Bean sorting machine

Abstract

To enable quality of a sorting object to be properly determined even when a contaminant is mixed in the sorting object.SOLUTION: A beam sorter includes a sorting device 2 that sorts a sorting object h while transferring beans as the sorting objects h along a transfer path. The sorting device 2 includes: a wind sorting part 7 which is located on an upper side in a transfer direction of the transfer path and blows sorting air against the sorting object h to separate a contaminant from the transfer path; and an oscillating sorting part 8 which is located on a lower side in the transfer direction relative to the wind sorting part 7 in the transfer path and distributes non-defectives and defectives of the sorting objects h to different paths while oscillating and transferring the sorting objects h.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bean sorting machine for sorting beans such as edamame, peas, and kidney beans. [Background technology]

[0002] In the above-mentioned bean sorting machine, conventionally, the items to be sorted are supplied to a belt conveyor, and then light from a light emitter is irradiated onto the items from below the belt conveyor while the items are being placed and transported on the belt conveyor. Images of the items to be sorted are taken by a photographing unit located above the belt conveyor, and the quality of the items to be sorted is determined based on the photographing results of the photographing unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-128123 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described conventional configuration, if the items to be sorted supplied to the belt conveyor contain impurities such as branch scraps or leaf scraps, it may not be possible to properly determine whether the items are good or bad, and it may not be possible to properly sort the items into good and bad.

[0005] Therefore, there has been a demand for a system that can properly determine whether an object to be sorted is good or bad even when the object contains impurities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A characteristic configuration of the pulse sorting machine according to the present invention is provided with a sorting device that sorts the pulses as objects to be sorted while transporting the pulses as objects to be sorted along a transport path, and the sorting device includes: a conveyor that conveys the objects to be sorted in a predetermined direction in a plan view; and a conveyor that conveys the objects to be sorted from the end of the conveyor.a wind sorting section that blows sorting air onto the objects to separate impurities from the transport path; and a wind sorting section that is located downstream of the wind sorting section in the transport direction and blows the objects to the wind sorting section. along the predetermined direction in a plan view a swinging sorting unit that swings and transports the objects to sort non-defective products and defective products into different paths; an impurity discharge section that discharges impurities blown away by the sorting wind and separated from the objects to the outside of the transfer path by flow-down guide surfaces that guide the impurities toward the outside on both the left and right sides of the oscillating sorting section; is provided, The oscillating sorting unit is provided with a front end portion thereof adjacent to the conveying end portion of the conveyor. It's at the point.

[0007] According to the present invention, as the objects to be sorted are transported along the transport path, a sorting wind is blown onto the objects in the wind sorting section located on the upstream side of the transport direction. The sorting wind blows away impurities such as branches and leaves mixed in the objects, separating them from the transport path of the objects. The objects are then sorted in the oscillating sorting section located on the downstream side of the transport direction while being oscillated and transported, and good and bad items are sorted into different paths. In this way, impurities such as branches and leaves mixed in the objects to be sorted can be removed by the sorting wind before the objects are sorted into good and bad.

[0008] As a result, even if the objects to be sorted contain impurities, it is possible to properly determine whether the objects are good or bad.

[0009]

[0010] Furthermore, with this configuration, when the sorted objects and impurities are discharged from the end of the conveyor, they are slightly separated in the air. Therefore, the sorting air is supplied to the objects in this slightly separated state, so that the impurities, which are lighter than the sorted objects, can be blown away efficiently. Furthermore, since the impurities are discharged outside the transfer path, the appropriate sorting process can be carried out without the disadvantage of the impurities being remixed with the objects to be sorted on the transfer path.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the transport conveyor is provided in an upwardly inclined position so as to transport the objects to be sorted diagonally upward, and that a fan for generating a sorting airflow is provided below the transport conveyor.

[0012] According to this configuration, the transport conveyor moves the objects diagonally upward to a high position and then supplies them to the oscillating sorting section, making it easy to construct a structure for oscillating the objects in the oscillating sorting section. Also, the free space below the transport conveyor can be effectively utilized to house the fan in a compact size.

[0013] In the present invention, The aforementioned It is preferable that a ventilation passage is formed to guide the sorting air generated by the fan toward the wind sorting section located above, and that the sorting air guided through the ventilation passage in the wind sorting section is blown onto the sorted objects being transported from the conveying end of the conveying conveyor.

[0014] With this configuration, sorting air generated by the fan and guided through the ventilation duct is blown onto the objects being sorted as they are carried out from the end of the transport conveyor. The ventilation duct can be positioned to effectively utilize the area below the transport conveyor, allowing for efficient wind sorting despite the overall compact shape.

[0015] In the present invention, The impurity discharge section preferably includes a discharge tube that guides downward the impurities that have been guided downward by the flow-down guide surface.

[0016] [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the bean sorting machine. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the sorting unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sorting unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of the sorting unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of the shaking sorting device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the shaking sorting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction of the arrow FW shown in the drawings will be referred to as the "downstream side in the transfer direction," the direction of the arrow BK as the "upstream side in the transfer direction," the direction of the arrow UP as the "upward" direction, and the direction of the arrow DW as the "downward" direction.

[0019] A pulse sorting machine according to the present invention is shown in Fig. 1. This pulse sorting machine includes a conveying unit 1 that conveys edamame beans, as an example of pulses, along a conveying path extending in the left-right direction of the paper surface of Fig. 1 after the edamame beans are input, and a sorting unit 2 as a sorting device that sorts the edamame beans as objects to be sorted while transporting them along the conveying path.

[0020] The transport unit 1 is equipped with a support frame 3 with casters, a hopper 4 into which the edamame stored in the input container C1 is poured, a supply belt conveyor 5 provided at the bottom of the hopper 4 for loading and transporting the edamame, and a transport conveyor 6 with locking protrusions for locking and transporting upward the edamame sent out from the terminal end of the supply belt conveyor 5. The transport conveyor 6 is provided in an upward inclined position so as to transport the objects to be sorted diagonally upward.

[0021] The sorting unit 2 is equipped with a wind sorting section 7, which is located on the upstream side of the transport path in the sorting unit 2 in the transport direction and blows sorting air onto the objects to be sorted (h) to separate impurities such as branch waste and leaf waste from the transport path, and a swinging sorting section 8, which is located on the downstream side of the wind sorting section 7 in the transport path in the transport direction and swings and transports the objects to be sorted (h) while sorting good and bad items from the objects to be sorted (h) into different paths.

[0022] 1 and 2, a fan 9 that generates a sorting wind and a ventilation path 10 that guides the wind generated by the fan 9 to the wind sorting section 7 above are provided below the transport conveyor 6, which is installed in an upwardly inclined position. The wind sorting section 7 is configured so that the sorting wind guided through the ventilation path 10 is blown onto the objects h that are transported from the transport terminal end of the transport conveyor 6. Therefore, the wind sorting section 7 acts on the objects h that are transported from the transport terminal end of the transport conveyor 6.

[0023] Among the materials being transported by the transport conveyor 6, impurities such as branch waste, leaf waste, or dried-up defective materials are blown upward by the sorting wind. As shown in Fig. 4, an impurity discharge section 11 is provided which discharges the impurities blown away by the sorting wind and separated from the materials to be sorted h out of the transport path. The impurity discharge section 11 has inclined guide surfaces 12 which guide the impurities blown away by the sorting wind outward on both the left and right sides. (An example of a "flow guide surface") The impurities guided downward by the inclined guide surfaces 12 are guided through discharge tubes 13 provided on both lateral sides of the sorting unit 2, and are collected from the lower end of the discharge tubes 13 into a collection container (not shown).

[0024] The fan 9 is driven to rotate around an axis extending in the left-right direction. The fan 9 extends from the left end to the right end of the conveyor 6 in a plan view. The outlet opening of the ventilation passage 10 extends from the left end to the right end of the conveyor 6 in a plan view.

[0025] The oscillation sorting unit 8 will now be described. 1, 2, and 3, the oscillating sorting section 8 includes a support frame 14 with casters, and an oscillating sorting device 15 supported by the support frame 14. The oscillating sorting device 15 oscillates and transports the objects h along a transport path, and sorts the objects h into non-defective and defective items.

[0026] (Shaking sorting device) The oscillating sorting device 15 is provided with an alignment unit 16 located on the upstream side of the transfer path in the transfer direction and aligning the objects h to be sorted so that their longitudinal directions face the transfer direction while oscillatingly transferring the objects h, and a sorting unit 17 located on the transfer path downstream of the alignment unit 16 in the transfer direction and sorting non-defective and defective objects from the objects h to different paths while transferring the objects h. The alignment unit 16 and the sorting unit 17 are integrally supported by a frame 18 extending along the transfer direction.

[0027] The aligning unit 16 and the sorting unit 17 are vibrated together to swing and transport the objects to be sorted (h). As shown in Fig. 2, the apparatus is provided with a fixed wall 19 that is supported in a fixed state relative to the support frame 14, a swing link mechanism 20 that supports the aligning unit 16 and the sorting unit 17 so that they can swing together in the transport direction relative to the fixed wall 19, and a vibration mechanism 21 that swings and vibrates the aligning unit 16 and the sorting unit 17 together.

[0028] The vibration mechanism 21 includes an electric motor 22, an eccentric cam 23 that is rotationally driven by the electric motor 22, and a rod 24 that connects the eccentric cam 23 to the horizontal support member 18B of the frame body 18. When the eccentric cam 23 is rotated by the electric motor 22, the rod 24 is repeatedly pushed and pulled by the amount of eccentricity of the eccentric cam 23, causing the frame body 18 to vibrate along the transfer direction.

[0029] (Alignment section) The alignment section 16 is provided with alignment grooves 25 that allow the objects h to fit in and that extend along the transport direction. That is, as shown in Fig. 4, the alignment section 16 is configured as a plate body with a generally corrugated cross section, and a plurality of grooves 25 that protrude into the plate body in a generally triangular shape and extend along the transport direction are formed on the plate body. The grooves 25 are large enough to allow the objects h (edamame) to fit in. That is, the vertical depth of the grooves 25 is set to a value greater than the width of the objects h to be sorted, and as long as the objects h are in the grooves 25, there is little risk of the objects h jumping and moving toward the adjacent grooves 25 even when the vibration mechanism 21 performs a shaking operation.

[0030] A first relay receiving section 26 is provided between the downstream end of the alignment section 16 and the upstream end of the sorting section 17. An intermediate defective product discharge section 27 (hereinafter referred to as the intermediate discharge section) that drops defective products downward and removes them is formed between the first relay receiving section 26 and the downstream end of the alignment section 16. Specifically, the intermediate discharge section 27 is a gap formed between the first relay receiving section 26 and the downstream end of the alignment section 16.

[0031] The lower end of the groove in the alignment section 16 and the upper end of the first relay receiving section 26 are set at approximately the same height, and good products with a long longitudinal width among the sorted objects h being oscillated and transported are delivered to the sorting section 17 in a state of being placed across the alignment section 16 and the first relay receiving section 26. However, defective products such as single pods, which are short in the longitudinal direction of the sorted objects h compared to good products, fall from the intermediate discharge section 27. A defective product collection container C2 serving as a defective product collection section and a first guide plate 29 that guides defective products into the defective product collection container C2 are provided below the intermediate discharge section 27. Defective products that fall from the intermediate discharge section 27 are collected by the defective product collection container C2.

[0032] Although not shown, the first relay receiving portion 26 is supported by the frame 18 so that its position can be changed and adjusted along the transport direction. By changing the position of the first relay receiving portion 26, the opening width of the intermediate discharge portion 27 along the transport direction can be changed.

[0033] (Sorting Department) 6, the sorting section 17 is positioned next to the alignment section 16 on the downstream side in the transfer direction, and a step DA is formed with the downstream end of the alignment section 16 positioned higher than the upstream end of the sorting section 17. As described above, the lower ends of the grooves 25 in the alignment section 16 and the upper ends of the first relay receiving sections 26 are set at approximately the same height, and the upstream end of the sorting section 17 is set at a lower position than the upper end of the first relay receiving section 26. In other words, the downstream end of the alignment section 16 and the upper end of the first relay receiving section 26 are at higher positions, and the upstream end of the sorting section 17 is at a lower position, and a step DA is formed therebetween.

[0034] The sorting section 17 is provided with a plurality of supports 30 that are aligned at intervals along the width direction and extend from the starting end of the sorting path along the transfer path and are supported by a frame 18. The sorting section 17 is configured to drop defective products downward through gaps between the supports 30 and remove them.

[0035] To explain further, as shown in Figure 3, the support body 30 is provided with a first support body 31 supported on the frame body 18 in a fixed relative position and a second support body 32 whose vertical position can be changed relative to the first support body 31, arranged alternately in the width direction.

[0036] 5, the plurality of first supports 31 and the plurality of second supports 32 are each constituted by a plate body having a cross section that is approximately inverted V-shaped. The first support 31 is supported in a state in which it extends over the entire area of ​​the sorting path along the transfer direction, and the second support 32 has a shape that is shorter than the first support 31, with the downstream end of the second support 32 in the transfer direction being located upstream of the downstream end of the first support 31 in the transfer direction.

[0037] The width of the gap d between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be adjusted by changing the vertical position of the second support 32. The second support 32 is supported so that it can swing up and down around its upstream end in the transfer direction as a fulcrum, and its vertical swing position can be changed, adjusted, and fixed. The width of the gap d between the second support 32 and the first support 31 is set to increase toward the downstream side in the transfer direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the second support 32 is positioned in a position where it is spaced farther downward from the first support 31 toward the downstream side in the transfer direction (i.e., a position with a greater downward inclination).

[0038] 5 and 6, horizontal connectors 33 are provided at the upstream and downstream ends of the second supports 32 in the transfer direction, extending along the width direction and integrally connecting each of the plurality of second supports 32. The horizontal connectors 33 are provided at positions spaced apart below the plurality of second supports 32, and a plurality of struts 34 are provided to connect the horizontal connectors 33 to each of the plurality of second supports 32. The struts 34 are configured by bolts 35 with spacing sleeves 36 fitted around the outer peripheries thereof. The lower portions of the struts 34 are connected to the horizontal connectors 33 with screws, and the upper portions of the struts 34 are connected to brackets 37 fixed to the inside of the second supports 32 with screws.

[0039] The lateral connecting body 33 has a generally L-shaped cross section when viewed from the side, and both ends in the width direction are supported by the side wall portions 18A on both lateral sides of the frame body 18. Of the lateral connecting bodies 33, the lateral connecting body 33A on the upstream side in the transfer direction is supported in a fixed position by the frame body 18, and the lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transfer direction is supported by the frame body 18 so that its vertical position can be changed and adjusted.

[0040] As shown in Figure 5, the lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transfer direction is connected to the side wall 18A of the frame 18 by fastening knob bolts 39 via connecting members 38 whose both ends in the width direction are L-shaped when viewed from the front. The bolt insertion holes 40 formed in the side wall 18A are elongated holes that are long in the vertical direction, and by changing the position of the knob bolts 39 within the range of the elongated holes, the position of the lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transfer direction can be changed in the vertical direction. By changing the vertical position of the lateral connecting body 33B, the positions of the downstream sides in the transfer direction of the multiple second supports 32 can be changed in the vertical direction as a whole.

[0041] 6, like the lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transfer direction, both ends in the width direction of the lateral connecting body 33A on the upstream side in the transfer direction are connected to the side wall 18A of the frame 18 via connecting members 41 and bolts 42. When changing the position of the downstream side in the transfer direction of the second support body 32, the bolts 42 can be loosened from the connecting members 41 of the lateral connecting body 33A on the upstream side in the transfer direction, allowing the second support body 32 to swing up and down about the axis of the bolt 42. In other words, the second support body 32 swings up and down about the lateral axis P of the bolt 42.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 6 , similar to the second support 32, the first support 31 is provided with lateral connectors 43A, 43B at upstream and intermediate positions in the transfer direction. The lateral connectors 43A, 43B extend along the width direction and are integrally connected to each of the first supports 31. The lateral connectors 43A, 43B are provided at positions spaced apart below the first supports 31, and are provided with a plurality of struts 44 that individually connect the lateral connectors 43A, 43B to each of the first supports 31. Similar to the second support 32, the connection structure between the lateral connectors 43A, 43B and the first supports 31 is supported on the side wall 18A of the frame 18 via connecting brackets (not shown). However, in the first support 31, the connecting brackets are supported in a state where their vertical positions are fixed relative to the side wall 18A.

[0043] As described above, by changing the vertical position of the second support 32 relative to the first support 31, the width of the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be changed or adjusted. At this time, by swinging the second support 32 downward, the width of the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be changed so as to increase. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, while the objects to be sorted (h) are being swung and transported, for example, narrow defective products, whose pods do not contain beans, can be dropped downward through the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 and eliminated. At this time, by changing or adjusting the width of the gap, the width of the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be adjusted to an appropriate value so as not to accidentally drop non-defective products.

[0044] A downstream-side defective product discharge section 45 (hereinafter referred to as the downstream-side discharge section) is formed at a location downstream of the sorting section 17, which drops defective products downward and removes them.

[0045] 2, 3, and 6, a second relay receiving portion 46 is provided at a position closer to the downstream side in the transfer direction than the downstream end of the second support body 32 in the transfer direction, and a downstream-side discharge portion 45 is formed between the downstream end of the second support body 32 in the transfer direction and the second relay receiving portion 46. Specifically, the downstream-side discharge portion 45 is a gap formed between the downstream end of the second support body 32 in the transfer direction and the second relay receiving portion 46.

[0046] The placement position of the sorted item h on the second support body 32 and the upper end of the second relay receiving section 46 are set at approximately the same height, and good items h that are long in the longitudinal direction and are transported by swinging are placed across the second support body 32 and the second relay receiving section 46 and transported downstream in the transport direction. On the other hand, defective items such as single pods, which are shorter in the longitudinal direction than the non-defective items, fall downward from the downstream discharge section 45.

[0047] Below the downstream discharge section 45, a second guide plate 47 is provided to guide the dropped defective products to a defective product recovery container C2 serving as a defective product recovery section, and the defective products are recovered by the defective product recovery container C2.

[0048] When non-defective products that have been transferred downstream in the transfer direction without falling from the downstream discharge section 45 are released from support by the second supports 32, they are transferred to an area where only the first supports 31 are present. The spacing between the first supports 31 in the width direction is set to be larger than the width of the objects h to be sorted, and non-defective objects h to be sorted fall downward through the gaps between the first supports 31. Below the area where only the first supports 31 are present, there are provided a non-defective product recovery container C3 as a non-defective product recovery section, and a third guide plate 48 that guides non-defective products into the non-defective product recovery container C3, and the fallen non-defective products are recovered in a non-defective product recovery box.

[0049] The upper ends of the second guide plate 47 and the third guide plate 48 are supported by the lower part of the second relay receiving part 46, and are configured to separate defective products from non-defective products so that they do not mix together.

[0050] Although not shown, the second relay receiving section 46 is supported by the frame 18 so that its position can be changed and adjusted along the transport direction. By changing the position of the second relay receiving section 46, the opening width along the transport direction of the downstream discharge section 45 can be changed, and the gap can be adjusted to an appropriate size so that non-defective products do not accidentally fall downward.

[0051] Among the transported objects being oscillated and transported by the sorting unit 17, the defective objects h to be sorted are collected in the defective product collection container C2, and the non-defective objects h to be sorted are collected in the non-defective product collection container C3. Long impurities such as stems, culms, and long branches contained in the transported objects are not collected, but are transported to the downstream end of the sorting unit 17 in the transport direction while being placed on the first support 31. Such long debris is collected in a stem and culm scrap collection container C4 via a guide chute 49 provided downstream of the sorting section 17 in the transport direction.

[0052] [Another embodiment] (1) In the above embodiment, the wind sorting section 7 is configured to act on the objects to be sorted h that are conveyed from the end of the conveying conveyor 6, but instead of this configuration, it may be configured to act between the alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17.

[0053] (2) In the above embodiment, the fan 9 is provided below the conveyor 6. However, instead of this configuration, the fan 9 may be provided on the outer side of the conveyor 6, or below the oscillating sorting device 15, etc.

[0054] (3) In the above embodiment, the conveyor 6 is configured to be installed in an upwardly inclined position. However, instead of this configuration, the conveyor 6 may be installed in a horizontal position, or may be configured to drop and discharge materials downward from the end of the conveyor 6.

[0055] (4) In the above embodiment, the impurity discharge unit 11 is provided, but the impurity discharge unit 11 may not be provided.

[0056] (5) In the above embodiment, edamame beans are selected as the objects to be selected (h), but the objects to be selected (h) are not limited to edamame beans, and other types of beans such as peas and kidney beans may also be selected. [Industrial Applicability]

[0057] The present invention can be applied to a bean sorter for sorting beans. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 2. Sorting device 6. Conveyor 7. Wind-sorting section 8. Swinging sorting section 9 Fans 10 Ventilation duct 11 Impurity discharge section 12 Inclined guideway (flow guideway) 13 Ejection tube h Items to be sorted

Claims

1. A sorting device is provided that sorts the beans as the objects to be sorted while transporting the beans along a transport path, The sorting device includes: a transport conveyor that transports the objects to be sorted in a predetermined direction in a plan view; a wind sorting unit that blows sorting air onto the objects to be sorted that are carried out from the transfer end of the transfer conveyor to separate impurities from the transfer path; a swinging sorting unit located downstream of the wind sorting unit in the transport direction, swinging and transporting the objects to be sorted along the predetermined direction in a plan view, and sorting non-defective products and defective products among the objects to be sorted into different paths; and a debris discharge section that discharges the debris blown away by the sorting wind and separated from the objects to the outside of the transfer path by a flow-down guide surface that guides the debris to flow down toward the outside on both the left and right sides of the oscillating sorting section, The bean sorting machine, wherein the oscillating sorting unit is provided with a front end portion thereof adjacent to the conveying end portion of the conveyor.

2. the transport conveyor is provided in an upwardly inclined position so as to transport the objects to be sorted obliquely upward; 2. The bean sorting machine according to claim 1, further comprising a fan for generating sorting air under the transport conveyor.

3. A ventilation path is formed to guide the sorting wind generated by the fan toward the wind sorting section located above, The bean sorter according to claim 2, wherein sorting air guided through the ventilation passage in the wind sorting section is blown onto the objects to be sorted that are carried out from the transfer terminal end of the transfer conveyor.

4. A bean sorting machine as described in Claim 1, wherein the impurity discharge section is provided with a discharge tube that guides downward the impurities that have been guided down by the flow-down guide surface.

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