US 11,919,043 B1
Intelligent sorting for date palm fruit
Maged Elsayed Ahmed Mohammed, Al-Ahsa (SA); and Nashi Khalid Alqahtani, Al-Ahsa (SA)
Assigned to KING FAISAL UNIVERSITY, Al-Ahsa (SA)
Filed by KING FAISAL UNIVERSITY, Al-Ahsa (SA)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/226,446.
Int. Cl. B07C 5/08 (2006.01); B07C 5/36 (2006.01); G01N 33/02 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/08 (2013.01) [B07C 5/368 (2013.01); G01N 33/025 (2013.01); B07C 2501/009 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Apparatus for sorting produce, comprising:
a receiving bin or port;
an intake conveyer;
a plurality of sensors capable of sensing data for determining characteristics of the produce, the characteristics comprising predetermined categories according to criteria comprising size and at least one additional characteristic;
a plurality of output bins or ports;
at least one air jet sorter capable of selectively diverting the produce to different ones of the output bins or ports;
a control and evaluation unit, responsive to the sensed data to determine the characteristics of the produce and identify each item of produce according to the characteristics as one of the predetermined categories, and control the air jet sorter so as to cause the air jet sorter to selectively divert the produce to the different ones of the output bins or ports according to the identified category for that produce; and
a plurality of said air jet sorters sequentially arranged so as to perform separate sorting operations for sequential characteristics of the produce,
wherein the control and evaluation unit determines the characteristics of the produce and identify each item of produce according to the characteristics as one of the predetermined categories, and controls the air jet sorter to selectively divert the produce to the different ones of the output bins or ports by:
determining whether the produce has reached a deflection area, and if the produce has reached the deflection area, activates deflection solenoid valves after a predetermined delay consistent with a transit time of the produce from the deflection area;
determining if the produce has reached a sensor area, and in the case of the produce not having reached the sensor area after a predetermined delay, deactivating a feed conveyer and providing an error indication, and in the case of the produce having reached the sensor area, taking measurements to determine color, moisture content, and size, and identifying the produce according to predetermined categories; and
controlling the air jet sorter to sort the produce according to the predetermined categories.