JP6641431B2 - Fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method, fruit and vegetable body, fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention measures the shape and size of the fruits and vegetables while transporting the fruits and vegetables, distinguishes the fruits and vegetables by equal rank based on the measurement result, and continuously performs a series of operations until sorting by the determined grades. The present invention relates to an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting method, a fruit and vegetable placing body on which fruit can be placed upon sorting, and an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus using the fruit and vegetable placing body.

  Large-sized fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, tangerines, oranges, onions, kiwis, persimmons, etc. Various fruits and vegetables, such as fruits and vegetables that are easily damaged such as strawberries, are brought to a fruit sorting yard after harvesting, and the operator visually selects the presence or absence of damage, coloring, deformation, etc. at the fruit sorting yard, and shapes, sizes, sugar content. And the like are measured by a measuring instrument and discriminated according to the rank, fruits and vegetables after the classification are sorted according to the rank, and the sorted fruits and vegetables are shipped in boxes. In the following description, the discrimination by the measurement and the sorting after the discrimination are collectively referred to as sorting, and the shape, size, and the like are referred to as equal classes.

  An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus is used for the fruit and vegetable sorting operation. As an automatic fruit sorting apparatus, there is an automatic fruit sorting apparatus developed by the present applicant (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5).

JP 2011-173122 A JP 2011-102175 A JP 2011-037550 A JP 2010-115654 A JP 2008-285328 A

  In the conventional fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device, a large number of fruit and vegetable mounting bodies are attached to an endless traveling rotating body such as a chain and a timing belt, and the fruit and vegetable placing body travels along with the traveling rotation of the endless traveling rotating body, and the traveling fruit and vegetable is driven. Fruits and vegetables placed on the body can be automatically transported, and the shape, size, etc. are measured during transport and discriminated to a predetermined grade of equivalent grade, and further transported, discriminated by grade. According to the result of the determination, the fruits and vegetables thus delivered are sent to the side in the fruit and vegetable transport direction so that they can be sorted according to the same class.

  The fruit loading body is a belt conveyor type in which the belt is rotatably wound around a frame that can be attached to the endless running rotating body. The belt rotates during conveyance, and the fruits placed on the belt rotate in the belt rotation direction ( The belt is rotated in the reverse direction during feeding (sorting) to the side in the conveyance direction (after sorting), and after running (after sorting), and returns to the original position.

  Since the fruit vegetable placing body has one belt wound around one frame, and the fruit vegetable is placed on each belt, it is a long fruit vegetable such as cucumbers, a large watermelon such as watermelon, melon, etc. In this case, if the width of the belt is short, it cannot be placed. For this reason, several fruit and vegetable automatic sorting devices equipped with fruit vegetable loading bodies with different widths and lengths of belts must be introduced at fruit sorting facilities according to the size, length, length and shape of the fruits, which is very costly. Met. In addition, a large installation space was required, and if it could not be prepared, it could not be introduced.

  An object of the present invention is to enable sorting of fruits and vegetables irrespective of their size, length, length and shape.

  The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method of the present invention, the fruit is placed on a large number of belts attached to the endless traveling rotating body and horizontally transferred and turned up and down and transported, and the shape, size, and the like of the vegetable are measured during transport. In the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting method, which sorts fruits and vegetables according to the discrimination result and sends them to the side in the transport direction according to the discrimination result, one fruit and vegetable is placed on two or more adjacent belts and transported. During transportation, the shape and size of the fruits and vegetables are measured to determine the grade of the fruits and vegetables. Then, two or more belts on which the fruits and vegetables are placed are synchronized to the side of the fruits and vegetables transport direction (the fruits and vegetables transport direction). Reciprocating or one-way circulating rotation to send fruits and vegetables to the side in the transport direction and sort them by grade. After sorting, the belt And before placing the said two or more belts, back to the original position before placing the fruit vegetables, is the fruit vegetables placed portions of the belt and fruiting automatic sorting method to align in a line.

  In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method, the fruits and vegetables are placed forward in the fruit and vegetable sending direction than the supports protruding above the respective belts, and the supports are moved together with the belt, and the supports are placed on the belt. Fruit vegetables can be supported from behind.

  In the fruit and vegetable mounting body of the present invention, a belt is rotatably wound around a frame, a frame is attached to the endless traveling rotating body, and travels with the traveling of the endless traveling rotating body, and the fruit and vegetable placed on the belt is moved. The belt can be conveyed in the traveling direction, and one belt is mounted on one frame, or a plurality of belts are arranged on one frame in the width direction so as to be rotatable, and the belts are separately wound. It is reciprocable or unidirectionally circulatingly rotatable, and supports are protruded above the respective belts, and the belts reciprocate or unidirectionally rotate with the respective supports.

  In the fruit and vegetable mounting body of the present invention, two or more belts are rotatably wound side by side in one frame in a width direction thereof, and the two or more belts are arranged at intervals at which one fruit and vegetable can be straddled. Two or more belts adjacent to each other and straddling fruit and vegetables are synchronously reciprocally movable or one-way circulatingly rotatable.

  The belt of the fruit and vegetable mounting body may be wound around a frame with the tip side of the fruit and vegetable delivery direction diagonally forward or diagonally rearward.

  The fruit and vegetable mounting body has a support protruding above the belt, and a protrusion protruding below the belt, and the upper running portion of the belt reciprocates in one direction with respect to the belt winding direction with the reciprocation of the protrusion. It may rotate in a circulating manner. In this case, each belt is provided with a slit along the running direction of the belt at a central portion (including a substantially central portion) in a lateral width direction, and a lower portion of the protrusion penetrates the slit and is lower than a lower running portion of the belt. May protrude.

  The fruit-vegetable placing body may be provided with a fruit-vegetable placing part for placing the fruit and vegetables on the upper running portion of the belt and immediately forward in the moving direction of the support.

  The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus of the present invention is provided with a fruit and vegetable transporter in which a number of fruit and vegetable placing bodies are mounted in a row in the traveling direction of the endless traveling rotating body, and the fruit and vegetable are placed and transported on a number of fruit and vegetable placing bodies. A measuring instrument that measures the shape, size, etc. of the fruits and vegetables to determine the fruits and vegetables by grade, and can automatically send the determined fruits and vegetables to the sides of the fruit transport direction (sortable) In the device, the fruit and vegetable placing body which is mounted in a row in a row on the endless running rotary body is any one of the fruit and vegetable placing bodies described above, and the fruit and vegetable placing body is placed on two or more adjacent belts to place one fruit and vegetable. The belts are attached to the endless running rotator at an interval that allows them to travel along with the running of the endless running rotator so that the fruits and vegetables placed on the belt can be transported. Two or more DOO is rotated reciprocating or unidirectional circulating synchronously during transport, there a deliverable for fruit vegetables on them two or more belt in the conveying direction side.

  A forward guide is provided in the sorting area of the fruit and vegetable transporter, below the belt of the fruit and vegetable carrier, to reciprocate the protrusion of the running fruit and vegetable carrier based on the determination result, and the forward guide is provided by a switching member. The traveling direction of the protrusions of the fruit and vegetable mounting body can be switched, and the protrusions connected to two or more belts on which one fruit vegetable is straddling are synchronously moved, so that the upper traveling part of the fruit and vegetable mounting body belt Can be reciprocated sideways in the transport direction, fruits and vegetables placed on the upper traveling portion can be sent out to the side and sorted by grade, and the fruit and vegetables placed body after sorting is a fruit and vegetables transporter. A return guide is provided in the area until returning to the fruit vegetable loading area, and this return guide moves the protrusion moved by the forward guide in the reverse direction, and returns to the original position before the upper traveling portion puts the fruit vegetable. Of the belt Greens put part are so aligned in a row.

  In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device, the belt of the fruit and vegetable placing body attached to the endless traveling rotating body can be arranged such that the front end side in the rotation direction of the belt is directed obliquely rearward, diagonally forward or just beside.

  The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device is configured to visually discriminate the fruit and vegetable mounting body by color by changing the color of a support or a belt of the fruit and vegetable mounting body at an arbitrary number of places among a large number of fruit and vegetable mounting bodies attached to the endless traveling rotating body. You can do it.

  In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device, a tracking switch is arranged at least in a fruit and vegetable loading area of the fruit and vegetable transporter, and a number of tracking switches are mounted on the endless traveling rotating body for the switch in a line in the traveling direction, and the endless traveling rotating body for the switch. The tracking switch can be a pair of two or more tracking switches, and when the worker places the fruit and vegetables on the body belt in the fruit and vegetable loading area, the user can visually check the fruits for damage, color, deformation, etc. It is also possible to make a judgment and operate the tracking switches of each set so that fruits and vegetables can be sorted in advance before being sorted in the judgment area.

  The tracking switch may be arranged on the side in the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable transporter, on the side where an operator who places fruits and vegetables on the fruit and vegetable receiver, or on the side opposite to the fruit and vegetable transporter.

The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method, fruit and vegetable placing body and fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device of the present invention have the following effects.
(1) One fruit can be placed not only on individual belts depending on its size, but also on two or more belts. Therefore, fruits and vegetables of various shapes and sizes are placed and sorted. It is possible to sort fruits and vegetables of various shapes and sizes with one machine.
(2) Since the supporting tool serves as a guide for positioning the fruit and vegetables on the body, the fruit and vegetables are automatically arranged in a line when the supporting tool is used as a guide and the shape and size of the fruit and vegetables are determined. The measurement can be accurately performed by a measuring instrument installed above, below, or on the side of the fruit vegetables, and the measurement accuracy is improved.
(3) The fruits and vegetables placed on the body can be supported by the support, so that the misalignment and fall of the fruits and vegetables during transportation can be prevented, and the easily perishable fruits and vegetables can be transported, measured and sorted without being damaged. .
(4) If the front end side in the rotation direction of the belt is arranged obliquely toward the rear or forward in the fruit and vegetable transport direction, the delivery speed of the fruit and vegetables delivered to the pool conveyor arranged on the side of the fruit and vegetable loading body is reduced, and the inertia is reduced. Falling can be prevented.
(5) Since the belt of the fruit and vegetable placing body can be reciprocated or can be rotated in one direction, the belt conveyor automatically returns to the original position before placing the fruit and vegetables after the fruit and vegetables are delivered, and puts the next fruit and vegetables on. Since the fruit and vegetables are placed on the body, the fruits and vegetables are transported in a line, and can pass under or beside the measuring device as an example, so that the measurement accuracy is improved.

The perspective view which shows an example of the fruit-and-vegetables mounting body of this invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the fruit and vegetable mounting body of FIG. 1. The perspective view which shows an example which moved the supporter of the fruit-and-vegetables mounting body of FIG. 1 forward. The bottom plan view of the fruit-and-vegetables mounting body of this invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a case where fruits and vegetables are transported by the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus of the present invention, and the determined fruits and vegetables are sent obliquely forward in the transport direction. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the tracking switch in the fruit and vegetable automatic sorter of this invention. The perspective view which shows an example of the fruit-and-vegetables conveyance body in the fruit and vegetable automatic sorter of this invention. The bottom view which shows an example of the fruit-and-vegetables conveyance body in the fruit and vegetable automatic sorter of this invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view when fruits and vegetables are transported by the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus of the present invention, and the determined fruits and vegetables are sent obliquely backward in the transport direction.

[Embodiment of automatic vegetable sorting method]
One example of the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method of the present invention is a belt of a fruit and vegetable loading body 1 attached to a large number of endless traveling rotating bodies 21 such as chains, timing belts, etc., which run horizontally, turn up and down and circulate as shown in FIG. Automatic sorting of fruits and vegetables by transporting fruits and vegetables, measuring the size, shape, etc. of fruits and vegetables during transportation and discriminating equal ranks, sending fruit vegetables A to the side in the transport direction according to the discrimination result, and sorting by each rank In the method, one fruit and vegetable is put on several belts of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 and transported, and the shape, size, etc. of the fruit and vegetable A being transported are measured and determined for each rank, and after the determination, During the conveyance, the two or more belts 4 are synchronously rotated laterally in the conveyance direction according to the discrimination result, and the fruits A are sent out to the side (rotation direction) to be sorted, and the sorted fruit and vegetable body 1 is sorted. Until the fruit vegetable A is placed, the two or more When the fruit 4 is returned to its original position before placing the fruits and vegetables, the fruits and vegetables A are placed on the returned belt 4, and the fruits and vegetables A are placed in a line. That's how it works.

  In the automatic vegetable sorting method, the vegetable A is placed on the tip of the support 5 protruding from the belt 4 of the fruit vegetable placing body 1, and the support 5 is moved in the same direction as the rotation direction of the belt 4. The fruit vegetables A placed on the belt 4 can be supported from behind.

[Embodiment of Fruit Vegetables Body]
An example of an embodiment of a fruit and vegetable mounting body of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The fruit and vegetable placing body 1 shown in these figures is of a belt conveyor type, and several belt winding portions 3 (four in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4) are provided in the width direction of one frame 2. A belt 4 is rotatably wound around 3. Support members 5 are projected above the upper running portions 4a of the respective belts 4, and pins (projections) 6 are projected below the lower running portions 4b of the respective belts 4.

(flame)
The frame 2 is formed of metal, hard resin, FRP, or the like. Four belt winding portions 3 are provided in one frame 2, the adjacent belt winding portions 3 are slanted, and the front end and the rear end are formed. The positions of the belts 4 are obliquely shifted so that the belt 4 wound around the front end and the rear end is inclined. Rollers 7 are rotatably attached to the front end and the rear end of each of the belt winding portions 3.

(belt)
The belt 4 is rotatably wound around the outer circumference of the pair of rollers 7. The width and length of each belt 4 vary depending on the fruits and vegetables to be placed, but a width suitable for placing the fruits and vegetables, for example, about 10 to 15 cm for tomato and about 30 cm for cucumber is suitable. In the case of large size fruits and vegetables such as watermelons and melons, it is necessary to increase the width and length. The width of the belt 4 shown in FIG. 1 is approximately the same as (including substantially the same as) the width of the belt winding portion 3 and is approximately 2 to 3 cm, and is approximately 8 to 12 cm with the four belts provided in parallel. . The length L of the belt (FIG. 1) is about 15 cm. The width of the belt 4 is set so that at least small fruits and short fruits can be placed one by one. In the case of long fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers and eggplants, they can be put on two or more adjacent belts 4 as shown in FIG. A slit 9 is opened substantially at the center in the lateral width direction of each belt 4 and over substantially the entire length of the belt 4.

  When a large number of narrow belts 4 are arranged, two or several adjacent belts 4 may be a set of units. In this case, the fruits and vegetables A can be put on each unit, and the fruits and vegetables A can be sent out by simultaneously rotating the belt 4 of the unit on which the fruits and vegetables A are placed in the same direction (rotating synchronously).

(Fruit and vegetable section)
The upper running portion 4a of the belt 4 is provided with a fruit and vegetable placing portion 8 (FIG. 1) on which the fruit and vegetable A can be placed. The fruit and vegetable mounting portion 8 may be provided with a mark or nothing on the upper surface of the belt 4, but a part of the upper surface of the belt 4 may have a structure in which the fruit and vegetable A does not easily fall over or may be made of a material which is hard to slip. You can also.

(Support)
The support member 5 is formed of resin separately from the belt 4 and is fixed on the upper running portion 4a of the belt 4 with a fixing member (for example, a screw). In this case, a protrusion 6 is arranged on the back surface of the upper running portion 4a, and the protrusion 6 is fixed to the upper running portion 4a together with the support 5 by the fixing tool. The lower end of the projection 6 penetrates through the slit 9 of the belt 4 and protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the frame 2 (FIG. 2). The belt 4, the support 5, and the protrusions 6 have this mounting structure, so that each of the protrusions 6 can reciprocate in the front-rear direction of the belt winding portion 3 (the winding direction of the belt 4: the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3). The belt 4 and the projection 6 can reciprocate in the same direction with the reciprocation.

  The illustrated support member 5 is made of a different material from the belt 4, but if possible, may be made of the same material and bonded and fixed to the upper surface of the upper running portion 4a of the belt 4 with an adhesive. The support 5 serves as a guide for positioning when placing the fruit and vegetable on the fruit and vegetable placing portion 8, and as shown in FIG. 3, displaces and falls the fruit and vegetable A while supporting the fruit and vegetable A placed on the fruit and vegetable placing portion 8 during transportation. It is possible to push the fruit vegetables A when the belt 4 rotates to feed the fruit vegetables A to the take-over body (pool conveyor: FIG. 5) 10 on the side of the fruit vegetable loading body 1.

(Projection)
Each projection 6 projects downward from the slit 9 (FIGS. 2 and 4) of the belt 4. The lower part of the protrusion 6 is guided by a rail-shaped feed guide (outbound guide: FIG. 6) arranged below the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 (FIG. 6) during the fruit and vegetable transport, and moves obliquely backward (forward movement). I can do it. When the belt 4 rotates in the same direction (diagonal rotation: forward rotation) with the movement of the protrusion 6, the fruit A on the fruit vegetable loading section 8 is sent out to the pool conveyor 10 (FIG. 5) obliquely rearward while the fruit is being conveyed. It is made to be.

  When the fruit vegetables A are straddled on two or more adjacent belts 4, the projections 6 connected to all the belts 4 carrying the fruit vegetables A are synchronized in the same direction (almost). At the same time, the belt 4 on which the fruit and vegetable A is placed is synchronously rotated in the same direction so that the fruit and vegetable A is sent out in the rotation direction.

  After the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 rotates and sends out the fruit and vegetable A, the protrusion 6 continues to move in the fruit and vegetable transporting direction and return to the original position (the position where the fruit and vegetable is placed). It is guided by a rail-shaped return guide (return guide: FIG. 6) disposed below the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 so that it can return (return) in the reverse direction. With this forward movement, the belt 4 rotates in the same direction (forward rotation), so that the fruit and vegetable placing portion 8 of the belt 4 of the large number of fruit and vegetable placing bodies 1 returns to the original position before the forward rotation and is arranged in a row or substantially as an example. It is arranged in order.

[Embodiment of automatic fruit and vegetable sorter]
An embodiment of an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus 20 shown in these figures, a fruit and vegetable transporting body 22 is formed by mounting a large number of fruit and vegetable placing bodies 1 in a row in the traveling direction of an endless traveling rotating body 21 such as a chain or a timing belt. A measuring device (measuring device) B is provided in the conveying direction of the fruit and vegetable conveying body 22. The measuring device B measures the shape, size, and the like of the fruit and vegetable A that is carried on the fruit and vegetable placing body 1. A tracking switch 23 is disposed in a fruit vegetable loading area 24 of the fruit vegetable transport body 22.

(Endless running rotating body)
A chain, a timing belt, and the like are used for the endless traveling rotating body 21, and they are wound around the outer circumference of a driving wheel H1 and a driven wheel H2 which are rotated by a motor M, and can be rotated with the rotation of the wheels H1, H2. is there. In this case, the running endless running rotator 21 moves horizontally, turns around the outside of the upper wheel (driven wheel) from the top to the bottom at the turning point, changes the direction, and turns the outside of the other gear (drive gear). It turns around from below and turns and circulates and rotates.

(Fruit carrier)
The fruit and vegetable transport body 22 has a plurality of belt conveyor type fruit and vegetable mounting bodies 1 arranged in a row on two endless traveling rotating bodies 21 arranged in parallel. The length of the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 varies depending on the size of the fruit sorting place, but is usually several tens of meters, and sometimes 100 m or more, and is from the left side (forward side in the transport direction) to the right side (forward side in the transport direction) in FIG. Next, in order, the fruit and vegetable A is placed on the fruit and vegetable A loading area 24, the discrimination area 25 for measuring the shape, size, sugar content, etc. of the fruit and vegetable A being conveyed and discriminating them according to their ranks. A sorting area 26 for separately sending and sorting is provided.

  In FIG. 5, the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 is attached obliquely rearward with respect to the traveling direction of the endless traveling rotating body 21, but in the present invention, the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 is attached to the endless traveling rotating body 21 as shown in FIG. It can also be mounted obliquely forward with respect to the running direction. It can also be attached to the endless running rotator 21 in the running direction.

(Fruits area)
The fruit and vegetable mounting area 24 is a place (space) where an operator manually places the fruit and vegetable A one by one on the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 and has a length that can accommodate several workers.

(Sorting area)
The discrimination area 25 is a place (space) for measuring the shape, size, sugar content, and the like of the fruit and vegetable A being placed on the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 and being transported, and a measuring instrument B is disposed therein. The measuring device B can be arranged above the discrimination area 25 so that the fruit and vegetables A being transported can be measured from above. Alternatively, the measuring instrument B can be arranged beside the discrimination area 25 and the fruit and vegetables A being transported can be measured from the side. Measurement can be performed, or measurement can be performed from below by arranging directly below. It can be arranged at other positions so that measurement can be performed from different directions. As the measuring device B, various types of measuring devices such as an optical measuring device can be used.

(Sorting area)
The sorting area 26 is a place where fruits and vegetables A measured and measured by the measuring device B of the determination area 25 and having the same rank are sent out to the side in the fruit and vegetable transport direction, and the fruits and vegetables A are sorted (sorted) by the same rank. In this sorting area 26, a rail-shaped forward guide 27 (FIG. 6) is arranged below the fruit and vegetable transport body 22.

(Outbound guide)
When the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 rotates backward in the fruit and vegetable transport direction as shown in FIG. 9, the forward guide 27 is disposed obliquely rearward with respect to the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 as shown in FIG. I have. A switching lever (switching body) 28 is disposed near each outgoing guide 27. The switching lever 28 can be switched between the normal position and the course change position based on the determination result in the determination area 25. When the switching lever 28 is in the normal position, the protrusion 6 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 passes directly in the fruit and vegetable transport direction (straight forward). Then, the fruit and vegetable A placed on the upper running portion 4a of the belt 4 without rotating the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 is not sent to the side. When the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 that has passed the forward guide 27 reaches the original sorting position, the switching lever 28 is switched to the course change position based on the determination result in the determination area 25, and the protrusion 6 moves along the forward guide 27. The belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 moves forward and backward in the fruit and vegetable transport direction (FIGS. 6 and 9), and the fruit and vegetable on the fruit and vegetable placing part 8 of the upper running part 4a of the belt 4 moves. A is sent out in the rotation direction and sent into the pool conveyor 10. In this case, since the speed at which the fruits and vegetables are delivered in the transport direction (inertia) is reduced, the fruits and vegetables A delivered to the pool conveyor 10 are less likely to fall. Fruit vegetables A can also be sent out to receivers other than the pool conveyor 10.

  When the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 rotates forward in the fruit and vegetable transport direction as shown in FIG. 5, the forward guide 27 is in the opposite direction to that in FIG. 6 (diagonally forward with respect to the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable transport body 22). With the arrangement, the belt 4 is rotated forward by the forward guide 27 in the transport direction so that the fruits and vegetables on the belt are sent out in the same direction.

  Although not shown, when the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 rotates right beside the fruit and vegetable transporting direction, the forward guide 27 is arranged directly beside the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable transporting body 22, and the belt 4 is forwarded. The fruit 27 on the belt is sent out in the same direction by being rotated by the guide 27 right beside the conveying direction.

  When the fruit vegetables A are straddled on two or more belts 4, the switching lever 28 is partitioned so that the two or more projections 6 interlocking with the belts 4 can be synchronously moved in the same direction by the forward guide 27. Switch to position.

  The switching control of the switching lever 28 is performed by a control device based on the determination result in the determination area 25.

(Return guide)
A rail-shaped return guide 29 (FIG. 6) is provided below the fruit and vegetable transporter 22 from the front of the sorting area 26 until the fruit and vegetable transporter 22 circulates and rotates back to the fruit and vegetable loading area 24. I have. The return guide 29 is disposed obliquely in a direction opposite to the forward guide rail. The return guide 29 moves the protrusion 6 of the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 in the opposite direction to the forward movement until the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 that has sent out the fruit and continues to travel and returns to the fruit and vegetable mounting area 24, and the fruit and vegetable It returns to the state before sending out (moves in the opposite direction), rotates the belt 4 interlocking with the protrusion 6 in the reverse direction, returns the fruit and vegetable placing part 8 of the upper running part 4a of the belt 4 to the state before sending out, and (Including approximately one example).

(Fruit-carrying body)
The fruit and vegetable placing body 1 attached to the endless traveling rotating body 21 may be the one shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, but has a thin frame (for example, the same as one belt winding part 3 in FIGS. 1 to 4). A narrow belt (for example, a belt having the same width as one belt 4 wound around one belt winding portion 3 in FIGS. 1 to 4) 4 reciprocates on a frame 2 having a width of about 2 mm. The supporting member (for example, having the same shape and structure as the supporting member in FIGS. 1 to 4) 5 is protruded above the belt 4, and a protrusion (for example, FIG. 4 having the same shape and structure as the support tool of FIG. 4).

  A large number of fruit and vegetable placing bodies 1 attached to the endless traveling rotating body 21 can easily be visually distinguished by changing the color of the support 5 and the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 at an arbitrary position. It is convenient.

(Tracking switch)
The tracking switch 23 is arranged in parallel with the fruit and vegetable mounting area 24 (FIGS. 5 and 6). A large number of tracking switches 23 are attached to a switch endless traveling rotating body 23a such as a chain or a timing belt in a line in the traveling direction. The switch endless traveling rotary body 23a travels horizontally, is folded from top to bottom at one folded point, and is circulated traveling from bottom to top at the other folded point. The tracking switch 23 circulates along with the circulating traveling of the switch endless rotator 23a. The tracking switch 23 can be a set of two or more, and the worker visually discriminates a flaw, a color, a deformation, and the like of the fruit and vegetable A placed on the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable body 1 in the fruit and vegetable placing area 24, and determines each group. Before the tracking switch 23 is operated and the fruit A is discriminated in the discrimination area, it can be preliminarily selected. When the tracking switch 23 is pressed, a signal thereof is transmitted to the control unit of the measurement area 25 to be fruit / vegetable sorting information.

  The tracking switch 23 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is arranged on the worker placement side of the fruit and vegetable mounting area 26 (on the side in the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 and on the near side). It can also be arranged opposite the worker arrangement side.

(Pool conveyor)
The pool conveyor 10 (FIG. 5) is also of a belt conveyor type, and has a length and a width that allow a large number of fruit vegetables A to be pooled. The pool conveyor 10 rotates so that each time the fruit vegetable A is sent out from the fruit vegetable placing body 1, it can take over the fruit vegetables one by one. The pool conveyor 10 can be moved after the fruit vegetables A are pooled in a predetermined number.

  In the case of FIG. 5, the pool conveyor 10 is arranged at two or more sides of the fruit and vegetable transport body 22 so as to be orthogonal to and parallel to the fruit and vegetable transport body 22. In FIG. 5, the pool conveyors 10 are provided by the number of the grades of the fruit and vegetable A, so that the fruit and vegetable A can be sent to each pool conveyor 10 for each grade. The pool conveyor 10 can also be arranged slightly obliquely rearward or obliquely forward with respect to the fruit and vegetable transport body 22.

  It is not necessary for all the pool conveyors 10 to have the same number of belts, the same width, the same length, etc., and the pool conveyor 10 that takes over a large number of same-grade fruits and vegetables has a large number, a wide width, and a long length. By increasing the length, many fruit vegetables A can be reliably pooled. The pool conveyor 10 which takes over the same-level fruit vegetables A having a small number of fruit vegetables A can reliably pool the fruit vegetables A even if the number thereof is reduced, the width is reduced, or the pool conveyor 10 is shortened.

  The pool conveyor 10 can be rotated at all times. However, when the fruit Vegetable A is not fed, the pool conveyor 10 is temporarily stopped and kept in a standby state. It is also possible to control so that a space for the fruit vegetables A is secured. The rotation control of the pool conveyor 10 is also performed by the control device based on the determination result in the determination area 25.

(Use example 1)
An example of using the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus of the present invention will be described below.
(1) In the fruit / vegetable placing area 24, the worker places the fruit vegetables A one by one on the fruit / vegetable placing section 8 of the running fruit / vegetable placing body 1. In this case, depending on the shape, size, and the like of the fruit and vegetable A, one fruit and vegetable A is placed on the belt 4 of one fruit and vegetable loading body 1 or placed on two or more belts 4 of the fruit and vegetable loading body 1 I do. At this time, the worker visually checks the fruit and vegetable A to determine whether there is a scratch, deformation, coloring, etc., places the fruit and vegetable on the body 1, and presses the tracking switch 23 (FIGS. 5 and 6) according to the determination result. . For example, if there is a small scratch on the loaded fruit and vegetable A, one of the pair of tracking switches 23 is pressed, and if there is a difficulty in coloring, both the pair of tracking switches 23 are pressed. . Fruit vegetables A that cannot be sold as a product due to extreme scratches or extreme deformation are not placed on the fruit vegetable placing body 1.
(2) The fruit and vegetable A placed in the fruit and vegetable loading area 24 is transported by the fruit and vegetable carrier 22 and reaches the discrimination area 25. The size, shape, and the like are measured by the measuring instrument B, and the class is automatically determined. Is done.
(3) The measured fruits and vegetables A are conveyed to the sorting area 26 by the endless traveling rotating body 21 traveling. In the sorting area 26, it is instructed which fruit vegetable A of which fruit vegetable placing body 1 is to be sent out to which pool conveyor 10 based on the determination result, and based on this instruction, the switching lever 28 is switched to the course changing position, and the fruit vegetable to be sent out is sent. The protrusion 6 of the belt 4 on which A is placed is guided by the forward guide 27. When the fruit and vegetable A is straddled over two or more belts 4, the two or more switching levers 28 operate in synchronization, and the projections 6 of the two or more fruit and vegetable placing bodies 1 are almost synchronously in the same direction. Will be guided to.
(4) When the protrusion 6 of the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 is guided by the forward guide 27, the upper running portion 4a of the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 moves in the same direction as the protrusion 6, and the belt 4 of the upper running portion 4a ( The fruits and vegetables A placed on FIGS. 1 and 3) are sent out to the pool conveyor 10 (sorted according to grade). At this time, the pool conveyor 10 rotates by one fruit and vegetable, and a space for placing only one fruit and vegetable A is secured.
(5) In the above (3), when there is an instruction to convey the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 as it is, the switching lever 28 does not operate and remains stopped at the path unchanged position, and the fruit and vegetable A on which the fruit and vegetable A is placed is placed. The protrusion 6 of the body 1 passes through the forward guide 27. When the fruit and vegetable A is passed and transported to the original sorting position, the switching lever 28 is switched to the course change position based on the measurement result, and the protrusion 6 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 is guided by the forward guide 27. Then, the protrusion 6 and the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable mounting body 1 rotate in the same manner as in the case of (4), and the fruit and vegetables are sent out to the pool conveyor 10 on the side of the fruit and vegetable transport.
(6) By repeating the above (3) to (5), the determined fruits and vegetables are sent to the pool conveyor 10 for each grade in the sorting area 26 and sorted by the grade.
(7) When the fruit and vegetable carrier 1 is directed obliquely rearward in the transport direction of the fruit and vegetable carrier 22, the fruit A on the fruit and vegetable carrier 1 is sent obliquely rearward and the delivery speed is reduced. At the time of being fed to the fruit 10, there is no possibility of falling due to too much momentum due to the feeding inertia or colliding with the fruit Veget A that has been previously pooled on the pool conveyor 10, so that the fruit Veget A is hardly damaged.
(8) The fruit vegetable placing body 1 that has delivered the fruit vegetable A continues traveling as it is by the endless traveling rotating body 21 and returns to the fruit vegetable placing area 24. Before returning, the protrusions 6 are guided by the return guide 29 disposed in the middle of the fruit and vegetable transporting body 22 and automatically returned to the original position before the fruit and vegetables are sent out. With this return, the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 automatically returns to the original position before the fruit and vegetable A is sent out, and the fruit and vegetable placing portions 8 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the many belts 4 are aligned.
(9) The fruit vegetables A sent out to the pool conveyor 10 are pooled until a certain quantity is reached, and then sent to the next work step by the rotation of the pool conveyor 10.

  In the above embodiment, the belt 4 reciprocates, but in the present invention, the belt 4 may circulate in one direction. The automatic fruit and vegetable sorting method in this case is the same as that of the above embodiment except that the belt rotates in one direction. In this case, the belt 4 is circulated and rotated in one direction by a motor or the like, and after returning to the fruit and vegetable placing area 24 after the fruit and vegetables are delivered, the belt 4 returns to the original position before placing the fruits and vegetables, and the fruit and vegetable placing part 8 is an example. Let me go back.

  In the above-described embodiment, the fruits and vegetables are sent out diagonally backward or diagonally forward. However, in the present invention, fruits and vegetables can be sent out just beside. In this case, the belt 4 of the fruit and vegetable placing body 1 can be wound in a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction of the frame 2 (toward the side). The fruit vegetable placing body 1 can be attached to the endless traveling rotating body such that the belt 4 is directed right in the fruit vegetable transport direction.

  Regardless of the case where the fruit vegetable A is sent diagonally backward, diagonally forward, or right beside, a speed reducer is provided between the belt 4 of the fruit vegetable placing body 1 and the pool conveyor 10, and the feeding speed of the fruit vegetable sent out from the belt 4 is provided. Can be reduced to make it difficult for fruit vegetables A to fall down when they are transferred to the pool conveyor 10.

  The present invention can be used for sorting fruit vegetables other than the fruit vegetables exemplified in the above embodiment. If possible, it can be used for a production line for fragile and easily deformable articles such as foods.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fruit and vegetable mounting body 2 Frame 3 Belt winding part 4 Belt 4a Upper running part (of belt) 4b Lower running part of (belt) 5 Supporting tool 6 Projection (pin)
7 Roller 8 Fruit and vegetable loading section 9 Slit 10 Pool conveyor (takeover body)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 20 fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device 21 endless traveling rotating body 22 fruit and vegetable transporter 23 tracking switch 23a endless traveling rotating body 24 fruit and vegetable loading area 25 discrimination area 26 sorting area 27 forward guide 28 switching lever (switching body)
29 Return guide A Fruit vegetables B Measuring device H1 Drive wheel H2 Follower wheel L (Belt) length M Motor

Claims (8)

A large number of fruits are arranged in a line on the endless running rotator , and the fruits are placed on a belt-conveyor-type fruit and vegetables carrier that moves in the running direction with the running of the endless running rotator , conveyed, and the fruits are measured during conveyance. In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting method, the fruits and vegetables are distinguished by equal rank, the distinguished fruits and vegetables are sent out to the side in the transport direction according to the result of the determination, sorted by grade, and the delivered fruits are pooled on a pool conveyor .
A plurality of belts are arranged side by side in the width direction of one frame on each fruit and vegetable mounting body , and each belt is individually oriented one by one in a lateral, obliquely rearward, obliquely forward direction with respect to the fruit and vegetable transport direction. Reciprocating rotation or unidirectional circulation rotation is possible in any direction, the two or more belts are juxtaposed at an interval that can be laid over one fruit vegetable ,
The individual fruits and vegetables are laid on two or more belts of a single fruit and vegetable laying body, or are laid on two or more belts of two or more adjacent fruit and vegetable laying bodies and transported. the fruit vegetable is measured to determine the equal rank of fruit vegetables during transport,
Wherein after judgment, to synchronize two or more belt resting over individual fruit vegetables, the sideways obliquely rearward facing, and in any orientation of the obliquely forward facing to forward rotation or one-way circulation rotation, the Send out in the direction of rotation , pool the fruits and vegetables on the pool conveyor,
After the delivery, to return the two or more belts the rotation to the original position before rotation,
A method for automatically sorting fruits and vegetables. In the method for automatically sorting fruits and vegetables according to claim 1 ,
By moving the support protruding on the individual belt with the rotation of the belt, feeding the fruit vegetables to feed by rotation of the belt to support Therefore from the rear,
A method for automatically sorting fruits and vegetables. Frame mounted endless traveling rotator, the belt is reciprocally rotatable or belt conveyor type wound to be circulated rotated in one direction, the forward rotational direction other party the fruit vegetables which placed on the belt by the forward rotation of the belt In the fruit-carrying body that can be sent to
A plurality of belt winding portions are arranged side by side in the width direction of one frame on the fruit and vegetable mounting body , and each belt winding portion is directed sideways, obliquely rearward, obliquely forward with respect to the running direction of the endless running rotating body. In either direction,
The belt is wound around each belt winding part, and two or more belts are juxtaposed, and the two or more belts are juxtaposed at intervals that can put one fruit vegetable over it,
A protrusion is connected to each belt, and the protrusion projects below the belt,
Individual belts can be reciprocally rotated or unidirectionally rotated in the lateral direction, the diagonally backward direction, the diagonally forward direction by moving the protrusions one by one,
The two or more belts of one frame on which the fruits are mounted straddle the same direction by synchronously moving the projections connected to the belts in the horizontal direction, thereby rotating the fruits in the forward direction. Can be sent out horizontally or almost horizontally,
The two or more synchronously rotated belts can return to the original position before rotation by returning the protrusion to the original position before movement.
A fruit-carrying body characterized in that: The fruit and vegetable body according to claim 3,
Each of the belt winding portions is provided with rollers on the front end side and the rear end side in the fruit and vegetable feeding direction, and the rollers on the rear end side are more diagonally rearward than the rollers on the front end side in the running direction of the endless running rotating body, and the adjacent belt windings The position of the roller on the front end side of the winding portion is shifted stepwise in the front and rear direction of the fruit and vegetable sending direction, and the position of the roller on the rear end side of the adjacent belt winding portion is also shifted stepwise in the front and rear direction,
The belt is wound around rollers before and after each belt winding part, and two or more belts are juxtaposed, and the two or more belts are juxtaposed at an interval that allows one fruit vegetable to be straddled. As for the two or more belts, the rear end side of the endless running rotator is obliquely rearward in the running direction of the endless running rotator as in the case of the two rollers, and the front end side of the adjacent belt is located in the front and rear direction in the fruit feeding direction. The position of the rear end side of the adjacent belt is also shifted stepwise back and forth,
Individual belts can be reciprocally rotated or unidirectionally rotated diagonally rearward individually one by one by moving a protrusion connected to the belt.
A fruit-carrying body characterized in that: In the fruit and vegetable mounting body according to claim 3 or 4 ,
A slit is provided in the center of the width direction of each belt along the sliding direction of the belt, and a lower portion of the protrusion penetrates the slit and protrudes below the lower traveling portion of the belt .
A fruit-carrying body characterized in that: Numerous fruit vegetables loaded body mounting et al are in a row in the running direction of the endless traveling rotator comprises a fruit vegetable carrier which fruiting loaded body is moved in the running direction by the driving of the endless traveling rotator, the individual fruit vegetables loaded body fruit vegetables transported put one by one, to measure the individual fruit vegetables during transport provided with a measuring device for determining the equal rank of fruit vegetables in one pool conveyor fruiting transport direction side of the discriminated fruiting by equal rank In a fruit and vegetable automatic sorter that can send out two or more fruits and vegetables on a pool conveyor ,
The fruit and vegetable mounting body according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the fruit and vegetable mounting body is
A large number of individual fruit-carrying bodies are mounted in a row on the endless traveling rotating body, and the belt is attached such that the front end side in the rotation direction of the belt is obliquely rearward with respect to the fruit-carrying direction ,
The number of fruit vegetables loaded body is attached to an endless traveling rotator at intervals which can be loaded by straddling one fruit vegetables in two or more belts of adjacent fruit vegetables loaded body,
Two or more belts of one fruit and vegetable loading body or two or more belts of two or more adjacent fruit and vegetable loading bodies are synchronously moved by synchronously moving the projections connected to the respective belts. It can be rotated and sent out one fruit vegetable that is laid on the two or more belts one by one in the transport direction side, and can be pooled on the pool conveyor ,
The pool conveyor is capable of intermittent rotation and pooling two or more fruits and vegetables every time the fruits and vegetables are fed from the belt of the fruits and vegetables body,
The belt that has sent out the fruits and vegetables returns to the original position before rotation by returning the protrusion to the original position before the movement,
An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, characterized in that: The fruit and vegetable automatic sorting device according to claim 6 ,
Fruit and vegetable transporter has a fruit and vegetable loading area where fruit and vegetables are placed on the fruit and vegetable carrier, a discrimination area that measures the fruits being transported and discriminates them by class, and a sorting area that sorts the discriminated fruits and vegetables for each discrimination result. There is a forward guide below the belt of the fruit and vegetable mounting body, which reciprocates the projection of the running fruit and vegetable mounting body based on the determination result, and the forward guide is a traveling direction of the projection of the fruit and vegetable mounting body by the switching body. the can be switched, by forward rotating the transport direction laterally to belts of fruit vegetables loaded body by synchronously moving protrusions are coupled to the two or more belts, one of fruiting rests astride the fruit vegetables which are placed on the belt can be sorted by equal rank turned out on the pool conveyor on the side of the fruit vegetables carrier, the fruit vegetable loaded body after delivery the fruiting said fruit vegetables loaded area Until recovery guide is provided between the that, the recovery guide can the forward guide moved projections are moved in opposite directions, returning the rotated belt to its original position before rotation,
An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, characterized in that: In the fruit and vegetable automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 ,
A number of fruit vegetables loaded member mounted in a row on the endless traveling rotator, by changing the color of the support and the belt any fruit vegetables loaded bodies were to be visually discriminated fruit vegetables loaded body,
An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting apparatus, characterized in that:

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