JPH08182970A - Separator of fruits and vegerables and free tray used for this device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To completely automate an operation to separate fruits and vegetables by a tray circulating cycle including a fruit sorting station from producers. CONSTITUTION: The fruit sorting station is provided with transporting conveyors 4 for transporting many free trays housing many fruits and vegetables in plural rows, an identifying means 5 for the fruits and vegetables for individually specifying the respective fruits and vegetables in accordance with the information on the placing positions in the free trays, a decision element measuring means 421 for measuring the grade classifying and deciding elements of the fruits and vegetables by each of the respective fruits and vegetables, a deciding means 5 for determining the separating and classifying categories of the respective fruits and vegetables in accordance with the results of measurement, and a separating, classifying and boxing device 6 for taking the fruits and vegetables out of the free trays by each separating and classifying category and classifying and boxing these fruits and vegetables. The fruits and vegetables are housed in the free trays at the producers and these free trays are carried into the fruit sorting station. The empty trays after the end of the sepn. are returned to the producers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus and a multi-container free tray for fruits and vegetables used in this sorting apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a sorting field or the like for sorting fruits and vegetables, the fruits and vegetables sent from a producer are used to judge the grade by visual inspection by an operator, and the weight and size of the fruits and vegetables are determined by mechanical and electrical means. The class was discriminated, and the work such as sorting and boxing was carried out based on the judgment result according to these grades and classes. However, in recent years, in order to eliminate judgment errors due to the skill level of workers, difficulty in securing workers, cost savings due to labor saving, etc., and further improvement in device performance for measuring and judging grades and classes of fruits and vegetables. Etc.,
An automatic sorting device including mechanization that does not rely on visual judgment, an automatic classification of fruits and vegetables, and a device that automates even box packaging have become widespread. In the following description of the present specification, the term "equal class selection" includes not only selection by both class and class elements but also selection by only one of the elements.

In order to perform automatic sorting by the above-described automated equal-class sorting, generally, fruits and vegetables brought in by a producer in a state where 20 kg or 30 kg are individually loaded in a container are endless along a predetermined line. For each bucket of the bucket chain conveyor that is being moved like a work, the worker takes out the fruits and vegetables from the container and places them one by one, and the measuring device provided at one or more positions along the conveyor transport path, For example, measurement of class factors such as size and weight, presence or absence of surface scratches, surface grade factors such as color, sugar grade, ripeness, internal grade factors such as internal cavities, and automatic sorting work based on the measurement results. A so-called bucket conveyor type automatic sorting device for performing the above is known (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-38789, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-34).
674). In addition, various automatic boxing devices for carrying out the work on the outlet side for boxing fruits and vegetables after sorting have been conventionally proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-158622, Japanese Utility Model Publication 6-).
No. 3769).

In addition to the bucket conveyor type in which the buckets are connected to the chain as described above, the operator is placed on a tray (generally referred to as a "free tray") which is not connected to the conveyor and is freely conveyed on the conveyor. A so-called free-tray type automatic sorting device that performs the work on the entrance side where fruits and vegetables are placed one by one, the automatic measurement of each class element and grade element similar to the above at a predetermined measurement position, and the automatic sorting work of sorting and sorting. Is also known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-229679).
No. 4-322778).

The buckets and free trays on which these fruits and vegetables are placed are designed so as to have a structure suitable for measurement. For example, for buckets, a chain is placed on a weighing machine provided at a predetermined position for weight measurement. On the other hand, various measures such as making the bucket free in the vertical direction or using an optical system capable of simultaneously capturing not only the top surface but also the side surface of the fruit and vegetables by an image capturing means such as a video camera for measuring the grade factor have been variously proposed. Proposed

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned bucket conveyor type automatic sorting apparatus, there is a difference in the working speed of the workers who put fruits and vegetables on the buckets, and if the buckets are transported too fast. Since there is a risk of creating an empty bucket that can not be loaded with fruits and vegetables, there is a problem that the transport speed of the bucket cannot be too high,
Moreover, if fruits and vegetables are placed on the bucket of the chain conveyor without visually deciding the grade, as a result of a wide variety of sorting, the configuration of a device for taking out fruits and vegetables used for sorting and sorting is complicated and many are required, and in order to improve productivity. If there are multiple conveyors on each line, a large number of take-out devices are required for each line, which increases equipment costs and saves labor. There is a problem that the method is not always effective even when compared with a method of separately distributing and placing the conveyor.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned free tray type automatic sorting device sorts fruits and vegetables mixedly carried on the main carrying conveyor by class and grade, carries out the free trays to the sorting conveyor, stores them, and packs them. Since it is possible, it is more effective than the bucket conveyor type in that the number of conveyors can be reduced, and there are few restrictions on the configuration of the automatic packaging device, efficient operation, high speed conveyor transportation, etc. There is. However, a large number of circulation conveyors are required to return the free trays to the entrance side from a large number of sorting / delivery conveyors, which tends to increase the size of the equipment, and many free trays must be prepared. There was a problem.

As described above, there are many proposals for the automation of the sorting and sorting operations and the automation of the boxing work on the outlet side, and the automation of the boxing operation has become widespread. However, it is difficult to automate the process of taking out fruits and vegetables from a container and placing them one by one on a bucket or tray, so it is the current situation that a lot of manpower is still working.

[0009] However, in the fruit-picking work, fruits and vegetables tend to be concentrated at one time, but it is not easy to secure the workers even if the equipment is prepared to meet the demand. You are forced to work over time.

The present invention has been made in view of the current state of the art as described above, and one of the objects thereof is an apparatus for selecting fruits and vegetables suitable for saving labor on the inlet side in the selection of fruits and vegetables, or We are providing a new free tray used for this sorter.

Another object of the present invention is to achieve labor-saving and automation of the work on the entrance side in the selection of fruits and vegetables, and to realize a substantially unmanned (fully automated) work for the entire sorting field. We are providing a sorter for fruits and vegetables, or a new free tray used in this sorter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-storing type free tray capable of loading a plurality of fruits and vegetables with a simple structure as compared with a tray used in a conventional free tray type sorting apparatus. is there.

Still another object of the present invention is to replace a tray which has conventionally been used only for selecting fruits and vegetables in a sorting plant, with a container (for carrying fruits and vegetables from the producer into the sorting plant). We provide a new multi-storage type free tray that has both the function of a conventional container) and the function of a conveyor used as a free tray when sorting fruits and vegetables in the sorting field. It is possible to construct an unprecedented epoch-making tray circulation cycle including a fruit field, and to provide a sorting system of fruits and vegetables that can minimize damage to fruits and vegetables due to transfer and the like.

[0014]

The features of the present invention for achieving the above object are as set forth in each claim of the above claims.

One of the features of the apparatus for sorting fruits and vegetables according to the present invention is that a free tray of multiple fruits and vegetables storage type having one or a plurality of compartments partitioned so that fruits and vegetables can be placed one by one in a flat type is placed on the top. Conveyor for transporting free trays, each fruit and vegetables transported by the free tray, identification means for identifying fruits and vegetables individually based on the partition position information in the free tray, and in the middle of the transport path of the conveyor. A judgment element measurement is provided for measuring at least any one of class judgment elements such as size and thickness of fruits and vegetables, or grade judgment elements such as presence / absence of surface scratches, color, sugar content, and ripeness. Means, a means for discriminating the fruits and vegetables and a judgment means for deciding the sorting and sorting of the fruits and vegetables on the basis of the measurement result by the judgment element measuring means for the fruits and vegetables; It is provided at a position downstream from the element measuring means on the conveyor, and has one or a plurality of sorting means for picking fruits and vegetables from the free tray according to the sorting and sorting classification determined by the determining means and transferring them to the sorting position. is there.

The fruits and vegetables to be used in the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they can be selected and sorted. For example, various fruits such as mandarin orange and apple, cucumber,
There can be mentioned vegetables such as eggplant.

In the above description, the free tray is a flat type, which means that a compartment for placing a plurality of fruits and vegetables is provided flat rather than a step, and the compartments are partitioned so that fruits and vegetables can be placed one by one. This depends on the type of fruits and vegetables to be placed, but in addition to a structure that is clearly partitioned by walls, etc., a structure is provided in which a recess is provided so that the placed fruits and vegetables do not inadvertently roll and move, or cucumber, eggplant, etc. In a free tray in which long fruits and vegetables that do not roll in the longitudinal direction are placed in a plurality of rows, the partition between adjacent rows may be simply divided by lines, colors, or the like.

The free tray may be one in which a plurality of fruits and vegetables are placed in one row, but a plurality of rows in two or more rows, preferably two or three rows, is suitable for improving the treatment efficiency. .

The type and structure of the conveyor for transporting the free tray are not particularly limited as long as the free tray can be freely placed and transported, such as a belt type or a roller type.

In order to distinguish the individual free trays conveyed on this conveyor from the others, for example, the number of trays transferred to the position where a predetermined equal class judgment element is measured is counted, and the counted number and the number of trays are measured. A method that stores information and counts the number of trays that have been transferred to the sorting and sorting apparatus for fruits and vegetables to identify the target tray, or a method that manages the measurement information using the transport speed of the transport conveyor and sends it to the sorting and sorting apparatus. It is also possible to adopt such a method, but it is also possible to provide an identification mark such as a bar code on each free tray conveyed on the conveyor and to detect it by the tray identification information detecting means. For example, even if the free trays are randomly transported, individual identification can be surely performed, and individual fruits and vegetables can be surely specified based on the mounting position information in the free trays. Such tray identification information detection means,
As a preferable configuration, a symbol such as a bar code unique to each tray is written, and an optical reading means such as a bar code reader arranged at the front stage or entrance of the conveyor or during transportation is used as an example of a combination. Yes, but the format does not matter as long as it can be identified. In addition, other information can also be included in the symbols such as barcodes written on the free tray. For example, information on the number of fruits and vegetables to be placed on the tray (the number of rows or the number of rows placed in one row), the producer. And the like for identifying

The fruit and vegetable identifying means detects position information of individual fruits and vegetables in each tray (address information of which position on the free tray is the fruit and vegetable).
For example, a method of obtaining position information by imaging a tray and processing image information, a symbol indicating an address in the vicinity of each section position in the tray (for example, in the case of two rows, the symbols R and L indicating left and right and what number are indicated (A combination of numbers, etc.) to obtain position information by reading this symbol, and moreover, a standard tray is always conveyed in a fixed posture and numbers are always assigned in a fixed order from the leading side in the feed direction. Any method such as a method of using information may be used.

By the tray identification information detecting means and the fruits and vegetables identifying means as described above, individual position information of fruits and vegetables to be brought into the sorting field (which free tray at which position the fruits and vegetables are placed). Information), the position information of each individual fruits and vegetables is usually stored in the memory of the computer installed outside the conveyor, and combined with the judgment element for selecting the equal rank measured for each fruits and vegetables during the transportation by the conveyor. Then, the sorting and classification of the fruits and vegetables concerned is determined.

The measuring means of the judgment element for selecting equal classes is
Although various conventionally known ones can be used, in the present invention, a sensor camera, which has a non-conventional transport mode in which a large number of fruits and vegetables are stored and transported in one free tray, A combination of an optical image pickup means such as a video camera and various calculation means (computer and program) for analyzing the size, color, presence or absence of surface scratches, sugar content, ripeness, etc. of fruits and vegetables based on the image pickup information. What was comprised can be used preferably. Further, since a large number of fruits and vegetables are placed on one free tray and conveyed, it is also preferable to provide a mechanism for reversing and transferring the fruits and vegetables during conveyance on the conveyor so that the fruits and vegetables can be imaged from the upper and lower surfaces. Such an inversion transfer mechanism is, for example, a method in which a free tray having the same shape is placed on a conveyed free tray with the same shape facing downward, and in that state, the free tray is rotated by 180 ° about the horizontal axis to remove the upper free tray. Can be realized by the mechanism of.

Based on the judgment element information measured by the judgment element measuring means and the position information of each fruit and vegetable, the selection and classification of individual fruits and vegetables placed on each free tray is judged as an arithmetic unit provided in the computer. Based on a standard predetermined by the means, for example, 2L, L,
It is determined by classifying the rank according to the size of M, S, etc. and the grade of excellent, excellent, good, fair, etc.

The fruit and vegetable sorting means is provided so as to take out predetermined fruits and vegetables from the free tray in the vicinity of the exit side of the conveyor in response to the classification information determined by the sorting and sorting judging means. This sorting means can also take out the fruits and vegetables to be sorted one by one from the free tray, but since the present invention uses a free tray of multiple fruits and vegetables storage type, the same existing in the same tray. It is preferable to adopt a system in which fruits and vegetables classified according to sorting classification are taken out at once. As such a take-out means, a suction-type take-out device capable of vertical movement and horizontal movement, which has a large number of suction chucks for sucking and suspending fruits and vegetables, can be mentioned as a particularly preferable example. This suction-type take-out device can be operated a plurality of times for a plurality of sorts and classifications using one unit, but from the viewpoint of improving productivity,
It is preferable to provide a suction-type take-out device dedicated to individual sorting and classification along the conveyor. This arrangement has an advantage that the suction-type take-out device can also be used as it is as a packaging device for fruits and vegetables. That is, the fruits and vegetables taken out from the free tray by the suction type take-out device dedicated to each sorting and classification are directly stored in the packing boxes or bags prepared in the vicinity, and the fruits and vegetables are sorted into a predetermined equal rank. Can be made.

As a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is a system in which the above-mentioned free tray for storing a lot of fruits and vegetables is used as a tray for carrying fruits and vegetables into a sorting field from a producer. By doing this, after the producer puts the fruits and vegetables on the free tray, all sorts and sorting work can be performed without directly touching the fruits and vegetables by handling the free tray, and at the same time, a standard free tray can be used. In order to handle it, it is possible to automatically carry in and receive fruits and vegetables using a device, and to mount it on a conveyor, rather than the conventional manual work by a worker, which is virtually impossible and automation of the fruit selection work that was impossible in the past. Can be realized.

Due to such a constitution, a large number of fruits and vegetables can be stored in the starting end portion (including the case where it is provided in the preceding stage) of the conveyor for conveying the free tray of the above-mentioned sorting apparatus. It is preferable to provide a stacking means for loading free trays one by one on the conveyor, and a stacking means for stacking a predetermined number of empty trays from which all fruits and vegetables have been taken out at the end of the conveyor for transporting free trays. Is preferably provided. These make automation of work even more advantageous.

When the free trays are used in a circulation cycle including such producers, the free trays can be carried from the producer to the sorting field in a stacked state,
It is preferable to provide an engaging portion for stacking and stacking that does not interfere with the stored fruits and vegetables.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

In the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, a free tray 1 which stores a large number of eggplants in two rows is used, and a producer loads the eggplants on the tray 1 and carries them into a sorting field for selection. The figure shows an automatic sorting device for sorting.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tray 1 is in the form of a rectangular box having an open upper surface, and two rows of loading compartments 10 in which ten horizontally long concave portions are sequentially formed in a row by a wavy bottom portion are formed.
1, 101, and a bar code seal 102 for identifying the tray is attached to the four side surfaces of the tray 1. The sticker is attached to the four side surfaces (the two side surfaces shown in the drawing and the two side surfaces on the back side) so that the barcode can be read without being limited to the conveying direction or the reading direction. is there. In addition,
The tray 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the partition walls 103 at the central portions of the two rows, but this may be a chevron projection which is gentle in the lateral direction, or may be simply drawn lines.

FIG. 2 shows the tray 1 at the producer (farmer).
The state in which the eggplants 2 to be sorted and sorted are placed in each loading section 101 is shown in FIG.
Zero eggplants 2 are stored with the edges aligned in one direction.
Then, the trays 1 containing the eggplants in this manner are stacked in a predetermined number of stages and carried into the sorting field.

FIG. 3 shows a general outline of a sorting field having a sorting and sorting system in which the trays 1 loaded in a stacked state as described above are used as free trays to be transported on a conveyor as they are. In this figure, reference numeral 110 denotes a packing type tray in which a plurality of tray groups 111 in a stacked state are loaded on a panel 112 and carried into a sorting field. The sheets are placed on the conveyor 3, or temporarily stored in a storage warehouse (not shown) and then sequentially placed on the stage conveyor 3.

The stage dispersal conveyor 3 sends the stacking tray group 111 to the stage disperser 301 at a predetermined timing, and the stage disperser 301 stores one tray 1 containing a large number of eggplants in the state shown in FIG. It is provided so as to be sent out to the transport conveyor 4 for performing sorting and sorting one by one. As shown in FIG. 4, in the step breaking device 301 of this example, the supporting arms 302 are engaged with the lower edges of the flanges on the left and right sides of the second tray 1 from the bottom of the stacked tray group 111. The tray group above the second tray is lifted up so as to be separated from the bottom tray 1, and at the same time, the bottom tray 1 is sent to the next step, and then above the second tray. It is provided so that the tray group can be removed by repeating the operation of lowering the tray group onto the conveyor surface 303.

The trays 1 which have been separated one by one by the above-mentioned stage separating device 301 are conveyed as free trays on the conveyor 4 at intervals, and judgments for sorting and sorting are provided during the conveyance. Work is performed by the element measuring device and the sorting and sorting device. The transport conveyor 4 of this example is provided in an intermittent drive type in which tray transport is stopped for a predetermined time in order to perform a predetermined operation in the measuring device of the determination element and the sorting and sorting device. The configuration of each of these devices and the work performed by the devices will be described below.

In this example, the tray 1 transported on the transport conveyor 4 first measures the elements for determining the equal class of eggplants on the front and back surfaces, and identifies each tray to be transported. It is transferred to the measurement stage that reads the barcode attached to the tray.

That is, in the first measuring stage 401, the bar code reader 411 provided on the side of the conveyor 4 reads the bar code of the tray transferred to the first measuring stage 401, and at the same time, the bar code of the conveyor 4 is read. An upper surface image of the eggplant in the tray is picked up by the CCD camera 421 provided above, and the bar code information and the picked-up information are transmitted to the control device 5 constituted by a computer. Note that the imaging is not particularly limited, and any known method such as a method of collectively imaging the entire tray and a method of repeating scanning in the lateral direction of the conveyor in synchronism with the conveyance of the tray can be adopted.

Next, the tray 1 is transferred to the inversion stage 402. This reversal stage 402 of this example covers the transferred tray 1 with an empty tray 1 of the same shape for transfer upside down (downward) so that the tray 1 is rotated by 180 °. Inverting operation is performed by removing the upper tray, and a supporting plate 4021 that supports and opens and closes the upper tray for transfer and removal after inversion, and this supporting plate 4021 is opened and closed. Each mechanism such as a drive device (not shown), a rotation drive device (not shown) that rotates a pair of vertically engaged trays by 180 ° is provided.

Reference numeral 403 denotes a second measuring stage, which is similar to the above-mentioned first measuring stage, and the bar code reader 412 provided on the side of the transport conveyor 4 reads the bar code of the tray after the reversal, and at the same time, Transport conveyor 4
An upper surface image of the eggplant in the tray (the surface located on the lower side in the first measurement stage) is imaged by the CCD camera 422 provided above, and the bar code information and the imaged information are transmitted to the control device 5. .

As described above, the signal for identifying the specific tray 1 from the other is inputted to the control device 5, and the position information indicating the number of the eggplant in the left and right columns is obtained from the configuration of the tray 1 described in FIG. To identify and identify individual eggplants,
In addition, in accordance with the identification (specification) information of the eggplants, the size of the eggplants and the scratches on the surface are calculated by performing an operation such as image processing of the measurement information obtained by imaging the individual eggplants by a method preprogrammed in the control device 5. The equal class determination is performed by the equal class determination element such as presence / absence of, and, for example, the classification of 2L, L, M, S, etc. and the classification of excellent, excellent, good, fair, etc. are performed. The symbols such as BL shown in FIG. 2 (a) are the same as the symbols A, B, C, D (only A and B in the figure).
Indicates the grade of good or good, and the following symbols 2L, L, M, S, etc. are particularly long, long, middle, short, etc.
The position information of each eggplant and the information of the result of the equal class determination are transmitted to the sorting and packing device 6 described later.

The tray 1 which has passed through the measurement stage, a plurality of sorting sorting box filling device 6 _{through 65} is sent to the terminal end of the conveyor 4 that is沿設, a predetermined sorting sorting and boxing operations to be described later After taking out all the eggplants in the trays by using the stacking device 7 for sequentially stacking the empty trays fed from the conveyor 4 as shown in FIG. Will be sent back to the producer. The stacking device 7 includes, for example, a sensor 701 that detects that a tray is fed from the transport conveyor 4, and a descending drive device (not shown) that lowers the support 702 one step down each time the sensor detects the tray feeding. It is composed of

Next, the above-described sorting and packing device 6 which is one of the features of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, this sorting and boxing device 6 of the present example is arranged so as to straddle over the transport conveyor 4 and the supply conveyor 8 of the packing box 801, and as shown in FIGS.
01 has a large number of suspending rods 602 (in the illustrated example, six in order to avoid complication of the drawing), and these suspending rods 602 have horizontal upper and lower end portions 603 forming a pair of upper and lower sides. It is suspended by rails 604 and 604 so as to be movable in the axial direction thereof, and is also provided so as to be moved by the rotating wire 605 so as to be movable in the tray conveying direction. As shown in FIG. The packaging box 801 is provided so that it can be taken out and can be stored in the packing box 801 at intervals. 606 is a drive pulley for pulling and rotating the rotating wire 605, 607 is a pulley drive motor including a pulse motor, and 608 is a driven pulley.
Based on the sorting and sorting information from the control device 5, for example,
Sorting and boxing equipment 6 ₁
The predetermined vacuum chuck 601 is driven so as to accurately move to the position of the eggplant 2 classified into the L equal rank. In addition,
The rotation wire 605, the drive pulley 606, the pulley drive motor 607, and the driven pulley 608, which are the mechanism for pulling and rotating the suspension rod 602, are provided in a form corresponding to each suspension rod 602. Any combination of fruits and vegetables in the tray 1 can be taken out.

Further, in order to take out the eggplants from the tray and pack them in the packing box, a sorting / sorting and packing device 6 provided so as to straddle the conveyor 4 and the supply conveyor 8 of the packing box 801. The vacuum chuck 601 to the pulley drive motor 607, etc. are provided in the fixed frame 610 of the sorting and packaging device 6 so as to be movable in the direction (left and right direction in FIG. 7) across the transport conveyor 4 and the supply conveyor 8. It is installed in. That is, FIG.
And, as shown in FIG. 9, the rail 6 of the fixed frame 610.
12, a slide cylinder 613 provided between the
A slider 611 is provided so as to be movable by a roller 615 that rolls on a rail 614 on the opposite side. By controlling the movement of the slide cylinder 613, the eggplant is taken out from the tray and the packing box is packed. Be moved in. In addition, the two rows of the suspension rods 602 mounted on the slider 611 of this example are the fruits and vegetables loading section 1 of the free tray 1.
It is not necessary to control movement so that there is always a one-to-one correspondence with the two rows of 01. For example, in a device that takes out eggplants of the Hide and 2L classifications, there are all eggplants of the 2L classification in the right row of the free tray. If there are two excellent and 2L-class eggplants on the left row, first, the slider 611 is moved to move the six hanging rods 602 on the right row and the two hanging rods 602 on the left row.
Adsorb and suspend a total of 8 eggplants, then the suspension rod 60 in the left column.
Slider 6 at the position where 2 is facing the right column of the free tray
It is also possible to move 11 to suck and suspend the four eggplants in the right column of the free tray by the remaining four suspension rods 602. This state can be understood by the case where the slider 611 of FIG. 7 faces the conveyor 4 directly above the solid line and the case where the slider 611 faces the right or left of the chain line by one line.

With such a sorting / sorting boxing device 6,
As shown in FIG. 11, the tray 1 conveyed on the conveyor 4 has 12 eggplants at the stage of the first sorting and sorting (eg, classification of 2L) as shown in FIG. Work of taking out and packing in a packing box, and then, at the stage of the second sorting and sorting (for example, classification of Shu and L), two eggplants are taken out and packed in a packing box as shown in FIG. the performed over sequentially to each sorting sorting box filling device 6 _{through 65,} and ends the screening sorting.

Returning to FIG. 3, the packing box in which a predetermined number of eggplants are packed is carried out from the carry-out conveyor 9 through the storage box 10 through the palletizer 11 from the sorting field.

According to the eggplant sorting apparatus of this example as described above, the tray 1 used as a free tray in the sorting field is used by the producer as a circulation cycle including the sorting field, and as a result, In the sorting field, it is not necessary for the worker to manually handle the fruits and vegetables, and the excellent effect that the entire sorting field can be automated and substantially unmanned can be achieved.

[0047]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the sorting apparatus of the present invention and the tray used therefor, there is an effect that labor can be saved on the entrance side in sorting fruits and vegetables.

Further, the number of free trays can be reduced by providing a multi-storage type free tray capable of loading a plurality of fruits and vegetables with a simple structure as compared with the tray used in the conventional free tray type sorting apparatus. This also has the effect of reducing the facility cost and lowering the selection cost per fruit and vegetable.

Further, in place of the tray which has been conventionally used only for selecting fruits and vegetables in the sorting field, the function as a container (conventional container) used when the fruits and vegetables are brought into the sorting field from the producer, By providing a new multi-storage type free tray that has the function of a conveyor used as a free tray when sorting fruits and vegetables in the sorting field, it is an unprecedented breakthrough including the sorting field from the producer. It is possible to build a simple tray circulation cycle, labor saving and automation of the entrance side work in the selection of fruits and vegetables, realization of unmanned (fully automated) work as a whole sorting field, and damage of fruits and vegetables due to transfer etc. It is possible to obtain the effect of reducing as much as possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a free tray of the present invention.

2A and 2B are diagrams showing a state in which the eggplant is stored in a free tray, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view and FIG. 2B is a vertical sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overall outline of a sorting field to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the stage dispersal device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the operation of the stacking device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the sorting / sorting boxing device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the sorting / sorting boxing device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining a drive unit of a suspension rod of the sorting / sorting boxing device.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an operation when the eggplant is taken out from the tray of the sorting / sorting boxing device.

FIG. 10 is a view showing an operation when the eggplant is stored in the packaging box of the sorting and sorting boxing device.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining a state in which eggplants are sequentially taken out by the sorting / sorting boxing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Free tray (tray), 2 ... eggplant, 3 ...
..Stage conveyors, 4 ... Transport conveyors, 5 ...
-Control device, 6 ... Sorting and sorting device, 7 ... Stacking device, 8 ... Packing box supply conveyor, 9 ... Delivery conveyor, 10 ... Storage box, 11 ... Palletizer.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location B65D 21/02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A free tray transporting conveyor for transporting a free tray of multiple fruits and vegetables which has one or a plurality of compartments partitioned so that fruits and vegetables can be placed one by one in a flat manner, and the above free tray. Each of the fruits and vegetables conveyed by means of the identification means for identifying the fruits and vegetables individually based on the section position information in the free tray, and the size and thickness of the fruits and Class judgment factor, presence or absence of surface scratch, color, sugar content,
Judgment element measuring means for measuring at least any one of grade judgment elements such as ripeness for each fruit and vegetables, based on the result of the identification means for the fruits and vegetables and the measurement result by the judgment element measuring means for the fruits and vegetables, The determination means for deciding the sorting / sorting category and the downstream position of the conveyor from the determining element measuring means are provided, and the fruits and vegetables are taken out from the free tray according to the sorting / sorting category determined by the determining means and transferred to the sorting position. An apparatus for sorting fruits and vegetables, comprising one or a plurality of sorting means. 2. The detection information of the tray identification information detecting means for detecting a tray identification mark provided on each free tray conveyed on the conveyor according to claim 1, and the identification information of the fruits and vegetables in the free tray. A vegetable / fruit sorting device characterized by individually identifying fruits / fruits based on partition position information. 3. The apparatus for sorting fruits and vegetables according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sorting means transfers the fruits and vegetables taken out from a free tray into a packaging box. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Sorting of fruits and vegetables characterized in that the starting end of the conveyer for transporting free trays is provided with a stage-discharging means for sequentially placing one or more free trays of multiple fruits and vegetables in a stacked state on the conveyor one by one. apparatus. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein
A fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, characterized in that stacking means for stacking a predetermined number of empty trays from which all fruits and vegetables are taken out is provided at the end of a conveyor for transporting free trays. 6. A free tray used in the apparatus for sorting fruits and vegetables according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is provided with one or more rows of compartments for partitioning the fruits and vegetables one by one in a flat manner. A free tray that can store a lot of fruits and vegetables. 7. The multiple fruit and vegetable storage according to claim 6, wherein stacking and stacking is possible so as not to interfere with the stored fruits and vegetables so that the producer can carry the fruits and vegetables into the sorting field in a stacked state. Mold free tray.