NZ752718B2 - Fruit sorting table with adaptive screen - Google Patents
Fruit sorting table with adaptive screen Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NZ752718B2 NZ752718B2 NZ752718A NZ75271817A NZ752718B2 NZ 752718 B2 NZ752718 B2 NZ 752718B2 NZ 752718 A NZ752718 A NZ 752718A NZ 75271817 A NZ75271817 A NZ 75271817A NZ 752718 B2 NZ752718 B2 NZ 752718B2
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- fruit
- screen
- sorting table
- conveyor
- area
- Prior art date
Links
- 235000013399 edible fruits Nutrition 0.000 title claims abstract description 126
- 230000003044 adaptive Effects 0.000 title abstract description 5
- 235000020983 fruit intake Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 230000003287 optical Effects 0.000 claims description 22
- 230000000284 resting Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229940035295 Ting Drugs 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001419 dependent Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 241000219095 Vitis Species 0.000 abstract description 37
- 235000014787 Vitis vinifera Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 37
- 235000009754 grape Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 37
- 235000012333 grape Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 37
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 abstract description 10
- 235000021028 berry Nutrition 0.000 description 33
- 238000003306 harvesting Methods 0.000 description 15
- 241000219094 Vitaceae Species 0.000 description 8
- 235000021021 grapes Nutrition 0.000 description 8
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 7
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 240000008536 Vaccinium myrtillus Species 0.000 description 2
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000005089 fruit drop Effects 0.000 description 2
- 241001091440 Grossulariaceae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000229754 Iva xanthiifolia Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000207836 Olea <angiosperm> Species 0.000 description 1
- 240000005158 Phaseolus vulgaris Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000010627 Phaseolus vulgaris Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000002357 Ribes grossularia Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 240000001890 Ribes hudsonianum Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000016954 Ribes hudsonianum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000001466 Ribes nigrum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 240000003497 Rubus idaeus Species 0.000 description 1
- 240000001717 Vaccinium macrocarpon Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000017537 Vaccinium myrtillus Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000002159 abnormal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000015725 bilberry Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000021029 blackberry Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001276 controlling effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000875 corresponding Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000021019 cranberries Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000001955 cumulated Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000021038 drupes Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000018382 dwarf huckleberry Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006011 modification reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000021013 raspberries Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000004513 sizing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003892 spreading Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
- B07B1/12—Apparatus having only parallel elements
- B07B1/14—Roller screens
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
- B07B1/42—Drive mechanisms, regulating or controlling devices, or balancing devices, specially adapted for screens
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
- B07B1/46—Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
- B07B1/4609—Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens constructional details of screening surfaces or meshes
- B07B1/4636—Regulation of screen apertures
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
- B07B13/14—Details or accessories
- B07B13/16—Feed or discharge arrangements
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
- B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
- B07B13/14—Details or accessories
- B07B13/18—Control
Abstract
The invention concerns an adaptive fruit sorting table which can evaluate the adequacy of settings for a crop to be sorted and which has the capacity for adjusting the sorting perimeters during a sorting operation, without interrupting the operation of the sorting table; the invention provides a fruit sorting table (10) comprising:- a conveyor (12) for conveying a fruit crop along a conveying plane (18), between an intake area (14) and a discharge area (16), - a screen (32), extending in the conveying plane between the intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), the screen (32) having openings (66) for sorted fruit to pass through from the conveying plane to an area (40) for receiving sorted fruit situated under the conveying plane. According to the invention, the sorting table further comprises - at least one device (50) for measuring one of a quantity of fruit and a flow rate of fruit passing through the screen (32) over at least one reference section (42) of the screen, the reference section (42) being situated between the fruit intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), and set apart from the fruit intake area, - a device (52) for adjusting the sorting table in response to the measurement device. Application, in particular, to sorting a grape crop. it sorting table (10) comprising:- a conveyor (12) for conveying a fruit crop along a conveying plane (18), between an intake area (14) and a discharge area (16), - a screen (32), extending in the conveying plane between the intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), the screen (32) having openings (66) for sorted fruit to pass through from the conveying plane to an area (40) for receiving sorted fruit situated under the conveying plane. According to the invention, the sorting table further comprises - at least one device (50) for measuring one of a quantity of fruit and a flow rate of fruit passing through the screen (32) over at least one reference section (42) of the screen, the reference section (42) being situated between the fruit intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), and set apart from the fruit intake area, - a device (52) for adjusting the sorting table in response to the measurement device. Application, in particular, to sorting a grape crop.
Description
FRUIT SORTING TABLE WITH ADAPTIVE SCREEN
Technical Field
The present invention concerns a fruit sorting table with adaptive screen.
It concerns more precisely a sorting table usable for the elimination of foreign matter
remaining mixed in with a fruit crop or harvest of grape berries.
Such a sorting table serves in particular to separate on the one hand grape berries and
on the other hand , leaf stalks or bulkier or items of debris longer than the grape
berries (leaves, vine tendrils, stalks, leaf stems, …). This is debris that is likely to be
found among grape berries and in particular grape berries having undergone a stalk
stripping operation.
In more general terms, the invention can be applied for the elimination of debris in a fruit
crop, and in particular of small fruit such as gooseberries, black-currant, blackberries,
raspberries, olives, cranberries, huckleberries or still other berries or drupes.
State or prior art
The state of the art can be rated by the following documents:
FR 2920278
EP 2457671
DE 1
US 5236093
US 5298119
The known sorting tables, for example that of document FR 2920278, include a pluraity
of parallel conveyor-sorters, arranged according to a g scheme.
The conveyor-sorters rollers are regularly spaced to each other and form a screen.
A crop or a harvest of grape berries dropped on the intake of the sorting table is
conveyed in the direction of a discharge end of the sorting table through the rotation of
the conveyor-sorter rollers.
During the ort, the fruit or berries are able to pass through the spaces provided
between the or-sorter rollers to be collected under the g table. s the
debris, in ular leaf stalks, leaves, leaf stems or small twigs contained in the crop or
among the grape berries continue their travel to the discharge end of the sorting table.
This debris, on account of its size, its elongated or flat shape, or its weight, is in effect
more likely to continue traveling parallel to the sorting table rather than ng through
the sorting table.
When a sorting table is properly ed, only debris reaches the end of the sorting
table and is discarded, all the fruit or grape berries having previously dropped through
the sorting table during the ing ion.
The main parameters for adjustment of a sorting table are the intake rate of fruit on the
table, the conveying speed, determined by the speed of rotation of the conveyor-sorters,
and the spacing between the determining the g of the screen. Too narrow
spacing between the rollers, excessive speed of rotation or too high a dumping rate
result in fruit arriving at the discharge end of the table and being disposed of, together
with the debris. Inversely, too wide spacing between the s or too slow rotation
speed lead to the undesirable passage of debris h the g table, together with
the fruit.
The speed of rotation of the conveyor-sorter rollers can be adjusted by controlling the
driving means for the rotation of the conveyor-sorter rollers.
The screen opening, formed by the spaces between the conveyor-sorter rollers, can be
modified by adjusting a spreading of the axes of the conveyor-sorter rollers. The
g of the screen, that is to say its capacity to let the fruit pass through, depends in
effect on the g between the conveyor-sorter rollers. Thus, the document EP
2457671 proposes to mount the ends of the conveyor-sorter s on slides
perpendicular to their axis.
The document DE 3027651 describes a sorting device with a possibility of adjusting the
opening and the inclination of a roller conveyor.
Documents US 5236093 and US 5298119 describe sorting and sizing devices for wood
shavings.
Disclosure of the invention
The invention is the result of identifying a certain number of technical problems
associated with the adjustment of the sorting table. A first problem is that optimal
adjustment of the sorting table generally does not take into account the ion of the
quality or quantity of the grape berries to be sorted. Quality ion refers to variation
of the size of the fruit or berries, also to a variation of the amount and type of debris
mixed in with the fruit. For example, during the sorting of a crop of grape berries, a
y variation may refer to the grape variety of the grape harvest. It may also refer to
the parcel of land, or even to a portion of a parcel, of provenance of the grapes of the
harvest to be sorted. Finally, variation of quality is also observed between a clean grape
harvest and one that contains crushed or spoiled grapes.
Variation of quantity refers to a variation of the rate of fruit or grape berries at the intake
of the sorting table. It may be connected to quantity variations of clusters of grapes
picked mechanically by a grape harvester. It may also be connected to variations of the
flow of fruit coming from a supply device of a sorting table used as storage.
Another difficulty relates to the constant evaluation of the proper adjustment of the
sorting table and the early ion of an inadequate setting. In effect, the late
discovery of ive concentration of debris in the sorted fruit or to the contrary, the
presence of fruit among the discarded debris leads to a ative and/or quantitative
loss of the sorted fruit.
The present invention has therefore the aim to e a fruit sorting table which does
not present the aforementioned difficulties.
One aim in particular is to propose an adaptive sorting table with an evaluation capacity
of the adequacy of settings with the crop to be , and a capacity of adjustment of
the sorting parameters, during a sorting operation, without interrupting the operation of
the sorting table.
In order to achieve these goals, the invention proposes more precisely a fruit sorting
table which includes:
- a conveyor for conveying a fruit crop along a conveying plane, between an intake area
and a discharge area,
- a screen, extending in the conveying plane between the intake area and the rge
area, the screen having openings for fruit to pass through from the conveying plane to
an area for receiving sorted fruit situated under the conveying plane and,
- an ment device for the ivity of the sorting table.
In accordance with the invention, the sorting table also includes:
- at least one device for measuring one of a quantity of fruit and a flow rate of fruit
passing through the screen over at least one reference section of the screen, the
nce section being situated n the fruit intake area and the discharge area
and set apart from the fruit intake area.
The adjustment device for the selectivity of the sorting table serves to modify one or
several operating parameters of the sorting table influencing its selectivity. In particular,
the adjustment device may be a device acting on at least one parameter among:
• a conveying speed of the conveyor
• a screen caliper
• an intake rate of the conveyor,
• an incline of the conveyor relative to the horizontal.
As indicated in the introductory part, the terms “fruit” or “crop” are to be understood as
non-limiting with respect to the nature of the fruit or the crop and thus encompass a
harvest of grapes or of stripped .
The term “crop” is understood to be a mixture of fruits and ed debris
intermingling with the fruit at the time of their tion. The debris may include foliage,
small twigs, stalks, leaf stems or other extraneous matter.
The intake area of the conveyor is the part of the conveyor on which the crop is
dumped. It is preferably located at the entrance of the conveyor. A hopper or another
dumping mechanism may be provided above the intake area to supply the or
and to spread out the crop to be sorted.
The discharge area of the sorting table is preferably located at an exit of the conveyor. It
is located ream from the intake area relative to the conveying direction. The
discharge area receives the debris which has not passed through the screen of the
sorting table, in order to eliminate it or to process it separately.
The screen s in the ing plane between the intake area and the discharge
area. The conveyor makes the crop pass over the screen. The length of the screen may
be equal to or less than the distance separating the intake area from the discharge
area.
It should be specified that a part of the or may directly form the screen. This is
the case when the conveyor includes sorter rollers for ing the crop. Such sorter
rollers present between them spaces which constitute the gs of the screen.
The fruit that passes through the openings of the screen is withdrawn from the crop
being conveyed along the conveying plane. It is collected underneath the screen, which
is to say below the conveying plane.
The conveying plane may preferably be an essentially horizontal plane. It may also be
inclined relative to the horizontal as becomes clear in the description below.
The measuring device of the quantity or rate of fruit passing through the screen does
not measure the total quantity or rate of fruit but is limited to only a portion of the screen.
This portion is designated as “reference section”.
ements may be taken on several reference ns succeeding each other
along the screen along a conveying axis. Each reference section may, in this case,
have its own measuring device. The signals from the different measuring devices or the
signals from the sensors they are equipped with, can then be combined for establishing
ment controls of the sorting table. In particular, the use of two reference sections
can be advantageous for optimal adjustment of the screen of a sorting table liable to
receive both clean grapes and crushed or damaged grapes. Use of two reference
sections makes it possible in this case to compare the rates of grape s passing
through the screen at the beginning and at the end of the sorting table, for example.
For the sake of simplification, a single reference section is mentioned in the ing
description but t prejudging the number of nce sections ed for the
sorting table.
The quantity of fruit and the rate of fruit passing through the screen on the reference
section is used to evaluate the quantity of fruit ed to reach the discharge area at
the end of the conveyor.
The reference section is situated away from the intake area of the or. Preferably
it may be located as close as possible to the end of the screen turned towards the
discharge area. In effect, if a significant quantity of fruit passes through the screen on its
reference section, and if this section is close to the end of the screen, it can be
assumed that a significant portion of the fruit of the grape harvest has not been selected
ahead of the reference section and risks reaching the discharge area.
Inversely, if very little or no fruit passes the reference section of the screen, one can
estimate that all the fruit has already been sorted before ng the reference section
and that the remaining part of the screen unnecessarily risks passing, in an unwanted
manner, debris among the sorted fruit.
The ement taken by the measuring device may apply to an absolute quantity of
fruit passing h the reference section of the screen, for example during the
sing of a crop lot. However, and preferably so, the device can also be configured
to measure a rate or flow which is to say a quantity of fruit passing the reference section
per unit of time.
As indicated previously, the adjustment device of the sorting table is intended for
modifying its selectivity.
It may act on the conveying speed, knowing that a higher conveying speed increases
the selectivity of the screen, the fruit having greater tendency to remain in the conveying
plane and not to pass through the screen when they are moved along at a high speed in
the direction of the conveying.
The adjustment device can also act on the caliber of the screen. The caliber
corresponds to the opening of the screen, that is to say its selectivity. The caliber is
being determined by the dimension of the fruit passages of the screen. In the particular
case of a screen sing -conveyor rollers, the caliber of the screen can be
adjusted by modifying, for example, the spacing between the sorter-conveyor s.
It should be specified that the dimension of the fruit passages of the screen is not
necessarily constant or uniform along the sorting table. The caliber is therefore
tood to be an average value of screen opening.
The adjustment device can also act on the ty of fruit present on the screen, by
modifying a supply rate of the conveyor. This rate may be modified, for example by
modifying the opening or the incline of a crop intake hopper on the intake area of the
conveyor, by modifying the forward speed of the harvesting machine.
Finally, the adjustment device can act on an inclination of the or and thus of the
screen relative to the horizontal in the direction of the conveying. A slight inclination of
the screen relative to the horizontal, or even a negative inclination by orienting the
discharge area upward, tends to reduce its selectivity, whereas a steeper inclination has
a tendency of increasing the selectivity of the screen, the forces of gravity then
accelerating the speed of the fruit.
In a very crude implementation of the ion, the measurement taken by the
ing device on the reference section may be displayed and used by an operator
to actuate the adjustment .
However, and according to a particularly advantageous teristic, the ment
device can be servo-driven by the measuring device, for automatic adjustment. Thus,
the adjustment device can be configured to adjust in real time the settings of the sorting
table, depending on the quantity of fruit passing through the screen on the reference
n, and thus to ensure an optimal setting, taking into account especially the
variations of the quality of the crop being processed. The servo setup is described in
more detail later on in the text.
The measuring device of the quantity or the flow rate of fruit passing through the
reference section of the screen may be a measuring device with instant readout value,
or preferably, an integrating measuring device performing a measurement over a certain
length of time. Use of an integrating measuring device helps to smooth out the
measurements and prevents the sorting table from being adjusted on account of
abnormal instantaneous values.
According to a possible implementation of the measuring device, it may feature at least
one optical barrier positioned on a fruit passage placed under the reference section of
the screen, and a totalizer of openings of the l barrier. The optical barrier is
ered to be positioned on a fruit passage connected to the reference section when
the fruit crossing the part of the screen corresponding to the reference section is
brought to pass before the l barrier prior to reaching the receiving are of the
sorted fruit.
The optical barrier may feature one or several light beams which are interrupted by the
passage of the fruit or the debris ng the screen, coming from the reference section
of the screen. The number and the diameter of the light beams are preferably adapted
to the size of the fruit so as to avoid an untimely opening of the barrier in the case of a
e before the optical barrier of objects significantly smaller than the fruit, for
example seeds or small items of debris.
The totalizer of openings associated to the optical barrier may be a counter of a number
of openings per time unit. The totalizer then counts the number of openings of the
l barrier per time unit and issues a measuring signal representative of the number
of fruits having passed through the reference section of the screen per time unit.
Use of a counter of the number of openings is adapted when the flow of fruit crossing
the reference section of the screen is relatively low. When the flow becomes more
significant, a situation may arise where the light beam of the optical barrier remains
interrupted during a certain length of time and that during this period several fruits pass
before the r.
In this case, the totalizer of openings may preferably be configured to establish a
relationship between a duration of g of the optical r and a reference
duration. For example, the totalizer of openings may be configured to establish a
relationship between a duration of opening of the optical barrier and a duration of
closing of the optical barrier.
The opening times, of closing respectively, of the l barrier are understood to be
times during which the light bean is interrupted, respectively rrupted.
The totalizer of openings may also combine the two counting modes.
According to a more sophisticated implementation, the measuring device of the quantity
or the rate of fruit passing the reference section of the screen may also include a
camera and an image processing system associated with the . The camera and
the image processing system can be ured to establish a number and a size of the
objects crossing the reference section of the screen. In this case the image processing
ly delivers an estimate of the flow of fruit in the reference section of the screen and
makes it possible to distinguish, if necessary, the fruit from the debris accidentally
passing through the screen.
ing to another possibility of implementation of the measuring device associated
to the reference section of the screen, it may include a deflector positioned in a fruit
drop between the nce section of the screen and the receiving area of sorted fruit,
and a zer of impacts on the deflector. The deflector is for example, a metal pan
onto which fall the fruit that pass h the reference section of the screen, and the
impact totalizer may e an accelerometer that is integral with the deflector. The
accelerometer may in this case be preferably calibrated so as to post the impacts made
by fruit and not by smaller objects such as fruit seeds.
The count of impacts, just like the count of openings of an optical barrier is better
adapted to the count of a discrete flow of fruit than for the evaluation of a continuous
flow. It is therefore preferably reserved for a reference section of short length.
For a measurement of a flow both discrete and continuous, the ing device
associated to the reference section may also include a tor mounted as a pivot in a
fruit drop between the reference section of the screen and the receiving area of sorted
fruits. The pivoting deflector is associated to a return spring of the tor in a resting
position, and an angular deflection sensor of the deflector ve to the resting position.
The sensor may be an optical sensor or a potentiometer pickoff, for e.
In this case, the significance of the angular deflection of the deflector depends on the
number of fruits ng the tor per time unit and gives a measure of the flow of
fruits ng the reference section of the screen.
The measuring device may also include a fruit receptacle oned downstream of the
reference section of the screen in the receiving area of sorted fruit, and a zer of
fruit mass in the receptacle. The mass totalizer may be a strain gauge measuring the
mass or the increase of fruit mass in the receptacle. The receptacle may include an
automatic discharge system of its content in the middle of the mass of sorted fruit.
As mentioned previously, adjustment of the sorting table may take place by acting on
one or several parameters. One of these parameters may ally be the conveying
speed. Slow conveying favors the passage of the fruit through the openings in the
screen before it reaches the discharge area. Inversely, a fast conveying favors the
forward movement of the fruit in the conveying plane rather than its passage through
the screen which tends to increase the selectivity of the screen.
So when the adjustment device acts on the ing speed, it may include a drive
acting on a drive element. This may be any one of these:
• a drive of a power supply of an ic motor driving the conveyor;
• a supply drive for oil passing through a hydraulic motor g the conveyor;
• a supply drive for fuel supplying a thermal engine driving the conveyor; and
• a gear drive for a transmission driving the conveyor.
The conveyor drive motors mentioned above are those supplying the mechanical
energy for conveying the crop from the intake area to the discharge area. When the
conveyor is a bucket or arm conveyor, g buckets containing the crop above the
screen or arms pushing the crop, the motors drive the forward movement of the s
or arms.
The conveyor may also be a roller conveyor. It may in particular include sorter rollers
forming the screen, in the manner already mentioned. In this case, the motors or the
transmission mentioned above are provided for putting the rollers and/or sorter rollers in
rotation. More or less rapid rotation of the rollers results in more or less rapid conveying
of the crop along the sorting table.
As previously indicated, the adjustment device of the sorting table can be servo-driven
by the measurement of the quantity or the flow rate of fruits passing through the
reference section of the screen. It may be particularly servo-operated:
- to reduce the conveying speed and/or increase the caliber of the screen, and/or
reduce the inclination of the conveyor, and/or se the supply rate of the conveyor
when either the quantity of fruit or the flow rate of fruit crossing the nce section of
the screen is below a low setpoint, and
- to increase the conveying speed and/or reduce the caliber of the screen, and/or
increase the inclination of the conveyor, and/or reduce the supply rate of the conveyor
when either the quantity of fruit or the flow rate of fruit crossing the reference n of
the screen exceeds a high setpoint.
The high and low setpoints may be set mentally during a calibrating phase
depending especially on the location and the length of the reference section of the
screen, so that a lowest possible number of fruits but not zero reaches the discharge
area of the sorting table.
The reference section may preferably present a length along a conveying axis
comprised between one hundredth and one quarter of a total length of the screen. In the
case where several reference sections are provided, the length of the reference section
is understood to be the cumulated length of the different reference sections.
Furthermore, the nce section may be located preferably at a ce from an
entrance of the screen comprised between 75% and 90% of a total length of the screen.
The entrance of the screen is understood to be its end ed towards the intake area
of the g table.
Since the ment of the sorting table targets an operation in which a limited number
of fruit reaching the discharge area while using a maximum length of the ,
precision of the measurement is all the better as the section is close to the end of the
screen.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention become clear from the description
which follows, in reference to the figures of the gs. This description is provided for
illustrative purposes and is not limiting.
Brief description of the figures
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a sorting table according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor and a screen of a sorting table ing to
the invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a sorter-conveyor roller and a measuring device of the g
table of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of another sorting table in conformance with the
invention with another type of measuring device.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of another sorting table in conformance with the
invention with another type of measuring device.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of another sorting table in conformance with the
invention with yet another type of measuring device.
The different figures are represented in free scale.
Detailed description of modes on implementation of the invention
In the following description identical, similar or equivalent ns of the various figures
are marked with the same reference identifiers, so as to facilitate the transfer from one
figure to another.
Figure 1 shows a sorting table 10 in mance with the invention.
It comprises a roller conveyor 12 extending from an intake area 14 to a discharge area
16 along a conveying plane 18. The conveying plane is in an essentially horizontal
position. However, the sorting table and thus its conveying plane can be inclined relative
to the horizontal with a jack mechanism 20.
A hopper 22 with a le output is placed above the intake area 14 for dumping a
crop into it. In the case of figure 1, this is a grape harvest ing both grape berries
24 and debris 26 such as leaves, leaf stems or stalks to be ated.
The roller conveyor 12 includes a first series of roller conveyors 28, placed essentially
side by side in the conveying plane 18 and perpendicularly to a conveying axis indicated
by an arrow C. The arrow C also indicates a ing ion of the intake area 14
towards the discharge area 16. After the first series of conveyor rollers 28 there is a
second series of rollers which are sorter conveyor rollers 30. Sorter conveyor rollers are
understood to be rollers between which appropriate spaces are made to let selectively
pass fruit or debris of r or smaller size than the fruit. The sorter conveyor rollers 30
are also positioned in the conveying plane 18, perpendicularly to the conveying axis C,
following the conveyor s 28.
On account of the spaces ed between the successive sorter conveyor rollers
these constitute a screen 32.
In the example of figure 1, the screen 32 extends in the prolongation of the ing
rollers 28 up to the discharge area 16 of the g table 10. The screen presents a
caliber depending ially on the spaces, or passage openings made between the
sorter conveyor rollers 30. The caliber of the screen can be adjusted, especially by a
sliding device 34 allowing modification of the distance between the sorter conveyor
rollers. The sliding device 34 is symbolically represented on figure 1.
The conveyor rollers 28, just like the sorter conveyor rollers 30 are driven in rotation by
an electric motor 36 represented symbolically. All the rollers are put into rotation in the
same direction, as it happens clockwise in this case of figure 1 to move the grape
harvest from the intake area 14 towards the discharge area 16, parallel to the conveying
axis C.
As the conveying progresses, when the grape harvest passes over the screen 32, the
grape berries 24 in contact with the screen or near the screen pass through the screen
to reach an area 40 for receiving sorted fruit under the screen 32 and under the
conveying plane 18. A tor of sorted fruit, not shown, may be placed in this area. In
this manner, the number of grape berries 24 remaining on the sorting table diminishes
as the conveying along the conveying axis C continues.
The sorting table of figure 1 is represented in an optimal configuration in which no more
fruit, or almost no more fruit remains on the sorting table at the end of the screen 32 and
as the discharge area 16 approaches. So only the debris 26 remains on the g
table and is dropped in the discharge area to be discarded.
The screen 32 of the sorting table of figure 1 includes a reference section 42 here
constituted by two reference sorter conveyor s. The nce n 42 is
positioned in the vicinity of the end of the screen directed towards the discharge area
16. It is associated to a measuring device 50 intended for measuring a quantity or flow
of fruits, here grape berries 24, passing through the screen on the reference section. In
the particular example of figure 1, the measuring device 50 determines the quantity or
flow of fruit crossing the screen between the two sorter conveyor rollers of the reference
section 42.
The measuring device 50 delivers a measurement signal destined for an adjustment
device 52 acting on various parameters of the g table. This is for example an
optical sensor measuring the occultations by the grape berries, or possibly the debris
items crossing the sorting table at the reference section 42. The adjustment device 52
acts in particular on the power supply to the electric motor 36 to vary the onal
speed of the s 28, 30 and thus the conveying speed. It also acts on the jack
mechanism 20 which serves to incline the sorting table. Lastly it acts on the sliding
device 34 ed for ing the opening and thereby the caliber of the screen 32 of
the sorting table. In the case where the sorting table is d on a harvesting
machine, the adjustment device can also act on the speed of the harvesting machine to
adjust the rate of harvested grapes arriving in the intake area of the sorting table. In
general, the adjustment device can send a signal to the grape t supply system of
the sorting table to vary the rate of harvested grapes arriving in the intake area of the
sorting table.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor 12 of a sorting table in mance with
the ion.
Just like the conveyor of figure 1, the conveyor 12 of figure 2 extends from an intake
area 14 to a discharge area 16. The conveyor is formed by a plurality of rollers 28, 30.
In the intake area there are four conveyor rollers 28. These rollers are almost
contiguous. They serve to spread the crop and trigger its transport along the conveying
axis C, perpendicular to the rollers when they are put into rotation. They also serve to
remove from between the rollers the juices and very small items of debris such as grape
seeds.
The conveyor s 28 are followed by a plurality of sorter conveyor rollers 30 also
e of being put into rotation, in t with the conveyor rollers 28 for conveying
the crop. Each conveyor roller presents a regular alternation of sorting sections 60 and
of annular collars 62. The annular collars present a er larger than the g
sections and slightly overlap from one sorter conveyor roller to the next.
The sorting sections 60, successive conveyor rollers which are opposite, do not touch
each other. They present between themselves spaces or openings 66. The spaces 66
are thus delimited by the sorting sections dicularly to the conveying axis C and
are delimited by the annular collars parallel to the conveying axis C. Thanks to the
spaces 66 the sorter conveyor rollers 30 constitute a screen 32.
A portion of the screen, in the vicinity of the discharge area 16 constitutes the reference
section 42 of the screen.
Figure 3 is a plan view, parallel to its axis and in a plane perpendicular to the ing
axis C of figures 1 and 2, of a sorter conveyor roller 30 taken in the reference section of
the screen.
One can observe in one of the ends of the sorter or roller a transmission
mechanism 64 linked to the electric motor 36, represented symbolically. The
transmission mechanism 64 serves to communicate to the sorter conveyor roller 30 a
rotational movement for the conveying of the grape harvest.
The conveyed grape harvest includes grape berries 24 and debris 26 t on the
roller, in contact with the sorting ns 60 and the annular collars 62.
Figure 3 also shows the measuring device 50 which here includes an optical barrier 70
formed by an r 72 and a receiver 74 of a light beam. The er 74 forms a
totalizer of the opening. The light beam of the optical barrier extends parallel to the
sorter conveyor roller 30 under the spaces 66 which separate the sorter sections 60
from those of the following sorter conveyor roller not shown.
The grape berries which pass through the nce section 42 of the screen 32 thus
trigger openings of the l barrier 70 as they drop towards the area 40 for receiving
sorted fruit.
The measuring device 50, and in particular the totalizer of openings, delivers a signal
counting the number of openings or the relative duration of the openings of the optical
barrier 70. This signal is ed towards the adjustment device 52 already mentioned
in connection with figure 1.
As a complement, or even as a replacement, of the optical barrier, the measuring
device may feature a camera 76 associated to an image processing system 78, for
example a re control system, to deliver a representative signal of a flow of fruit
across the reference section 42 of the screen 32.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section comparable to figure 1 and shows another possibility of
implementation of the measuring device 50.
The screen 32 of figure 4 ts a reference section 42 formed by three sorter
conveyor s 30.
A measuring device 50 is associated to the reference section 42. The measuring device
includes a deflector 80, for example a metallic plate mounted under the reference
section 42 of the screen 32 so as to be struck by the grape berries 24 which cross the
reference n 42 of the screen 32, as they drop towards the area 40 for ing
sorted fruit. The deflector 80 is associated to impact totalizers 82. The impact totalizers
may be optical or mechanical devices, for example accelerometers, supplying a
measurement signal for the adjustment device 52. The impact totalizers can be
calibrated to be sensitive to the dropping of sorted grape berries and not just to simple
seeds, for example.
Figure 5 shows a variant of the device of figure 4 in which the reference section extends
over four utive sorter conveyor rollers. The measuring device 50 also includes a
deflector 80. Each deflector 80 is mounted in pivoting fashion in the fruit chute under the
reference section 42 of the screen 32.
The deflector 80 is charged by a return spring 86 which returns it to a resting position.
The falling grape berries 24 passing through the reference section 42 of the screen 32
and reaching the deflector 80 tend to make the tor pivot out of its resting position.
The pivoting angle varies with the flow of the grape berries crossing the reference
sections. A sensor of angular deflection 88, for example a sensor with a potentiometer
or an angular optical sensor measures the angle of deflection of the deflector and
delivers a representative signal of the flow of berries that is intended for the adjustment
device 52. In fact, in this mode of implementation the angular deflection of the deflector
80, relative to its g position is proportional to the flow of s, or at least
representative of a flow of s reaching the deflector, and hence of the flow of
berries crossing the reference section 42 of the screen.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a sorting table comparable to that of figure 1 and
illustrates yet another possibility of implementation of the measuring device 50 of the
flow of berries through a nce section 42 of the screen 32.
The measuring device of the flow of berries of figure 6 includes a receptacle 90
positioned in the area 40 for receiving sorted fruit. The receptacle 90 presents an
g 92 ed to the dimension of the reference section 42 of the screen 32 and
positioned below the reference section. In this way, the berries 24 passing through the
screen 32 through the reference section 42 are ted in the receptacle 90.
The receptacle 90 is associated to one or several strain sensors 94, and thus
constitutes scales or a mass totalizer making it possible to e a mass of collected
berries.
The strain sensor can deliver a signal of mass, mass growth or mass growth per time
unit, representative of the flow of berries across the reference section 42 of the screen.
This signal is provided to the adjustment device 52 so as to control the parameters of
the sorting table.
In effect, as shown previously, it is possible to adjust the ing speed, the intake
rate, the incline of the sorting table and the caliber in order to obtain a target flow of
berries across the reference section. This target flow is such that the number of s
arriving at the discharge area 16 is virtually zero.
Claims (19)
1) Sorting table (10) for fruit including: - a conveyor (12) for the conveying of a fruit crop along a conveying plane (18), between an intake area (14) and a discharge area (16), - a screen (32), extending in the conveying plane between the intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), the screen (32) ting gs (66) for passage of fruit from the conveying plane towards an area (40) for receiving sorted fruit situated under the conveying plane, and - an adjustment device (52) of the selectivity of the sorting table, characterized in that: - at least one measuring device (50) for either a quantity of fruit or a flow rate of fruit passing through the screen (32) over at least one reference section (42) of the , the reference section (42) being situated between the fruit intake area (14) and the discharge area (16), and at a distance away from the fruit intake area.
2) Sorting table according to claim 1, in which the adjustment device (52) of the ivity of the sorting table is a device acting on at least one parameter among: • a conveying speed of the conveyor • a caliber of the screen • a supply rate of the conveyor • an inclination of the conveyor relative to the horizontal.
3) Sorting table according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the adjustment device (52) is dependent on the ing device (50).
4) Sorting table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the measuring device (50) is an integrating measuring device.
5) Sorting table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the measuring device includes at least one optical r (70), and a totalizer of openings (74) of the l barrier.
6) Sorting table ing to claim 5, in which the totalizer of openings is a totalizer of a number of openings per time unit.
7) Sorting table according to claim 5, in which the totalizer of openings is configured to ish a relationship between a length of time of opening the optical barrier and a reference duration.
8) Sorting table according to claim 5, in which the totalizer of openings is configured to establish a relationship between a length of time of opening the optical barrier and a length of time of closing the optical barrier.
9) g table ing to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the measuring device includes a camera (76) and an image processing system (78) associated with the camera.
10) Sorting table according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the measuring device includes a deflector (80) positioned in a fruit chute between the reference section (42) of the screen and the area (40) for ing sorted fruit, and a totalizer of impacts (82) on the deflector (80).
11) Sorting table according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the measuring device includes a deflector (80) mounted in pivoting fashion in a fruit chute between a reference section (42) of the screen and the area for ing sorted fruit, a return spring (86) of the deflector in a resting position, and a sensor (88) of angular tion of the deflector relative to the resting position.
12) Sorting table according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the measuring device includes a fruit receptacle (90) and a totalizer (94) of fruit mass in the receptacle.
13) Sorting table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the adjusting device (52) acts on the conveying speed and in which the adjusting device includes one among: • a drive of a power supply of an electric motor driving the conveyor, • a drive for the supply rate of oil passing through a hydraulic motor driving the conveyor, • a drive for the supply rate of fuel ing a thermal engine g the conveyor, and • a gear drive for a transmission driving the conveyor.
14) Sorting table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the conveyor (12) is a roller or (28, 30).
15) Sorting table according to claim 14, in which the roller conveyor includes sorter conveyor rollers (30) forming the screen (32).
16) Sorting table according to claim 15, in which the adjusting device (50) includes a slide (34) for adjusting a distance between the sorter rollers.
17) Sorting table ing to claim 3, in which the adjusting device (50) is servo-driven: - to reduce the conveying speed and/or increase the caliber of the screen, and/or reduce the inclination of the conveyor, and/or increase the supply rate of the conveyor when either the ty of fruit or the flow rate of fruit ng the reference section of the screen is below a low setpoint, and - to increase the conveying speed and/or reduce the caliber of the screen, and/or se the inclination of the conveyor, and/or reduce the supply rate of the conveyor when either the ty of fruit or the flow rate of fruit crossing the reference section of the screen exceeds a high setpoint.
18) g table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the reference section (42) of the screen (32) presents a length along an axis of conveying (C) comprised between one hundredth and one quarter of the total length of the screen (32).
19) Sorting table according to any of the preceding claims, in which the reference section (42) is situated at a distance from a screen entrance comprised between 75% and 90% of a total length of the screen (32).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR16/60278 | 2016-10-24 | ||
FR1660278A FR3057788B1 (en) | 2016-10-24 | 2016-10-24 | SORTING TABLE FOR FRUIT WITH ADAPTIVE SCREW |
PCT/FR2017/052572 WO2018078230A1 (en) | 2016-10-24 | 2017-09-25 | Fruit sorting table with adaptive screen |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ752718A NZ752718A (en) | 2020-10-30 |
NZ752718B2 true NZ752718B2 (en) | 2021-02-02 |
Family
ID=
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