JPH0688568B2 - Egg sorting and packaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a sorting and packaging apparatus for packaging a predetermined number of eggs of several grades, for example, packaging every 10 eggs.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, eggs are generally SS (40g to less than 46g), S (46g to less than 52g), MS (52g) defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Trade Standards.
〜Less than 58g), M (58g-less than 64g), L (64g-less than 70g) and 2L (70g-less than 76g) in 6 grades. In addition, some parts are also traded in 10 kg packing boxes for each grade, but in any case they are bound by the grade. For this reason, many devices have been developed for sorting and sorting chicken eggs into each grade, and the amount of processed eggs per hour is increasing year by year. Such a sorting device holds and conveys the weighed chicken eggs, and puts them into a packaging place corresponding to the weighed egg weight (grade).
20,000 to 30,000 eggs are selected and processed per hour.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in recent years, there is no limitation to the grade, and for example, one package
It is now being sold in such a form that the total weight of 10 pieces may be within a certain weight range.

Along with such a tendency, commercial products are required by mixing various weights of chicken eggs in one package. In response to this requirement, manual assembling is inefficient and mechanical packing is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive sorting and packaging apparatus for packaging eggs of various weights in a predetermined number within a fixed total weight range.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, the object is to measure the egg weight of each chicken egg, and to convey the measured chicken egg.
Storage means for storing the egg weight weighed by the weighing means, computing means for identifying one egg to be packed from the eggs transported by the transport means, and the packaging container for the identified chicken egg from the transport means And a plurality of weight ranges for the individual eggs to be packaged in one package, which are different from each other within a certain range and are preset in the calculation means. The number of eggs to be packed in one package for each of the weight ranges is preset in the means, and the computing means reads the individual egg weights from the storage means, and the read egg weights and the preset Comparing the calculated weight range,
Among the eggs to be transported, each egg in the preset plurality of weight ranges, the number of eggs set in advance for each of the weight ranges, is configured to identify as one egg to be packed. Achieved by the sorting and packaging equipment for live eggs.

In a preferred specific example, a mixed packaging line is provided separately from the conventional grade-specific packaging line, and the packaging by the above-mentioned sorting packaging device in this mixed packaging line is prioritized. As in the past, it is sorted according to each grade.

Eggs that have not been distributed to this mixed packaging line are distributed according to conventional grades as described above, or they are collectively distributed to specific packaging lines as eggs outside the combination, or are circulated for combination. You may rejoin.

Next, the present invention will be described based on a preferred specific example shown in the drawings.

(Specific Example) In FIGS. 2 and 3, the storage / calculation unit 13 includes a storage unit and a calculation unit. The individual egg 11 is usually weighed by the calculator 12 as a calculating means in units of six, and the individual egg weight of the measured egg 11 is stored in the storage means of the storage operation unit 13. The weighed egg 11 is transferred by a transfer device 20 as a transfer means.
It is held by the fingers A and is conveyed to the packaging line 15. The storage means of the storage / calculation unit 13 stores the egg weights weighed by the weighing machine 12 in the transport order. During this transportation, the calculation means of the storage calculation unit 13 instructs the release mechanism 14 to release the chicken eggs 11 from the finger A according to the calculation result based on the stored egg weight, and collects them by grade, as described below. , 1 row of assembled egg 11 (usually 5)
Once filled, the DC motor driver 18 is instructed to move the motor 19 so as to move the container to a position for receiving the chicken egg 11 in a new row. In this example, the packaging means for packaging from the transport means into the packaging container is the release mechanism 14, the DC motor driver 18, the motor 19, and the mixing packaging line MX1.
It is configured to include. The encoder 17 connected to the motor 16 of the carrying device 20 detects the carry amount of the finger A of the carrying device 20, and the detected carry amount signal is stored in the storage operation unit.
The calculation means of the storage calculation section 13 is supplied to the calculation means of 13 and is stored in the storage calculation section according to the carry amount signal from the encoder 17.
The position of the chicken egg 11 indicating the egg weight stored in the storage means 13 is identified with respect to the packaging line 15, and the release mechanism 14 is accurately instructed. The egg weight stored in the storage unit of the storage / calculation unit 13 is erased when the operation of giving an instruction to the release mechanism 14 by the calculation unit is completed.

The packaging line 15 is 7 in total, which is 6 grades based on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries trade standard + 1 non-standard in total.
It is common to have a line. In this example, a new mixed packaging line MX1 is added to these 7 lines.
A line is provided so that a package of 10 packs can be obtained in the mixed packaging line MX1 as described below without being bound by the grade. Therefore, based on the egg weight stored in the storage unit of the storage operation unit 13, the operation unit of the storage operation unit 13 that identifies the chicken egg 11 to be packed from among the eggs 11 transported by the transport device 20, is In the example, for example, the weight range A of 54 g to less than 58 g is 2 pieces, the weight range B of 58 g to less than 62 g is 4 pieces, and the weight range C of 62 g to less than 66 g is 4 pieces. The selected and specified chicken eggs are packaged in the mixed packaging line MX1. That is, the storage means 13 stores a plurality of preset weight ranges for the individual eggs 11 to be packed in one package, which are different from each other within a certain range (in this example, weight ranges A and 58g of 54 g to less than 58 g). A weight range B of less than 62 g and a weight range C of 62 g to less than 66 g are set in advance), and the calculating means of the memory calculating unit 13 further stores eggs to be packed in one package for each weight range. Quantity (weight range A in this example)
To 2 pieces, weight range B to 4 pieces and weight range C to 4 pieces
Number) is set in advance, and the calculation means of the storage calculation section 13 reads out the individual egg weights from the storage means, compares the read-out egg weights with the preset weight range, and calculates the transport device. Among the eggs 11 transported by 20, each egg 11 of the preset plurality of weight ranges, the number of eggs set in advance for each weight range, is configured to identify as one egg to be packed Has been done. The procedure for identifying an egg in the computing means of the storage computing unit 13 will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, one egg weight stored in the storage means of the storage / calculation unit 13 is read, and it is determined whether or not this egg weight is in any of the three weight ranges A, B, and C (step 1). If it is not within the range, chicken eggs showing this egg weight are sorted into normal grade (step 3). If it is in any of the weight ranges A, B, and C, it is judged whether or not one is already selected for the egg weight in the corresponding weight range (step 2), and chicken eggs in the corresponding weight range are still present. If no eggs are selected, select and select this egg as a combination of weight ranges (step 4), and if at least one egg in the weight range is already selected, select this egg. It is determined whether the total number of existing eggs and newly selected eggs is within the set number in the applicable weight range (step 5). If it is within the set number, the chicken egg is specified and selected as a combination of the corresponding weight ranges (step 6). If the set number of eggs has already been selected, it is sorted into normal grades in step 3. It is judged whether the set number of eggs has been selected in all the weight ranges A, B and C (step 7), and if the set number has been selected in all the weight ranges A, B and C, one package Complete selection and identification of chicken eggs for (step 8),
Return to the original step, and if not obtained, return to step 1 so as to have a sufficient set number in the corresponding weight range.

According to the flowchart below, based on the actually measured egg weight table, when combined, when 54 g to less than 58 g is the weight range A, 58 g to less than 62 g is the weight range B, and 62 g to less than 66 g is the weight range C, 62.5 g of the first weighing sequence (corresponding to the first transporting order, and so on) is selected as the first item in the weight range C, and the second 62.6 g and the third 62.7 g are 2, 3 in the weight range C, respectively. Selected as the 4th 0.0g
Is treated as an unweighed egg and the selection operation is not performed.
59.1 g is selected as the first in the weight range B. The sixth 52.7 g falls outside the weight ranges A, B and C and is therefore fed to the normal grade MS packaging line MS. 7th 61.5g
Is the second weight range B, the 8th is the first weight range A,
The ninth is the fourth weight range C, and the selection of the weight range C for one package is completed. The tenth, 56.9 g, was selected as the second piece in weight range A, and the selection for one package in weight range A is complete. Since the 11th 65.7 g has been selected for one package in the weight range C, it is put into a container of a normal grade L packaging line L. The twelfth 60.5 g is selected as the third in range B. The 13th 63.2g is in the weight range C and the 14th 57.1g is in the weight range A, but it is a normal grade M because it satisfies the selected number in both weight ranges.
And MS packaging lines M and MS are loaded and packaged. The fifteenth 59.2g was selected as the fourth piece in the weight range B, which resulted in two pieces in the weight range A and four pieces in the weight range B.
The selection of 4 pieces from the weight range C is completed. In the next packaging container, 2 pieces of 57.6g for the 18th weight range and 56.4g for the 20th weight range, and 61.6g for the 17th weight range B and 23
4 pieces of 59.0g of the 25th, 60.1g of the 25th, and 61.0g of the 27th, 63.1g of the 16th as weight range C, 65.0g of the 19th,
The 21st 63.0g and the 24th 63.9g are selected and specified, respectively, and completed. The 22nd 57.3g and the 26th 56.6g are put in a normal grade MS packaging line.

In the egg weight table, A, B, and C in the combination order column show the set weight range, the next number shows the number of combinations, and the following numbers show the combination order. Therefore, "A12" is the second combination of the first combination of weight range A, and "B23" is the second combination of weight range B.
The third item of the combination of times is shown. Those with no numbers in the alphabet are out of combination.

As described above, the sorting and packaging apparatus of the present example, the weighing device 12 that weighs the egg weight of each chicken egg 11, the transport device 20 that transports the weighed egg 11 and the egg weight weighed by the weighing device 12. Storage unit for storing (storage unit of the storage operation unit 13) and a transport device
Eggs 11 to be packed from among the eggs 11 transported by 20
And a packaging means for packaging the identified chicken egg 11 from the carrier device 20 into a packaging container (the above-mentioned releasing mechanism 14 and the like), In the calculation means, a plurality of weight ranges (weight ranges A, B and C) for individual eggs 11 to be packed in one package are set in advance with different fixed ranges (weight ranges A, B and C). The number of eggs to be packed in one package for each of the weight ranges A, B and C (2 for the weight range A, 4 for the weight range B, 4 for the weight range C) is preset in the calculation means. The calculation means of the storage calculation unit 13 reads out the individual egg weights from the storage means, compares the read egg weights with the preset weight ranges A, B and C, and conveys them. Multiple pre-set weights in chicken egg 11 Egg eggs in each of the ranges A, B, and C are preset for each of the weight ranges A, B, and C (two for the weight range A, four for the weight range B, and four for the weight range C). Only one) is specified as one chicken egg to be packed.

According to the present invention, as shown in the combination in one package based on the egg weight table, the storage operation unit 1 before the eggs that are conveyed in a single row and at a high speed arrive at the mixed packaging line MX1.
The sorting / packaging device may be configured to perform the combination calculation by the calculation means 3 to specify the eggs to be collected in the mixed packaging line MX1 and to sort the eggs into other grades.

In the present invention, even when a plurality of weight ranges are defined, it is not always necessary to select chicken eggs from all of the weight ranges. For example, the weight range A is 54 g to less than 56 g, the weight range B is 56 g to less than 58 g, the weight range C is 58 g to less than 60, and the weight range D is 60 g to 62 g.
Less, weight range E is 62-64g, weight range F is 64g-66
It is subdivided such that it is less than g, and is divided into two from the weight ranges A and B, four from the weight ranges C and D, and the weight ranges E and F.
It goes without saying that it is within the technical scope of the present invention to obtain such a selection as four from the above.

Further, in the above specific example, the eggs after being weighed are conveyed in series, and during the conveyance, the release mechanism is operated according to the calculation result from the calculation means, and the eggs are dropped in the mixing and packaging line MX1 to obtain one package. However, the present invention is not limited to this,
For example, a plurality of conveying devices are provided side by side corresponding to the weight ranges A, B and C, and it is determined which of the weight ranges A, B and C the weight of eggs is after weighing. Alternatively, the eggs may be transferred to a carrier device corresponding to a corresponding weight range, and a predetermined number of eggs sent from each of the carrier devices may be selected and taken out to obtain one package.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, eggs of various weights can be packaged in a predetermined total number within a range of total weight with little variation, and eggs of various weights can be used as products without waste. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an apparatus embodying the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the apparatus embodying the present invention. 11 …… egg, 12 …… weighing machine, 13 …… memory calculator, 14 ……
Release mechanism, 15 ... Assembly line, 16 ... Motor, 17 ... Encoder, 18 ... DC motor drive, 19 ... DC motor, A ... Finger.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A weighing means for weighing an egg weight of each chicken egg,
Conveying means for conveying the weighed chicken eggs, storage means for storing the egg weight weighed by the weighing means, computing means for specifying one egg to be packed from the eggs conveyed by the conveying means, The specified egg is provided with a packaging means for packaging the egg from the transport means into a packaging container, and the arithmetic means has different weight ranges for individual eggs to be packaged in one package within a certain range. The number of eggs to be packed in one package for each of the weight ranges is preset in the calculation means, and the calculation means calculates the individual egg weights from the storage means. Read out, the read egg weight and the preset weight range are compared and calculated, and among the transported eggs, each egg in the preset plurality of weight ranges is For a preset egg number for each weight range, sorting and packaging apparatus for eggs that are configured to identify as eggs to be one-part package.