Method for testing the drop of stored fruit, method for investigating differences in fruit damage resistance among varieties, and drop testing apparatus.

Abstract

To provide a dropping test method which allows easy testing and evaluation of drop damage resistance of fruit that is easily damaged like strawberries, and to provide a dropping test apparatus to be used in the dropping test method.SOLUTION: Provided are a fruit dropping test method, and a fruit dropping test apparatus to be used in the fruit dropping test method. In the fruit dropping test method, damage generated in fruit due to impact when dropping the fruit is confirmed in order to test a resistance of the fruit against impact. In the fruit dropping test method, a disk made of a hard material is inserted between individual fruit and an upper surface of a hard plate on which the fruit is placed, and the hard plate is dropped while the fruit maintains the state of being in contact with the disk.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drop test method that can simply test or evaluate the drop damage resistance of easily damaged fruits such as strawberries After storage and a drop test device used therefor. Methods for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties

Background Art

[0002] Strawberries are top-class among major High price for fruits and vegetables wholesale prices Proud of, along with their wholesale prices. Also, due to demand in Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc., the export volume has been increasing significantly. However, strawberry fruits are said to be easily damaged by dropping during distribution, leading to claims from recipients or export destinations due to deterioration in appearance. Further, damage is said to accelerate quality deterioration and may also lead to a decrease in shelf life. Therefore, there is a need for a damage test system that can simply test or evaluate the vulnerability of strawberry fruits. Na

[0003] The drop test machines usually used to evaluate the drop damage resistance of products are usually, industrial products Direction It is a beast . Also, as a drop test for strawberry fruits, the method and device described in Non-Patent Document 1 have been proposed. Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that a tray filled with strawberry fruits was fixed by sandwiching it with two aluminum plates from above and below, and the strawberry fruits were repeatedly dropped in that state to evaluate the damage.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] ​​ however, For industrial products The impact of the fall is too strong for the fragile strawberry fruit. In many cases Also, conventional drop testing machines for industrial products is expensive However, there was a problem with the high implementation cost.

[0006] Furthermore, while the contact area between the bottom and the strawberry fruit during a fall significantly affects the strength of the force transmitted to the fruit during impact, when the fruit is packed in a tray and dropped, the contact area between the bottom and the fruit is not constant, and the impact on the fruit becomes random, making it difficult to compare the drop damage resistance of the fruit. Conventional methods make it difficult to confirm the cushioning effect of the packaging material. Main The purpose is to reduce damage from fruit falling. of Testing or evaluation It remained indirect. .

[0007] Therefore, the problem of the present invention is to address the issue of easily damaged plants like strawberries. After storage Resistance to fruit drop damage Direct and A drop test method that can be easily verified or evaluated. Varietal differences in fruit damage tolerance Research methods The objective is to provide a drop test device used therefor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides After storage To test the resistance of the fruit to impact, Savings After the brewery The impact of dropping the fruit caused the After storage Check for damage to the fruit. storage later A method for testing the dropping of fruit, characterized in that a disc made of a hard material is placed between each of the fruits and the upper surface of a hard plate on which the fruits are placed, and the hard plate is dropped while the fruits remain in contact with the discs. After storage This document provides a method for testing fruit drop. The present invention also relates to a method for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties, wherein the fruit is dropped. In the process of confirming the damage sustained by the impact on the fruit, each of the fruits and the A disc made of hard material is sandwiched between the upper surface of a hard plate on which the fruit is placed, and the fruit is in front The process of dropping the hard plate while maintaining contact with the disk, and the dropping process By comparing the presence or absence of damage and / or size of damage to the aforementioned fruit for each variety, A method for determining the damage resistance of fruits, characterized by including a step of investigating the differences in damage resistance of fruits among varieties. This provides a method for investigating differences in sex among different breeds.

[0009] Here, when dropping the rigid plate, a belt-like body may be wound around and fixed to the fruit and the disk so as to maintain the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disk.

[0010] Alternatively, when dropping the rigid plate, the disk may be sandwiched between the fruit and the upper surface of the rigid plate, and a belt-like body may be wound around and fixed to the fruit and the rigid plate so as to maintain the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disk.

[0011] Further, the disk may have a diameter of 5 to 15 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.

[0012] The present invention is a fruit drop test apparatus used in the above method, comprising a frame composed of front, rear, left, and right side walls, a case for accommodating the fruit disposed within the frame, and a pair of spring parts provided inside both left and right ends of the frame, which drop the case by their opening and closing operations. The case includes a rigid plate for placing the fruit on the bottom surface, and a disk made of a hard material is disposed on the upper surface of the rigid plate. The pair of spring parts are in the shape of rectangular plates, each having its long side direction as the axial direction and being pivotally supported on the front and rear side walls. When closed, they are fixed horizontally and support the case from below at their inner ends, while when opened, the fixation is released and the case is configured to fall due to its own weight.

[0013] Here, the disk may be provided with convex portions on the surface on the side in contact with the rigid plate, and the upper surface of the rigid plate may be provided with concave portions for fitting with the convex portions of the disk to prevent the horizontal displacement of the disk. Further, the rigid plate may be provided with a belt-like body for fixing the fruit in a state where the disk is sandwiched between the fruit and the upper surface of the rigid plate.

Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the After storage fruit drop test method Methods for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties of the present invention, a disk made of hardwood is sandwiched between each fruit and the upper surface of the rigid plate on which the fruit is placed, and the rigid plate is dropped while maintaining the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disk. Therefore, the impact application area on each fruit during dropping is equal to the size of the disk sandwiched between the fruit and the upper surface of the rigid plate. Since the impact application area greatly affects the strength of the impact applied to the fruit, by making the impact application area constant, the strength of the impact applied to the fruit can also be made constant, and thereby it becomes possible to compare the drop damage resistance (vulnerability) between fruits.

[0015] In addition, when dropping the rigid plate, by winding and fixing a belt-like body around the fruit and the disk, or around the fruit and the rigid plate, the rigid plate can be dropped while maintaining the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disk in a simple manner without damaging the fruit.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the fruit drop test device of the present invention, it includes a frame composed of front, rear, left, and right side walls, a case for accommodating fruits arranged inside the frame, and a pair of spring parts provided inside both ends of the left and right of the frame, which drop the case by their opening and closing operations. The pair of spring parts are in the shape of rectangular plates, and are pivotally supported on the front and rear side walls with their long side directions as the axial directions. When closed, they are fixed horizontally and support the case from below at their inner ends, while when opened, the fixing is released and the case is configured to drop due to its own weight. Therefore, it becomes possible to conduct a drop test with a simpler, smaller, and lighter device than before. As a result, the introduction cost of the device can be reduced, and it can also be carried around, enabling the drop test to be carried out regardless of the location.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the drop test device of the present embodiment. (A) shows the state of "closed" (when the spring part is fixed), and (B) shows the state of "opened" (when the spring part is released). [Figure 2] This is a left side view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the drop test device (when the wing section is fixed). [Figure 3] This is a partially enlarged view illustrating the configuration of the fan opening / closing device 5a in the embodiment. (A) is a front view showing the "open" state (when the fan is released), (B) is a side cross-sectional view showing the "open" state (when the fan is released), and (C) is a side cross-sectional view showing the "closed" state (when the fan is fixed). [Figure 4] This figure illustrates an example of the drop test method of this embodiment. (A) is a top view showing a disc sandwiched between the fruit and the hard plate inside the case, and (B) is a perspective view showing a strip-shaped material wrapped around the fruit and the disc. [Figure 5] These figures illustrate the configuration of the hard plate, disc, and strip in other embodiments. (A) is a top view, (B) is a partial cross-sectional view along the XX axis showing how the disc is fixed to the hard plate, (C) is a cross-sectional view along the XX axis, and (D) is a front view showing the fruit and the strip wrapped around the hard plate. [Figure 6] This is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the hard plate and disk in yet another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The following describes the fruit drop test method of this embodiment. Methods for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties lawThe following will be explained with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the fruit drop test apparatus 1 used in this method, and Figure 2 is a left side view showing the configuration of the same embodiment. Figure 3 is a partially enlarged view showing the configuration of the wing opening and closing device 5a of the embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the drop test method of this embodiment. Figure 4(A) is a plan view of the case 3 showing the state in which the fruit F is placed on the upper surface of the hard plate 32, and Figure 4(B) is a perspective view showing the state in which the strip-shaped body 36 is wrapped around and fixed to the fruit F and the disc 33. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the hard plate 321, the disc 331 and the strip-shaped body 361 in other embodiments. Figure 5(A) is a top view, Figure 5(B) is a partial cross-sectional view along the XX axis showing a method of fixing the disc 331 to the hard plate 321, (C) is a cross-sectional view along the XX axis, and (D) is a front view showing the state in which the strip-shaped body 361 is wrapped around and fixed to the fruit F and the hard plate 321. Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a hard plate and a disk in yet another embodiment.

[0019] relating to this embodiment After storage The method for testing fruit drop is: After storage To test the resistance of the fruit to impact, After storage The impact of dropping the fruit caused the After storage Check for damage to the fruit. After storage This is a method for testing fruit drop. Furthermore, the method for investigating differences in fruit damage resistance among varieties according to this embodiment involves dropping the fruit... A step to confirm the damage sustained by the fruit due to the impact when it was dropped, and a step to confirm the damage sustained by the fruit in the dropping step By comparing the presence or absence of damage and / or size of damage to the fruit for each variety, the damage to the fruit can be determined. A process for investigating differences in wound tolerance among varieties, and a method for investigating differences in wound tolerance among varieties of fruit, including the process for investigating differences in wound tolerance among varieties. That is the case.

[0020] The target fruits are not limited to the strawberries exemplified below, but can be applied to a variety of fruits, including easily damaged fruits such as peaches and cherries.

[0021] The above-mentioned fruit is placed on the upper surface of the hard plate 32. The hard plate 32, which is the component most susceptible to impact during the drop test, is preferably made of a durable metal that does not deteriorate easily over time. Specifically, examples include aluminum and stainless steel, but it is not limited to these.

[0022] Then, a disc 33 is placed between each fruit and the upper surface of the hard plate 32 on which the fruit is placed. The disc 33 is interposed between the upper surface of the hard plate 32 and the fruit to quantitatively transmit the impact transmitted from the hard plate 32 when the fruit falls to the fruit.

[0023] In other words, if the fruit is placed directly on the upper surface of the hard plate 32 without the disc 33 in between, the contact area (impact application area) between the hard plate 32 and the fruit will not be constant, and the strength of the impact applied to the fruit when it falls will be random (non-quantitative). On the other hand, by interposing the disc 33 between the upper surface of the hard plate 32 and the fruit, the impact application area when it falls can be limited to the contact area with the disc 33, thereby controlling the strength of the impact applied to the fruit to be constant. By keeping the strength of the impact constant, the degree of damage the fruit suffers from the impact will also be constant, making it possible to compare the drop damage resistance of different fruits.

[0024] The disc 33 described above is a thin disc made of a hard material such as aluminum or other metals. The dimensions of the disc 33 are not particularly limited, but should be such that the entire disc can make contact with the surface of the fruit, depending on the shape of the fruit being tested. In addition, in order to ensure that the force of the impact applied to each fruit during the fall is constant, approximately identical discs 33 are used for each fruit being tested simultaneously. Specifically, the diameter of the disc 33 can be, for example, 5 to 15 mm. The thickness of the disc 33 can be, for example, 0.5 to 3 mm.

[0025] The disk 33 may be fixed in a predetermined position on the hard plate 32. Specifically, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the protrusion 332 provided on the side of the disk 331 that contacts the hard plate 321 is fitted into a recess 333 formed at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the hard plate 321 to fit with the protrusion 332, thereby preventing the disk 331 from shifting horizontally. At this time, the height of the portion of the disk 331 that protrudes from the upper surface of the hard plate 321 can be about 0.5 mm to 3 mm. In addition to the above, the means of fixing the disk may also utilize adhesive, tape, magnetism, etc.

[0026] Furthermore, while multiple fruits can be placed on the upper surface of the hard plate 32, it is necessary to avoid contact between the fruits. If the fruits collide with each other due to the impact of falling, impact will be applied from surfaces other than the contact surface with the disc 33, making it impossible to keep the strength of the impact applied to each fruit constant, and thus making it difficult to compare the fall damage resistance of the fruits. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, contact between individual fruits can be avoided by housing one fruit in each compartment separated by the partition plate 35.

[0027] Next, the hard plate 32 is allowed to free-fall with the fruit placed on its upper surface, thereby applying an impact to the fruit. The impact from the hard plate 32 falling is transmitted to the fruit via the disc 33.

[0028] Here, the drop height of the hard board 32 is not limited as long as the degree of damage between fruits can be compared, and can be changed according to the fragility of the target fruit, but it can usually be 3 to 15 cm, or even 4 to 7 cm.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the hard plate 32 on which the fruit is placed can also be dropped repeatedly. Since the impact applied to the fruit is small with a single drop, it may be difficult to compare the presence and extent of damage between fruits. In that case, the intensity of the impact applied to the fruit can be increased by increasing the drop height as described above, but this would require a change in the design of the drop test device 1. Therefore, by increasing the number of drops and repeatedly applying impact to the fruit, damage due to accumulated fatigue can be generated, making it easier to compare damage between fruits. The number of drops is not particularly limited and can be changed according to the fragility of the fruit being tested, but it can usually be 1 to 9 times, or even 1 to 6 times.

[0030] The landing surface can be a flat surface, or obstacles such as blocks may be placed on it. If obstacles are placed, the strength of the impact during the fall can be changed by varying their hardness.

[0031] In this embodiment, it is necessary to drop the hard plate 32 while maintaining contact between the fruit and the disc 33. This is because if the fruit is not in contact with the disc 33, the force of the impact applied to the fruit during the fall cannot be kept constant. Normally, if the fruit is not fixed in place, and the surface shape of the fruit is curved or irregular, the fruit will roll on the upper surface of the hard plate 32 and will not be able to maintain contact with the disc 33.

[0032] The means for maintaining contact between the fruit and the disc 33 are not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in Figure 4, one method is to wrap a strip-shaped body 36, such as a piece of paper, around the fruit and the disc 33 to secure them. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, one method is to use small hard plates 321 corresponding to each fruit and wrap a strip-shaped body 361 around the fruit and the hard plate 321 to secure them.

[0033] The strip-shaped body 36 is preferably made of a flexible material such as resin, paper, or cloth so as to secure the fruit without damaging it. More preferably, as shown in Figure 5, the strip-shaped body 361 can be configured with hook-and-loop fasteners (362, 363) at both ends. With this configuration, the fruit can be easily secured by closing the hook portion 362 and loop portion 363 of the hook-and-loop fastener, and it is also economical because it can be reused.

[0034] In this manner, after dropping the hard plate 32 while the fruit remains in contact with the disc 33, the presence and extent of damage to the fruit due to the impact are checked. In this embodiment, since the strength of the impact applied to the fruit by the fall is constant, it is possible to compare the fragility (drop damage resistance) of the fruits by comparing the extent of damage between them.

[0035] Next, the above drop test method and research methods An embodiment of the fruit drop test apparatus 1 used in this test will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drop test device 1 according to this embodiment mainly consists of a frame 2, a case 3 arranged inside the frame, and a pair of wing sections 4a and 4b provided on the inside of both the left and right ends of the frame 2.

[0037] Frame 2 is constructed in a rectangular tube shape, consisting of front, rear, left, and right side walls 21, 21, 22, 22. Frame 2 may have a floor, but it does not have a top surface as it would hinder tasks such as arranging fruit inside Case 3. Furthermore, it is preferable that Frame 2 be made of a transparent or translucent material such as acrylic resin so that the drop test can be easily observed.

[0038] The pair of left and right wing sections 4a and 4b cause the case 3 to fall when they open and close. The wing sections 4a and 4b are rectangular plate-shaped members, and are pivotally supported by shafts 41 and 41 on the front and rear side walls 21 and 21 of the frame 2, with their long sides oriented axially.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1(A), in the "closed" position of the opening and closing operation, the wing sections 4a and 4b are fixed horizontally, and their inner ends 42 and 42 are configured to support the case 3 from below. That is, the shaft 41 that pivotally supports the wing sections 4a and 4b is located slightly outward (towards the side wall 22) from the center of the short side of the wing sections 4a and 4b, and the center of gravity of the wing sections 4a and 4b is located inward from the shaft 41. Therefore, by locking the outer ends 43 and 43 from above, the rotation of the wing sections 4a and 4b can be stopped and they can be fixed horizontally.

[0040] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 1(B), when the opening is enabled, the locking from above to the outer ends 43, 43 is released, which releases the fixing of the wing sections 4a, 4b and allows them to rotate. As a result, the wing sections 4a, 4b rotate so that the inner side with the center of gravity is facing downwards, and the case 3, which was supported from below by the inner ends 42, 42, falls due to its own weight.

[0041] In addition, in the wing sections 4a and 4b, the length in the short-side direction from the shaft 41 to the inner end 42 is shorter than the installation height of the shaft 41 on the side wall 21, which is approximately equal to the drop height of the case 3, so as not to obstruct its opening and closing operation.

[0042] As mentioned above, the drop height of Case 3 due to the release of the wing sections 4a and 4b is not limited as long as the degree of damage between fruits can be compared, and can be changed according to the fragility of the target fruit, but can usually be 3 to 15 cm, or even 4 to 7 cm.

[0043] As mentioned above, the landing surface may be a flat surface, or obstacles such as blocks may be placed on it.

[0044] Case 3 is positioned inside frame 2 and is intended to contain the fruit to be subjected to the drop test. Case 3 has a rigid plate 32 on its bottom surface for placing the fruit on. The rigid plate 32 is as described above. The aforementioned discs 33 are placed on the top surface of this rigid plate 32. The number of discs 33 placed on the top surface of the rigid plate 32 is the same as the number of fruits placed on the top surface of the rigid plate 32.

[0045] As described above, the disk 33 may be fixed in a predetermined position on the hard plate 32. Specifically, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the protrusion 332 provided on the side of the disk 331 that contacts the hard plate 321 is fitted into a recess 333 formed at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the hard plate 321 to fit with the protrusion 332, thereby preventing the disk 331 from shifting horizontally. At this time, the height of the portion of the disk 331 that protrudes from the upper surface of the hard plate 321 can be about 0.5 mm to 3 mm. In addition to the above, the means of fixing the disk may also utilize adhesive, tape, magnetism, etc.

[0046] When multiple fruits are placed on the upper surface of the rigid plate 32, as described above, in order to avoid contact between the fruits, the inside of the case 3 can be divided by, for example, a partition plate 35, and one fruit F can be placed in each compartment (see Figure 4(A)).

[0047] Furthermore, as mentioned above, case 3 may be provided with a strip-shaped body 36, such as a piece of paper, as a means of maintaining contact between the fruit and the disc 33 when it falls. This strip-shaped body 36 can be used, for example, to wrap around and secure the fruit F and the disc 33 (see Figure 4). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, if small hard plates 321 corresponding to individual fruits are used, the strip-shaped body 361 may be provided on the hard plate 321. This strip-shaped body 361 can be used, for example, to wrap around and secure the fruit F and the hard plate 321.

[0048] By securing the fruit with the strip-shaped body 36 in this way, it is also possible to prevent the fruits from coming into contact with each other. As mentioned above, it is preferable that the strip-shaped body 36 be made of a flexible material. More preferably, as shown in Figure 5, the strip-shaped body 361 can be configured to have hook-and-loop fasteners (362, 363) at both ends. With this configuration, securing the fruit becomes easy by closing the hook portion 362 and loop portion 363 of the hook-and-loop fastener, and it is also economical because it can be reused.

[0049] As described above, in the fruit drop test device 1 according to this embodiment, a fruit drop test can be performed by a simple operation of opening and closing (fixing and opening) the blades 4a and 4b. Therefore, repeated dropping operations can also be easily performed, and the structure is particularly suitable for repeated dropping tests from relatively low heights targeting easily damaged fruits.

[0050] Next, the method of use and operation of the fruit drop test device 1 according to this embodiment will be explained.

[0051] (1) First, as shown in Figure 4, the target fruit F is placed on the upper surface of the hard plate 32 of case 3. At this time, a disc 33 is sandwiched between each fruit F and the upper surface of the hard plate 32. In addition, to ensure that the fruit F remains in contact with the disc 33 when dropped, the fruit F and the disc 33 or hard plate 32 are secured by wrapping a strip of material 36, such as a piece of paper, around them.

[0052] By interposing a disc 33 between the upper surface of the hard plate 32 and the fruit F, and limiting the impact area during a fall to the contact area with the disc 33, the strength of the impact applied to the fruit can be controlled to be constant. By keeping the strength of the impact constant, the degree of damage the fruit suffers from the impact will also be constant, making it possible to compare the drop damage resistance of different fruits.

[0053] Furthermore, by fixing the fruit F to the disc 33 or the hard plate 32, it is possible to prevent the fruit F from rolling off the disc 33 on the upper surface of the hard plate 32.

[0054] (2) Next, the wing sections 4a and 4b are fixed horizontally by locking them from above onto the outer ends 43, 43 of the wing sections 4a and 4b, which are provided on the inside of both the left and right ends of the frame 2 (see Figure 1(A)).

[0055] The wing sections 4a and 4b are pivotally supported by shafts 41 and 41 at the front and rear side walls 21 and 21 of the frame 2. The shaft 41 is positioned slightly outward (towards the side wall 22) from the center of the short side of the wing sections 4a and 4b, so the center of gravity of the wing sections 4a and 4b is closer to the inside than the shaft 41. Therefore, by locking the outer ends 43 and 43 from above and stopping the rotation of the wing sections 4a and 4b, the wing sections 4a and 4b can be fixed horizontally.

[0056] (3) Next, the left and right ends of the bottom surface of the case 3 are placed on top of the inner ends 42, 42 of the horizontally fixed wing sections 4a, 4b by hooking them onto them (see Figure 1(A)).

[0057] (4) Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(B), the case 3 is dropped by its own weight by releasing the locking from above on the outer ends 43, 43 of the wing sections 4a, 4b.

[0058] In other words, when the fixing of the wing sections 4a and 4b is released (opened), the wing sections 4a and 4b become rotatable, and they rotate so that the inner side with the center of gravity is downward (i.e., the inner end 42 moves closer to the side wall 22). As a result, the case 3, which was supported from below by the inner ends 42, 42 of the wing sections 4a and 4b, can be dropped by its own weight.

[0059] In the wing sections 4a and 4b, the length in the short-side direction from the shaft 41 to the inner end 42 is approximately equal to the installation height of the shaft 41 on the side wall 21, which is the drop height of case 3, but shorter than that. In this embodiment, the drop height can be changed according to the fragility of the target fruit, but is usually 3 to 15 cm. Therefore, the entire device can be made smaller and lighter.

[0060] If no damage to the fruit can be observed after a single drop, the drop test can be repeated by repeating steps (2) to (4) above. This is because repeated drops will cause damage to the fruit due to fatigue accumulation.

[0061] (5) Finally, retrieve the fruit F from the dropped case 3 and check for any damage to the fruit caused by the impact, and the extent of the damage. Damage can be determined if the fruit is deformed or scratched due to pressure.

[0062] In this embodiment, by interposing the disc 33 between the fruit and the hard plate 32, the impact area during a fall can be kept constant, thereby ensuring that the intensity of the impact applied to the fruit remains constant. Therefore, by comparing the presence and size of damage between fruits, it becomes possible to compare the susceptibility to damage (resistance to fall damage) between fruits. [Examples]

[0063] This embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the following examples.

[0064] (Example 1) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fruit drop test device 1 comprises a frame 2, a case 3 positioned inside it, a pair of wing sections 4a and 4b provided on the inside of both the left and right ends of the frame 2, and a pair of wing section opening and closing devices 5a and 5b provided on both the left and right ends of the frame 2.

[0065] Frame 2 is a rectangular tube measuring 255mm in width, 210mm in depth, and 125mm in height, and is composed of front, back, left, and right side walls 21, 21, 22, and 22. Furthermore, since Frame 2 is made of transparent acrylic resin, the internal structure can be observed.

[0066] At a height of 58 mm near the center of the long side of the left and right side walls 22, 22, there are holes for inserting the pistons 52 of the fan opening and closing devices 5a and 5b into the frame 2. Also, slightly below the holes for inserting the pistons 52, there are a pair of holes for screwing in the fan opening and closing devices 5a and 5b.

[0067] The left and right pair of wing sections 4a and 4b are rectangular plate-shaped members measuring 46 mm in length, 187 mm in width, and 5 mm in thickness. Each of the wing sections 4a and 4b is pivotally supported by a shaft 41 at a height of 47 mm and 24 mm from the left and right ends towards the center, on the front and rear side walls 21, 21 of the frame 2, with the longer side direction as the axial direction.

[0068] As shown in Figure 1(A), the shaft 41 that pivotally supports the wing sections 4a and 4b in the direction of their long sides is positioned slightly outward (towards the side wall 22) from the center of the wing sections 4a and 4b in the direction of their short sides. Specifically, the length from the shaft 41 to the inner end 42 in the direction of the short sides is approximately twice the length from the shaft 41 to the outer end 43. Therefore, the center of gravity of the wing sections 4a and 4b is located inward from the shaft 41.

[0069] The pair of left and right wing-opening / closing devices 5a and 5b open and close the wing sections 4a and 4b respectively, thereby dropping the fruit-containing case 3. As shown in Figure 2, the wing-opening / closing devices 5a and 5b are attached to the outside of the left and right side walls 22, 22 of the frame 2, near the center in the long-side direction. As shown in Figure 3, the wing-opening / closing devices 5a and 5b mainly consist of a plate 51, a piston 52, a coil spring 53, and a hook 54.

[0070] Plate 51 is a rectangular plate-shaped member measuring 38 mm in length, 82 mm in width, and 10 mm in thickness. A hole is provided at the top of plate 51 near the center along its long side for inserting the piston 52 horizontally. In addition, a pair of spacers 511, 511 are attached and fixed to both the left and right ends of plate 51 on the frame 2 side. This ensures a space between the spacers 511, 511 for rotatably mounting the hook 54. Spacer 511 is a rectangular plate-shaped member measuring 38 mm in length, 12 mm in width, and 5 mm in thickness.

[0071] At both ends of the plate 51, slightly below the hole through which the piston 52 is inserted, a pair of holes are provided that pass horizontally through the plate 51 and the spacer 511. These holes are for inserting screws 56, 56 that fix the fan opening and closing devices 5a, 5b to the left and right side walls 22, 22.

[0072] As shown in Figures 3(B) and (C), the piston 52 is a roughly cylindrical stainless steel member with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 40 mm, positioned to penetrate horizontally through the plate 51 and the left and right side walls 22. A groove 523 for fitting the notch 541 of the hook 54 is cut into the circumference of the piston 52 approximately in the longitudinal center. Furthermore, an inner tip 521 and an outer tip 522, which are discs with a diameter slightly larger than the piston 52, are joined to both ends of the piston 52, respectively.

[0073] A coil spring 53 is wrapped around the outside of the piston 52 (opposite the frame 2), and the coil spring 53 is sandwiched between the outer tip 522 and the outer surface of the plate 51. When the vane sections 4a and 4b are fixed, the piston 52 is fixed in the position shown in Figure 3(C), and the coil spring 53 is compressed between the outer tip 522 and the outer surface of the plate 51.

[0074] At this time, the inner tip 521 protrudes into the inside of the frame 2 and engages with the upper surface of the outer end 43 of the wing parts 4a and 4b, thereby fixing the wing parts 4a and 4b horizontally. That is, since the center of gravity of the wing parts 4a and 4b is closer to the inside than the shaft 41, when the wing parts 4a and 4b are released, they rotate so that the inner end 42 is downward. Therefore, by engaging the upper surface of the outer end 43 of the wing parts 4a and 4b with the inner tip 521 of the piston 52 and stopping the rotation of the wing parts 4a and 4b, the wing parts 4a and 4b can be fixed horizontally.

[0075] On the other hand, when the wing sections 4a and 4b are released, the coil spring 53 biases the piston 52 to pull it outwards from the frame 2 (i.e., in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3(B)). Note that the diameter of the inner tip 521 of the piston 52 is larger than the diameter of the hole in the plate 51 through which the piston 52 is inserted, so the entire piston 52 biased by the coil spring 53 does not pop out of the hole.

[0076] The hook 54 is an iron component formed in the shape of a thin, roughly rectangular plate with dimensions of 60 mm in length and 10 mm in width. It is used to fix the inner tip 521 of the piston 52 in a position where it protrudes inward from the frame 2, or to release the fixation.

[0077] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the hook 54 is pivotally supported on the plate 51 slightly towards the rear center of the frame 2 side, with both its upper and lower ends protruding from the plate 51. The hook 54 is pivotally supported on the frame 2 by a pin 55 at a position slightly below its center.

[0078] A roughly semicircular notch 541 is provided in the hook 54 at a position corresponding to the piston 52. When the wing portions 4a and 4b are fixed, as shown in Figures 2 and 3(C), the upper end of the hook 54 is pulled by a coil spring 58 so that the notch 541 fits into the groove 523 of the piston 52. One end of this coil spring 58 is engaged with a hole provided in the upper end of the hook 54, and the other end is fixed to a screw 57 that is screwed into the front part of the upper end face of the plate 51.

[0079] Furthermore, the lower end of the hook 54 is screwed into the inner wire 543 connected to the switch S by a screw 542. The inner wire 543 is inserted through the outer wire 544, and the outer wire 544 is connected to the switch S (not shown) by passing through the insertion hole of the wire guide portion 512 provided at the lower end of the plate 51.

[0080] Switch S controls the opening and closing operation of the fan sections 4a and 4b. When switch S is open, as shown in Figure 3(A), the inner wire 543 is pulled, causing the lower end of the hook 54 to rotate in the direction of the arrow. Next, the upper end of the hook 54 rotates in the direction of the arrow due to the lever principle, releasing the engagement between the notch 541 and the groove 523 of the piston 52. As a result, the piston 52 is biased by the coil spring 53, and the inner tip 521, which had been locking the outer end 43 of the fan sections 4a and 4b from above, moves from the position shown in Figure 3(C) to the position shown in Figure 3(B). Consequently, the inner tip 521, which had been locking the outer end 43 of the fan sections 4a and 4b from above, retracts towards the left and right side walls 22, releasing (opening) the fan sections 4a and 4b, allowing them to rotate.

[0081] On the other hand, when the switch S is closed, the inner wire 543 relaxes, and the elastic force of the coil spring 58 pulls the upper end of the hook 54 toward the piston 52, so that the notch 541 can engage with the groove 523. At this time, the piston 52 of the fan opening / closing device 5a is pushed inward toward the frame 2 by hand so that the notch 541 of the hook 54 engages with the groove 523 of the piston 52.

[0082] Case 3 is positioned inside frame 2 and is a box-shaped structure measuring 115 mm in length, 175 mm in width, and 35 mm in height. As shown in Figure 4, it mainly consists of a storage compartment 31 and a lid 34. The storage compartment 31 has a hard plate 32 as its bottom surface, front, back, left, and right side walls, and three partition plates 35, ... that divide the interior into six sections. The lid 34 fits onto the storage compartment 31 and prevents fruit from falling out of the storage compartment 31 when dropped. Also, like frame 2, case 3 is made of transparent acrylic resin except for the hard plate 32, so the contents inside can be observed.

[0083] The rigid plate 32 is a thin rectangular plate made of aluminum. One aluminum disc 33 is placed on the top surface of the rigid plate 32 for each compartment. Also, one fruit F is placed on the top surface of the rigid plate 32 for each compartment. As shown in Figure 4(A), by housing one fruit F in each compartment separated by the partition plate 35, it is possible to prevent random damage from occurring when the fruits collide with each other upon dropping.

[0084] The method for testing fruit drop using the above-described drop test device 1 is as follows:

[0085] (1) First, the strawberry fruits F (varieties A and B, 3 of each) to be tested are placed inside case 3. That is, one strawberry fruit F is placed in each of the 6 compartments separated by the partition plate 35 inside the storage section 31 (see Figure 4(A)). To prevent the strawberry fruits F from rolling away from the disc 33 during the test, a long, narrow strip of paper about 10 mm wide is wrapped around the fruit F and the disc 33 as a strip 36 to secure them (see Figure 4(B)). After that, the lid 34 is fitted onto the storage section 31 containing the fruit F.

[0086] (2) Next, with the switch S in the "closed" position, push the piston 52 of the fan opening / closing device 5a inward towards the frame 2 by hand so that the notch 541 of the hook 54 fits into the groove 523 of the piston 52. Since the inner wire 543 is in a relaxed state and the upper end of the hook 54 is pulled towards the piston 52 by the elastic force of the coil spring 58, the piston 52 is fixed in the position shown in Figure 4(C). Subsequently, perform the same operation on the fan opening / closing device 5b.

[0087] (3) After fixing the pistons 52 of the wing opening and closing devices 5a and 5b in a position protruding inward from the frame 2 as described above, the wing sections 4a and 4b are fixed horizontally by engaging the upper surfaces of the inner ends 42 of the wing sections 4a and 4b with the inner tip 521 of the piston 52 (see Figure 1(A)).

[0088] (4) Place the left and right ends of the bottom surface of the case 3 containing the fruit in (1) on the inner ends 42, 42 of the horizontally fixed wing sections 4a, 4b as described above, by hooking them onto them (see Figure 1(A)).

[0089] (5) Next, switch S is switched from "closed" to "open" to release the fixing of the wing parts 4a and 4b as shown in Figure 1(B). That is, when switch S is set to "open" and the inner wire 543 is pulled, the upper end of the hook 54 rotates in the direction of the arrow by the lever principle, and the engagement between the notch 541 and the groove 523 of the piston 52 is released. Then, the piston 52 is biased by the elastic force of the coil spring 53 and moves from the position in Figure 3(C) to the position in Figure 3(B), and the wing parts 4a and 4b become rotatable.

[0090] (6) As a result of the above, Case 3 falls due to its own weight. The height of the fall is approximately equal to the height at which the shaft 41 is installed on the side wall 21, which is about 50 mm. Due to the fall, the strawberry fruit F receives an impact of a certain strength from the contact surface with the disc 33. Furthermore, by repeating operations (2) to (5) twice, damage due to fatigue accumulation is caused in the strawberry fruit F.

[0091] (7) Finally, the strawberry fruit F was recovered from the fallen case 3 and checked for any damage to the fruit due to the impact, and the extent of the damage. As a result, in variety A, all samples showed visible damage. The peel is remarkably While no damage occurred in variety A, in variety B, indentations and discoloration were observed on the peel of the fruit at the contact surface with disc 33 in all samples. This indicates that variety B has inferior resistance to drop damage (higher susceptibility to damage) compared to variety A.

[0092] (8) Furthermore, when the drop tests described in (1) to (7) were performed using strawberry fruits of the same varieties A and B as the samples used above, which had been refrigerated (5°C, 1 day), the same results as above were obtained. storage It was shown that this drop test method can also be applied to fruits that have undergone this test.

[0093] (Example 2) Next, using Figure 5, the configuration of other embodiments of the hard plate, disc, and strip used in the fruit drop test apparatus 1 will be described. In Figure 5, (A) is a top view, (B) is a partial cross-sectional view along the XX axis showing how the disc is fixed to the hard plate, (C) is a cross-sectional view along the XX axis, and (D) is a front view showing the fruit and the hard plate with the strip wrapped around them. In this embodiment, the same configuration as that of the drop test apparatus 1 described above may be omitted from the description.

[0094] In another embodiment shown in Figure 5, the hard plate 321 is a roughly square stainless steel sheet with sides of about 50 mm and a thickness of 3 mm. Near the center of the upper surface of the hard plate 321, a recess 333 is formed so as to fit with a protrusion 332 provided on the side of the disc 331 that contacts the hard plate 321, as shown in Figure 5(B). The disc 331 is an aluminum disc with a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 2 mm. Near the center of the side of the disc 331 that contacts the hard plate 321, a protrusion 332 with a height of 0.5 mm is provided.

[0095] As shown in Figure 5(B), in this embodiment, the recess 333 has a two-stage recess structure. Specifically, the recess 333 has a two-stage recess structure, with a second recess formed below a first recess having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the disc 331, and a second recess shaped to fit with the convex portion 332. When the convex portion 332 and the recess 333 are fitted together, the height of the portion of the disc 331 that protrudes from the upper surface of the hard plate 321 is 1.5 mm.

[0096] By fitting the convex portion 332 of the disc 331 configured in this way into the recess 333 of the hard plate 321, horizontal displacement of the disc 331 can be prevented, and the disc 331 fixed on the hard plate 321 can be easily removed.

[0097] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5(A) and (C), a strip-shaped body 361 is attached and fixed to the underside of the rigid plate 321. This strip-shaped body 361 is made of a flexible resin tape with a width of approximately 30 mm and a length of approximately 150 mm, and the rigid plate 321 is fixed near the center of the strip-shaped body 361. A hook portion 362 of a hook-and-loop fastener is provided on the upper or lower side of one end of the strip-shaped body 361. On the other end of the strip-shaped body 361, a loop portion 363 of a hook-and-loop fastener is provided on the side opposite to the side where the hook portion 362 is provided.

[0098] As shown in Figure 5(D), the strip-shaped body 361 configured in this way can be easily wrapped around and secured to the fruit F and the hard plate 321 by closing the hook portions 362 and loop portions 363 at both ends. Furthermore, by adjusting the position where the hook portions 362 and loop portions 363 are closed according to the size of the fruit F, the fruit F can be securely fixed without damage.

[0099] One or more units consisting of a rigid plate 321, a disc 331, and a strip-shaped body 361 having the above configuration are placed inside the case 3. Specifically, the disc 331 is fixed to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the rigid plate 321, and the fruit F to be tested is placed on the disc 331. With the strip-shaped body 361 wrapped around and fixed to the fruit F and the rigid plate 321, the unit is placed on the bottom surface of the housing section 31 of the case 3.

[0100] In this way, by configuring the units, each with one fruit F fixed to the center of a small hard plate 321, to be individually separable, the fruit F can be easily fixed using the strip-shaped body 361, collisions between fruits during testing can be prevented even without the partition plate 35, and the weight of the case 3 can be reduced.

[0101] (Example 3) Next, using Figure 6, we will describe the configuration of yet another embodiment of the hard plate and disc used in the fruit drop test apparatus 1. Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a method of fixing the disc to the hard plate. In this embodiment, the same configuration as that of the drop test apparatus 1 described above may be omitted from the description.

[0102] In yet another embodiment shown in Figure 6, the hard plate 321 is a roughly square stainless steel sheet with sides of about 50 mm and a thickness of 3 mm. A recess 333 is formed near the center of the upper surface of the hard plate 321 so as to fit with a protrusion 332 provided on the side of the disc 331 that contacts the hard plate 321. The disc 331 is an aluminum disc with a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 2 mm. A protrusion 332 with a height of 0.5 mm is provided near the center of the side of the disc 331 that contacts the hard plate 321.

[0103] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the recess 333 is formed as a single-stage recess structure that fits with the protrusion 332. When the protrusion 332 and the recess 333 are fitted together, the height of the portion of the disk 331 that protrudes from the upper surface of the hard plate 321 is 1.5 mm.

[0104] By fitting the convex portion 332 of the disc 331 configured in this way into the recess 333 of the hard plate 321, horizontal displacement of the disc 331 can be prevented, and the disc 331 fixed on the hard plate 321 can be easily removed.

[0105] By adopting this configuration, various sizes of discs are prepared, each with the same shape of the protrusion 332 and only the diameter of the disc 331 being changed, making it easy to replace the disc with one of the appropriate size according to the size of the fruit F.

[0106] Although not shown in Figure 6, a strip-shaped body 361, as described in Example 2, may also be attached and fixed to the underside of the rigid plate 321.

[0107] While embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these, and any design modifications that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0108] For example, the above embodiment described a method for testing strawberry fruit drop and a drop testing apparatus used therein, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to easily damaged fruits such as peaches, cherries, plums, nectarines, apricots, cherries, American cherries, loquats, pears, prunes, and mangoes.

[0109] For example, the above embodiment described a drop test method in which fruit is repeatedly dropped, but it is not limited to this. If the impact resistance of the fruit can be evaluated with a single drop, it is possible to avoid repeated dropping. Also, if the fruit being tested has high impact resistance, it is possible to increase the number of drops until damage occurs to the peel, for example, four, five, six times, etc.

[0110] For example, the above embodiment described a drop test device with a drop height set to 50 mm, but it is not limited to this, and it is possible to set any drop height according to the drop damage resistance of the target fruit.

[0111] For example, in the above embodiment, a drop test apparatus was described that performs the opening and closing operation of the wing section using a wing section opening and closing device configured to fix and release a piston biased by a coil spring with a rotatable hook, but it is not limited to this. For example, a wing section opening and closing mechanism can also be adopted in which one end of a rubber band is fixed to the inner ends 42, 42 of the wing sections 4a, 4b, respectively, and the other end of the rubber band is tied to a handle provided at one location on the inside of the side wall 21 of the frame 2, and the wing sections 4a, 4b are fixed in parallel by pulling them with the rubber band (when closed), and when opened, the wing sections 4a, 4b can be opened by releasing the handle and releasing the other end of the rubber band.

[0112] For example, the above embodiment illustrates a drop test device with six compartments for accommodating individual fruits, but it is not limited to this, and the number of compartments can be increased or decreased depending on the size of the fruit and the number of samples to be tested simultaneously. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0113] 1: Drop test device 2: Frame 21,22 :Side wall 3: Case 32,321: Hard board 33,331: Disk 36,361: Zing 4a, 4b: Wing section 42: Inner end F: Fruit

Claims

1. A method for testing the impact resistance of stored fruit, which involves dropping the stored fruit to examine the damage the fruit sustains as a result of the impact, A method for testing the dropping of stored fruit, characterized by inserting a disc made of a hard material between each of the fruits and the upper surface of a hard plate on which the fruits are placed, and dropping the hard plate while maintaining the state in which the fruits are in contact with the discs.

2. A method for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties, In the process of checking for damage to the fruit caused by the impact when the fruit is dropped, a disc made of a hard material is placed between each of the fruits and the upper surface of the hard plate on which the fruit is placed, and the hard plate is dropped while the fruit remains in contact with the disc. A step to investigate the differences in damage tolerance among varieties of the fruit by comparing the presence or absence and / or size of damage sustained by the fruit in the dropping process for each variety, A method for investigating differences in fruit damage tolerance among varieties, characterized by including [a specific element].

3. When dropping the hard plate, the strip-shaped body is wrapped around the fruit and the disc to secure them. This maintains the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disc, as described in claim 1 or 2. method.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the hard plate is dropped, the disc is sandwiched between the fruit and the upper surface of the hard plate, and a strip-shaped body is wrapped around the fruit and the hard plate to fix it in place, thereby maintaining the state in which the fruit is in contact with the disc.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the disc has a diameter of 5 to 15 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.

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