JPH0826466A - Long article sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a head when long articles are transferred for reducing the impact when they are transferred by making the long article held between receiving sections of a bucket and a long article placing section, which is located directly below a sorting position, adjacent in properly spaced relation in a device which sorts long articles such as cucumbers, carrots and the like by grades. CONSTITUTION:Cucumbers K are carried placed sideways one by one on the cross section of a pair of receiving plates 10b and 10b which constitute each of buckets 10..., and the grade of each cucumber K is judged in order at the reading position set on a conveyor 2 for sorting. In the next step, the supporting roller 11 rotatably supported on the bucket 10 is transferred to a rail 12 for movable rack on a lower side from a rail 12 for movable rack on a higher side, and with each of the receiving plates 10b and 10b of the bucket 10 controlled to be turned at a half opening degree, the cucumber K is vertically lowered and held at a lower position. At a sorting position, a solenoid 17 for opening and closing the receiving plates is activated to retract a supporting rail 16 for opening each of the receiving plates 10b and 10b, as a result, each cucumber K drops in the recessed placing section Tb of an arranging tray T.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a long object sorting device used for sorting long objects such as cucumber, carrot, potato, and eggplant into equal classes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of classifying cucumbers according to the above-mentioned example into equal classes, for example, as shown in FIG.
A large number of support shafts 75 are mounted between the left and right circulation chains 74, 74 forming the sorting conveyor 73, and one cucumber K is placed on each support shaft 75. The front end side of each bucket 76 formed in the size and shape is connected so as to be vertically rotatable. That is, the sorting conveyor 73
A large number of each cucumber K ... is placed on each of the buckets 76 of No. 1, and when the buckets 76 are moved to the sorting position corresponding to the determination by the equal rank determination device (not shown), the support shaft 75 is moved. There is a sorting method in which the rear end side of the bucket 76 is rotated downward with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, and one cucumber K is put into each concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T that has moved right below the same position.

[0003]

However, when the bucket 76 is rotated downward with the support shaft 75 mounted between the orbiting chains 74, 74 as a fulcrum as described above, the rotation radius of the bucket 76 is reduced. It is necessary to secure a space that is long and below the sorting position set on the sorting conveyor 73, and has a size that allows vertical rotation of the bucket 76. In addition, the drop of cucumber K is large when the cucumber K is placed in each of the concave mounting portions Tb ... of the tray for alignment T, and the cucumber K placed on the bucket 76 is dropped while being rolled. Therefore, the mounting posture and the mounting position of the cucumber K are easily displaced, and it is difficult to accurately insert the cucumber K into the concave mounting portions Tb ... Of the alignment tray T. In addition, many protrusions protruding from the skin of the cucumber K may peel off, and the skin of the cucumber K may be scratched or scratched, thereby deteriorating the commercial value of the cucumber K. are doing.

In view of the above problem, the present invention moves a long object held between each receiving portion of the bucket and a long object placing portion immediately below the sorting position by appropriately adjoining the long object. The drop during mounting is reduced, and the impact generated during transfer is greatly reduced. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a long object sorting device capable of accurately transferring long objects and preventing the product value thereof from being impaired.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Each of the receiving portions formed in a size for holding the elongated object is vertically rotatably provided on each of the long side portions of the bucket body formed in the laterally long shape, and each receiving portion is provided on the bucket body. Are formed in a shape that intersects with each other, and each receiving portion hung on the bucket main body is provided with a fully-closed angle at which the long object is held at the uppermost position and a half-open position at which the long object is held at the lowermost position. A bucket rotating means for rotating up and down with respect to the angle is provided, and based on the judgment by the equal class judging means, when the container is moved to the sorting position corresponding to the judgment, the receiving parts of the bucket body are allowed to drop long objects. The long object sorting device is provided with a bucket opening device that rotates to a fully opened angle.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the first aspect, a long object sorting device is provided in which each receiving portion vertically provided on the bucket body is formed in a comb-tooth shape intersecting with each other. Is characterized by.

[0007]

In the long item sorting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the bucket rotating means rotates each receiving portion of the bucket to a fully closed angle so that the bucket intersects with each other, and then the long object is placed at the top of each intersecting receiving portion. Hold in a horizontal position. Rotate each receiving part to half open angle,
Vertically lower the long object held at the top of each receiving part,
A long object is lowered and held at the bottom of each receiving part. When the bucket moves to the sorting position corresponding to the judgment by the equal class judgment means, the bucket opening means rotates each receiving part of the bucket to the full opening angle, and the long object held at the bottom of each receiving part is vertically moved. By dropping and directly transferring the long object to the long object placement part such as the alignment tray or the alignment conveyor,
At the time of transfer, the long object held between the receiving parts is brought close to the long object placing part immediately below the sorting position at an appropriate interval,
The drop when transferring long objects can be reduced, and the operation of transferring long objects can be performed accurately.

According to the long item sorting apparatus of the second aspect, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, the receiving portions of the bucket formed in the comb tooth shape are crossed with each other, and By placing the long object in a horizontal posture on the upper side, the placement position and the posture of the long object are stabilized. And, by rotating each receiving part to a half-open angle, vertically descending the long object held at the top of each receiving part, and descending and holding the long object at the bottom of each receiving part, As in the case of the invention described in Item 1, the drop when transferring a long object is small, and the operation of transferring a long object can be performed accurately.

[0009]

According to the present invention, each receiving portion of a bucket is rotated from a fully closed angle which intersects with the other to a half open angle, and a long object held between the receiving portions is vertically lowered in a horizontal posture. As a result, the descending distance of the long object becomes long, and the long object can be brought close to the long object placing portion immediately below the sorting position at an appropriate interval. Since the drop when transferring long objects is small and the long objects are transferred directly to the long object mounting part such as the tray for alignment and the conveyor for alignment, the impact generated during transfer is greatly reduced. At the same time, it is possible to prevent the mounting posture and the mounting position of the long object from being displaced, and it is possible to accurately transfer the long objects one by one to the long object mounting portion. Moreover, since the long object is directly transferred to the long object placing portion which is appropriately adjacent to the vertical interval, the long object does not roll like the conventional example, and the commercial value of the long object is impaired. Can be reliably prevented.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawing shows, as an example of a long product, a cucumber sorting device for sorting and processing a large number of each cucumber to be sorted according to their ranks. In FIG. 1, this cucumber sorting device 1 is set on a sorting conveyor 2. A large number of each cucumber K ... Is sequentially conveyed to the reading position, and each cucumber K ... Mounted on the same sorting conveyor 2 is sorted into equal ranks based on the judgment by the equal rank judgment device 3. Immediately below the sorting position set on the sorting conveyor 2, a large number of each of the sorting trays T ... Are sequentially moved by the orbiting conveyor 4, and the cucumbers K ... of the same class, which are dropped and supplied to the lower portion of the same position, are aligned. Tray T
Place them in sequence. The aligning trays T, T are conveyed to the aligning position set on the orbiting conveyor 4, and the cucumber K ... Mounted on the aligning trays T, T are properly aligned by the cucumber aligning machine 5. The aligning trays T, T are conveyed to the suction position set on the orbiting conveyor 4, and the cucumber K ... Mounted on the aligning trays T, T are sucked and held by the cucumber cartoning machine 6 and packed. Move to position. At the same time, the cardboard box B supplied from the box making process (not shown) is moved to the box elevator 7
The flaps Ba ... of the corrugated cardboard box B are held open by the box opening machine 8 and then the 18 cucumbers K ... held by the cucumber cartoning machine 6 are collectively packed in the corrugated box B. And box.

As shown in FIG. 2, the above-mentioned sorting conveyor 2 is covered or formed with, for example, synthetic rubber, synthetic resin, or the like between the opposing circumferential surfaces of the respective circling chains 9, 9 stretched to the left and right. Each of the plurality of buckets 10 ... Is erected at a predetermined equal interval in the feed direction, and each support roller 11 supported on one side of each of the buckets 10 is erected on the lower side of the same side. The cucumber K is engaged with the rail 12 and supported in a horizontal state in which the cucumber K is placed in a sideways posture. That is, the orbiting chains 9, 9 are driven by the driving force of a motor (not shown) with a reducer.
Is circulated in the feed direction, and a large number of buckets 10 installed between the circling chains 9 and 9 are circulated in the feed direction, and a large number of cucumbers placed in the buckets 10 are circulated. K ... is continuously conveyed in the feed direction.

Each of the above-mentioned buckets 10 ...
As shown in FIG. 5, the bucket main body 10 formed in a laterally elongated shape between the opposite side circumferential surfaces of the winding chains 9, 9 stretched to the left and right with respect to the winding direction of the winding chains 9, 9.
a is installed orthogonally, and the spindles 13 and 13 are borne in parallel with the long side front end and the long side rear end of the bucket body 10a, respectively, and the shaft circumference of the spindles 13 and 13 Each receiving plate 10 formed on the surface in a size and shape for holding one cucumber K
b, 10b are fixed at their upper ends on the long side, and the receiving plates 10
Comb-tooth-shaped portions 10c and 10c that intersect each other are formed at the lower ends of the long sides of b and 10b.

The base end side of each connecting plate 14, 14 is fixed to one end of each supporting shaft 13, 13, and the support pin 15a fixed to the free end side of one connecting plate 14 is connected to the other end. Through the guide hole 15b formed on the free end side of the connecting plate 14 of
The support roller 11 is borne by the end portion of the support pin 15 a on the insertion side, and the support plate 11 is moved up and down to receive each support plate 10.
The b and 10b are interlocked to open and close. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the racks 14a, 14a fixed to one end of each of the support shafts 13, 13 are meshed with each other to form the receiving plates 10b,
10b may be interlocked and opened / closed.

That is, the traveling rail 12 on the front stage side is installed at a high position from the read position set on the sorting conveyor 2, the traveling rail 12 on the rear stage side is installed at a low position from the read position, and the bucket 10 By engaging the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the traveling rail 12 on the high side and restricting the rotation of the receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10 to the fully closed angle, the comb teeth 10c, 10c intersects the cucumber K in a horizontal position and crosses the depth as appropriate.
The cucumber K placed at the intersection of 0b and 10b is held at a high position.

On the other hand, the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 is engaged with the traveling rail 12 on the low side to restrict the rotation of the receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10 at a half-open angle. The comb tooth portions 10c, 10c slightly intersect or are slightly spaced from the spacing for holding the cucumber K, and the receiving plates 10b,
The cucumber K placed between 10b is held at a low position which is appropriately close to the vertical tray with respect to the aligning tray T described later.
In addition, the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 is dropped from the cutout portion 12a of the traveling rail 12, and the bucket 1
By rotating the receiving plates 10b, 10b of 0 to the fully open angle, the comb tooth portions 10c, 10c are separated from each other by an interval that allows the cucumber K to fall, and are placed between the receiving plates 10b, 10b. The cucumber K is dropped and thrown into the concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T described later.

Further, each notch 12a having a size that allows the above-mentioned support roller 11 to be dropped onto the traveling rail 12 corresponding to the sorting position set on the sorting conveyor 2.
, And each support rail 16 formed to have a length that closes each notch 12a ... And each opening / closing solenoid 17 ... Based on the command signal output from the device 3, the opening / closing solenoids 17 are operated to close the cutouts 12a of the traveling rail 12 and the forward movement position, and the cutouts 12a.
The support rails 16 ... Are moved back and forth to the retracted position for opening.

The above-mentioned equi-class determination device 3 is provided with an image pickup camera 3a and an address reader 3b at the reading position on the sorting conveyor 2, and is connected with each opening / closing solenoid 17 disposed at the sorting position. are doing. Addresses are sequentially set in advance in each of the buckets 10 ... As described above, for example, the address of each bucket 10 ... Set by an appropriate means such as a bar code or emboss is read by the address reader 3b, and each bucket 10 ... The appearance shape of the placed cucumber K is read by the imaging camera 3a, and the equal class determination device 3 determines the equal class of the cucumber K based on the image data read by the imaging camera 3a.
The determination data and the address data are stored in association with each other.

That is, the cucumber K placed on each bucket 10 of the sorting conveyor 2 has any equal rank (for example,
It is determined whether or not it corresponds to a grade of excellent, excellent, good, etc. and a class of 2L, L, M, S, etc., and based on the determination, each cucumber K placed on each bucket 10 of the sorting conveyor 2 ... ... is sorted according to equal rank. For example, when the time lag is counted until the bucket 10 moves to the sorting position set for each equal rank such as 2L, L, M, and S, and the bucket 10 moves to the sorting position corresponding to the determination of the equal grade determination device 3. , The opening / closing solenoid 17 is operated to open the bucket 10 at the sorting position corresponding to the determination.

As shown in FIG. 1, the orbiting conveyor 4 is constructed such that the first conveyors 18, 18 are laid in parallel to the feed direction immediately below the sorting positions set on the sorting conveyors 2, 2. A second conveyor 19 is installed orthogonally to the end of each of the first conveyors 18, 18 on the feed side,
The third conveyor 20 is installed in parallel on the lower stage side, the fourth conveyor 21 is installed orthogonally on the sending end of the third conveyor 20, and the fifth conveyor 22 is installed on the sending end of the fourth conveyor 21. , And the first conveyors 18, 18 are orthogonally installed at the sending end of the fifth conveyor 22,
A feed-side end portion of the second conveyor 19 installed on the upper stage side,
A tray elevator 23 is installed between the starting end of the third conveyor 20 on the feed side and the lower end.

Further, the vertical intervals between the buckets 10 forming the sorting conveyor 2 and the first conveyor 18 forming the circulating conveyor 4 are set such that an appropriate number of each cucumber K ... The vertical distance between the second conveyor 19 and the third conveyor 20 is set to be slightly separated from the vertical height of T, and the vertical distance between the second conveyor 19 and the third conveyor 20 is set to be slightly separated from the vertical height of the alignment tray T that is idly fed. are doing.

That is, each conveyor 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 is driven by the driving force of a motor with a reducer (not shown).
Is driven to rotate in the orbiting direction, and each conveyor 18, 19, 2
Each of the alignment trays T mounted on 0, 21, 22 is circularly moved to the sorting position, the aligning position, and the suction position, and is arranged on the orthogonal portions of the conveyors 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. By driving the pusher mechanisms 24, 25, 26, 27, the plurality of aligning trays T ...
It is transferred to 9, 20, 21, 22 in sequence. Further, when the cucumber box packing machine 6 described later sucks and holds each cucumber K ... The trays T and T are transferred to the third conveyor 20.

As shown in FIG. 7, the above-mentioned first conveyor 18 has a feed belt 30 between a drum roller 28 pivotally supported at the feed end and a drum roller 29 pivotally supported at the feed end. Each sprocket 32, is stretched by the driving force of the feed motor 31 with a reduction gear arranged at the lower end side.
The feed belt 30 is circulated in the feed direction via 33 and the drive chain 34, and the alignment tray T placed on the feed belt 30 is conveyed in the feed direction. Further, immediately below the sorting position set on the sorting conveyor 2, a reflection type photoelectric sensor S is arranged to face the concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T which is moved to the same position, and the same feeding is performed. Motor 3
1 and the photoelectric sensor S are connected to the control unit 35. That is, the cucumber K placed on the concave placement portion Tb of the alignment tray T is detected by the photoelectric sensor S, and the feed motor 31 is intermittently operated by the control unit 35 based on the detection signal output from the photoelectric sensor S. Driving and sorting conveyor 2
Immediately below the loading position set above, the concave mounting portions Tb ... Of the alignment tray T are intermittently fed.

The above-mentioned aligning tray T has a concave mounting portion Tb for mounting one cucumber K in the lateral direction on the upper surface side of the tray body Ta formed in a horizontally long shape. , The concave mounting portions Tb for mounting nine cucumbers K in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side of the tray main body Ta are formed in parallel, and both longitudinal side edge portions of the tray main body Ta are formed. And the alignment plates Tc, Tc are formed so as to face the front and rear ends of each cucumber K.

The tray elevator 23 described above is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, on each side of the suction position set at the end of the second conveyor 19 on the feed side, each of the L-shaped trays T and T, which are conveyed to the same position, face each side of the L-shaped tray. Holding plates 36, 36 are arranged, and the holding cylinders 37, 37 arranged on both sides of the same position are connected to the holding plates 36, 36,
By the operation of the holding cylinders 37, 37, a closed position for holding both end portions of each of the aligning trays T, T in a horizontal posture,
The holding plates 36, 36 are opened and closed to the open position where the holding of the trays T, T for alignment is released. Further, an elevating table 38 for placing each of the aligning trays T, T in a horizontal posture is arranged at the lower part of the same position, and the elevating cylinders 39, 39 arranged at the lower part of the same position are arranged on the lower surface of the elevating table 38. And the holding plates 36,
Ascending position for lifting each of the alignment trays T, T held by 36, and each of the alignment trays T, T on the third conveyor 20.
The elevating table 38 is vertically moved up and down to the lowered position where T is placed.

That is, when the cucumber cartoning machine 6 which will be described later sucks and holds the cucumbers K placed on the aligning trays T, T, and moves the cucumbers 39, 39 upward and upward, the lifting cylinders 39, 39 are operated. Then, the alignment trays T, T placed on the holding plates 36, 36 are once lifted by the elevating table 38. The holding cylinders 37, 37 are opened to move the holding plates 36, 36 to the open position, the elevator 38 is vertically lowered, and the alignment trays T, T are placed on the third conveyor 20. After that, the holding cylinders 37, 37 are closed to move the holding plates 36, 36 to the closed position, and the next aligning trays T, T are transferred onto the holding plates 36, 36.

In the cucumber aligning machine 5 described above, as shown in FIG. 8, the stopper 40 is provided at the aligning position set on the second conveyor 19 so as to be retractable, and the retracting cylinder 41 disposed below the same position is used as the stopper. A projecting position in contact with the alignment tray T conveyed by the second conveyor 19 and an immersion position in which the contact with the alignment tray T is avoided by being connected to 40 and operating the same retracting cylinder 41. Then, the stopper 40 is moved up and down. In addition, the receiving plate 42 is disposed so as to face one end of the aligning tray T stopped at the rear row side of the aligning position,
A holding plate 43 is arranged so as to face the other end of the aligning tray T, and a holding cylinder 44 arranged at the same position side is connected to the holding plate 43. In addition, the front and rear aligning cylinders 45, 45 disposed at the upper part of the aligning position are connected to the L-shaped support plates 46, 46, and the pressing cylinders 47 fixed vertically to the support plates 46, 46, respectively. 47 is a pressing pad 48 formed of an elastic body such as synthetic rubber or synthetic resin.
It is connected to the upper surface side of 48.

That is, by operating the retracting cylinder 41,
The two aligning trays T, T are temporarily stopped by the stopper 40 at the aligning position, and then the holding cylinder 44 is operated to hold the aligning tray T on the rear row side between the receiving plate 42 and the holding plate 43. Thereafter, the cylinders 45 and 47 are operated to press the cucumbers K ... Mounted on the aligning trays T and T with the pressing pads 48 and 48, respectively, and the aligning tray T on the front row side is pressed.
The cucumbers K ... Placed on the rear end side aligning plate Tc are brought into contact with the front end side aligning plate Tc and aligned in a horizontal line, and the cucumber K ... Placed on the rear row side aligning tray T is attached to the rear end side aligning plate Tc. Abut and align in a horizontal line.

The cucumber cartoning machine 6 described above is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 11, the guide rails 49, 49 are provided between the upper part of the suction position set on the second conveyor 19 and the upper part of the boxing position set on the side of the same position, and are arranged above the boxing position. The moving cylinder 50 is connected to a moving frame 51 mounted between the guide rails 49, 49, and the moving cylinder 50 is actuated to horizontally move the moving frame 51 above the suction position and the packing position. To do. In addition, the lifting cylinder 52 disposed above the moving frame 51 is attached to the lifting frame 53.
The vertical movement of the lifting / lowering cylinder 53 is performed by vertically operating the lifting / lowering cylinder 52 by operating the lifting / lowering cylinder 52.

The elevating frame 53 described above is provided with movable bases 5 at the front and rear ends on the guide rails 54, 54 installed on both sides of the frame.
5 and 55 are mounted so that they can slide back and forth, and movable tables 55 and 5 of the same
Nine movable plates 57 are mounted on the respective guide rails 56, 56 erected between 5 so as to be slidable left and right, and each movable plate 57 is attached.
At the lower end of each of the support tubes 58 hung vertically, the suction pads 5 are made of an elastic material such as synthetic rubber or synthetic resin.
9 ... are attached respectively.

In addition, each of the advancing / retreating cylinders 60, 60 attached to both end portions of the elevating frame 53 is provided with each movable base 55, 5 on the rear end side.
5, the advancing / retreating cylinders 60, 60 are actuated to separate the front and rear rows of the cucumbers K ... Mounted on the two aligning trays T, T by the suction pads 59. The movable tables 55, 55 are moved back and forth to a position and a gathering position where the cucumbers K ... in the front and rear rows sucked and held by the suction pads 59 ... Moreover, the expansion / contraction cylinders 61, 61 attached to the movable bases 55, 55, respectively.
Is connected to the movable plates 57, 57 on both sides, and by operating the expansion / contraction cylinders 61, 61, the cucumbers K ... Mounted on the tray for alignment T are sucked and held by the suction pads 59. The movable plates 57 are moved left and right to the separated position and the collecting position where the cucumbers K attracted and held by the suction pads 59 are gathered in a boxed state.

That is, when conveyance of the two aligning trays T, T is stopped at the attracting position on the fourth conveyor 21, the attracting pads are attached to the cucumber K ... Placed on the aligning trays T, T, respectively. 59 ... are brought into close contact with each other, and 18 cucumbers K ... for 18 are adsorbed and held by a negative pressure of a suction blower (not shown) connected to each suction pad 59. On the other hand, when the 18 cucumbers K adsorbed and held by the adsorption pads 59 ... Are stored in the corrugated cardboard box B, the negative pressure by the suction blower (not shown) is shut off or stopped, and each cucumber K ... Release the suction hold.

In the box elevator 7 described above, the nut portion 63 is fixed to the center of the lower portion of the elevator table 62 disposed below the box packing position.
The nut 63 is mounted on the screw shaft 64 that is vertically bearing in the lower part of the same position.
Is screwed, and the screw shaft 64 is normally and reversely rotated through the respective sprockets 66 and 67 and the drive chain 68 by the driving force of the lifting / lowering motor 65 with a reduction gear arranged on one side of the lower portion.
The elevating table 62 is vertically moved up and down to a descending position, which is horizontal to the carry-in conveyor 71 and the carry-out conveyor 72, which will be described later, and an ascending position for supplying the cardboard box B assembled in the top open form to the packing position.

The above-mentioned box opening machine 8 pivotally supports the open plates 69 ... In the front and rear and left and right of the box packing position so that the open plates can be opened and closed, and the shaft ends of the open plates 69 ... Bevel gear mechanism (not shown). Power is transmitted via the open / close cylinder 70 and the open / close cylinder 70 arranged on the side of the same position is connected to the shaft end of the open plate 69, and the open / close cylinder 70 is operated to supply the open / close cylinder 70 to the boxing position. Further, the open plates 69 are opened and closed in an interlocking manner with the closed position facing the flaps Ba of the cardboard box B and the open position for opening the flaps Ba of the cardboard box B at an appropriate angle.

An empty cardboard box B supplied from a previous step (for example, a box making step) to the carry-in side below the boxing position.
A carrying-in conveyor 71 for carrying the cardboard box B for carrying the boxed cardboard box B in the next step (for example, a packaging step) is provided on the carrying-out side at the lower part of the same position.
2 are arranged. In addition, in the above-mentioned cardboard box B, for example, a packaging bag P made of synthetic resin or paper is laid with the opening facing upward, and the input port Pa of the packaging bag P is double-folded or single-folded to form a cardboard box. Each flap Ba of B
It is coated on ...

Assuming that the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, the cucumber K sorting operation and box packing operation by the cucumber sorting apparatus 1 will be described below. First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the buckets 10 of the sorting conveyor 2 are circulated in the feed direction, and the support rollers 11 of the buckets 10 that return to the start end of the feed side are moved to high places. Side-by-side traveling rails 12 are sequentially engaged, and the receiving plates 10b, 10b forming the respective buckets 10 ... Are regulated to rotate at a fully closed angle, and the comb teeth of the receiving plates 10b, 10b are regulated. 10c, 10c
Move in the feed direction while keeping crossing each other.
At the same time, each of the receiving plates 10b forming each of the buckets 10 ...
A large number of each cucumber K to be received at the intersection of 10b ...
Are placed side by side and conveyed one by one.

Next, at the reading position set on the sorting conveyor 2, the equal grade determination device 3 sequentially determines the equal grade of each cucumber K ... Placed in each bucket 10. That is, the equal rank determination device 3 corresponds to the address reading of the bucket 10 by the address reader 3b.
The cucumber K placed on 0 is imaged by the imaging camera 3a, the equal class of the cucumber K is determined based on the image data read by the imaging camera 3a, and the determination data and the address data are associated with each other. Remember. In addition, it is determined to which equal class the cucumber K placed on the bucket 10 corresponds, and the time lag until the bucket 10 moves to the sorting position corresponding to the determination is counted.

After passing through the same position, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG.
As shown in FIG.
From the high-side traveling rail 12 to the low-side traveling rail 12
To the receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10.
Is regulated to a half-open angle, and the receiving plates 10b, 10b are
The cucumber K placed between them is vertically lowered in a horizontal position, and is held at a low position that is appropriately close to the alignment tray T, which will be described later, in the vertical interval.

For example, the bucket 10 having the judgment data of "M" size moves to the sorting position of M size, and the cucumber K placed between the receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10 and the aligning described later. After appropriately approaching the concave mounting portion Tb of the tray T in the vertical space, the opening / closing solenoid 17 is operated to retreat the support rail 16 installed at the sorting position, and the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 is provided. Is removed from the cutout portion 12a of the traveling rail 12, and the receiving plates 10b and 10b of the bucket 10 are rotated to a fully open angle that allows the cucumber K to fall, and placed between the receiving plates 10b and 10b. The thus-prepared cucumber K is directly put into each of the concave mounting portions Tb ... Of the tray for alignment T which has been moved directly below the sorting position.

At the same time, as shown in FIG. 7, the cucumber K vertically inserted into the concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T is detected by the photoelectric sensor S, and the detection signal is output to the control unit 57. The control unit 57 intermittently drives the first conveyor 18 based on the detection signal output from the photoelectric sensor S,
Immediately below the sorting position, each concave mounting portion Tb of the tray for alignment T ...
Are intermittently fed, and the cucumbers K ... of the same class that are dropped and supplied from the buckets 10 ... Are thrown into the concave mounting portions Tb. If the posture of the cucumbers K placed on the alignment tray T is inappropriate or the number of the cucumbers K is excessive or insufficient, the posture and the number of the cucumbers K are corrected by the hand of the worker who waits during the conveyance of the second conveyor 19. To do.

Next, after stopping the transportation of the alignment trays T, T to the alignment position on the second conveyor 19, as shown in FIG. 8, the cucumber alignment machine 5 is driven to move the alignment trays on the front row side. T
The front ends of the cucumbers K ... placed on the and the rear ends of the cucumbers K ... placed on the rear row side alignment tray T are aligned in a horizontal line. After the respective alignment trays T, T are transported to the suction position on the second conveyor 19 and the respective alignment trays T, T are transferred onto the left and right holding plates 36, 36 constituting the tray elevator 23, As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the cucumber box packing machine 6 is driven to suck and hold the cucumbers K ... Mounted on the respective alignment trays T, T by the suction pads 59.
The cucumbers K in the front and rear rows, which have been adsorbed and held by ..., are superposed in different stages and moved to the boxing position.

At the same time, the box elevator 7 is driven to empty the corrugated cardboard box B supplied from the previous step (for example, the box making step).
Is transferred onto the lift table 62 via the carry-in conveyor 71, and then the lift table 62 is vertically lifted to supply an empty cardboard box B to the packing position. Drive the box opening machine 8 to lift the platform 62.
The flaps Ba of the cardboard box B placed on top and the inlet Pa of the packaging bag P are opened in all directions, and the cucumbers K ... sucked and held by the suction pads 59 ...
By packing in one and releasing the adsorption, the boxing work for each cucumber K ... for one stage is completed.

At the same time, as shown in FIG. 11, the tray elevator 23 is driven to temporarily lift the empty aligning trays T, T placed on the left and right holding plates 36, 36 by the elevator 38. , After moving the holding plates 36, 36 to the open position,
The elevating table 38 is vertically lowered to transfer the empty aligning trays T, T onto the third conveyor 20.
T is recurrently transported onto the first conveyor 18 via the respective conveyors 21 and 22. After that, the left and right holding plates 36, 36 are moved to the closed position, and the next aligning trays T, T are transferred onto the holding plates 36, 36. Similarly, each cucumber K ... Placed on each of the aligning trays T, T is attached to each suction pad 59.
Then, it is suction-held and sequentially packed in a corrugated cardboard box B. After packing a predetermined number of cucumber K in a box, the elevating table 62 is vertically lowered, and the boxed corrugated box B is conveyed to the next step (for example, a boxing step) via the carry-out conveyor 72.

As described above, each receiving plate 1 of the bucket 10
Cucumber K held between the receiving portions 10b and 10b by rotating 0b and 10b from a fully closed angle intersecting with each other to a half open angle.
Since the cucumber K is vertically lowered while being in a horizontal position, the descent distance of the cucumber K is long, and the cucumber K can be brought close to the aligning tray T moved right below the sorting position at an appropriate interval. The drop when adding the cucumber K is small, and each receiving plate 10b, 10b
The cucumber K held between them is placed on each of the concave mounting portions T of the aligning tray T.
Since it is directly inserted into b ..., the impact generated at the time of insertion can be significantly reduced, and the placement posture and placement position of the cucumber K can be prevented from being displaced, and each concave placement portion of the alignment tray T can be prevented. One cucumber K can be accurately added to Tb.

In addition, the receiving plates 10b, 1 of the bucket 10
0b is opened on each concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T, and the cucumber K placed between the receiving plates 10b and 10b of the aligning tray T with respect to each concave mounting portion Tb of the aligning tray T. Since it is put directly in, the cucumber K does not roll like the conventional method,
It is possible to reliably prevent the commercial value of cucumber K from being impaired.

In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiment, the long product sorting device of the present invention corresponds to the cucumber sorting device 1 of the embodiment, and similarly, the long product is a cucumber K. Corresponding to, the long object placing portion includes the aligning tray T and the concave placing portion Tb, the aligning conveyor 77, and the protruding portions 77a.
, And the equal class determination means corresponds to the equal class determination device 3, the imaging camera 3a, and the address reader 3b.
The respective receiving portions of the bucket correspond to the respective receiving plates 10 of the bucket 10.
b, 10b, the bucket rotating means includes a support roller 11, a traveling rail 12, a support shaft 13, and a connecting plate 14.
Rack 14a, support pin 15a, and guide hole 15
b and the support rail 16, the bucket opening means includes a support roller 11, a traveling rail 12, and a cutout portion 1.
2a, a support shaft 13, a connecting plate 14, a rack 14a,
Support pin 15a, guide hole 15b, support rail 16
, And the solenoid 17 for opening and closing, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 is transferred from the high-side traveling rail 12 to the low-side traveling rail 12 so that the respective receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10 are moved. Although the rotation is regulated to a half-open angle, for example, the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 and the traveling rail 12 are engaged with each other outside the orbiting chain 9 that constitutes the sorting conveyor 2. By forming the high side and the low side of the traveling rail 12 continuously, the support roller 11 pivotally supported on the bucket 10 is formed.
Smoothly rolls from the high side to the low side, and the receiving plates 10b, 10b of the bucket 10 are slowly opened and closed in response to the vertical movement of the support roller 11, so that the receiving plates are rotated. Impact and vibration when the cucumber K placed between 10b and 10b is displaced from a high position to a low position can be reduced.

A large number of alignment trays T ... Are placed on the circulating conveyor 4 composed of a belt conveyor, a roller conveyor, etc., and are circulated and conveyed. For example, a chain conveyor, a belt conveyor, or the like is appropriately used. It is also possible to connect each of the alignment trays T on the conveyor and move them in the feed direction in a circular manner. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, a belt type alignment conveyor 77 is provided immediately below the sorting position set on the sorting conveyor 2. Are arranged orthogonally to each other, and based on the judgment by the equal class judging device 3, each cucumber K of the same class which is vertically dropped from each bucket 10 of the sorting conveyor 2 is formed on the aligning conveyor 77. It is also possible to directly transfer the ridges 77a ...

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a sorting operation and a boxing operation of a cucumber sorting device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a sorting operation by a sorting conveyor.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing the operation of transferring the cucumbers placed on the bucket to the alignment tray.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where each receiving plate of the bucket is closed.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where each receiving plate of the bucket is opened.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing another opening / closing means of the bucket.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a sorting operation by the sorting conveyor.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an alignment operation by the cucumber alignment machine.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a cartoning operation by the cucumber cartoning machine.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing an adsorbed state of cucumber.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a cucumber adsorption state.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing an operation of transferring the cucumber placed on the bucket onto the belt conveyor.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a sorting operation by a sorting conveyor of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S ... Photoelectric sensor K ... Cucumber T ... Alignment tray Tb ... Recessed mounting part 1 ... Cucumber sorting device 2 ... Sorting conveyor 3 ... Equal class determination device 4 ... Circulation conveyor 5 ... Cucumber aligning machine 6 ... Cucumber boxing machine 7 ... Box lifter 8 ... Box opener 10 ... Bucket 10a ... Bucket body 10b ... Receiving plate 10c ... Comb tooth part 11 ... Support roller 12 ... Traveling rail 12a ... Notch part 13 ... Spindle 14 ... Connecting plate 14a ... Rack 15a ... Support pin 15b ... Guide hole 16 ... Support rail 17 ... Opening / closing solenoid 23 ... Tray elevator 30 ... Feed belt 31 ... Feed motor 35 ... Control unit 36 ... Holding plate 38 ... Lifting table 59 ... Adsorption pad 77 ... Aligning conveyor 77a ... ridge

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claims: 1. The long objects placed in each bucket of the sorting conveyor are sorted into equal ranks based on the judgment by the equal rank judging means, and are placed at the sorting position corresponding to the judgment by the equal rank judging means. A long object sorting device for vertically dropping each long object placed on each bucket and transferring it to a long object placing section immediately below a sorting position when each bucket moves, wherein On each long side portion of the bucket body formed in the above, each receiving portion formed to have a size for holding the long object is vertically rotatably provided, and the respective receiving portions provided on the bucket main body intersect each other. Each of the receiving portions vertically formed on the bucket main body is formed into a shape having a full-closed angle at which the long object is held at the uppermost position and a half-open angle at which the long object is held at the lowermost position. Provided with bucket rotating means for rotating up and down,
Based on the judgment by the equal class judgment means, there is provided bucket opening means for rotating each receiving portion of the bucket main body to a fully open angle at which a long object can be dropped when moved to a sorting position corresponding to the judgment. Long item sorting device. 2. The long-part sorting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving parts provided vertically on the bucket body is formed in a comb-tooth shape intersecting with each other.