PT109363B - DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR USE OF CORK STOPPERS QUALITY - Google Patents

Abstract

THE PRESENT INVENTION CONCERNS A NEW DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR USE OF CORK STOPPERS THAT COMPRISES A SUPPORT PLATFORM (1), A DEVICE (2) ABLE TO ROTATE A CORK STOPPER, WITH AT LEAST THREE DIGITAL CAMERAS (3), (4) AND (5) ABLE TO COLLECT IMAGES OF THE CORK SURFACE (BODY AND TOP), TWO SUPPORTING MEANS (6) AND (7), A CORK DISCHARGE DEVICE (8) AND A CUTTING DEVICE (9) ABLE TO SEPARATE AT LEAST ONE CORK STOPPER INTO TWO HALVES. THE PRESENT INVENTION PERFORMS THE CHOICE OF THE BEST QUALITY SURFACE OF THE STOPPERS, THE END RESULT OF THE PROCESS BEING A CORK STOPPER COMPOSED OF TWO OR MORE PARTS OF THE BEST QUALITY OF TWO OR MORE STOPPERS.

Description

Description

Device and process for using the quality of cork stoppers.

Introduction

Natural cork stoppers, obtained exclusively from the use of cork oak bark, are subsequently selected, according to the size and quantity of lenticels, in several, normally nine, different qualities.

Contrary to good quality stoppers (first 4 categories), medium and low quality stoppers (last 5 categories) are not a product with an appealing appearance and consequently a product not much sought after by the market.

In addition to the issue of size and quantity of lenticels, some cork stoppers are affected with so-called critical defects (Clefts, Coast, Belly, End-to-end Crevices, Verde, Bicho, Dry Year and Gutters). These defects, in addition to the poor visual appearance, cause the cork to lose its sealing property, causing liquid to leak out of the bottle that is sealed.

The profitability of the cork industry depends on the maximum use and valorization of the raw material (cork). Since the cork stopper is a product that can vary in value from 1 to 100 (in view of its quality/dimension) it is essential to enhance the product by eliminating critical defects or reducing the size/quantity of lenticels in each stopper.

In summary, the real problem is the quantity and size of pores in medium and low quality stoppers, as well as the existence of critical defects.

On the other hand, professionals in the cork industry are aware that all stoppers have a better quality face (usually the side of the cork that is originally leaning against the tree trunk is of better quality (fewer and smaller lenticels and less critical defects (cracks and coast)) than the side of the cork that is on the outside of the tree (immediately after the bark)

State of the art

Aware of the problem described above, the cork industry sought to solve this problem by filling in the plugs (filling of the lenticels) of medium and low quality stoppers (with a greater quantity/size of lenticels) and even proceeding with the rejection of stoppers where there are critical defects ( in order to prevent cork stoppers from entering the market that give rise to leakage of liquid).

Although the sealing process improves the performance and visual appearance of medium and low quality cork stoppers, the resulting stoppers continue to be a low-value product. On the other hand, the rejection of stoppers where there are critical defects, gives rise to a strong devaluation of the raw material.

patent application PT 103749, discloses a quality control system for cork stoppers, which uses a light source, a laser device and, among other technical characteristics, 2D and 3D image capture means. The main differences between the order (PT 103749) and the present order are in terms of the use of cork stoppers formed by the two halves of better quality, which is a huge advantage and innovation in relation to the existing state of the art.

Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention consists of a device comprising a support platform (1), a device (2) capable of accurately rotating a cork, at least one digital camera (3) capable of acquiring an image of the body of the stopper in 2D or 3D, at least two digital cameras (4) and (5) capable of acquiring the image of each of the tops of the stopper in 2D or 3D, two support means (6) and (7) equipped with at least at least two supporting elements (b) and (c) at the ends capable of holding at least one half of a stopper and of movement, a cork unloading device (8) and a cutting device with movement capacity (9) .

It is another objective of the present invention to implement a process to take advantage of the best quality of cork stoppers, in which the following steps are extremely important during the process:

device (2) capable of turning a cork, comprises four rotating cylindrical means (A) which are actuated by a precision motor (servomotor/stepper motor).

The stopper is placed between the four rotating cylindrical means (A) of the device (2) capable of rotating the stopper. The cork then starts to rotate while an optical reading of the cork surface (body and tops) is carried out through color digital cameras and/or depth sensors (3)(4)(5).

The elements read are communicated to a computer with software capable of processing the data received and identifying which part of the cork surface has the best quality (fewer and smaller lenticels and/or absence of critical defects). After this identification, the computer activates the four rotating cylindrical means (A) of the device (2) for rotating the stoppers, so as to place the stopper in the cutting position. The two support means (6) and (7) equipped with support elements (b) and (c) at the ends capable of holding a cork half and moving, are then driven so that one of the elements ( b) or (c) is holding a cork half with better quality and the other element (b) or (c) is holding another half of cork with worse quality.

A cutting device with movement capability (9) is then activated, separating the better quality stopper half from the worse quality stopper half.

Also depending on the analysis of the quality of the stopper, both half of a good quality stopper and half of a worse quality stopper are deposited in one of the holes of the cork discharge device (8) according to the size/quantity of lenticels. existing in each half stopper.

It is still an objective of the present invention to provide a cork stopper that comprises two halves of better quality, previously chosen by the recovery device and carried out by the respective process mentioned above.

In summary, the invention can classify by qualities, each of the processed cork halves in 5 or more distinct classes.

Subsequently, the better quality half of the stopper is glued to another better quality half of the stopper, extracted from another stopper. The end result is a stopper composed of two or more pieces of better quality parts of two or more stoppers.

The process of gluing the two halves of the stopper is then carried out manually by the operator, who places food glue on each of the halves of the stopper and joins them together.

Subtitle

1- Support platform;

2- Device capable of turning a cork;

3- Digital camera to capture the image of the cork body;

4- and 5- Digital cameras for capturing images of the tops of corks;

6- and 7- means of support;

8- Cork unloading device;

9- Cutting device;

a-Cylindrical means;

b and c - support elements.

Brief description of figures

Fig. 1 represents a perspective of the system for using the quality of cork stoppers, with the main constituent elements.

Ά fig.2 represents a detail of the system, in particular the support means (6) and (7), the support elements (b) and (c) and the digital cameras.

Lisbon, November 25, 2021.

Claims (6)

claims 1. Process of using the quality of cork stoppers, characterized by comprising the following steps: - start of rotation of a cork stopper between at least four cylindrical means (A), by means of a device (2) capable of rotating said stopper; simultaneously with said rotation of the stopper, an optical reading of the surface of the stopper is performed, through the digital cameras (3, 4 and 5); reading the collected data and communicating it to a computer with software capable of processing the collected data and identifying the surface(s) of the corks with the best quality; - placing the stopper in the cutting position through the rotating means (A); - activation of the means (6) and (7) of support and movement so that one of the support elements (b) or (c) holds the half of the cork with better quality and the other support element (b) or ( c) holding the lower quality half, while the cutting device (9) is operated, separating said better quality half stopper from said worse quality half stopper; - completion of the process with the halves of the stopper to be deposited in one of the holes of the discharge device (8), according to the quality of each said half. 2. Process for using the quality of cork stoppers, according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the step of placing the stopper in the cutting position, the activation of the rotating means (A) is carried out by the computer. 3. Process for using the quality of cork stoppers, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the cut is carried out longitudinally, separating the stopper into two parts along its length, one of the parts being the one with one surface with better quality and another with worse quality. 4. Cork stopper obtained by the process claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises the two halves of the best quality, previously selected by the device for using the quality of cork stoppers. 5. Cork stopper according to claim 4, characterized in that the two halves of the best quality were obtained through longitudinal cutting, performed by the respective device (9). 6. Cork stopper according to claims 4 and 5, characterized by the gluing of the two parts of the best quality, carried out immediately after their selection and manually. Lisbon, November 25, 2021.