Bean sorting machine

Abstract

To favorably perform screening treatment without trouble after transferring objects to be screened.SOLUTION: A bean classifier includes a swinging selection device 15 which selects objects h to be screened into non-defective and defective while swinging and transferring beans as the objects h to be screened along a transfer path. The swinging selection device 15 includes: an alignment part 16 which is positioned at an upper side in a transfer direction of the transfer path and aligns the objects h to be screened so that a longer direction of the objects h to be screened becomes an attitude toward the transfer direction while swinging and transferring the objects h to be screened; and a screening part 17 which is positioned at a lower side in the transfer direction of the transfer path relative to the alignment part 16 and distributes the objects h to be screened so that non-defective and defective of the objects h to be screen have different paths while transferring the object h to be screened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In the above bean sorting machine, conventionally, a belt conveyor as a conveying unit for transferring while placing and conveying an object to be sorted toward a sorting unit, and a supply unit for supplying a large number of objects to be sorted to the conveying start end of the belt conveyor are provided. The supply unit has a configuration in which a chute provided with a vibration device or a supply conveyor is provided below a space in which a plurality of objects to be sorted are accommodated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above conventional configuration, the posture of the object to be sorted conveyed by the conveying unit (belt conveyor) is irregular, and it has been difficult to perform the sorting process in the sorting unit located on the lower side in the conveying direction of the conveying unit.

[0005] Therefore, there has been a demand to be able to perform the sorting process smoothly and without trouble after transferring the object to be sorted.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The characteristic configuration of the bean sorting machine according to the present invention is that it is equipped with an oscillating sorting device that sorts beans, which are to be sorted, into good products and defective products while oscillating and transporting them along a transport path, and the oscillating sorting device is equipped with an alignment unit located on the upstream side of the transport path in the direction of transport, which aligns the orientation of the beans to be sorted so that the longitudinal direction of the beans to be sorted faces the direction of transport while oscillating and transporting them, and a sorting unit located downstream of the alignment unit in the direction of transport, which sorts the beans to be sorted into good products and defective products and sends them to different paths while transporting them. The sorting section is provided with a plurality of supports arranged with gaps along the width direction and extending along the transport direction, wherein the supports consist of a first support and a second support, which are arranged alternately in the width direction, the first support is provided so as to extend over the entire area of ​​the sorting path along the transport direction, the lower end of the second support in the transport direction is located upstream of the lower end of the first support in the transport direction, and the second support is shorter than the first support. It's at a single point.

[0007] According to the present invention, in the alignment section located on the upstream side of the transport path, the objects to be sorted can be aligned while being transported by oscillation so that their longitudinal direction faces the transport direction. Then, in the sorting section, the objects to be sorted, which are transported in an aligned state, are transported by oscillation in the same manner as in the alignment section, and good products and defective products are sorted into different paths.

[0008] By aligning the orientation of the items to be sorted, it becomes easier to sort out defective products such as pods that do not contain beans or pods containing only one bean. For example, if the item is a defective product with no beans in the pod, the width (thickness of the pod) in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the item to be sorted is small, so it can be easily sorted by utilizing the gaps in the width direction of the transport path. Similarly, if the item is a defective product such as a pod containing only one bean, the longitudinal direction of the item to be sorted is shorter than that of a good product, so it can be easily sorted by utilizing the gaps along the transport path.

[0009] As a result, it became possible to perform the sorting process efficiently and without hassle after transporting the materials to be sorted.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the alignment section is provided with alignment grooves into which the objects to be sorted can enter and which extend along the transport direction.

[0011] In this configuration, the alignment section separates overlapping items to be sorted by oscillating, guiding each item individually into the grooves. Since the grooves are deep enough to accommodate the items to be sorted, there is little risk of the items that have entered the grooves bouncing out of them even when transported while oscillating.

[0012] As a result, the sorted material is transported by oscillating motion while remaining in the groove with its longitudinal direction facing the transport direction, and can be efficiently transported along the transport path toward the sorting section while maintaining this orientation.

[0013] In the present invention, The aforementioned The sorting department is between the first support and the second support It is preferable to remove the defective products by letting them fall downward through the gap.

[0014] This configuration allows for effective sorting of items while they are being transported in an oscillating motion, using a simple setup in which multiple support structures extending along the transport direction are arranged with gaps along the width direction. Furthermore, with this configuration, defective items that do not contain beans in their pods can be sorted out by falling through the gaps formed along the width direction between the support structures.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the sorting section is positioned on the downstream side in the transport direction relative to the alignment section, and that a step is formed such that the downstream end of the alignment section is at a higher position than the upstream end of the sorting section.

[0016] In this configuration, if the materials to be sorted overlap when being transported by the alignment section, they will separate as they fall over a step when being transported from the lower end of the alignment section to the upper end of the sorting section. As a result, the materials to be sorted are sent to the sorting section in a separated state, allowing for efficient sorting.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that the sorting unit is positioned in a state of being arranged on the downstream side in the transfer direction with respect to the alignment unit, and an intermediate defective product discharge unit for dropping and discharging defective products downward is formed between the alignment unit and the sorting unit.

[0018] According to this configuration, when being transferred from the downstream end of the alignment unit to the upstream end of the sorting unit, defective products whose longitudinal width is shorter than that of good products, like single-seed pods, can be dropped downward through the intermediate defective product discharge unit and discharged.

[0019] In the present invention, it is preferable that a downstream defective product discharge unit for dropping and discharging defective products downward is formed at a downstream location of the sorting unit.

[0020] According to this configuration, even when the object to be sorted that has not been sorted during the transfer of the sorting unit and has been transferred to the downstream location of the sorting unit contains defective products whose longitudinal width is shorter than that of good products, like single-seed pods, such defective products can be dropped downward through the downstream defective product discharge unit and discharged.

[0021] In the present invention, it is preferable that a vibration mechanism for integrally vibrating the alignment unit and the sorting unit to swing and transfer the object to be sorted is provided.

[0022] According to this configuration, since the alignment unit and the sorting unit are vibrated using the same vibration mechanism, the configuration can be simplified compared to the case of providing separate vibration mechanisms.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is an overall side view of the bean sorting machine. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal side view of the sorting unit. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the sorting unit. [Figure 4] It is a longitudinal front view of the sorting unit. [Figure 5] It is a longitudinal front view of the swing sorting device. [Figure 6] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the oscillating sorting device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the following description, the direction of arrow FW shown in the drawings will be referred to as the "downward side in the transport direction", the direction of arrow BK as the "upward side in the transport direction", the direction of arrow UP as "up", and the direction of arrow DW as "down".

[0025] Figure 1 shows a bean sorting machine according to the present invention. This bean sorting machine includes a transport unit 1 that transports edamame, as an example of a bean, along a transport path that runs horizontally in the plane of Figure 1 after it has been fed in, and a sorting unit 2 that sorts the edamame as the sorted material while transporting it along the transport path.

[0026] The transport unit 1 includes a support frame 3 with casters, a hopper 4 into which edamame stored in the input container C1 are fed, a supply belt conveyor 5 located at the bottom of the hopper 4 for transporting the edamame, and a transport conveyor 6 with locking protrusions that locks and transports the edamame sent out from the end of the supply belt conveyor 5 upwards. The transport conveyor 6 is positioned in an upward sloping position to transport the sorted material diagonally upwards.

[0027] The sorting unit 2 includes an air sorting unit 7 located upstream in the transport direction of the transport path in the sorting unit 2, which blows sorting air onto the object to be sorted h to separate contaminants such as branches and leaves from the transport path, and an oscillating sorting unit 8 located downstream of the air sorting unit 7 in the transport path, which transports the object to be sorted h in an oscillating motion, sorting good products and defective products from the object to be sorted h into different paths.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a fan 9 that generates sorting air and a ventilation passage 10 that guides the air generated by the fan 9 to the upper air sorting section 7 are provided on the underside of the conveyor belt 6, which is positioned in an upward inclined position. The air sorting section 7 is configured to blow the sorting air guided through the ventilation passage 10 onto the sorted material h being discharged from the end of the conveyor belt 6. Therefore, the air sorting section 7 acts on the sorted material h being discharged from the end of the conveyor belt 6.

[0029] Among the materials to be transported by the conveyor belt 6, impurities such as branches, leaves, or withered and dried-out defective materials are blown upward by the sorting airflow. As shown in Figure 4, an impurity discharge section 11 is provided to discharge the impurities that have been blown away by the sorting airflow and separated from the sorted material h to the outside of the transport path. The impurity discharge section 11 is equipped with inclined guide surfaces 12 that guide the impurities blown away by the sorting airflow toward the left and right outwards. The impurities guided toward the left by the inclined guide surfaces 12 are guided through discharge pipes 13 provided on both the left and right outwards in the lateral direction of the sorting unit 2, and are collected from the lower end of the discharge pipes 13 in a collection container (not shown).

[0030] Fan 9 is driven to rotate around an axis that extends along the left-right direction. In a plan view, fan 9 extends from the left end to the right end of conveyor 6. The outlet opening of the ventilation passage 10 extends from the left end to the right end of conveyor 6 in a plan view.

[0031] The oscillating sorting unit 8 will now be described. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the oscillating sorting unit 8 comprises a support frame 14 with casters and an oscillating sorting device 15 supported by the support frame 14. The oscillating sorting device 15 sorts the items to be sorted h into good products and defective products while oscillating and transporting the items to be sorted h along the transport path.

[0032] (Oscillating sorting device) The oscillating sorting device 15 is equipped with an alignment unit 16 located upstream of the transfer path in the direction of transfer, which aligns the orientation of the objects to be sorted h so that their longitudinal direction faces the direction of transfer while oscillating and transferring them, and a sorting unit 17 located downstream of the alignment unit 16 in the direction of transfer, which sorts the objects to be sorted h into good products and defective products on different paths while transferring them. The alignment unit 16 and the sorting unit 17 are integrally supported by a frame 18 that extends along the direction of transfer.

[0033] The alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17 are configured to vibrate together to swing and transport the objects h to be sorted. As shown in Figure 2, the system includes a fixed wall section 19 that is fixedly supported by the support frame 14, a swing link mechanism 20 that supports the alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17 together so that they can swing along the transport direction relative to the fixed wall section 19, and a vibration mechanism 21 that causes the alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17 to swing and vibrate together.

[0034] 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 body 18B in the frame 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 18 to vibrate along the transport direction.

[0035] (Alignment section) The alignment section 16 is provided with alignment grooves 25 that allow the sorted material h to enter and that extend along the transport direction. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the alignment section 16 is made of a plate with a roughly corrugated cross-section, and a plurality of grooves 25 are formed in the plate in a roughly triangular shape and extend along the transport direction. The grooves 25 are large enough to allow the sorted material h (edamame) to enter. That is, the vertical depth of the grooves 25 is set to be greater than the width of the sorted material h, so that when the sorted material h is inside the grooves 25, there is little risk of the sorted material h jumping out and moving towards the adjacent grooves 25 even when the vibration mechanism 21 performs an oscillating operation.

[0036] A first relay receiving section 26 is provided between the lower end of the alignment section 16 and the upper end of the sorting section 17. Between the first relay receiving section 26 and the lower end of the alignment section 16, an intermediate defective product discharge section 27 (hereinafter referred to as the intermediate discharge section) is formed to drop and remove defective products downward. Specifically, the intermediate discharge section 27 is the gap formed between the first relay receiving section 26 and the lower end of the alignment section 16.

[0037] The lower end of the groove in the alignment section 16 and the upper end of the first relay receiving section 26 are set to approximately the same height. Good products h that are oscillating and transported have a long longitudinal width and are passed to the sorting section 17 while being placed across the alignment section 16 and the first relay receiving section 26. However, defective products h that are oscillating and transported have a shorter longitudinal length than good products, such as single seed pods, fall out from the intermediate discharge section 27. Below the intermediate discharge section 27, there is a defective product collection container C2, which serves as a defective product collection section, and a first guide board 29 that guides defective products into the defective product collection container C2. Defective products that fall from the intermediate discharge section 27 are collected by the defective product collection container C2.

[0038] Although not shown in the diagram, the first relay receiving section 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 section 26, the opening width of the intermediate discharge section 27 along the transport direction can be changed.

[0039] (Sorting Department) As shown in Figure 6, the sorting section 17 is positioned to the downstream side in the transport direction relative to the alignment section 16, and a step difference 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 end of the groove 25 in the alignment section 16 and the upper end of the first relay receiving section 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 a higher position, and the upstream end of the sorting section 17 is at a lower position, forming a step difference DA between them.

[0040] The sorting section 17 is equipped with multiple support members 30 that are arranged at intervals along the width direction and extend from the starting end of the sorting path along the transport path, all supported by the frame 18. The sorting section 17 is configured to remove defective products by allowing them to fall downward through the gaps between the support members 30.

[0041] To elaborate, as shown in Figure 3, the support structure 30 is provided with a first support structure 31 that is fixed in relative position to the frame structure 18, and a second support structure 32 that can change its vertical position relative to the first support structure 31, arranged alternately in the lateral direction.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, the multiple first support bodies 31 and the multiple second support bodies 32 are each composed of plate bodies with a roughly inverted V-shaped cross-section. The first support bodies 31 are supported so as to extend along the entire sorting path in the transport direction, and the second support bodies 32 are shorter than the first support bodies 31, with the downstream end of the second support body 32 located upstream of the downstream end of the first support body 31 in the transport direction.

[0043] The gap d between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be changed and 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 with its upper end in the direction of transport as a pivot point, and its vertical swing position can be changed, adjusted, and fixed. The gap d between the second support 32 and the first support 31 is set to be larger towards the lower side in the direction of transport. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the second support 32 is positioned so that it is further downward from the first support 31 towards the lower side in the direction of transport (i.e., it is positioned with a greater downward slope).

[0044] To elaborate, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the upper and lower ends of the second support 32 in the direction of transport are provided with a lateral connecting body 33 that extends along the width direction and is integrally connected to each of the multiple second support 32s. The lateral connecting body 33 is positioned at a distance below the multiple second support 32s and is provided with a plurality of support columns 34 that connect the lateral connecting body 33 to each of the multiple second support 32s individually. The support columns 34 are constructed by attaching a sleeve 36 for spacing to the outer circumference of a bolt 35. The lower part of the support column 34 is screw-connected to the lateral connecting body 33, and the upper part of the support column 34 is screw-connected to a bracket 37 fixed inside the second support 32.

[0045] The lateral connecting body 33 has a roughly L-shaped cross-section when viewed from the side, and both ends in the width direction are supported by the side walls 18A on both sides of the frame 18 in the lateral direction. Of the lateral connecting bodies 33, the lateral connecting body 33A on the upper side in the transport direction is supported by the frame 18 in a fixed position, while the lateral connecting body 33B on the lower side in the transport direction is supported by the frame 18 so that its vertical position can be changed and adjusted.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, the lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transport direction is connected to the side wall portion 18A of the frame 18 by fastening knob bolts 39 via L-shaped connecting members 38 at both ends in the lateral direction when viewed from the front. The bolt insertion holes 40 formed in the side wall portion 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 lateral connecting body 33B on the downstream side in the transport direction can be repositioned vertically. By changing the vertical position of the lateral connecting body 33B, the downstream portions of the multiple second support members 32 in the transport direction can be repositioned vertically as a whole.

[0047] As shown in Figure 6, the lateral connecting member 33A on the upper side in the transport direction is connected to the side wall portion 18A of the frame 18 via connecting members 41 and bolts 42 at both ends in the width direction, similar to the lateral connecting member 33B on the lower side in the transport direction. When changing the position of the lower side portion of the second support 32 in the transport direction, the fastening of the bolts 42 to the connecting member 41 of the lateral connecting member 33A on the upper side in the transport direction allows the second support 32 to swing up and down around the axis of the bolts 42. In other words, the second support 32 swings up and down around the lateral axis P of the bolts 42.

[0048] As shown in Figure 6, the first support 31 is provided with lateral connecting bodies 43A and 43B at the upper and middle ends of the transport direction, similar to the second support 32, extending along the width direction and integrally connected to each of the multiple first support 31s. The lateral connecting bodies 43A and 43B are positioned spaced downward from the multiple first support 31s, and are provided with multiple support columns 44 that individually connect the lateral connecting bodies 43A and 43B to each of the multiple first support 31s. The connection structure between the lateral connecting bodies 43A and 43B and the first support 31 is the same as in the case of the second support 32, and is supported by the side wall portion 18A of the frame 18 via connecting brackets (not shown). However, in the case of the first support 31, the connecting brackets are supported with respect to the side wall portion 18A in a fixed vertical position.

[0049] As described above, the width of the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be changed by changing the vertical position of the second support 32 relative to the first support 31. When the second support 32 is swung downward, the width of the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 can be increased. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, while the sorted material h is being transported by swaying, for example, narrow defective products that do not contain beans in their pods can be dropped downward through the gap between the first support 31 and the second support 32 and removed. When changing 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 good products.

[0050] A lower-side defective product discharge section 45 (hereinafter referred to as the lower-side discharge section) is formed at the lower end of the sorting section 17 to drop and remove defective products downwards.

[0051] To elaborate, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 6, a second relay receiving section 46 is provided at a position further downstream in the transport direction than the downstream end of the second support 32 in the transport direction, and a downstream discharge section 45 is formed between the downstream end of the second support 32 in the transport direction and the second relay receiving section 46. Specifically, the downstream discharge section 45 is the gap formed between the downstream end of the second support 32 in the transport direction and the second relay receiving section 46.

[0052] The placement position of the object to be sorted h on the second support 32 and the upper end of the second relay receiving section 46 are set to approximately the same height. If the object to be sorted h being transported by oscillation is a good product with a long longitudinal width, it is transported to the lower side in the transport direction while being placed across the second support 32 and the second relay receiving section 46. On the other hand, defective products, such as single-grain pods, whose longitudinal direction is shorter than that of good products, fall downward from the lower discharge section 45.

[0053] Below the left-side discharge section 45, a second guide board 47 is provided to guide the fallen defective products to a defective product collection container C2, which serves as a defective product collection section. The defective products are then collected by the defective product collection container C2.

[0054] Good products that are transported to the downstream side in the transport direction without falling from the downstream discharge section 45 are transported to the area where only the first support 31 is present when the support provided by the second support 32 is released. The spacing between the first support 31 in the lateral direction is set to be larger than the width of the sorted material h, and good sorted material h falls downward through the gaps between the first support 31. Below the area where only the first support 31 is present, there is a good product collection container C3 as a good product collection section, and a third guide board 48 that guides good products into the good product collection container C3, and the fallen good products are collected by the good product collection box.

[0055] The upper ends of the second guide board 47 and the third guide board 48 are supported at the lower part of the second relay receiving section 46, and are configured to separate defective products from good products so that they do not get mixed together.

[0056] Although not shown in the diagram, 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 of the lower discharge section 45 along the transport direction can be changed, and the spacing can be adjusted to an appropriate level so that good products do not accidentally fall downwards.

[0057] Of the materials transported by the sorting unit 17, defective items h are collected in the defective item collection container C2, and good items h are collected in the good item collection container C3. Long pieces of contaminants such as stem scraps and long branches contained in the transported materials are not collected but are transported to the downstream end of the sorting unit 17 in the direction of transport, while being supported by the first support 31. Such long pieces of contaminants are collected in the stem scrap collection container C4 via the guide chute 49 provided on the downstream side of the sorting unit 17 in the direction of transport.

[0058] [Another embodiment] (1) In the above embodiment, the alignment groove 25 provided in the alignment section 16 is configured such that its vertical depth is greater than the width of the object to be sorted h, allowing the object to be sorted h to enter. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the vertical depth of the groove 25 may be less than the width of the object to be sorted h, so that even if the object to be sorted h enters the groove, it will remain exposed above.

[0059]

[0060] ( 2 In the above embodiment, the step DA is formed in such a way that the lower end of the alignment section 16 is positioned higher than the upper end of the sorting section 17. However, a configuration in which such a step DA is not formed is also possible.

[0061] ( 3In the above embodiment, an intermediate discharge section 27 is formed between the alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17, but a configuration without such an intermediate discharge section 27 is also possible.

[0062] ( 4 In the above embodiment, a downstream discharge section 45 is formed at the downstream side of the sorting section 17, but a configuration without such a downstream discharge section 45 is also possible.

[0063] ( 5 In the above embodiment, a vibration mechanism 21 is provided to vibrate the alignment section 16 and the sorting section 17 together. However, instead of this configuration, a vibration mechanism 21 for vibrating the alignment section 16 and a vibration mechanism 21 for vibrating the sorting section 17 may be provided separately.

[0064] ( 6 In the above embodiment, edamame is selected as the item to be sorted h, but the item to be sorted h is not limited to edamame; other types of beans such as peas and green beans may also be selected. [Industrial applicability]

[0065] This invention can be applied to a bean sorting machine for sorting beans. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 15. Oscillating sorting device 16 Alignment section 17. Sorting Department 21 Vibration mechanism 25 grooves 27 Intermediate defective product discharge section 30 Support 45 Lower side defective product discharge section d gap h Items to be sorted DA step

Claims

1. The system is equipped with an oscillating sorting device that separates beans, which are to be sorted, into good and defective products while transporting them along a transport path with an oscillating motion. The aforementioned oscillating sorting device, An alignment unit located on the upstream side of the transfer path is provided to align the orientation of the objects to be sorted while oscillating them so that the longitudinal direction of the objects to be sorted faces the transfer direction. The transport path includes a sorting unit located downstream of the alignment unit in the transport direction, which, while transporting the items to be sorted, sorts the items to be sorted into good products and defective products and places them on different paths. The sorting section is provided with a plurality of support members arranged with gaps between them along the width direction and extending along the transport direction. The aforementioned support comprises a first support and a second support. The first support and the second support are arranged alternately in the width direction, The first support is provided so as to extend along the transport direction over the entire area of ​​the sorting path, and the second support is shorter than the first support, with the downstream end of the second support in the transport direction located upstream of the downstream end of the first support in the transport direction.

2. The bean sorting machine according to claim 1, wherein the sorting section is provided with sorting grooves into which the sorted material can enter and which extend along the transport direction.

3. The bean sorting machine according to Claim 1, wherein the sorting unit removes the defective products by dropping them downward through the gap between the first support and the second support.

4. The sorting unit is positioned so as to be aligned with respect to the alignment unit on the downstream side in the transport direction. The bean sorting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a step is formed such that the lower end of the alignment section is located at a higher position than the upper end of the sorting section.

5. The sorting unit is positioned so as to be aligned with respect to the alignment unit on the downstream side in the transport direction. The bean sorting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an intermediate defective product discharge section is formed between the alignment section and the sorting section for dropping and removing defective products downwards.

6. The bean sorting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a lower defective product discharge section is formed at the lower side of the sorting section for dropping and removing defective products downwards.

7. The bean sorting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a vibration mechanism that vibrates the alignment unit and the sorting unit together to oscillate and transport the sorted material.

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