JPH04141032A - System for collecting and treating egg in in-line method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the damage of raw eggs and simultaneously maintain a high operation rate of the system, by controlling the system so that the carrying rate of cage conveyers, an egg-collecting conveyor, an accumulator and a treating device approach a designed treating capacity as much as possible. CONSTITUTION:A main computer outputs a shipment schedule, a production schedule, and a car operation schedule from demand information and latent storage information, and the operation specification and egg-collecting schedule of the line are inputted into the computer in response to the production schedule. The operation specification of the line is set so that the carrying rate of cage conveyers 31, an egg-collecting conveyor 4, an accumulator 5 and a treating device 6 approaches the designed capacity of the treating device as much as possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention "Industrial Application Field" This invention enables egg washing and processing by supplying raw eggs produced in a chicken house directly to a processing device using an egg collection conveyor without using a vehicle such as a truck. This paper relates to increasing the capacity and efficiency of an automatic egg processing system based on an improved in-line system that performs a series of processes from sorting to packaging to produce products.

``Conventional technology'' To give an overview of automatic egg-collecting chicken houses, a chicken house consisting of multiple buildings usually has multiple cages installed in parallel, depending on the breeding lofts for different breeds of chickens and different daily ages. A multi-stage cage conveyor is provided. The raw eggs laid by the chickens are conveyed from the cage conveyor to the egg collection conveyor.

The method of directly leading the material in this state to processing equipment is usually called an in-line method. The raw eggs conveyed by the egg collection conveyor pass through an accumulator provided in the first stage of the processing equipment, and then are conveyed to a processing device configured by sequentially connecting an egg washing machine, a sorting machine, and a packaging machine. In the processing equipment, the raw eggs are washed by an egg washing machine, then transported to a sorting machine and sorted by size (weight) such as 2SSS, M, L, 2L, 3L, etc., and finally by a packaging machine to sort them by size. Each time, a predetermined number of products are stored in a container such as a pack and manufactured.

In addition, the accumulator temporarily accumulates the raw eggs randomly transported by the egg collection conveyor and adjusts the transport.
A plurality of eggs are sent to the conveyor of the egg washer at a predetermined pitch.

Cage conveyor switching is done manually for each cage conveyor, but the processing equipment is controlled by a local computer.
Approximately 30,000 to 70,000 raw eggs are processed continuously and turned into products per hour. If there is an inconvenience on the line from the egg collection conveyor to the processing equipment, for example, if raw eggs accumulate excessively in the accumulator,
The line is automatically stopped when detected by a sensor, or manually when detected visually.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' By the way, raw eggs are randomly conveyed from the cage conveyor to the line from the egg collection conveyor to the processing equipment, so sometimes there is a large amount and sometimes there is a small amount. There is a large loss in time and quantity, and the processing equipment does not always make full use of its processing capacity.

Moreover, the cage conveyor, egg collection conveyor, and processing equipment conveyor are not automatically adjusted based on the conveyance speed and conveyance density of raw eggs, so as mentioned above, temporary excessive accumulation occurs in the accumulator. Each time, the line is stopped and restarted frequently.

Stopping and restarting this line not only increases mechanical wear and tear, but also causes damage to the raw eggs being transported, such as cracks and broken eggs.

In order to constantly operate the processing equipment at its full processing capacity, it is necessary to adjust the line, including the cage conveyor, which was previously excluded from the line, in response to the ever-changing number and density of raw eggs being transported. Automatic control is required. What is necessary is to optimally control the speed of the selected cage conveyor and the conveyor of the line, but in the conventional in-line system, such considerations have not been taken at all.

However, it is extremely insufficient to attempt to improve the in-line method only from the standpoint of the farm, which is the producer of the product. Currently, our products are sold in supermarkets, consumer cooperatives,
The products will be delivered to customers including mass retailers such as convenience stores. Each customer specifies the size, quantity, delivery time, etc. of the supplier to the farm, so the farm takes into account the potential inventory such as the size and number of raw eggs in each chicken house and responds to the specifications of each purchaser. Orders from customers, for which product production plans must be made, vary widely in terms of size, quantity, delivery time, etc., and are extremely strict. However, in the past, efforts were made to improve the processing capacity of raw eggs only from the perspective of the farm, and little consideration was given to the perspective of the consumer. Rather, it is necessary to create a production plan according to the purchaser's order and establish an automatically controlled in-line system that includes the cage conveyor.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' This invention improves the conventional inline system so that it can meet a wide variety of orders from a large number of users, and can always approach the design capacity of the processing equipment as much as possible. , egg collection that automatically controls the line from cage conveyor to processing equipment,
The purpose is to establish a processing system.

In order to achieve this objective, the present invention takes the following measures.

Cage conveyors provided for each of a plurality of cages arranged in parallel in each of a plurality of chicken houses are connected to an egg collecting conveyor. A processing device is connected to the egg collection conveyor via an accumulator. The processing device is configured by sequentially connecting a washing machine, a sorting machine, and a packaging machine. That is, a line is constituted by a cage conveyor, an egg collection conveyor, an accumulator, and a processing device that are connected in sequence.

A sensor, for example, a monitor camera, is installed on each cage conveyor and egg collection conveyor to detect the conveyance density of raw eggs.

Demand information and potential stock information of raw eggs for each poultry house are input into the main computer for unified control of the cage conveyor, egg collection conveyor, accumulator, and processing equipment. This demand information consists of data such as customer name, size, quantity, and delivery time. The potential stock information is composed of size and quantity data, and is calculated by the main computer from the farm's accumulated data input to the main computer.

Based on the demand information and latent inventory information, the main computer determines the shipping schedule, production schedule, and vehicle dispatch schedule.

The line operating specifications and egg collection schedule determined by the main computer according to the production schedule are input into the main computer. The egg collection schedule consists of selecting the chicken house, cage conveyor, size, and number of eggs.

The operating specifications of the line are set in accordance with the production schedule so that the conveyance speeds of the cage conveyor, egg collection conveyor, accumulator, and conveyor of the processing device are as close as possible to the designed capacity of the processing device.

In addition, the egg collection schedule should be adjusted according to the production schedule.
First, in order to produce 1,000 L size eggs, which cage conveyor in which chicken house should be used to transport raw eggs to the egg collection conveyor, and then in order to produce 2,000 2L size eggs, which cage conveyor should be used in which chicken house. The plan includes whether raw eggs will be transported to an egg collection conveyor.

The main computer determines the conveyance speed of the egg collection conveyor and the conveyance speed of the cage conveyor during line operation, and the amount of raw eggs conveyed from the egg collection conveyor via the accumulator to the design of the processing equipment. Control so that the processing capacity is always as close as possible. That is, the main computer adjusts the conveyance speed of the egg collection conveyor according to the conveyance density of raw eggs ascertained from the detection signal of the sensor of the egg collection conveyor. Similarly, the conveyance speed of the cage conveyor is adjusted depending on the conveyance density of raw eggs ascertained from the detection signal of the sensor of the cage conveyor.

"Operation" The main computer determines the potential stock of raw eggs for each chicken house based on the farm's accumulated data, and the shipping schedule, production schedule, and dispatch schedule based on demand information.

Since the line operating specifications and egg collection schedule are determined by the main computer based on the production schedule determined by the shipping schedule, the operating specifications and egg collection schedule are input into the main computer.

The line starts operating in response to input instructions for operation specifications, and the selected cage conveyor of the chicken house selected according to the egg collection schedule starts transporting raw eggs. After that, it will be commercialized.

While the line is in operation, raw eggs are conveyed in a random manner on an egg collection conveyor, and after being adjusted in conveyance by an accumulator, a predetermined number of raw eggs are conveyed to a processing device using a predetermined pinch, and are made into products.

The raw eggs are conveyed in a random state on the egg collection conveyor, but in order to keep the amount of raw eggs conveyed to the processing equipment via the accumulator close to the amount that allows the processing equipment to always use its full processing capacity, cages are used. The conveyance density of raw eggs from the conveyor and the egg collection conveyor is detected by respective sensors, and the conveyance speed of both conveyors is controlled by the main computer.

When production based on the first shipping schedule ends, production starts based on the next shipping schedule.

Products are shipped sequentially based on the dispatch schedule.

``Example'' The present invention will be described in detail below based on the illustrated example.

First, the arrangement of the cage conveyor, egg collecting conveyor, accumulator, and processing device in the in-line system according to the present invention will be explained.

Figure 3 shows an example of a chicken house installed on a farm.
1 is a chicken house, and inside it are cages 21, 22 to 2, which are known in the art.
5.26 is installed. Each of the poppies 21 to 26 is vertically partitioned into a plurality of tiers, each tier is further partitioned into a plurality of chambers, and each chamber accommodates a plurality of poppies. In each of the poppies 21 to 26 in the poultry house 11, a known multi-stage cage conveyor 3I, 32 to 35. It is connected.

Although there are various configurations of the cages 21 to 26 and the cage conveyors 31 to 36, raw eggs produced from each chamber are conveyed from the cage conveyor to the egg collection conveyor 4.

A plurality of such chicken houses are installed in parallel in one farm, and as shown in Figure 4 showing the line arrangement, the cage conveyors 31 to 3n of each chicken house 11 to IN are connected to the egg collection conveyor 4, respectively.
connected to.

By the way, each chicken house 11 to 1n has a stock of 40,000 to 60,000 yen each.
It is common for a chicken house to house 10,000 chickens and have 48 cage conveyors.

C1, C2 to C5, C6...Cn are motor controllers using inverters, etc., and each cage conveyor 3
By changing the rotational speed of the drive motors 1 to 3n (not shown), the conveyance speeds of the cage conveyors 31 to 3n can be individually controlled.

Moreover, TVI, TV2 to Tv5, TV6 ---TVn are monitor cameras, which are arranged near the egg collecting conveyor 4 of each cage conveyor 31 to 3n.

The monitor cameras TVI to TVn are arranged at positions and angles that allow each of the multi-stage cage conveyors 31 to 3n to be individually monitored.

The egg collecting conveyor 4 conveys raw eggs conveyed from each cage conveyor 31 to 3n to the accumulator 5. Although a known bar conveyor is employed as the egg collection conveyor 4 in the embodiment, it is not limited to this, and for example, a belt conveyor may also be used. CA is a motor controller such as an inverter, which controls the conveyance speed of the egg collection conveyor 4 by changing the rotation speed of a drive motor (not shown). Moreover, TVA is a monitor camera arranged at the conveyance end of the egg collection conveyor 4.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a known accumulator, which is connected to the egg collection conveyor 4, accumulates and adjusts the transport of raw eggs randomly conveyed from the egg collection conveyor 4 as described above, and collects a predetermined number of eggs at a time at a predetermined pitch. The data is sent to the processing device 3. This accumulator 5 also changes the rotation speed of a drive motor (not shown) using a controller CB of a motor such as an inverter.
Conveying speed is controlled. Note that TVB is a monitor camera.

The processing device 6 is connected to the accumulator 5, and is composed of a known egg washing machine 61, a sorting machine 62, and a packaging machine 63, which are arranged in sequence. Similarly, in the processing device 6, the conveyance speed of a conveyor (not shown) is controlled by a motor controller CC such as an inverter. Further, the processing device 6 is equipped with a local computer 7, and the egg washing machine 61 washes eggs.
Sorting by the sorting machine 62 and packaging by the packaging machine 63 are automatically controlled.

8 is the main computer, which is equipped with input/output devices,
For example, it is installed in a central control room or the like close to the processing device 6.

Next, the information input to the main computer 8, decisions based on each information, instructions outputted from the decisions, and in-line operation control will be explained with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. 1 and the flowchart shown in FIG. 2.

(1) Demand information for Marketent Demand information consists of data such as the customer name, egg size, quantity, and designated delivery time for each customer who orders after the store closes on the day before delivery. For example, A store, L size 1000
delivery time of 7:30 a.m., 1,000 pieces of M size, 1200 pieces of MS size, etc. These data are input to the main computer 8 as demand information.

(2) Potential stock information of raw eggs in each chicken house 11 to IN This potential stock information can be easily known from the accumulated data on the farm side. The collected data consists of chicken species, number of chickens, daily age, production rate, environmental index (number of chickens per cage, temperature, humidity, wind, sunshine hours, feed, water, poultry house structure), etc.

From the accumulated data input to the main computer 8, grasp the potential inventory for each chicken house 11 to IN, that is, the number of raw eggs, size, lead days (for example, how many days to lay medium size raw eggs), etc. Input to main computer 8. In addition, the size, number, and density of raw eggs for each cage conveyor 31 to 3n are photographed by the monitor cameras TVI to TVn, inputted to the main computer 8 for image processing, and computer-managed as latent stock.

(3) Production and shipping schedule on the farm side Based on the demand information in (1) above and the potential stock information of raw eggs in each chicken house 11 to IN, shipping schedules, production schedules, dispatch schedules, etc. can be immediately set on the main computer 8. Determined by

Based on the production schedule based on the determined shipping schedule, the operating specifications of the processing device 6 and the egg collection schedule are determined by the main computer 8, and the results are input into the main computer 8 as instructions.

By inputting this instruction, the main computer 8 determines the egg collection schedule, such as which size and how many eggs to collect from which chicken house among the chicken houses 11 to IN, and the processing capacity of the processing device 6 is fully utilized. In order to approximate the operation, the conveyance speed of the egg collection conveyor 4, the conveyor of the processing device 6, etc. are determined by the main computer 8. Also, the main computer 8 determines which cage conveyor in the specified poultry house is to be operated.

(4) Operation control In order to ensure that the raw eggs transferred from the accumulator 5 to the processing device 6 can fully utilize the designed processing capacity of the processing device 6, the accumulation of raw eggs in the accumulator 5 becomes excessive. The conveyance speed of the egg collection conveyor 4 is controlled by the main computer 8 so as not to apply excessive pressure to the raw eggs.
It is automatically controlled so that raw eggs conveyed from the egg collection conveyor 4 to the processing device 6 are always in a state where they are matched in quantity.

In order to perform such control, the conveyance density of raw eggs is determined by the monitor camera TVA of the egg collecting conveyor 4, and the accumulation density of raw raw eggs in the accumulator 5 is determined by the monitor camera TVB of the accumulator 5 through image processing. The data is input to the computer 8, and the main computer 8 adjusts the conveyance speed via the motor controller CA based on the production schedule. Depending on the case, the main body computer 8 controls the conveyance speed of the accumulator 5 via the motor controller CB.

(5) Cage conveyor control In the cage conveyor, for example, the cage conveyor 31 of the poultry house 12, conveyance density data is input to the main computer 8 from the monitor camera TVIC, and the production and shipping schedule of the above (3) and (4) are controlled. Based on the operation control, the main computer 8 adjusts the conveyance speed via the motor controller C1. Furthermore, the main computer 8 controls which cage conveyor in the next chicken house should be switched from one chicken house to the next.

Here, in the embodiment, the motor controller C is placed in the processing bag f6.
C is provided. The reason for this is that if the processing capacity of the processing device 6 is greater than the processing capacity during normal operation, the processing capacity can be temporarily increased in the event that raw eggs accumulate excessively in the accumulator 5. That is, the processing capacity is increased through the motor controller CC of the processing device 6 according to instructions from the main computer 8. However, basically, unless the processing device 6 is stopped due to a problem in the processing device 6, the conveyor line will not be stopped even if the conveyance speed is reduced.

Furthermore, the reason why the motor controller CB is provided in the accumulator 5 is that - When excessive accumulation occurs in the accumulator 5 or there is a risk of such accumulation, the conveying speed of the accumulator 5 is increased to prevent cracks in the raw egg. This is to prevent damage. Therefore, as a result, smooth operation of the line can be ensured, and the processing capacity of the processing device 6 is not degraded.

Note that the monitor cameras TVI to TVnSTVA, TV
Instead of B, it is also possible to input the conveyance density data of the raw material eggs into the main computer 8 by visual inspection. It is also possible to replace the monitor cameras TVI-TVn, TVA, and TVB with optical sensors or rimisotoschi, but in this case, the number of raw eggs can be counted to calculate the conveyance density.

It is also possible to visually check the accumulation of raw eggs in the accumulator 5, and instead of making the transport speed variable as in the embodiment, the controller CB may be omitted and the transport speed may be kept constant.

``Effects'' This invention makes it possible to quickly and efficiently ship products that meet market demand, and completely integrates the entire process from in-line farm production to shipping without compromising product quality. An advanced inline control method can be realized. That is, (1) It is possible to establish a real high production system that connects demand and raw egg stock (potential stock in the chicken house).

(2) By realizing an advanced inline method,
It is possible to create a flexible production structure for large-scale farms and further streamline management.

(3) Damage to raw eggs on the conveyor can be reduced.

(4) High operation rate can be maintained by making full use of the processing capacity of the processing equipment.

(5) A detailed production schedule can be created in advance according to the shipping contents.

(6) Mechanical wear and tear on the cage conveyor can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the egg collecting and processing system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart thereof. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an example of the inside of a poultry house, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a cage conveyor, an egg collection conveyor, an accumulator, a processing device, and a main computer, which constitute the line.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cage conveyor provided for each of a plurality of cages arranged in parallel in each of a plurality of chicken houses is connected to an egg collection conveyor, and the cage conveyor is connected to the egg collection conveyor via an accumulator,
A processing device consisting of an egg washing machine, a sorting machine, and a packaging machine is connected in sequence to form a line from the cage conveyor to the processing device, and each cage conveyor and egg collection conveyor can control the conveyance density of raw eggs. In addition to installing sensors for detection, demand information consisting of customer name, size, quantity, delivery time, etc.
A shipping schedule is determined by inputting potential stock information consisting of the size and number of raw eggs for each chicken house into the main computer, and the main computer determines a production schedule and a dispatch schedule based on the determination of the shipping schedule, and the production The operating specifications of the line determined by the main computer according to the schedule and the egg collection schedule consisting of the selection of chicken house, cage conveyor, size, and number of eggs are inputted to the main computer, and the eggs are transferred from the egg collection conveyor to the accumulator. In order to ensure that the amount of raw eggs conveyed to the processing device approaches the designed processing capacity of the processing device, the main computer automatically controls the egg collection conveyor according to the conveyance density ascertained from the detection signal of the sensor of the egg collection conveyor. An egg collection and processing system in an in-line method, characterized in that the conveyance speed of the cage conveyor is controlled according to the conveyance speed of the cage conveyor and the conveyance density grasped from the detection signal of the sensor of the cage conveyor. 2. The in-line egg collection and processing system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance speeds of the cage conveyor and the egg collection conveyor are controlled via a motor controller such as an inverter attached to each drive motor. 3. The in-line egg collection and processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the accumulator is provided with a sensor for detecting the accumulation density of the raw eggs. 4. The in-line egg collecting and processing system according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveyance speed of the accumulator and the processing device is controlled by the main computer via a motor controller such as an inverter attached to each drive motor. . 5. The in-line egg collecting and processing system according to claim 1, wherein each of the sensors is a monitor camera.