WO1999000006A1

WO1999000006A1 - Sorting device

Info

Publication number: WO1999000006A1
Application number: PCT/NL1998/000367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Meuleman
Original assignee: Stichting Tuinbouwontwikkeling Anthuriumteelt
Priority date: 1997-06-30
Filing date: 1998-06-25
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Also published as: AU8133798A; NL1006435C2

Abstract

Method and device for the sorting to size and length of long-stemmed flowers, such as Anthuriums or Gerberas, in order to enable placing thereof sorted to size and with different stem lengths in a packaging, which method comprises the following steps of: (a) separating a single flower from a supply, (b) determining the size of the flower-head of the single flower, (c) measuring the stem length of the single flower, (d) cutting the stem to a desired length, and (e) collecting the flowers subject to the size of the flower-head and stem length, wherein each flower (4) is held separately in a vertical position at a determined level and cutting of the stems takes place at a desired distance below that level, whereby filling of the final packaging can take place easily in manual or automatic manner depending on the flower stem length.

Description

SORTING DEVICE

The invention relates to a method for the sorting to size and length of long-stemmed flowers, such as Anthu- riums or Gerberas, in order to enable placing thereof sorted to size and with different stem lengths in a packaging, which method comprises the following steps of:

(a) Separating a single flower from a supply,

(b) determining the size of the flower-head of the single flower,

(c) measuring the stem length of the single flower, (d) cutting the stem to a desired length, and

(e) collecting the flowers subject to the size of the flower-head and stem length.

Such a method is generally used inter alia in Anthu- rium cultivation. Anthuriums , but also other flowers, are packaged in boxes, wherein per box only flowers of the same class, i.e. the same flower-head size, are used.

The flowers are fed in buckets and manually sorted to size. They are subsequently placed mutually staggered in a box, wherein the stems are cut to the desired length depending on the flowers already present in the box.

According to this method the flowers are processed horizontally after being removed from for instance a bucket . The flowers are hereby easily damaged because the stems are long and soft. Furthermore, the flower-head can be damaged by impacts during processing.

A number of flowers with different stem lengths are required per box. Only a limited part of the flowers supplied in the bucket have a stem length such that they can be cut to the maximum required length. Another drawback of the method is that flowers which can be cut to the maximum stem length are also cut to shorter stem lengths, thereby quickly resulting in a shortage of flowers with the greatest required length.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of the above described type, wherein said drawbacks are avoided. This object is achieved in that each flower is held separately in a vertical position at a determined level and cutting of the stems takes place at a desired distance below that level. The advantage of the present method is that the stems are always in a vertical position during the processing, whereby the stems cannot bend. In addition, the flower is no longer laid down for cutting to length of the stem, whereby the flower-head would quickly be dam- aged.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the stem is cut to the maximum possible length in order to thus obtain a stock of flowers with the greatest required stem length in the buffer. The advantage hereof is that the possibilities for obtaining flowers with a long stem are optimally utilized, whereby a shortage of flowers with a long stem occurs less frequently.

The invention further relates to a device for performing the method according to the invention, character- ized by first transporting means situated at a determined level and provided with a number of flower carriers, an infeed station for placing the carriers into the first transporting means, a filling station for placing a flower on each carrier, a scanning station for determin- ing the flower-head size, a measuring station for measuring the stem length, a cutting station for cutting the stem to a determined length, a number of buffers for storing the carriers and a transfer station for placing the flower carriers into the desired buffer. The advantage of this device is that the present method takes place in automated manner, whereby a constant quality is guaranteed. Flower carriers are further used in the device whereby the device can readily be converted to another type of flower by using a different type of flower carrier.

In a preferred embodiment of the device, a flower carrier is used of which the periphery functions as stop edge. The advantage hereof is that, with correct dimensioning of the carrier, the flowers cannot move against each other and therefore cannot damage each other. The edge moreover serves for the correct orientation in the first transporting means.

These and other features of the method and the device will be elucidated with reference to drawings of a preferred embodiment .

Figures 1 and 2 show a perspective view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows a detail view of the flower carriers and the first conveyor of the figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a box with the flowers arranged therein.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a flower carrier with another type of flower.

A preferred embodiment of the device comprises a conveyor, consisting of an endless chain 1 having arranged thereon holders 2 for the flower carriers 3 , which carry long-stemmed flowers 4 (see figures 1 to 3) . The endless chain 1 is driven at a fixed speed in the direction of arrow PI.

Provided successively along the chain are a filling station A, a scanning station B, a measuring station C, a cutting station D, a transfer station E and a number of buffers 9.

Scanning station B comprises a camera 5 which transmits an image of the flower-head to an image processing unit . This unit determines how large the flower is and within which class it falls. For this purpose the carrier 3 must have a contrasting colour relative to the colour of the flower.

Measuring station C and cutting station D are integrated into one device in this preferred embodiment. This device comprises a vertically movable support 6 having thereon a measuring cell 7 and a knife 8. The measuring cell and the knife are connected to a control unit.

Provided under buffers 9 are conveyor belts 11 and 13 which transport empty carriers back to buffers 14, 15 placed on the other side of chain 1. An infeed station F is further arranged on this other side of chain 1. It is possible to process different types of flower on this device by making use of the separate carrier 3 (see figure 5) .

This preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention operates as follows:

First of all, the flowers in filling station A are placed manually in carriers 3. The filled carrier 3 is subsequently displaced in the direction of arrow PI to scanning station B. Here an image of the flower-head is transmitted by a camera 5 to an image processing unit where the size of the flower-head and the class of the flower is established. The colour of the flower can likewise be determined. The size is determined by measuring for instance the diameter or the height of the flower-head relative to the carrier.

The carrier with the flower is subsequently transported to measuring station C. The measuring device consisting of a vertically movable support 6 with a measuring cell 7 thereon is carried upward to just below the carrier. The stem of the flower is then caught in a recess, here V-shaped, in support 6 and measuring cell 7 measures the presence of the stem. Support 6 is then moved rapidly downward relative to the speed of chain 1. At the moment when measuring cell 7 measures non- presence of the stem, the control unit determines the height of support 6 and on the basis thereof determines the length of the stem.

During measuring of the stem the preceding flower is brought to the correct length during the downward cycle by means of fly-cutting.

After the flower has been cut to the desired length, it is transported to transfer station E where the carrier is placed in one of the buffers 9 depending on the class and length of the flower. The flowers are hereby sorted to class and length.

On the side of buffers 9 remote from chain 1 the flowers 4 are taken manually from the carriers and flower-heads 16 are placed in a box mutually staggered from

0 rt Cu rt PJ Hi Ω TJ rt d P 0 rt P- rt Ω rt H rt cr rt Ω rt 0 d P⁴ Φ tr Hi O 0 * tr P 0 TJ tr P H- 0 P- L 0 Φ tr J tr P rt Φ rt Φ rt P P 0 Φ Cu d Φ P- 0 P 0 Φ P φ φ

Φ Φ rt < φ P P cn p- P < P PJ rt P P

P Ω P Hi ti P- PJ p- 0 P Cu PJ P Φ cn P H- cn P- cr cn

O 0 3 I P P- Cu H rt cn H rt cr p] Hi P- ^ • ω Cu φ 3 Φ pi 0 P- rt P- rt 0 rt P cn P Φ P tr p- P PJ p- d tr Φ P 0 d P¹ 0 P tr X Cu

0 P $. tr rt Φ Cu Φ Cu P 0 Hi Φ Φ P Hi P- d H < φ Φ

0 d φ p- φ Φ ^ PJ P P⁾ P Φ rt Cu P Hi Cu z Hi cn P Φ P- ,— , -

P P cn P Φ P J P tr PJ Φ cn tr tr TJ Φ Cu rt cn cn 3 cn

P 1 ω rt Ω P- Hi 0 0 0 P- rt P d ω p- Φ 0 P cn φ tr 0 Φ 3

^>< 0 o Hi tr Ω Φ cn rt rt TJ Hi cn tr TJ rt Ω ω cn d P Φ 0 P 3 φ tr

Hi rt d Φ PJ PJ Φ tr Φ Φ TJ P- TJ PJ tr rt P- tr P P Φ φ φ rt P PJ P P ^•s TJ P φ P tr φ 0 cn rt rt P¹ cn Φ Ω rt iQ P Hi P

O rt o rt Cu P O PJ P PJ d 3 Ω ω P- P- rt P¹ H- φ PJ J 0 p- ft P- Φ tr P tr P- rt rt PJ rt rt Hi cr PJ P- Hi Φ O tr O 0 ^ Λ rt P cn iQ p- ω Φ Φ Hi P tr Φ Ω tr φ p- Hi 0 P rt d Cu P φ P d tr P Ω rt J d P

P- ^ P O iQ Φ P Φ Φ 0 Φ Cu P p- J H φ P- O φ rt P

N Hi P P Cu ti P P P- P- o Ω *fl Ω P p- σi P φ P P Φ cn

Φ r-¹ rt TJ cn Hi Ω 0 PJ 3 Φ P J PJ φ P rt H P <! Φ "^> rt

0 tr 0 rt rt φ 0 O d Cu H φ P cn 0 P 0 P tr t-¹ tr Φ Cu tr *> Φ

PJ ^•> Φ ω tr J 3 P P rt P- ιP» P cn P P P P cn ^•> P⁾ φ Hi ^ P- 3

P φ cn Φ rt cr rt 3 TJ ~ rt o P- rt P- rt tr <! J o Pi Ω • cn

Cu P cn P- p- O rt rt P- φ 0 ^•s Hi rt Φ O Φ O P- φ rt Ω P P tr p- tr TJ O Cu tr tr P P CO P» rt P- tr P P P Ω P PJ I—¹ Cu P¹

N d P P- φ Φ lΩ rt P- in tr rt φ cn rt cn Φ tr rt J P cn cr rt ^1

Φ ω φ φ P 3 rt φ tr tr Cu ≤ P P Φ rt tr

P o TJ P- φ Hi cn ω J P- PJ φ 0 J Φ PJ rt 0 cn P- cn tr φ φ

CQ P 0 P- 0 P P Φ rt P 0 P Ω cr rt P P P- tr TJ φ d rt Φ X rt rt Hi P cn rt 0 < J P Cu PJ Φ rt \r Φ tr φ P Φ Cu 0 P Ω n Hi rt tr p- Φ z s: φ rt PJ • P s: Φ 0 P- ti tr Ω Φ

P rt rt tr PJ Φ P p- Cu P P Hi 0 P Hi Ω cr Ω Hi rt Hi H J 0 P iQ tr tr O P- P Φ O Cu Φ H- φ Φ Cu PJ d PJ Hi Φ PJ rt P¹ P s: Cu cr Φ φ Hi Ω ω • Cu P P- 3 Φ Cu cr cr Cu Φ P Hi P Φ Cu tr P Φ d Ω tr rt • rt 0 P d d P P Hi P P P¹ PJ P- P rt rt J Hi cn TJ J cn p- < cn rt Hi Hi rt cn P- Φ P- Φ rt cn rt > Φ 0

P -> Ω ti PJ rt rt M O Φ 0 Hi Hi 0 Φ P Φ P 0 rt P P-

PJ 0 PJ o P- φ P P Cu ≤ Φ φ t Cu P rt 0 rt cn rt tr =^> P rt tr o 3 PJ H- rt P P 0 • P¹ cn tr P tr rt Hi tr cn Φ Φ P Φ PJ P rt O tr cn P Hi ^ O d rt Φ tr J rt φ

0 P P P- Ω iQ P- tr P φ P- Φ P - cn TJ Hi O φ Pi

Φ 1 P rt P- P p- n J cn 0 d Φ Hi d ? o rt tr tr iQ P- P- cn cn rt rt tr o P tr 3 H TJ P Φ Ω TJ φ cn Φ rt

0 ^ φ 0 cn ^•≤ PJ tr Φ rt Φ Φ d σi TJ PJ P 0 TJ P P tr

PJ cn P TJ tr cn rt Φ tr 3 Hi tr rt cn P Φ Cu Cu Φ

Ω cr Cu rt • TJ P P- rt P- Hi Φ rt TJ Hi d PJ p- P- <! P o Hi P

0 Φ PJ O Ω PJ 0 rt Φ P tr rt Φ Hi P φ O H φ 0 P tr rt PJ <! tr rt P O Cu Φ ^ P Hi Cu C P rf^ *<: cn Hi P 0 cn o Ω d P- Ω P- P- TJ cr P Φ PJ - o P- -> 3 P- d J rt O Φ Cu rt O P- rt d d P J < P C Ω J Cu

P P P Cu Φ tr P cn cn 0 Hi Ω pi P H- P» φ 0 P rt Φ

• P J Cu φ p- Hi tr tr rt H TJ PJ TJ (Jl cr P Cu tr

H- rt 0 P PJ Cu rt φ PJ Φ P- tf^ 0 0 . Φ Ω < φ 0

Φ cn O <J φ φ tr P P - cn cn 0 Φ PJ Hi

Cu O Φ Φ to P- P- rt 3 P

P P- P- Φ P¹ 1 1 cn φ 0 Cu cn P Cu cn P

Claims

1. Method for the sorting to size and length of long- stemmed flowers, such as Anthuriums or Gerberas, in order to enable placing thereof sorted to size and with different stem lengths in a packaging, which method comprises the following steps of:

(a) Separating a single flower from a supply,

(b) determining the size of the flower-head of the single flower,

(e) collecting the flowers subject to the size of the flower-head and stem length, characterized in that each flower is held separately in a vertical position at a determined level and cutting of the stems takes place at a desired distance below that level.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that after step c) the stem is cut to the maximum possible length in order to first supplement the collections with the greatest stem lengths.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that after cutting a container preferably having nutrients for the flower therein is arranged on the stem.

4. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that after the size of the flower-head has been determined, a bag is arranged over the flower- head.

5. Device for performing the method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by first transporting means situated at a determined level and provided with a number of flower carriers, an infeed station for placing the carriers into the first transporting means, a filling station for placing a flower on each carrier, a scanning station for determining the flower-head size, a measuring station for measuring the stem length, a cutting station for cutting the stem to a determined length, a number of buffers for storing the carriers and a transfer station for placing the flower carriers into the desired buffer.

6. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that second transporting means are provided to transport the carriers back from the buffers to the infeed station.

7. Device as claimed in claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that the periphery of the flower carrier functions as stop edge for orientation on the first conveyor and to prevent damage to the flowers .

8. Device as claimed in any of the claims 5-7, characterized in that the carrier has a contrasting colour relative to the colour of the flower.

9. Device as claimed in any of the claims 5-8, characterized in that the scanning station comprises a camera and an image processing unit .

10. Device as claimed in any of the claims 5-9, characterized in that a second buffer is arranged in the second transporting means for absorbing fluctuations in the supply flow of carriers .