Horticultural Product Handling Line With Pre-Detection Expulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing horticultural product treatment plants face issues with poorly positioned products compromising measurement and vision device readings, leading to incorrect sorting and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A plant design with discrete conveyance units and an expulsion apparatus that automatically expels poorly positioned products before they reach detection stations, using a pushing action directed to areas free of products, ensuring correct positioning and minimizing reprocessing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If accommodation units are arranged and moved as close together as possible to optimize space occupation, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of products being incorrectly positioned between units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of product position before the product reaches the measurement device. Sensors detect whether a product is correctly positioned on an accommodation unit, and if not, the system takes preliminary corrective action by activating expulsion means to remove the misplaced product before it can interfere with measurements or cause reprocessing.
2Measurement precision
If products are handled one by one through discrete accommodation units to enable accurate measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to potential reprocessing
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through sensors that continuously monitor product position on accommodation units. When a product is detected to be incorrectly positioned, the system immediately activates expulsion means to remove the product, preventing measurement errors and subsequent reprocessing, thereby maintaining both measurement precision and productivity.
3Reliability
If expulsion means are added to remove poorly positioned products, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the harmful element (misplaced products) from the conveyance system using expulsion means positioned at strategic locations. By removing only the problematic products that fail to meet positioning criteria, the system maintains high reliability without requiring complete system redesign, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
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
Ensures high productivity and reliability by preventing poorly positioned products from interfering with measurement and vision devices, maximizing efficiency and minimizing reprocessing.
Implementation Method 1
using a pressurized fluid dispenser or actuator to expel them from conveyance units
Data Source
AI summary
A plant for the treatment of horticultural products, the plant including at least one line for the handling and treatment of horticultural products, provided at least witha system for the discrete conveyance of the horticultural products;a detection station, which is configured to acquire information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product in transit;a distribution station, which is configured for the selective conveyance of each horticultural product in transit toward one of at least two separate collection stations, on the basis of commands sent by the electronic element as a function of the information acquired at least by the detection station,The line has at least one expulsion apparatus, which is arranged along the portion upstream of the detection station.