Granule Color Sorting Apparatus Display Control Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional color sorting apparatuses rely heavily on human senses and experiences for background and sensibility control, leading to inaccurate determination of defective granules due to dependence on actual sorting results, which can be influenced by various factors including ejector performance and timing control.
Innovation Solution
A color sorting apparatus equipped with a display control device that displays images of granules picked up by a CCD sensor, allowing for separate threshold adjustments for thinly-colored and partly-colored granules, enabling accurate sensibility control and troubleshooting by visually confirming defective granules and adjusting thresholds accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional background control and sensibility control are performed by observing actual sorting results, then the control can be carried out based on human senses and experiences, but the determination of defective granules becomes inaccurate due to influence from ejector performance and timing control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the granule image as it appears to the CCD sensor and displays it on a monitor. This allows operators to see exactly what the sensor detects, separating the detection process from the ejection process. The displayed image serves as a faithful reproduction of sensor input, enabling accurate threshold setting without being influenced by ejector performance or timing issues.
2Measurement precision
If the falling level threshold is set to 75% or less of background signal level to detect thinly-colored granules, then detection sensitivity increases, but false detection may occur due to influence from ejector performance and timing control
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides immediate visual feedback by displaying the granule image on a monitor right after the sensor captures it. Operators can adjust thresholds and immediately see the effect on image display, allowing them to optimize detection sensitivity while monitoring for false detections. This real-time feedback loop enables reliable threshold setting without being confounded by downstream ejection variations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional control methods are used where operators repeatedly adjust thresholds based on sorting results, then the control can be adapted to human senses and experiences, but the process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays the granule image before the actual sorting operation begins, allowing operators to perform threshold adjustment in advance. By setting thresholds based on visual inspection of the displayed image rather than iterative adjustments during sorting, the system eliminates time-consuming repeated adjustments while maintaining adaptability to different granule types and coloring conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates more accurate sensibility control and troubleshooting by allowing operators to visually confirm defective granules and adjust thresholds, improving the accuracy of defective granule detection and reducing unsatisfactory sorting results.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing means having a CCD sensor for picking up an image of the illuminated granule
Data Source
AI summary
A color sorting apparatus capable of displaying images of granules picked up by a CCD sensor on a panel and performing sensibility control of defective granules while observing the displayed images is provided. The color sorting apparatus comprises a contour processor for outputting contour binary data from the picked-up images and a contour threshold, a first defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a predetermined area or more of part exceeding a first threshold in the form of first defective pixel binary data, and a second defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a part exceeding a second threshold being greater than the first threshold in the form of second defective pixel binary data. The first defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for thin coloration. The second defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for partial coloration. The, contour binary data and, the first and second defective pixel binary data are combined, and the combined data are displayed on a granule display monitor. An operator can adjust the respective thresholds while observing those displays.