JP6940068B2 - Leaf-shaped crop storage cassette and leaf-shaped crop processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a leaf-shaped crop storage cassette for stacking and storing leaf-shaped crops and a leaf-shaped crop processing device for processing the leaf-shaped crops stored in the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette.

In order to commercialize leaf-shaped crops such as perilla, there is known a processing device that selects harvested leaf-shaped crops and processes them such as packaging (for example, described in Patent Document 1).

This processing device includes a cassette for supplying a plurality of foliate crops. However, this cassette was attached to the processing device, and it was necessary to put the leaf-shaped crops harvested from the field into the cassette near the processing device prior to the processing. For this reason, it was inconvenient to transfer the foliage crops from the harvesting container carried from the field to the cassette.

Japanese Patent No. 5612324

An object of the present invention is to provide a leaf-shaped crop storage cassette and a leaf-shaped crop processing apparatus capable of reducing post-harvest work.

The leaf-shaped crop storage cassette of the present invention is an elongated or square box-shaped body that can be attached to and detached from a leaf-shaped crop processing device that processes leaf-shaped crops, and a plurality of leaf-shaped crops are contained in the box-shaped body. It is configured to be stacked and stored in the longitudinal direction, and at least one of the side surfaces is provided with a harvesting opening that can be opened and closed so as to open with a width larger than the maximum width of the leaf-shaped crop in the stored state. It is characterized in that both end faces in the longitudinal direction are provided with a pair of device mounting openings that can be opened and closed so as to open with an opening area larger than the maximum flat area in the stored state of the leaf-shaped crop.

According to the present invention, a leaf-shaped crop can be stored in a field with the harvesting opening open, and a leaf-shaped crop storage cassette containing the leaf-shaped crop can be mounted on a leaf-shaped crop processing device and an opening for mounting the device. Processing with a foliar crop processing device can be performed simply by opening the part. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of transferring the leaf-shaped crops.

Further, the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette of the present invention may have a regulating portion extending in the longitudinal direction corresponding to a part of the outer edge shape of the leaf-shaped crop.

According to the above configuration, since the regulation unit regulates that the positions of the plurality of stacked foliage crops are displaced, troubles such as clogging of the foliage crops in the foliage crop processing apparatus are unlikely to occur.

Further, the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette of the present invention may include a lid portion in which the pair of device mounting openings is opened and closed by moving in a direction parallel to the surface of each stored leaf-shaped crop.

According to the above configuration, when the lid portion is opened, the lid portion is moved in parallel with the leaf-shaped crops, so that the laminated state of the leaf-shaped crops is unlikely to collapse.

Further, in the leaf-shaped crop processing device of the present invention, the cassette port in which the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette is set so that the longitudinal direction is the vertical direction in a state where the pair of device mounting openings are opened, and the above-mentioned A lift that moves up and down below the cassette port to support a plurality of leafy crops stored in the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette from below, and at least up and down above the cassette port to store the leaf-shaped crops. It is characterized by including an adsorption pad capable of adsorbing a leaf-like crop located in the uppermost layer among the plurality of leaf-like crops stored in a cassette.

According to the above configuration, the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette is set in the cassette port, and the plurality of leaf-shaped crops are raised by the elevator, so that the leaf-shaped crops stored in the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette are adsorbed by the adsorption pad. It can be adsorbed and transferred to a desired location for processing.

Further, the leaf-shaped agricultural product processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with a camera provided above the cassette port and obtains an image of the leaf-shaped agricultural product appearing through the device mounting opening on the upper side of the leaf-shaped agricultural product storage cassette, and obtained by the camera. The image processing unit for processing the image and the suction pad control unit for controlling the movement of the suction pad are provided, and the suction pad is configured to move in the horizontal direction. By identifying the outer edge of the leaf-shaped agricultural product located in the upper layer, the position of the center of gravity of the leaf-shaped agricultural product is obtained, and the suction pad control unit so as to match the suction center position with the position of the center of gravity obtained by the image processing unit. The suction pad may be moved.

According to the above configuration, the image obtained by taking a picture of the leaf-shaped agricultural product located in the uppermost layer with a camera is image-processed by the image processing unit, and the outer edge of the leaf-shaped agricultural product is identified to obtain the position of the center of gravity of the leaf-shaped agricultural product. .. By moving the suction pad so as to match the suction center position with the obtained center of gravity position, the leaf-shaped agricultural products located in the uppermost layer can be sucked by the suction pad and lifted reliably.

According to the present invention, the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette containing the leaf-shaped crops harvested in the field can be processed by the leaf-shaped crop processing device only by mounting the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette on the leaf-shaped crop processing device and opening the opening for mounting the device. It is possible to provide a leaf-shaped crop storage cassette and a leaf-shaped crop processing device that can reduce post-harvest work.

It is an exploded perspective view of the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette of this invention. It is a cross-sectional plan view of the same leaf-shaped crop storage cassette. A perspective view of the same leaf-shaped crop storage cassette is shown, (a) shows a state in which the upper lid is removed, and (b) shows a state in which the upper lid is attached. It is a perspective view which shows the state just before setting the same leaf-like crop storage cassette in a cassette port. It is a perspective view of the state in which the same leaf-shaped crop storage cassette is set in the cassette port. The same leaf-shaped crop storage cassette is set in the cassette port, and the upper and lower lids are removed. It is a perspective view of the state in which the leaf-shaped crops stored in the same leaf-shaped crop storage cassette are raised to a predetermined position by an elevating table. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a foliage crop located at the uppermost portion raised in FIG. 7 is photographed by a camera. It is a perspective view of the picking device which operates a robot arm provided with the suction pad which sucks a leaf-like crop. (A) is a plan view in which the top leaf-shaped crop imaged by the camera is processed to be distinguished from the leaf-shaped crop located below, and (b) is the center of gravity of the leaf blade of the leaf-shaped crop after image processing. It is an image showing a position. It is a top view which shows the adsorption position of the adsorption pad with respect to the position of the center of gravity of the leaf blade of a leaf-like crop. It is a block diagram for controlling the operation of a suction pad.

An embodiment of a leaf-shaped crop storage cassette (hereinafter, simply referred to as a cassette) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As the leaf-shaped crop, a large leaf 1 having a leaf blade portion 1A and a petiole portion 1B shown in FIG. 10A will be described.

1 and 3 (a) and 3 (b) show a cassette 2 for storing a plurality of perilla 1 harvested in the field. Although the cassette 2 is made of aluminum, it may be made of various synthetic resins or the like. Further, the cassette 2 is formed of an elongated rectangular box-shaped body, and is also configured to be detachably attached to and detachable from a leaf-shaped crop processing device 3 (see, for example, FIG. 4) described later. Inside the box-shaped body, a plurality of large leaves 1 are stacked and stored in the longitudinal direction of the box-shaped body. Further, the box-shaped body includes a bottom plate portion 21 which becomes a bottom when a plurality of harvested large leaves 1 are stored, a front plate portion 22 and a rear plate portion 23 extending upward from both ends in the width direction of the bottom plate portion 21, and the box shape. A cassette body 2A composed of a pair of lid portions 24, 25 for closing a pair of device mounting openings 24A, 25A located on both end faces in the longitudinal direction of the body, and an upper end of the front side plate portion 22 and an upper end of the rear side plate portion 23. It is provided with an openable upper lid 2B that closes the harvest opening 2K for inserting the large leaf 1 formed by the upper end of the pair of lids 24 and 25. Further, each end of the box-shaped body in the longitudinal direction is provided with a substantially U-shaped reinforcing frame 26 and rectangular plate-shaped members 27, 27 provided on the end faces of both side portions of the reinforcing frame 26. ing. The elongated box-shaped cassette 2 may have a rectangular shape or a square shape such as a square shape as well as a rectangular shape.

The reinforcing frame 26 is an outer surface of the front side plate portion 22, the rear side plate portion 23, and the bottom plate portion 21 so as to project upward from the front side plate portion 22 and the rear side plate portion 23 in FIG. It is attached to. Further, a gap into which the lid portions 24 and 25 can be inserted is formed between each of the both end faces in the longitudinal direction of the front side plate portion 22 and the rear side plate portion 23 and the inner surfaces of the plate-shaped members 27 and 27 facing the front side plate portion 22 and the rear side plate portion 23. Has been done. Therefore, by inserting the lid portions 24 and 25 into the gap, the lid portions 24 and 25 are held between the front side plate portion 22 and the rear side plate portion 23 and the plate-shaped members 27 and 27, and the device mounting opening 24A , 25A can be closed. Further, by pulling out the held lid portions 24 and 25, the device mounting openings 24A and 25A can be opened. Further, although the upper lid portion 2B is configured to be removable, it may be attached to the cassette main body 2A so as not to be removable. When the upper lid 2B is attached to the cassette body 2A in a non-removable manner, the upper lid 2B can be slidably opened and closed on the cassette body 2A, or can be swingably opened and closed on the cassette body 2A, for example, around the axis in the longitudinal direction. Will be attached to.

The harvest opening 2K is configured to have a width larger than the maximum width of the perilla 1 in the stored state, and the perilla 1 can be easily stored in the cassette body 2A. Further, the pair of lid portions 24 and 25 are configured to open and close the pair of device mounting openings 24A and 25A by moving in a direction parallel to the front and back surfaces of the perilla 1. Further, when the pair of lid portions 24 and 25 are opened, the pair of device mounting openings 24A and 25A are opened with a width larger than the maximum flat area of the perilla 1 in the stored state. Therefore, when the lids 24 and 25 are opened, they are moved in parallel with the perilla 1, so that the laminated state of the perilla 1 is unlikely to collapse. By taking the cassette 2 configured in this way to the field and opening (removing) the upper lid portion 2B, the perilla 1 harvested with the harvesting opening 2K open can be stored (FIG. 3A). reference). Then, the cassette 2 containing the perilla 1 can be processed by the leaf-shaped crop processing device 3 only by mounting the cassette 2 on the leaf-shaped crop processing device 3 and opening the opening 24A and 25A for mounting the device. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of transferring the perilla 1. FIG. 3B shows a state when the harvested perilla 1 is stored by closing the upper lid portion 2B.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cassette 2 has two regulating portions 28 and 29 extending over substantially the entire longitudinal direction corresponding to a part of the outer edge shape of the perilla 1. ing. One regulating portion 28 is composed of a rear inclined plate portion that extends slightly behind the central portion in the width direction of the bottom plate portion 21 and a substantially central portion in the height direction of the rear side plate portion 23, and the other regulating portion 29 is composed of a rear inclined plate portion. The bottom plate portion 21 is composed of a front inclined plate portion slightly extending from the central portion in the width direction and a substantially central portion in the height direction of the front plate portion 22. By providing these regulating units 28 and 29, it is regulated that the positions of the plurality of stacked large leaves 1 are displaced, so that troubles such as clogging of the large leaves 1 are unlikely to occur in the leaf-shaped crop processing apparatus 3. The shapes and arrangements of the regulating portions 28 and 29 are changed according to the shape of the perilla (leaf-shaped agricultural product) 1 stored inside the cassette 2.

FIG. 3A shows the state of the cassette 2 at the time of harvesting the perilla 1, and FIG. 3B shows the state in which the perilla 1 has been stored in the cassette 2 and the upper lid 2B is closed. The cassette 2 in the state of FIG. 3B is attached to the leaf-shaped crop processing device 3 described later to perform various treatments.

Next, the leaf-shaped crop processing device 3 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the processing device 3) will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the processing device 3 is longitudinally provided with the cassette 2 in a state in which the pair of device mounting openings 24A and 25A are opened, that is, in a state in which the pair of lid portions 24 and 25 are removed. A cassette port 31 set so that the direction is up and down, an elevating table 32 that moves up and down below the cassette port 31 and supports a plurality of perilla 1 housed in the cassette 2 from below, and a cassette port. Above 31, it is provided with three adsorption pads 33 ... (See FIG. 9) that can move up and down and adsorb the perilla 1 located in the uppermost layer among the plurality of perilla 1 stored in the cassette 2.

The cassette port 31 is an upper plate mounted and fixed on the four vertically elongated pillars 311 ..., the four lower connecting members 312 ... connecting the lower ends of the four pillars 311 ..., and the upper ends of the four pillars 311 ... It is provided with 313 and a mounting plate 314 on which the cassette 2 is mounted at the center in the vertical direction of the four pillars 311.

At the center of the upper plate 312, a rectangular opening 3121 capable of moving the large leaves 1 stacked in the cassette 2 upward is formed, and the opening 3121 prevents the stacked large leaves 1 from collapsing. A prevention frame 3122 for the purpose is attached. The prevention frame 3122 includes a rectangular outer frame portion 3122A that is fitted and fixed to the opening 3121, and an outer edge of a large leaf 1 that is raised upward from the upper ends of the restricting portions 28 and 29 provided inside the cassette 2. Second regulation parts 3122B and 3122C having the same shape as the regulation parts 28 and 29 are provided so as to correspond to a part of the shape.

At the center of the mounting plate 314, an opening 314A is formed to allow the insertion of the elevating table 32 having a size capable of mounting the perilla 1 stacked in the cassette 2. In the state where the perilla 1 stacked in the cassette 2 is placed, the upper surface of the mounting plate 314 and the upper surface of the elevating table 32 are flush with each other, and the elevating table 32 is raised from this flush state.

The elevating table 32 has a shape corresponding to the inside of the cassette 2 so that the inside of the cassette 2 can be moved up and down. Specifically, the elevating table 32 has a trapezoidal first portion 321 whose depth side in the depth direction of the cassette 2 is tapered toward the back side so that it can pass through the insides of the regulating portions 28 and 29 of the cassette 2. A second portion 322 having a rectangular shape on the front side in the depth direction of the cassette 2 is provided. Further, the elevating table 32 is configured to be able to move up and down by a drive mechanism (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 9, the three suction pads 33 ... Are attached to the attachment plate 5 attached to the lower end of the robot arm 4 at the same distance in the circumferential direction. The robot arm 4 is configured to be movable in any of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction shown in the figure by using the elevating mechanism H, and the movement of the robot arm 4 causes the three suction pads 33 ... Can be moved in any of the X, Y, and Z directions.

Next, a case where the cassette 2 is mounted on the cassette port 31 configured as described above will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cassette 2 is set in the cassette port 31 in a state where the longitudinal direction is the vertical direction (the perilla 1 is not displayed in the figure). When the cassette 2 is set, the pair of lids 24 and 25 located at the top and bottom are pulled out toward the front side and removed (see FIG. 6). After that, the upper lid portion 2B is attached to complete the mounting of the cassette 2. In this way, when the cassette 2 is set in the cassette port 31, the plurality of large leaves 1 are raised by the elevating table 32, and the large leaves 1 located in the uppermost layer housed in the cassette 2 are attracted by the three suction pads 33. Then, it can be transferred to a desired location for processing. The timing for removing the pair of lids 24 and 25 is preferably after the cassette 2 is set in the cassette port 31 as described above, but it may be before or during the setting. good. Further, the timing of attaching the upper lid portion 2B is preferably performed after removing the pair of lid portions 24, 25, but it may be attached before setting in the cassette port 31.

Further, the cassette port 31 is provided with a sensor (not shown) as a detection means for detecting whether or not the cassette 2 is set correctly, and also detects the vertical position of the perilla 1 located on the uppermost layer. It is equipped with perilla detecting means (for example, a transmissive photoelectric sensor). In the large leaf 1, there may be a large leaf 1 having a shape that is greatly curved in the vertical direction. By configuring the perilla detecting means to detect the perilla 1, the detection accuracy of the perilla 1 is improved. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the lifting platform 32 is raised and lowered based on the detection signal of the perilla detecting means. In FIG. 7, the upper lid portion 2B is removed in order to make the inside of the cassette 2 easy to understand.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 12, the processing device 3 is provided above the cassette port 31, and includes a camera 34 for obtaining an image of the large leaf 1 appearing through the device mounting opening 25A on the upper side of the cassette 2. In order to process the image obtained by the camera 34, an image processing unit 35 connected to the camera 34 and a suction pad control unit 36 for controlling the movement of the three suction pads 33 ... Are provided, and the three suction pads 33 are provided. ... Is configured to move in the horizontal direction (X direction and Y direction) as described above, and the image processing unit 35 identifies the outer edge of the large leaf 1 located in the uppermost layer, thereby causing the large leaf 1 to move. It is configured to find the position of the center of gravity of. As shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 11A, the suction pad control unit 36 coincides the suction center position 33X with the center of gravity position 1X obtained by the image processing unit 35 with the image obtained by the camera 34. It is configured to move the three suction pads 33 ... Actually, the movement of the three suction pads 33 ... Is controlled by driving and controlling the movement of the robot arm 4. By doing so, the image obtained by taking the large leaf 1 located at the uppermost layer with the camera 34 is image-processed by the image processing unit 35, and the outer edge of the large leaf 1 is identified, so that the center of gravity position 1X of the large leaf 1 is identified. Ask for. By moving the three suction pads 33 ... so that the suction center position 33X coincides with the obtained center of gravity position 1X, the large leaf 1 located in the uppermost layer can be reliably lifted by the three suction pads 33. The suction center position 33X of the three suction pads 33 ... Corresponds to the central portion of the circumference connecting the three suction pads 33. The perilla 1 adsorbed by the three adsorption pads 33 ... is subjected to bundling treatment and packaging treatment after sorting defective products and sorting by size.

The leaf-shaped crop storage cassette and the leaf-shaped crop processing device according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, perilla 1 is used as the leaf-shaped crop, but other leaf-shaped crops such as lettuce, tobacco leaf, and autumn leaves (maple leaves) may be used. The leaf-shaped crop according to the present invention is particularly suitable for a flat-shaped leaf-shaped crop having a small thickness with respect to a flat area.

Further, in the above embodiment, the three suction pads 33 ... Are moved so as to match the suction center positions 33X of the three suction pads 33 ... with the center of gravity position 1X of the large leaf 1 obtained by the image processing unit 35. However, when the leaf veins of the large leaf 1 are image-processed by the image processing unit 35 and the suction center positions 33X of the three suction pads 33 ... are matched with the center of gravity position 1X of the large leaf 1, the three suction pads 33 ... It may be configured to perform control so as to slightly shift the positions of the three suction pads 33 ... so as not to suck as much as possible.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration is provided with the harvesting opening 2K that can be opened and closed only on one of the four side surfaces, but a plurality of harvesting openings that can be opened and closed on two or more side surfaces. The configuration may include a portion 2K ....

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the restricting portions 28 and 29 extending in the longitudinal direction corresponding to a part of the outer edge shape of the perilla 1 (leaf-shaped crop) stored inside the cassette 2 are provided, but may be omitted. ..

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the perilla 1 is adsorbed by the three adsorption pads 33 ... However, the perilla 1 may be adsorbed by one or two adsorption pads, or any number of four or more may be adsorbed. The perilla 1 can also be adsorbed with the adsorption pad.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the perilla 1 is vertically stored in the cassette 2 at the time of harvesting (the axial direction of the perilla 1 is along the vertical direction), but by changing the configuration of the cassette 2, the perilla is stored in the cassette 2. 1 may be stored sideways (the axial direction of the perilla 1 is along the horizontal direction). In this case, there is an advantage that the perilla 1 can be easily stored at the time of harvesting.

1 ... Large leaf, 1A ... Leaf blade, 1B ... Leaf stalk, 1X ... Center of gravity, 2 ... Leaf-shaped agricultural product storage cassette (box-shaped), 2A ... Cassette body, 2B ... Upper lid, 2K ... Harmony opening, 3 ... Leaf-shaped agricultural product processing device, 4 ... Robot arm arm, 5 ... Mounting plate, 21 ... Bottom plate, 22 ... Front plate, 23 ... Rear plate, 24, 25 ... Lid, 24A, 25A ... Equipment mounting opening Part, 26 ... Reinforcing frame, 27 ... Plate-shaped member, 28, 29 ... Regulatory part, 31 ... Cassette port, 32 ... Lifting platform, 33 ... Suction pad, 33X ... Suction center position, 34 ... Camera, 35 ... Image processing unit , 36 ... Suction pad control unit, 311 ... Pillar, 312 ... Lower connecting member, 313 ... Upper plate, 314 ... Mounting plate, 314A ... Opening, 321 ... First part, 322 ... Second part, 3121 ... Opening Part, 3122 ... Prevention frame, 3122A ... Outer frame part, 3122B, 3122C ... Second regulation part, H ... Elevating mechanism

Claims (5)

It is an elongated or square box-shaped body that can be attached to and detached from a leaf-shaped crop processing device that processes leaf-shaped crops, and a plurality of leaf-shaped crops can be stacked and stored in the box-shaped body in the longitudinal direction. Consists of
At least one of the side surfaces is provided with a harvesting opening that can be opened and closed so as to open at a width larger than the maximum width of the leaf-shaped crop in the stored state.
A leaf-shaped crop storage cassette provided on both end faces in the longitudinal direction with a pair of device mounting openings that can be opened and closed so as to open with an opening area larger than the maximum flat area in the stored state of the leaf-shaped crop. The leaf-shaped crop storage cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a regulating portion extending in the longitudinal direction corresponding to a part of the outer edge shape of the leaf-shaped crop. The leaf-shaped crop storage cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pair of device mounting openings includes a lid portion that is opened and closed by moving in a direction parallel to the surface of each stored leaf-shaped crop. A cassette port in which the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is set so that the longitudinal direction is the vertical direction in a state where the pair of device mounting openings are opened.
An elevating platform that moves up and down below the cassette port and supports a plurality of leaf-shaped crops stored in the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette from below.
A foliage crop processing apparatus including an adsorption pad that moves at least up and down above the cassette port and can adsorb foliage crops located in the uppermost layer among the plurality of foliage crops stored in the foliage crop storage cassette. A camera provided above the cassette port and for obtaining an image of the leaf-shaped crop appearing through the device mounting opening on the upper side of the leaf-shaped crop storage cassette.
An image processing unit that processes the image obtained by the camera, and
A suction pad control unit that controls the movement of the suction pad is provided.
The suction pad is configured to move in the horizontal direction as well.
The image processing section by identifying the outer edge of leafy crops positioned in the uppermost layer, obtains the position of the center of gravity of the leaflets agricultural crops,
The leaf-shaped agricultural product processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the suction pad control unit moves the suction pad so as to match the suction center position with the center of gravity position obtained by the image processing unit.

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