TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to at least one picking unit in order to provide removal of foreign substances provided together with the product and comprising at least one feeding conveyor which provides transfer of the products to be processed, and at least one sensing mechanism associated with said feeding conveyor.

PRIOR ART

During production of industrial products, products can have foreign substances at the input to production plants or at semi-finished productions. During production, foreign substances can occur as a result of a process or they can be the parts of products, which has been harvested, like stalk, branch, root, etc. during processing of vegetables and fruits. For instance, during processing of grapes, tobaccos, bluefish and primary vegetables like tomato, pepper, etc, these foreign substances are undesired items. The final product quality can be determined by means of the minority of said foreign substances in proportion to the product. Therefore, it is substantially important that said foreign substances shall be removed during the process or before the process. Removal of foreign substances by means of filter systems and fan systems are issues which are faced in the art. Optical picking systems and similar systems are insufficient in solving all of the work.

As a result, because of the abovementioned problems, an improvement is required in the related technical field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a picking unit, for eliminating the abovementioned disadvantages and for bringing new advantages to the related technical field.

An object of the present invention is to provide at least one picking unit where foreign substances are removed with high efficiency. In order to realize the abovementioned objects and the objects which are to be deducted from the detailed description below, the present invention is at least one picking unit in order to provide removal of foreign substances provided together with the product and comprising at least one feeding conveyor which provides transfer of the products to be processed, and at least one sensing mechanism associated with said feeding conveyor. Accordingly, the improvement is that the subject matter picking unit comprises at least one sensor for determining the position of the foreign substances on the feeding conveyor, at least one control unit associated with said sensor and which has distinctive information about the foreign substance, at least one holding element associated with said control unit and configured to be actuated by means of at least one scara robot embodiment. Thus, the foreign substance, which exists in the product on the feeding conveyor and whose place is detected, is removed by means of scara robot embodiment.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, said scara robot embodiment has multiaxis motion capability on the feeding conveyor. Thus, foreign substance can be separated from every position on the feeding conveyor.

In another possible embodiment of the present invention, said holding element is essentially a vacuum injector. Thus, the foreign substance is separated from the product by being held by a pneumatic system.

In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is positioned in a sensing mechanism in a manner associated with at least one light source. Thus, the position determination of the detection of the foreign substance is realized with complete accuracy.

In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is essentially a display device. Thus, the foreign substance is detected by means of the wavelength.

In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the control unit comprises at least one encoder connected in the picking mechanism. Thus, the position information of the foreign substance is transferred.

In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is open-sourced and is configured to provide identification of the foreign substance by means of machine learning. Thus, the foreign substance can be identified beforehand to the sensor. In another possible embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is configured to comprise at least one memory element. Thus, the foreign substance identified beforehand is kept under record in the control unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In Figure 1 , a representative perspective view of the subject matter picking unit is given.

In Figure 2, a representative perspective view of at least one scara robot embodiment used in the subject matter picking unit is given.

In Figure 3, a representative perspective view where a scara robot embodiment is positioned in the separation mechanism in the subject matter picking unit is given.

In Figure 4, a representative schematic view of a control unit in the subject matter picking unit is given.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the subject matter picking unit (10) is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.

In Figure 1 , a representative perspective view of the subject matter picking unit (10) is given. Accordingly, said picking unit (10) is essentially a production plant which allows removal of a foreign substance (11) provided in the products to be separated. Said foreign substance (11 ) can be particularly the parts of vegetables and fruits like waste, stalk, branch, root which affect the product quality and which are undesired parts, or said foreign substance (11) is the whole of the undesired parts having different characteristics. The picking unit (10) comprises at least one feeding mechanism (20). Said feeding mechanism (20) allows transfer of the products to be separated to the picking unit (10). The feeding mechanism (20) comprises at least one feeding conveyor (21 ). Said feeding conveyor (21) is essentially a movable band system whereon the product is carried. The feeding conveyor (21) is connected to at least one input chamber (23) at one side thereof. Said input chamber (23) is the input part to the picking unit (10) for the products and is essentially a case. The input chamber (23) is connected to at least one first drive element (22). Said first drive element (22) provides vibration capability to the input chamber (23) and provides the input chamber (23) to have a structure which is partially similar to a sieve. Thus, the product to be separated is at least partially spread and transferred to the feeding conveyor (21). As the product which is to be separated is subjected to picking process without being stacked on the feeding conveyor (21), the efficiency of separation from the foreign substances is increasing.

The picking unit (10) comprises at least one sensing mechanism (30) provided to be associated with the feeding conveyor (21 ). Said sensing mechanism (30) is a structure like a cabinet, chamber and is provided in the vicinity of the input chamber (23). The sensing mechanism (30) comprises at least one sensor (31). Said sensor (31 ) is essentially a display device. The sensing mechanism (30) comprises at least one light source (33) essentially provided in a manner co-operating with the sensor (31). Said light source (33) allows the sensing mechanism (30) to be illuminated at the desired level.

In Figure 3, a representative perspective view where a scara robot embodiment (52) is positioned in the separation mechanism (50) in the subject matter picking unit (10) is given. Accordingly, the picking unit (10) comprises at least one separation mechanism (50) provided in a manner associating with the feeding conveyor (21). Said separation mechanism (50) is a structure like a cabinet, chamber and is provided in the vicinity of the sensing mechanism (30). The separation mechanism (50) comprises at least one scara robot embodiment (52). Said scara robot embodiment (52) is essentially a multi-axis manipulator. The scara robot embodiment (52) is connected to the separation mechanism (50) by means of at least one chassis (51). Said chassis (51 ) is essentially a frame structure provided at the inner side of the separation mechanism (50).

In Figure 2, a representative perspective view of at least one scara robot embodiment (52) used in the subject matter picking unit (10) is given. Accordingly, the scara robot embodiment (52) comprises at least one second drive element (55). Said second drive element (55) is essentially a power unit for providing actuation of the scara robot embodiment (52). Moreover, the scara robot embodiment (52) is connected to the chassis (51 ) in the vicinity of the second drive element (55). The scara robot embodiment (52) comprises at least one part provided in the vicinity of the second drive element (55). Said part (56) is an arm provided in a manner allowing axial movement of the scara robot embodiment (52). The scara robot embodiment (52) comprises at least one body (57). Said body (57) is connected to the part (56) from one end. The body (57) is connected to at least one holding element (54) from the other side. Said holding element (54) provides taking and removal of the foreign substance (11) from the feeding conveyor (21). In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the holding element (54) is essentially a vacuum injector. Thus, the foreign substance (11) can be captured in an easy and serial manner by means of pneumatic movement.

In Figure 4, a representative schematic view of a control unit (40) in the subject matter picking unit (10) is given. Accordingly, said control unit (40) is essentially a communication unit connected to the sensor (31). The control unit (40) is open-sourced and is configured to provide identification of the foreign substance (11) by means of machine learning. The control unit (40) comprises at least one memory unit (32). Said memory unit (32) is the part where the distinctive information about the foreign substance (11) identified to the control unit (40) is stored. Thus, the foreign substance (11 ) which is identified beforehand by the control unit (40) is detected on the feeding conveyor (21) by the sensor (31). The light source (33), which operates together with the sensor (31), provides the sensor (31) to distinguish the foreign substance (11 ) by means of the wavelength and/or color characteristics. The light source (33) provides increase of the detection proportion. The control unit (40) comprises at least one encoder (53). Said encoder (53) is provided in a manner operating equally with the holding element (54). The encoder (53) provides transfer of the position information about the foreign substance (11 ) coming from the control unit to the scara robot embodiment (52). Thus, the foreign substance (11), where the position is coded, is captured by the holding element (54) actuated by the scara robot embodiment (52).

In an exemplary operation scenario of the present invention, the foreign substance (11) to be separated from the product is identified to the control unit (40). The control unit (40) stores the distinctive characteristic of the foreign substance (11 ) in the memory element (32). The product enters the feeding mechanism (20) through the input chamber (23). As the product is distributed by means of vibration in the input chamber (23), the product is transferred to the feeding conveyor (21 ). While the product in the feeding conveyor (21 ) passes through the sensing mechanism (30), the sensor (31 ) detects the position of the foreign substance (11) with the help of the light source (33). The sensor (31 ) notifies the determined position to the control unit (40). The control unit (40) shares the position information with the encoder (53). Meanwhile, the product passes through the sensing mechanism (30) and reaches the separation mechanism (50). In the separation mechanism (50), the holding element (54), actuated by the scara robot embodiment (52) as a result of triggering by the encoder (53), holds the foreign substance (11) through the determined position and takes and removes said foreign substance (11 ). Thus, the product is picked from the foreign substance (11) and is made ready for the next process as the final product. Together with all these embodiments, the foreign substance (11) is selected and removed from the product to be separated with high proportion. As the foreign substance (11) is once identified in different product groups, there is process realization capability without duration limitation. Picking can be realized without needing mold, maintenance or adaptation duration while it is easily applied to different products.

The protection scope of the present invention is set forth in the annexed claims and cannot be restricted to the illustrative disclosures given above, under the detailed description. It is because a person skilled in the relevant art can obviously produce similar embodiments under the light of the foregoing disclosures, without departing from the main principles of the present invention.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 Picking unit

11 Foreign substance

20 Feeding mechanism

21 Feeding conveyor

22 First drive element

23 Input chamber

30 Sensing mechanism

31 Sensor

32 Memory element

33 Light source

40 Control unit

50 Separation mechanism

51 Chassis

52 Scara robot embodiment

53 Encoder

54 Holding element

55 Second drive element

56 Part

57 Body