignment feeder 24. They are sequentially extruded from the alignment feeder 24 and moved to the starting end of the conveyor belt 25 of the area sorting line 4.5°6 (hereinafter, the symbol "," is used to mean "or"). At this time, the single-row alignment feeder 24 and the conveyor belt 25
A slight distance is provided between the potatoes due to the difference in transport speed between the two.

The tip of the potato transported by the conveyor belt 25 is placed on the area sorting line 4. 5. The stone proximity switch 3 reaches the position of the detection parts 28, 29, and 30 of 6, and is in the state shown in FIG.
2 is activated, the area measuring device 28 of the detecting section 28.degree. 29.30 is driven to measure the projected area value P of the potato. The measured value P is sent to the control device 1E via the input/output circuit 36 along with screening line information (information on which of the area screening lines 4, 5, and 6 the area measuring device 31 that performed the measurement belongs to).
33 and is input to the CPU 34 in the register R(P).
time is remembered.

The CPU 34, driven by the control program stored in the memory 35 (ROM), converts the measured value P stored in the register R(P) into the selected area value for each grade (see Table 5) stored in the setting storage area. Compare sequentially, and if the measured value P belongs to any selected area value, its grade (C+
, C2, C3°C4) and sorting line information (4, 5, 6
), the distribution to be driven is part (11 to 22
), and this distribution starts a timer that sets the time at which the unit should be driven. The grade (C) and sorting line information (L) and the corresponding distribution are determined by the division and timer (T).
) is shown in Table 6.

Table 6 For example, if the area measuring device 31 of the area sorting line 4
If a measured value P of 700w2 is detected, the measured value 27
00mm' and the numerical value 4 of the sorting line information are register R (P
), and the measured value 27 is stored by the processing of the CPU 34.
00+nm" is determined to belong to the selected area value of grade C2 (see Table 5), and as a result, based on the numerical value 4 of the sorting line information and grade C2, the sorting section to be driven is the sorting section 14. When it is determined that there is, the CPU 34 starts the timer T2 (see Table 6), and after the set time T2 has elapsed, the distribution drives the driving solenoid SQL of the portion 14.
According to the sorting section 14, the potatoes on the area sorting line 4 are sorted to the delivery line IO1, that is, the delivery line 10 for grade C2.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, since the transfer speed of the potatoes on the conveyor belt 25 constituting the sorting line 4°5.6 is constant, the distribution for sorting the potatoes to the delivery line 10 of grade C2 is partially performed. For the driving solenoids 14, 18, and 22, the potatoes are on the area sorting line 4. 5.6 detection parts 28, 29
．． A time T2 is set from when the number reaches 30 until the distribution reaches the section 14, and in the same way, a time T2 is set for each distribution according to each grade for each driving solenoid of the section. (See Table 6).

Therefore, if the potato belongs to the selected area value of class C1, the detection unit 28
．． 29. After a time T has elapsed since passing through the detection section 28. After passing time T3 after passing through 29°30, the sorted potatoes are sorted by section 12.16.20 to delivery line 8 for grade C3, and the potatoes belonging to the selected area value of grade C4 are sorted by detection section 28. , 29.30 and after a time T4 has elapsed, the distribution is sorted by section 11, 15.19 to delivery line 7 for class C4. Note that each timer TI.

It is assumed that T2, Tl, and Ta have a function that allows multiple elapsed times with different starts to be measured overlappingly.

On the other hand, in the case of potatoes that do not belong to any of the selected area values of grades C1 to C4, none of the sorting units will operate, and therefore, these potatoes will not be sorted on the area sorting line, but will be directly transferred to the weight sorting device. It falls onto the re-sorting conveyor 44 of No. 3.

As mentioned above, the sorting work on the area sorting line is
This is done by comparing the projected area of the potato measured by the area measuring device 31 with the selected area value that includes the average area value for each grade and defines the range that does not overlap with the preceding and following grades, so each selected area value Potatoes that fall within the above range are reliably sorted according to each grade, while potatoes that do not fall under any of the above selected area values, that is, the polymerization range in which strict sorting results cannot be expected with area-based sorting work. Value potatoes and potatoes not to be sorted (for example, potatoes belonging to the above-mentioned grade C6) are sorted by the weight sorting device 3 in the subsequent process.

In the weight sorting process by the weight sorting device 3, the potatoes that have fallen onto the re-sorting conveyor 44 are transferred via the single-row feeder 45 to the conveyor belt 46, which has a faster transfer speed than the single-row feeder 45, and due to the difference in transfer speed. , a space is given between the potatoes. In addition, in the weight measurement operation using the weight measuring device 47, it is necessary to maintain a sufficient distance between the potatoes, as in the past, and therefore, the difference in transfer speed between the single row feeder 45 and the conveyor belt 46 is as follows. This is larger than the transfer speed difference between the single-row alignment feeder 24 and the conveyor belt 25 in the area sorting device 2.

The potatoes transferred by the conveyor belt 46 are weighed by the weight measuring device 47.
When the potato reaches the position, the weight of the potato is measured in the same manner as in the conventional method, and the measured weight value is input to the control device 33.

The CPU 34 sequentially compares the input weight measurement value with the weight range for each grade (see Table 5) stored in the setting storage area, and if the weight measurement value belongs to any of the weight ranges, Grade (C+, Cx.

The distribution to be driven based on C1, C4) is part (40
~43), starts a timer that sets the time for driving the division, and uses the same method as in the area sorting device 2 to sort the potatoes belonging to the weight range of grade C7 to the division. 42, the potatoes of grade C1 are sorted to the feeding line 9, and the potatoes belonging to the weight range of grade C2 are sorted by section 43.
sorted into delivery line 10 for grade C2 by;
Also, the division 41 sorts out the potatoes belonging to the weight range of grade C1 to the delivery line 8 for grade C1, and the division 40 sorts the potatoes belonging to the weight range of grade C4 to the delivery line 8 for grade C4. Sorted to sending line 7.

In the weight sorting process by the weight sorting device 3, the weight measuring device 4
Since the potatoes are sorted by directly comparing the measured weight of the potatoes measured in step 7 with the weight range determined for each grade, strict sorting results cannot be obtained when sorting based on area. Potatoes with a polymerization range value that cannot be expected can be reliably sorted for each grade. And grade C2
- In the case of potatoes that do not belong to any of the weight ranges of C4, that is, potatoes that are not subject to sorting, none of the sorting units will operate, and therefore, these potatoes will not be sorted on the weight sorting line and will not be finalized. Then, the receiver of standard 4 potatoes falls into the box 48, and the potatoes sorted by the area sorter 2 and the weight sorter fi3 and distributed to the feed lines 7 to 10 of each grade are placed at the end of each feed line. It is supplied to an automatic weighing and boxing device 27 located in the department.

As described above, the process of sorting by the manual sorting device 1 consists of an area sorting process (area sorting line) based on optical area measurement and a weight sorting process (weighing sorting line) in which the weight is directly measured using a weighing device. ), and in optical measurement using the area sorting process, there is no need to wait for the reading of the measuring device to become stable, unlike weight measurement using a weighing scale, and the sorting work can be speeded up. In addition, the potatoes that are sorted in the area sorting process account for 80% of the total, and the potatoes that need to be sorted in the next step, the weight sorting process, are only 20% of the total (Example). Therefore, while 80% of the potatoes are quickly sorted in the area sorting process, the remaining 20% of the potatoes are strictly sorted in the weight sorting process, reducing the overall sorting time without reducing the sorting accuracy. As a result, in this example, the overall sorting operation time was reduced by 20% compared to the conventional sorting method using only a weighing device.

Note that these values differ depending on the sorting speed in the area sorting process and the weight sorting process, and the method of setting the selected area value in the area sorting process.

Generally, there is a limit to the sorting speed in the area sorting process and the weight sorting process, so the sorting speed in the area sorting process and the weight sorting process are determined in Q8. Q2 (kg/
s...both are constants), and the percentage of potatoes sorted in the area sorting process is M% (variable), then M=100・Ql
/ (Ql +Q2)%, the overall sorting work time is shortest. Therefore, depending on the configuration, the range of the selected area value may be shifted to the average probability, and the proportion M% of potatoes sorted in the area sorting process may be changed.

- The above is an example, and each grade to be set is arbitrary, and the plane projected area of the 6 potatoes may be detected in either the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, or a combination of both. .

Potatoes that are extremely deformed or extremely large or small may be removed by other means (such as a small-sized potato remover) before being sorted.

The line configuration, sorting means, and other specific configurations are not limited to those of the embodiment.

For example, each sorting section on the area sorting line and the weight sorting line is configured such that a detection section is provided for each section, and a signal from the detection section immediately activates each section to perform sorting work. Also good.

Effect of the invention The time required to sort bulk agricultural products by weight can be reduced.

To ensure that lumpy agricultural products are sorted according to set weight.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a potato sorting device implementing the method for sorting lumpy agricultural products based on the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main parts of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a selection It is a figure for explaining an area value. 1... Potato sorting device, 2... Area sorting device, 3...
・Weight sorting device, 4~6... Sorting line, 7~10・
... Sending line, 11 to 22... Distribution is part, 23.
・・Dispersion feeder, 24 ・・Single row alignment feeder, 25
...Conveyance belt, 26...Belt conveyor, 27.
...Automatic weighing and boxing device, 28-30...Detection section, 3
1... Area measuring device, 32... Proximity switch, 33.
...Control device, 34...Microprocessor, 35.
...Memory, 36...Input circuit, 37...Setting means, 38...Output circuit, 39...Weight sorting line, 4
0-43...Distribution is by division, 44...Re-sorting conveyor,
45... Single row feeder, 46... Conveyor belt, 47
...Weight measuring device (detection part), 48...The receiver is a box. Volume diagram

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A method for sorting lumpy agricultural products consisting of the following process; sorting agricultural products of the same type as the lumpy agricultural products to be sorted into grades based on set weights, and dividing the projected area of the same plane occupied by one lumpy agricultural product in each grade. Sampling process to find the maximum value (maximum area value), minimum value (minimum area value), and average value (average area value), From the maximum area value, minimum area value, and average area value obtained above, for each grade, the average A process of obtaining a selected area value that includes area values and defines a range that does not overlap with the preceding and preceding grades. An area sorting process for separating lumpy agricultural products that do not belong to the value (polymerization range value lumpy agricultural products), and
The process of weight-sorting the polymerization range value block agricultural products according to the predetermined weight. (2) An area sorting device and a weight sorting device are installed following the area sorting device. A sending line arranged accordingly, a detection unit that detects the planar projected area of each lumpy agricultural product, a setting unit that can set the planar projected area of the lumpy agricultural product in correspondence to each grade based on weight, and the above-mentioned detection unit. A sorting means having a comparison section that compares the detected value with a set value and issues a drive signal when the detected value is within the set value, and a sorting section that moves the lumpy agricultural products from the area sorting line to the delivery line based on the drive signal. The weight sorting device includes a sorting line (weight sorting line) that follows the area sorting line, a detection section that detects the weight of each lumpy agricultural product, and a setting section that can set the weight of the lumpy agricultural products for each grade. , comprising a sorting unit having a sorting unit that compares the detected value by the detection unit with a set value and moves those within the set value from the weight sorting line to the delivery line of the area sorting device according to the grade. A device for sorting lumpy agricultural products.