WO2010018567A2 - Dispositif et procédé permettant de trier des fleurs - Google Patents

Dispositif et procédé permettant de trier des fleurs Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2010018567A2
WO2010018567A2 PCT/IL2009/000774 IL2009000774W WO2010018567A2 WO 2010018567 A2 WO2010018567 A2 WO 2010018567A2 IL 2009000774 W IL2009000774 W IL 2009000774W WO 2010018567 A2 WO2010018567 A2 WO 2010018567A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
flower
flowers
grippers
stem
gripper
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2009/000774
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2010018567A3 (fr
Inventor
Boaz Zion
Yitzhak Wolf
Aharon Wiesblum
Aharon Hoffman
Rafi Regev
Ron Bernstein
Original Assignee
The Agricultural Research Organization
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by The Agricultural Research Organization filed Critical The Agricultural Research Organization
Publication of WO2010018567A2 publication Critical patent/WO2010018567A2/fr
Publication of WO2010018567A3 publication Critical patent/WO2010018567A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
    • B07C5/12—Sorting according to size characterised by the application to particular articles, not otherwise provided for
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G5/00—Floral handling

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to novel device and method for sorting flowers.
  • the leucadendron belongs to the Proteaceae family and is grown as a 'flowering orchards' field crop.
  • a flowering plant could yield up to 50 branches of various heights, and it requires low temperatures to develop the special color of its inflorescence preferred by the markets.
  • the branches are usually harvested manually and selectively, according to their quality and market demand. However, if necessary, they can remain in the field for a very long period without losing quality.
  • the size of the inflorescence (hereinafter the flower's "head").
  • the size of the head (particularly the height) dictates the length to which the stem must be cut and subsequently the grade of the flower.
  • Most growers employ workers who manually grade the flowers by visually judging and estimating the flower's head size. Workers would pick among the harvested flowers those which look similar in head size and then would place them on stems cutting machine. Once the largest flowers have been sorted out, the workers would handle flowers with smaller heads, and so on until they reach the end of a batch.
  • Applicants have developed a novel device for sorting and grading flowers consisting of a conveyor, grippers, cameras and optical sensors, controller, cutting mechanisms, pneumatic system and flower bins.
  • multiple grippers are mounted on a conveyor at adequate distances. Flowers are hanged or placed on the grippers and conveyed through an inspection chamber comprising illumination and cameras (or other optical sensors).
  • a computer software identifies each flower which passes through the inspection chamber, acquires digital images provided by the cameras and analyses the images for inspection of the flower's head and stem according to dimensions, shape and color criteria.
  • the device further includes a controller, which receives information about the flower's grade, follows its position as it is being conveyed out of the inspection chamber and activates a pneumatic system which ejects it from the gripper into its destination grade-bin.
  • the gripper consists of two arms that are mounted on, or are a part of a flexible structure, which enables the gap between them to vary (or change) according to the width of an element, which is inserted between them, said arms are able to move in parallel or angularly with respect to each other.
  • the stem of a flower is inserted in between the two arms, close to the point where the flower head begins and with the flower head placed 'above' the arms.
  • the stem pushes the arms open according to its thickness while it is pushed into the gripper.
  • the stem is lightly pulled downwards, until the flower's 'base' (henceforth the "neck” of the flower) comes into contact with the arms and the stem cannot be pulled further.
  • the present invention provides a new method of positioning the flower for simplifying the inspection by optical means, said method is based on a gripper into which a single flower is simply inserted.
  • the structure of the gripper enables positioning the flower at a know position so that the "base line" for inspection, the connection between the stem and the flower head, is in a fixed and constant location regardless of the flower size.
  • Figure 1 depicts the flower gripper design 1.
  • Figure 2 depicts the flower gripper design 2.
  • Figure 3 depicts the side view of the flower gripper design 2.
  • Figure 4 depicts the general view of the sorting device equipped with a series of grippers.
  • Figure 5 depicts close up picture of the gripper mounted on a conveyor.
  • Figure 6 depicts a close up picture of the grippers.
  • Applicants have developed a novel device for sorting and grading flowers consisting of a conveyor, grippers, controller, cameras and optical sensors, computer software, cutting mechanisms, pneumatic system and flower bins.
  • the device enables for positioning flowers in a specific position so as to permit simplified inspection of the flowers for dimensions, shape and color as described and illustrated herein.
  • the device enables for connecting point between the inflorescence and the stem, which is positioned at a fixed reference position.
  • the said gripper is suitable for holding flowers such as Leucadendron, Rose, Gerbera, Dianthus, Allium and the like.
  • multiple grippers are mounted on a conveyor at adequate distances. Flowers are hanged or placed on the grippers and conveyed through an inspection chamber comprising illumination and cameras (or other optical sensors).
  • a computer software identifies each flower which passes through the inspection chamber, acquires digital images provided by the cameras and analyses the images for inspection of the flower's head and stem according to dimensions, shape and color criteria.
  • the gripper consists of two arms that are mounted on or are a part of a flexible structure, which enables the gap between them to change according to the width of an element, which is inserted between them, said arms are able to move in parallel or angularly with respect to each other.
  • the stem of a flower is inserted in between the two arms, close to the point where the flower's head begins and with the flower head placed 'above' the arms.
  • the stem pushes the arms open according to its thickness while it is pushed into the gripper. Then the stem is gently pulled downwards, until the flower's 'base' (henceforth the "neck” of the flower) comes into contact with the gripper's arms and the stem cannot be pulled further.
  • the unique design of the said gripper facilitates simple positioning of the flower at a fixed reference position, regardless of the flower head size or the stem thickness.
  • the present invention enables novel flower arrangement, wherein flowers are placed at a fixed reference point (baseline), so that when they are conveyed through the inspection chamber and in front of the cameras and sensors, the inspection is greatly simplified by using the reference point as a baseline.
  • the head's dimensions, shape and color are easily assessed above the reference baseline and the stem's dimensions, shape and color are easily assessed below the reference baseline.
  • the device further includes a controller, which receives information about the flower's grade as decided by the images analysis software and guideline defined by the user, follows its position as it is being conveyed out of the inspection chamber and activates a pneumatic system which ejects it from the gripper into its destination grade- bin.
  • the optical sensor enables for head dimensions, shape and color inspections, which are simplified to a search above a reference baseline.
  • the gripper enables efficient conveyance of flowers towards the inspection chamber, simple and precise stem length cutting and offloading of flowers into its destination bin (the grade compartment or the bundling station).
  • the present invention provides a new method of positioning the flower for simplifying the inspection by optical means, said method is based on a gripper into which a single flower is simply inserted.
  • the structure of the gripper enables positioning the flower at a know position so that the "base line" for inspection, the connection between the stem and the flower head, is in a fixed and constant location regardless of the flower size.
  • the gripper enables efficient conveyance of flowers towards the inspection chamber. Since the flowers are hanged on the grippers in a vertical position and since the system is designed for ejection of the flowers from the grippers into their destination bins, it does not require a flipping or turning motion of the gripper. Thus, the distance between successive flowers can be minimal and more flowers per meter length can be hanged on the conveyor and the sorting machine becomes smaller.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un dispositif innovateur et un procédé permettant de trier des fleurs en fonction de leur calibrage.
PCT/IL2009/000774 2008-08-11 2009-08-10 Dispositif et procédé permettant de trier des fleurs WO2010018567A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13607608P 2008-08-11 2008-08-11
US61/136,176 2008-08-15

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2010018567A2 true WO2010018567A2 (fr) 2010-02-18
WO2010018567A3 WO2010018567A3 (fr) 2010-11-11

Family

ID=41676725

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2009/000774 WO2010018567A2 (fr) 2008-08-11 2009-08-10 Dispositif et procédé permettant de trier des fleurs

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2010018567A2 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015152711A1 (fr) * 2014-04-01 2015-10-08 Visser 's-Gravendeel Holding B.V. Dispositif et procédé pour la protection de cultures, telles que des arbres
CN108317960A (zh) * 2018-04-20 2018-07-24 昆明理工大学 一种花卉分级装置
CN112808603A (zh) * 2020-12-22 2021-05-18 南京林业大学 基于RealSense相机的鲜切花分选装置及方法

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0449386A1 (fr) * 1990-03-28 1991-10-02 Adrianus Wilhelmus Tas Procédé et appareil pour trier et botteler des fleurs
WO1999000006A1 (fr) * 1997-06-30 1999-01-07 Stichting Tuinbouwontwikkeling Anthuriumteelt Dispositif de tri

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0449386A1 (fr) * 1990-03-28 1991-10-02 Adrianus Wilhelmus Tas Procédé et appareil pour trier et botteler des fleurs
WO1999000006A1 (fr) * 1997-06-30 1999-01-07 Stichting Tuinbouwontwikkeling Anthuriumteelt Dispositif de tri

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015152711A1 (fr) * 2014-04-01 2015-10-08 Visser 's-Gravendeel Holding B.V. Dispositif et procédé pour la protection de cultures, telles que des arbres
NL2012537A (nl) * 2014-04-01 2016-01-12 Visser 's-Gravendeel Holding B V Inrichting en werkwijze voor het beschermen tegen invloeden van gewassen, zoals bomen.
CN108317960A (zh) * 2018-04-20 2018-07-24 昆明理工大学 一种花卉分级装置
CN112808603A (zh) * 2020-12-22 2021-05-18 南京林业大学 基于RealSense相机的鲜切花分选装置及方法
CN112808603B (zh) * 2020-12-22 2021-10-12 南京林业大学 基于RealSense相机的鲜切花分选装置及方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2010018567A3 (fr) 2010-11-11

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