Tomato grading apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to a tomato grading device. The device comprises a base, a weighing mechanism, a sorting box and a controller. The middle part of the base is provided with the weighing mechanism, the weighing mechanism is provided with a driving mechanism, the driving mechanism is provided with a sorting disc, and the sorting disc is provided with a sorting channel. The base is provided with the sorting box corresponding to the discharge end of the sorting channel. An RGB camera is used for taking pictures of the tomatoes in the sorting disc and is electrically connected with the signal input end of the controller. The signal input end of the controller is also electrically connected with the weighing mechanism. The signal output end of the controller is electrically connected with the driving mechanism. The maturity of the tomatoes is detected through the RGB camera collecting the tomato images. The weight of the tomatoes is detected through the weighing mechanism. Then, according to the maturity and the weight of the tomatoes, the driving mechanism drives the sorting disc to tilt, so that the tomato rollers roll into the corresponding sorting box, the grading of the tomatoes is realized, the grading is accurate, the overall structure of the device is compact, and the device is more convenient to use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of grading devices, and more particularly to a tomato grading device. Background Technology

[0002] my country's fruit and vegetable industry boasts a massive market size, with significant price differences between fruits and vegetables of varying qualities. Grading and sales of fruits and vegetables are crucial for increasing their added value. Initial grading of tomatoes primarily relies on size and quality. Current tomato size grading machines transport tomatoes along guide rails with gradually widening gaps, causing tomatoes of different sizes to fall at different points, thus achieving grading. However, this method only distinguishes tomato size, and tomatoes are prone to getting stuck during the fall, making it inconvenient to use. Furthermore, such tomato grading devices are bulky, occupying considerable space, unsuitable for the confined environment of greenhouse operations, and difficult to install on fruit and vegetable harvesting robot platforms. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve or partially solve the problems existing in related technologies, the present invention provides a tomato grading device, which aims to solve the technical problems of existing tomato grading devices being bulky and inconvenient to use.

[0004] Therefore, the present invention provides a tomato grading device, including a base, a weighing mechanism, a sorting tray, a sorting box, an RGB camera, and a controller;

[0005] The base is provided with a weighing mechanism in the middle, a driving mechanism on the weighing mechanism, a sorting tray on the driving mechanism, and sorting channels spaced apart around its circumference on the sorting tray.

[0006] The base is equipped with sorting boxes that correspond one-to-one with the discharge end of the sorting channel;

[0007] The RGB camera is used to take pictures of the tomatoes in the sorting tray and is electrically connected to the signal input terminal of the controller. The signal input terminal of the controller is also electrically connected to the weighing mechanism, and the signal output terminal of the controller is electrically connected to the drive mechanism.

[0008] When a tomato falls onto the sorting tray, it causes a change in the load on the weighing mechanism, thus determining the tomato's weight. The weighing mechanism then transmits the tomato's weight to the controller. The RGB camera takes a picture of the tomato on the sorting tray and transmits the relevant information to the controller. Based on the input signal, the controller controls the drive mechanism to tilt the sorting tray toward one of the sorting boxes, causing the tomato on the sorting tray to roll down the sorting channel into the corresponding sorting box.

[0009] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism includes an attitude sensor and a drive assembly disposed on the sorting tray;

[0010] The attitude sensor is mounted on the sorting tray and connected to the signal input terminal of the controller;

[0011] The drive assembly includes a servo motor, a first link, a second link, and a universal joint; the output shaft of the servo motor is fixedly connected to one end of the first link, the other end of the first link is hinged to one end of the second link, the other end of the second link is fixedly connected to one end of the universal joint, and the other end of the universal joint is fixedly connected to the bottom of the sorting tray.

[0012] The drive assembly consists of four components arranged in a rectangular pattern, with the first connecting rods of two opposing drive assemblies located on the same plane.

[0013] In some designs, the universal joint can be replaced by a ball joint.

[0014] In some designs, the attitude sensor is mounted in the middle of the sorting tray.

[0015] In some designs, a bracket is fixedly mounted on the base, and the RGB camera is fixedly mounted on the bracket, located directly above the center of the sorting tray.

[0016] In some designs, the support is also equipped with LED supplementary lights that illuminate the sorting tray.

[0017] In some embodiments, the weighing mechanism includes a guide cylinder, a slider, and a weighing sensor;

[0018] A slider that can move up and down is slidably installed inside the guide cylinder, and a weighing sensor is provided inside the guide cylinder below the slider; the weighing sensor is electrically connected to the controller.

[0019] In some embodiments, the sorting tray includes two intersecting sorting channels, one of which has a feed hopper at its end.

[0020] In some designs, the bottom of the sorting channel is lined with cushioning foam.

[0021] This invention uses an RGB camera to capture images of tomatoes to detect their ripeness, and a weighing mechanism to detect their weight. Then, based on the ripeness and weight of the tomatoes, a drive mechanism tilts the sorting tray, causing the tomatoes to roll into the corresponding sorting boxes, thus achieving tomato grading. The grading is accurate, and the overall structure of the device is compact, making it more convenient to use.

[0022] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tomato grading device shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism assembly of the tomato grading device shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive assembly of the tomato grading device shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the weighing mechanism of the tomato grading device shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the supplementary light in the tomato grading device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a control block diagram of a tomato grading device shown in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure label:

[0031] 1. Base; 2. Weighing mechanism; 21. Guide cylinder; 22. Slider; 23. Weighing sensor; 3. Sorting tray; 31. Sorting channel; 4. Sorting box; 5. RGB camera; 6. Controller; 7. Drive mechanism; 71. Attitude sensor; 72. Drive assembly; 721. Servo motor; 722. First link; 723. Second link; 724. Universal joint; 8. Fill light; 9. Bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the invention will be more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0033] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this invention to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this invention, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0035] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances. Example 1:

[0036] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 6 The present invention provides a tomato grading device, including a base 1, a weighing mechanism 2, a sorting tray 3, a sorting box 4, an RGB camera 5, and a controller 6.

[0037] The base 1 provides stable support for the entire device by being placed on the ground. A weighing mechanism 2 is provided in the middle of the base 1. The weighing mechanism 2 can directly use a weighing sensor 23. A driving mechanism 7 is provided on the weighing mechanism 2. A sorting tray 3 is provided on the driving mechanism 7. The sorting tray 3 is provided with sorting channels 31 that are spaced apart around its circumference. A sorting box 4 is provided on the base 1, which is arranged one by one with the discharge end of the sorting channel 31.

[0038] The RGB camera 5 is used to take pictures of the tomatoes in the sorting tray 3 and is electrically connected to the signal input terminal of the controller 6. The signal input terminal of the controller 6 is also electrically connected to the weighing mechanism 2, and the signal output terminal of the controller 6 is electrically connected to the drive mechanism 7.

[0039] Working process of this invention:

[0040] Tomatoes are placed on the sorting tray 3 by external mechanical equipment or manually, causing a change in the load on the weighing mechanism 2, that is, a change in the detection data of the weighing sensor 23. The data measured by the weighing sensor 23 before the tomato is placed is recorded as G1, and the data measured by the weighing sensor 23 after the tomato is placed is recorded as G2. The weight of the tomato is then obtained as G = G2 - G1. The weighing mechanism 2 transmits the weight of the tomato to the controller 6.

[0041] Simultaneously, the RGB camera 5 takes pictures of the tomatoes on the sorting tray 3, and then uses its own analysis software to analyze the tomatoes (ripe tomatoes are red, unripe tomatoes are green), and transmits the obtained information on tomato ripeness to the controller 6. The controller 6 controls the drive mechanism 7 to move according to the input tomato weight and ripeness information, causing the sorting tray 3 to tilt towards one of the sorting boxes 4, and the tomatoes roll down the sorting channel 31 into the corresponding sorting box 4; by rolling tomatoes of different ripeness and / or weight into different sorting boxes 4, tomato grading can be achieved, which is convenient to use.

[0042] In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 7 can employ multiple electrically operated telescopic rods in combination to achieve tilt control of the sorting tray 3. Three electrically operated telescopic rods are used, arranged in a triangle. The top of each rod is connected to the bottom of the sorting tray 3 via a ball joint. When one of the rods extends, the sorting tray 3 tilts to the opposite side. The grading device has a more compact structure, which helps to reduce its overall size, allowing it to operate in narrow greenhouses and be installed on fruit and vegetable harvesting robot platforms. Furthermore, the grading device of this invention can also determine the ripeness of tomatoes, making the grading more accurate. Example 2:

[0043] Based on Example 1, such as Figures 1-6 As shown, in this embodiment, the drive mechanism 7 includes an attitude sensor 71 and a drive assembly 72 disposed on the sorting tray 3; the attitude sensor 71 is installed on the sorting tray 3 to detect the tilt state of the sorting tray 3 in real time and is connected to the signal input terminal of the controller 6.

[0044] The drive assembly 72 includes a servo motor 721, a first link 722, a second link 723, and a universal joint 724. The output shaft of the servo motor 721 is fixedly connected to one end of the first link 722, the other end of the first link 722 is hinged to one end of the second link 723, the other end of the second link 723 is fixedly connected to one end of the universal joint 724, and the other end of the universal joint 724 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the sorting tray 3. Four drive assemblies 72 are provided and arranged in a rectangular shape, with the first links 722 of two opposite drive assemblies 72 located on the same plane.

[0045] To describe in detail the working process of the drive component 72 in this embodiment, the four drive components 72 are divided into a front drive component 72, a rear drive component 72, a left drive component 72, and a right drive component 72 from the perspective of looking directly at the accompanying drawings. The front drive component 72 and the rear drive component 72 limit the left and right directions of the sorting tray 3, so that the sorting tray 3 cannot move left or right; the left drive component 72 and the right drive component 72 limit the front and back directions of the sorting tray 3, so that the sorting tray 3 cannot move back and forth.

[0046] Thus, when it is necessary to drive the sorting tray 3 to tilt to the right, the servo 721 of the left drive assembly 72 rotates counterclockwise, and the servo 721 of the right drive assembly 72 rotates clockwise, thereby raising the left side of the sorting tray 3 and lowering the right side, thereby achieving the rightward tilting drive of the sorting tray 3; the tilting drive of the sorting tray 3 in other directions is the same.

[0047] In this embodiment, the universal joint 724 can be replaced by a ball joint.

[0048] In this embodiment, the attitude sensor 71 is installed in the middle of the sorting tray 3. When the sorting tray 3 tilts, the attitude sensor 71 can accurately detect its tilt state.

[0049] In this embodiment, a bracket 9 is fixedly installed on the base 1, and the RGB camera 5 is fixedly installed on the bracket 9 and located directly above the center of the sorting tray 3, effectively ensuring that the RGB camera 5 can accurately take pictures of the tomatoes on the sorting tray 3.

[0050] In this embodiment, the bracket 9 is also equipped with an LED fill light 8 that illuminates the sorting tray 3 to ensure the clarity of the photos taken by the RGB camera 5.

[0051] In this embodiment, the weighing mechanism 2 includes a guide cylinder 21, a slider 22, and a weighing sensor 23; the slider 22, which can move up and down, is slidably installed inside the guide cylinder 21, the driving mechanism 7 is installed on the slider 22, and the weighing sensor 23 located below the slider 22 is provided inside the guide cylinder 21; the weighing sensor 23 is electrically connected to the controller 6.

[0052] The slider 22 and guide cylinder 21 enable the drive mechanism 7 to move only up and down, thereby making the data detected by the load cell 23 more accurate.

[0053] In this embodiment, the sorting tray 3 includes two intersecting sorting channels 31, one of which is equipped with a feeding hopper at the end. The feeding hopper is used to guide the tomatoes placed in, ensuring the accuracy of tomato introduction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the bottom of the sorting channel 31 is covered with a cushioning sponge to reduce the impact between the tomatoes and the sorting tray 3 and to prevent the tomatoes from being damaged when they roll on the sorting tray 3.

[0055] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A tomato grading apparatus, characterised in that: It comprises a base (1), a weighing mechanism (2), a sorting disc (3), a sorting box (4), an RGB camera (5), a controller (6); The middle part of the base (1) is provided with a weighing mechanism (2), the weighing mechanism (2) is provided with a driving mechanism (7), the driving mechanism (7) is provided with a sorting disc (3), and the sorting disc (3) is provided with a sorting channel (31) which is distributed at intervals around the circumferential direction thereof; The base (1) is provided with a sorting box (4) which is arranged one-to-one with the discharge end of the sorting channel (31); The RGB camera (5) is used for taking pictures of the tomatoes in the sorting disc (3) and is electrically connected with the signal input end of the controller (6), the signal input end of the controller (6) is also electrically connected with the weighing mechanism (2), and the signal output end of the controller (6) is electrically connected with the driving mechanism (7); Wherein, when the tomatoes fall on the sorting disc (3), the load of the weighing mechanism (2) changes, so that the weight of the tomatoes is obtained, the weighing mechanism (2) transmits the weight of the tomatoes to the controller (6); the RGB camera (5) takes pictures of the tomatoes on the sorting disc (3) and transmits relevant information to the controller (6), the controller (6) controls the driving mechanism (7) to act according to the input signal, drives the sorting disc (3) to tilt to one of the sorting boxes (4), so that the tomatoes on the sorting disc (3) roll along the sorting channel (31) to the corresponding sorting box (4); The driving mechanism (7) comprises a posture sensor (71) arranged on the sorting disc (3) and a driving assembly (72); The posture sensor (71) is installed on the sorting disc (3) and connected with the signal input end of the controller (6); the posture sensor (71) is used for detecting the tilting state of the sorting disc (3) in real time; The driving assembly (72) comprises a rudder (721), a first connecting rod (722), a second connecting rod (723) and a universal joint (724); the output shaft of the rudder (721) is fixedly connected with one end of the first connecting rod (722), the other end of the first connecting rod (722) is hingedly connected with one end of the second connecting rod (723), the other end of the second connecting rod (723) is fixedly connected with one end of the universal joint (724), and the other end of the universal joint (724) is fixedly connected with the bottom of the sorting disc (3); The driving assembly (72) is provided with four driving assemblies which are distributed in a rectangular shape, and the first connecting rods (722) of the opposite two driving assemblies are located on the same plane.

2. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, wherein: The universal joint (724) can be replaced by a ball joint.

3. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, wherein: The posture sensor (71) is installed on the middle part of the sorting disc (3).

4. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, wherein: The base (1) is fixedly installed with a support (9), and the RGB camera (5) is fixedly installed on the support (9) and located directly above the middle of the sorting disc (3).

5. The tomato grading device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support (9) is further provided with an LED light (8) for irradiating the sorting disc (3).

6. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The weighing mechanism (2) comprises a guide cylinder (21), a sliding block (22) and a weighing sensor (23). The guide cylinder (21) is slidably installed with a sliding block (22) which can move up and down, and the guide cylinder (21) is provided with a weighing sensor (23) located below the sliding block (22); the weighing sensor (23) is electrically connected with the controller (6).

7. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sorting disc (3) comprises two interlaced sorting channels (31), and the end of one of the sorting channels (31) is provided with a feeding hopper.

8. The tomato grading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the sorting channel (31) is paved with a buffer sponge.

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