AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to provisional patent application Serial No. US 61/560,625, filed November 16, 2012, titled, System and Method for Automated Inspecting and Sorting of Agricultural Products, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Background

The rate of return for a farmer's agricultural produce is based on the quality of the product, yet purchasers wishing to purchase only the highest quality rarely do more than a subjective visual screening. Because of this, consistent quality is impossible to achieve. In some industries such as palm oil which focuses on production of crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil (P O) from palm oil fruits, the quality of the incoming fresh fruit bunch (FFB) is of paramount importance to the CPO yield and eventually the quality of the final product. While standards are in place at palm oil processing plants, mills utilize a manual grading and sorting system. As such, manual laborers determine fruit quality visually and reject unripe, rotten FFB, and FFB with other undesirable traits as determined by authorities. Such undesirable FFB produces far less or no oil per fruitlet and can reduce the CPO yield and quality of the oil produced. The amount of labor required for manual quality control leads to between 0 to 70% of all FFB being inspected. Even if checked, the ability to guarantee acceptable quality based on manual inspection is minimal.

Others have researched the potential of a fruit inspection system for the palm oil industry. However, others correlate the outside color of the fruit to the stage of ripeness. Because of a number of factors, including but not limited to differences in outside color and problems with dirt-encrusted bunches, there are severe limitations in utilizing the color of the exterior of the fruit to determine actual ripeness. In published reports, there was only a 70 to 90% correlation between the outside color of the hit and the level of ripeness of the oil-filled flesh. These studies utilized FFB that were pre-cleaned and devoid of encrusted dirt in a controlled setting. Thus, the correlation between outside color of the fruit and level of ripeness is guaranteed to be lower when these techniques are utilized under real world conditions. The additional pre-processing of FFB for a system based on exterior color only renders this system prohibitively costly and slow. Therefore, the present invention presents a much better alternative that will yield at least a 90% correlation between the parameter measured and the level of ripeness of the fit.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for evaluating and sorting agricultural products, and more particularly, to an automated evaluation and sorting system for agricultural products or produce in which acceptance or rejection of an individual agricultural product is based on a comparison of a specific characteristic of an interior layer of the individual agricultural product to a threshold value of the specific characteristic to determine acceptability of the individual agricultural products. The apparatus includes a receiving section, a conveyance and evaluation section, which includes data collection and processing, and a sorting section.

The receiving section includes a ramp or conveyance that is structured to receive agricultural products which are then separated into individual agricultural products and moved along by the use of gravity or a motorized structure towards the conveyance section. The receiving section includes an area that allows smaller or overripe agricultural products to fall out of the apparatus and be collected below the apparatus.

The conveyance section of the apparatus includes a conveyance system, an evaluation system and a data collection and analysis system. The conveyance system moves the individual agricultural products first to a weigh station, weighing each individual agricultural product. The weight of each agricultural product is sent to the data collections system. The individual agricultural product is then conveyed to the evaluation system.

The evaluation system includes an intrusion device to score, pierce or otherwise expose the interior of the individual agricultural product and a sensor device to capture data of the interior of the individual agricultural product. The sensor device communicates continuously with a data processing system. Once the individual agricultural product reaches the evaluation system, its interior is exposed and data from the interior is taken by the sensor device and transmitted to the data processing system. The data from the interior of the individual agricultural product is then analyzed to determine if the data from the interior of the individual agricultural product meets a threshold value, where the threshold value is defined by the specific agricultural product analyzed. A decision matrix in the data processing unit determines if the individual agricultural product will be accepted or rejected. A decision by the decision matrix is transmitted to the sorting system of the apparatus. The sorting system receives the decision and directs the individual agricultural product to an acceptance area or a rejection area. The weight, the sorting signal, the seller of the agricultural products and any environmental or other data can be collected, recorded and stored. The present invention is also directed to a method for evaluating and sorting agricultural products, and more particularly, to an automated evaluation and sorting system that utilizes the interior of agricultural products to evaluate and separate individual agricultural products into one or more categories, such as rejection or acceptance of the agricultural products. The method includes receiving agricultural products, directing the agricultural products into a line of individual agricultural products, measuring specific parameters, such as weight, of the agricultural products, exposing the interior of the agricultural products to a sensor device that captures data corresponding to at least one specific characteristic of the interior of the individual agricultural products, sending that data to a data processing unit where a decision matrix utilizes the data to determine a decision for the individual agricultural product, transmitting the decision from the decision matrix to a sorting system, recording user-defined information for the individual agricultural products and accepting or rejecting the individual agricultural products.

Brief Description of the Figures

FIG. 1 A is an overview, conceptual draw ing of an automated system for inspecting and sorting agricultural products.

FIG. 1 B is an overview drawing of the automated system for inspecting and sorting agricultural products.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual drawing of an intrusion system and the sorting system for the automated system for inspecting and sorting agricultural products from FIG. 1 A and IB.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the anajysis of the imaging system. Description

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for evaluating and sorting agricultural products, and more particularly, to an automated evaluation and sorting system that utilizes an analysis of the interior of the agricultural product for determination of the quality of the agricultural product. The agricultural products are received and organized to into a formation of a plurality of individual agricultural products. The plurality of individual agricultural products is conveyed through a system that exposes the interior of the agricultural product to a sensor device where a characteristic of the interior of the agricultural product is captured as data by the sensor device. The data from the sensor device is sent to a processing unit where the data is analyzed in a decision matrix to provide a decision for physically dividing the agricultural products into one or more categories.

Embodiments of the apparatus for evaluating and sorting agricultural products are depicted in FIGS. 1 A, IB and 2. In particular, FIGS. 1A and IB depict a general depiction of the apparatus having a receiving system, a conveyance and evaluation system and a sorting system. FIG. 2 depicts a general overview of the evaluation system whereby the individual agricultural products are exposed, an image of the interior of the individual agricultural product is captured, the image is sent to a data processing system for analysis and the resulting analysis of the image is relayed to a sorting switch. FIG. 3 depicts the method for evaluating and sorting agricultural products by utilizing images of the interior of the individual agricultural products. The present invention herein can be utilized for numerous agricultural products. The embodiments presented use, for example, palm fruit bunches as the agricultural product.

FIG. 1A and IB are overall depictions of an automated system 5 for inspecting and sorting agricultural products, for example palm fruit bunches. The automated system 5 includes a receiving system 13, a conveyance and evaluation system 15 and a sorting system 17. The receiving system 13 has at least one chute 12 with a first end 19 connected to an opening 10, where the opening 10 can originate from a loading area. The at least one chute 12 is of a width that allows a plurality of palm fruit bunches to be formed into a line of individual palm fruit bunches. The individual palm fruit bunches move toward a second end 25 of the at least one chute 12. At the second end 25 of the at least one chute 12, a pair of rod elements 14 composed of appropriate material extend from the second end 25 of the at least one chute 12 where the pair of rod elements 14 are substantially parallel. Palm fruit bunches move from the at least one chute 12 to the pair of rod elements 14 allowing loose fruitlets to fall between the pair of rod elements 14 into waiting containers 23. These ripe fruitlets are gathered, debris removed by a vibrating mesh or sift or manually or other available methods, weighed, data collected before being utilized in the palm oil production.

Palm fruit bunches move from the receiving system 13 to the conveyor and evaluation system 15 of the automated system 5. Referring to FIGS. 1A, IB and 2, the conveyor and evaluation system 15 includes a. pair of continuous belts 18 extending from the pair of rod elements 14 of the receiving system 15 with the pair of continuous belts 18 in a substantially parallel formation. The pair of continuous belts 18 is arranged in a configuration, such as a circle, ellipse, multi-sided geometric figure or other appropriate configuration, allowing the pair of continuous belts 18 to be moved in a direction at a specified speed. The continuous belts 18 are coupled to each other by a plurality of rod elements 21 substantially perpendicular to the pair of continuous belts 18. The plurality of rod elements 21 are coupled to a plurality of support loops 20 which provide physical support for palm fruit bunches.

Referring now specifically to FIG. IB, depending on the agricultural products of interest, the plurality of support loops 20 can be rod elements shaped into a U-shape or other shape to maintain the physical support of the agricultural product. The plurality of support loops 20 can be attached to one of the rod elements 21 and the substantially parallel pair of belts 18 in such a way to allow the plurality of support loops 20 movement. One such mechanism is a hinge element (not shown) that would allow the plurality of support loops to fold over the pair of continuous belts 18 after the agricultural product leaves the plurality of support loops 20. Another embodiment may be a flexible material between the support loops 20 and the rod elements 21 allowing movement of the plurality of support loops 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and IB, each belt 18 of the pair of continuous belts 18 is in continuous communication with a plurality of drive rollers 16. The plurality of drive rollers 16 are removably coupled to the continuous pair of belts 18 allowing the pair of continuous belts 18 to move in synchronous motion. Referring to FIGS. IB and 2, the plurality of drive rollers 16 are in continuous communication with a data processing unit 27 which in turn is in continuous communication with a control unit 29. The control unit 29 can be located separately from the system. Alternatively, the control module can be integrated into the system 5 (not shown). One use of the control unit 29 is that the speed of the drive rollers 16 can be moderated and, thus, the speed at which the system 5 processes agricultural products can be controlled.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the conveyance and evaluation system 15 includes an intrusion device 32 for exposing the interior of the agricultural product of interest and 65705

can be located within the conveyor and evaluation system 15. The intrusion device 32 can be a pneumatic hammer, other mechanical devices, a sharp-edged device or laser device. When activated by the control unit 29 the intrusion device 32 pierces the flesh of the agricultural product.

In close proximity to the intrusion device 32 is at least one sensor device 22, such as a camera, optical scanner or other appropriate image or color sensing device. The at least one sensor device 22 is activated by the control unit 29 either at the same time the control unit 29 activates the intrusion device 32 or within a specified time period before or after the intrusion device 32 has been activated. The at least one sensor device 22, when activated, captures data from the exposed interior of the agricultural product, in the form of an image, an absorbance value, a reflectance value, a colorimetric measurement or other information, which is then transmitted to the data processing unit 27. The data processing unit 27 converts the transmitted information from the sensor device to a value for a specific characteristic of the interior of the individual agricultural product. The data processing unit 27 then transmits the value for the specific characteristic to the control unit 29. The control unit 29 contains at least one software application such as a decision matrix that analyzes the value for the specific characteristic and then transmits the analysis to the sorting system 17 to direct the sorting system 17. Referring specifically to FIG. IB, the sorting system 17 includes a moveable ramp 31 with a first position and a second position and a first chute 34 and a second chute 35. The control unit 29 communicates a decision to the moveable ramp 31 positioning the moveable ramp in the first position or the second position. The first position of the moveable ramp allows the individual agricultural product to be directed to the first chute 34 and the second position of the movable ramp allows the individual agricultural product to be direct to the second chute 36.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the transmitted data is analyzed for correspondence to a user-defined threshold value. The threshold value may be defined based on industry standards for a particular agricultural product. For example, the data for the interior color of a palm fruitlet from a palm fruit bunch can be compared to a parameter corresponding to a ripeness index 40. If the interior color of the fruitlet from an individual palm fruit bunch meets or exceeds the threshold parameter 40 the palm fruit bunch would be accepted, weighed 43, other information captured and the palm fruit bunch would be directed through the sorting system 17 to the acceptance chute 42. If the interior color of the fruitlet from a palm fruit bunch did not meet the threshold parameter, the palm fruit bunch would be weighed and rejected with the palm fruit bunch directed to the rejection chute 44.

As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosures and descriptions herein are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention which is set forth in the following claims.