JPH10113621A - Fruit sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the transportation treating efficiency of containers in the case of packing once in the containers for the purpose of transportation from a sorting conveyor to ensuing stage treating devices. SOLUTION: This fruit sorting device is so constituted as to house the fruits to be sorted which are classified by the sorting conveyor 13 into the containers (x) transported by an empty container transporting conveyor 20. Pool conveyors 21, 21,... which keep the fruit housing containers (x) to stand-by are disposed at this device. Transporting conveyors 22, 22 which successively transport the containers (x) and semi-automatic dampers 23, 23 which invert the containers (x) to a fixed volume packing device 24, 24 side are disposed between the pool conveyors 21, 21, a plurality of which are installed in combination, and the ensuing stage treating devices, such as fixed volume packing devices 24, 24. Conveyors 26, 26 for the empty containers which transfer the empty containers (x) interlocked to discharge the contents are connected to the container transporting conveyor 20. A closed circuit is constituted between the classifying and discharging section of the sorting conveyor 13 and the ensuing stage treating devices so that the containess are circulated and transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a fruit sorting apparatus for packing mini tomatoes and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Mini tomatoes selected by class on a sorting conveyor are once packed in containers, and packed in tray packs at predetermined weights by a fixed quantity packing device at another position. Can be That is, the processing process of mini tomatoes is composed of two stages, a sorting process using a rough sorting conveyor, and a subsequent quantitative pack processing process. In this way, empty containers are provided for each container, which is necessary for intermediate processing, which once sorts and discharges from the sorting conveyor into intermediate containers, for example, each time it is received. Results in high costs.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention is configured to store sorted fruits classified by a sorting conveyor 13 in a container x conveyed by an empty container conveying conveyer 20. are arranged, and the plurality of pool conveyors 21, 21... provided together with the plurality of pool conveyors 21, 21.
Transport conveyors 22 and 22 for sequentially transporting the container x, and a semi-automatic damper 2 for inverting the container x to the fixed quantity packing devices 24 and 24.
Empty container x with 3 and 23, and the discharge of contents is linked
Conveyors 26, 26 for transferring the container x are connected to the container transport conveyor 20, and a closed circuit conveyor mechanism is provided for circulating and transferring the container x between the classifying and discharging section of the sorting conveyor 13 and the next process apparatus. Configuration.

[0004]

The fruits to be sorted from the sorting conveyor 13 are packed in a container x conveyed by the container conveying container and sent to the adjacent pool conveyors 21, 21,.... The containers x of the pool conveyors 21, 21...
At 3 and 23, it is discharged to the next processing apparatus. The empty container x is continuously carried by the empty container conveyors 26, 26 and is taken over by the container transport conveyor 20.

Accordingly, the container x is circulated and transported between the sorting conveyor 13 and the next processing unit.
Intermediately with the pool conveyors 21 and 21 in the middle, the throughput of the sorting conveyor 13 per unit time,
The same processing amount of the next processing unit, pool conveyors 21 and 21
It is sufficient to secure the required amount of container while taking into account the possible standby amount, and it is possible to omit unnecessary empty container accommodation space.

[0006]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The figure shows, for example, a fruit selection facility for mini tomatoes and ordinary large tomatoes. In the first-floor receiving area 1, containers a, a,...
are provided in standby belt conveyors 2, 2,..., 3. The belt conveyors 2, 2,... Are for mini tomatoes, and the belt conveyors 3, 3,.

The feed conveyors 4, 5 are provided so as to connect the respective end portions of the belt conveyors 2, 2,... And the belt conveyors 3, 3,. These conveyors 4, 5
In the middle of the container a, a ..., b,
b) are provided with small depalletizers 6 and 7 for separating each stage. Further, at the end of each of the delivery conveyors 4 and 5, there are provided elevators 8 and 9 for moving these containers a and b upward and downward to the fruit selection section on the second floor.

The sorting section on the second floor sorts mini tomatoes by size, packs them into 200g or 300g, packs them in a cardboard box, and ships them in a cardboard box. -It consists of a large tomato sorting section B that sorts by class and packs and ships. First, the mini-tomato sorting section A is configured such that the container a raised by the elevator 8 is transferred to the conveyor 11 having the container scale 10 on the way. The scale 10 weighing value in the middle of the transfer is input to a receiving setting device (not shown), and is used as slip issuing data for each receiving person.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an automatic damper for tilting the container, which supplies the tomatoes to the sorting conveyor 13 at random. Reference numeral 14 denotes a brush washing machine, and the washed tomatoes pass through the visual evaluation unit 15. The evaluation unit 15 includes an extra receiving unit 16 that conveys nonstandard products to a predetermined position on the center side of the conveyor 13. From the middle part to the end part of the sorting conveyor 13, a shape sorting machine 17 is configured. The shape sorter 17 receives mini tomatoes falling in the space between a pair of left and right rollers (not shown) on the lower draw-out conveyors 18, 18, and gradually moves the space from the transfer start end to the transfer end. (3S-M-3) so that they can be collected in order from the smaller diameter.
L order).

At the end of each of the draw-out conveyors 18, 18, a semi-automatic weighing machine 19 is provided. The weighing machine 19 packs sorted mini-tomatoes, which are randomly discharged and transferred from the draw-out conveyor 18, into a container x carried by a container conveyor 20 in the form of a roller conveyor at a predetermined weight. In addition, the semi-automatic weighing machine 19 is provided with a weighing platform to hold the container x, and when a predetermined weight is reached, a shutter (not shown) operates to temporarily stop the supply of the mini tomato into the container x. I have.

Container x on weighing platform of semi-automatic weighing machine 19
By the workers, adjacent pool conveyors 21, 21
... moved up. Pool conveyors 21 and 2 installed in parallel
The transport conveyors 22 in the form of a roller conveyor are connected in reverse rotation to transfer them in opposite directions from the intermediate part to connect the terminal ends of the... Semi-automatic damper 23,2 for reversing x
3 is provided. Each of the dampers 23, 23 is tilted in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the container x is transferred,
The stored tomatoes are stored in the nearby fixed quantity pack device 24,
It can be discharged to 24 inlet conveyors 25, 25. Note that, even after the operation of discharging the tomatoes, the container x is successively transferred to the empty container conveyors 26, 26 which can be transported in the same direction, and the relay conveyor 27 joins the two empty container conveyors 26, 26 together. , And the relay conveyor 27 is connected to the container transport conveyor 20.
Connected to. Therefore, the container x is configured to be circulated and transported on a conveyor forming a closed circuit.

The fixed quantity packing devices 24 are provided in two lines on the left and right sides.
On the other hand, a relatively large-diameter sorted product can be packed in units of 300 g. That is, the device 24 is provided with a plurality of measuring cups that circulate and move, and while appropriately filling and circulating mini tomatoes, the tomatoes are combined to reach a predetermined weight and filled into a tray pack waiting at a predetermined position. . In this tray pack, the bottom and the lid are integrally formed and are sequentially fed out.After filling the tomato, the tray is moved to another position, the lid is folded back, and the edge is overlapped with the bottom edge and joined. It is.

The mini tomatoes packed in 200 g or 300 g as described above are supplied to the belt conveyor 28,
28, and are arranged in a cardboard box by a worker on work platforms 29, 29. In addition,
The cardboard boxes are supplied by a box conveyor 31 leading to a box factory 30. This boxing conveyor 31 is taken over by the boxing conveyor 32 so as to be boxed on the back of the worker. A product conveyor 33 is formed above the box conveyor 32, and the cardboard boxes of the work tables 29, 29 can be transferred. A sealing section 34 is formed in the middle of the product conveyor.

Next, the configuration of the large ball tomato sorting section B will be described. In the example shown, the sorting conveyor 42 provided on the four rows
A grade sorting unit 43 is formed on the starting end side of. The elevator 9
The roller conveyor 41 which receives and transports the container b for large tomatoes from the container can branch right and left of the grade selection section 43 and transport the containers b, b. A grade evaluator is waiting,
This is a configuration in which the large tomatoes in the containers b, b,... Can be sorted and placed on each of the preset strips, for example, excellent, excellent, good, and average. 44 is the roller conveyor 41
The empty container return conveyor 45 of the mini-tomato sorting unit A is joined by an empty container return conveyor provided immediately above the conveyor.

On the lower side of the grade sorting section 43, a grade sorting section 46 for performing electronic shape sorting is provided. The class sorting section 46
Is an object whose image and the like can be imaged by a camera and the class can be determined. The classifying section includes a first classifying section 47 for classifying the outer two articles and a second classifying section 48 for classifying the inner two articles. Each classifying discharge section is provided with a receiving box 49, 49.
50 ... are provided.

An up-and-down box packing table 50 is provided for easily packing the tomatoes into a cardboard box having a height small enough to accommodate the tomatoes in one step. It comprises a mechanism 51, a receiving plate 52 provided above the air cylinder mechanism 51, an extrusion chain 53 for pushing out a cardboard box, and the like. The air cylinder mechanism 51 is configured to be able to stop at a position where it descends by one cardboard box height (second stage position) and a position where it descends by second cardboard box height (third stage position) in order from the uppermost position. is there. Also, the cardboard box is left on the transfer surface of the extrusion chain 53,
Can be switched to a position (discharge operation position) in which the chain is lowered below the transport surface of the chain 53 and waits. In addition, the receiving plate 52 is slightly higher than the chain transport surface (for example, 10 m).
m: discharge standby position).
A proximity switch (not shown) is disposed between the cylinder and the piston member.

54, the air cylinder mechanism 51 is sequentially raised,
With a manual switch to be lowered, each time the switch is pressed, it can be switched from the lowest position (discharge operation position) to the top position → second position → third position → discharge standby position → discharge operation position → (repeated) It is. Reference numeral 55 denotes a printing body for printing the equality / grade, which is provided at an upper position of the box base frame 56.
A guide body 57 is provided to cover the upper surface of the frame 56,
The cardboard box is configured to be dropped into the space between the opposing receiving box 49 and the fixed guide 48.

Reference numeral 59 denotes a motor for driving the extrusion chain 53, which is fixed to the frame 56 and has its ON / O
The FF is configured to be turned on by the manual switch 54 when the receiving plate 52 is at the discharging operation position, and turned off at other positions. In this configuration, the cardboard boxes are fed to the next product conveyor 60 in a three-tiered state by the ON drive. In addition,
The base is configured as a weighing platform 61, and can be weighed when packed in a large cardboard box or container y. In this case, remove the guide body 57,
This is performed by setting the receiving plate 52 to be at the second stage position.

Reference numeral 62 denotes a guide roller. The product conveyor 60 joins the product conveyor 33. A product conveyor 64 having a fully automatic packing device 63 branched from the conveyor is connected. The route from the product conveyor 60 to the product conveyor 64 is for a three-tiered cardboard box, and is configured so that the fully automatic packing device 63 can band two places before and after and one place before and after the center.
On the other hand, the route from the product conveyor 60 to the product conveyor 33 is a route for processing a single-stage box that is not stacked, and is packed while passing through the sealing part 34 on the way.

Numeral 65 denotes a box-making machine for accommodating large tomatoes, which can make two types of cardboard boxes having a low height, such as a three-tiered cardboard box, or a cardboard box approximately twice as high. Relay conveyor 66, 6
7. Elevating box packing table 5 via container conveyors 68, 68
.., 50, and so on. 69 is the first floor shipping area 7 for the cardboard boxed products that have passed through the sealing machine 34.
A lowering unit 71 for lowering to 0 is a second lowering unit for lowering the product, which is a three-tiered cardboard box banded, to the first floor shipping place 70.

The classifying and discharging section of the classifying conveyor 42 is divided into the first classifying section 47 and the second classifying section 48 as described above. The products are placed on the inner two strips, and a ripeness detector 72 is provided on the lower side of the transfer of the class sorting section 46, so that the ripeness can be detected for excellent and excellent products. As a result of the ripeness detection, those determined to be appropriate ripeness are classified in the first classifying section 47 into predetermined grades and classes. Those determined to be overmature or immature are separately taken out at predetermined locations. As described above, it is sufficient to provide the maturity detector 72 only for grades whose commercial value is easily influenced by ripeness, such as excellent / excellent products, without providing the maturity detector 72 in all the sections, thereby reducing costs. Further, when two of them are configured as excellent / excellent, it is preferable to dispose a ripeness detector 73 at the beginning of the second classifying section 48. Similar effects can be obtained.

The operation of the above example will be described. The containers are brought into the first-floor loading place 1 by containers. The carry-in containers a and b are sorted for mini tomatoes and large tomatoes, and placed on the belt conveyor 2 or 3 in a stacked state. Each of the containers a and b is taken over by the delivery conveyor 4 or 5, but is separated (depalletized) on the way.

The container a or b is equipped with an elevator 8 or 9
Is raised to the second floor. Among them, the container a by the elevator 8 is sorted by the mini-tomato sorting machine A. That is, after the container a is raised, the conveyor 1
1 and the internal mini tomatoes are transferred to the sorting conveyor 13 by the action of the auto damper 12. When the visual evaluation unit 15 determines and removes an extraordinary product, the rest is the shape sorter 1
Reaches 7. In the shape sorter 17, the pieces are sorted by size, and are sequentially collected on the draw-out conveyors 18, 18,...

The mini tomatoes collected by the conveyor 18 are randomly supplied to a container x which is kept under a semi-automatic weighing machine 19, and when the weight reaches a predetermined value, the supply is temporarily stopped and the container x is emptied to the next empty one. Replace with container x. That is, the container x having reached the predetermined weight is transferred from the semi-automatic weighing machine 19 to the pool conveyors 21 and 21 by an operator.
Moved to ... The empty containers x are sequentially conveyed by the container conveyor 20, and are moved from the position of the conveyor 20 to a standby position below the semi-automatic weighing machine 19 by the same operator.

The containers x, x ... of the pool conveyor 21
Are sequentially fed out to the conveyor 22. The mini-tomatoes in the containers x, x,...
Is discharged to the entrance conveyor 25. Fixed quantity packing device 2
4 are provided in two lines, and pool conveyors 21 and
1... The group reaches the first or second metering pack device 24 for each of the left and right halves. The first metering pack device 24 packs 200 g, and the second metering pack device 24 packs 300 g.
g.

The mini tomatoes packed in 200 g or 300 g are conveyed by belt conveyors 28 and 28. The worker packs this in a cardboard box on the work tables 29, 29 and transfers it to the product conveyor 33. It is sealed in the middle of the product conveyor 33 and reaches a predetermined carry-out position. After passing through the semi-auto damper 23, the empty container x is replaced by the empty container conveyor 2.
6 and 26, are transferred to the intermediary conveyor 27 and transferred to the container conveyor 20.
Therefore, the container x is the container transport conveyor 20
Since it circulates around the start and end points, efficient use of containers can be achieved.

Next, sorting of large tomatoes sent by the containers b, b will be described. The container b is conveyed through the elevator 9 and the roller conveyor 41, and stops at the left and right sides of the grade sorting section 43. The grade evaluator is visually excellent
They are classified into excellent, good, and average grades, and are transferred to predetermined strips of the sorting conveyor 42. The tomatoes placed on the conveyor 42 of each strip are sequentially transferred and reach the class sorting section 46. Here, class selection is performed based on the image data of the camera based on the size of the outer shape or the like as a criterion. When a predetermined class is assigned to the selected tomatoes, the tomato is received at the position of the first or second classifying unit 47 or 48 in the class and receives a discharge command signal from the conveyor 42, and is dropped and discharged downward from the conveyor 41. The dropped tomatoes are temporarily stored in receiving boxes 49, 49.

An operator standing by near each of the receiving boxes 49, 49 ...
., While the tomatoes in the boxes 49, 49... That is, when the switch 54 is first turned on, the air cylinder mechanism 51 rises so that the receiving plate 52 moves from the lowermost position to the uppermost position. Next, an empty cardboard box is placed on the receiving plate 52, and one tomato in the receiving box 49 is stored in the box of the box. When full, turn the manual switch 54 to O
N. The receiving plate 52 is lowered by one step, and the worker places another empty cardboard box on the stored cardboard box, and similarly stores tomatoes. The same operation is repeated to form a three-stage stack.
Fill the corrugated cardboard box with tomatoes and turn on the manual switch
When N, the receiving plate 52 further descends, and the bottom surface of the lowermost cardboard box comes into contact with the chain 53 transfer surface. Since the chain drive motor 59 is activated when the manual switch is turned on, the three-tiered cardboard box is fed out as it is to the product conveyor 60. This product conveyor 60
Is transferred to the product conveyor 64, and is banded in a three-tiered state when passing through the fully automatic packing device 63 on the way.

The tomatoes in the receiving boxes 49, 49... Can be packed in a cardboard box having a relatively large eye to a predetermined weight. The cardboard box is placed on the receiving plate 52 that has been raised to a predetermined position, and the cardboard box is manually packed until the weighed value reaches a predetermined value. When the predetermined value is reached, a buzzer or the like informs the operator, the operator stops the manual filling operation, and moves the cardboard box to the product conveyor 60. In this type of cardboard box, the product conveyor 60 is joined to the product conveyor 33, the upper flap portion is folded and sealed, and the product is transported to the shipping position.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a fruit sorting facility.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a receiving / shipping unit.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the packing table.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of a box base.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a packaging table.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Receiving place, 2, 2 ... Conveyor belt, 3, 3 ... Conveyor belt, 4, 5 ... Conveyor conveyor, 6, 7 ... Small depalletizer, 8, 9 ... Lifting machine, 10 ... Container scale, 11 ... Conveyor, 12 … Auto damper, 13…
Sorting conveyor, 14: brush washing machine, 15: visual evaluation unit, 16: extra-acceptance unit, 17: shape sorting machine, 18, 18
Drawer conveyor, 19, 19 Semi-automatic weighing machine, 20 Container transport conveyor, 21, 21 Pool conveyor, 2
2, 22 ... conveyor, 23, 23 ... semi-automatic damper, 24, 24 ... fixed amount packer, 25, 25 ... entrance conveyor, 26, 26 ... empty container conveyor, 27
... Relay conveyor, 28 ... Belt conveyor, 29,29 ...
Work table, 30: box making plant, 31: boxing conveyor, 32: boxing conveyor, 33: product conveyor, 34: box, 41
... roller conveyor, 42 ... sorting conveyor, 43 ... grade sorting section, 44 ... empty container return conveyor, 45 ... empty container transfer conveyor, 46 ... class sorting section, 47 ... 1st classification section, 48 ... 2nd classification section, 49, 49 ... receiving box, 5
0, 50: Elevating box table, 51: Air cylinder mechanism, 5
2: receiving plate, 53: chain, 54: manual switch, 55
... Printed body, 56 ... Packing stand frame, 57 ... Guide body, 5
8: fixed guide, 59: motor, 60: product conveyor,
Reference numeral 61: weighing table, 62: guide roller, 63: fully automatic packing device, 64: product conveyor, 65: box making machine, 66, 67
… Relay conveyor, 68, 68… Conveyor conveyor, 69… Descent, 70… Shipping area, 71… Second descent

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Sorted fruits classified by the sorting conveyor 13 are stored in a container x conveyed by an empty container conveying conveyor 20, and pool conveyors 21, 21,... Waiting for the fruit storing container x are arranged. Are arranged between the plurality of pool conveyors 21, 21... And the next-stage processing apparatus such as the fixed quantity pack apparatuses 24, 24. Semi-automatic dampers 23, 23 are provided on the side of the fixed quantity pack devices 24, 24, and the empty container conveyor 2 transfers the empty container x, which is linked to discharge the contents.
6, 26 connected to the container transport conveyor 20,
A fruit sorting device having a closed-circuit conveyor mechanism for circulating and transporting the container x between the classification discharge part of the sorting conveyor 13 and the next-step processing device.