Fruit and vegetable carrier, fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism, automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device

Abstract

To provide a fruit / vegetable placing body which can easily stabilize fruit / vegetable upon travelling or upon lifting movement, has a simple structure and can be easily repaired upon maintenance or repair, to provide a fruit / vegetable placing body lifting mechanism and to provide an automated fruit / vegetable sorting apparatus provided with the fruit / vegetable placing body.SOLUTION: A fruit / vegetable placing body includes a lifting body 16 provided with a shaft 15 to be attached to an endless travelling body 12 and a fruit / vegetable placing part 16a to place fruit and vegetable X thereon. Therein, the lifting body 16 includes a linear motion bearing 17 which performs linear motion along the shaft 15. A fruit / vegetable placing body lifting mechanism includes a fruit / vegetable placing body 13 provided with a lifting wheel 19a and a lifting rail 6 set up on the travelling direction outer side of the endless travelling body 12, and is constituted such that the lifting body 16 elevates or lowers in accordance with the movement of the lifting wheel 19a of the fruit / vegetable placing body 13 along the lifting rail 6. An automated fruit / vegetable sorting apparatus discriminates grades of the fruit and vegetable X, sorts the fruit / vegetable at every grade and includes the fruit / vegetable placing body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fruit and vegetable carrier for an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device that classifies various fruit and vegetable types, such as mandarin oranges, dekopon, peaches, and tomatoes, into different grades, a lifting mechanism for the fruit and vegetable carrier, and an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device equipped with the fruit and vegetable carrier. [Background technology]

[0002] A known automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device that classifies fruit and vegetables into grades is a device that raises and lowers a tray on which agricultural products are placed, and then removes the agricultural products from the tray using a pull-out conveyor positioned at the raised position of the tray, thereby sorting the agricultural products (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-136871 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The device described in Patent Document 1 is configured so that rollers provided on one end of both link members can move within the long holes, which can cause rattles during travel or lifting, which can cause fruit and vegetables to roll or fall. In addition, the lifting mechanism has a complex structure, which makes maintenance and repairs in the event of a malfunction time-consuming.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved is to provide a fruit and vegetable carrier that makes it easy to stabilize fruit and vegetables when moving or when lifting and lowering, has a simple structure, and is easy to maintain and repair in the event of a malfunction, a lifting mechanism for the fruit and vegetable carrier, and an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device equipped with the fruit and vegetable carrier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [Fruit and vegetable mounting body] The fruit and vegetable carrier of the present invention is attached to an endless traveling body so as to move in the direction of travel as the endless traveling body travels, and includes a shaft attached to the endless traveling body and a lifting body having a fruit and vegetable placement section on which fruit and vegetables are placed, the lifting body being equipped with a linear bearing for linear motion along the shaft.The fruit and vegetable carrier of the present invention can also be configured to include a linear-motion extendable device attached to the endless traveling body and a lifting body having a fruit and vegetable placement section on which fruit and vegetables are placed, the lifting body rising and falling as the linear-motion extendable device extends and contracts.

[0007] In addition, the fruit and vegetable carrier of the present invention can also be configured to include a lifting body having an attachment plate attached to an endless traveling body and a fruit and vegetable placing section on which fruit and vegetables are placed, a linear bearing is provided on the attachment plate, and the lifting body has a shaft protruding toward the attachment plate, the shaft being inserted into an insertion hole of the linear bearing, so that the lifting body rises and falls along the linear bearing through which the shaft is inserted.

[0008] [Fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism] The fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism of the present invention is a fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism that is attached to an endless running body so as to move in the running direction as the endless running body moves, and is equipped with a fruit and vegetable carrier equipped with lifting wheels and a lifting rail installed outside the running direction of the endless running body, and is configured so that the lifting body rises and falls as the lifting wheels of the fruit and vegetable carrier move along the lifting rail.

[0009] [Automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device] The automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention is an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device that transports fruit and vegetables placed on a fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body, measures the fruit and vegetables during transport to determine their grade, and sorts the fruit and vegetables on the fruit and vegetable carrier according to the determined grade, and is equipped with the fruit and vegetable carrier of the present invention as the fruit and vegetable carrier. The automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention can also be equipped with the fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism of the present invention as a fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the fruit and vegetable carrier. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present invention is configured to raise and lower the lifting body using a shaft and a linear bearing or a linear extension tool, so the fruit and vegetables are more stable when traveling or when lifting compared to conventional devices that use link members. In addition, the structure is simple and less likely to break down, and even if it does break down, repairs and maintenance are easy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a fruit and vegetable carrier and a fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism in an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing an example of a fruit and vegetable carrier and a fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism in an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a fruit or vegetable carrier of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of a fruit or vegetable carrier of the present invention. [Figure 5] (a) is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 3, and (b) is an enlarged view of part B in Figure 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a surrounding panel. [Figure 7] (a) is an explanatory diagram of the lower rail on the driving gear side, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the lower rail on the driven gear side. [Figure 8] 10 is a side view showing another example of a fruit and vegetable carrier and a fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism in the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 1A is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of a fruit or vegetable carrier of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of a fruit or vegetable carrier of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of the fruit and vegetable carrier of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11(a) to 11(c) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the fruit and vegetable carrier of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] (Embodiment 1) An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As an example, an automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a first conveying section 1, a second conveying section 2, a dispersing conveying section 3, an aligning conveying section 4, a fruit and vegetable conveying body 5, lifting rails 6, a measuring and judging section 7, a transfer conveying body 8, a fruit and vegetable receiving body 9, and a boxing device 10. Although not shown in the figures, the lifting rails 6, the transfer conveying body 8, and the fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 are provided for each class.

[0013] The first conveying section 1 is a section where the harvested fruit or vegetable X is discharged. The first conveying section 1 can be an existing belt conveyor, roller conveyor, or the like.

[0014] The second conveying section 2 is located ahead of the first conveying section 1 and takes over the fruit or vegetable X conveyed by the first conveying section 1 and sends it onwards. A space for worker Z to work is provided on the side of the second conveying section 2. The worker Z visually sorts the fruit or vegetable X conveyed by the second conveying section 2 and manually removes (hand-selects) any fruit or vegetable X that is damaged or discolored. An existing belt conveyor, roller conveyor, etc. can be used for the second conveying section 2.

[0015] The dispersion conveying section 3 is disposed ahead of the second conveying section 2, and supplies the fruit or vegetable X conveyed by the second conveying section 2 to the preceding alignment conveying section 4. In this embodiment, a vibration device that disperses the fruit or vegetable X by vibration is used as the dispersion conveying section 3. Devices other than a vibration device may also be used as the dispersion conveying section 3.

[0016] Above the vibration device constituting the dispersion conveying section 3, a plurality of guide plates 11 are provided to guide the fruit and vegetables X to each conveying line of the alignment conveying section 4, which is made up of a plurality of lines. The fruit and vegetables X on the dispersion conveying section 3 are dispersed to both sides in the direction of travel by vibrations caused by the vibration device, and are dispersed and supplied to each line of the alignment conveying section 4 ahead while being guided by the guide plates 11.

[0017] The aligning and conveying section 4 is disposed ahead of the dispersing and conveying section 3, and conveys the fruit and vegetables X dispersed by the dispersing and conveying section 3 while aligning them in a line. In this embodiment, the aligning and conveying section 4 is composed of multiple lines arranged in parallel. Each line is composed of multiple belt conveyors arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction. The multiple belt conveyors are arranged so that the widths of the belt conveyors are narrower at the front than at the front, and the rows of fruit and vegetables X become shorter as they transfer to each other on the forward belt conveyor, and they are aligned in a line on the final belt conveyor.

[0018] The fruit and vegetable conveying body 5 is arranged at the end of each line constituting the aligning and conveying section 4 (four lines in the example of FIG. 1), and conveys the fruit and vegetable X supplied from the aligning and conveying section 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the fruit and vegetable conveying body 5 of this embodiment includes an endless traveling body (drive chain) 12 and a plurality of fruit and vegetable carriers 13 attached to the drive chain 12.

[0019] The drive chain 12 in this embodiment is an endless chain wound around the outer periphery of a driving gear 27 (FIG. 7(a)) and a driven gear 28 (FIG. 7(b)), which are arranged at a distance in the front-to-rear direction. The drive chain 12 is configured to rotate vertically, passing above the driving gear 27, above the driven gear 28, below the driven gear 28, below the driving gear 27, and back again.

[0020] In this embodiment, the drive chain 12, the driving gear 27 and the driven gear 28 are arranged in two parallel rows, and the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 is attached to the drive chain 12 so that it runs in a double-sided manner, but it is also possible to arrange the drive chain 12, the driving gear 27 and the driven gear 28 in only one row, and to attach the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 to the drive chain 12 so that it runs in a cantilever manner.

[0021] A plurality of attachments 14 are attached to the drive chain 12 along its longitudinal direction, and a fruit or vegetable carrier 13 is attached to each attachment 14. As an example, the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 shown in Figures 3 and 4(a) and (b) has two shafts 15 attached to the fruit or vegetable conveyor 5 (more specifically, the attachments 14 of the drive chain 12) and a lifting body 16 that moves up and down along the shafts 15.

[0022] The shaft 15 in this embodiment is a linear guide that guides the lifting body 16 in the lifting direction. The two shafts 15 are arranged parallel to each other with a gap between them. Both shafts 15 are inserted into insertion holes 17a of linear bearings 17, which will be described later, and their upper ends are connected by upper retainers 18a. There may be more or less than two shafts 15. Although not shown, lower retainers 18b (see Figure 10) are also provided at the lower ends of both shafts 15 to maintain the gap between them.

[0023] The lifting body 16 includes a fruit / vegetable placing section 16a on which the fruit / vegetable X is placed, and an installation section 16b provided with a linear bearing 17, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the installation sections 16b protrude from both widthwise outer sides of the fruit / vegetable placing section 16a. The fruit / vegetable placing section 16a is a section for supporting the fruit / vegetable X. In this embodiment, the fruit / vegetable placing section 16a is composed of five thin plates arranged upright at intervals. The upper part of each thin plate is recessed so as to form a V-shape when viewed from the side, allowing the fruit / vegetable X to be placed in the recessed portion.

[0024] The space between the five thin plates (hereinafter referred to as the "passing space") 16c is the portion where the takeover conveyor 8a (described later) of the takeover carrier 8, which takes over and transports the fruit and vegetable X on the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a, is accommodated, and each passing space 16c is large enough to accommodate the takeover conveyor 8a.

[0025] Two linear bushings are provided at a distance from each other in the installation portion 16b as linear bearings 17. One shaft 15 is inserted into each linear bushing. The linear bushing here refers to a cylindrical rolling bearing that moves linearly along the shaft 15, and is mainly composed of an outer cylinder, a cage, and steel balls. The shaft 15 can be made of pipe material or solid wood.

[0026] As shown in Figure 4(a), one lifting wheel 19a and two running wheels 19b are provided on both outer sides of each fruit and vegetable carrier 13 in the travel direction, protruding outward. The lifting wheel 19a protrudes outward further than the two running wheels 19b that protrude in the same direction as the lifting wheel 19a.

[0027] The lifting wheels 19a move along the lifting rail 6 described below, and as shown in Figure 3, the lifting wheels 19a climb the upward inclined portion 6a of the lifting rail 6, causing the lifting body 16 to rise along the shaft 15, and the lifting wheels 19a descend the downward inclined portion 6b of the lifting rail 6, causing the lifting body 16 to descend along the shaft 15.

[0028] The traveling wheels 19b move along guide rails 5a (FIG. 3) arranged parallel to the drive chain 12. Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, one guide rail 5a (two in total) is provided at a position where each traveling wheel 19b can be accommodated.

[0029] The guide rail 5a can also be provided on only one side of the width of the fruit and vegetable carrier 13. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the running wheels 19b only need to be provided on the side where the guide rail 5a is provided. The guide rail 5a can be provided as needed, and can be omitted if not required. If the guide rail 5a is omitted, the running wheels 19b can also be omitted.

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4(a), the installation sections 16b are protruded on both widthwise outer sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a, and lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b are protruded outward from each installation section 16b.However, as shown in Figure 4(b), the installation sections 16b, lifting wheels 19a, and running wheels 19b can also be provided on only one widthwise side of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a.

[0031] The lifting rail 6 is a guide member for lifting and lowering the fruit and vegetable carrier 13. In this embodiment, the lifting rail 6 is V-shaped with an upward inclined portion 6a and a downward inclined portion 6b, and is provided to protrude from the surface of the horizontally long standing board 20 on the side where the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 is placed. The protruding length of the lifting rail 6 can be set as appropriate within the range in which the lifting wheels 19a can be placed.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 and 5(b), in this embodiment, a bounce prevention guide 6d is provided on the upper side of the lifting rail 6, more specifically, on the upper side of the downward inclined portion 6b from the top 6c of the lifting rail 6, to prevent the lifting wheel 19a from bouncing up.

[0033] The starting end side of the bounce prevention guide 6d (the top 6c side of the lift rail 6) is designed to have a wider gap between the bounce prevention guide 6d and the lift rail 6 than other parts of the bounce prevention guide 6d. By widening the entrance for the lift wheels 19a in this way, the lift wheels 19a can be smoothly guided between the lift rail 6 and the bounce prevention guide 6d.

[0034] In this embodiment, the jump-up prevention guide 6d is provided in the range from the top 6c of the lift-up rail 6 to just before the descent support piece 6e described below, but the jump-up prevention guide 6d can also be provided over the entire length of the lift-up rail 6. The jump-up prevention guide 6d may be provided as needed, and can be omitted if not required.

[0035] In this embodiment, the upward slope 6a along which the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 moves with the fruit or vegetable X loaded thereon is a gentle slope (for ease of explanation, hereinafter referred to as a "gentle slope"), and the downward slope 6b after the fruit or vegetable X is handed over to the transfer carrier 8 is a slope steeper than the upward slope 6a (for ease of explanation, hereinafter referred to as a "steep slope").

[0036] The upwardly inclined portion 6a is made a gentle slope in order to prevent the fruit or vegetable X on the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 from rolling off, and the downwardly inclined portion 6b is made a steep slope in order to improve the efficiency of operation after the handover of the fruit or vegetable X. The lifting rail 6 configured in this manner is designed so that the length (travel distance) of the upwardly inclined portion 6a is longer than the length (travel distance) of the downwardly inclined portion 6b, using the top 6c as the reference point.

[0037] As shown in Figures 3 and 5(a), a switching bar 21 for switching the movement direction of the lifting body 16 is provided in front of the upwardly inclined portion 6a of each lifting rail 6. By switching the switching bar 21, the movement direction of the lifting body 16 is divided into the lifting rail 6 side and the straight side. Although the upper surface of the switching bar 21 shown in Figures 3 and 5(a) is flat, the upper surface of the switching bar 21 can also be curved to reduce the impact when the lifting wheels 19a transfer onto the switching bar 21.

[0038] In this embodiment, the position of the switching bar 21 is switched by a rotary solenoid 21a. This rotary solenoid 21a is operated in response to a measurement result (class discrimination signal) from the measurement and judgment unit 7, which will be described later.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3 and 5(b), a descending support piece 6e is provided at the end of the downwardly inclined portion 6b of each lifting rail 6 to support the lifting wheels 19a of the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 that has descended the downwardly inclined portion 6b. The descending support piece 6e in this embodiment is a thin plate similar to the switching bar 21. The upper surface of the descending support piece 6e is curved to reduce the impact when the lifting wheels 19a transfer onto the descending support piece 6e. The shape of the descending support piece 6e may be other than this.

[0040] In this embodiment, the descending support piece 6e is biased upward by a biasing means (not shown) and is pivotally supported so that its free end is always oriented horizontally. When the lifting wheel 19a rests on the upper surface of the descending support piece 6e, the free end is lowered by the weight of the lifting wheel 19a, and when the lifting wheel 19a descends, the descending support piece 6e returns to its original position (oriented horizontally).

[0041] In this embodiment, the standing boards 20, switching bars 21, lifting rails 6, descending support pieces 6e, and bounce-prevention guides 6d are provided at multiple locations at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the fruit and vegetable conveyor 5. Specifically, the number of such boards is equal to the number of classes to be sorted, and the fruit and vegetable X are sorted according to the measurement results (discrimination signals) from the measurement and judgment unit 7. The standing boards 20, switching bars 21, lifting rails 6, descending support pieces 6e, and bounce-prevention guides 6d are provided on both sides of the fruit and vegetable conveyor 5 in the traveling direction.

[0042] In this embodiment, a flat standing board 20 is installed on each side of the fruit and vegetable conveyor 5 in the traveling direction, but as shown in Figure 6, downward-facing U-shaped surrounding panels 25 can also be installed to surround the top and both sides of the fruit and vegetable conveyor 5, and both sides of the surrounding panels 25 can be used as standing boats 20. When surrounding panels 25 are installed, they should be at least high enough to allow the fruit and vegetables X on the lifting body 16, when raised to the highest position, to pass through without colliding with them. The standing boards 20 and surrounding panels 25 can be made of resin, aluminum, stainless steel, or transparent acrylic panels.

[0043] Each fruit or vegetable carrier 13 travels around the outside of the driven gear 28 in front of it, passes under the driven gear 28, and returns to the driving gear 27 side. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), a lower rail 26 is provided between the turning point on the driven gear 28 side (the point where each fruit or vegetable carrier 13 starts to tilt) and the turning point on the driving gear 27 side (the point where each fruit or vegetable carrier 13 starts to stand upright). As long as the intended purpose can be achieved, the starting and ending positions of the lower rail 26 can be higher or lower than the positions shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b).

[0044] Lower rail 26 is a linear member that supports from below traveling wheels 19b of each fruit or vegetable carrier 13 that moves around the outer periphery of driven gear 28 toward driving gear 27. Supporting traveling wheels 19b on lower rail 26 prevents lifting body 16 of each fruit or vegetable carrier 13, which travels upside down, from descending under its own weight, and prevents drive chain 12 from slackening (being pulled) downward, allowing fruit or vegetable carrier 13 to travel smoothly.

[0045] The measurement and judgment unit 7 measures the shape, size, sugar content, etc. of the fruit and vegetable X transported by the fruit and vegetable transport body 5, and judges the grade based on the measurement results. The measurement and judgment unit 7 is composed of a camera for photographing the fruit and vegetable, a sugar content meter, a processing circuit, etc.

[0046] The takeover conveyance body 8 takes over the fruit or vegetable X on the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 and conveys it to the next destination. Each takeover conveyance body 8 is installed horizontally or approximately horizontally at a position higher than the fruit or vegetable carrier 5 located in front of it. The front end of the fruit or vegetable carrier 5 is positioned above the top 6c of the lifting rail 6 so that the fruit or vegetable X is taken over when the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 reaches and passes over the top 6c of the lifting rail 6.

[0047] In this embodiment, each transfer conveyor 8 includes four transfer conveyors 8a and fall prevention walls 8b erected on both widthwise outer sides of the four transfer conveyors 8a. Each transfer conveyor 8a is designed to be narrower than the width of the passing space 16c so that it can pass through the passing space 16c.

[0048] The four transfer conveyors 8a can be set so that all or some of them rotate synchronously, or so that each of them rotates independently. The number of transfer conveyors 8a may be more or less than four. The height at which the transfer carriers 8 are installed can be set appropriately depending on the fruit or vegetable X to be sorted.

[0049] The fruit and vegetable carrier 13 travels toward the takeover carrier 8 so that the four takeover conveyors 8a enter the passage spaces 16c between the thin plates supporting the fruit and vegetable X, and when passing under the takeover carrier 8, the fruit and vegetable X on the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 is taken over onto one or more takeover conveyors 8a.

[0050] In this embodiment, the takeover conveyor 8a of the takeover carrier 8 is set to rotate at all times, but the takeover conveyor 8a may be set to rotate only when the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 reaches the end of the takeover conveyor 8a. In this case, for example, a sensor (not shown) can be used to detect the approach of the fruit or vegetable carrier 13 or its arrival at a predetermined position, and the takeover conveyor 8a can be set to rotate based on the detection signal.

[0051] If the rotation speeds of the four transfer conveyors 8a are different, there is a risk that the fruit and vegetable X may bend and fall due to the speed difference, so it is preferable that the rotation speeds of the four transfer conveyors 8a be the same.

[0052] The fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 receives the fruit and vegetable X taken over by the takeover conveyor 8 and transports it to the destination. In this embodiment, a belt conveyor arranged perpendicular to the takeover conveyor 8 is used as the fruit and vegetable receiving body 9. The fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 does not have to be perpendicular to the takeover conveyor 8. The fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 is arranged so that its upper surface is at the same height as the upper surface of the takeover conveyor 8, so that the fruit and vegetable X is taken over horizontally.

[0053] The fruit and vegetable receiving unit 9 of this embodiment is equipped with two belt conveyors of different widths (for ease of explanation, the wider belt conveyor will be referred to as the "wide conveyor 9a" and the belt conveyor narrower than the wide conveyor 9a as the "narrow conveyor 9b" below). The wide conveyor 9a and the narrow conveyor 9b rotate independently.

[0054] By rotating both the wide conveyor 9a and the narrow conveyor 9b at the same speed, multiple fruit and vegetable pieces X can be supplied to the packing device 10 at once, and by stopping one of them and rotating only the other, the number and weight of fruit and vegetable pieces X supplied to the packing device 10 can be adjusted.

[0055] The fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 may be equipped with one or three or more belt conveyors. A roller conveyor or the like may be used instead of the belt conveyor. Fall prevention walls may be provided on both outer sides of the fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 in the conveying direction to prevent the fruit and vegetables X from falling.

[0056] The boxing device 10 is a device that packs fruit and vegetables X supplied from a fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 into packaging containers Y such as cardboard boxes. In this embodiment, a belt conveyor 10a is used as the boxing device 10. A plurality of fruit and vegetable support pieces 10b that support the fruit and vegetables X are provided on the surface of the belt conveyor 10a at intervals in the rotation direction.

[0057] The boxing device 10 is provided on the forward side in the rotation direction of the fruit and vegetable receiving body 9. The fruit and vegetable X supplied from the fruit and vegetable receiving body 9 is automatically accommodated in a packaging container Y via the boxing device 10. In this embodiment, the packaging container Y is automatically sent to the lower side of the boxing device 10 by a container conveyor 22. The boxed fruit and vegetable X is discharged to the outside (for example, a shipping yard) by a discharge conveyor 23.

[0058] In conventional devices using link members, in order to change the height in the lifting direction, it is necessary to change the length of each link member. However, in this embodiment, there is an advantage not found in conventional technology in that adjustments can be made to suit the size of the fruit or vegetable X simply by changing the length, angle, and vertical height of the lifting rail 6.

[0059] If the length of the link material is increased to change the height in the lifting direction, as in devices using conventional link members, each lifting tray device becomes larger, causing the entire automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device to become larger. If the lifting tray device becomes larger, the number of items processed per unit time decreases, resulting in a decrease in efficiency. If the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device becomes larger, there are disadvantages such as restrictions on installation space, but with the fruit and vegetable carrier and automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of this embodiment, such problems are less likely to occur.

[0060] (Embodiment 2) Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The only difference is the configuration of the fruit and vegetable carrier 13. Below, we will omit the description of the points in common with the first embodiment and focus on the points that are different from the first embodiment.

[0061] As shown in Figures 8 and 9(a), the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of this embodiment includes a lifting body 16 with a fruit and vegetable placing section 16a on which fruit and vegetables X are placed, and two linearly-acting extendable devices 24 that support the lifting body 16. The lifting body 16 includes a fruit and vegetable placing section 16a similar to the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a of embodiment 1, and an installation section 16b that secures the upper end of the linearly-acting extendable device 24. As shown in Figure 9(a), the installation sections 16b protrude from both widthwise outer sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a.

[0062] Each linear motion telescopic device 24 in this embodiment includes a cylinder portion 24a and a rod portion 24b. The rod portion 24b extends and retracts in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder portion 24a, thereby allowing the linear motion telescopic device 24 to extend and retract. Although not shown in the figures, the two linear motion telescopic devices 24 can also be provided with a holder for maintaining the distance between the rod portions 24b. The holder can be provided on the upper end sides of the rod portions 24b or the lower end sides of the cylinder portions 24a.

[0063] In this embodiment, the two linear motion telescopic devices 24 support the lifting body 16 and guide the lifting and lowering of the lifting body 16, and are not a driving source for raising and lowering the lifting body 16 like an air cylinder. The lifting body 16 in this embodiment is configured to rise and lower by the movement of the lifting wheels 19a along the lifting rails 6.

[0064] However, when placing relatively heavy fruit or vegetable X such as melon or watermelon, an actuator such as an air cylinder can be used as the linear motion extension tool 24 instead of the linear motion extension tool 24 of this embodiment.

[0065] 9(a), the installation section 16b of this embodiment also has lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b protruding outward, similar to those of Embodiment 1. The lifting wheels 19a move along the lifting rail 6, and when the lifting wheels 19a go up the upwardly inclined section 6a of the lifting rail 6, the rod section 24b is drawn upward from the cylinder section 24a, causing the lifting body 16 to rise, and when the lifting wheels 19a go down the downwardly inclined section 6b of the lifting rail 6, the rod section 24b is drawn back into the cylinder section 24a, causing the lifting body 16 to descend.

[0066] In this embodiment, the installation sections 16b are protruded on both widthwise outer sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a, and lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b are protruded outward from each installation section 16b. However, as shown in Figure 9(b), the installation sections 16b, lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b can also be provided on only one widthwise side of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a.

[0067] (Embodiment 3) Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The only difference is the configuration of the fruit and vegetable carrier 13. Below, we will omit the description of the points in common with the first embodiment and focus on the points that are different from the first embodiment.

[0068] As shown in Figures 10 and 11(a) to (c), the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of this embodiment includes a lifting body 16 having a fruit and vegetable carrier section 16a on which fruit and vegetables X are placed, two shafts 15 protruding from the bottom side of the lifting body 16, and an attachment plate 29 attached to the attachments 14 of the two drive chains 12.

[0069] The lifting body 16 in this embodiment includes a fruit / vegetable placing section 16a for placing fruit / vegetable X and a placement section 16b. Mounting bodies 16d are provided at positions on both outer sides of the placement section 16b in the width direction, protruding downward. Each mounting body 16d is provided with two outwardly protruding running wheels 19b and a lifting wheel 19a provided between the two running wheels 19b.

[0070] The lifting wheels 19a move along the lifting rail 6, and when the lifting wheels 19a go up the upward inclined portion 6a of the lifting rail 6, the lifting body 16 rises, and when the lifting wheels 19a go down the downward inclined portion 6b of the lifting rail 6, the lifting body 16 descends.

[0071] In this embodiment, the installation section 16b is provided protruding outward on both widthwise sides of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a, and the lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b are provided protruding outward on each of the mounting bodies 16d provided at positions closer to both widthwise sides of the installation section 16b, but the mounting bodies 16d and the lifting wheels 19a and running wheels 19b can also be provided on only one widthwise side of the fruit and vegetable placing section 16a.

[0072] Two shafts 15 are provided facing downward on the rear surface of the installation portion 16b, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The two shafts 15 are inserted into insertion holes 17a of two linear bearings 17 provided in the mounting plate 29, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and their lower ends passing through the insertion holes 17a are connected by a lower retainer 18b. The number of shafts 15 may be more or less than two.

[0073] The mounting plate 29 in this embodiment is a rectangular plate sized to straddle the attachments 14 of the two drive chains 12, and both longitudinal ends thereof are fixed to the attachments 14. The mounting plate 29 is provided with linear bearings 17 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, linear bushings similar to those in the first embodiment are used as the linear bearings 17, but the linear bearings 17 may be other than linear bushings.

[0074] 11(a) to 11(c), the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of FIG. 10 has a mounting plate 29 connected to two drive chains 12 via attachments 14, and travels in the same direction as the drive chains 12 as they travel. During travel, when the carrier is guided toward the lifting rail 6 by the switching bar 21, the lifting wheels 19a are guided along the upwardly inclined portion 6a of the lifting rail 6, and as a result, the lifting body 16 rises along the lifting rail 6.

[0075] When the ascending lifting body 16 reaches the top 6c of the lifting rail 6 and starts to descend along the downward inclined portion 6b, the fruit or vegetable X is taken over onto the takeover conveyor 8a by the bottom of the takeover conveyor 8. After taking over the fruit or vegetable X to the takeover conveyor 8, the lifting body 16 continues to descend and returns to the mounting plate 29 side.

[0076] The fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of this embodiment differs from the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of embodiments 1 and 2 in that the two shafts 15 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate 29. Therefore, compared to the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 of embodiments 1 and 2 in which the shafts 15 and the linearly acting telescopic device 24 are aligned in the traveling direction of the fruit and vegetable carrier 13, there is an advantage in that the shaft 15 is less likely to interfere with the shaft 15 of an adjacent fruit and vegetable carrier 13 when it turns downward at the turning point on the driven gear 28 side.

[0077] In this embodiment, the lifting body 16 moves up and down between the lowest position (see FIG. 11(a)) and the highest position (see FIG. 11(c)) as an example, but the initial position of the lifting body 16 can also be set to the middle position of the shaft 15 (see FIG. 11(b)), and the lifting body 16 can move up and down between the middle position (see FIG. 11(b)) and the highest position (see FIG. 11(c)). In this way, the lifting time can be shortened, and the overall processing time can be reduced.

[0078] (Other embodiments) In the above-described embodiments, an example is given in which a V-shaped member is protruded from one side of the standing board 20 to serve as the lifting rail 6, but it is also possible to form a V-shaped groove on one side of the standing board 20 (the side on which the fruit and vegetable carrier 13 is placed) to serve as the lifting rail 6. In this case, the depth of the groove can be set appropriately within a range in which the lifting wheels 19a can be accommodated. Furthermore, even when a groove is used as the lifting rail 6, it is preferable that the upward slope portion 6a is a gentle slope and the downward slope portion 6b is a steep slope.

[0079] Although not shown in the drawings, the lifting rail 6 can also be configured with only a V-shaped rail member, without being formed on the standing board 20. In this case, the rail member can be configured to be supported by a support material such as a rod.

[0080] The configurations of each of the above embodiments are examples, and the configurations of the fruit and vegetable carrier, fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism, and automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention can be appropriately modified by omission, substitution, replacement, etc., as long as the gist of the device is not changed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0081] The fruit and vegetable carrier, the fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism, and the automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device of the present invention can be used to sort various kinds of fruit and vegetables, such as mandarin oranges, dekopon, peaches, tomatoes, as well as cucumbers, bitter melons, and mangoes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1 First conveying section 2 Second conveying section 3. Distributed transport section 4 Alignment and conveyance section 5 Fruit and vegetable transport 5a Guide rail 6 Lifting rails 6a Uphill section 6b Downhill section 6c top 6d Anti-jump guide 6e Lowering support piece 7 Measurement and Judgment Section 8. Transfer vehicle 8a Handover conveyor 8b Fall prevention wall 9 Fruit and vegetable receiving body 9a Wide conveyor 9b Narrow conveyor 10. Packing equipment 10a conveyor belt 10b Vegetable support piece 11 Guide plate 12 Endless traveling body (drive chain) 13 Fruit and vegetable mounting body 14 Attachment 15 shaft 16 Elevating body 16a Fruit and vegetable placement section 16b Installation part 16c Passage space 16d Mounting body 17 Linear bearing 17a Insertion hole 18a Upper retainer 18b Lower retainer 19a Lifting wheels 19b Running wheels 20 Standing Board 21 Switching Bar 21a rotary solenoid 22 Container carrier 23 Discharge conveyor 24 Linear extension device 24a Cylinder section 24b Rod part 25 Enclosure Panel 26 Lower rail 27 Main gear 28 Driven gear 29 Mounting plate X Fruits and Vegetables Y Packaging container Z worker

Claims

1. A fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body so as to move in the traveling direction of the endless traveling body as the body travels, a shaft attached to the endless traveling body and extending in a vertical direction; a lifting body having a fruit and vegetable placement section for placing fruit and vegetables; The lifting body is provided with a linear bearing that moves linearly along the shaft, The lifting body is provided with lifting wheels that move along lifting rails installed on the outer side in the traveling direction of the lifting body, When the lifting wheels move along the lifting rails, the lifting body moves up and down along the shaft. A fruit and vegetable mounting body characterized by the above.

2. A fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body so as to move in the traveling direction of the endless traveling body as the body travels, a linear motion telescopic tool attached to the endless traveling body; a lifting body having a fruit and vegetable placement section for placing fruit and vegetables; The upper end side of the linear motion telescopic tool is fixed to the lifting body, The lifting body is provided with lifting wheels that move along lifting rails installed on the outer side in the traveling direction of the lifting body, When the lifting wheels move along the lifting rails, the lifting body moves up and down while extending and retracting the linear motion telescopic device. A fruit and vegetable mounting body characterized by the above.

3. A fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body so as to move in the traveling direction of the endless traveling body as the body travels, a mounting plate attached to the endless traveling body; A lifting body having a fruit and vegetable placement section on which fruit and vegetables are placed; a shaft fixed to the lifting body and extending in the vertical direction; a lower holder provided on the underside of the mounting plate; A linear bearing is provided on the mounting plate; The shaft is inserted into the insertion hole of the linear bearing, a shaft fixed to the lifting body projects toward the mounting plate, and a lower end thereof, which is inserted into an insertion hole of the linear motion bearing and projects below the mounting plate, is held by the lower holder; The lifting body is provided with lifting wheels that move along lifting rails installed on the outer side in the traveling direction of the lifting body, When the lifting wheels move along the lifting rails, the lifting body moves up and down along a linear bearing through which the shaft is inserted. A fruit and vegetable mounting body characterized by the above.

4. A lifting mechanism for a fruit or vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body so as to move in the traveling direction of the endless traveling body as the body travels, The fruit and vegetable carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and a lifting rail installed on the outer side of the fruit and vegetable carrier in the traveling direction, The lifting wheels of the fruit and vegetable carrier move along the lifting rails, thereby causing the lifting body to rise and fall. A fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism.

5. The fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism according to claim 4, The lifting rail is formed on the surface of the standing board installed outside the traveling direction of the fruit and vegetable carrier on which the fruit and vegetable carrier is placed. A fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism.

6. The fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, The lifting rail has an upward inclined section and a downward inclined section. The inclination angle of the upward inclination portion is gentler than the inclination angle of the downward inclination portion. A fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism.

7. An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device that transports fruit and vegetables on a fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body, measures the fruit and vegetables during transportation to determine their grades, and sorts the fruit and vegetables on the fruit and vegetable carrier according to the determined grades, The fruit and vegetable carrier is the fruit and vegetable carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device characterized by the above.

8. An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device that transports fruit and vegetables on a fruit and vegetable carrier attached to an endless traveling body, measures the fruit and vegetables during transportation to determine their grades, and sorts the fruit and vegetables on the fruit and vegetable carrier according to the determined grades, The fruit and vegetable carrier lifting mechanism according to any one of claims 4 to 6 is provided, An automatic fruit and vegetable sorting device characterized by the above.

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