JPH09178430A - Camera-operated goods screening device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide such a camera-operated goods screening device as being capable of accurately and quickly screening fluits without failure. SOLUTION: Upper and lower-face inspecting cameras 11, 12 13 are arranged at 120 deg. spaces in a vertical plane in a photographing room 10 in a camera photographing section 1 provided straddling a fluit screening conveyor 30 in a tunnel shape. When fluits 34 carried via the fluit screening conveyor 30 are at the axial center of the peripheral face, the fluits 34 are photographed from three directions by the upper and lower-face inspecting cameras 11, 12, 13 at the same time. With image signal processing, the fluits 34 are classified and sorted in classes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera-type selection device, and more particularly, it is useful as a fruit selection device for use in a line for sorting and packing round and long fruits such as tomato, cucumber, carrot and eggplant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an aspect of a conventional fruit-picking operation performed on a fruit-picking line. In the figure, 30 is a fruit selecting conveyor, 30a is a fruit selecting tray on the fruit selecting conveyor 30, 31 is a sorting conveyor according to equal ranks, and a plurality of fruit selecting conveyors 30 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the fruit selecting conveyor 30. It is arranged at a right angle on the lower side.

Reference numeral 32a denotes an operator who manually inserts the fruit 34 in the container 33 sent from the collecting section at the entrance of the fruit-picking conveyor 30 onto the fruit-picking plate 30a of the fruit-pickling conveyor 30. 32b is also a worker, and the sorting conveyor 3
It is placed near the branching point between 0 and the sorting conveyor 31 to perform the fruit selection work.

[0004] For the fruit selection work, the fruit 3 is placed on the fruit selection conveyor 30.
The worker 32b visually judges the size and grade of the fruit 4 while it is moving, picks up the fruit 34 from the fruit picking conveyor 30 and drops it on the corresponding sorting conveyor 31.

[0005]

According to the conventional method as described above, the equal classification of the fruits 34 moving on the fruit picking conveyor 30 can be judged visually by the operator 32b in a short time, and then the sorting conveyor 31 can be operated. Since it is dropped by work, it is difficult to accurately judge the grade, and it becomes easy to mix inappropriate fruits among the fruits 34 sorted and dropped onto the sorting conveyor 31.

[0006] Further, there is a problem that unsorted fruits that are not sorted and sent to the end of the fruit picking conveyor 30 are generated, and the fruit picking conveyor 30 cannot be operated at a high speed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera-type selection device which makes it possible to perform the sorting operation accurately, speedily, and eliminate damage.

[0008]

The structure of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following features. 1) A conveyor that conveys goods such as fruits to be selected, a camera shooting section that is arranged in a tunnel shape across the conveyor, and a conveyor inside the shooting room inside the camera shooting section. An inspection camera for photographing the surface of a conveyed object, and a discriminating means for discriminating the equal class of the conveyed object based on an image photographed by the inspection camera.

2) In the camera type selection device of 1),
Further, it must have an automatic cutting-out means for sorting the conveyed products to the corresponding sorting conveyors based on the discrimination result by the discrimination means.

3) In the camera-type selection device of 1) or 2), the conveyor has a carrying tray that allows the placed goods to be viewed from above and below, and the inspection camera has a vertical surface including the axis of the conveyor. 120 ° including the vertical direction within
It should be arranged at three places with intervals so that the entire surface of the conveyed object can be photographed by photographing the surface of the conveyed object on the conveyor plate from each direction.

4) In the camera type selection device according to any one of 1) to 3), an indirect illumination means is provided in the photographing room.

[0012] The transported object loaded and sent on the conveyor according to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure enters the tunnel-shaped camera photographing section, where it is photographed by the inspection camera and the image thereof is taken into the discrimination device. The discriminating device instantly discriminates the equal class of the fruit based on the image data.

Further, the automatic slicing device is controlled at the sorting conveyor position corresponding to the discriminated grade to send it out on the sorting conveyor of equal rank.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a first half portion of a fruit selection conveyor device to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the figure, the same elements as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 7, and duplicate description will be omitted.

In FIG. 1 (a), reference numeral 1 denotes a camera photographing section which is formed in a tunnel shape across the fruit selection conveyor 30 and is also constituted as a section for photographing the fruit 34 with a camera. Reference numeral 2 is an equal class discriminator connected to the camera photographing section 1 and 3 is a fruit selection tray used on the fruit selection conveyor 30.

As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the fruit selection dish 3 is a net-shaped fruit selection dish 3a which allows the fruit 34 to be seen through from both upper and lower directions, or as shown in FIG. 1 (c). As shown, any of the fork-shaped fruit selection trays 3b may be used.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an automatic cutting device, which is provided at a connecting portion between the fruit selection conveyor 30 and the sorting conveyor 31 of equal rank.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. As shown in both figures, the photographing chamber 10 is a chamber formed in the camera photographing section 1, and is composed of a semi-cylindrical upper cylindrical wall 10a and a lower cylinder wall 10a each having a shape in which a cylinder whose axis is horizontal is vertically divided into two parts. Cylindrical wall 10b
And

The upper surface inspection camera 11 is fixed to the upper cylindrical wall 10a immediately above the fruit selection conveyor 30 so as to photograph the fruit 34 vertically downward. The two lower surface inspection cameras 12 and 13 inspect the upper cylindrical wall 10a and the upper surface so that the fruit 34 located in the axial direction of the upper and lower cylindrical walls 10a and 10b is photographed in the direction traversing the fruit picking conveyor 30. Camera 1
It is fixed to the front and rear parts of the lower cylindrical wall 10b at positions spaced by 120 ° from the upper surface inspection camera 11 on the circumference including 1.

Thus, the images of the surface of the fruit 34 located at the axial center positions of the upper and lower cylindrical walls 10a are taken from three directions. As a result, the image information of the entire surface can be obtained, and the respective output signals are images. It is supplied to the processing device 16.

The upper and lower surface inspection cameras 11 to 13
May use either color or monochrome.

The fruit selection conveyor 30 is fed into the camera photographing section 1 through the opening 1a so that the fruit 34 placed on the fruit selecting dish 3 passes through the axial center position of the photographing room 10, and circulates at the tip of the line. Two rows are provided so as to return to the fruit 34 input section side through the opening 1b in the lower part of the camera photographing section 1.

The straight tube type illuminating lamp 14 as the illuminating means is
The upper and lower inspection cameras 11 to 13 are provided in the photographing room 10 in the respective optical axis directions. The reflector 15 is provided in the photographing room 10 between the illumination lamp 14 and the axial center position of the photographing room 10.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of the discrimination standard of the fruit equal class used in the equal class discrimination device 2. FIG. 4A is a fruit class (size) discrimination criterion. Fruits are tomatoes, carrots, curies, eggplants, etc., 4L and 3L respectively
・ Set the standard size and weight for each fruit type according to the size categories such as LL, M, S, SS.

FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c) show an example of a grade discrimination criterion based on the degree of fruit color for tomatoes and a grade discrimination criterion based on other quality items. FIG. 4 (b) shows discrimination of tomato ripeness. This is the case where the grade standard of 1 to 5 is provided by using the fruit color. Figure 4 (c) shows the shape of the fruit
This is a case in which seven grades of scratches, cracked fruits, hollow fruits, stains, and stripes are used as judgment items, and three grades of A, B, and C according to grade are set.

FIG. 4 (d) shows carrot, curie and eggplant 3
It is a table showing only items of grade discrimination regarding types. 4C can be created for each item as shown in FIG. 4D according to the type of fruit, in accordance with FIG. 4C.

FIG. 5 is an example of a flow of fruit class classification performed using the class classifying device 2 shown in FIG.
Hereinafter, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In selecting the fruits 34, first, the equal class discriminator 2 is initially set with the fruit type and cargo name to be selected in advance and the discrimination reference value corresponding to this fruit type as illustrated in FIG. Yes (step S ₁ ).

The operation of the fruit selecting conveyor 30 is started at a certain operation speed, and the worker 32a is placed on the fruit selecting tray 3 of the fruit selecting conveyor 30.
Throws in the fruit 34. At this time, the equal class determination device 2
Is a timing signal to the image processing device 16 at the time when the selection tray 3 of the fruit selection conveyor 30 reaches the axial center position of the photographing room 10 at a timing by the movement operation signal of the fruit selection conveyor 3 of the fruit selection conveyor 30. This signal is sent from the image processing apparatus 16 to the upper and lower surface inspection cameras 11 to 13 (step S ₂ ), and the fruit 34 at the axial center position of the photographing room 10 is set by the three upper and lower surface inspection cameras 11 to 13. There is shot simultaneously from the upper and lower three directions (step S _3).

Next, the photographing signal and the image of the fruit 34 by the upper and lower surface inspection cameras 11 to 13 are transmitted to the equal class discriminating device 2 through the image processing device 16, and the equal class discriminating device 2 detects the fruit 34. The counting of the number of feedings is started, and at the same time, the equal class of the fruit 34 is instantly discriminated based on the image data received by the equal grade discrimination device 2, and the discrimination data is used as the discrimination conveyor 3
It is transmitted to the control system of 0 line (steps S ₄ , S ₅ ,
S ₆ ).

At this time, the upper and lower surface inspection cameras 11 to 1
When the color camera is used for 3, the fruit color can be easily discriminated and the monochrome camera has a slight difficulty in the fruit color discrimination, but the discrimination of the other items is not hindered.

When the feeding count of the fruit 34 reaches a predetermined number, the control system operates the automatic cutting device 4 at the position of the sorting conveyor 31 corresponding to the equal rank of the fruit 34 under automatic control to remove the fruit 34. The fruit is automatically fed from the fruit-picking conveyor 30 to the corresponding sorting conveyor 31, and is boxed on the sorting conveyor 31 (steps S ₇ and S ₈ ).

Each of the upper and lower inspection cameras 11 to 13 inspects only one fruit 34 at the axial center position within the range shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 every time the fruit selection tray 3 reaches the axial center position of the photographing room 10. Take a picture of the entire circumference from three directions and inspect the entire circumference of the fruit.
Further, by using the indirect illumination of the illumination lamp of the photographing room 10 at the time of this photographing, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of halation due to the illumination at the time of photographing, and it is possible to accurately determine the class. Furthermore, by simply correcting the rotation of the image of the taken fruit 34 on the computer screen, the length of curved objects such as cucumber and eggplant
The thickness can be accurately and easily measured, and the accuracy of the class classification can be improved.

FIG. 6 shows another structure of the camera photographing section 1. In this embodiment, the upper cylindrical wall 10a and the lower cylindrical wall 10b of the photographing chamber 10 are continuously arranged by dividing them into front and rear of the fruit-picking conveyor 30, and the upper side photographing and the lower side photographing of one fruit 34 are separated. It is configured so that the image is captured twice at different timings depending on the position.

In this embodiment, the upper and lower surface inspection camera 11
The photographing of the surface of the fruit 34 by 13 is completed at the time of the lower photographing of the latter stage, and the feeding count of the fruit selection dish 3 photographed at this time is started.

In this embodiment, the photographing chamber 10 is divided into an upper cylindrical wall 10a and a lower cylindrical wall 10b, so that the upper and lower cylindrical walls 10a and 10b are separated from each other.
There is an advantage that the maintenance of the portion a and the lower cylindrical wall 10b portion becomes easy. Other functions and effects are similar to those of the above-described embodiment.

Although the above-mentioned embodiments are all the case of the sorting apparatus, there is no particular limitation on the articles to be sorted.

[0038]

As described above in detail with the embodiments, according to the present invention, there is provided a fruit-picking conveyor and a section which is provided in a tunnel shape across the fruit-picking conveyor so as to photograph the fruit on the conveyor with a camera. , Equipped with a device that distinguishes the equal rank of fruits and vegetables based on the image of fruits taken in this camera shooting section, unmanned the fruit selection work, improving the accuracy of fruit selection and eliminating omission of fruit selection However, according to the introduction of the fruit into the fruit-picking conveyor, there is an effect that the fruit-picking can be carried out at a high operation speed of the fruit-picking conveyor.

Further, by automatically instructing the cutting device of the corresponding sorting conveyor to cut out the fruits based on the data discriminated by the equal rank discriminating device, the effect of automating the fruit selection work with high efficiency can be obtained. .

Furthermore, a fruit selection tray is provided which allows fruits to be mounted on the fruit selection conveyor to be viewed from above and below, and the vertical direction is included in the vertical plane passing through the axis of the fruit selection conveyor in the camera photographing section. By having three cameras in three directions at intervals, it is possible to inspect the entire surface of the fruit being conveyed on the conveyor, which has the effect of increasing the accuracy of class determination, and indirectly in the camera shooting section. By providing the type illumination device, it is possible to prevent an image capturing error due to reflected light in the image capturing inspection of this system and to improve the accuracy of the equal class discrimination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front half of a fruit-picking conveyor device to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and perspective views showing extracted fruit-picking trays of the fruit-picking conveyor (b) and (c). .

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a table showing four types of standard setting examples for equal class determination.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a fruit selection operation performed on the fruit selection conveyor line of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the equal-class discrimination device corresponding to FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an apparatus for explaining a conventional equal class determination method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Camera Shooting Section 1a, 1b Opening 2 Equal Class Discriminating Device 3 Fruit Selection Plate 3a, 3b Fruit Selection Plate 4 Automatic Cutting Device 10 Imaging Room 10a Upper Cylindrical Wall 10b Lower Cylindrical Wall 11 Upper Surface Inspection Camera 12, 13 Lower Surface Inspection Camera 14 Illuminator 15 Reflector 16 Image processor 30 Sorting conveyor 31 Sorting conveyor 32a Worker 33 Fruit container 34 Fruit

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 26, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Fig. 4

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

4 kinds of Chart illustrating a reference setting example of FIG. 4 or the like class discrimination.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A conveyor for carrying a product to be selected such as fruits, a camera photographing section arranged in a tunnel shape across the conveyor, and a camera photographing section provided inside the camera photographing section. A camera-type selection device having an inspection camera for photographing the surface of a conveyed object conveyed on a conveyor, and a discrimination means for discriminating the equal class of the conveyed object based on an image photographed by the inspection camera. Equipment. 2. The camera-type selection device according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic cutting-out means for sorting a conveyed product to a corresponding sorting conveyor based on a discrimination result by the discrimination means. Equipment. 3. The camera-type selection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveyor has a conveyor plate for visually checking the conveyed objects from both upper and lower directions, and the inspection camera is the conveyor. By arranging in three places at intervals of 120 ° including the vertical direction in a vertical plane including the axis line and photographing the surface of the conveyed article on the conveying dish from each direction, the entire surface of the conveyed article can be photographed. A camera-type selection device characterized by being configured as described in 1. 4. The camera-type selection device according to any one of [Claim 1] to [Claim 3], characterized in that an indirect illumination means is provided in the photographing room.