초록 ▼

A selective-sorting berry-harvesting machine includes a supply system which supplies a computer vision system, a computer vision system including an artificial vision device for acquiring images of harvest components originating from the supply system and a processing device for analyzing said image

A selective-sorting berry-harvesting machine includes a supply system which supplies a computer vision system, a computer vision system including an artificial vision device for acquiring images of harvest components originating from the supply system and a processing device for analyzing said images so that the harvest components can be recognised and differentiated according to pre-established criteria, and a system for selectively separating whole, ripe and healthy berries from other components of the harvest, controlled by the processing device. The supply system is configured such that the harvest can be spread out to form a single layer, harvest components can be isolated individually and the harvest components, particularly the whole, ripe and healthy berries, can be moved rectilinearly at a controlled speed so that they are conveyed individually through the computer vision system. The computer vision system is configured to individualize and locate each element to control the selective separation system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for sorting raw berry crops in which the berry crops have healthy ripe whole berries and other components, the apparatus comprising: a supply system suitable for supplying the berry crops, said supply system having a downstream end;a vision system comprising: an artificial vision sys

1. An apparatus for sorting raw berry crops in which the berry crops have healthy ripe whole berries and other components, the apparatus comprising: a supply system suitable for supplying the berry crops, said supply system having a downstream end;a vision system comprising: an artificial vision system for acquiring images of the berry crops exiting said supply system; anda processor for analyzing the acquired images so as to recognize and to differentiate the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components based on a pre-established criteria; anda selective sorting system for separating the healthy ripe whole berries from the other components, in real time said processor controlling said selective sorting system, said supply system spreading the berry crops into a single layer so as to align and isolate the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components in a rectilinear movement at a regulated speed so as to move the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components individually through said vision system, said vision system configured and arranged to individualize the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components in space so as to perform selective separation of the healthy ripe whole berries from the other components in real time by said selective sorting system during a free fall of the raw berry crops after release from said downstream end of said supply system. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, said artificial vision system having an image acquisition device for recording images of the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components during the movement thereof, the vision system further comprising: a lighting system for illuminating the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components during the recording of images, said lighting system having a light projector placed in a same plane as an optical axis of said artificial vision system. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, said vision system further comprising: a contrasting background arranged behind the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components, said contrasting background extending perpendicular to an optical axis of said artificial vision system. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, said contrasting background being of a color different than a color of the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, said contrasting background having the color of the following relationship: R/V≧3 and R/B≧3, where R is a level of intensity of a red color received by said image acquisition system, where V is a level of intensity of a green color received by said image acquisition system, and where B is a level of intensity of a blue color received by said image acquisition system. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, said artificial vision system having optical lines extending perpendicular to average trajectories of the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components exiting said supply system. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, said supply system comprising: a generally horizontal conveyor having an upper bearing surface fitting for moving the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components through separate and parallel lanes toward a downstream end thereof. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, said artificial vision system having optical lines positioned adjacent a downstream end of said supply system. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, said optical lines being in a plane spaced by a distance from said downstream end of said supply system at least equal to a caliper of a largest component of the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, said selective separating system having an action plane that is positioned at a distance from the plane of the optical lines at least equal to: b=Xobj+Tr×Vc, where Xobj is equal to said caliber, Tr is equal to a response of the artificial vision system, and Vc is a speed of said supply system. 11. The selective apparatus of claim 3, said contrasting background comprising a rotating cylinder. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, said supply system having a regulated speed corresponding to an acquisition speed of said artificial vision system. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, said artificial vision system producing an image having square pixels. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, said supply system having a conveyor having a speed of between 1.5 and 4 meters per second. 15. The selective sorting system of claim 1, said supply system having a conveyor with a length of between 0.5 and 2.5 meters. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, said conveyor having an exit roll at an end thereof. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, said supply system having a conveyor formed of cords wound around at least two grooved rolls, said conveyor having an upper active surface having a plurality of parallel strands. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, each of said cords being tensioned at 4 daN±10% with an elongation of 1%. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, each of said cords having a sleeve of a polyurethane material surrounding a core of braided polyester material. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, each of said cords having a plurality of pins or ripples forming an exterior relief. 21. The apparatus of claim 17, said plurality of parallel strands having a space between adjacent pairs of said plurality of parallel strands, said space having a width dimension that is less than the average diameter dimension of the healthy ripe whole berries. 22. The apparatus of claim 17, said conveyor being supported on three grooved rolls, one of said three grooved rolls positioned under said active surface. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, said one of said three grooved rolls comprising at least one intermediate grooved roll positioned in a plane above the other grooved rolls so as to tension said cords at said upper active surface. 24. The apparatus of claim 17, said conveyor having a plurality of independent cord rings. 25. The apparatus of claim 23, each of said plurality of cord rings being buckled by a joint. 26. The apparatus of claim 24, said joint being removable. 27. The apparatus of claim 25, said joint being a cardan joint. 28. The apparatus of claim 1, said supply system having an oblique conveyor positioned upstream of a supply conveyor, said oblique conveyor having an active surface movable from a bottom to a top thereof in a direction opposite to a drop-off movement of the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components dumped on said oblique conveyor, said active surface of said oblique conveyor being smooth or having strips. 29. The apparatus of claim 27, said active surface of said oblique conveyor having an adjustable tilt ranging between 45° to 55° in relation to horizontal and a speed of between 0.05 and 0.3 meters per second. 30. The apparatus of claim 27, said oblique conveyor having a cleaning device cooperative with said active surface thereof. 31. The apparatus of claim 27, said supply system having a vibrating slide shovel positioned between said oblique conveyor and said supply conveyor. 32. The apparatus of claim 30, said vibrating slide shovel having an active surface in a first tilted plane positioned below and parallel to said oblique conveyor and in a second tilted plane slanted to horizontal in a range of between 0° and 10°. 33. The apparatus of claim 1, said supply system having at least one separating device for receiving juice from the other components. 34. The apparatus of claim 1, said selective separating system comprising at least one bank of pneumatic nozzles each positioned in a vertical plane. 35. The apparatus of claim 33, said at least one bank of pneumatic nozzles comprising at least two banks of pneumatic nozzles stacked one above the other. 36. The apparatus of claim 33, said pneumatic nozzles being aligned with optical lines of said artificial vision device. 37. The apparatus of claim 1, said vision system comprising a box-shaped housing, said housing having a closing shutter which closes automatically when said vision system is shut off, said housing having a fan or a source of compressed air suitable for creating an over-pressure in said housing so as to create an air stream exiting at said closing shutter. 38. A sorting machine having the apparatus of claim 1 which is an installation operating in a fixed location. 39. A sorting machine having the apparatus of claim 1 which is a mobile installation. 40. The sorting machine of claim 38, further comprising: a means for dumping the healthy ripe whole berries onto an upstream part of said supply system so as to match an output rate of the selective sorting system.