JPS6079249A - Egg inspecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to automatically detect an irregular egg with high reliability, by using a first detecting part having light receiving sensitivity with a wavelength range of light absorbed with the egg yolk and a second detecting part having light receiving sensitivity within a visible light wavelength range from which the former wavelength range is removed. CONSTITUTION:A high pressure mercury lamp having a continuous spectrum in a wavelength range of, for example, about 400-700nm is used in a light source 11. A detection means 4 consists of a condensing lens 41, a beam splitter 42 and first and second detection parts 6, 7. The first detecting part 6 detects light within a wavelength range of 400-500nm absorbed with the egg yolk and a second detection part 7 detects light within a wavelength range of 530-700nm. A comparator circuit 51 compares the output signal from an amplifier 63 and a predetermined threshold value while a comparator circuit 52 compares the output signal from an amplifier 73 and a predetermined threshold value and, when respective output signals exceed threshold values, a detection signal is outputted. A judge circuit 53 judges the presence and absence of the mixing of the egg yolk into the white on the basis of the compared results of the circuits 51, 52.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a polarization-type egg checking device that optically detects eggs in which the yolk is partially mixed in the egg white after breaking (so-called disordered eggs).

Food manufacturing industries that manufacture sweets, mayonnaise, dressings, etc. often use eggs as a raw material. Eggs used as raw materials for these foods are roughly divided into three types depending on the form of use: those that use only the egg yolk, those that use only the egg white, and those that use the egg yolk and white as whole eggs.

In order to use eggs in the former two ways, it is necessary to separate the cracked eggs into yolks and whites. Currently, this separation process is automated using a separate type egg breaking machine, but in this separation process, the egg yolk and egg white are not separated properly, and the yolk is partially mixed in the egg white. There are things that happen. Eggs in this state are conventionally called ``disordered eggs,'' but the egg whites that have become disordered are
Since raw materials consisting only of egg whites are considered defective, it is necessary to remove them before mixing them into raw materials consisting only of egg whites. Removal of disturbed egg whites was conventionally carried out by visual monitoring, but since this method relies on human discernment, it speeds up the egg-breaking speed. This has led to a decrease in work efficiency.

In order to automate the detection of such eggs with disordered backs, an egg checking device using polarized light is being considered. The configuration and measurement principle of such a device will be explained with reference to Figure 1. 1 is a polarized light source section consisting of a light source 11 and a polarizer 12;
2 is a sample egg white, 3 is an analyzer, 4 is a detecting means for converting the detected light into an electrical signal, and 5 is a determining section to which the above-mentioned '6''+1 air signal is input and measures "disturbance". Here, for convenience of explanation, the polarizer 12 is set to transmit only linearly polarized light having an oscillating component of an electric field perpendicular to the light incident plane (plane of paper), and the analyzer 3 It is assumed that the setting is such that only linearly polarized light beams whose vibration direction is shifted by 90 degrees from the vibration direction of , that is, linearly polarized light beams having a vibration component parallel to the plane of incidence are transmitted. If you set it like this, first the light beam from light source 11 is 11m1
The light passes through the optical device 12 and becomes polarized light with its vibration direction perpendicular to the plane of incidence, and enters the sample albumen 2 where it is scattered and reflected. When the secondary foot is performed under the condition that there is no influence of disturbance light, the incident linearly polarized light beam is scattered and reflected, and the polarization is partially canceled, and the scattered reflected light contains a polarized light beam whose vibration direction is parallel to the plane of incidence. % VC, the detection means 4 detects the reflected light. Here, egg yolk has a strong property of scattering and reflecting light, and also has a property of almost eliminating polarization when the combined polarized light is reflected. In contrast, egg whites are transparent! It has a weak property of scattering and reflecting reflected light, and does not have the property of depolarizing polarized light when it is reflected. Therefore, when the sample egg is only albumen, the linearly polarized light rays irradiated on υ
When the sample egg is a disordered egg with egg yolk mixed in the albumen, many of the rays pass through the detector 3 because the yolk scatters and reflects the irradiated linearly polarized light well and cancels the polarization well.

In this way, since the amount of reflected light differs between those with and without egg yolk mixed in, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of "disturbance". Specifically, the judgment is made by the judgment section 5 based on the output signal from the detection means 4.

However, the above-mentioned egg checking device had the following drawbacks. That is, when eggs are broken using an egg breaking machine, a portion of the eggshell often gets mixed into the egg white. However, since eggshells are white, they scatter and reflect light more than egg yolks, and they also have the property of depolarizing light. For this reason, the egg yolk and the eggshell give similar detection outputs, so they cannot be washed using their distinguishing power, so even if a very small amount of eggshell is mixed into the egg white, it will be erroneously detected as "disturbed." However, unlike the egg yolk, the eggshell can be removed in a later process using methods such as filtration, so it is not necessary to remove the egg white mixed with the eggshell as a defective product. However, the yield rate is considerably low because it is determined to be "disturbed" and removed.

The present invention was made in response to these TC circumstances, and provides an egg checking device that can automatically detect disturbed eggs with high reliability, and that is also effective for Amagawa and provides a high yield. The purpose is to provide

Here, the gist and measurement principle of the present invention will be explained.
The present invention is made by layering the eggshell in white and the egg yolk in yellow. That is, since the eggshell is white, it scatters and reflects light over the entire wavelength range of visible light (400 to 700 nm), whereas the egg yolk is yellow, so it absorbs specific wavelengths. Figure 2 is a graph showing an example of the absorption spectrum of egg yolk; in this example, the absorption spectrum is about 400 to 5
It has an absorption peak at 0 Qnm. Based on this knowledge, in the present invention, the first detection section has a light-receiving sensitivity within the wavelength range of light absorbed by the egg yolk, and the light-receiving sensitivity is within the visible light wavelength range excluding the wavelength range of light absorbed by the egg yolk. The second detection section having the second detection section is embedded in the detection means. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the light-receiving sensitivity characteristic of the first detecting section is a characteristic indicated by A, and the light-receiving sensitivity characteristic of the second detecting section is a characteristic indicated by B. By the way, in the devices proposed so far,
Since the detection unit has light reception sensitivity over the entire wavelength range of visible light, reflected light was detected that was proportional to the degree of scattering and depolarization in the sample egg white, regardless of whether it was egg yolk or eggshell. Since the two detection units described above are used and the detection results of each detection unit are combined, the egg yolk and the eggshell can be distinguished. That is, the received light J indicated by A in FIG.
In the first detection section having a 6 degree characteristic, 400 to 500n
Since it only detects light in the wavelength range of m, it is like an eggshell vr
White ones scatter and reflect light over the entire wavelength range of visible light from 400 to 70 Qnm, so the reflected light is detected, but egg yolk absorbs light in the wavelength range of 400 to 500 nm, so this counter-reflection light is detected. is not detected. - The second detection unit has a light receiving sensitivity characteristic of 530 to 70,000 B.
Since there is no absorption peak in the wavelength range of 0 nm, both reflected lights are detected. If both of the two detectors detect reflected light with a larger amount of light than the reflected light from the albumen, it is determined that the eggshell is present, and the reflected light detected by the first detector is from the albumen. If the amount of reflected light is smaller than the amount of reflected light and the amount of reflected light detected by the second detection unit is smaller than the amount of reflected light from the egg white, it is determined that it is an egg yolk, and in this way, the yolk and the eggshell can be distinguished. I can do it.

Next, examples of the present invention will be described.

4 and 5 are a configuration diagram and a block diagram, respectively, schematically showing an egg checking device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same or corresponding parts. The polarized light source section 1 includes a light source 11, a lens 13, and a polarizer 12.
Tungsten lamp, halogen lamp, cannon lamp, or flat pressure water taste lamp with in41ic rr spectrum in visible light wavelength range of m? ;7π is used.

Detection stage 4 includes a condensing lens 41 that condenses the light beam from the fourth unit 3, a beam splitter 42 that divides the light beam condensed by this condensing lens 41 into two, and It consists of a first detection section 6 and a second detection section 7 which respectively detect the two light beams separated by the beam splitter 42 and convert them into l, hj, and air signals. Here, the analyzer 3 is the light from the polarizer 12, and the light ♀
The optical filter 61 consists of a light receiving element 62 that converts the light beam from the filter 61 into an I-air signal, and an amplifier 63.
and the light receiving element 620, the detection part 6 of the nail 1
The light-receiving sensitivity characteristics are generally shown by A in FIG. 3.

Therefore, the first detection unit 6 detects light in the wavelength range of 400 to 500 nm. The second detection section 7 similarly includes an optical filter 71, a light receiving element 72, and an amplifier 73, and the overall light receiving sensitivity characteristic is as shown by B in FIG. 3.

Therefore, the second detection unit 7 detects light in the wavelength range of 530 to 700 nm.

The determination unit 5 compares the output signal from the amplifier 63 of the detection unit 6 of the vehicle 1 with a predetermined threshold value, and when the output signal exceeds the threshold value, the output end is turned ON and the detection signal is output. the first comparator circuit 51 that outputs
a comparison circuit 52 of d-2, which compares the output signal from No. 3 with a threshold value set in advance, and when the output signal exceeds the threshold value, the output terminal turns ON and outputs a detection signal; It consists of a judgment circuit 53 that determines whether or not egg yolk is mixed into the egg white based on the comparison results of two comparison circuits 51 and 52. 54 and 55 are settings for setting thresholds, respectively. The threshold value set by one of the setting circuits 54 is
For example, the value of scattering from egg white is slightly larger than the output signal of the first detection unit 6 when 1 light enters the detection unit 6 of 8g1, and is set by the setting circuit 55 of 110. The threshold value is set to IM, which is slightly larger than the output signal of the second detection unit 7 in the case of rotation. The determination circuit 53 is configured such that the output terminal of the comparison circuit 51 of fiber 1 is OFF and the second
A disturbance detection signal is output only when the output terminal of the ratio change (1 path 52 is ON).

In the above, the characteristics shown by A and B in Figure 3 are obtained in each detection section 6.7 by the combination of the optical filter and the light-receiving element. A filter, a sharp-cut colored glass filter, or a colored glass filter formed with a multilayer fjkl M 7M %, etc. can be used.As the light receiving element, a photodiode, a phototransistor, a CaS, a light tube, a photoelectron intensifier, etc. can be used. A double tube etc. can be used. As the polarizer and analyzer, a plastic sheet-shaped polarizing plate, a polarizing prism, a pile-type optical device, or other means for decomposing a natural source into iM-line polarized light can be used.

Next, the operation of the egg checking device having such a configuration will be described.

A light beam from a light source 11 is converted into a linearly polarized light beam by a polarizer 12, and this light beam is irradiated onto the egg white.

When υ1 yolk is mixed in the egg white, the linearly polarized light is well scattered and reflected in the egg yolk, and the polarization is well resolved. As a result, in the scattered reflected light, the vibration of the polarized light is The number of linearly polarized light rays in the oscillation direction deviated by 90 degrees from the direction 'tC increases, and therefore the number of light rays passing through the analyzer 3 increases. The fc light beam passing through the analyzer 3 is split into two light beams by the beam splitter 42, and the -1000 light beam is incident on the first detection section 6, and the other light beam is incident on the detection section 7 of the cooler 2. do.

The light beam incident on the first detection unit 6 passes through an optical filter 61 and is converted into an electrical coefficient by a light receiving element 62, and this r'i5
．． The vaporization signal is amplified by an amplifier 63 and used as an output signal of the first detection section 6. Similarly, the light beam incident on the second detection section 7 is converted into a light signal, which is emitted from the amplifier 73 as an output signal of the second detection section 7. As mentioned above, since the egg yolk absorbs light in the wavelength range of 400 to 500 nm, the number of light rays incident on each detection section 6.7 is 400 nm.
Although it lacks light in the wavelength range of ~500 nm,
Since the light receiving sensitivity of the first detection section 6 is in the wavelength range of 400 to 500 nm, the magnitude of the output signal from the detection section 6 of the Maki 1 is extremely small and is below the threshold value. Therefore, no detection signal is generated from the 8-to-1 comparator circuit 51. On the other hand, the light receiving sensitivity of the second detection unit 7 is 530 words to 700 words.
Since the wavelength is in the nm wavelength range, the output signal from the second detection section 7 has a magnitude exceeding the threshold value, and therefore a detection signal is generated from the second comparison circuit 52. The result determination circuit 53 determines that the egg is a disturbed egg and issues a disturbance detection signal.

On the other hand, when there is no egg yolk mixed in the egg white but there is egg shell mixed in, the linearly polarized light beam is well scattered and reflected by the egg shell, and the polarization is well resolved, so that it passes through the detector 3 in the same way as the egg yolk. More rays of light.

However, unlike the case of the egg yolk, the light rays scattered by the empty eggshell include the entire range of visible light waves, so the output signal of the detection unit 6 of j41 and the second detection unit 7
The output signals of both have magnitudes exceeding the threshold,
Therefore, a detection signal is generated from both of the two comparison circuits 5] and 52. In this result judgment circuit 53, the random η2'
No β is determined and no disturbance detection signal is generated. -11 If neither the egg yolk nor the egg white is mixed in the egg white, the egg white has a weak light scattering property and does not have the property of canceling polarization, so the light passing through the analyzer 3 will be removed! 1st
Since both the output signal of the detection section 6 and the output signal of the second detection section 7 are smaller than the threshold value, the two comparison circuits 5.
1 and 52, and the determination circuit 53 does not issue a disturbance detection signal.

Figure 5 shows a plastic sheet polarizing plate used as a polarizer and a detector, and a colored glass filter used as an optical filter.
This is a graph showing the 6111 constant results measured by the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiments each using a photodiode as a light receiving element, and the vertical axis of this figure shows the ratio of the detection output with the detection output of albumen as 1, The horizontal axis indicates the In diameter of the egg yolk or eggshell mixed into the sample egg white. Also, in the figure, white circles indicate the output when the first detection section detects the egg yolk, black circles indicate the output when the second detection section detects the egg yolk, and white triangles indicate the output when the first detection section detects the eggshell. The output and the black triangle indicate the output when the eggshell is detected by the second detection unit and fc is selected.

Note that the white squares indicate the output when albumen is detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

As can be seen from this result, the above output ratio (
For human egg yolks, the change is approximately 1 regardless of the amount, and the change is t.However, for eggshells, the change becomes sharper as the amount of contamination increases. Regardless of the amount, there is no risk that a detection signal will be emitted from the first comparison circuit, and if there is a large amount of eggshell mixed in, the comparison circuit of the first comparison circuit will surely emit a detection signal even if the amount is small. Moreover, as can be seen from the graphs of black circles and black triangles, the output ratio of the second detection part increases in the same manner regardless of whether egg yolk or egg shell is mixed.
By combining the detection results of the two detection units, egg yolk and egg shell can be reliably distinguished. In contrast, conventionally proposed devices detect light over the entire visible wavelength range, so the output ratio of the detection section is
Egg yolks and eggshells show the same trends as shown by black circles and black triangles, respectively, and their output ratios are similar, so it is practically impossible to distinguish between egg yolks and eggshells.

As described above, in the present invention, since the presence or absence of egg yolk contamination is determined using an optical method, the detection of disturbed eggs can be automated and the detection speed is high. Faster line compared to
It is possible to improve work efficiency. Furthermore, we focused on the fact that the eggshell reflects all visible light, while the egg yolk absorbs specific wavelengths. A second detection section is provided which has a light receiving window within the visible light wavelength range excluding and eggshells can be clearly distinguished. Therefore, XJ+
There is no fear that the albumen mixed with +-S- will be detected as a disturbed rabbit, and the disturbed rabbit can be detected with high reliability, and as a result, the yield of albumen is improved. In addition, when eggshells are mixed in, the output signals of the two detection parts each exceed the threshold, so if a signal is output to determine whether eggshells are mixed in, it can also be used as an eggshell detection device. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing a conventionally proposed egg checking device, Figure 2 is a graph showing an example of the absorption spectrum of egg yolk, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the absorption spectrum of an egg yolk.
The figure is a graph showing an example of the light-receiving sensitivity characteristic of the detection unit, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an egg checking device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and
The figure is a block diagram showing the same device, and FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of measurement results by the same device. 1...Individual light source sound 12 river sample egg white, 3...1 light device,
4. Detection means, 5. Judgment unit, 6. First detection unit,
7... Second detection unit, 1, Light source, 12... Polarizer, 42... Beam splitter, 51... First comparison circuit, 52 Second comparison circuit, 53... Judgment circuit, 61
．． 71... Optical filter, 62.72... Light receiving element. Fig. 1 Fig. 3 ゛ Skin &, (nm) Procedural amendments and exports) Paste /11 +l II II 2, Name of the invention Egg-cancelling device 3, ?i17.'i1.E consideration f' Relationship with l Out (li, li Kewpie Co., Ltd. 4, agent 〒104 Higashi Ashibe Suli Lj Meakii + l"I'l 29°'r1 + Shisukesuke 1 - Details of the invention in the specification Column for explanation. 3. Contents of the amendment (1) In the second and fifth lines of page 6 of the specification d, ")θmi-output" is corrected to read "analyzer." (2) In the same page 1.0, line 6, 1) "Less than YSb-shi" is corrected to "almost the same as Mitsukiyo." (3) On page 10, line 8 of the same page, change the small -1 to
I am corrected.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A polarized light source section for irradiating the egg white after breaking with a direct G1 polarized light beam, an analyzer that transmits the reflected light reflected from the albumen by the irradiation of the light beam from the polarized light source section, and this analyzer. A beam splitter that splits the transmitted light beam into two; and a beam splitter that has a light-receiving sensitivity within the wavelength range of light absorbed by the egg yolk and receives one of the light beams split by the beam splitter.
The first detection unit that converts into a light signal has a light receiving sensitivity in the visible light wavelength range excluding the wavelength range of light absorbed by egg yolk, and receives the other light beam split by the beam splitter. A second detection section that converts into an electric signal compares the output signal of the first vertical detection section with a predetermined threshold value, and compares the output signal of the second detection section with a predetermined threshold value. 1. An egg checking device comprising: a determining section that compares the values of the egg yolk with the egg yolk and determines whether or not the egg yolk is mixed into the egg white based on the results of the comparison.