Cherry sorting machine based on visual technology

Abstract

The invention discloses a cherry sorting machine based on a visual technology. The cherry sorting machine comprises a supporting frame, a conveying assembly, a single fruit separating assembly, a fruit unloading assembly, a visual sorting system and a fruit unloading track. The conveying assembly, the single fruit separating assembly, the fruit unloading assembly, the visual sorting system and the fruit unloading track are all arranged on the supporting frame, the conveying assembly is an L-shaped conveying track formed by a first horizontal conveying track and a vertical conveying track, a water tank is arranged at the bottom of the supporting frame and is filled with a cherry cleaning agent, and the first horizontal conveying track is installed in the water tank; batch cherries are conveyed to the sorting height through the first horizontal conveying belt and the vertical conveying belt and fall into the single-fruit separating assembly. The single-fruit separating assembly is used for separating stacked or gathered cherries into single cherries one by one and conveying the single cherries to the visual sorting system; and the visual sorting system is used for collecting, analyzing and judging the information of each cherry, generating an instruction and controlling the fruit unloading assembly to automatically convey the sorted cherries into the corresponding fruit unloading rails.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of cherry sorting equipment, and particularly relates to a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of fruit cultivation, sweet cherries have become widely popular due to their excellent taste and rich nutrition. Traditional manual sorting methods are inefficient, prone to errors, and labor-intensive, making them unsuitable for the demands of the modern fruit industry. In particular, sweet cherries are small and similar in appearance, requiring high sorting precision, thus necessitating a highly efficient and intelligent sorting device.

[0003] Currently, some sorting devices use mechanical screening or simple image recognition, but most suffer from problems such as complex structure, high cost, low accuracy, and insufficient automation, failing to achieve efficient and accurate identification and sorting of individual cherries. Furthermore, in existing sorting equipment, cherries are prone to rolling and collisions during entry into the carrying unit and unloading, leading to skin damage or misjudgment, affecting sorting accuracy and fruit quality. Therefore, developing a sweet cherry sorting device with a reasonable structure, stable performance, and machine vision capabilities is of significant practical importance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology, which aims to solve the technical problems existing in current fruit sorting technology, such as low degree of automation, insufficient sorting accuracy, and improper handling of fragile fruits.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A cherry sorting machine based on vision technology includes: a support frame, a conveying assembly, a single-cherry separation assembly, a fruit unloading assembly, a vision sorting system, and a fruit unloading track; The conveying assembly, single-fruit separation assembly, unloading assembly, visual sorting system, and unloading track are all mounted on the support frame. The conveying assembly is an L-shaped conveying track formed by a first horizontal conveying track and a vertical conveying track. A water tank is set at the bottom of the support frame. The water tank is filled with cherry cleaning agent. The first horizontal conveying track is installed in the water tank. A batch of cherries is transported to the sorting height via the first horizontal conveyor belt and the vertical conveyor belt and falls onto the single fruit separation assembly. The single-fruit separation component is used to separate stacked or clustered cherries into individual fruits and transport them to the visual sorting system. The visual sorting system is used to collect, analyze, and judge the information of each cherry and generate instructions to control the unloading component to automatically send the sorted cherries to the corresponding unloading track.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first horizontal conveying track and the vertical conveying track include a first conveyor belt, a first rotating wheel, a second rotating wheel, a third rotating wheel, a first pressure wheel, a second pressure wheel, and a first drive motor. The first conveyor belt, the first rotating wheel, and the second rotating wheel form an L-shaped conveying track. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are respectively located at the two ends of the L-shaped conveying track, and the first pressure wheel is located at the turning point of the L-shaped conveying track. A third wheel, arranged parallel to the first wheel, is also installed at the end of the vertical conveyor track. The second pressure wheel is located on the first conveyor belt of the vertical track near the single fruit separation component, so that the end of the vertical conveyor track forms an inverted triangle. The output shaft of the first drive motor is connected to the first rotating wheel; Multiple cherry trays are installed on the first conveyor belt.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the single-fruit separation component includes a sloping chute and a second horizontal conveying track. The sloping chute and the second horizontal conveying track are respectively installed on the support frame. Cherries in the sloping chute slide down to the second horizontal conveying track, and the second horizontal conveying track conveys the cherries to the visual sorting system.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second horizontal conveying track includes a track frame, a second conveyor belt, a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a track frame support, and a second drive motor. The track frame support is mounted on the support frame, the track frame is mounted on the track frame support, the second conveyor belt is mounted inside the track frame, the second drive motor is mounted on the side of the track frame, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are rotatably connected to the track frame, the output shaft of the second drive motor is connected to the first rotating shaft, and the second conveyor belt is tensioned and connected to the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the visual sorting system includes a visual system and a fruit track system. When cherries are running on the fruit track system, the visual system identifies the cherries.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fruit track system includes multiple rotatable fruit cups, a track support, a fruit cup track, a drive sprocket, and a third drive motor. Each fruit cup is used to carry a single cherry. The track support is mounted on the support frame. The fruit cup track, drive sprocket, and drive motor are mounted on the track support. The drive sprocket is sleeved on the output shaft of the third drive motor. The fruit cup track meshes with the drive sprocket. The rotatable fruit cups are mounted on the fruit cup track.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fruit cup includes a fruit cup frame, a fruit cup frame support, four rollers, and four corresponding third rotating shafts. The fruit cup frame support is fixed on the fruit cup track, and the fruit cup frame is fixed on the fruit cup frame support. The rollers are sleeved and fixed on the third rotating shafts, and the third rotating shafts are movably connected to the fruit cup frame. The surfaces of two rollers are arranged opposite to each other and distributed on both sides of the fruit cup frame. A friction table is also installed on the track support. When the fruit cup rotates with the fruit cup track, the third rotating shaft contacts the friction table, thereby rotating the third rotating shaft and then the roller shaft.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vision system includes an industrial camera and a controller. The industrial camera is disposed above the fruit cup, and the industrial camera, the fruit unloading assembly, and the controller are electrically connected. The industrial camera captures images of cherries and transmits them to the controller. The controller processes and analyzes the images based on a target detection model, determines the information of each fruit, and generates control commands for the unloading assembly.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vision system further includes a light source and a light shield, the light shield being disposed above the fruit cup, and both the light source and the camera of the industrial camera being disposed inside the light shield.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fruit unloading assembly includes an external air source, an air pipe, a pressure regulating valve, a diversion valve, and multiple nozzles. The fruit unloading track includes multiple tracks, each nozzle corresponds to a track, the nozzle is electrically connected to the controller, the diversion valve is connected to the external air source through the air pipe, the pressure regulating valve is disposed on the air pipe, and the diversion valve is connected to the multiple nozzles.

[0015] Because the present invention adopts the above technical solution, it has the following advantages and positive effects compared with the prior art: This cherry sorting machine enables the individual separation, precise identification, and automatic unloading of sweet cherries. By incorporating advanced machine vision technology, the equipment can efficiently process sweet cherries of different sizes, colors, and ripeness levels. Furthermore, its intelligent visual sorting system allows for precise classification of each cherry, significantly improving sorting accuracy and efficiency. Simultaneously, the automated operation greatly reduces manual intervention, avoiding human error and enhancing the consistency and stability of the sorting process. In addition, the automatic unloading component ensures fruit safety while quickly and accurately allocating cherries to different sorting channels, effectively minimizing fruit damage. The equipment is compact, easy to operate, and particularly suitable for small and medium-sized fruit processing enterprises. Through the integration of machine vision technology, this sorting machine can not only intelligently judge based on the image features of cherry appearance but also efficiently achieve automatic sorting, significantly improving the intelligence level of fruit commercial processing, thereby enhancing overall product quality and market competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is one of the schematic diagrams of a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second horizontal conveyor track in a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the vision sorting system in the cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a second schematic diagram of the vision sorting system in the cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the fruit track system in a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to an embodiment of the present invention; Note: Figures 1-5 In the overall diagram, besides Figure 5 The top view shows the complete air pipes of the air supply system; the air pipes are not shown in other figures.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Support frame; 2-Conveying assembly; 201-First horizontal conveyor track; 202-Vertical conveyor track; 203-First conveyor belt; 204-First roller; 205-Second roller; 206-Third roller; 207-First drive motor; 208-First pressure roller; 209-Second pressure roller; 210-Cherry tray; 3- Inclined chute; 4- Second horizontal conveyor track; 401- Second conveyor belt; 402- Track frame; 403- Track frame support; 404- First rotating shaft; 405- Second rotating shaft; 406- Second drive motor; 407- Inclined plate; 5-Vision system; 501-Industrial camera; 502-Controller; 503-Light source; 504-Light shield; 6-Fruit track system; 601-Track support; 602-Fruit cup track; 603-Drive sprocket; 604-Third drive motor; 605-Friction table; 606-Fruit cup; 6061-Fruit cup frame; 6062-Fruit cup frame support; 6063-Roller; 6064-Third rotating shaft; 7-Unloading assembly; 701-External air source; 702-Air pipe; 703-Pressure regulating valve; 704-Diverter valve; 705-Nozzle; 8-Unloading track; 9-Pouring spout; 10-Water tank. Detailed Implementation

[0018] This invention aims to solve the technical problems existing in current fruit sorting technology, such as low automation, insufficient sorting accuracy, and improper handling of fragile fruits. Existing traditional fruit sorting methods typically rely on manual labor or semi-automated equipment, which is inefficient and prone to human error, making it difficult to ensure high-precision sorting standards. Especially when handling fragile fruits, unstable factors during the sorting process can easily damage the fruit, thus affecting its quality and market competitiveness. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technology that can improve sorting efficiency, reduce manual intervention, increase sorting accuracy, and effectively protect fragile fruits.

[0019] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology, which can achieve single-cherry separation, accurate identification, and automatic unloading of sweet cherries.

[0020] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of a cherry sorting machine based on vision technology proposed in this invention. The advantages and features of the invention will become clearer from the following description. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the invention. The components of the embodiments of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0022] It should be noted that similar labels in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. 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. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0025] See Figure 1-8 A cherry sorting machine based on vision technology includes: a support frame 1, a conveying component 2, a single fruit separation component, a fruit unloading component 7, a vision sorting system, and a fruit unloading track 8; The conveying assembly 2, the single fruit separation assembly, the unloading assembly 7, the visual sorting system, and the unloading track 8 are all mounted on the support frame 1; The conveying component 2 is an L-shaped conveying track formed by the first horizontal conveying track 201 and the vertical conveying track 202. A water tank is set at the bottom of the support frame 1. The water tank is filled with cherry cleaning agent. The first horizontal conveying track 201 is installed in the water tank. A batch of cherries are transported to the sorting height via the first horizontal conveyor belt and the vertical conveyor belt and fall to the single fruit separation component. The single-fruit separation component is used to separate stacked or clustered cherries into individual fruits and transport them to a vision sorting system; The visual sorting system is used to collect, analyze, and judge the information of each cherry and generate instructions to control the unloading component 7 to automatically send the sorted cherries to the corresponding unloading track 8.

[0026] In this embodiment, the cherry sorting machine uses a conveying assembly 2 to transport cherries to the sorting height. The first horizontal conveying track 201 in the conveying assembly 2 is located in a water tank filled with cherry cleaning agent at a temperature of 3-4°C. During the conveying process, the cherry cleaning agent simultaneously performs cleaning and pre-cooling. After the cherries are conveyed to the single-fruit separation assembly, the assembly separates the stacked or clustered cherries into individual cherries and conveys them to the visual sorting system. Based on visual technology, the visual sorting system can not only efficiently process sweet cherries of different sizes, colors, and ripeness, but also achieve precise classification of each cherry through an intelligent visual recognition system, significantly improving sorting accuracy and efficiency. Simultaneously, the unloading assembly 7 automatically delivers the sorted cherries to the corresponding unloading track 8.

[0027] Specifically, the L-shaped conveyor track includes a first conveyor belt 203, a first rotating wheel 204, a second rotating wheel 205, a third rotating wheel 206, a first pressure roller 208, a second pressure roller 209, and a first drive motor 207. Multiple cherry trays 210 are mounted on the first conveyor belt 203. The first conveyor belt 203, first rotating wheel 204, second rotating wheel 205, and first pressure roller 208 form an L-shaped conveyor track. The first rotating wheel 204 and second rotating wheel 205 are located at the ends of the L-shaped conveyor track, and the first pressure roller 208 is located at the corner of the L-shaped conveyor track to change the direction of the first conveyor belt 203. The output shaft of the first drive motor 207 is connected to the first rotating wheel 204. The first drive motor 207 drives the first rotating wheel 204 to rotate, thereby causing the first conveyor belt 203 to rotate. The first rotating wheel 204, second rotating wheel 205, and third rotating wheel 206 are connected to the side plates on the support frame 1 via bearings. A third rotating wheel 206, arranged parallel to the first rotating wheel 204, is also installed at the end of the vertical conveyor track 202. The second pressure wheel 209 is set at the first conveyor belt 203 on the side of the vertical track close to the single fruit separation component, so that the end of the vertical conveyor track 202 forms an inverted triangle. This makes it easier for the cherries on the first conveyor belt 203 to fall from the cherry tray 210 to the single fruit separation component. During the specific installation process, the first rotating wheel 204, the second rotating wheel 205, the third rotating wheel 206, the first pressure wheel 208, and the second pressure wheel 209 all include rollers and shafts. The rollers are sleeved on the shafts. When the first rotating wheel 204 is connected to the first drive motor 207, the drive shaft of the first drive motor 207 is connected to the shaft through a coupling. Since the first pressure wheel 208 and the second pressure wheel 209 are located on the outer side of the first conveyor belt 203, in order to prevent them from affecting the cherry pallet 210, the first pressure wheel 208 and the second pressure wheel 209 can be located on both sides of the edge of the first conveyor belt 203.

[0028] When the first conveyor belt 203 rotates counterclockwise, the cherry tray 210 can pick up the cherries in the water tank. When the sorting height is reached, the cherries in the cherry tray 210 fall into the single fruit separation component.

[0029] In some embodiments, the single-fruit separation component includes a ramp chute 3 and a second horizontal conveying track 4. The ramp chute 3 and the second horizontal conveying track 4 are respectively installed on the support frame 1. The single-fruit separation component is located on one side of the vertical conveying track 202. The ramp chute 3 is located below the cherry tray 210 at the sorting height position, and the ramp chute 3 is fixed on the support frame 1. When the sorting height is reached, the cherries in the cherry tray 210 fall into the ramp chute 3, and the cherries in the ramp chute 3 slide into the second horizontal conveying track 4. The second horizontal conveying track 4 conveys the cherries to the visual sorting system.

[0030] Furthermore, the width of the ramp chute 3 decreases as the vertical height decreases, which can separate the piles of cherries, allowing them to slide one by one onto the second horizontal conveyor track 4. The second horizontal conveyor track 4 includes a track frame 402, a second conveyor belt 401, a first rotating shaft 404, a second rotating shaft 405, a track frame support 403, and a second drive motor 406. The track frame support 403 is mounted on the support frame 1, and the track frame 402 is mounted on the support frame 1. The track frame 402 is a cuboid trough frame. The second conveyor belt 401 is installed inside the track frame 402, and the second drive motor 406 is installed on the side of the track frame 402. The first rotating shaft 404 and the second rotating shaft 405 are rotatably connected to the track frame 402 through bearings. The output shaft of the second drive motor 406 is connected to the first rotating shaft 404, and the second conveyor belt 401 is tensioned and connected to the first rotating shaft 404 and the second rotating shaft 405. The second drive motor 406 drives the first rotating shaft 404 to rotate, which in turn drives the second conveyor belt 401 to rotate. Each cherry is arranged on the second conveyor belt 401, and the track frame 402 prevents the cherries from falling.

[0031] Furthermore, near one end of the track frame 402, inclined plates 407 are respectively provided below the two side walls of the track frame 402. The two inclined plates 407 are arranged opposite each other, narrowing the opening at the bottom of the track frame 402, so that when cherries slide from the second conveyor belt 401 to the visual sorting system, the cherries can slide down the inclined plates 407 to the visual sorting system. In other embodiments, the visual sorting system includes a vision system 5 and a fruit track system 6. Cherries on the second conveyor belt 401 fall onto the fruit track system 6, and the vision system 5 identifies the cherries as they move along the fruit track system 6.

[0032] Specifically, the fruit track system 6 includes multiple rotatable fruit cups 606, track supports 601, fruit cup tracks 602, drive sprockets 603, and a third drive motor 604. Each fruit cup 606 is used to carry a single cherry. The track supports 601 are mounted on the support frame 1. The fruit cup tracks 602, drive sprockets 603, and drive motor are mounted on the track supports 601. The drive sprockets 603 are sleeved on the output shaft of the third drive motor 604. The fruit cup tracks 602 mesh with the drive sprockets 603. The rotatable fruit cups 606 are mounted on the fruit cup tracks 602. The third drive motor 604 drives the drive sprocket 603 to rotate. Since the drive sprocket 603 meshes with the fruit cup track 602, the fruit cup track 602 rotates. In this embodiment, the fruit cup track 602 is a rectangular track with multiple fruit cups 606 arranged on its four sides, and drive sprockets 603 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the fruit cup track 602 to ensure stable rotation. Cherries fall onto each fruit cup 606 from the second conveyor belt 401. During the rotation of the fruit cup track 602, the vision sorting system above the fruit cup track 602 identifies the cherries. When transported to the unloading position, the unloading component 7 automatically delivers the identified cherries to the corresponding unloading track 8.

[0033] More preferably, the fruit cup 606 includes a fruit cup frame 6061, a fruit cup frame support 6062, four rollers 6063, and four corresponding third rotating shafts 6064. The fruit cup frame support 6062 is fixed on the fruit cup track 602, and the fruit cup frame 6061 is fixed on the fruit cup frame support 6062. Each roller 6063 is sleeved and fixed on the corresponding third rotating shaft 6064. The third rotating shaft 6064 is connected to the side of the fruit cup frame 6061 through a bearing. The axes of two rollers 6063 are arranged in the same straight line, and the surfaces of the rollers 6063 are arranged opposite each other. Every two oppositely arranged rollers 6063 are distributed on both sides of the fruit cup frame 6061. The shape of the rollers 6063 is similar to a truncated cone. Along the axial direction of each roller 6063, from the side closest to the fruit cup frame 6061 to the side away from the fruit cup frame 6061, the diameter of the roller 6063 gradually decreases. Therefore, the four rollers 6063 constitute a space for carrying cherries.

[0034] A friction table 605 is also installed on the track support 601, and the friction table 605 is located at the position of the vision system 5. When the fruit cup 606 rotates with the fruit cup track 602, the third rotating shaft 6064 contacts the friction table 605, thereby rotating the third rotating shaft 6064. Due to the friction between the third rotating shaft 6064 and the friction table 605, the roller 6063 rotates, thereby allowing the cherries on the roller 6063 to also rotate.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the vision system 5 includes an industrial camera 501 and a controller 502. The industrial camera 501 is positioned above the fruit cup 606, and the industrial camera 501, the fruit unloading assembly 7, and the controller 502 are electrically connected. The industrial camera 501 captures images of cherries and transmits them to the controller 502. The controller 502 processes and analyzes the images based on the target detection model, determines the information of each fruit, and generates control commands for the unloading assembly 7.

[0036] Industrial camera 501 acquires images of cherries in real time. Because roller 6063 can rotate, friction causes the cherries to rotate as well, allowing industrial camera 501 to capture images of a single cherry from different angles for more precise image analysis. Industrial camera 501 sends the acquired images to controller 502 in real time. Through sophisticated image acquisition technology, industrial camera 501 can deeply capture images of each sweet cherry based on different lighting environments and fruit surface features, achieving accurate identification of fruit appearance defects (such as surface damage, color differences, and mold). Combined with machine learning algorithms, it continuously optimizes sorting accuracy, thereby reducing the impact of human factors on the sorting results while ensuring sorting precision.

[0037] In controller 502, a pre-trained object detection model based on a convolutional neural network is used to process and classify the transmitted images. This object detection model uses a convolutional neural network (CNN) for image feature extraction, enabling rapid identification and analysis of target features in the acquired sweet cherry images. Through analysis of the sweet cherry images using this object detection model, the system can acquire one or more of the following features for each sweet cherry: color, size, shape, and surface defects. Based on a preset grading standard, the sweet cherries are then classified into different grades. According to the analysis results of the object detection model, controller 502 generates corresponding sorting control signals and uses these signals to control the unloading assembly 7. Controller 502 monitors the image processing and grading process in real time. If unclear identification or abnormal grading results occur, the object detection model can be re-invoked or parameters adjusted to improve the stability and accuracy of the sorting.

[0038] Furthermore, the vision system 5 also includes a light source 503 and a light shield 504. The light shield 504 is positioned above the fruit cup 606. Both the light source 503 and the camera of the industrial camera 501 are located inside the light shield 504. The light shield 504 is made of black opaque material to effectively shield external stray light. The light source 503, such as an LED light strip, is located on both sides of the top inside the light shield 504 to provide a uniform light source 503 for shooting. The industrial camera 501 is located at the center of the light shield 504 and is electrically connected to the controller 502 to transmit images.

[0039] In some other embodiments, the unloading assembly 7 is a pneumatic system, which includes an external air source 701, an air pipe 702, a pressure regulating valve 703, a diversion valve 704, and multiple nozzles 705. The unloading track 8 includes multiple tracks, each nozzle 705 corresponds to a track inlet, the nozzles 705 are electrically connected to the controller 502, the diversion valve 704 is connected to the external air source 701 through the air pipe 702, the pressure regulating valve 703 is installed on the air pipe 702, and the diversion valve 704 is connected to the multiple nozzles 705.

[0040] The controller 502 precisely controls the opening timing and airflow intensity of the nozzle 705 according to the grading results of each sweet cherry, so that the sorted sweet cherries are accurately blown into the corresponding unloading track 8 after reaching the corresponding unloading track 8, thus realizing automatic sorting.

[0041] The target detection model in the controller 502 of this invention processes and analyzes images to determine the ripeness, size, color, or surface defects of each cherry, and classifies the cherries into multiple levels, such as "first-grade fruit", "second-grade fruit", and "inferior fruit". Moreover, the controller 502 is based on PLC programming and can flexibly set recognition parameters and control logic to adapt to different fruit sorting needs, thereby improving the efficiency, accuracy and automation level of sweet cherry sorting.

[0042] The working principle of the cherry sorting machine in this embodiment: The harvested cherries are poured into a water tank with a tilting spout 9 on the side. A cherry tray 210 can pick up the cherries from the water tank. When the cherries reach the sorting height along the first horizontal conveyor track 201 and the vertical conveyor track 202, the cherries in the cherry tray 210 fall into the inclined chute 3, and then slide down to one end of the second conveyor belt 401 of the second horizontal conveyor track 4. As the second conveyor belt 401 slides to the other end, the cherries fall into the fruit cup 606. The fruit cup 606 moves with the fruit cup track 602 and moves into the radiation range of the camera of the industrial camera 501. At this time, the friction table 605 at this position causes the cherry to rotate through the friction with the third rotating shaft 6064. The industrial camera 501 captures images of the cherry from various angles and transmits the images to the controller 502. The controller 502 processes, quickly identifies, and analyzes the images based on the target detection model, and classifies the sweet cherries into different grades according to the preset grading standards. Based on the grade classification of cherries by controller 502, controller 502 generates corresponding sorting control signals and uses these signals to control the unloading assembly 7. For example, "Grade 1 fruit", "Grade 2 fruit", "inferior fruit". When "Grade 1 fruit" moves to the entrance of the unloading track 8 for "Grade 1 fruit", controller 502 controls nozzle 705 to accurately blow the "Grade 1 fruit" into the unloading track 8 for "Grade 1 fruit".

[0043] The cherry sorting machine of this application enables efficient conveying, individual separation, accurate identification, and automatic sorting of cherries, ensuring that each cherry is accurately identified and classified according to its key characteristics such as color, size, ripeness, or surface condition. Regardless of slight size differences, color variations, or appearance defects, the system can acquire images via an industrial camera and perform rapid analysis by a PLC, achieving refined processing. Its highly integrated conveying and identification system not only improves sorting efficiency and product consistency but also effectively reduces human error and fruit damage, significantly enhancing the intelligence level of fruit grading and the added value of the product. It is widely applicable to post-harvest processing and packaging lines for fruits.

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Even if various changes are made to the present invention, if these changes fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, they shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cherry sorting machine based on vision technology, characterized in that, include: Support frame, conveying assembly, single fruit separation assembly, unloading assembly, vision sorting system and unloading track; The conveying assembly, single-fruit separation assembly, unloading assembly, visual sorting system, and unloading track are all mounted on the support frame. The conveying assembly is an L-shaped conveying track formed by a first horizontal conveying track and a vertical conveying track. A water tank is set at the bottom of the support frame. The water tank is filled with cherry cleaning agent. The first horizontal conveying track is installed in the water tank. A batch of cherries is transported to the sorting height via the first horizontal conveyor belt and the vertical conveyor belt and falls onto the single fruit separation assembly. The single-fruit separation component is used to separate stacked or clustered cherries into individual fruits and transport them to the visual sorting system. The visual sorting system is used to collect, analyze, and judge the information of each cherry and generate instructions to control the unloading component to automatically send the sorted cherries to the corresponding unloading track.

2. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first horizontal conveying track and the vertical conveying track include a first conveyor belt, a first rotating wheel, a second rotating wheel, a third rotating wheel, a first pressure roller, a second pressure roller, and a first drive motor. The first conveyor belt, the first rotating wheel, and the second rotating wheel form an L-shaped conveying track. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are respectively located at the two ends of the L-shaped conveying track, and the first pressure roller is located at the turning point of the L-shaped conveying track. A third wheel, arranged parallel to the first wheel, is also installed at the end of the vertical conveyor track. The second pressure wheel is located on the first conveyor belt of the vertical track near the single fruit separation component, so that the end of the vertical conveyor track forms an inverted triangle. The output shaft of the first drive motor is connected to the first rotating wheel; Multiple cherry trays are installed on the first conveyor belt.

3. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The single-fruit separation component includes a sloping chute and a second horizontal conveying track. The sloping chute and the second horizontal conveying track are respectively installed on the support frame. Cherries in the sloping chute slide down to the second horizontal conveying track, and the second horizontal conveying track transports the cherries to the visual sorting system.

4. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second horizontal conveyor track includes a track frame, a second conveyor belt, a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a track frame bracket, and a second drive motor. The track frame bracket is mounted on the support frame, the track frame is mounted on the track frame bracket, the second conveyor belt is mounted inside the track frame, the second drive motor is mounted on the side of the track frame, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are rotatably connected to the track frame, the output shaft of the second drive motor is connected to the first rotating shaft, and the second conveyor belt is tensioned and connected to the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft.

5. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The visual sorting system includes a vision system and a fruit track system. When the cherries are running on the fruit track system, the vision system identifies the cherries.

6. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fruit track system includes multiple rotatable fruit cups, track supports, fruit cup tracks, drive sprockets, and a third drive motor. Each fruit cup is used to carry a single cherry. The track supports are mounted on the support frame. The fruit cup tracks, drive sprockets, and drive motors are mounted on the track supports. The drive sprockets are sleeved on the output shaft of the third drive motor. The fruit cup tracks mesh with the drive sprockets. The rotatable fruit cups are mounted on the fruit cup tracks.

7. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fruit cup includes a fruit cup frame, a fruit cup frame support, four rollers, and four corresponding third rotating shafts. The fruit cup frame support is fixed on the fruit cup track, and the fruit cup frame is fixed on the fruit cup frame support. The rollers are sleeved and fixed on the third rotating shafts, and the third rotating shafts are movably connected to the fruit cup frame. The surfaces of two rollers are arranged opposite to each other and distributed on both sides of the fruit cup frame. A friction table is also installed on the track support. When the fruit cup rotates with the fruit cup track, the third rotating shaft contacts the friction table, thereby rotating the third rotating shaft and then the roller shaft.

8. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vision system includes an industrial camera and a controller. The industrial camera is positioned above the fruit cup, and the industrial camera, the fruit unloading assembly, and the controller are electrically connected. The industrial camera captures images of cherries and transmits them to the controller. The controller processes and analyzes the images based on a target detection model, determines the information of each fruit, and generates control commands for the unloading assembly.

9. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vision system also includes a light source and a light shield, which is positioned above the fruit cup. Both the light source and the camera of the industrial camera are located inside the light shield.

10. The cherry sorting machine based on vision technology according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fruit unloading assembly includes an external air source, an air pipe, a pressure regulating valve, a diversion valve, and multiple nozzles. The fruit unloading track includes multiple tracks, and each nozzle corresponds to a track. The nozzles are electrically connected to the controller. The diversion valve is connected to the external air source through the air pipe. The pressure regulating valve is installed on the air pipe, and the diversion valve is connected to the multiple nozzles.

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