JP3704729B2 - Grade sorting device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a grade sorting device and can be used in a selection facility or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, a sorting conveyor having a configuration shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is used to sort a plurality of grades by class on a single sorting conveyor. In other words, empty cups that have reached the section sorted by predetermined grades while multiple graders visually classify the fruits to be sorted that are randomly supplied to the supply side of the sorting conveyor by a conveyor outside the figure. ... And the presence / absence detection data of the area sensors α, α... Arranged for each section are assigned to each cup β, β..., And the detection data by the class detector γ arranged in a later process It is configured so that it can be sorted and discharged for each equal class. The sorting conveyor is usually provided with a plurality of sorting conveyors in relation to the sorting grade classification of the target fruit. Therefore, the area sensors α, α,... For this reason, it is necessary to provide an interval portion for providing the reflection mirrors α ′, α ′... And light emitting elements in the middle part of the left and right strips, and there is a distance when supplying from the front sorting conveyor to the far side sorting conveyor. Is difficult to reach, reducing work efficiency.
[0003]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Each boundary portion of the fruit supply ranges 3, 4, 5, and 6 in which the objects to be classified, which are classified by visual judgment on the cups 2, 2,. In the sorting conveyor comprising the control unit 10 for determining the grade by arranging the area sensors 7, 8, 9 and certifying which of the supply ranges is detected by detecting the presence or absence of the fruit of each sensor The conveyors 1 are provided on a plurality of strips, and are arranged by shifting the phases of the cups adjacent to the left and right, and the area sensors 7 to 9 that detect the presence or absence of fruits on the cups on the plurality of strips are provided on both sides of the sorting conveyor 1. to the light emitting element 7a provided on one of the frame portions, 8a, and 9a, a light receiving element 7b, which are arranged corresponding to these, 8b, and configuration of the grade sorting apparatus composed of a 9b .
[0004]
[Effects of the invention]
The objects to be sorted that are appropriately supplied to the starting end side of the sorting conveyor 1 are picked up individually and subjected to a grade evaluation by a grade evaluator. In the assigned section, the evaluator puts on the empty cup 2 that has moved to a predetermined range for each grade such as excellent, excellent, good, and average. The area sensors 7, 8, 9 comprising the light emitting elements 7a, 8a, 9a and the light receiving elements 7b, 8b, 9b arranged in correspondence with them detect the presence or absence of fruit in the passing cup 2. Since the detection result is output to the control unit 10, the position (range) of each fruit placed on the cup is determined and stored while being replaced with a grade.
[0005]
By the way, the sorting conveyor 1 is provided in a plurality of strips, and has a cup 2 for each strip. However, since these cups are provided out of phase, the presence / absence of the fruit on the near side and the far side (in some cases, more than three) may be determined by the light emitting elements 7a, 8a, 9a and the light receiving elements 7b, 8b, 9b . I can confirm. For this reason, no optical system or the like is required at the boundary portion of each strip, and therefore the interval between the strips can be set narrow, and the transfer from the near side to the far side is facilitated.
[0006]
【Example】
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 11 and 12 are sorting conveyors provided on the left and right two strips, each having a cup 21, 21,..., 22, 22,. This is a well-known configuration that can maintain a horizontal posture by a guide rail (not shown) and can change the posture to a fall posture by dropping from the rail. Fruit supply units 111 and 112 are set on the start end side of the sorting conveyor 1, but these supply units 111 and 112 have different grades for each of a plurality of grade evaluators (in the example shown, excellent, excellent, good, and average). The area sensors 7, 8, and 9 are arranged at the boundary of each range and can detect whether or not the fruit is present on the cup. This area sensor is composed of light emitting elements 7a, 8a, 9a provided on one of the frame portions on both sides of the sorting conveyor, and light receiving elements 7b, 8b, 9b arranged in correspondence therewith. The control unit 10 determines that the fruit detected by the area sensor 7 including the light emitting element 7a and the light receiving element 7b is excellent or superior depending on whether the sorting conveyor 11 or 12 is selected. The fruit that is detected by the next area sensor 8 is not detected by the sensor 7 by recognizing whether the fruit is detected by the previous area sensor 7 by managing the elapsed time or the like. It is judged as a good product. Similarly for the area sensor 9, a new fruit that is not detected by any of the area sensors 7 and 8 that have passed first is determined as an excellent product or a superior product according to the relationship with the sorting conveyor. Fruits that are not detected by any sensor are judged as normal or good.
[0007]
The control unit 10 inputs the fruit presence / absence detection information from each area sensor and can identify in which range 3, 4, 5 or 6 the fruit on the predetermined cup is placed. Therefore, it is configured to determine which class it belongs to. That is, each sorting conveyor designates two grades. In the sorting conveyor 11, the fruit supply range 31 up to the area sensor 7 is excellent, and the range 41 up to the next area sensor 8 is normal. The range 51 up to the subsequent area sensor 9 is designated as an excellent product again, and the range 61 after the area sensor 9 is designated as a normal product. The fruit supply ranges 3 2 and 52 of the sorting conveyor 12 are set as excellent, and the ranges 4 2 and 62 are set as good.
[0008]
The cups 21, 21,... On the sorting conveyor 11 and the cups 22, 22,... On the sorting conveyor 12 are shifted in phase, that is, they are shifted by ½ pitch of the cup. 8 and 9 can be used regardless of the sorting conveyor 11 or 12. Reference numeral 12 denotes a sensor box that houses a class detection sensor and a color sensor. Of these, the class detection sensor outputs recognition information of the planar shape of the fruit on the cup 2 to the control unit 10. The control unit is configured to calculate the maximum diameter from the input plane shape information and recognize which class belongs to the preset maximum diameter. The color sensor is configured to detect the coloring level of the fruit, and the control unit 10 determines whether or not the coloring level matches the grade content previously determined by the grade evaluator. Or it is the structure supplied to a non-illustrated return conveyor.
[0009]
A sorting and discharging unit 13 is provided in the latter half of the sorting conveyor 1. The discharging unit 13 is provided for each predetermined grade, and is configured to receive fruits by discharging the fruit by receiving a discharge signal for each grade and class and controlling the overturning of the cup. The operation of the above example will be described. Fruits to be selected, which are appropriately supplied to the starting ends of the sorting conveyors 11 and 12, are individually picked up and subjected to a grade evaluation by a grade evaluator in the vicinity of the area sensors 7, 8, and 9 positions. In the assigned section, the evaluator places them on the empty cups 21 and 22 that have moved to a predetermined range for each grade of excellent, excellent, good, and average.
[0010]
Each of the area sensors 7, 8 and 9 detects the presence or absence of fruit for the passing cup 2 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 10. In this control unit, the position (range) of each fruit placed on the cup is determined and stored while being replaced with a grade. After passing 12 parts of the sensor box, the class detection sensor classifies and the color sensor determines the surface coloring degree, and these etc., the class result and the class previously evaluated by the class evaluator are input to the control unit 10. In this control unit 10, the sorting discharge timing is determined based on both the grade and class data, the cup 2 is controlled to fall at a predetermined location, and the fruits are sorted and discharged.
[0011]
FIG. 4 shows an automatic boxing device for fruits. Fruits sorted and discharged as described above are randomly drawn by the sorting conveyor 14 provided in each sorting and discharging section 13 for each class and class. Aligned between the partition plates 15, 15... An empty box supply conveyor 16 is disposed on the side of the sorting conveyor 14. A suction transfer device 17 is provided to reciprocate between the aligning portion 14a and the standby portion 16a of the empty cardboard box. The adsorption transfer device 17 simultaneously adsorbs a plurality of fruits to the aligned fruits with suction cups 18, 18... Raises the substrate 17a as it is, and moves the device 17 itself along a rail outside the figure. When the device 17 reaches directly above the standby unit 16a, the device 17 stops and the substrate 17a descends to release fruit adsorption in the cardboard box. Next, when a partition material such as an unillustrated pack is held, it is stacked in a plurality of stages in a single cardboard box by repeated fruit boxing. Note that the side of the co-adsorption transfer device 17 that reciprocates among the flaps of the corrugated cardboard box that should contain the fruit is held in the outward folding position by the folding holding mechanism 19 equipped with a suction disk or the like, so that the above-mentioned reciprocating boxing is in progress. It is convenient to prevent accidents such as fruit hitting the flap. Also, the movement trajectories (1) to (6) of the suction transfer device 17 were previously shown by the solid line in the figure, but can be changed to the path shown by the dotted line by adopting the above configuration. It is convenient because the distance is shortened.
[0012]
5 and 6, the corrugated cardboard boxes 20 packed in predetermined grades / classes are stacked in a predetermined number of steps upward while descending a predetermined distance while holding the cardboard boxes 20 packed in predetermined grades / classes in a constant ascending posture. For this purpose, a box receiving frame 21 is shown, and the box receiving frame 23 can be moved up and down in a parallel manner by an elevating link 22 which is combined with the X shape and has a mutual pivoting portion at the center. That is, the base end of one link 22 a of the lift link 22 is provided to be swingable on the machine base 24, and the other link 22 b is provided to be slidable with respect to the machine base 24. A link 22b is swingably connected to the upper end to support the box receiving frame 23, and the link 22a is slidable so that the support position can be changed. The elevating link 22 is configured to be able to change the X-type angle with an expansion / contraction cylinder mechanism (not shown), and can be elevated and stopped at an appropriate position by a separately installed elevating switch. Reference numeral 25 denotes a printing device which is provided in a fixed state as appropriate and can print on the outer surface of the uppermost cardboard box. Reference numeral 26 denotes a feeding transfer conveyor which is provided with box locking portions 27 and 27 on the chain. The left and right chain interval portions are provided wider than the box receiving frame 23 to directly lock a box in a lowered posture. This is a configuration that can be locked by the portion 27. 28 is a product carry-out conveyor.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the entire facility.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the action of suction box packing.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the box lifting device.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the box lifting device.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a conventional example.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
11, 12 ... sorting conveyor, 21, 22 ... cup, 3, 4, 5, 6 ... fruit supply range, 7, 8, 9 ... area sensor, 10 ... control unit, 111, 112 ... fruit supply unit, 12 ... sensor Box, 13 ... Sorting and discharging unit, 14 ... Sorting conveyor, 15 ... Partition plate, 16 ... Empty box supply conveyor, 17 ... Suction transfer device, 18 ... Suction cup, 19 ... Holding mechanism, 20 ... Cardboard box, 21 ... Supporting stand, 22 ... Lifting link, 23 ... Box receiving frame, 25 ... Printing device, 26 ... Feeding transfer conveyor, 27 ... Box locking part, 28 ... Product carrying conveyor

Claims (1)

Each boundary portion of the fruit supply ranges 3, 4, 5, and 6 in which the objects to be classified, which are classified by visual judgment on the cups 2, 2,. In the sorting conveyor comprising the control unit 10 for determining the grade by arranging the area sensors 7, 8, 9 and certifying which of the supply ranges is detected by detecting the presence or absence of the fruit of each sensor The conveyors 1 are provided on a plurality of strips, and are arranged by shifting the phases of the cups adjacent to the left and right, and the area sensors 7 to 9 that detect the presence or absence of fruits on the cups on the plurality of strips are provided on both sides of the sorting conveyor 1. A grade sorting device comprising light-emitting elements 7a, 8a, 9a provided on one side of the frame and light-receiving elements 7b, 8b, 9b arranged in correspondence therewith .

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