JPH0283072A - Automatic apple screening/packing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make possible automatic selection and packing by providing an XY table on part of a transport lane. CONSTITUTION:A circulation conveyor 15B to which the apple with a color tone B consist of eight swivel arm-type fruit catchers B1 to B8. Of the total fruit catcher B1 to B8, 7 fruit catchers B1 to B8 have each XY table 13. These seven XY tables have each tray feeder 13a and transport conveyor 13b. The apple placed on the tray by the XY table 13 is set out by the transport conveyor 13b, then two trays are packed in a corrugated cardboard box and these boxes are mounted on a delivery conveyor 16. Furthermore, the swivel-type fruit catcher B1 has a fixed table 14 instead of the XY table. Thus economy is increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device created to automatically sort and box harvested apples according to color and size according to standards.

[Conventional technology]

The harvested apples are sorted into 4 grades for color and 8 grades for size, totaling 4 x 8 = 32 types.
It will be packed and shipped.

As mentioned above, one of the characteristics of the apple sorting business is that as many as 32 types of sorting are performed.

In order to carry out such fruit sorting work with high efficiency, conveying devices equipped with an automatic sorting function have been developed.

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

11 in the diagram is a transport lane, with 4 rows of lanes (A) 11A
~ Lane (B) consists of lie.

The harvested apples are sorted manually by worker M1 into four grades A to D based on the color tone of the apples.
The apple is on top of lane (A) IIA.

Apples of tone B are mounted on lane (B) IIB, apples of tone C are mounted on lane (C)tic, and apples of one tone are mounted on lane (DHld), facing left in the figure. transported.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an automatic weigher that measures the weight of the apples being transported and determines the size grade.

Eight unloaders are provided in each of the four lanes 11A-11.

For example, unloaders 1 to A8 are arranged along lane (A) IIA.

When the apple is determined to be size class 1 by the automatic weigher 12, the determination result is input to a CPU (not shown), and when the apple approaches the unloader A1, it is unloaded from the lane (A) uA by the unloader A1. .

Similarly, apples of size grade 2 are placed in unloader A2.
Apples of size class 8 are unloaded onto unloader 88, and thus the apples to the hues on lane (A) IIA are unloaded separately to unloaders A1-A8 according to their size class.

Similarly, apples of shade B on lane (B) IIB are unloaded separately to unloaders B1-B8 according to their size class.

Similarly, apples of color C are sent to unloaders C1 to C8.
Similarly, colored apples are transferred to unloaders D1 to D8.
They will be unloaded separately.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the known automatic sorting machine described with reference to FIG. 2, for example, the apples unloaded from the conveyance lane by the unloader D7 are apples of color and size class 7. The apples automatically sorted in this manner must be boxed and shipped by worker M2, for example, for each color tone and size class. At present, this boxing work requires a great deal of labor.

For example, the apple sorting and shipping plant equipped with the known automatic sorting device shown in FIG. 2 has a processing capacity of approximately 150,000 apples per day and employs 120 workers. More than half of these workers are packaging workers.

In order to reduce the number of packaging workers, it is conceivable to use an XY child table type tray arrangement machine (hereinafter abbreviated as XY child table).

This XY child table is a known device having a function as shown in FIG.
- Fruits (apples) that are intermittently driven in the Y direction and sent as indicated by arrow e are regularly arranged and loaded.

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

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and can reduce the number of XY child tables installed to about half the number of unloaders, and also 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 two-boxing device with a new configuration.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present inventor studied the actual situation of apple sorting operations from a statistical standpoint.

As a result, we confirmed that the content of apple sorting operations has the following characteristic trends.

Apples are classified into four grades, A-D, depending on their color.
B and C, which are medium tones, are overwhelmingly common, 75% to 8
It accounts for 5%.

The reason is that apple producing farmers can attract as much desire as possible to purchase apples. Apples are cultivated to have a color tone with high commercial value, but apples with color tone A, which has the highest commercial value, cannot be produced in large numbers (they are also expensive because they are few).

In addition, apples with the lowest commercial value cannot be produced in large numbers due to the efforts and ingenuity of the farmers.

From this point of view, we got the idea that the XY child table lane (B) and lane (C) should be placed with emphasis.

Furthermore, the present inventor examined the distribution by size of apples of color B and C, which account for the majority, and confirmed that there was a fairly remarkable tendency for uneven distribution.

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

In addition, some farmers produce a lot of large apples, while others produce a lot of small apples.

Furthermore, depending on the brand of apple, some brands tend to be large, while others tend to be small.

From this point of view, we got the idea that it is not necessarily necessary to provide xY child tables for all the unloaders provided in the color tone B and C lanes.

Combining the above two ideas and considering the appropriate arrangement of XY child tables for the entire sorting equipment, (i) the unloaders installed in the lanes of color tones A and D with small quantity distribution are There is no child table.

However, for each of the A and D lanes, providing one or two of the eight unloaders with an XY child table increases operational freedom and improves adaptability to various conditions. Therefore, it is preferable.

However, in this case as well, either the A lane or the D lane will not be provided with an XY child table.

(ii) In principle, an xY child table is provided in the unloaders provided in the lanes of color tones B and C, which have a large quantity distribution.

However, for each of B and C lanes.

Even if the installation of an XY child table is omitted for one or two of the eight unloaders, there is only a slight practical problem, so the price and
In many cases, it is effective to omit it considering the relationship with the installation area.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, the number of XY child tables installed is approximately half compared to the case where all 32 unloaders are provided with xY child tables.

Therefore, the distribution of apples to the unloader without the XY child table arrangement is only about 115 of the total number of processed apples (average value).

Therefore, assuming that the apples unloaded onto the unloader without these XY child tables are boxed manually as in the conventional case, the number of boxing personnel is only about 115.

Also regarding the unloader with XY child table arrangement.

Since a small number of workers are required to fit the apples placed on the tray into the boxes, the total number of workers to be placed on the unloader is reduced to a little less than 1/4 by the above configuration.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an automatic sorting and two-packing device according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 11' denotes conveyance lanes for each tone level, which correspond to the conveyance lane 11 in the conventional example (FIG. 2), and are carried out by four lanes from lane 118' for tone A to lane lID' for tone A. It is configured.

On the other hand, an endless annular circulation conveyor 15A that circulates apples of one color tone A in the horizontal direction, an endless annular circulation conveyor 15B that circulates the apples of one color tone B in the horizontal direction, and an endless annular circulation conveyor that circulates the apples of color C in the horizontal direction. A circulation conveyor tSC, and an endless ring-shaped circulation conveyor 15D that circulates colored apples in the horizontal direction are provided.

Classified by color tone stage by worker, lane (A) I
The apple of color A placed on IA' is conveyed as indicated by arrow f and placed on circulation conveyor 15A.

The apple of tone B is from lane (B) IIB' to arrow gl
+g2 and placed on the circulation conveyor 15B at two locations.

The apple of tone C is from lane (C) llc' to arrow KI
+h2 and placed on the circulation conveyor 15c at two locations.

The colored apples are conveyed from lane (D) llo' as indicated by arrow i and placed on circulation conveyor 15D.

Since the number of apples of color A is small in the total number of apples, eight stations a1 to a8 without XY child tables are arranged around the circulation conveyor 15A.

A1 and 2 are size grade 1 apples at station a1.
This is a swivel arm-shaped fruit catcher that unloads size grade 2 apples to station a2.

Similarly, rotating arm type fruit catchers A3 and 4 are arranged at station a3+84, rotating arm type fruit catchers A5 and 6 are arranged at station a5+86, and rotating arm type fruit catchers A7 and 8 are arranged at station a7r88, respectively. It is set up.

12' uses an ITV to image the shape of an apple passing on the circulating conveyor, processes the image to determine the size class of the apple, and places the apple in one of the eight rotating arm-shaped fruit catchers. This is a size sensor that issues a command signal to pick up and take down an apple.

The circulation conveyor 15B to which apples of color B are supplied is 8
Rotating arm type fruit catchers 81 to B8 are arranged.

Of the eight fruit catchers 81 to B8, seven fruit catchers 82 to B8 are each provided with an XY child table 3. With the same configuration as these seven XY child tables,
It includes a tray feeder 13a and a discharge conveyor 13b.

The apples placed on the tray by the XY child table 3 are sent out by the delivery conveyor 13b, so a worker places the two trays (with apples on them) in a cardboard box and places them on the shipping conveyor 16.

The rotating fruit catcher B1 is not provided with an XY child table but is provided with a fixed table 14.

When the apparatus of this embodiment is operated, the fruit catcher B1 lowers apples of a size grade with a small distribution rate among apples of color tone B onto a fixed table 14 according to the harvest contents at that time.

The apples of color tone B supplied to this circulation conveyor 15 are
- Since the number of apples processed per day is a little less than half of the 150,000 pieces (the distribution ratio is large), apples are loaded at two locations as indicated by arrows gl+g2. Two size sensors 12 are provided correspondingly.

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

That is, a rotating arm type fruit catcher C1 equipped with a fixed table 14 and seven rotating arm type fruit catchers 02 to C8 each equipped with an XY child table 3 are arranged.

The circulation conveyor 15D that receives apples of a certain color from the conveyor lane (D) 11D' does not have an XY child table 7 because the distribution ratio of apples of that color is small.
stations d, -d, and four pivoting arm-shaped fruit catchers D1, -d. D2/3, D4/5. Same 6・
7 is provided.

However, - Color tone A has a small distribution ratio for boat fishing.

Depending on the harvesting conditions, D apples may also be mixed in a relatively large number of only a few size classes.

In preparation for such a case, the station d8 provided on the circulation conveyor 15D is configured with an XY child table.

When operating the apparatus of this embodiment, the station d8, which is the XY child table, can be made to correspond to any grade size.

Furthermore, it is also possible to place apples of color A on the conveyance lane (D) 11' and supply them to the circulation conveyor [5D], and to similarly supply apples of color 1WID to the circulation conveyor 15A. Therefore, when the distribution rate of any one size class of one color tone A or D is high, the station d8, which is an XY child table, can easily correspond to a type of apple that has a high distribution rate.

In this embodiment, for stations corresponding to 4 color tones x 8 size classes = 32 types.

24 swivel arm type fruit catchers and 15 XY
Most of the work of sorting and packing apples was automated using the child table.

90 out of 120 employees at the apple sorting and shipping plant equipped with the conventional device (Fig. 2) were arranged on the unloader, while 90 out of 120 employees were arranged on the unloader. At the sorting and shipping area, there are 20 workers stationed at each station.
Only 50 workers were needed, and a total of 50 workers were able to sort and pack 150,000 apples into 9 boxes per day (8 hours), the same as in the conventional system.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the automatic sorting and packaging device of the present invention
For apples only, the XY child tables are arranged in a way that best suits the characteristics of the statistical distribution of the harvest contents and the sorting regulations, and station staff can be reduced by simply setting up the XY child tables in about 1/2 of each station. It has an excellent practical effect of being able to reduce the number to about 174, and it is possible to carry out semi-automatic sorting and packaging work most economically in terms of the balance between equipment cost and running cost (mainly personnel cost).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the automatic apple sorting and one-box packing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a conventional apple automatic sorting device. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a known XY child table. 11...Transport lane, 11^, IIA'...Lane (A), 118111B'=Lane (B), llc
, IIG'-...Lane (C), IID. 111,' Lane (D), 12... Automatic weigher, 12'... Size sensor, 13... XY child table 13a... Tray supply device, 1.3b... Carrying out conveyor, 14 ...Shipping conveyor. Patent applicant: Japan Unmanned System Co., Ltd. Representative patent attorney: Masami Akimoto (1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Four lines of conveyance lanes A, B, C, and D for conveying a large number of apples sorted into four stages according to color tone; 8 by size
In the apple sorting device, which is equipped with eight unloaders that separate apples into grades and take out the apples of each grade from the conveyance lanes, two of the four conveyance lanes, B and C,
At least 6 of the 8 unloaders provided in each row have an XY table, and each of the 8 unloaders provided in 2 rows AD of the 4 transport lanes. An apparatus for automatically sorting and packing apples, characterized in that at least six unloaders do not have an XY table.