JPH0825621B2 - Alignment transfer device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an alignment transfer device for stably transferring lump-shaped fruits and vegetables supplied on a selection conveyor in a single line from a previous process on the selection conveyor.

(Conventional technology and its problems) Conventionally, lump-shaped fruits and vegetables (hereinafter simply referred to as "vegetables")
When the fruits and vegetables are separated front and back on the sorting conveyor on the sorting conveyor, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, above the starting end portion 34 of the sorting conveyor 3, a long-hair rotating brush device, a so-called rotary-driving brush is used. A roller 5 is provided to stably transfer the fruits and vegetables supplied separately from the supply conveyor on the selection conveyor.

However, since the above-described conventional aligning and transferring device composed of brush rollers rotates a brush roller having uniform brush bristles, the outer peripheral surface of the brush roller that comes into contact with the upper surface of the fruit or vegetable depending on the size (height) of the fruit or vegetable. Since the speed (peripheral speed) of each is different, the fruits and vegetables can be rolled forward or backward by the brush roller, causing over-pushing and pushing too much. The fruits and vegetables that were fed onto the sorting conveyor and separated from each other in front and back were sometimes connected to each other on the sorting conveyor or dropped from the sorting conveyor.

In other words, when fruits and vegetables in a connected state are conveyed on a sorting conveyor, the measuring device (imaging device) may mistakenly measure the connected fruits and vegetables as a single lump, and this may result in large variations in the sorting results. There is a problem that (mixture) occurs and reliability is lowered.

In addition, when the connected state of fruits and vegetables is determined, the connected fruits and vegetables must be returned to the previous step (previous stage of the selection conveyor) and supplied, and there is a problem that the efficiency of the selection processing decreases.

On the other hand, if fruits and vegetables fall from the sorting conveyor, the fruits and vegetables will be damaged and an empty space will be created on the sorting conveyor, leading to a decrease in the filling (supply) rate on the sorting conveyor, that is, a reduction in the sorting efficiency. It was the cause.

In addition, in recent years, the sorting conveyor has been used at a high speed due to the increase in the throughput of the sorting facility, but in the conventional alignment transfer device using brush rollers, the speed of the sorting conveyor has increased and the inertia at the transfer portion of fruits and vegetables has increased. There is a problem such as a high pop-out rate, and improvement is desired.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) Therefore, the present invention, in the width direction (transverse direction) of the lump-shaped and easily rolled fruits and vegetables supplied on the sorting conveyor in a row from the previous step on the sorting conveyor. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment and transfer device that can improve the sorting accuracy and sorting processing efficiency by aligning them in a substantially central portion and stably transporting them.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the alignment transfer device of the present invention is a stable transfer of the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables supplied to the starting end of the selection conveyor in a row from the previous step on the selection conveyor. In the alignment transfer device, a large number of elastic bristles having elasticity in an endless belt that rotates endlessly have a length shorter than both ends at a central portion in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transfer direction of the endless belt. The brush bristles that are planted and are softer than the brush bristles at the both ends contact the bristles that are conveyed on the sorting conveyor at the transfer upstream part and the middle-stream part. As such, and in the downstream portion of the transfer, while the brush bristles are provided above the sorting conveyor so as to gradually separate from the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables, the transfer speed of the brush conveyor is set to that of the sorting conveyor. The configuration is characterized in that it is substantially the same as the transport speed.

(Function) In one example from the previous process, the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables supplied to the starting end of the selection conveyor are guided and transferred from above by the brush conveyor. The lump-shaped fruits and vegetables transferred by the sorting conveyor and the brush conveyor, the brush bristles of the brush conveyor are planted at a length shorter than both ends at the center during transfer, and the bristles at the center are both ends. Is centered on the central portion by being softer than the brush bristles in the section, and the centered fruits and vegetables are restricted from rolling toward the both ends by the bristles on the both ends, and the centered fruits and vegetables are laterally moved on the sorting conveyor. Align with the center of the direction. The lump-shaped fruits and vegetables aligned in the substantially central portion on the sorting conveyor are provided so that the brush conveyor is gradually separated from the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables in the downstream portion of the transfer, so that the contact with the bristles is gradually released. Therefore, it is stably transported without being squeezed out on the sorting conveyor.

(Embodiment) A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view including the front and rear devices showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a vibrating feeder for forming a column using the previous step as a feeder. Reference numeral 2 is a supply conveyor connected to the downstream side of the vibrator feeder 1. Three
Is a sorting conveyor connected to the downstream side of the supply conveyor 2. Therefore, the vibrating feeder 1, the supply conveyor 2 and the selection conveyor 3 are connected in series. 4 is an alignment transfer device.

The vibrating feeder 1 for arranging is formed such that the upper surface of the vibrating plate 11 is wide so as to widely receive the fruits and vegetables 10 on the inlet side 12 and is gradually narrowed from the inlet side 12 to the outlet side 13. The vibrating feeder for arranging described in JP-B-56-47147 and JP-B-61-27856 previously proposed by the present applicant can be used. Further, the feeding device including the vibrator feeder may be another mechanism as long as it can align and feed fruits and vegetables.

The supply conveyor 2 uses a belt conveyor having a width suitable for placing the fruits and vegetables 10 arranged in a line by the vibrating feeder 1 in a line. Reference numeral 21 denotes a front end pulley of the supply conveyor 2, which is formed to have a small diameter in order to reduce a drop in the transfer to the selection conveyor 3. The conveyance speed of the supply conveyor 2 is such that the fruits and vegetables 10 that are conveyed in a close front and rear direction on the supply conveyor 2 have a predetermined gap on the front and rear on the selection conveyor 3 that is conveyed at a predetermined speed slightly higher than the supply conveyor 2. Set to the resulting speed.

The appearance of the sorting conveyor 3 is measured by a measuring device 31 such as a measuring sensor (camera or the like) while the fruits and vegetables 10 supplied in a line from the supplying conveyor 2 are being conveyed,
The fruits and vegetables 10 are discharged by the arithmetic processing unit (not shown) to the pull-out conveyor 33 from the predetermined sorting / discharging section 32 after the predetermined sorting is determined.

Although the sorting conveyor 3 has a three-row type in the drawing, it may have a different number of rows depending on the amount of sorting of the fruits and vegetables 10. Furthermore, the transport speed of the sorting conveyor 3 is set to be slightly higher than the transport speed of the supply conveyor 2 in order to transport the fruits and vegetables 10 in the front and rear directions as described above.

34 is the starting end of the sorting conveyor 3. Reference numeral 35 is a driven sprocket of the sorting conveyor 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the alignment transfer device 4 has
A brush conveyor 401 is configured by attaching a large number of brushes 41 in which a large number of brush bristles 410 are planted on a narrow-width plate-shaped substrate 411 to a conveyor chain 42 that rotates endlessly at regular intervals.

The brush 41 has a central portion as shown in FIG.
412 has a length shorter than both ends 413a and 413b, and both ends 413
Brush bristles 410a, which are softer than a and 413b, are planted in a width of approximately the diameter of the fruits and vegetables 10. The surface of the bristles 410 of the brush bristles 410 is formed in an arc shape in accordance with the average formation of the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables 10. By forming the brush 41 in this way, a tunnel-shaped transfer path 36 is formed between the upper surface 301 of the sorting conveyor and the central portion 412 of the brush 41, and the fruit and vegetables 10 are centered in the transfer path 36. Can be aligned.

In the figure, 43 is a sprocket on which the conveyor chain 42 is wound endlessly. Reference numeral 44 is a chain rail for guiding the traveling of the conveyor chain 42. 45 is a conveyor frame.

As a different method of the structure of the brush 41, the brush bristles 410 may be planted on the upper surface of the belt 414 that rotates endlessly as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, 46 is a pulley for running the belt 414 endlessly, and 47a and 47b are belt receiving rollers for guiding the running of the belt 414.

The brush conveyor 401 has its starting end 402 located close to the starting end 34 of the sorting conveyor 3 and also has a starting end 402.
Further, in the middle stream portion, the brush bristles 410 are provided so as to face each other in substantially parallel to the upper surface 301 of the sorting conveyor, and in the transfer downstream portion 403, the bristles 410 are provided so as to gradually rise away from the fruits and vegetables 10 on the upper surface 301 of the sorting conveyor. Has been.

The position (height) of the brush conveyor 401 is such that the brush bristles 410 are on the upper surface of the fruits and vegetables 10 supplied to the upper surface 301 of the sorting conveyor.
Can be in a position where it comes into light contact from above.

The length of the brush conveyor 401 (captain) is 10
It is preferable to set it appropriately according to the size and shape of the.

Reference numeral 48 denotes a drive device for the brush conveyor 401, which makes the transfer speed of the brush conveyor 401 and the transfer speed of the sorting conveyor 3 substantially the same.

Reference numeral 49 is a conveyor support fitting for supporting the brush conveyor 401, which is vertically movably installed on the mounting base 50.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. The fruits and vegetables 10 supplied to the starting end portion 34 of the sorting conveyor 3 separated from each other in the front and rear direction are contacted from above and rotate endlessly. The brush bristles 410a of the central portion 412 of the brush conveyor 401 have both end portions 413a, 4a.
While being centered on this central portion 412 by a length shorter than 13b and by being soft, the centered fruits and vegetables 10 are harder than the brush bristles 410a of the central portion 412, and the bristles 410a of the both ends 413a, 413b, By 410b,
Rolling toward both ends 413a and 413b is regulated, and the sorting conveyor 3 is conveyed at a substantially central portion. This brush conveyor 401
The fruits and vegetables 10 on the sorting conveyor 3 which are being transferred are stabilized on the sorting conveyor 3 by absorbing the rolling inertia generated when they are supplied to the sorting conveyor 3 from the previous process. The fruits and vegetables 10 on the sorting conveyor 3 that are stably transferred are brush conveyors 401.
When it reaches the transfer downstream portion 403, the fruits and vegetables 10 are gradually released from the restraint (contact) from above the brush conveyor 401, and are sent while being separated forward and backward without rolling on the sorting conveyor 3.

The fruits and vegetables 10 which are separated in the front-rear direction on the sorting conveyor 3 and are conveyed in a single line are subjected to measurement by the measuring device 31 to measure the appearance state thereof, and the arithmetic processing device (not shown) determines a predetermined sorting category. Based on this determination result, the fruits and vegetables 10 are discharged from the predetermined sorting discharge unit 32 onto the pull-out conveyor 33.

The above description and the accompanying drawings are merely examples of the embodiment, and do not limit the invention, and the invention can be applied to an apparatus whose design is partially modified as long as the contents are set forth in the claims. Of course.

(Effect of the invention) As described above, according to the alignment and transfer device of the present invention, since the shaking and rolling of the fruits and vegetables that occur when they are supplied from the previous step onto the sorting conveyor are prevented, the fruits and vegetables on the sorting conveyor can be prevented. It is possible to improve the sorting accuracy by performing accurate measurement because the connected state disappears, and to significantly improve the sorting efficiency by eliminating the connected state of fruits and vegetables and reducing the amount of fruits and vegetables returned to the previous process. Is something that can be done.

The fruits and vegetables supplied on the sorting conveyor from the previous step have a large number of bristles planted at a length shorter than both ends in the central portion in the lateral direction perpendicular to the transfer direction of the endless belt, and the central portion. The brush bristles in the part are centered in the center by being softer than the bristles in the both ends, and the centered fruits and vegetables are restricted from rolling toward the both ends by the bristles in the both ends. It is aligned on the center of the sorting conveyor in the lateral direction and does not fall from the sorting conveyor. For this reason, it is possible to prevent damage to fruits and vegetables caused by dropping which has conventionally occurred, and to improve the filling (supply) rate, that is, the sorting efficiency.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a brush conveyor above the sorting conveyor so that the brush bristles gradually separate from the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables in the downstream portion thereof, and the transfer speed of the brush conveyor is substantially the same as the transfer speed of the sorting conveyor. By doing so, since fruits and vegetables are not squeezed out unlike the conventional brush roll, it is possible to cope with the speedup of the sorting conveyor.

[Brief description of drawings]

Each of the drawings is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same. FIG. 3 shows a detailed portion of the brush conveyor. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the brush conveyor. 6 and 7 are explanatory views of a conventional rotary brush roller. 1 ... Vibrate feeder, 2 ... Supply conveyor, 3 ... Sorting conveyor, 4 ... Alignment transfer device, 5 ... Brush roller, 10 ... Fruits and vegetables, 11 ... Vibration plate, 12 ... Entrance side, 13 ... Exit side , 21 ...... Tip pulley 31 …… Measuring device, 32 …… Sorting and discharging part 33 …… Pulling conveyor, 34 …… Starting end part 35 …… Driven sprocket, 36 …… Transfer path 41 …… Brush, 42 …… Conveyor chain 43 …… sprocket, 44 …… chain rail 45 …… conveyor frame, 46 …… pulley 47 …… belt receiving roller, 48 …… driving device 49 …… supporting metal, 50 …… mounting base 301 …… selecting conveyor top surface, 401 …… Brush conveyor 402 …… Starting part, 403 …… Transfer downstream part 410 …… Brush bristles, 411 …… Substrate 412 …… Center part, 413 …… Both ends 414 …… Belt

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An alignment transfer device for stably transferring the lumpy fruits and vegetables supplied to the starting end of the sorting conveyor in a single line from the preceding step, wherein elasticity is imparted to the endless belt that rotates endlessly. A large number of bristles having are planted with a length shorter than both ends at a central portion in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transfer direction of the endless belt, and the bristle at the central portion is more than the bristles at the both ends. The soft brush conveyor is such that brush hairs contact the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables conveyed on the selection conveyor in the upstream and middle-stream portions of the transfer, and the brush hairs gradually separate from the lump-shaped fruits and vegetables in the transfer downstream portion. And a transfer speed of the brush conveyor is substantially the same as the transfer speed of the selection conveyor.