Root vegetable sorting machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a root vegetable sorting machine that stabilizes the posture of crops on a conveyor belt, thereby improving the efficiency of crop transport and sorting accuracy. [Solution] A root vegetable sorting machine comprising a storage section A for storing root vegetables, a lifting and conveying section B for scooping up and conveying the stored crops upward, an aligning and conveying section C for aligning and conveying the crops taken over from the lifting and conveying section B, and a sorting and conveying section D for sorting the taken-over crops by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, the sorting and conveying conveyor comprising a posture stabilization means for stabilizing the posture of the crops during conveyance, an endless belt for conveying the crops being wound between a driven roller and a drive roller provided on the front side of the machine body, and a drive roller being driven by a drive motor rotating the sorting and conveying conveyor, the posture stabilization means is configured to restrict the overturning of the crops during conveyance by a pair of guide bodies formed on the endless belt so as to protrude upward from the top surface along the conveyance direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a root vegetable sorting machine for sorting root vegetable crops by class.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a root vegetable sorting machine including a storage unit for storing washed root vegetable crops, a pumping and conveying unit for pumping up the crops from the storage unit and conveying them upward, an alignment conveying unit for aligning and conveying the crops taken over from the pumping and conveying unit, and a sorting conveying unit for sorting the crops taken over from the alignment conveying unit by discharging them at different discharge positions according to class (see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

[0003] In this conventional root vegetable sorting machine, in the alignment conveying unit and the sorting conveying unit, a plurality of conveying conveyors for conveying the crops in the longitudinal direction of the machine body are provided in a pair on the left and right facing the conveying direction, and the crops are conveyed in two rows. Further, the alignment conveying unit is configured to receive the dropping supply of the crops from the pumping and conveying unit to a mountain-shaped distribution plate, so as to distribute the crops left and right with respect to the conveying direction and guide the crops onto a pair of left and right conveying conveyors respectively.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with the conventional technology described above, root vegetables have a shape that makes them prone to tipping over, which causes them to easily lose their orientation on the conveyor belt. As a result, this can lead to crops falling off the conveyor belt or being discharged in unintended directions during sorting, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of crop transport and sorting accuracy.Therefore, the present invention aims to solve these problems and provide a root vegetable sorting machine that stabilizes the orientation of crops on the conveyor belt, thereby improving the efficiency of crop transport and sorting accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the first invention is: A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an aligning and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the aligning and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting and conveying conveyor that is driven by rotating the drive roller with a drive motor, which winds an endless belt for conveying root vegetables between a driven roller located on the front of the machine and a driven roller located on the rear of the machine. The present invention provides a root vegetable sorting machine characterized in that the posture stabilization means is provided on the endless belt with a pair of guide bodies formed to protrude upward from the upper surface along the conveying direction, and the pair of guide bodies is configured to prevent the root vegetables from tipping over during conveying.

[0007] According to the first invention described above, it is possible to restrict the lateral rotation of root vegetables being transported on an endless belt, preventing distortion of their posture and unintended detachment. As a result, the posture of the crops on the conveyor belt can be stabilized, improving the efficiency of crop transport and sorting accuracy.

[0008] The second invention, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting section equipped with sorting plates that push and drop root vegetables from the endless belt towards the inside of the machine at sorting positions according to their grade. The pair of guide bodies is characterized in that the inner guide body has a semicircular, circular, or elliptical cross-sectional shape, while the outer guide body has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

[0009] According to the second invention described above, in addition to the effects of the first invention described above, the resistance when crops move in the discharge direction due to sorting is reduced, enabling quick sorting. Furthermore, when crops move toward the sorting plate, the corners of the guide body on the outside of the machine catch on them, making it difficult for them to climb over, thus further improving and stabilizing the posture of the carrots.

[0010] The third invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second invention described above, The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting section equipped with sorting plates that push root vegetables onto the endless belt and drop them towards the inside of the machine at sorting positions according to their grade, and a partition guide section that guides the direction in which the root vegetables sorted by the sorting section fall. The partition guide section comprises a partition plate support frame extending along the longitudinal direction of the machine, and a plurality of partition plates supported by the partition plate support frame, which guide the direction of falling so as to separate root vegetable crops into different grades. The aforementioned plurality of partition plates are characterized by having a return portion at the lower end that is folded back on the opposite side of the conveying direction.

[0011] According to the third invention described above, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention described above, this makes it easier for the partition plate to catch the sorted and falling crops, thereby effectively preventing the crops from overshooting their intended drop position and ending up mixed into the wrong grade, improving sorting accuracy, while also guiding the crops to the chute in a stable position.

[0012] To achieve the above objective, the fourth invention is: A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an aligning and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the aligning and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The alignment and conveying unit is equipped with a distribution plate in the middle of the machine in the left-right direction, which evenly distributes the root vegetables supplied by dropping from the conveying end of the pumping and conveying unit to the left and right, and an alignment and conveying conveyor that takes the root vegetables from the distribution plate and transports the taken crops in a line. The posture stabilization means provides a root vegetable sorting machine characterized in that the sorting plate is provided with a first inclined guide section having a mountain-shaped cross-section, and left and right second inclined guide sections formed continuously below the first inclined guide section and having a gentler inclination surface than the first inclined guide section.

[0013] According to the fourth invention described above, the second inclined guide section causes the crops to tilt onto the alignment conveyor, thereby mitigating the impact of falling and allowing the crops to be stably transferred onto the alignment conveyor. As a result, the posture of the crops on the alignment conveyor is stabilized, improving the efficiency of crop transport and sorting accuracy.

[0014] To achieve the above objective, the fifth invention is: A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an aligning and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the aligning and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The alignment and conveyance unit includes a first alignment and conveyance conveyor that aligns and conveys root vegetable crops in a row, and a second alignment and conveyance conveyor that takes over the root vegetable crops from the first alignment and conveyance conveyor, conveys them, and delivers them to the sorting and conveyance unit. The second alignment and conveyance conveyor includes a drive shaft that drives a conveyor belt for conveying root vegetable crops at the start end of conveyance, and a pair of flanges axially mounted on the drive shaft on both the left and right sides of the conveyor belt. The posture stabilizing means is configured such that a pair of protrusions are formed on the periphery of the disk-shaped flange body of the flange, and the part of the crop protruding in the left and right directions from the conveyor belt is lifted by the protruding part rotating upward and pulled toward the inside of the conveyor belt, thereby adjusting the posture of the root vegetable crop during conveyance. A root vegetable sorting machine is provided.

[0015] According to the fifth invention above, the protrusion interferes with the part of the crop protruding in the left and right directions from the conveyor belt, thereby adjusting the posture so that the longitudinal direction of the crop faces the conveyance direction and stabilizing the posture of the conveyed crop. As a result, the conveyance efficiency and sorting accuracy of the crop can be improved.

Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a root vegetable sorting machine that stabilizes the posture of the crop on the conveyor, thereby improving the conveyance efficiency and sorting accuracy of the crop.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [[ID=太25]] [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a left side view of the root vegetable sorting machine of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view of the same. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of the alignment and conveyance unit of the root vegetable sorting machine of Figure 1. [Figure 5]Figure 5 is a perspective view of the area around the alignment and conveying section of the root vegetable sorting machine shown in Figure 1, viewed from the front and above. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the distribution plate shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a left side view of the alignment conveyor shown in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view of the same thing. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a partially enlarged front view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 7. [Figure 11] Figure 11(a) is a view of the flange from the direction F1 shown in Figure 10, and Figure 11(b) is a view of the flange from the direction F2 shown in Figure 10. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a left side view of the sorting and conveying section in Figure 1. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a plan view of the same thing. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the sorting and conveying unit in Figure 1 during the sorting process. [Figure 15] Figures 15(a) and 15(b) are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the left and right endless belts. [Figure 16] Figure 16(a) is a perspective view of the partition guide section of Figure 1, Figure 16(b) is a left side view of the same, and Figure 16(c) is a top view of the same. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] <Overall Structure> Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the crop transport direction X of the root vegetable sorting machine is the front side, the opposite direction is the rear side, the left direction (Y direction) when facing the transport direction X is the left side, and the opposite direction is the right side. The main body of the root vegetable sorting machine may also be referred to as the machine body. Figure 2 is a left side view of the root vegetable sorting machine of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a top view of the same. In the following description, the case in which the root vegetable crop is carrot N will be described, but the type of root vegetable crop is not limited to this.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a storage unit A for storing washed root vegetable crops, a pumping and conveying unit B for pumping up crops from the storage unit A and conveying them upward, an alignment and conveying unit C for aligning and conveying crops taken over from the pumping and conveying unit B, and a sorting and conveying unit D for sorting crops taken over from the alignment and conveying unit C by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade.

[0020] <Configuration of storage section A and pumping / transporting section B> As shown in Figure 1, the storage section A is constructed by attaching a hopper 1 for storing carrots N to the front of the frame body 10 on the upper side in the conveying direction. The pumping and conveying section B includes a pumping and conveying conveyor 2 equipped with multiple conveying rollers that pump up the carrots N stored in the hopper 1 and convey them upward, and a sliding guide plate 3, which is a plate member that is inclined and positioned at the end of the pumping and conveying conveyor 2. The known configurations of the storage section A and the pumping and conveying section B will not be described in detail here, but please refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-172826. The sliding guide plate 3 serves to guide the carrots N that are dropped and supplied to the alignment conveying section C, which will be described later, downward at the end of the pumping and conveying conveyor 2, and has multiple slits that extend parallel to the conveying direction X. This allows the root portion of the carrot N to partially enter the groove of the slit, thereby adjusting the carrot N's orientation so that its longitudinal direction faces the conveying direction X.

[0021] <Configuration of Alignment and Conveying Unit C> Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the area around the alignment and conveying section C of the root vegetable sorting machine shown in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the area around the alignment and conveying section C of the root vegetable sorting machine shown in Figure 1, viewed from the front and above. The alignment and conveying section C is located approximately in the center of the machine in the left-right direction and includes a mountain-shaped distribution plate 4 that distributes the carrots N supplied by dropping from the conveying end of the pumping conveying conveyor 2 to either the left or the right, and left and right alignment and conveying conveyors 5, 5 that align the carrots N distributed by the distribution plate 4 and convey them in the longitudinal direction (conveying direction X) of the machine. Furthermore, each of the alignment and conveying conveyors 5 includes a first alignment and conveying conveyor 51 that receives the carrots N from the distribution plate 4 and conveys them in a single line, and a second alignment and conveying conveyor 52 that takes over the carrots N from the first alignment and conveying conveyor 51 and conveys them to the sorting and conveying section D described later. Carrots N that are excluded from the left and right alignment and conveying conveyors 5, 5 due to falling off or other reasons are returned to the storage section A by a return mechanism (not shown). The details of this return mechanism are not described here, but please refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-52708.

[0022] <Configuration of distribution board 4> Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the distribution plate 4 in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6, the sorting plate 4 includes a first inclined guide section 41 with a mountain-shaped cross-section that evenly distributes the carrots N to the left and right, and left and right second inclined guide sections 42, 42 that are continuously formed below the first inclined guide section 41 and have a gentler inclination surface than the first inclined guide section 41. These second inclined guide sections cause the carrots N to roll onto the first alignment conveyor 51, thereby mitigating the impact of falling and allowing the carrots N to be stably transferred onto the first alignment conveyor 51. As a result, the posture of the carrots N on the alignment conveyor 5, 5 is stabilized, improving the transport efficiency and sorting accuracy of the carrots N. In addition, to prevent the carrots N from falling off by going over the first alignment conveyor 51 from the second inclined guide section 42, left and right fall prevention plates 43, 43 are provided on the outside of the left and right first alignment conveyor 51, 51 in the left and right directions, respectively, with a downward slope toward the first alignment conveyor 51. This allows the carrots N that have gone over the left and right first alignment conveyor belts 51, 51 to be guided by inclination toward the first alignment conveyor belt 51 and returned to the first alignment conveyor belt 51.

[0023] <Configuration of the alignment conveyor 5> Next, we will explain the configuration of the alignment conveyor 5. Figure 7 is a left side view of the alignment conveyor shown in Figure 5, and Figure 8 is a top view of the same. Figure 9 is a partially enlarged front view of the area around the second drive shaft 512 in Figure 8. Note that the second input sprocket 511 is omitted from the illustration in Figure 9.

[0024] The left and right alignment conveyor belts 5, 5 are configured such that an alignment drive motor 501 is attached to the frame body 10 to supply driving force to the left and right first alignment conveyor belts 51, 51 and the left and right second alignment conveyor belts 52, 52, and a first output sprocket 502 is axially mounted on the output shaft of the alignment drive motor 501. In addition, a first drive shaft 505 is rotatably mounted near the center of the left and right side plates of the alignment conveyor section C in the front-rear direction, with a first input sprocket 503 and left and right first drive pulleys 504, 504 having grooves formed at their left and right ends for winding three conveyor belts attached to them. A first driven shaft 507 is rotatably mounted near the front end of the left and right side plates of the alignment conveyor section C in the conveying direction, with left and right first driven pulleys 506, 506 having grooves formed for winding three conveyor belts attached to them.

[0025] Furthermore, the left and right first aligned conveyor belts 51, 51 are constructed by endlessly winding the left and right first conveyor belts 508u, 508s around the grooves on the outer and inner sides of the left and right first drive pulleys 504, 504 and the left and right first driven pulleys 506, 506, and endlessly winding the alignment transmission chain 509 around the first output sprocket 502 and the first input sprocket 503.

[0026] Then, a second output sprocket 510 is axially mounted to the approximate center of the first drive shaft 505 in the left-right direction, and a second drive shaft 512 is rotatably mounted to the second input sprocket 511 axially mounted to the rear of the first drive shaft 505 in the conveying direction and approximately center of the first drive shaft 505 in the left-right direction.

[0027] Furthermore, left and right second drive pulleys 513, 513 are attached to both the left and right sides of the second drive shaft 512, each consisting of a receiving pulley 513m independently and rotatably mounted between a pair of left and right second drive pulleys 513u, 513s. In addition, a pair of left and right second driven pulleys 516, 516, each having grooves for winding two conveyor belts near the left and right ends of the left and right side plates of the alignment conveying section C on the lower side in the conveying direction, are pivotally attached to both the left and right sides of the second driven shaft 517.

[0028] Then, flanges 514, 514 with a larger diameter than the left and right second drive pulleys 513, 513 are attached to the inner and outer sides of the second drive pulleys 513, 513, respectively, and the second alignment conveyor belts 515u, 515s are wrapped endlessly around the left and right second drive pulleys 513, 513 and the left and right second driven pulleys 516, 516. Furthermore, a relay transmission chain 518 is wrapped endlessly around the second output sprocket 510 and the second input sprocket 511 to form the left and right second alignment conveyor belts 52, 52.

[0029] Furthermore, the alignment conveyor 5 is constructed by endlessly wrapping the central conveyor belt 508m, 508m between the left and right first conveyor belts 508u, 508s and the left and right second alignment conveyor belts 515u, 515s, and around the left and right first drive pulleys 504, 504, the left and right first driven pulleys 506, 506 and the left and right receiving pulleys 513m, 513m.

[0030] Furthermore, by setting the upper surface height of the left and right first conveyor belts 508u, 508s and the left and right second alignment conveyor belts 515u, 515s higher than the upper surface height of the central conveyor belt 508m, 508m, the carrots N can be conveyed stably. For example, it is preferable to configure the left and right first conveyor belts 508u, 508s and the left and right second alignment conveyor belts 515u, 515s as hexagonal belts with a hexagonal cross-section, and the central conveyor belt 508m, 508m as a trapezoidal belt (V-belt) with a trapezoidal cross-section (see Figure 6). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveying speed is increased in the order of the left and right first alignment conveying conveyors 51, 51, the left and right second alignment conveying conveyors 52, 52, and the left and right sorting conveying conveyors 6, 6, which will be described later (for example, the conveying speed is set to 0.3 m / sec, 0.6 m / sec, and 1.2 m / sec, doubling the speed). As a result, the spacing between carrots N increases on the left and right sorting conveying conveyors 6, 6, making it easier for the sorting device 70, which will be described later, to detect the weight of each individual carrot N, thereby improving sorting accuracy.

[0031] <Configuration of the flange of the second drive shaft 512> Figure 10 is a perspective view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 7, Figure 11(a) is a view of the flange from the direction F1 shown in Figure 10, and Figure 11(b) is a view of the same flange from the direction F2. As shown in Figures 10 and 11(a) to 11(b), the flange 514 is pivotally attached to the second drive shaft 512 and is configured to rotate integrally with the second drive shaft 512. A pair of protrusions 521, 521 are formed on the periphery of the disc-shaped flange body with a 180° phase (opposite sides). Furthermore, the flange 514s on the outside of the machine body and the flange 514u on the inside of the machine body are pivotally attached to the second drive shaft 512 with a 90° phase to each other. With this configuration, when a carrot N passes between the first drive shaft 505 and the second drive shaft 512 during the conveying process, if it passes in an oblique or perpendicular position to the conveying direction X, the protrusions 521 alternately from left to right interfere in the direction that lifts the carrot N (upward direction). This allows the portion of the carrot N that protrudes to the left or right from the alignment conveyor 5 (specifically, the first alignment conveyor 51 and the second alignment conveyor 52) to be lifted (as if scooped up) by the upward-rotating projection 521 and brought closer to the inside of the alignment conveyor 5, thereby adjusting the posture of the carrot N so that its longitudinal direction faces the conveying direction X, and stabilizing the posture of the carrot N being conveyed. Furthermore, it effectively prevents the carrot N from becoming stuck between the first drive shaft 505 and the second drive shaft 512 in a posture perpendicular to the conveying direction X. In addition, it is desirable that the flange 514 be an elastic material such as rubber that has flexibility so as not to damage the carrot N.

[0032] <Configuration of sorting and conveying unit D> Figure 12 is a left side view of the sorting and conveying unit D in Figure 1, and Figure 13 is a top view of the same unit. Figure 14 is a top view illustrating the operation of the sorting and conveying unit D in Figure 1 during sorting. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the sorting and conveying section D is equipped with left and right sorting and conveying conveyors 6, 6 that take over carrots N from the left and right second alignment and conveying conveyors 52, 52 and convey them toward the downstream side in the conveying direction.

[0033] The sorting conveyor 6 winds an endless belt 61, which is a conveying belt, between a driven roller 63 located at the front of the machine and a drive roller 62 located at the rear of the machine on both the left and right sides, and drives the drive roller 62 by rotating it with a drive motor 64. Since the drive roller 62 and the driven roller 63 are positioned within the winding area of ​​the outer ends of the endless belt 61, when a heavy object is placed on the endless belt 61, the endless belt 61 (the so-called endless belt) can flexibly bend up and down in accordance with the weight.

[0034] The left and right sorting conveyor belts 6, 6 are each equipped with a sorting section 7 on the left and right sides of the outer surface of the machine body for sorting carrots N. This sorting section 7 comprises a plurality of sorting devices 70… that sort the carrots N into different grades along the longitudinal direction of the endless belt 61, and a cover body 7K that covers the plurality of sorting devices 70…. Note that this cover body 7K is not shown in Figures 13 and 14.

[0035] Each of the sorting devices 70... includes a detection means 71 for detecting the weight of carrots N on the endless belt 61, a solenoid 72 that activates when the detection means 71 detects a weight exceeding a set weight set for each sorting device 70, and a sorting plate 73 that rotates in a flap-like manner toward the inside of the machine when the solenoid 72 is activated, pushing the carrots N off the endless belt 61 and causing them to fall. For the basic configuration of this sorting device 70, please refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-096128.

[0036] Multiple sorting devices 70... are arranged in pairs on the left and right sides, approximately to the side of the endless belt 61, corresponding to the sorting class. In this embodiment, to enable five-stage sorting, the first sorting devices 70a, 70a, the second sorting devices 70b, 70b, the third sorting devices 70c, 70c, the fourth sorting devices 70d, 70d, and the fifth sorting devices 70e, 70e are provided in order from the upper side in the conveying direction. Carrots N that cannot be sorted by the multiple sorting devices 70... are discharged from the end of the sorting conveyor 6 towards the shelf 11. If the multiple sorting devices 70... are arranged to sort the carrots N in order of increasing weight, it becomes easier to set the weight detection. In this embodiment, as an example, the carrots N are configured to be sorted in order of increasing weight as follows: 3L size, 2L size, L size, M size, and S size.

[0037] Between the left and right sorting conveyor belts 6, 6, a partition guide section 8 is provided to guide the direction in which carrots N sorted by multiple sorting devices 70… will fall. This partition guide section 8 is located approximately in the center of the machine in the left-right direction and consists of a partition plate support frame 80 that extends along the longitudinal direction of the machine, and multiple partition plates 81… supported by the partition plate support frame 80, which guide the direction in which the falling carrots N will fall so as to separate them into grades. These partition plates 81… will be described later.

[0038] As a result, the carrots N, sorted into their respective classes by multiple sorting devices 70..., fall from the endless belt 61 and are guided down by multiple partition plates 81... that divide them by weight (class), as shown in Figure 14, and fall onto chutes 9 that are separated by class.

[0039] The chutes 9 are configured to guide carrots N according to their grade, and as shown by the dashed lines in the plan view of Figure 14, the first chute 9a, second chute 9b, third chute 9c, and fourth chute 9d are provided in order from the upper side in the transport direction of the sorting transport section D, corresponding to the sorting positions of each grade by the multiple sorting devices 70... (in other words, the discharge positions corresponding to each grade, where the carrots N are dropped by the sorting plate 73). Here, Figure 14 shows a storage box 12 for storing the sorted carrots N. More specifically, it shows the first to fifth storage boxes 12a to 12e, which store the 3L to S size carrots N discharged from the first to fifth chutes 9a to 9e, respectively, which are provided according to grade, and the sixth storage boxes 12f, 12f, which store the carrots N discharged from the end of the sorting conveyor 6 towards the shelf 11.

[0040] Here, the first chute 9a and the second chute 9b are arranged with an inclination toward the front relative to the left direction Y of the machine in a plan view, thereby creating a gap between the second chute 9b and the third chute 9c, and the central support frame 10a is placed in this gap to improve the strength of the machine. Furthermore, the fifth chute 9e, which corresponds to the S size, has a trapezoidal shape in a plan view because the carrots N are small, while the third chute 9c and the fourth chute 9d, which correspond to the L and M sizes, have a rectangular, linear shape in a plan view, and are provided with a wider width than the fifth chute 9e, thus improving the sorting accuracy of the carrots N.

[0041] <Configuration of the endless belt 61> Figures 15(a) and 15(b) are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the left and right endless belts 61, 61. As shown in Figures 15(a) and 15(b), the left and right endless belts 61, 61 are each provided with a pair of guide bodies 65, 65 that are formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the endless belt 61 at positions equally spaced from the central part (also called the intermediate part) 6P in the left-right direction of the endless belt 61. The pair of guide bodies 65, 65 are formed along the longitudinal direction (conveying direction X) of the endless belt 61, thereby restricting the left-right lateral rotation of the carrots N while they are being conveyed on the endless belt 61, and preventing the carrots N from losing their posture or falling off unintentionally. This pair of guide bodies 65, 65 is one of the posture stabilization means according to the present invention.

[0042] The spacing between the pair of guide bodies 65, 65 is preferably approximately the same as the average width of the carrots N. Furthermore, of the pair of guide bodies 65, 65, the inner guide body 65u is preferably formed with a semicircular, circular, or elliptical (vertical) cross-sectional shape, most preferably a semicircular cross-section, so that its working surface is less likely to catch on the carrots N. The outer guide body 65s is preferably formed with a rectangular (vertical) cross-sectional shape. This reduces resistance when the carrots N move in the discharge direction during sorting, enabling faster sorting. Also, when the carrots N move towards the sorting plate 73, the corners of the outer guide body 65s catch, making it difficult for them to roll over, thus stabilizing the carrots N's position. The height of the guide bodies 65, 65 is preferably about 2 to 3 mm. The guide bodies 65, 65 are preferably made of an elastic material such as flexible rubber, and may be integrally formed with the endless belt 61 or welded to it. The guide body 65u on the inside of the aircraft may be made of a softer (less hard) material than the guide body 65s on the outside of the aircraft.

[0043] <Configuration of partition plate 81> Figure 16(a) is a perspective view of the partition guide section 8 in Figure 1, Figure 16(b) is a left side view of the same, and Figure 16(c) is a top view of the same.

[0044] As shown in Figures 16(a) to 16(b), the lower ends of the multiple partition plates 81 are equipped with a return portion that is folded back on the opposite side of the transport direction X. This makes it easier for the partition plates 81 to catch the carrots N as they are sorted and fall, effectively preventing them from going over the chute 9 to which they should be guided and ending up in the wrong grade, thereby improving sorting accuracy, and allowing the carrots N to be guided onto the chute 9 in a stable position.

[0045] Furthermore, the upper parts of the partition plates 81a to 81d that separate the grades are arranged in a sloping position that is directed downwards in the direction of transport as they fall. This reduces the impact of the carrots N interfering with the partition plates 81a to 81d and allows for good guidance of the direction of fall. In addition, by guiding the carrots N with a distance between them, the sorted carrots N can be reliably discharged by grade, improving sorting accuracy, while being guided in a stable position on the chute 9.

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It goes without saying that modifications can be made as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] A Storage section B Pumping and Transport Section C Alignment and conveying section D Sorting and conveying section N Carrot 1 Hoppa 2. Pumping and conveying conveyor 3. Signpost indicating the risk of falling 4 Sorting board 5. Parallel Conveyor 6. Sorting and conveying conveyor 6P Central section (middle section) 7. Sorting Department 7K Cover Body 8. Partition Guide Section 9 (9a~9e) Shooter 10 Frame Body 10a Central support frame 11 shelves 12 (12a~12f) Storage Box 41 1st slope guide section 42 2nd slope guide part 43 Fall prevention plate 51. First alignment conveyor 52. Second alignment conveyor 61 Endless belt 62 drive rollers 63 Driven roller 64 Drive motors 65 (65u, 65s) guide body 70 (70a~70e) Sorting device 71 Detection means 72 Solenoid 73 sorting plates 80 Partition plate support frame 81 (81a~81e) Partition Plate 501 Alignment drive motor 502 First Output Sprocket 503 First Input Sprocket 504 First drive pulley 505 First drive shaft 506 First driven pulley 507 1st driven axis 508u, 508s First conveyor belt 508m Central conveyor belt 509 Aligned transmission chain 510 Second output sprocket 511 Second input sprocket 512 Second drive shaft 513, 513u, 513s Second drive pulley 513m receiving pulley 514, 514u, 514s flange 515u, 515s Second alignment conveyor belt 516 Second driven pulley 517 2nd driven axis 518 Relay transmission chain 521 Protrusion

Claims

1. A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an alignment and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the alignment and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting and conveying conveyor that is driven by rotating the drive roller with a drive motor, which winds an endless belt for conveying root vegetables between a driven roller located on the front of the machine and a driven roller located on the rear of the machine. The posture stabilization means is provided on the endless belt with a pair of guide bodies formed to protrude upward from the top surface along the conveying direction, and the pair of guide bodies is configured to prevent the root vegetables from tipping over during conveying, making it a root vegetable sorting machine.

2. The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting section equipped with sorting plates that push and drop root vegetables from the endless belt towards the inside of the machine at sorting positions according to their grade. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, of the pair of guide bodies, the inner guide body has a semicircular, circular, or elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the outer guide body has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

3. The sorting and conveying unit includes a sorting section equipped with sorting plates that push root vegetables onto the endless belt and drop them towards the inside of the machine at sorting positions according to their grade, and a partition guide section that guides the direction in which the root vegetables sorted by the sorting section fall. The partition guide section comprises a partition plate support frame extending along the longitudinal direction of the machine, and a plurality of partition plates supported by the partition plate support frame, which guide the direction of falling so as to separate root vegetable crops into different grades. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower ends of the plurality of partition plates are provided with return portions that are folded back on the opposite side of the conveying direction.

4. A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an alignment and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the alignment and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The alignment and conveying unit is equipped with a distribution plate in the middle of the machine in the left-right direction, which evenly distributes the root vegetables supplied by dropping from the conveying end of the pumping and conveying unit to the left and right, and an alignment and conveying conveyor that takes the root vegetables from the distribution plate and transports the taken crops in a line. The posture stabilization means is characterized in that the sorting plate is provided with a first inclined guide section having a mountain-shaped cross-section, and left and right second inclined guide sections formed continuously below the first inclined guide section and having a gentler inclination surface than the first inclined guide section, in a root vegetable sorting machine.

5. A root vegetable sorting machine comprising: a storage section for storing root vegetables; a pumping and conveying section for pumping up the root vegetables stored in the storage section and conveying them upward; an alignment and conveying section for aligning and conveying the root vegetables taken over from the pumping and conveying section; and a sorting and conveying section for sorting the root vegetables taken over from the alignment and conveying section by discharging them at different discharge positions according to their grade, Equipped with posture stabilization means to stabilize the posture of root vegetable crops during transport, The alignment and conveying unit comprises a first alignment and conveying conveyor that aligns and conveys root vegetables in a single line, and a second alignment and conveying conveyor that takes over the root vegetables from the first alignment and conveying conveyor and conveys them to the sorting and conveying unit. The second alignment conveyor is equipped with a drive shaft at the beginning of the conveying process for driving a conveyor belt for conveying root vegetables, and a pair of flanges attached to the drive shaft on both the left and right sides of the conveyor belt. The posture stabilization means is characterized in that a pair of protrusions are formed on the periphery of the disc-shaped flange body of the flange, and the protrusions rotate upward to lift the parts of the crop that protrude from the conveyor belt in the left and right directions, bringing them closer to the inside of the conveyor belt, thereby stabilizing the posture of the root vegetables during conveyance.

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