Automated silkworm sex sorting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018318883-A1
Application number	US-201815967985-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 1, 2018
Priority date	May 8, 2017
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

For sorting silkworm chrysalises, a feed mechanism positions silkworm chrysalises on a delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism receives and carries the silkworm chrysalises from the feed mechanism. A detection mechanism detects a female silkworm chrysalis based on an optical wavelength emitted by the female silkworm chrysalis. A sorting mechanism that sorts the silkworm chrysalises, putting female silkworm chrysalises into a female collecting box, and male silkworm chrysalises into male collecting box.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a feed mechanism that positions silkworm chrysalises on a delivery mechanism; the delivery mechanism comprising a plurality of positions that receives and carries the silkworm chrysalises from the feed mechanism; a detection mechanism that detects a female silkworm chrysalis based on an optical wavelength emitted by the female silkworm chrysalis; and a sorting mechanism that sorts the silkworm chrysalises, putting female silkworm chrysalises into a female collecting box, and male silkworm chrysalises into male collecting box.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feed mechanism comprises a vibrating plate 1 , wherein the silkworm chrysalises are put into the vibrating plate 1 , the silkworm chrysalises transferred one by one to corresponding working positions on the delivery mechanism.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising tapholes with taper cups at the working positions.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the taper cups each comprise an elastic cushion and a plug boss, wherein the elastic cushion is disposed at the bottom of the taper cup, air channels are disposed between the elastic cushion and the conveyor belt, and the plug boss is disposed beneath the elastic cushion, the plug boss comprising air tubes and a plug that supply air flow to the air channels.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detection mechanism comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that detects the optical wavelength emitted by the female silkworm chrysalis.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detection mechanism further comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a green fluorescence filter, a dichroic mirror, wherein light from the LED goes through the green fluorescence filter producing a green light with a 554 nm central wave length and 30 nm bandwidth that is refracted by the dichroic mirror on to the silkworm chrysalis, and wherein light from the silkworm chrysalis is transmitted through the dichroic mirror passing through an orange fluorescence filter with a 586 central length and a 20 nm bandwidth to the CCD camera.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the green light stimulates the female silkworm chrysalis to emit an orange 586 nm light, which is transmitted through the dichroic mirror and the orange fluorescence filter and detected by the CCD camera to identify the female silkworm chrysalis.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein images from the CCD camera are analyzed by an image processing algorithm to separate the silkworm chrysalises by sex.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the image processing algorithm may employ a database to sort silkworm chrysalises.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sort mechanism comprises a female collecting box, a male collecting box, and a driving mechanism, and wherein in response to a female silkworm chrysalises falling from a conveyor belt, the driving mechanism drives the female collecting box to collect the female silkworm chrysalises and in response to the male silkworm chrysalises falling from the conveyor belt, the driving mechanism drives the male collecting box to collect the male silkworm chrysalises.

11 . A system comprising:
a feed mechanism that positions silkworm chrysalises on a delivery mechanism; the delivery mechanism comprising a plurality of positions that receives and carries the silkworm chrysalises from the feed mechanism; a detection mechanism that detects a female silkworm chrysalis based on an optical wavelength emitted by the female silkworm chrysalis; a sorting mechanism that sorts the silkworm chrysalises, putting female silkworm chrysalises into a female collecting box, and male silkworm chrysalises into male collecting box; and a controller that controls the feed mechanism, the delivery mechanism, the detection mechanism, and the sorting mechanism.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the feed mechanism comprises a vibrating plate 1 , wherein the silkworm chrysalises are put into the vibrating plate 1 , the silkworm chrysalises transferred one by one to corresponding working positions on the delivery mechanism.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising tapholes with taper cups at the working positions.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the taper cups each comprise an elastic cushion and a plug boss, wherein the elastic cushion is disposed at the bottom of the taper cup, air channels are disposed between the elastic cushion and the conveyor belt, and the plug boss is disposed beneath the elastic cushion, the plug boss comprising air tubes and a plug that supply air flow to the air channels.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the detection mechanism comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that detects the optical wavelength emitted by the female silkworm chrysalis.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the detection mechanism further comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a green fluorescence filter, a dichroic mirror, wherein light from the LED goes through the green fluorescence filter producing a green light with a 554 nm central wave length and 30 nm bandwidth that is refracted by the dichroic mirror on to the silkworm chrysalis, and wherein light from the silkworm chrysalis is transmitted through the dichroic mirror passing through an orange fluorescence filter with a 586 central length and a 20 nm bandwidth to the CCD camera.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the green light stimulates the female silkworm chrysalis to emit an orange 586 nm light, which is transmitted through the dichroic mirror and the orange fluorescence filter and detected by the CCD camera to identify the female silkworm chrysalis.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein images from the CCD camera are analyzed by an image processing algorithm to separate the silkworm chrysalises by sex.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the image processing algorithm may employ a database to sort silkworm chrysalises.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the sort mechanism comprises a female collecting box, a male collecting box, and a driving mechanism, and wherein in response to a female silkworm chrysalises falling from a conveyor belt, the driving mechanism drives the female collecting box to collect the female silkworm chrysalises and in response to the male silkworm chrysalises falling from the conveyor belt, the driving mechanism drives the male collecting box to collect the male silkworm chrysalises.

Assignees

• Univ Jiliang China

Inventors

• Mingyan Zhao

Classifications

• B07C5/38

  Collecting or arranging articles in groups · CPC title

• B07C5/02

  Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating {(sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06)} · CPC title

• B07C5/3422 Primary

  using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras · CPC title

• B07C5/342 Primary

  according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)} · CPC title

• A01K67/35

  Silkworms · CPC title