Method and device for orienting an umbilicated fruit, in particular for packaging same

A method for orienting an umbilicated fruit, comprising the steps of:

• during a first orientation phase the fruit is supported and set into spinning rotation about a first axis of rotation;
• during a second subsequent orientation phase the fruit is supported and set into spinning rotation about a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first axis of rotation;
• an optical analysis of an upper surface of the fruit is carried out at least during at least part of the first orientation phase using at least one camera, disposed above the fruit, capturing images of said upper surface of the fruit, said images being transmitted to an image processing unit adapted to analyse said images and to produce optical analysis results depending on the orientation of the fruit;
• the rotation of the fruit about each of the two axes of rotation is controlled as a function at least of said optical analysis results of the fruit;
• characterised in that:
• the first orientation phase comprises the following steps:
• an initial optical analysis step, during which:
• at least one image, named initial image, of the fruit is captured on an optical image capturing axis not parallel to the first axis of rotation;
• each initial image is analysed by optical analysis, with the presence of at least one portion of an umbilicus being detected in each initial image;
• then a rotation step, during which the fruit is set into spinning rotation about the first axis of rotation at an angular amplitude between 5° and 45°;
• then a subsequent optical analysis step, during which:
• at least one image, named subsequent image, of the fruit is captured on the same optical image capturing axis as the initial image;
• each subsequent image is analysed by optical analysis, with the presence of at least one portion of an umbilicus being detected in each subsequent image;
• the processing unit executes a step of conditional decision-making, according to which, when a first condition is met by the optical analysis results of each initial image and of each subsequent image, the first orientation phase is stopped and the method is continued, said first condition being met when at least one portion of an umbilicus is detected in at least one initial image and is no longer detected in each subsequent image.