Root vegetable sorting machine

Abstract

To provide a root vegetable sorting machine that improves sorting accuracy. [Solution] The above problem is solved by a root vegetable sorting machine comprising a storage section A, a pumping and conveying section B, an alignment and conveying section C, and a sorting and conveying section D, wherein the sorting and conveying section D comprises a sorting and conveying conveyor having an endless belt, a sorting section 7 having a sorting plate that pushes and drops crops from the endless belt, and a partition guide section 8 that guides the sorted crops, wherein the partition guide section 8 comprises a front bracket, a rear bracket, a partition plate support frame, a plurality of partition plates supported by the partition plate support frame, and a chute guide opening that communicates with chutes 9 divided into classes, and the partition plate comprises a partition plate body arranged in the chute guide opening and a side plate formed to extend outwards from the partition plate body toward the sorting plate side.

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 crops from the storage unit and conveying them upward, an aligning and conveying unit for aligning and conveying the crops taken over from the pumping and conveying unit, and a sorting and conveying unit for sorting the crops taken over from the aligning and 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 aligning and conveying unit and the sorting and conveying unit, a plurality of conveying conveyors for conveying 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 aligning and conveying unit receives the dropping supply of crops from the pumping and conveying unit to a mountain-shaped distributing plate, distributes the crops to the left and right with respect to the conveying direction, and while conveying on a pair of left and right conveying conveyors, the crops are pushed out and dropped onto a shooter at a predetermined position provided according to class by a plurality of sorting plates provided along the conveying direction, and the dropping is guided by a partitioning member for separating classes, and the crops are sorted by class.

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, when the sorting plate pushes the crops onto the chute and drops them, if an error occurs between the intended direction of crop movement and the actual direction of crop movement due to disturbances in the crop's posture or bouncing, the crop may overshoot the target position on the partition member. As a result, the crop may not be guided to the correct grade position on the chute, and there is a risk that the crop will be sorted into the wrong grade. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a root vegetable sorting machine that can effectively prevent crops from being sorted into the wrong grade even when an error occurs between the intended direction of crop movement and the direction of crop movement when the sorting plate pushes the crops onto the chute, thereby improving 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 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, The sorting and conveying unit comprises a sorting and conveying conveyor having an endless belt for conveying root vegetable crops, a sorting unit equipped with sorting plates that push and drop the root vegetable crops from the endless belt toward the discharge side at sorting positions according to grade, and a partition guide unit that guides the direction in which the root vegetable crops sorted by the sorting unit fall. The partition guide section comprises a front bracket positioned at the front of the sorting and conveying section, a rear bracket positioned at the rear, a partition plate support frame erected between the front bracket and the rear bracket, a plurality of partition plates supported by the partition plate support frame that guide the direction of fall so as to separate root vegetables into different grades, and a chute guide opening that communicates with chutes divided into grades. The present invention provides a root vegetable sorting machine characterized in that the partition plate comprises a rectangular plate-shaped partition plate body positioned at the chute guide opening and a side plate formed to extend from the partition plate body toward the sorting plate side.

[0007] According to the first invention described above, the side plates, which are formed to extend from the partition plate body toward the sorting plate, can effectively catch crops that have flowed toward the downstream side in the transport direction due to insufficient pushing of the sorting plate, and guide them to the correct drop position for each grade, thereby improving sorting accuracy.

[0008] The second invention, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, The partition plate body is arranged to tilt forward towards the upstream side in the transport direction of the sorting and transporting section, and the upper end of the partition plate body is configured to be located above the chute guide opening.

[0009] According to the second invention described above, in addition to the effects of the first invention described above, the crops pushed out to the discharge side by the sorting plate can be properly received and guided downwards, and furthermore, it is possible to prevent the crops from jumping over the partition plate body.

[0010] The third invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second invention described above, The side plate is characterized in that it is formed so as to fold back from the partition plate body to the downstream side in the transport direction of the sorting and transporting section.

[0011] According to the third invention described above, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention described above, the side plate is formed to fold back from the partition plate body toward the downstream side in the direction of transport, thereby expanding the range in which crops can be received. This allows crops to be received more effectively and guided to the correct drop position for each grade.

[0012] The fourth invention, in addition to the configuration of the third invention described above, The partition plate body is characterized by comprising an upper inclined guide portion arranged to tilt forward toward the right side in the transport direction with respect to the vertical direction, and a lower inclined guide portion formed by folding the partition plate body back toward the right side in the transport direction from the lower end of the upper inclined guide portion.

[0013] According to the fourth invention described above, in addition to the effects of the third invention described above, The lower inclined guide section, which is formed to fold back towards the upper side in the direction of transport, effectively prevents crops from slipping under the partition plate body and falling to the wrong chute position (the wrong chute position for the wrong crop class). In addition, the lower inclined guide section can temporarily catch the falling crops, thereby mitigating the impact of the fall.

[0014] The fifth invention, in addition to the configuration of the fourth invention described above, The partition plate is characterized in that its height from the conveying surface of the conveying belt is approximately the same as the height of the sorting plate from the conveying surface of the sorting conveying conveyor, or is greater than the height of the sorting plate from the conveying surface of the sorting conveying conveyor.

[0015] According to the fifth invention described above, in addition to the effects of the fourth invention described above, The sorting plates allow the crops to be sorted more effectively, receiving them with partition plates and guiding them to the chute guide opening.

[0016] The sixth invention, in addition to the configuration of the fifth invention described above, The partition plate is characterized in that its left and right widths are approximately the same as the length of the sorting plate, or are greater than the length of the sorting plate.

[0017] According to the sixth invention described above, in addition to the effects of the fifth invention described above, the carrots sorted by the sorting plate can be more preferably received by the partition plate and guided to the chute guide opening.

[0018] The seventh invention, in addition to the configuration of the sixth invention described above, Inside the partition case, the intervals between the partition plates in the conveying direction of the sorting and conveying unit are provided to be substantially equal, and the left and right widths of the partition plates are provided to be substantially the same as or smaller than the intervals between the partition plates.

[0019] According to the seventh invention above, in addition to the effects of the sixth invention, Even when the traveling direction of the crop changes in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction due to the extrusion of the sorting plate, the partition plate can more reliably receive the crop. As a result, the sorting accuracy is further improved.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a root vegetable sorting machine that can preferably prevent the situation where crops are sorted into incorrect classes and improve the sorting accuracy.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the root vegetable sorting machine of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the storage section side of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the alignment conveying section of the root vegetable sorting machine of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the same. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the alignment conveying section of the root vegetable sorting machine of FIG. 1 as viewed from directly above the front. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the distribution plate of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a left side view of the alignment conveyor of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the same. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a partially enlarged front view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 10. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 10. [Figure 13] Figure 13(a) is a view of the flange from the F1 direction shown in Figure 12, and Figure 13(b) is a view of the same flange from the F2 direction. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a right side view of the sorting and conveying section in Figure 1. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a plan view of the same object. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the sorting and conveying unit in Figure 1 during the sorting process. [Figure 17] Figures 17(a) and 17(b) are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the left and right endless belts. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a perspective view of the root vegetable sorting machine shown in Figure 1, viewed from below. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a schematic front view of the area around the wiper device of the mud removal mechanism shown in Figure 18. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a schematic front view of the area around the wiper device of a modified mud removal mechanism. [Figure 21] Figure 21(a) is a perspective view of the partition guide section of Figure 1, Figure 21(b) is a left side view of the same, and Figure 21(c) is a plan view of the same. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the partition plate in Figure 21. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the partition plate in Figure 21 when the buffer guide sheet is installed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] <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 considered the front, the opposite direction is considered the rear, the right direction when facing the transport direction X is considered the left side, and the opposite direction (Y direction) is considered the left side. The main body of the root vegetable sorting machine may also be referred to as the machine body. Figure 2 is a right 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] <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.

[0025] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a root vegetable sorting machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the storage section A side of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the pumping and conveying section B is equipped with an overload prevention mechanism B1 to prevent overloading of carrots N being pumped and conveyed on the pumping and conveying conveyor 2. This overload prevention mechanism B1 is constructed by providing extension plates b11, b11 extending upward on the left and right side walls of the pumping and conveying section B, and by stretching multiple overload prevention bars b12 between the left and right extension plates b11, b11 along the conveying direction of the carrots N.

[0026] The overload prevention bar b12 is formed, for example, from a flexible, string-like elastic material and is fastened and fixed to a plurality of fastening holes provided in the extension plate b11. The mounting position and number of bars can be adjusted by selecting the fastening holes. The overload prevention bar b12 is positioned at a height (greater than the diameter of the carrot N) that allows one carrot N to pass through the conveying surface of the scooping conveyor 2. As shown in Figure 4, this mechanism prevents overloading by interfering with overloaded carrots N, causing them to fall towards the hopper 1. The overload prevention bar b12 is made of an elastic material such as rubber to prevent damage from interference. The overload prevention mechanism B1 allows the scooping conveying section B to stably supply carrots N to the alignment conveying section C, which will be described later. The extension plates b11, b11 may be configured to slide and adjust their position relative to the left and right side walls of the scooping conveying section B.

[0027] <Configuration of Alignment and Conveying Unit C> Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged perspective views of the area around the alignment and conveying section C of the root vegetable sorting machine shown in Figure 1. Figure 7 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, which are dropped and supplied from the conveying end of the pumping and 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, the alignment and conveying conveyors 5 each include a first alignment and conveying conveyor 51 that aligns the carrots N received from the distribution plate 4 into a single line and conveys them, 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.

[0028] In the alignment and conveying section C, carrots N that have been removed 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 the recirculation mechanism C1. For the basic configuration of this recirculation mechanism C1, please refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-52708.

[0029] On the left and right side walls of the alignment and conveying section C, there are return ports c12 on each side, which are inlets to the return channel c11 that communicates with the hopper 1. These return ports c12 are located to the side of the second alignment and conveying conveyor 52 and are equipped with sliding open / close shutters c13. At the lower end of the open / close shutter c13, a notch c14 is provided along the sliding direction to prevent the carrots N from being caught between the projections 521, 521 (described later) and the lower end of the open / close shutter c13.

[0030] <Configuration of distribution board 4> Figure 8 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the distribution plate 4 in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 8, 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 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. In addition, a cushioning material may be provided on the upper surface of the sorting plate 4 to prevent damage and breakage of the carrots N and to reduce noise. The cushioning material can be formed, for example, by covering the surface of a foamed resin plate with a PVC sheet.

[0031] <Configuration of the alignment conveyor 5> Next, we will explain the configuration of the alignment conveyor 5. Figure 9 is a left side view of the alignment conveyor shown in Figure 7, and Figure 10 is a top view of the same. Figure 11 is a partially enlarged front view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 10. Note that the second input sprocket 511 is omitted from the illustration in Figure 11.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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 11). 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.

[0039] <Configuration of the flange of the second drive shaft 512> Figure 12 is a perspective view of the area around the second drive shaft in Figure 10, Figure 13(a) is a view of the flange from the direction F1 shown in Figure 12, and Figure 13(b) is a view of the same flange from the direction F2. As shown in Figures 12 and 13(a) to 13(b), the flange 514 is pivotally mounted on the second drive shaft 512 and is configured to rotate integrally with the second drive shaft 512. A pair of projections 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 mounted on the second drive shaft 512 with a 90° phase to each other. These projections 521, 521 have rounded edges in a side view to prevent them from damaging the carrot N when they come into contact with it.

[0040] 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 at an oblique or perpendicular position to the conveying direction X, the projections 521 alternately move left and right in an upward direction (upward direction) to lift the carrot N. As a result, the parts of the carrot N that protrude from the alignment conveying conveyor 5 (specifically, the first alignment conveying conveyor 51 and the second alignment conveying conveyor 52) are lifted (as if scooping them up) by the projections 521 that rotate upward and brought closer to the inside of the alignment conveying conveyor 5, thereby adjusting the posture so that the longitudinal direction of the carrot N faces the conveying direction X and stabilizing the posture of the conveyed carrot N. Furthermore, it is possible to effectively prevent 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 flexible rubber so as not to damage the carrot N.

[0041] <Configuration of sorting and conveying unit D> Figure 14 is a right side view of the sorting and conveying unit D in Figure 1, and Figure 15 is a top view of the same unit. Figure 16 is a top view illustrating the operation of the sorting and conveying unit D in Figure 1 during sorting. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, 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 sorting and conveying conveyors 52, 52 on the left and right sides of the sorting and conveying conveyor 5 and convey them toward the lower side in the conveying direction.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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 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…. The top surface of the cover body 7K is configured to be openable and closable, thereby facilitating maintenance of the plurality of sorting devices 70… installed inside. The cover body 7K is not shown in Figures 15 and 16.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] Between the left and right sorting conveyor belts 6, 6, there is a partition guide section 8 that guides the direction in which carrots N sorted by multiple sorting devices 70... fall. This partition guide section 8 is located approximately in the center of the machine in the left-right direction and serves the function of guiding the direction in which the falling carrots N fall so as to be separated by grade. The configuration of this partition guide section 8 will be described later.

[0047] 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 84... that divide them by weight (class), as shown in Figure 16, and fall onto chutes 9 that are separated by class.

[0048] 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 16, the first chutes 9a, second chutes 9b, third chutes 9c, fourth chutes 9d, and fifth chutes 9e 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 16 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] <Configuration of the endless belt 61> Figures 17(a) and 17(b) are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the left and right endless belts 61, 61. As shown in Figures 17(a) and 17(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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] <Configuration of mud removal mechanism D1> The sorting and conveying section D is equipped with a mud removal mechanism D1 that removes mud adhering to the endless belt 61. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the root vegetable sorting machine of Figure 1, viewed from below. Figure 19 is a schematic front view of the area around the wiper device d11 of the mud removal mechanism D1 of Figure 18.

[0053] As shown in Figure 18, the mud removal mechanism D1 is positioned below the endless belt 61 on the left and right sides of the sorting and conveying section D, and comprises wiper devices d11, d11 that contact the endless belt 61 to rub off mud, and tension rollers d12, d12 that apply tension to the endless belt 61 to prevent sagging. The wiper device d11 is positioned approximately in the center of the conveying direction of the sorting and conveying section D, and the tension rollers d12, d12 are positioned on the upper and lower sides of the wiper device d11 in the conveying direction, respectively. This prevents sagging of the endless belt 61 and allows the endless belt 61 to make good contact with the wiper device d11.

[0054] As shown in Figure 19, the wiper device d11 is formed by fixing a mounting bracket d13 to the side wall of the sorting and conveying section D by bolt fastening, and using this mounting bracket d13 to horizontally support a core shaft d14 below the endless belt 61, and fixing a cylindrical wiper body d15 around the core shaft d14. When this wiper body d15 comes into contact with the endless belt 61, mud is removed from the endless belt 61. The mounting bracket d13 is made up of two connected metal fittings, and by changing the upper and lower connection position of these fittings, the mounting position on the side wall of the sorting and conveying section D can be adjusted vertically, thereby allowing the position of the wiper body d15 to be adjusted vertically.

[0055] Furthermore, the wiper body d15 is provided with a pair of constricted portions d16, d16 to avoid interference with the pair of guide bodies 65, 65. These constricted portions d16, d16 also play a role in suppressing the meandering of the endless belt 61 by contacting the pair of guide bodies 65, 65 when the endless belt 61 meanders. It is preferable that the wiper body d15 be made of a material (such as PVC) that has excellent water resistance, weather resistance, and durability. It is also preferable that a box-shaped mud tray d17 with an open top is provided below the wiper body d15 and below the conveying end of the sorting conveying section D (the end of the endless belt 61 in the conveying direction) (see Figures 14 and 15).

[0056] Figure 20 is a schematic front view of the area around the wiper device d11 of the modified mud removal mechanism D1. As shown in Figure 20, the modified wiper device d11 is configured such that a scraper d18 is positioned below the wiper body d15, and the wiper body d15 is rotatably mounted on the core shaft d14. As a result, when the wiper body d15 rotates due to the frictional force with the endless belt 61, the mud adhering to the wiper body d15 is scraped off by the scraper d18. The scraper d18 is formed in a cylindrical or plate shape from an elastic material such as rubber, and it is preferable that the stay d19 that holds the scraper d18 to the mounting fixture d13 is provided so that the vertical height of the scraper d18 can be finely adjusted by adjusting the fixing position. Furthermore, it is preferable that a protrusion is formed on the upper part of the scraper d18 to remove mud adhering to the constricted portions d16, d16, in accordance with the position and shape of the constricted portions d16, d16.

[0057] <Configuration of partition guide section 8> Figure 21(a) is a perspective view of the partition guide section 8 in Figure 1, Figure 21(b) is a left side view of the same, and Figure 21(c) is a top view of the same. The partition guide section 8 comprises a front bracket 81 positioned at the front of the sorting and conveying section D, a rear bracket 82 positioned at the rear, and a partition plate support frame 83 installed between the front bracket 81 and the rear bracket 82 along the conveying direction X. A terminal partition plate 82a is provided on the front of the rear bracket 82, and a return portion 82b is provided at the lower part of the terminal partition plate 82a that is folded back toward the upstream side in the conveying direction.

[0058] The partition plate support frame 83 is a frame material with its length in the transport direction X that is configured to mount and support multiple partition plates 84... and comprises an upper support frame 83a that supports the top of the partition plate 84 and left and right support frames 83b, 83b that support both the left and right sides of the partition plate 84. As a result, a chute guide opening 83c that communicates with the chute 9 is formed in the area enclosed by the front bracket 81, the rear bracket 82 and the left and right support frames 83b, 83b. The left and right support frames 83b, 83b are configured to have a slope that descends inward in the left and right direction to guide the carrots N to the chute 9.

[0059] The partition plate support frame 83 is provided with multiple mounting holes q… for attaching the partition plate 84 by bolt fastening. These mounting holes q… are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the partition plate support frame 83 so that the mounting position of the partition plate 84 can be adjusted.

[0060] <Configuration of partition plate 84> Figure 22 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the partition plate 84 in Figure 21. As shown in Figure 22, the partition plate 84 comprises a rectangular partition plate body 85, a pair of left and right side plates 86, 86 that extend from the partition plate body 85 (more specifically, the upper inclined guide portion 85a) to the left and right sides (in other words, towards the sorting plate 73), an upper mounting portion 87 that is continuously formed with the upper part of the partition plate body 85 and attached to the upper support frame 83a, and left and right mounting portions 88, 88 that are continuously formed with the lower parts of the left and right side plates 86, 86 and attached to the left and right support frames 83b, 83b.

[0061] The partition plate body 85 is positioned on the inside of the left and right support frames 83b, 83b in the left-right direction (i.e., positioned at the chute guide opening 83c) and includes an upper inclined guide section 85a and a lower inclined guide section 85b. The upper inclined guide section 85a is positioned to tilt forward toward the upper side in the conveying direction with respect to the vertical direction. Furthermore, the upper end of the upper inclined guide section 85a is positioned above the chute guide opening 83c. This allows the carrots N pushed out toward the inside of the machine (discharge side) by the sorting plate 73 to be received and guided downward, preventing the carrots N from jumping over the partition plate body 85. The forward tilt angle α1 of the upper inclined guide section 85a shown in the figure is preferably about 20 to 30 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

[0062] The lower inclined guide section 85b is located below the horizontal plane of the chute guide opening 83c and is formed so that the lower part of the partition plate body 85 is folded back (from the lower end of the upper inclined guide section 85a) toward the upstream side in the conveying direction. This effectively prevents the carrots N from slipping under the partition plate body 85 and falling to the position of an unintended chute 9 (the position of a chute 9 of the wrong class). In addition, the lower inclined guide section 85b temporarily catches the carrots N, thereby mitigating the impact caused by the carrots N falling. The folding angle α2 of the lower inclined guide section 85b relative to the upper inclined guide section 85a shown in the figure is preferably about 70 to 80 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

[0063] The left and right pair of side plates 86, 86 are each positioned on the left and right support frames 83b, 83b, and are formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape to match the slope of the upper surfaces of the left and right support frames 83b, 83b. Furthermore, the left and right pair of side plates 86, 86 are each formed to fold back from the partition plate body 85 (more specifically, the upper inclined guide section 85a) to the lower side in the direction of transport. In this way, the left and right pair of side plates 86, 86 are formed to extend outwards to the left and right sides (in other words, towards the sorting plate 73), so that even carrots N that have flowed to the lower side in the direction of transport due to insufficient pushing by the sorting plate 73 can be received and guided to the correct drop position for the correct grade. In addition, by being formed to fold back from the partition plate body 85 (more specifically, the upper inclined guide section 85a) to the lower side in the direction of transport, the range in which carrots N can be received is expanded, allowing for more favorable reception of carrots N and guidance to the correct drop position for the correct grade. The folding angle α3 of the left and right side plates 86, 86 shown in the figure is preferably about 10 to 15 degrees, but is not limited to this. It is preferable that both ends of the left and right side plates 86, 86 be positioned at least a distance of about the diameter of the carrot N on the downstream side in the conveying direction from both ends of the partition plate body 85.

[0064] The upper mounting portion 87 is an extended piece formed by folding back from the upper part of the partition plate body 85, and its surface direction is set so that it can abut against the lower surface of the upper support frame 83a without any gaps. The left and right mounting portions 88, 88 are rectangular pieces formed by folding back a pair of left and right side plates 86, 86 to the lower side in the transport direction, and their surface direction is set so that they can abut against the upper surfaces of the left and right support frames 83b, 83b without any gaps.

[0065] Through holes p1, p2, and p3 for inserting push rivets are formed at the four corners of the partition plate body 85 and at the corners of the pair of left and right side plates 86, 86. By pushing the pins of the push rivets into the through holes p1, p2, and p3, the first buffer guide sheet S1, described later, can be fixed and attached. In addition, bolt fastening holes p4 are formed in the upper mounting portion 87, which can be aligned with the mounting holes q of the upper support frame 83a and fixed by bolt fastening. Furthermore, bolt fastening holes p5 are formed in the left and right mounting portions 88, 88, respectively, which can be aligned with the mounting holes q of the left and right support frames 83b, 83b and fixed by bolt fastening.

[0066] Here, it is preferable that the height dimension H1 of the partition plate 84 from the conveying surface of the sorting conveyor 6 (more specifically, the endless belt 61) is approximately the same as, or greater than, the height dimension H2 of the sorting plate 73 from the conveying surface of the sorting conveyor 6 (more specifically, the endless belt 61). This allows the carrots N sorted by the sorting plate 73 to be suitably received by the partition plate 84 and guided to the chute guide opening 83c. The height dimension H2 of the sorting plate 73 is designed to be greater than the diameter of the largest size (3L size) of a typical carrot N.

[0067] Furthermore, it is preferable that the left-right width W1 of the partition plate 84 (the width of both ends in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction X) is approximately the same as the length W2 of the sorting plate 73, or larger than the length W2. This allows the partition plate 84 to more effectively receive the carrots N sorted by the sorting plate 73 and guide them to the chute guide opening 83c. The length W2 of the sorting plate 73 is designed to be larger than the total length of a typical carrot N of the maximum size (3L size). The spacing W3 between the partition plates 84 in the transport direction X is provided to be approximately equal, and it is preferable that the left-right width W1 of the partition plate 84 is approximately the same as the spacing W3 between the partition plates 84, or smaller than the spacing W3. This allows the partition plate 84 to more reliably receive the carrots N even if the direction of travel of the carrots N changes to a direction perpendicular to the transport direction X due to the pushing of the sorting plate 73. As a result, sorting accuracy is further improved.

[0068] <Structure of buffer guide sheets S1 and S2> Figure 23 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the partition plate 84 in Figure 21 when a buffer guide sheet is attached. In addition to the above configuration, the partition guide section 8 can be provided with buffer guide sheets S1 and S2 that guide the carrots N to fall while preventing damage to the carrots N through buffering. The buffer guide sheets S1 and S2 are formed, for example, from a flexible sheet-like resin material.

[0069] As shown in Figure 23, the first buffer guide sheet S1 is attached to the partition plates 84 so as to cover the front surface of each partition plate 84, and the lower end of the buffer guide sheet S1 is formed with a margin so as to hang down below the lower end of the lower inclined guide portion 85b. This allows the carrots N that are caught by the partition plates 84 and fall to be buffered and guided well to the chute 9. The second buffer guide sheet S2 is installed vertically on the upper support frame 83a along the transport direction X, closing the gaps between the partition plates 84 and separating the left and right sides of the partition plates 84. This second buffer guide sheet S2 prevents collisions between carrots N that are pushed out from the left and right by the sorting plates 73.

[0070] 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.

[0071] For example, the partition plate 84 may be configured so that the partition plate body 85 and a pair of left and right side plates 86, 86 can be separated, and each part can be assembled without tools. This improves maintainability. Also, by changing the parts, it becomes easier to adjust the angle of the partition plate 84 when it is installed. Furthermore, the partition plate body 85 may be configured so that the lower inclined guide section 85b is omitted and the entire partition plate body 85 is tilted forward toward the right side in the direction of transport. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] A Storage section B Pumping and Transport Section B1 Overload prevention mechanism b11 Extension plate b12 Overload prevention bar C Alignment and conveying section C1 reflux mechanism c11 Recirculation channel c12 Reflux port c13 Opening / Closing Shutter c14 Notch D Sorting and conveying section D1 Mud removal mechanism d11 Wiper device d12 Tension Roller d13 Mounting hardware d14 core axis d15 wiper unit d16 Waist area d17 Mud catcher d18 scraper d19 stay N Carrot S1 First buffer guidance sheet S2 Second Buffer Information Sheet 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 81 Front Bracket 82 Rear bracket 82a End partition plate 82b Return section 83 Partition plate support frame 83a Upper support frame 83b Left and Right Support Frame 83c Shooter Guide 84 Partition Plates 85 Partition Plate Body 85a Upper slope guide 85b Lower slope guide 86 Side panel 87 Upper mounting section 88 Left and right mounting parts 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 p(p1,p2,p3) Through hole p4, p5 Bolt fastening holes q Mounting holes

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, The sorting and conveying unit comprises a sorting and conveying conveyor having an endless belt for conveying root vegetable crops, a sorting unit equipped with sorting plates that push and drop the root vegetable crops from the endless belt toward the discharge side at sorting positions according to grade, and a partition guide unit that guides the direction in which the root vegetable crops sorted by the sorting unit fall. The partition guide section comprises a front bracket positioned at the front of the sorting and conveying section, a rear bracket positioned at the rear, a partition plate support frame erected between the front bracket and the rear bracket, a plurality of partition plates supported by the partition plate support frame that guide the direction of fall so as to separate root vegetables into different grades, and a chute guide opening that communicates with chutes divided into grades. The root vegetable sorting machine is characterized in that the partition plate comprises a rectangular plate-shaped partition plate body positioned at the chute guide opening and a side plate formed to extend outwards from the partition plate body toward the sorting plate side.

2. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition plate body is arranged to tilt forward on the upstream side in the transport direction of the sorting transport section, and the upper end of the partition plate body is positioned above the chute guide opening.

3. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the side plate is formed to fold back from the partition plate body to the downstream side in the transport direction of the sorting and transporting section.

4. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the partition plate body comprises an upper inclined guide portion arranged to tilt forward toward the upper side in the conveying direction with respect to the vertical direction, and a lower inclined guide portion formed by folding the partition plate body back toward the upper side in the conveying direction from the lower end of the upper inclined guide portion.

5. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the partition plate is provided with a height dimension from the conveying surface of the endless belt that is approximately the same as the height dimension of the sorting plate from the conveying surface of the sorting conveyor, or greater than the height dimension of the sorting plate from the conveying surface of the sorting conveyor.

6. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the left and right widths of the partition plate are provided to be approximately the same as the length dimension of the sorting plate, or to be greater than the length dimension of the sorting plate.

7. The root vegetable sorting machine according to claim 6, wherein the partition guide section is provided such that the spacing between the partition plates in the transport direction of the sorting transport section is approximately equal, and the left and right widths of the partition plates are provided to be approximately the same as the spacing between the partition plates, or smaller than the spacing between the partition plates.

Images