JP3277337B2 - Non-destructive fruit selection method for watermelon - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for non-destructively selecting watermelons, for example, for selecting watermelons as mature fruits, immature fruits or ripe fruits.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in JP-A-2-251282, the weight of a fruit is measured, the volume is calculated based on a photographed image of the fruit, and the specific gravity of the fruit is calculated based on the measured weight and the calculated volume. There is a technology to calculate and select fruits.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned prior art is directed to fruit selection.
A weighing machine and camera are installed during the conveyance of watermelon on the conveyor.
Weighing machine or camera assembly or maintenance
Workability, such as melon, cannot be improved.
In an image processing method that measures the volume of a sphere of a substantially perfect circle,
For watermelons with many deformed spheres such as ellipses, measure the volume
There is a problem that the error cannot be reduced .

[0004]

However SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a total amount machine for measuring the weight of the watermelon, and the volume measuring means for measuring the volume from the capacitance of the watermelon, a specific weight from the weight and volume of the watermelon A calculation means for calculation is provided, and a fruit sorting conveyor for conveying watermelons to be sorted is provided, and a watermelon to be pressure-bonded to a conductive suction plate provided in the volume measurement means is passed through and moved to the capacitance measurement space of the volume measurement gate to measure the volume. In the non-destructive fruit selection method for watermelon, a weighing conveyor and a volume conveyor that transport watermelon at substantially the same speed as the fruit selection conveyor are provided, and an adsorption plate on which the watermelon is mounted is attached to the volume conveyor, and a conveyance system for the fruit selection conveyor In the middle of the process, while the watermelon for weighing and volume measurement is temporarily transported by the weighing conveyor or the volume conveyor, the fruit density of the watermelon is calculated, and Based on the negative correlation between the above-mentioned fruit density and sugar content, the watermelon is judged whether the ripe fruit has a high sugar content or not, and a measuring conveyor and a volume conveyor are provided separately during the transportation of the watermelon on the fruit selection conveyor. From the above, the weighing machine or the volume measuring means can be respectively attached and detached by attaching and detaching the weighing conveyor or the volume conveyor, and the workability such as assembly or maintenance of the weighing machine or the volume measuring means can be easily improved, and for example, small fruits such as oranges In the near-infrared measurement method for determining the sugar content of watermelon, there is a problem that determination is improperly performed in the case of a watermelon having a large difference between the sugar content of the skin and the internal sugar content, and also performs volume measurement of a substantially perfectly round sphere such as a melon. In the image processing method, there is a problem that the measurement error of the volume cannot be reduced in the case of watermelons with many deformed spheres such as ellipses. Watermelon with a high sugar content can be easily selected based on the fruit density that can be calculated with a high sugar content alone, and compared to the past, simplification of the watermelon selection mechanism, improvement of handling workability, improvement of accuracy of watermelon quality determination, etc. It is easy to reduce the shipping cost and improve the quality of the shipped product by increasing the operation rate of the sorting place, even for the measured objects such as watermelon, whose size and shape are greatly different from each other. It is possible to achieve.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a fruit selection control circuit diagram, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the fruit selection device, which is provided with a fruit selection conveyor (3) stretched through a driving wheel (1) and a driven wheel (2). ) Is driven in one direction by an electric motor (4) at a substantially constant speed, and fruit holders (6) for mounting watermelons (5), which are fruits, are attached to the conveyor (3) at substantially equal intervals. (5) is configured to be continuously conveyed at a constant speed.

The conveyor (3) is provided with a receiving conveyor (7) for automatically supplying the watermelon (5) to the holder (6) on the feed start side, and receives the watermelon (5) received by the loading port or by the producer. The conveyer (7) is configured to stock and manage the receipt.

A load cell type weighing machine (9) having a weighing conveyor (8) for lifting the watermelon (5) of the holder (6) onto the fruiting conveyor (3) is provided. The weight of the watermelon (5) is measured while moving the watermelon (5) in synchronization.

[0008] Further, a suction disk (10) for forming a main electrode.
A volume measurement gate (11) forming an earth electrode;
The watermelon (5) of the holder (6) is provided with a volume measurement conveyor (12) for supporting the watermelon (5) on the suction board (10) and passing through the inside of the gate (11). In the state where (5) is fixed, the watermelon (5) is moved in synchronization with the fruit sorting conveyor (3), and the electricity is supplied between the suction plate (10) and the gate (11).
The volume of the watermelon (5) is measured based on the capacitance of the space in the gate (11) that changes according to the volume of the watermelon (5).

Further, receiving boxes (14) (1) for taking out watermelons (5) from the fruit sorting conveyor (3) by grade.
5) (16) and low-sugar-fruit and high-sugar-fruit extracting cylinders (17) and (19) for moving the watermelon (5) of the holder (6) to the boxes (14) to (16). In addition, the watermelon (5) of the holder (6) is taken out into the boxes (14) and (16) separately into high sugar content fruits.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the weighing machine (9) and the capacitance meter (20), which are measuring means for measuring the density of the watermelon (5), and a setting for initially setting a reference value for determining the sugar content. A controller (2) comprising a criterion value setting device (21) as a means and a microcomputer as a determining means for determining the sugar content based on the measured density of the watermelon (5).
2) is provided.

Then, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 3, the weight of the watermelon (5) measured by the weighing machine (9) is input to the controller (22), and the static electricity between the suction cup (10) and the gate (11) is inputted. The volume of the watermelon (5) based on the change in capacity is input from the capacitance meter (20) to the controller (22), the density is calculated from the weight and volume of the watermelon (5), and the determination reference value setting device (21) , And the controller (22) preliminarily stores and inputs the determination data based on the correlation diagram between the fruit density and the sugar content shown in FIG. 4 into the controller (22) to measure the density of the watermelon (5). The water content of the watermelon (5) is determined based on the determination data of FIG. 4 based on the determination data and the water content of the watermelon (5). Each cylinder (17) (19)
The watermelon (5) is automatically and continuously selected by operating the watermelon (5), the density of the watermelon (5) is measured to determine the sugar content,
The quality is determined based on the sugar content of the watermelon (5), and a low-quality low-sugar fruit with a low sugar content and a high-quality high-sugar fruit with a high sugar content,
The watermelon (5) is configured to be selected.

The present embodiment is constructed as described above. Fruits that have passed a predetermined number of days after flowering are harvested as a sample, and the density of the sample fruit is determined, for example, by measuring the weight in the air and the weight in water. The pulp is collected and the sugar content is measured by a sugar meter, and the relationship between the density of the sample fruit and the sugar content is obtained as fruit selection data as shown in FIG. 4, and the correlation diagram in FIG. The watermelon (5) having a density of 0.96 to 0.98 gram per milliliter has a sugar content of 11% or less and has a hollow content. Watermelon (5) having a low sugar content because of no sugar content and a density of 0.94 to 0.96 gram per milliliter has a sugar content of 10.5% or more and has no cavities, Watermelon having a high ripeness and a density of 0.94 g / m2 or less has a sugar content of 10% or more but has a cavity. Was done.

As is apparent from the above, the fruit density is 0.
Watermelon (5) weighing more than 94 grams per milliliter has a negative correlation between fruit density and sugar content, with a fruit density of 0.9
4 to 0.96 grams per milliliter of watermelon (5)
Has a sugar content of 10.5% or more, corresponds to a ripe fruit, has no cavities and can be selected as a high sugar content product,
The watermelon (5) having a fruit density of 0.96 to 0.98 gram milliliter has a sugar content of 11% or less, corresponds to an unripe fruit, can be selected as a low sugar content product, and has a fruit density of 0.94 gram milliliter. The following watermelon (5)
Has an almost constant sugar content of 10% or more, corresponds to an overripe fruit, and can be selected as having a high sugar content but having cavities.

When the fruit selection operation of the watermelon (5) is performed, the correlation diagram between the fruit density and the sugar content shown in FIG. 4 is stored and inputted into the controller (22) as judgment data. The difference between the densities is determined by the reference value setting unit (2
1) Correction by operation and change the set value for classifying the size of the watermelon cavity. The watermelon (5) of the receiving conveyor (7) is replaced with the fruit holder (6) of the fruit sorting conveyor (3).
The weight of the watermelon (5) placed on the holder (16) is measured by the weighing machine (9), and then the watermelon (5) is supported on the suction plate (10) to measure the volume. The volume of the watermelon (5) is measured by the change in the capacitance of the space inside the gate (11). Then, when the weight and volume of the watermelon (5) are clarified and the fruit density is measured, the sugar content is determined from the fruit density of the watermelon (5), and whether the fruit is immature or ripe is determined. Judgment is made based on the sugar content, and the cylinders (17) and (19) are operation-controlled to select fruits.

The volume and density of the watermelon (5) may be measured by an image processing method or a water immersion method.

FIG. 5 shows a modification, in which the watermelon (5) is taken out of the fruit sorting conveyor (3) by grade and received in the grade-specific receiving boxes (14), (15), and (16). Immature, ripe and overripe fruit take-out cylinders (171) (181) (191) for transferring watermelon (5)
The watermelon (5) of the holder (6) is divided into immature fruits, ripe fruits and overripe fruits, and the boxes (14) to (16)
To be taken out.

Further, similarly to the above embodiment, the watermelon (5)
The weighing machine (9) and the capacitance meter (20), which are measuring means for measuring the density of water, a criterion value setting device (21), which is a setting means for initially setting a criterion value for the sugar content, and a watermelon ( 5) A controller (2) constituted by a microcomputer which is a determination means for determining the sugar content based on the measured density.
2) is provided.

Then, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 6, the weight of the watermelon (5) measured by the weighing machine (9) is inputted to the controller (22), and the static electricity between the suction plate (10) and the gate (11) is inputted. The volume of the watermelon (5) based on the change in capacity is input from the capacitance meter (20) to the controller (22), the density is calculated from the weight and volume of the watermelon (5), and the determination reference value setting device (21) , And the controller (22) preliminarily stores and inputs the determination data based on the correlation diagram between the fruit density and the sugar content shown in FIG. 4 into the controller (22) to measure the density of the watermelon (5). Based on the determination data of FIG. 4, the sugar content of the watermelon (5) is determined based on the determination data and the determination reference value, and whether the watermelon (5) is immature or ripe is determined based on the density and the sugar content of the watermelon (5) measured nondestructively. To determine whether the ripening, the cylinders (171) - (191) to actuate Watermelon (5)
Is automatically and continuously selected. The density of the watermelon (5) is measured to determine the sugar content, and the quality is determined based on the density and the sugar content of the watermelon (5). Watermelon (5) is composed of low-quality immature fruits, high-density and high-quality ripe fruits with no cavities and high sugar content, and low-density and low-quality overripe fruits with cavities but high sugar content. are doing.

[0019] As apparent from the above, watermelon (5) Weighing machine for measuring the weight of the (9), watermelon (5) capacitance meter the volume measuring means for measuring the volume from the capacitance of ( 20) and a controller (22) as arithmetic means for calculating a specific weight from the weight and volume of the watermelon (5), and a fruit sorting conveyor (3) for transporting the selected watermelon (5)
And a watermelon (5) to be pressed against the conductive suction plate (10) provided in the capacitance meter (20) is moved to the capacitance measurement space of the volume measurement gate (11) to move the watermelon. In the destructive fruit sorting method, a weighing conveyor (8) that transports the watermelon (5) at substantially the same speed as the fruit sorting conveyor (3) and a volume measuring conveyor (12) that is a volume conveyor are provided, and the watermelon (5) is loaded. Adsorber (1
The watermelon (5) for measuring and measuring the volume with the measuring conveyor (8) or the volume measuring conveyor (12) in the middle of the conveying system of the fruit sorting conveyor (3) by attaching the 0) to the volume measuring conveyor (12). Watermelon (5) while temporarily transporting
Is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the watermelon (5) has a high ripe fruit high sugar content based on a negative correlation between a certain or more fruit density and the sugar content. A measuring conveyor (8) and a volume measuring conveyor (12) are separately provided while the watermelon (5) is being conveyed by the fruit sorting conveyor (3), and the measuring conveyor (8) or the volume measuring conveyor (12) is attached and detached to measure. The weighing machine (9) or the capacitance meter (20) is detachably attached to the weighing machine (9) or the capacitance meter (20), so that workability such as assembling or maintenance can be easily improved. In the near-infrared measurement method for determining the sugar content of fruits, there is a problem that determination is improper when watermelon (5) has a large difference between the sugar content of the skin and the internal sugar content. In the image processing method for performing volume measurement, in the case of a watermelon (5) having a large number of deformed spheres such as an ellipse, there is a problem that a measurement error of the volume cannot be reduced, but the watermelon (5) is placed on the suction cup (10). A watermelon (5) with a high sugar content is selected based on the fruit density that can be calculated with a high sugar content alone, and compared to the conventional watermelon (5), the mechanism for selecting the watermelon (5) is simplified, the workability is improved, and the watermelon (5) is improved. By improving the quality discrimination accuracy, etc., even if the measured objects such as watermelon (5) have greatly different sizes and shapes, the operation rate of the sorting place is increased and the shipping cost is reduced and the shipping products are reduced. Improve the quality of products.

In order to select the watermelon (5), the correlation diagram between the fruit density and the sugar content shown in FIG. 4 is stored and inputted into the controller (22) as judgment data. The difference between the densities is determined by the reference value
1) Correction by operation and change the set value for classifying the size of the watermelon cavity. The watermelon (5) of the receiving conveyor (7) is replaced with the fruit holder (6) of the fruit sorting conveyor (3).
The weight of the watermelon (5) placed on the holder (16) is measured by the weighing machine (9), and then the watermelon (5) is supported on the suction plate (10) to measure the volume. The volume of the watermelon (5) is measured by the change in the capacitance of the space inside the gate (11). Then, when the weight and volume of the watermelon (5) are clarified and the fruit density is measured, the sugar content is determined from the fruit density of the watermelon (5), and whether the fruit is immature, fully ripe or not. Whether or not the fruit is ripe is determined based on the fruit density and sugar content.
71) The operation of (181) and (191) is controlled to select fruits.

[0021]

Obviously the present invention from the above examples according to the present invention is, watermelon (5) Weighing machine for measuring the weight of the (9), the volume measuring means for measuring the volume from the capacitance of watermelon (5) (20), an arithmetic means (22) for calculating a specific weight from the weight and volume of the watermelon (5), and a fruit sorting conveyor (3) for transporting the selected watermelon (5),
In a watermelon non-destructive sorting method, a watermelon (5) to be pressed against a conductive suction plate (10) provided in a volume measuring means (20) is moved to pass through a capacitance measuring space of a volume measuring gate (11) to measure a volume. A weighing conveyor (8) and a volume conveyor (12) for transporting the watermelon (5) at substantially the same speed as the fruit sorting conveyor (3), and an adsorption plate (10) on which the watermelon (5) is mounted is mounted on the volume conveyor ( 12), the watermelon (5) for weighing and volume measurement is temporarily conveyed by the weighing conveyor (8) or the volume conveyor (12) in the middle of the conveying path of the fruit sorting conveyor (3). , Calculate the fruit density of the watermelon (5), and determine whether or not the watermelon (5) has a high ripe fruit high sugar content based on a negative correlation between a certain or more fruit density and the sugar content. Fruit conveyor (3) sui (5) during transport, because providing the measuring conveyor (8) and volume conveyor (12) to each other,
The weighing machine (9) or the volume measuring means (20) can be attached and detached by attaching and detaching the weighing conveyor (8) or the volume conveyor (12), respectively, for assembling or maintaining the weighing machine (9) or the volume measuring means (20). The workability can be easily improved, and in the near-infrared measurement method for determining the sugar content of small fruits such as oranges, for example, in the case of a watermelon (5) having a large difference between the sugar content of the skin and the internal sugar content, the determination is inappropriate. In the image processing method for measuring the volume of a substantially perfectly round sphere such as a melon, for example, a watermelon (5) with a large number of deformed spheres such as an ellipse cannot reduce the volume measurement error. However, watermelon (5) having a high sugar content can be easily selected based on the fruit density that can be calculated at a high sugar content simply by placing the watermelon (5) on the suction plate (10). , Watermelon (5), such as the quality judgment accuracy of can be easily performed simplicity and handling workability improvement and watermelon selection mechanism (5), watermelon (5)
Even if the measured objects differ greatly in size and shape as described above, the operation rate of the sorting place can be increased to reduce shipping costs and improve the quality of shipped products easily. is there.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a fruit selection control circuit.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the fruit sorting device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a correlation diagram of fruit density and sugar content.

FIG. 5 is a result selection control circuit diagram showing a modification.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of FIG. 5;

[Description of Signs ] (3) Fruit sorting conveyor (5) Watermelon (fruit) (8) Weighing conveyor (9) Weighing machine (10) Adsorber (11) Volume measuring gate (12) Volume measuring conveyor (Volume conveyor) ( 20) Capacitance meter (volume measuring means) (22) Controller (computing means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Haruo Koga 1-32 Chayacho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi Inside Yanmar Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaru Hirano 3-133 Chuo, Otsu-shi, Shiga Prefecture No. Omi Toshigeki Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-251282 (JP, A) JP-A-4-27863 (JP, A) JP-A-62-28649 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23N 15/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A watermelon (5) Weighing machine for measuring the weight of the (9), and watermelon volume measuring means for measuring the volume from the capacitance of (5) (20), and weight of watermelon (5) Arithmetic means (22) for calculating the specific weight from the volume is provided, a fruit sorting conveyor (3) for transporting the watermelon (5) to be sorted is provided, and the conductive suction plate (10) provided in the volume measuring means (20) is provided. In a watermelon non-destructive sorting method in which a watermelon (5) to be crimped is passed through a capacitance measuring space of a volume measuring gate (11) to measure the volume, the watermelon (3) is fed at substantially the same speed as the fruit sorting conveyor (3). 5) A weighing conveyor (8) and a volume conveyor (12) for transporting the watermelon (5) are provided, and the suction disk (10) on which the watermelon (5) is mounted is mounted on the volume conveyor (1).
2), the watermelon (5) for measuring and volume measurement is temporarily conveyed by the weighing conveyor (8) or the volume conveyor (12) on the way of the conveying system of the fruit sorting conveyor (3). And calculating the fruit density of the watermelon (5), and determining whether the watermelon (5) has a high ripe fruit high sugar content based on a negative correlation between the fruit density and the sugar content of a certain level or more. Non-destructive fruit sorting method for watermelon.