Vibratory Track Coffee Bean Inspection with Image Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a convenient and accurate screening device for coffee beans or grains, particularly for specialty coffee lovers and small quantities of roasted coffee demanders, as existing technologies are not suited for manual selection and quality inspection in these contexts.
Innovation Solution
An automatic food inspection device comprising a feeding container, a track conveying device with a vibrator, an analysis control module, and a screening module, which includes a transparent track with image capture and classification capabilities using image sensors and air nozzles, to classify coffee beans based on quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional manual selection method is used to remove defects in coffee beans, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity and measurement precision are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a feeding module with vibration mechanism, a detection module with image sensors, and a screening module with air nozzles. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall system manageable and not overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical selection with an automated system combining vibration mechanisms for conveying, image sensors for detection, and pneumatic systems for screening. This substitution dramatically improves productivity and measurement precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity through modular design.
2Measurement precision
If coffee beans are conveyed on a traditional track, then the device complexity is low, but the coffee beans may accumulate or rotate excessively, reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
A vibration mechanism is integrated into the conveying track to prevent coffee beans from accumulating or rotating excessively during transport. The vibration keeps the beans in a controlled single-file arrangement, ensuring that each bean is properly positioned for image capture without requiring overly complex mechanical conveying mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration mechanism acts as an intermediary between the simple conveying track and the image capture system. It mediates the motion of coffee beans to ensure they pass through the detection area in an optimal configuration, improving measurement precision without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Productivity
If the conveying speed is increased to improve productivity, then the productivity increases, but the image capture accuracy and classification accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration mechanism operates periodically to maintain coffee beans in a controlled arrangement during conveying. This periodic action ensures that even at higher conveying speeds, each bean is properly positioned and stabilized for accurate image capture, allowing productivity increases without sacrificing measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration mechanism provides continuous useful action throughout the conveying process, ensuring that coffee beans remain in optimal position for image capture at all times. This continuous control allows the system to maintain high productivity while preserving image capture accuracy through consistent bean positioning.
4Measurement precision
If a transparent track is used to enhance image clarity, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying track is made transparent to enhance image clarity during capture. This material selection improves measurement precision by allowing unobstructed viewing of coffee beans from multiple angles without requiring complex multi-component track structures, resolving the contradiction between image quality and 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
The device efficiently and accurately classifies coffee beans by preventing accumulation, reducing rotation and falling speed, and enhancing image clarity, thereby improving the quality and accuracy of coffee bean inspection and classification.
Implementation Method 1
the vibrator is connected to the first end of the conveying track to drive the objects to be tested to move forward to the second end
Implementation Method 2
the image capture module is located adjacent to the track conveying device and the transparent track to capture images of the objects to be tested
Implementation Method 3
the screening module includes a plurality of detectors and a plurality of air nozzles. The detectors may detect the objects to be tested while passing through and the air nozzles may change the moving paths of the objects to be tested
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic food inspection device includes a feeding container, a track conveying device, an analysis control module and a screening module. The feeding container is used for accommodating the objects to be tested, the track conveying device is connected to the feeding container, and the track conveying device includes a conveying track and a vibrator. The conveying track includes a first end and a second end. The vibrator is connected to the first end of the conveying track to drive the objects to be tested to move forward to the second end. The analysis control module is configured to judge the qualities of the objects to be tested, and the screening module classifies the objects to be tested according to the judgment results of the analysis control module.