JPH0985185A - Tilting type sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely pick up the images over the entire part of the peripheral surfaces of fruit vegetables and to precisely and exactly sort the fruit vegetables by grades and classes by alternately lifting the peripheral surfaces on both sides in the lower part of the fruit vegetables placed on a fruit vegetable placing section, tilting the fruit vegetables and picking up the images of the peripheral surfaces on both sides in the lower parts of the fruit vegetables with a camera installed diagonally above. SOLUTION: Many pieces of mandarin oranges are successively placed on the placing cups of an assorting conveyor 2 and the images thereof are picked up from laterally and diagonally above by the camera 34 for image pickup of a grade and class deciding device 4 obliquely installed in the upper part of an inspection position S. At this time, the respective mandarin oranges are tilted to laterally inclined postures by a fruit vegetable tilting machine disposed in the lower part of the inspection position S. The grades and classes of the respective mandarin oranges are decided by the grade and class deciding device 4 in accordance with the image data picked up by the camera 34. The mandarin oranges are sorted and supplied by grades and classes in the assorting positions (a) to (e) on the conveyor 2 in accordance with these results.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to, for example, tangerine,
The present invention relates to a tilting type sorting device used for the work of sorting fruit vegetables such as apples, pears, persimmons, peaches, or cucumbers, eggplants, carrots, potatoes and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for selecting mandarin oranges as in the above-mentioned example, for example, a large number of each mandarin orange brought in from a producer side is sequentially transferred to each bucket of a sorting conveyor,
The upper peripheral surface of each mandarin orange placed in each bucket is sequentially imaged by the imaging camera, and the image data captured by the imaging camera is compared with the equal rank data stored in the determination device body. There is a method of determining the equal rank of each mandarin orange placed in each bucket, and selecting each tangerine placed in each bucket according to the equal class based on the determination.

[0003]

However, when each mandarin orange placed in each bucket is imaged from above by the imaging camera as described above, for example, discoloration, decay, damage, and other foreign parts are lower parts of the mandarin orange. Even if it exists on the peripheral surface, the lower peripheral surface of the mandarin orange cannot be imaged by the imaging camera, and its equal class cannot be accurately determined. In addition, there is a problem in that the equivalence class data stored in the main body of the determination device does not match the original equivalence class of the mandarin oranges placed in the bucket, and a highly accurate sorting process cannot be performed.

Further, when the lower peripheral surface of each mandarin orange placed on each bucket is imaged from below by an imaging camera, for example, two belt conveyors are arranged in front of and behind the feeding direction, An imaging camera is arranged at a lower position between the belt conveyors, and when each mandarin orange is transferred from the belt conveyor on the front side to the belt conveyor on the rear side, each mandarin orange from the gap between the conveyors. The lower peripheral surface of each mandarin orange is sequentially imaged by the imaging camera, but the lower peripheral surface of each mandarin orange cannot be accurately imaged because the transportation posture and the transportation speed of each mandarin orange are unstable, and the equal rank can be accurately determined. It has a problem that it is difficult to judge.

In view of the above problems, the present invention allows the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section to be alternately tilted by the pair of lifting members and imaged obliquely from above by the image pickup cameras to obtain the fruit and vegetables. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tilting type sorting apparatus capable of reliably picking up an image of the entire peripheral surface of the vehicle and capable of appropriately and accurately performing a task of sorting by equal rank.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
On the upper sides of both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section, a plurality of imaging cameras are obliquely installed so as to face both circumferential surfaces of the fruit and vegetable placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section, It is a tilting type sorting device provided with a fruit and vegetable tilting means for tilting the lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section in an inclined posture facing the respective imaging cameras at the bottom. And

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the first aspect, the fruit and vegetable tilting means is provided on both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing portion so as to face the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables. And a pair of respective lifting members are provided so as to be vertically rotatable, and the respective lifting members are vertically rotated in a direction of contacting both lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section, and the respective lift members are provided. Thus, the tilting-type sorting device is configured by providing a member rotating means for tilting and holding the lower both side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables in the tilted postures facing the respective imaging cameras.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the first aspect, the fruit and vegetable tilting means is provided on both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing portion so as to face both lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables. And a pair of respective lifting members are provided so as to be movable up and down, and each lifting member is moved up and down in a direction of contacting both lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetables placing section, and the fruit and vegetables are brought by the respective lifting members. The tilting-type sorting device is provided with a member elevating means for tilting and holding the lower both side peripheral surfaces of the object in a tilted posture in which it faces the respective imaging cameras.

[0009]

In the tilting type sorting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the tilting means for driving the fruit and vegetables is driven to alternately lift up the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetables placing section and to pick up the respective image pickup cameras. By tilting to the opposite posture and imaging the lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables diagonally from above with each imaging camera, the entire peripheral surface of the fruit and vegetables can be reliably imaged by each imaging camera, and each imaging Based on the image data of the entire peripheral surface imaged by the camera, the equal grade of fruit and vegetables can be accurately and accurately determined by the equal grade determination means.

A tilting type sorting apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, drives the member rotating means,
The pair of lifting members are vertically rotated in the direction of contacting the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section, and the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables are alternately lifted by the respective lifting members. By tilting in a posture facing the image pickup camera,
Similar to the described invention, the entire peripheral surface of the fruit and vegetables can be reliably imaged by each imaging camera, and the equal rank of the fruit and vegetables can be determined accurately and accurately.

According to the tilting type sorting apparatus of the third aspect, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, the member lifting means is driven,
Each pair of lifting members are moved up and down in the direction of abutting the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit vegetables placed on the fruit vegetable placing section, and the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit vegetables are alternately lifted by the respective lifting members to take respective images. By tilting in a posture facing the camera for use, like the invention according to claim 1, the entire peripheral surface of the fruit and vegetables can be reliably imaged by each imaging camera, and the equal rank of the fruit and vegetables can be accurately determined. And it can be accurately determined.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section are alternately lifted and tilted,
Since the lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables are imaged obliquely from above with the respective imaging cameras, the imaging range is wider than the conventional case where images are taken from above or below, and there is no blind spot in the imaging range. Even if a deteriorated portion such as decay or damage exists on a part of the peripheral surface of the fruit and vegetables, it can be reliably detected, and the entire peripheral surface of the fruit and vegetables can be reliably imaged. Moreover, since the lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables are alternately lifted and imaged from diagonally above by the imaging cameras, it is not necessary to turn the fruit and vegetables upside down, and the mounting posture and the mounting position of the fruit and vegetables are stable. Therefore, the imaging operation of the whole fruit and vegetables can be performed easily and easily. Since the equal class of fruit and vegetables is determined based on the image data of the entire peripheral surface imaged by each imaging camera, the work of determining the equal class and the task of selecting by class can be performed accurately and accurately, and the accuracy is high. Sorting can be done.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings show a tilting type sorting apparatus of a first example used when sorting mandarin oranges as an example of fruit and vegetables. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the tilting type sorting apparatus 1 is , For example, a large number of each tangerine A… brought from the producer 4
Each loading cup 3 of each sorting conveyor 2 ...
At the inspection position S set on each sorting conveyor 2 ... on each sorting conveyor 2, ..., each mandarin orange A ... is left and right by the imaging cameras 34, 34 of the equal class determination device 4 arranged above the sorting position. Imaged obliquely from above, tilted each mandarin orange A ... by the fruit and vegetable tilting device 5 arranged at the same position in the left and right directions, and based on the image data imaged by each imaging camera 34, 34, each mandarin orange A. The equal class of ... Is judged by the equal class judging device 4. At each sorting position a, b, c, d, e set on each sorting conveyor 2 ... On the basis of the determination by the equal class determination device 4, each supply disposed below each sorting position a to e. Each mandarin orange A is distributed and supplied to the conveyors 6 for each equal rank. On the other hand, at the collection position f set on each sorting conveyor 2, ..., each non-standard tangerine A that does not correspond to an equal class is discharged to the collection conveyor 7 and collected.

In the sorting conveyor 2 described above, a large number of mounting cups 3 ... Are erected at regular intervals in the feeding direction between the revolving chains 8, 8 stretched to the left and right,
The placing cups 3 are pivotally supported between the orbiting chains 8 and 8 so as to be vertically rotatable between a placing posture in which the mandarin orange A is placed and an open posture in which the mandarin orange A is discharged. . Moreover, the guide pins 9 protruding from the right rear end of each mounting cup 3 ...
, On the traveling rail 10 installed on the lower side of the same side,
Rotation of each mounting cup 3 ... is regulated in a mounting posture in which the mandarin orange A is mounted, and the orbiting chains 8 and 8 are rotated in the feeding direction by the driving force of a motor with a reducer (not shown). , A plurality of mounting cups 3 installed between the orbiting chains 8 and 8 are orbitally moved in the feeding direction.

Further, notches 10a are formed in the traveling portions of the traveling rail 10 corresponding to the respective sorting positions a to e to allow the guide pins 9 to fall off, and the notches 10a are formed. The connection rails 11 connected to the front end of the feeding side of the ... And the electromagnetic solenoids 12 arranged on the lower side of the notches 10a of the same are connected and output from the equal rank determination device 4 described later. The electromagnetic solenoids 12 are independently operated based on the command signal that is generated to close the notches 10a of the traveling rail 10 and the positions that open the notches 10a. ... rotate up and down.

As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned mounting cup 3 has a U-shaped center on the center mounting surface of the cup body 3a on the left and right mounting surfaces of the concave cup body 3a. The support shafts 13, which are formed by forming the cutout portions 3b, 3b symmetrically and erected on the lower side edge portions of the cutout portions 3b, 3b,
The base ends of the lifting claws 14, 14 are fixed on the lifting claws 13, and the lifting claws 14, 1 are rotated about the support shafts 13, 13.
4 is rotatably supported vertically. And each lifting claw 1
The rollers 16 and 16 are supported on the lower ends of the support pins 15 and 15 which are vertically provided on the base ends of the cups 4 and 14, respectively, and the locking projections 3c and the support pins which are vertically provided on the lower surface side central portion of the cup body 3a. 1
The coil springs 17 and 17 are stretched between the coil springs 5 and 15 and the restoring force of the coil springs 17 and 17 causes
The lifting claws 14, 14 are rotationally biased in the direction in which they are recessed with respect to the notches 3b, 3b formed in the cup body 3a, and they are formed at the upper side edges of the notches 3b, 3b. The restriction pieces 3d, 3d and the free ends of the lifting claws 14, 14 are brought into contact with each other to restrict the rotation of the lifting claws 14, 14 to the positions recessed in the notches 3b, 3b. .

The mounting surface of the cup body 3a constituting the mounting cup 3, the outer peripheral surfaces of the lifting claws 14 and 14, and the outer peripheral surfaces of the lifting pins 21 and 25 of the third and fourth embodiments described later. And are covered or formed with a synthetic resin such as urethane rubber, silicon rubber, or polycarbonate, or covered with natural or artificial leather.

The above-mentioned equal class judging device 4 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, two imaging cameras 34 are provided at the left and right upper positions of the inspection position S set on the sorting conveyor 2 so as to face the mounting surfaces of the mounting cups 3 that are moved to the same position. ，
34 are arranged so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle, and each imaging camera 3
The illumination lamps 35 are arranged around 4, 34, and the address reader 36 is disposed in proximity to one side of the mounting cup 3 which is moved to the same position. The address reader 36 and the address reader 36 are connected to the determination device body 37, and the electromagnetic solenoids 12 ... Arranged at the sorting positions a to e are connected to the determination device body 37.

That is, the mandarin oranges A ... Are picked up by the image pickup cameras 34, 34 in correspondence with the address reading of the mounting cups 3 ... Each mandarin orange A is tilted to a left-right tilted posture by a fruit and vegetable tilting machine 5 described later. The address data read by the address reader 36 and the image data captured by the image capturing cameras 34, 34 are stored in the determination device main body 37 in association with each other, and the image data output from the image capturing cameras 34, 34 are stored. , The equal rank data stored in the determination device main body 37 is compared, and the equal rank of each mandarin orange A ... (eg, grades such as excellent, excellent, good, etc. and LL,
(Classes such as L, M, and S) are determined. When the mounting cups 3 ... Are moved to the sorting positions a to e corresponding to the determination, the electromagnetic solenoids 12 of the sorting positions a to e corresponding to the determination are operated to operate the mounting cups 3 ... Is rotated rearward to an open position, and each mandarin orange A ... is sorted and supplied to each supply conveyor 6 ... Arranged at each sorting position a to e by equal rank.

In the fruit and vegetable tilting machine 5 described above, the guide members 18, 18 are disposed below the inspection position S set on the sorting conveyor 2 so as to face the central portion on the lower surface side of the placing cup 3. The guide members 18, 18 are formed in such a size and shape as to come into contact with the rollers 16, 16 suspended from the lifting claws 14, 14 of the mounting cup 3, respectively, and the lifting cylinders 19, provided at the lower portions of the same position, A piston rod 19 is connected to the lower end portions of the guide members 18, 18 and is brought into contact with the rollers 16, 16 suspended from the lifting claws 14, 14 by the operation of the lifting cylinders 19, 19. The guide members 18, 18 are moved to the left and right positions and the central position where contact with the rollers 16, 16 is avoided.

The illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and the working operation when the mandarin orange A is sorted by equal grade by the tilting sorting device 1 will be described below. First, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, a large number of each mandarin orange A ..
One by one, and each mounting cup 3 ... Is sequentially moved to the inspection position S on the sorting conveyor 2. Corresponding to the address reading of each mounting cup 3 by the address reader 38,
Image data of the left and right upper peripheral surfaces captured by the imaging cameras 34, 34 of the left and right upper peripheral surfaces of the mandarin oranges A ... Mounted on the respective mounting cups 3 ... And the address data of each mounting cup 3 ... Are stored in the determination device main body 37 in association with each other.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the fruit and vegetable tilter 5 is used.
Is driven to alternately lift the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A placed on the mounting cup 3 by the lifting claws 14 to tilt the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A, respectively. Images are picked up obliquely from above by the imaging cameras 34, 34. That is, by operating the lifting cylinder 19 on the lower left side, the guide member 18 is attached to the roller 16 suspended from the lifting claw 14 on the left side.
Abutting against the coil spring 17 against the lifting spring 14
Is rotated in the protruding direction. The left lower peripheral surface of the tangerine A placed on the mounting cup 3 is lifted to a predetermined height by the lifting claw 14, and the left lower peripheral surface of the tangerine A is tilted and held in the right tilted posture facing the imaging camera 34. . After the left lower peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A is imaged by the imaging camera 34 arranged diagonally above the left side, the lifting cylinder 19 is restored and the lifting claw 14 is immersed in the left notch 3b of the mounting cup 3. To do.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the lifting cylinder 19 on the lower right side is actuated to bring the guide member 18 into contact with the roller 16 hung on the lifting claw 14 on the right side and to resist the coil spring 17. The lifting claw 14 is rotated in the protruding direction. The right lower peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A placed on the mounting cup 3 is lifted to a predetermined height by the lifting claws 14, and the right lower peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A is tilted and held in the left tilted posture facing the imaging camera 34. . Imaging camera 3 arranged diagonally above and to the right
After imaging the lower right peripheral surface of the tangerine A at 4, the lifting cylinder 19 is returned to the operating state, and the lifting claw 14 is immersed in the right cutout portion 3b of the mounting cup 3. Each imaging camera 34,
The image data of the lower left and right peripheral surfaces captured by 34 and the address data of the placing cup 3 are stored in the determination device main body 37 in association with each other.

Next, the image data of the entire peripheral surface imaged by each of the imaging cameras 34, 34 is compared with the equal class data stored in the judging device main body 37, and the image data is placed on the placing cup 3. Judge the tangerine A rank. When the mounting cup 3 is moved to each of the sorting positions a to e corresponding to the determination, as shown in FIG. 3, the electromagnetic solenoid 1 at the position corresponding to the determination.
2 is operated to rotate the mounting cup 3 backward to the open position,
The tangerine A placed on the placing cup 3 is discharged to the supply conveyor 6 immediately below the sorting position b. Similarly, based on the judgment by the equal rank judging device 4, the mandarin oranges A ... are distributed and supplied to the supply conveyors 6 ... Packing is done by work. In addition, each non-standard tangerine A ... Which does not correspond to an equal rank is sequentially discharged to the recovery conveyor 7 and recovered.

As described above, the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A placed on the mounting cup 3 are alternately lifted and tilted by the lifting claws 14 and 14, and the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A are imaged. Since the images are taken diagonally from above by the use cameras 34, 34,
The imaging range is wider than that of imaging from above or below as in the conventional example, and there is no blind spot in the imaging range. Therefore, even if an altered part such as discoloration, decay, or damage exists on a part of the peripheral surface of the tangerine A. It can be surely discovered, and the entire peripheral surface of the tangerine A can be surely imaged. Moreover, since the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the tangerine A are alternately picked up and imaged from diagonally above by the respective imaging cameras 34, 34, it is not necessary to invert the tangerine A from the front and the back.
Since the placement posture and the placement position of the mandarin orange are stable, the imaging work of the entire mandarin orange A can be easily and easily performed. Since the equivalence class of mandarin orange A is determined based on the image data of the entire peripheral surface imaged by the imaging cameras 34, 34, the work of selecting the mandarin orange A by equal class can be performed accurately and accurately, and highly accurate selection. It can be processed.

FIG. 7 shows the fruit and vegetable incline of the second embodiment in which the mandarin oranges A are tilted to the left and right by alternately rotating the lifting claws 14 and 14 axially supported on the left and right mounting surfaces of the mounting cup 3 up and down. The motive 5 is shown, and two guide rails 20 and 20 are installed below the inspection position S set on the sorting conveyor 2 in parallel to the feed direction, and the guide rails 20 and 20 have their starting end portions on the feed side. Except for the feed-side end, each guide rail 20, 2
The middle part of 0 is installed at an interval that gradually widens in the feed direction, and the middle part of each of the guide rails 20 and 20 is installed at an angle that is gradually inclined with respect to the feed direction.

That is, the mounting cup 3 is moved to the inspection position S on the sorting conveyor 2, and the rollers 16 and 16 vertically installed on the lifting claws 14 and 14 are guided to the guide rails 20 and 2, respectively.
Move and move along 0. The rollers 16 and 16 bearing on the lifting claws 14 and 14 are respectively attached to the guide rails 20 and 2.
It travels to a wide inclined portion formed at 0, and rotates the lifting claws 14, 14 in the protruding direction against the coil springs 17, 17. The left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A placed on the mounting cup 3 are alternately lifted by the lifting claws 14 and tilted to the left and right inclined postures, so that the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the same mandarin orange A are imaged by the respective imaging cameras. Images can be picked up by 34, 34, and like the first embodiment, the entire peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A can be picked up reliably, and the work of sorting by equal rank can be performed accurately and accurately.

FIG. 8 is a fruit and vegetable tilting machine of the third embodiment in which the lifting pins 21 and 21 are alternately raised and lowered above the left and right mounting surfaces of the loading cup 3 to tilt the mandarin orange A in a left and right tilted posture. 5, the lifting pins 21 and 21 are vertically movable in the concave storage portions 3e and 3e formed on the left and right mounting surfaces of the mounting cup 3, and are connected to the lower surfaces of the lifting pins 21 and 21. Each coil spring 23, 2 is mounted on the guide shaft 22, 22.
3 is compressed and loaded, and is urged downward.

That is, after the mounting cup 3 is moved to the inspection position S on the sorting conveyor 2, the lifting cylinders 24, 24 arranged at the lower part of the same position are alternately operated to move the lifting pins 21, The guide members 28, 28 are brought into contact with the lower ends of the guide shafts 22, 22 connected to the guide shafts 21 from below to push up the lifting pins 21, 21 in the vertical direction against the elasticity of the coil springs 23, 23. , The lifting pins 21 and 21 are projected above the left and right mounting surfaces of the mounting cup 3, and the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin oranges mounted on the mounting cup 3 are alternately alternated by the respective lifting pins 21 and 21. By lifting and tilting to the left / right tilted posture, the entire peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A can be reliably imaged, and the work of sorting by equal rank can be performed accurately and accurately, as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows the lifting pins 25, which are located above the withdrawal holes 3f, 3f formed on the left and right mounting surfaces of the mounting cup 3, respectively.
25 shows the fruit and vegetable tilting machine 5 of the fourth embodiment which tilts the mandarin orange A in a left and right tilting posture by alternately moving in and out, and the left and right of the placing cup 3 are placed below the inspection position A set on the sorting conveyor 2. Lifting pins 25, 25 are arranged so as to face the respective projecting / retracting holes 3f, 3f formed on the mounting surface, and the piston rods of the lifting cylinders 26, 26 arranged at the lower part of the same position are respectively lifted by the lifting pins 25, 25. It is connected to the lower end of 25.

That is, after the mounting cup 3 is moved to the inspection position S on the sorting conveyor 2, each lifting cylinder 2 is moved.
6 and 26 are alternately projected and retracted to project the lifting pins 25 and 25 above the projecting and retracting holes 3f and 3f formed on the left and right mounting surfaces of the mounting cup 3 and to be mounted on the mounting cup 3. By alternately lifting the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the cut tangerine A by the lifting pins 25, 25 and tilting to the left and right inclined posture, the first
Similar to the embodiment, the entire peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A can be reliably imaged, and the work of sorting by equal rank can be performed accurately and accurately.

FIG. 10 shows the fruit and vegetable tilting machine 5 of the fifth embodiment in which the mandarin orange A is tilted to the left and right while the loading cup 3 is moved in the feeding direction, and the inspection position S set on the sorting conveyor 2 is shown. Two revolving chains 27, 27 at the bottom
Is stretched in parallel with the feed direction, and each revolution chain 27,
A plurality of sets of lifting cylinders 19, 19 of the first embodiment are arranged on the peripheral edge of the long side of 27 at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. That is, in synchronization with the moving speed of each mounting cup 3 ... Which constitutes the sorting conveyor 2, a plurality of sets of lifting cylinders 19, 19 arranged on each revolving chain 27, 27 are orbitally moved for inspection. The lifting cylinders 19 and 19 moved to the lower part of the position S are alternately operated to alternately lift the left and right lower peripheral surfaces of the mandarin orange A mounted on one mounting cup 3 by the lifting claws 14 and 14, respectively. By tilting to the left / right tilted posture, as in the first embodiment, the entire peripheral surface of the mandarin orange A can be reliably imaged, and the work of sorting by equal rank can be performed accurately and accurately.

In place of the lifting claws 14 and 14, the left and right lower portions of the mandarin orange A placed on the placing cup 3 by the respective lifting pins 21 and 21 or the respective lifting pins 25 and 25 of the third and fourth embodiments. The peripheral surface may be alternately lifted and tilted to the left-right tilted posture.

In the correspondence between the constitution of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment, the fruit and vegetables of the present invention correspond to the mandarin oranges A of the embodiment, and hereinafter, the fruit and vegetable placing section is also the sorting conveyor 2
Corresponding to the mounting cup 3 of FIG. 1, the equal grade determination means corresponds to the equal grade determination device 4, and the fruit and vegetable tilting means is the fruit and vegetable tilter 5.
The lifting member corresponds to the lifting claw 14 and the lifting pins 21 and 25, and the member rotating means is the guide member 1.
8, lifting cylinders 19 and 24, guide rail 20
Corresponding to the above, the member elevating means corresponds to the lifting cylinder 26 and the guide member 28, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the operation of tilting the mandarin orange A placed on the placing cup 3 to the left-right tilted posture is described. For example, the fruit and vegetable tilt of the first, third and fourth embodiments is described. The mandarin orange A placed on the placing cup 3 by the motive 5 is tilted in the front-back tilting posture, and the two front-back lower circumferences of the mandarin orange A are arranged by the two imaging cameras 34, 34 arranged diagonally above and in the front and rear at the same position. The surface may be imaged, and the entire peripheral surface of the tangerine A can be reliably imaged.

Further, it is possible to rotate or tilt the mounting cup 3 in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction to distribute the mandarin oranges A according to the equal rank and supply. Furthermore, although each example describes the work of selecting mandarin orange A, it can also be used for the work of selecting fruit vegetables such as apple, pear, persimmon, peach, or cucumber, eggplant, carrot, and yam. However, it is not limited to the tangerine A of the examples.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a tilting type sorting apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a erected state of a mounting cup that constitutes the sorting conveyor.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a rotating operation of a mounting cup that constitutes the sorting conveyor.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a left and right lifting operation of a mandarin orange by a fruit and vegetable tilter.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which a mandarin orange placed on a placing cup is lifted to the left.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state where the tangerine placed on the placing cup is lifted on the right side.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a left and right lifting operation of a mandarin orange by the fruit and vegetable tilting machine of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a left and right lifting operation of a mandarin orange by the fruit and vegetable tilting machine of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a left and right lifting operation of a mandarin orange by the fruit and vegetable tilting machine according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a left and right lifting operation of a mandarin orange by the fruit and vegetable tilting machine of the fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A ... Mandarin orange S ... Inspection position 1 ... Tilting sorter 2 ... Sorting conveyor 3 ... Placement cup 4 ... Equal class determination device 5 ... Fruit and vegetable tilter 14 ... Lifting claw 15 ... Support pin 16 ... Roller 18, 28 ... Guide member 19, 24, 26 ... Lifting cylinder 20 ... Guide rail 21, 25 ... Lifting pin 27 ... Revolution chain 34 ... Imaging camera

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A fruit and vegetables placed on a fruit and vegetables placing section is imaged by an imaging camera, and the equal rank of the fruit and vegetables is judged by an equal rank judging means based on the image data picked up by the imaging camera. A sorting apparatus, in which the plurality of imaging cameras are obliquely provided on the upper sides of both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section so as to face both side surfaces of the fruit and vegetable placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section, Tilting-type selection, in which a lower part of the fruit and vegetable placing section is provided with fruit and vegetable tilting means for inclining the lower two side surfaces of the fruit and vegetable placed on the fruit and vegetable placing section into inclined postures facing the respective imaging cameras. apparatus. 2. The fruit and vegetable tilting means is provided on both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing portion so as to be vertically rotatable so as to face the lower two side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetable and to vertically rotate. Each lifting member was vertically rotated in the direction of contacting both lower peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the placing part, and the lower both peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables were opposed to the respective imaging cameras by the respective lifting members. 2. A member rotating means for holding and tilting in an inclined posture is provided.
The tilting sorter described. 3. The fruit and vegetable tilting means is provided on both sides of the fruit and vegetable placing portion so as to vertically move a pair of respective lifting members facing the lower both side circumferential surfaces of the fruit and vegetable, and the fruit and vegetable loading means. A tilted posture in which each lifting member is moved up and down in a direction in which it comes into contact with the lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables placed on the placing section, and the lower and lower side peripheral surfaces of the fruit and vegetables are opposed to the respective imaging cameras by the respective lifting members. 2. The tilting type sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tilting type sorting apparatus is provided with a member lifting means for tilting and holding.