• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A machine (100) for cutting flowers and separating their parts, comprising: means for separating and arranging flowers (25), for receiving flowers in bulk, separating and aligning them; a vision system (30) comprising sensing means (33, 36) to detect each flower and an artificial vision equipment (34), to take at least one photograph of each flower a cutting system (40) to cut the flowers as they advance on a conveyor belt (10); a control system (60) to control the execution of the machine (100). The control system (60) is configured to: receive the photographs taken by the vision system (30); process each photograph to determine whether or not each flower is suitable for cutting; and in case a flower is valid to be cut, determining its cutting point and sending an instruction to the cutting system (40) to cut the flower (70) at said cutting point; and in case it is not valid to be cut, give instructions to discard the flower. The cutting system (40) when it receives said instruction to cut a flower (70), makes a movement in a longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10) to approach said flower (70), and then cut said flower (70) at the indicated cut-off point. The control system (60) regulates its displacement speed in the longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10), to approach the flower to be cut and cut it when it is located on it. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
    公开号:ES2823060A1
    申请号:ES201930961
    申请日:2019-11-04
    公开日:2021-05-07
    发明作者:Latorre David Pascual Mur；Apuntate Jaime Sambia
    申请人:Latorre David Pascual Mur；Apuntate Jaime Sambia；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    [0005] The present invention belongs to the field of agriculture and food, and in particular to that of the production of food, infusions or spices from the harvest of flowers. More particularly, the invention belongs to the field of machinery for cutting flowers and separating their different parts, such as petals and stigmas. The invention has special application in the automated treatment of the saffron flower, and specifically the cutting of the flower and the separation of the stigmas from the rest of the flower parts.
    [0007] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    [0008] In the world of agriculture and, specifically, in the world of flower harvesting, after harvesting them, it is often necessary - depending on the application for which they are intended - to separate their parts, for example to separate the petal and / or stamen stigmas, usually because only some part of the flower is usable or because it is necessary to treat the flower parts separately. Such is the case, for example, of saffron, which is a spice extracted from a flower ( Crocus sativus) by separating the stigmas from the petals and stamens. Traditionally, this is done by hand, grasping the base of the flower with one hand, cutting with the fingers the point where the stigmas meet the base of the flower, and removing the stigmas with the other hand. The worker has to avoid crushing or twisting the flower to avoid damaging it. Thus, in the case of the saffron flower, one should avoid losing the color and flavor characteristics of the stigmas. This process is delicate and laborious, requiring a large number of workers who can carry out the work during the short lifespan of the harvested flowers. This contributes to the high cost of production of the product in question, for example saffron. Several techniques have been developed to try to automate this process.
    [0010] ES322254 (A1) discloses an apparatus for the extraction of the stigmas of saffron from its flowers. The apparatus consists of a frame in which a feeder hopper goes endowed with augers capable of propelling the flowers towards helicoids. The helicoids comprise a 1.5 cm span or pitch. Blade-mounted cutter blades rotate about axes parallel to the axes of the helicoids so that everything that protrudes through the passages is cut by the blades. Below the blades is a separating cylinder. The flowers are fed to the hopper, they pass to the helicoids, where only the flowers oriented with the stem outwards can partially fit in the steps, so that the flowers are cut at the base, releasing the stigmas. However, such an apparatus cannot ensure the systematic cutting of each flower, since some flowers will not go through the steps. Also, the stigmas of saffron can be lost through the steps.
    [0012] DE3407517 (C1) discloses a method for harvesting saffron flowers that includes means for cutting flower stalks, these means being attached to a harvester vehicle. The flowers are transported between a pair of endless bands so that they are stem down. They are then cut by other cutting means at the base of the flower, between the point where the stamens are still attached to the petals and the point where the stigmas are attached to the petals. The cut parts fall into a container to be separated.
    [0014] ES2006024 (A6) discloses a procedure for cutting and separating saffron flowers that consists of manually taking the harvested flowers and placing them between twin endless bands by means of which they are driven towards a cutter. The cutter mows the flower bases below the endless bands. An agitator frees the cut parts of the endless belts so that they fall onto a conveyor belt that takes them to a separator. The separator uses a stream of air to separate the different parts based on their weight. This technique increases production performance compared to the traditional method, but requires a large number of workers to place the flowers manually and in a specific position between each pair of endless bands.
    [0016] ES2313857 (A1) discloses a method of cutting the saffron flower for release and separation of its stigmas. The method includes placing the flowers by hand in frustoconical housings on a first conveyor belt. The peduncle of each flower protrudes from the lower mouth of the housing. The first belt is superimposed for a short journey with a main conveyor, at which point the flowers are grasped by the peduncle to be transferred to the main conveyor, which leads to a vision zone. In this, an artificial vision system determines for each flower the place where the cut should be made. Although this technique also increases the yield compared to the traditional method, it is essential to place the flowers by hand in a certain position.
    [0018] Therefore, there is a need for a higher performance and precision flower cutting and separating system, in which fewer flowers are wasted, and is also more automated.
    [0020] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
    [0022] The present invention provides a new apparatus (also referred to as a machine or plant) and method for cutting flowers and separating their parts. In other words, an apparatus and method is provided for debrising flowers, that is, for separating the petals from the flower stigmas. The machine and procedure are of special application, but without limitation, to debrize the saffron flower.
    [0023] In the machine and method of the invention, the flowers are fed on a conveyor belt in bulk, that is, without following a certain order, quantity or placement. This allows automatic feeding. In addition, it is not necessary to fit or retain the flower, or to place it in a specific position. On the contrary, the flower is loose, lying down as it has fallen when being fed. The direction or orientation of the flower does not affect the performance of the machine, the flower may be with the stem forward, backward, or in any other position. A flower sorting and sorting system provides automatic flower alignment.
    [0024] The machine has a vision system, in which the flowers that are passing on the conveyor belt are detected and images of them are taken. The vision system is made up of a sensing system (flower detection) and an artificial vision system, made up of one or more cameras that take photos of the flowers. With the information from both systems (sensing and artificial vision), the exact moment to cut each flower is controlled, as well as the exact place of the flower where it should be cut, and also discarded invalid flowers, for example because they are in disrepair.
    [0025] The machine also has a cutting system, which adapts to the speed of the flower and cuts it while moving. The cutting system has cutting means, also called cutting tool, for example a double blade. The cutting means are mobile, not fixed. That is, they can move longitudinally along the conveyor belt to get closer to the flower at the right time. The cutting means can also move transversely to the belt and / or rotate to face the cut in the appropriate position. To execute the cut, the cutting means perform an opening / closing movement of the double blade. Thus, the cutting means are adapted to the speed and position of each flower. The flower can be cut open or closed.
    [0027] After cutting the flower, a filtering system performs a first filtering, mainly separating the petals from the rest of the flower parts. And then a classification system separates the usable parts (stigmas, in the case of the saffron flower) from the rest of the non-usable parts. This classification is preferably done by gravity, making use of optical means.
    [0029] The machine is made up of a modular system, which can be replicated in as many lines as desired. The flower feeding system can feed flowers to one line or multiple cutting lines. In the case of several lines in parallel, these can be fed by one or more feeders.
    [0031] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a machine for cutting flowers and separating their parts, comprising: means for separating and arranging flowers, configured to receive flowers in bulk, separating and aligning them; a vision system comprising sensing means configured to detect each flower advancing on a conveyor belt and artificial vision equipment, configured to take at least one photograph of each flower advancing on the conveyor belt; a cutting system to cut the flowers as they advance on the conveyor belt; and a control system comprising a processor that houses software means implementing an algorithm to control the execution of the machine. The control system is configured to: receive the photographs taken by the vision system; processing each photograph to determine whether or not each flower that runs on the conveyor belt is suitable for cutting; and in case a flower is valid to be cut, determine its cutting point and send an instruction to the cutting system to cut the flower at said cutting point thereof; and in case it is not valid to be cut, give instructions to dispose of the flower; the cutting system being configured so that, when it receives said instruction to cut a flower at said cutting point thereof, make a movement in a longitudinal direction to the conveyor belt to approach said flower, and then cut said flower at the point indicated cut. The control system is configured to regulate the speed of displacement of the cutting system in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt, to approach the flower to be cut and cut it when it is located on it.
    [0033] In embodiments of the invention, the machine further comprises a disposal system to eject from the conveyor belt the flowers that have been considered invalid after the processing of each photograph.
    [0035] In embodiments of the invention, the machine further comprises a filtering system to separate the petals from the rest of the cut flower parts.
    [0037] In embodiments of the invention, the machine also comprises a classification system to select the stigmas from the rest of the parts of the flower. The sorting system preferably comprises optical media.
    [0039] In embodiments of the invention the machine further comprises a flower feeder, configured to provide bulk flowers to the flower sorting and sorting means. Preferably, the flower feeder comprises means for extracting the excess water carried by the flowers.
    [0041] In embodiments of the invention, the sensing means comprise a light emitting and receiving system and a mirror, where the light emitting and receiving system comprises a light source and a photodetector, the light source being configured to emit a light beam. continuously in a transverse direction to the conveyor belt, so that when there are no flowers passing over the belt, the light beam falls on the mirror and is reflected by it, detecting the reflected beam on the photodetector, and when on the belt A flower runs, it is interposed between the light source and the mirror, thus obstructing the emitted beam of light, this absence of reflected beam in the photodetector being interpreted as an indicator that a flower has been detected on the conveyor belt.
    [0043] In embodiments of the invention, the artificial vision equipment comprises at least one camera.
    [0045] In embodiments of the invention, the disposal means comprise an air injector configured to emit a jet of pressurized air, said air injector being fed by a pneumatic air system.
    [0047] In embodiments of the invention, the cutting system is configured so that, when it receives said instruction to cut a flower at said cutting point thereof, it moves in a direction transverse to the conveyor belt. Preferably, the control system is configured to regulate the speed of movement of said cutting system in a transverse direction to the conveyor belt.
    [0049] In embodiments of the invention, the cutting system is configured so that, when the flower is rotated a certain angle, it rotates the cutting system to perform the cut in the correct orientation.
    [0051] In embodiments of the invention, the cutting system comprises two blades configured to open and close to perform the cut, moving in the opposite direction to that performed by the other blade, so that when the blades are in the closed position, the two blades are practically superimposed. one to the other, while when the two blades are in the open position, the two blades are practically aligned with each other, the two blades cutting a flower when the blades go from the open position to the closed position.
    [0053] In embodiments of the invention, the flowers are saffron flowers, the machine being configured to separate the strands or stigmas from the rest of the parts of the saffron flowers.
    [0055] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for cutting flowers and separating their parts, comprising: feeding flowers in bulk; separate and align bulk flowers; expose the flowers that advance on a conveyor belt to a vision system, in which each flower that advances on the conveyor belt is detected and photographs of said forests are taken from data captured by the vision system, determine if each flower that advances on the conveyor belt runs on the conveyor belt is or is not valid to be cut and: in case a flower is valid to be cut: send an instruction to a cutting system to cut the flower in a point of cut of the same; upon receiving said instruction, the cutting system makes a movement in a longitudinal direction to the conveyor belt to approach said flower, regulating the speed of movement of said cutting system in the longitudinal direction to the conveyor belt; and cutting said flower at the indicated cutting point; in case it is not valid to be cut, send an instruction to a waste means to make said flower leave the conveyor belt.
    [0057] In embodiments of the invention the method further comprises selecting the cut flower stigmas.
    [0059] In embodiments of the invention, prior to feeding the conveyor belt with bulk flowers, the excess water carried by the flowers is removed.
    [0061] In embodiments of the invention, invalid flowers are blown off the conveyor belt by issuing a jet of pressurized air from an air injector fed by a pneumatic air system.
    [0063] In embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises, upon receiving said instruction, the cutting system performs a movement in a transverse direction to the conveyor belt.
    [0065] In embodiments of the invention, the flower is cut by two blades that open and close.
    [0067] In embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises regulating the speed of movement of said cutting system transversely to the conveyor belt.
    [0069] In embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises exiting the petals of the already cut flowers from the conveyor belt.
    [0071] The cutting machine and method of the invention regulate the movement of the cutting system, as well as its speed, automatically, so that the cutting system adapts to the speed and position of the flower on the conveyor belt. The cut of the flower is done in motion. Thanks to this ability to move the cutting tool at the necessary speed at all times, at least longitudinally, or both longitudinally and transversely, on the conveyor belt, and / or additionally with a turning movement about the axis of the conveyor. cutting tool to adapt to the angle of the flower that has been obtained in the vision system, the performance of the machine is optimized, since valid flowers are hardly wasted either because the cutting tool does not cut them or because they are cut for a part of the wrong flower. In addition, both open and closed flowers can be cut. In other words, the machine manages to optimize the amount of cut flowers and the point at which they are cut.
    [0073] In addition, as a consequence, among other things, of the ability of the cutting tool to adapt longitudinally and optionally transversely and / or with rotation, to the flowers that are moving on the conveyor belt, it is worth highlighting the ability of the machine to receive bulk flowers. Unlike conventional machines, in which it is necessary to place the flowers in a certain position -or even to fit or fix them- to facilitate cutting at the right place, and in which, therefore, the feeding of flowers is severely conditioned by this characteristic. , and therefore requiring, in addition to a large number of operators, the machine of the present invention allows the flowers to be received in any position, that is, in the position as they are fed in bulk to the conveyor belt. Flower alignment is done automatically in the flower sorting and sorting system.
    [0075] Therefore, with the machine of the present invention, a total automation of the flower cutting and separation process is achieved, which entails an increase in performance in terms of kilograms of production per hour, as well as a reduction in the number of workers involved.
    [0077] Additional advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows and will be pointed out in particular from the appended claims.
    [0079] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
    [0081] To complement the description and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to an example of a practical embodiment thereof, a set of figures is attached as an integral part of the description, in which with character illustrative and not limiting, the following has been represented:
    [0082] Figure 1 shows schematically a block diagram of a machine for debrising flowers, according to a possible embodiment of the invention.
    [0084] Figure 2 shows a profile view of a machine for debrising flowers according to a possible embodiment of the invention.
    [0086] Figure 3 shows a plan view of the flower separation and arrangement stage of a machine according to an embodiment of the invention.
    [0088] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a portion of the machine for debrising flowers of Figure 2, according to a possible embodiment of the invention.
    [0090] Figure 5 shows a flow chart of the algorithm executed by the control system each time a flower accesses the vision stage, according to a possible embodiment of the invention.
    [0092] Figure 6 shows a detail of the cutting area of the machine of Figures 2 and 4, in which it is illustrated how cutting means move both longitudinally and transversely with respect to the conveyor belt, to cut each flower along the suitable part.
    [0094] DESCRIPTION OF A WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
    [0096] Figure 1 shows a block diagram with the main stages of a machine for debrising flowers, in particular flowers of which it is of interest to separate the stigmas from other parts, such as petals, stamens or stem, as is the case of saffron, from the invention. Several of the different stages take place along a conveyor belt 10, which preferably travels at a constant speed. In the machine 100 of Figure 2 the stages outlined in Figure 1 are illustrated in more detail.
    [0098] The machine 100 is made up of one or more conveyor belt (s) 10, for example a toothed belt, and various components or stages arranged at the passage of the belt 10. First, the machine has a stage of flower feeding 21. The flowers are discharged in bulk 15, in a controlled manner, onto the flower feeder zone 21, with a preferably controlled thickness, volume and speed. The feeding system can be through a vibrator, belt or any other system that feeds the flowers with the flow and flow of flowers controlled and according to the desired productivity. It is thus achieved that the flowers extend in the feeder 21 forming a blanket of a certain thickness. That is, the feeding system 21 provides a constant flower volume at a constant speed. The flower feeder area 21 preferably has a humidity suction system 16, which sucks the excess humidity from the flowers without the need to emit heat. That is, the feeder 21 extracts the excess water that the flower usually carries, either due to rain, humidity and / or irrigation.
    [0100] The flower feeder 21 supplies the flowers to a flower sorting and sorting system 25, which is a second stage of the machine 100 following the feeding system 21. This sorting and sorting system 25 expands, separates and sorts the flowers in rows. For this, it has a vibration transport system. That is, the flowers from the feeder 21 fall to the separation system 25. Figure 2 shows the fall 22 of the flowers. In the separation and arrangement system 25, a vibrator moves the flowers with its vibration and expands them, until it has a homogeneous flower mantle with a lower thickness than in the case of feeder 21. Then, as the mantle of flowers is moving, advancing along the belt 10, the flowers are gradually channeled and channeled through one or more guiding systems -also called traps- that forces them to line up, until at the end of the system separation and arrangement 25, the flowers are aligned one behind the other, with a substantially constant flow rate and velocity. In Figure 4 a possible guiding means 26 is shown. At the end of this stage 25, the flowers pass aligned, for example by gravity fall, to the conveyor belt of the next stage (vision and cutting).
    [0102] At this time the flowers can be directed to one or more cutting stages, depending on the parallel cutting lines that have been implemented. This is outlined, by way of example, in Figure 3, which illustrates the fall 22 of the flowers from the feeder 21, onto the flower separation and arrangement system 25. In this, the flowers are positioned by means of the vibrator, while they are forced to pass through the guide systems 26, of controlled thickness, so that at the end of the separation and arrangement system 25, the flowers are aligned forming one or more rows (six rows in the example illustrated), each of which is intended to feed a different cutting line, in parallel. That is, when in the flower separation and arrangement system 25 the flowers form several aligned rows of flowers, each row of flowers is directed to a different cutting line, in parallel.
    [0104] The flowers separated and arranged in rows pass along the at least one conveyor belt 10 one or more stages or vision systems 30, in which they are detected and photographed. The vision system 30 can operate on several lines, or alternatively there can be a vision system per line. From this viewing stage 30 the valid flowers are provided to a cutting stage 40, in which a cutting system cuts each of the flowers, separating the strands or stigmas from the rest of the components, such as petals and stamens. The cutting system 40 is explained in detail below. The cutting system 40 is designed to regulate its position and move automatically. The travel speed is also regulated automatically. In turn, the invalid flowers are not cut, but instead pass through the cutting zone 40 to a waste stage 50, where they are ejected from the conveyor belt 10.
    [0106] After the cutting stage, the machine has a filtering stage or system 80, in which, for each cut flower, the petals of the flowers are separated from the stigmas, and the rest of the flower is prepared. The cut flower parts fall from the cutting system 40 to the filtering stage. In this, the petals pass through an air curtain provided by a pneumatic injector that expels air and that largely displaces the petals from the rest of the flower parts, since they have different aerodynamics. Next, a filtering means, not illustrated in detail, using different geometries, separates most of the petals from the rest of the flower parts.
    [0107] Once the petals have been filtered, the rest of the flower (for example, stigmas, sepals, stem, some rest of petal and some impurity such as mud, leaves, sand, etc.) passes to a stage or classification system 85, in the that the parts of interest of the flower are separated, from the rest of the parts and from other impurities, which have been able to overcome the previous filtering stage 80. In the case of the saffron flower, the parts of interest are the stigmas (saffron). Sorting system 85 is preferably implemented by optical means.
    [0109] The different stages or zones of the machine are controlled by one or more control system (s). The at least one control system 60 comprises means of processing, such as a processor or a microprocessor, with algorithms to control the execution of the machine 100. The control system 60 also comprises memory means for storing the data to be processed and the data processed. In the diagram of Figure 1, the control system 60 has been implemented by means of a PLC ( Programmable Logic Controller or PLC) 60. The control system 60 controls and coordinates at least the following components of the machine: conveyor belt 10, vision system 30, cutting system 40 and scrap system 50), as described below. In addition, all the components of the machine are connected and coordinated with a control unit, so that the machine can be started and stopped in an integrated way.
    [0111] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a part of the flower debrising machine 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Specifically, the machine has been illustrated from the flower separation and arrangement system 25, showing a guide system 26 that forces the flowers to align, so that they access the viewing area substantially one at a time. On the conveyor belt 10 fall the flowers provided by the flower feeder 21, not illustrated in this figure. In Figure 4 a single flower treatment line is illustrated, that is, a cutting and sorting line. However, as many lines as desired can be deployed in parallel, thus increasing productivity. In the case that there are several lines, it is possible to use a single stage or feeding system 21, which feeds all the lines, that is, to respective separation and ordering systems 25; or several stages or feeding systems 21, for example one for each cutting and sorting line.
    [0113] In the separation and arrangement stage 25, the flowers are guided by a guide means 26, which is a fixed system (it does not move on the belt) that guides and positions the flowers so that they access the best positioned areas possible. vision and cut. In the illustrated machine 100, the guiding means 26 are formed by chamfered surfaces or walls located along a portion of the conveyor belt 10, so that the flowers that are received in bulk from the feeder 21, upon impact with the chamfered area, slide downwards, like a slide, towards the central area of the conveyor belt 10. That is, the guiding means 26 increase in thickness from its upper part towards its lower part.
    [0114] Its lower part ends just at the height of the conveyor belt 10, which thus sees its surface reduced. It is thus achieved that the flowers advance aligned and orderly, along the central area of the belt 10.
    [0116] After passing through the separation and arrangement stage 25, the flowers move in an aligned manner - substantially one at a time longitudinally with respect to the belt - on the belt 10, towards a viewing area 30. In the viewing area 30 , the machine 100 has a sensor or sensing system and an artificial vision system. The sensor system serves to detect the passage of each flower, so that, when the passage of a flower is detected, the control system 60 orders the artificial vision system to take a photo of it. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the sensor system is made up of a light emitting and receiving system 33, made up of a light source, and a photodetector, and a mirror 36. The light source, which is implemented for example by means of a The laser, and the photodetector, are located on one side of the conveyor belt 10, while the mirror 36 is located on the opposite side, opposite the light emitting and receiving system 33. The light source emits a beam of light in the same way continuous in the transverse direction to the conveyor belt 10. In this way, when there are no flowers passing over the belt 10, the light beam falls on the mirror 36 and is reflected by it, the reflected beam being detected in the photodetector located next to the light source 33. When a flower runs on the tape 10, it is interposed between the light source 33 and the mirror 36, thus obstructing the beam of light emitted. The absence of reflected beam in the photodetector is interpreted by the control system 60 as an indicator that a flower has been detected on the conveyor belt 10. At this moment, the control system 60 gives an order to the artificial vision system, comprising one or more cameras (one in Figure 4), to take a photo of the detected flower. The artificial vision system 34 is formed by one or more artificial vision cameras, with which photographs are taken of the flowers that run along the belt 10. In the illustrated embodiment, a camera 34 is used. Note that, In the event that multiple cutting lines are implemented, there need not be one vision system or stage 30 per line, but a single vision system 30 can serve multiple lines. Alternatively, there may be one vision system 30 per line.
    [0118] Figure 5 illustrates a flow chart representing the algorithm carried out by the control system 60 for the control of the detection / vision stages 30, cut 40 and waste 50. The control system 60, which is connected to the conveyor belt, the sensor system and the machine vision system, receives and processes the information captured by the sensor system and the machine vision system. The photograph 501 taken by the at least one camera of the artificial vision system is compared 502, for example in the control system 60, with a previously established pattern of the flower. The previously established pattern determines what is meant by a valid flower. In embodiments of the invention, the pattern comprises the outline shape of the flower and an optimum cut-off point (eg in x, y coordinates) of the flower. Optionally, the color of the flower is also included in the pattern, and can be used as a reinforcement parameter to determine whether or not a flower is valid.
    [0120] During the processing of the photograph, the control system 60 determines whether or not the flower is valid to be cut, according to the result of the comparison with the pattern, as well as the cut point of the flower, in the case of that is valid, so that after the cut the flower is divided as desired. This is so because the pattern bears a mark that indicates the ideal cut point of the flower. Thus, if as a result of comparing the photograph with the reference standard, it is determined that the flower is valid -because its similarity with the reference standard exceeds a certain threshold of similarity-, then a cut-off point of the flower, for example by its x, y coordinates, and the degree of inclination of the flower in the photograph, with respect to the reference standard. This is represented in step 503 of Figure 5. In case the flower is not valid to be cut (step 504), the control system 60 gives the corresponding order 505 to the waste system 50, also connected to the waste system. control 60. Upon passage of the flower identified as invalid, the waste system 50 discards the flower. In Figures 2 and 4, the waste system 50 is implemented as an air injector 51, which by means of a jet of pressurized air expels or discards the invalid flower. The air injector 51 is supplied, for example, by a pneumatic air system. An invalid flower is, for example, a flower in bad condition, or broken, or made into a ball.
    [0122] The invalid flowers fall out of the belt 10 driven by the air injector 51. The air injector 51 serves to expel the bad flower (not OK). When, when comparing 502 a photograph with the reference standard, it is concluded that the flower in the photograph is valid (OK), the control system 60 extracts from the photograph the coordinates (x, y) of the cut-off point of the flower y the angle of orientation of the same. The angle of orientation represents, for example, the orientation of the flower's tail with respect to that of the flower of the reference standard. This information is sent 54 to cutting system 40 with an instruction to cut the flower.
    [0124] The control system 60 also controls the cutting system 40, which at its end near the conveyor belt has cutting means, also referred to as a cutting tool, for cutting the flowers. Thus, when a flower is identified as valid, the control system 60 sends the previous information to the cutting system 40 (coordinates (x, y) of the cut point of the flower and its angle), as well as an instruction of cut the flower. At this time, the cutting tool makes a movement at least in a longitudinal direction L to the conveyor belt 10, as indicated in Figure 6, to get closer to the flower to be cut, whatever the position and orientation of the flower . That is, since the control system 60 knows the speed at which the conveyor belt 10 travels - by means of, for example, a servo control with an absolute encoder - the actual travel speed is known. And the position (x, y) of the flower cut-off point and the flower angle are also known, thanks to the vision system. Knowing the position and the speed of movement in real time, the cutting system 40 has all the information necessary to perform the cut at the correct point without any offset, thanks to its ability to move. Thus, upon receiving the order to cut the flower that is approaching, the cutting tool makes a movement in the longitudinal direction L to the conveyor belt 10, approaching the flower to, when it is placed on it, make the cut at the point ( x, y) that has also been indicated. Once the cutting tool has been positioned over the flower, the tool can be set at the same speed as the flower, and advanced in the same direction, and then cut.
    [0126] Optionally, the cutting tool is also moved in a transverse direction T to the conveyor belt 10, to, if necessary, approach the grain in this direction and face the cut in the optimal position. Note that since the flowers have previously passed through a sorting and sorting stage 25, the flowers arrive at the viewing zone 30 and the cutting zone 40 substantially aligned and centered along the conveyor belt. However, this ability of the cutting tool to approach the flower in the transverse direction, optimizes the cut in cases where, for whatever reason, the flower may have deviated from the position on the axis. cross belt 10.
    [0128] Also optionally, the cutting system 40 has turning means to rotate the cutting tool at the time of executing the cut, according to the orientation angle of the flower, as it has been extracted from the photograph. This minimizes the waste of valid flowers in themselves, but badly oriented. That is, if a valid flower is incorrectly oriented, the cutting tool, capable of moving longitudinally and optionally across the belt, could incorrectly cut the flower if it were incorrectly oriented - at a certain angle. This case is solved by providing the cutting tool with the ability to turn to face the cut of the flower at that certain angle.
    [0130] In Figure 6, the cutting tool is two blades 41, 42. Each blade is made up of a very thin sheet, preferably rectangular or square, the outer perimeter of which is very sharp. In each blade, at least the inner perimeter - that is, the one that remains in the innermost part on the conveyor belt 10 when the blades are placed transversely to the belt - is very sharp. The blades are preferably, but not limited to, made of a metallic material or of a metal-containing material, such as steel, for example food steel. The two blades 41, 42 are arranged very close to each other, so that with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the belt 10, the two blades are separated by a minimum distance. For example, they are separated by a minimum distance to avoid friction between blades. That is, when the blades are in the closed position, the two blades are practically superimposed or overlapped one another, while when the blades are in the open position, the two blades are practically aligned along a plane perpendicular to the belt. 10. The cutting tool could alternatively be implemented in another way, for example with a scissor.
    [0132] When the cutting system 40 receives an instruction to cut a flower, the cutting tool 40 (the double blade 41, 42 in Figure 6) moves in a longitudinal direction to the conveyor 10. In Figure 6, the The letter L indicates the movement of the double blade 41, 42 in the longitudinal direction of the belt 10. As has been said, optionally the cutting tool also performs a movement in a transverse direction of the belt 10 and / or a rotation on the flower. The letter T indicates the movement of the double knife 41, 42 in the transverse direction to the belt 10. The longitudinal displacement L is carried out by the two blades in a joint manner, that is, the two are displaced longitudinally as if they were a single element. At the time of cutting, the two blades 41, 42, when closing, approach each other at the same speed. Thus, when the blades are to open, the two blades 41, 42 move away from each other, while when the blades are to close, the two blades 41, 42 move closer to each other, for example as illustrated in Figure 6 And if the flower is turned (according to a certain angle), the cutting system can also make a turn according to that angle, to make the cut at the right point. Note that, unlike conventional systems, in which a cutting system waits in a static position for the flower to arrive as it moves along a conveyor belt, in the case of the machine of the present invention, the cutting system cut 40 moves towards the flower, as it advances, thanks to the fact that it knows its exact position on the belt and the speed of movement of the belt. Once placed on the flower to be cut, the cutting tool advances on it at the same speed as the tape, then making the cut.
    [0134] The control system 60 regulates the speed of all the displacements that may occur L, T, turn; that is, it regulates the displacement speed L in the longitudinal direction of the belt and optionally in the transverse direction T and / or with rotation, to position the blades 41, 42 at the exact point where there is a flower to be cut. It also regulates the cutting speed of the blades, that is, the speed at which the blades open / close. The control system 60 controls these parameters from the information obtained from the vision system, which make it possible to obtain the exact point of the flower where it must be cut. This is done automatically and self-regulating. Thus, at the appropriate time, ordered by the control system 60, the two blades 41, 42 execute a cut in the zone of the flower identified by the sensor system. In Figure 6 a cutting sequence of a flower 70 is shown. The flower 70 slides on the conveyor belt 10. As the flower approaches, the double blade 41,42 moves longitudinally L towards the flower 70 and, if necessary , it also moves transversely towards the flower 70, and even turns if necessary (not illustrated) and cuts it at the right time and zone, following the instructions of the control system 60. After cutting, the strands (stigmas) 71 and flower remains 72.
    [0135] After cutting the flower, the cut flower must be sifted. For this, on the conveyor belt the cut flower reaches a stage or filtering system 80, in which a first filtering is carried out, separating by gravity the parts of the flower, mainly the strands or stigmas 71 and the rest 72 of the flower (petals, etc.). This process is better appreciated in Figure 2. The parts of the cut flower fall 82 from the cutting stage 40 to the filtering stage 80. In this stage, the petals pass through filtering means in the form of an air curtain 82 provided by a pneumatic injector that expels air and that greatly displaces the petals of the rest of the flower parts, since they have different aerodynamics. In filter system 80 cut flowers pass through one or more air curtains. Thus, the filtering media, using different geometries, separate most of the petals from the rest of the flower parts. It is thus possible to eliminate a percentage of unusable flower parts, to improve the reliability of the classifier of the next stage. In this process of falling and screening, the strands of the petals and any other rest of the flower are separated. In embodiments of the invention, in this stage it is possible to eliminate more than 50% of the disposable parts of the flower, such as more than 60%, or more than 70%, or more than 80%, or more than 90% of said parts. disposable.
    [0137] Next, the parts of the flower that have passed the filtering stage 80, that is, for example, the strands together with some non-usable part (sepals, pieces of stem, some remnants of petals and some impurities such as mud, leaves, sand , etc.) that could not be filtered, they continue on a conveyor belt to a stage or sorting system 85, which selects only the parts of true interest 88, for example the threads or stigmas. The sorting system is preferably implemented by optical means. This optical sorting system 85 is conventional and is outside the scope of the present invention. It is implemented for example, but in a non-limiting way, as a drop system or as a flat or belt system. In the optical sorting system, 85, a vision system comprising one or more high-resolution cameras examines the product that is passing at high speed under its field of vision, detecting impurities or invalid parts. At the end of the belt, once the valid products of those that are not valid have been identified, the product is subjected to a jet of air produced by ejection valves, and the invalid products and / or impurities are expelled 87. In the case of the saffron flower, the parts of interest are the stigmas (saffron) 88. In the classification systems in flat or belt, the product moves through the belt at high speed and the vision system examines each element that passes and at the end of the belt, thanks to the high speed and therefore inertia, said product jumps a few centimeters and in that gap of space a rejection system ejects any element other than saffron. In optical drop sorters the operation is similar, except that the elements fall by gravity and pass through the vision area and the rejection system expels the unwanted elements.
    [0139] When a flower does not meet the cutting conditions, the control system 60, through the control algorithm that it implements (see, for example, Figure 5), considers the flower as bad and does not perform any cutting. In this case, the flower is discarded in the waste zone 50, also under the control of the control system 60. That is, returning to the stage or vision system 30, when a flower -which is moving in alignment with Regarding the rest of the flowers, on the conveyor belt 10, it is detected by the sensor system, the control system 60 orders the artificial vision system to take a photograph of the detected flower. Control system 60 receives and processes the photograph, comparing the photograph with the previously established pattern of the flower.
    [0140] 51, as a result of this comparison, the control system 60 determines that the flower is not valid to be cut, for example because its similarity with the reference standard is below a certain threshold of similarity-, then the control system 60 gives a command to the waste system 50, also connected to the control system 60. In embodiments of the invention, this command consists in emitting a jet of pressurized air by means of an air injector 51 than by means of a jet of pressurized air. ejects or discards the invalid flower when the invalid flower passes through the waste stage 50. Note that as the flowers run substantially aligned on the conveyor belt, and the control system 60 knows the travel speed of the belt 10 and By the time the flower has been detected, the waste system 50 can emit the jet of air at the exact moment the invalid flower passes through this stage. Upon passage of the flower identified as invalid, the waste system 50 discards the flower.
    [0142] Machine 100 is capable of cutting more than 14,400 flowers / hour, for each cutting line implemented.
    [0144] In this text, the term "comprises" and its derivations (such as "comprising", etc.) should not be understood in an exclusive sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include elements, additional steps, etc.
    [0146] In the context of the present invention, the term "approximately" and terms of its family (such as "approximate", etc.) should be interpreted as indicating values very close to those that accompany said term. That is, a deviation within reasonable limits from an exact value should be accepted, because a person skilled in the art will understand that such a deviation from the indicated values may be unavoidable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the terms "about", "about" and "substantially".
    [0148] The invention is obviously not limited to the specific embodiment (s) described, but also encompasses any variation that may be considered by any person skilled in the art (for example, in relation to the choice of materials, dimensions, components, configuration, etc.), within the general scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
    权利要求:
    Claims (23)
    [1]
    1.- A machine (100) to cut flowers and separate their parts, characterized in that it comprises:
    flower sorting and sorting means (25), configured to receive bulk flowers, separate and align them;
    a vision system (30) comprising sensing means (33, 36) configured to detect each flower that advances on a conveyor belt (10) and artificial vision equipment (34), configured to take at least one photograph of each flower advancing on the conveyor belt (10);
    a cutting system (40) to cut the flowers as they advance on the conveyor belt (10); Y
    a control system (60) comprising a processor that houses software means that implement an algorithm to control the execution of the machine (100), the control system (60) being configured to:
    receiving the photographs taken by the vision system (30);
    processing each photograph to determine whether or not each flower that runs on the conveyor belt (10) is valid to be cut; Y
    in case a flower is valid to be cut, determining its cutting point and sending an instruction to the cutting system (40) to cut the flower (70) at said cutting point thereof; and in case it is not valid to be cut, give instructions to dispose of the flower;
    the cutting system (40) being configured to, when it receives said instruction to cut a flower (70) at said cutting point thereof, make a movement in a longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10) to approach to said flower (70), and then cut said flower (70) at the indicated cutting point, and
    the control system (60) being also configured to regulate the displacement speed of the cutting system (40) in the longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10), to approach the flower to be cut and cut it when it is located on her.
    [2]
    2. - The machine (100) of claim 1, further comprising a waste system (50) to eject from the conveyor belt (10) the flowers that have been considered invalid after processing each photograph.
    [3]
    3. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a filtering system (80) to separate the petals from the rest of the cut flower parts.
    [4]
    4. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a classification system (85) to select the stigmas (88) from the rest (87) of parts of the flower.
    [5]
    5. - The machine (100) of claim 4, wherein said sorting system (85) comprises optical means.
    [6]
    6. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a flower feeder (21), configured to provide bulk flowers to the means for separating and arranging flowers (25).
    [7]
    7. - The machine (100) of claim 6, wherein said flower feeder (21) comprises means to extract the excess water carried by the flowers.
    [8]
    8. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein said sensing means comprise a light emitting and receiving system (33) and a mirror (36), where the light emitting and receiving system (33) comprises a light source and a photodetector, the light source being configured to emit a beam of light continuously in a direction transverse to the conveyor belt (10), so that when there are no flowers passing over the belt (10), the Light beam falls on the mirror (36) and is reflected by it, detecting the reflected beam in the photodetector, and when a flower runs on the tape (10), it is interposed between the light source (33) and the mirror (36), thus obstructing the emitted light beam, interpreting this absence of reflected beam in the photodetector as an indicator that a flower has been detected on the conveyor belt (10).
    [9]
    9. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein said artificial vision equipment (34) comprises at least one camera.
    [10]
    10. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein said disposal means (50) comprise an air injector (51) configured to emit a jet of pressurized air, said air injector (51) being fed by a pneumatic air system.
    [11]
    11. - The machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting system (40) is configured to, when it receives said instruction to cut a flower (70) at said cutting point thereof, make a movement in one direction transverse (T) to the conveyor belt (10).
    [12]
    12. - The machine (100) of claim 11, wherein said control system (60) is configured to regulate the displacement speed of said cutting system (40) in a transverse direction (T) to the conveyor belt (10) .
    [13]
    13. - The machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting system (40) is configured to, when the flower is rotated a certain angle, rotate the cutting system (40) to perform the cut with the correct orientation.
    [14]
    14. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein said cutting system (40) comprises two blades (41, 42) configured to open and close to execute the cut, moving in the opposite direction to that performed by the other blade (42, 41), so that when the blades are in the closed position, the two blades (41, 42) are practically superimposed one on the other, while when the two blades (41, 42) are in the open position, The two blades (41, 42) are practically aligned with each other, the two blades (41, 42) cutting a flower when the blades (41, 42) move from the open position to the closed position.
    [15]
    15. - The machine (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein said flowers are saffron flowers, the machine (100) being configured to separate the strands or stigmas from the rest of the parts of the saffron flowers.
    [16]
    16. - A procedure to cut flowers and separate their parts, which includes:
    feed bulk flowers;
    separate and align bulk flowers;
    exposing the flowers advancing on a conveyor belt (10) to a vision system (30), in which each flower advancing on the conveyor belt (10) is detected and photographs of said flowers are taken;
    From data captured by the vision system (30), determine if each flower that runs on the conveyor belt (10) is valid or not to be cut and:
    in case a flower is valid to be cut:
    sending an instruction to a cutting system (40) to cut the flower (70) at a cutting point thereof;
    Upon receiving said instruction, the cutting system (40) makes a movement in a longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10) to approach said flower (70), regulating the displacement speed of said cutting system (40 ) in the longitudinal direction (L) to the conveyor belt (10); Y
    cutting said flower (70) at the indicated cutting point;
    in case it is not valid to be cut, send an instruction to a waste means (50) to make said flower leave the conveyor belt (10).
    [17]
    17. - The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the stigmas (88) of the cut flowers.
    [18]
    18. - The method of any of claims 16-17, where before feeding the conveyor belt (10) with bulk flowers, the excess water carried by the flowers is extracted.
    [19]
    19. - The method of any of claims 16-18, where the invalid flowers are made to leave the conveyor belt (10) by issuing a jet of pressurized air emitted by an air injector (51) fed by a pneumatic air system.
    [20]
    20. - The method of any of claims 16-19, further comprising, upon receiving said instruction, the cutting system (40) performs a movement in a transverse direction (T) to the conveyor belt (10).
    [21]
    21. - The method of any of claims 16-20, where the flower (70) is cut by two blades (41,42) that open and close.
    [22]
    22. - The method of any of claims 16-21, comprising also regulate the speed of movement of said cutting system (40) in the transverse direction (T) to the conveyor belt (10).
    [23]
    23. The method of any of claims 16-22, further comprising exiting (82) the petals of the already cut flowers from the conveyor belt (10).
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    ES2823060B2|2021-11-08|
    WO2021089900A1|2021-05-14|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    ES2313857A1|2008-08-07|2009-03-01|Jose Estanislao Guerrero Muñoz|Automated method of the cutting of the blossom flower for release and separation of its stigms |
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    ES201930961A|ES2823060B2|2019-11-04|2019-11-04|APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE FOR CUTTING FLOWERS AND SEPARATING THEIR PARTS|ES201930961A| ES2823060B2|2019-11-04|2019-11-04|APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE FOR CUTTING FLOWERS AND SEPARATING THEIR PARTS|
    PCT/ES2020/070679| WO2021089900A1|2019-11-04|2020-11-04|Equipment and procedure for cutting flowers and separating the parts thereof|
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