JPH07108699B2 - Automatic apple sorting and boxing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device created so that harvested apples can be automatically boxed by sorting them according to the standard of color tone and size.

[Conventional technology]

The harvested apples are sorted into 4 grades for color tone, 8 grades for size, and 4 × 8 = 32 types in total, boxed and shipped.

As described above, one of the characteristics of apple selection work is that 32 types of selection are performed.

In order to perform such a fruit-picking operation with high efficiency, a carrier device having an automatic sorting function has been developed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a recent known example.

Reference numeral 11 is a transportation lane, which is composed of four rows of lanes (A) 11 _A to lanes (D) 11 _d .

The harvested apples are manually selected by worker M1 into four stages A to D based on the color tone of the apples. The apples of color A are on lane (A) 11 _A and the apples of color B are on lane. (B) 11 _B , color C apple is in lane (C) 1
On 1 _C , apples of color D are on lane (D) 11 _d ,
Each is mounted and transported toward the left side of the figure.

12 is an automatic weighing machine, which measures the weight of the apples being conveyed to determine the size grade.

Eight unloaders are provided in each of the four lanes of 11 _{A to} 11 _D.

For example unloader A1~ unloader A8 along lane (A) 11 _A are arranged.

When the automatic weighing machine 12 determines that the size is 1, the determination result is input to the CPU (not shown), and when the apple approaches the unloader A1, it is unloaded from the lane (A) 11 _A by the unloader A1. Be done.

Similarly, apples of size grade 2 are unloaded to unloader A2 and apples of size grade 8 are unloaded to unloader A8. In this way, apples of color A on lane (A) 11 _A are unloaded according to their size grade. Sorted into A8 and lowered.

Similarly, apples of color _B on lane (B) 11B are sorted and unloaded into unloaders B1-B8 according to their size rating.

Similarly, apples of color C are sorted into unloaders C1 to C8, and apples of color D are sorted into unloaders D1 to D8 in the same manner.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In the known automatic sorter described with reference to FIG. 2, an apple unloaded from the transport lane by, for example, an unloader D7 is an apple of color D and size grade 7. The apples thus automatically sorted must be shipped in boxes, for example, by worker M2 for each color tone and each size class. The present situation is that a lot of labor is required for this box packing work.

For example, the apple sorting / shipping site equipped with the known automatic sorting apparatus shown in FIG. 2 has a processing capacity of about 150,000 pieces per day, and the number of workers is 120. Of this worker,
More than half are boxing workers.

In order to save such a large number of boxing workers, it is conceivable to use an XY table type tray array machine (hereinafter abbreviated as XY table).

This XY table is a well-known device having the function shown in FIG. 3, which horizontally supports a tray 13 for arranging fruits (in this case, apples), which is a horizontal orthogonal two-axis XY.
Fruits (apples) that are intermittently driven in the direction and sent as indicated by the arrow e are regularly arranged and mounted.

However, when sorting apples, the number of unloaders installed is 4 x 8 = 32, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, if XY tables are installed on all of these unloaders, the manufacturing cost will be high and sorting The installation area required for the entire device is enormous.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to reduce the number of XY tables installed to about half the number of unloaders, and to reduce the number of boxing workers to 1/4 or less. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic apple sorting and packaging device.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present inventor studied the actual situation of apple selection work from a statistical standpoint.

As a result, it was confirmed that the contents of the apple selection work have the following characteristic tendencies.

Apples are classified into four stages of A to D according to the color tone,
B and C, which are of moderate color tone, are overwhelmingly large, accounting for 75% to 85%.

The reason is that apple growers can attract purchase intentions as much as possible. It is cultivated so as to have a color tone with high commercial value, but many apples with color tone A with the highest commercial value cannot be produced (because there are few, it is also expensive).

Also, apples with color tone D, which has the most commercial value, cannot be produced in large numbers due to the efforts and efforts of the producers.

From this point of view, I got the idea that the XY table should be focused on the lanes (B) and (C).

Furthermore, the present inventor has confirmed that there is a considerably remarkable uneven distribution tendency when examining the distribution by size of the apples of color tones B and C, which account for the majority.

Generally speaking, the percentage of extremely large size class 1 and extremely small size class 8 is low.

In addition, some farmers produce large apples as a characteristic of the production area, while others produce small apples.

Further, depending on the brand of apple, some brands tend to be large and some brands tend to be small.

From this point of view, I got the idea that it is not necessary to provide XY tables for all unloaders provided in the lanes of color tones B and C.

Considering the proper layout of the XY table for the entire sorting equipment by combining the above two ideas, (i). In principle, the XY table is not provided in the unloader installed in the lanes of color tones A and D where the quantity distribution is small.

However, for each of the A and D lanes, XY tables may be provided in one or two of the eight unloaders to increase the degree of freedom of operation and improve adaptability to various conditions. Therefore, it is preferable.

However, also in this case, the XY table is not provided on either the A lane or the D lane.

(Ii). In principle, an XY table will be installed in the unloader installed in the lanes of color tones B and C where the quantity distribution is large.

However, for each of the B and C lanes, even if the installation of the XY table on one or two of the eight unloaders is omitted, the practical obstacle is minor, so the relationship between the price and the installation area is In many cases, it is effective to consider it and omit it.

[Action]

According to the above configuration, all 32 unloaders are installed.
The number of XY tables installed is about half compared to the case where XY tables are installed.

Thus, the distribution of apples to the unloader without the arrangement of the XY table is only about 1/5 of the total number of processed apples (average value).

Therefore, it is assumed that the apples unloaded on the unloader that does not have the XY table are manually boxed as in the conventional case, and the number of boxing personnel is about 1/5.

Even for the unloader with the XY table, only a small number of workers are required to put the apples placed on the tray in the box, and the total number of workers to be placed in the unloader is 1 according to the above configuration. It will be less than / 4.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an automatic sorting / boxing device according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 11 'denotes a transport lane for each color tone stage, which corresponds to the transport lane 11 in the conventional example (Fig. 2).
It is constituted by four rows of lanes 'lanes 11 _D for color D' _A to.

On the other hand, an endless circular circulation conveyor 15A that horizontally circulates apples of color A, an endless circular circulation conveyor 15B that circulates apples of color B horizontally, and an endless ring that circulates apples of color C horizontally. The circulation conveyor 15C and the endless circular circulation conveyor 15D that circulates the apple of color D in the horizontal direction are provided.

Sorted by color level by workers, Lane (A) 11
Apple color A placed on the _A 'is conveyed as indicated by the arrow f, it is placed in the circulation conveyor 15A.

The apple of color B is conveyed from the lane (B) 11 _B ′ as shown by arrows g ₁ and g ₂ and placed on the circulation conveyor 15B at two places.

The apple having the color tone C is conveyed from the lane (C) 11 _C ′ as shown by the arrows h ₁ and h ₂ and placed on the circulation conveyor 15C at two places.

The apple having the color tone D is conveyed from the lane (D) 11 _D ′ as shown by the arrow i and placed on the circulation conveyor 15D.

Since the number of apples of color tone A is small in the total number of apples, eight stations a _{1 to} a ₈ without an XY table are arranged around the circulation conveyor 15A.

A1 and 2 are swing arm type fruit catchers that drop apples of size class ₁ to station a ₁ and apples of size class 2 to station a ₂ .

Similarly, the station a _3, a ₄ to pivot arm shaped fruit catcher A3 · 4 is, station a _5, a ₆ fruit catcher A shaped pivot arm in
5 and 6 are swivel arm type fruit catchers A at stations a ₇ and a _8.
7 and 8 are arranged respectively.

12 'is an ITV image of the shape of an apple that is placed on a circulating conveyor, and the image is processed to determine the size class of the apple. On the other hand, it is a size sensor that issues a command signal to grab and drop an apple.

The circulating conveyor 15B to which the apple of color B is supplied is provided with eight swivel arm type fruit catchers B1 to B8.

Of the above eight fruit catchers B1 to B8, seven fruit catchers B2 to B8 each have an XY table 13. These 7 XY tables have the same structure and tray feeder 13
It is provided with a and a carry-out conveyor 13b.

Since the apples placed on the tray by the XY table 13 are sent out by the carry-out conveyor 13b, the worker puts the two trays (where the apples are placed) in the cardboard box and places them on the shipping conveyor 16.

The swivel type fruit catcher B1 is provided with a fixed table 14 without providing an XY table.

When the device of this embodiment is operated, apples of size grade having a small distribution ratio among apples of color tone B are fixed by this fruit catcher B1 according to the harvest content at that time.
14 Let it go down.

Since the number of apples of color B supplied to the circulating conveyor 15 is less than half of the 150,000 processed pieces per day (the distribution ratio is large), apples should be mounted at two locations as indicated by arrows g ₁ and g _2. To do. Correspondingly, two size sensors 12 'are provided.

The arrangement of the devices arranged around the circulation conveyor 15C that handles apples of color tone C (having a large distribution ratio) is similar to the arrangement of the peripheral devices of the circulation conveyor 15B.

That is, the swing arm type fruit catcher C1 having the fixed table 14 and the seven swing arm type fruit catchers C2 to C8 each having the XY table 13 are arranged.

The circulating conveyor 15D supplied with apple shades D from the transport lane (D) 11 _D ', because a small distribution ratio of apple the color tone D, and seven stations d ₁ to d ₇ no XY table Four swivel arm type fruit catchers D1, 2, D2, 3, D4, 5 and D6 are provided.

However, in general, apples of colors A and D, which have a small distribution ratio, may be mixed in a relatively large number within a small number of size classes depending on the harvest conditions.

In preparation for such a case, the station d5 provided on the circulation conveyor 15D is composed of an XY table.

When the apparatus of this embodiment is operated, the station d5 composed of this XY table can correspond to any grade size.

Furthermore, it is also possible to place an apple of color A on the transport lane (D) 11 _D ′ and supply it to the circulation conveyor 15D, and to supply an apple of color D to the circulation conveyor 15A as well. Therefore, the station d5 composed of the XY table can easily correspond to a type of apple having a large distribution rate when the distribution rate of any one of the color tones A or D has a large distribution rate.

In the present embodiment, 24 swivel arm type fruit catchers and 15 XY tables are used for sorting and boxing of apples for stations corresponding to 4 color tones × 8 size classes = 32 types. Mostly automated.

90 of 120 employees at the sorting and shipping site for apples equipped with the conventional device (Fig. 2) were arranged in the unloader, while apples equipped with this embodiment (Fig. 1) At the sorting / shipping site, the number of workers to be stationed at the station is enough to be 20, and a total of 50 workers can be used for a day (8
We were able to sort and box 150,000 apples per hour.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the automatic sorting / boxing device of the present invention,
Only for apples, an XY table is arranged so as to be optimal for the characteristics of the statistical distribution state of the harvest content and the selection rule, and station personnel can be provided by installing the XY table in about 1/2 of each station. It has an excellent practical effect that it can be reduced to about 1/4, and it can most economically perform semi-automatic sorting / boxing work in the balance between equipment cost and running cost (mainly labor cost).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an automatic apple sorting / boxing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a conventional apple automatic sorting apparatus. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a known XY table. 11 …… Transport lane, 11 _A , 11 _A ′ …… Lane (A), 11 _B , 1
1 _B '... Lane (B), 11 _C , 11 _C ' ... Lane (C), 1
1 _D , 11 _D '... Lane (D), 12 ... Automatic weighing machine, 12' ...
... size sensor, 13 ... XY table, 13a ... tray feeder, 13b ... delivery conveyor, 14 ... shipping conveyor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Conveying lanes of four rows (11 _A ′, 11 _B ′, 11 _C ′, 11) for conveying a large number of apples sorted in four stages (A, B, C, D) according to color tone according to color tone _D ') and four endless circular circulating conveyors (15A, 15B, 15) of different colors to which apples are supplied from each of the above four rows of transportation lanes.
C, 15D), and a circulation conveyor for supplying and circulating and conveying an apple of color A
The 15A has one size sensor (12 ') for distinguishing the size class of apples, and four swivel arm type fruit catchers (A1, 2, A3 operated by the detection signal of the above size sensor).・ 4, A5 ・ 6, A7 ・ 8) and XY table is not provided, and a circulation conveyor for feeding and circulating and conveying apples of color B
15B has two size sensors (12 ') similar to the above, and eight swivel-arm type fruit catchers (B1 to B) operated by the detection signals of the size sensors.
8) is provided, and 6 to 8 of the above eight swivel-arm type fruit catchers are provided with one XY table (13) each, and the color tone C Circulation conveyor that feeds and circulates apples
15C has two size sensors (12 ') similar to the above, and eight swivel-arm type fruit catchers (C1 to C) activated by the detection signals of the size sensors.
8) is provided, and 6 to 8 of the above eight swivel-arm-shaped fruit catchers are provided with one XY table (13) each, and the color tone D Circulation conveyor that feeds and circulates apples
15D has one size sensor (12 ') similar to the above, and four swing arm type fruit catchers (D1, 2,
D3, 4, D5, 6, D7, 8) are provided, and only one or two fruit catchers of the above four fruit catchers are provided with an XY table.
Automatic apple sorting and boxing device.