EP0105452A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for sorting items such as fruit and the like
Assignee: Pennwalt Corp
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Filing: 1983-09-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-09-27
Abstract
Abstract @ Apparatus and method for processing fruit and the like, particularly for sorting as a function of variables including color, blemish, size and shape. The apparatus provides an illuminator for substantially uniformly illuminating a portion of the item being examined, and signal means for generating a plurality of signals corresponding to respective different portions of the item being examined. The data signals corresponding to a given item are accumulated and then batch processed to determine sorting signals, while a next item is being examined and data signals for it are being accumulated. For blemish detection, the batch processing includes determination of differences between signals representing adjacent surface portions, and generation of blemish sorting signals as a function of such determined differences.
Inventors
- 👤 George A. Mills
- 👤 Gerald R. Richert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:52
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; B07C5/3422
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like comprising: video signal means for examining an item and developing a plurality of discrete data signals, each said data signal being representative of a condition of a respective portion of said item; storage means for storing said data signals as they are generated until all of said data signals corresponding to said item are stored, thereby generating a stored block of item data corresponding to said item; analyzing means for analyzing said block of data according to a predetermined program, and for generating one or more process signals as a result of said analysis; and means for processing said item as a function of said one or more process signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like comprising: video signal means for examining an item and developing a plurality of discrete data signals, each said data signal being representative of a condition of a respective portion of said item; storage means for storing said data signals as they are generated until all of said data signals corresponding to said item are stored, thereby generating a stored block of item data corresponding to said item; analyzing means for analyzing said block of data according to a predetermined program, and for generating one or more process signals as a result of said analysis; and means for processing said item as a function of said one or more process signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
98 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising: means for transporting successive items past said video signal means; said storage means comprising at least two operably distinct storage units; and data control means for controlling transfer of data signals being generated by said video signal means and corresponding to a particular item to a respective one of said storage units, and for concurrently controlling said analyzing means to analyze a block of data signals corresponding to a prior item which where stored in a respective other one of said storage units while said signals were being generated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus as described in claim 2, comprising: two of said storage units, and wherein said data control means controls transfer of data being generated by said video signal means into one of said storage units while said analyzing means operates on the block of data stored in the other of said storage units, and for alternating the above two operations each time the video signal means examines a next successive item.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1 comprising: means for moving said item relative to said video signal means, and wherein said video signal means comprises a plurality of detectors positioned to examine different portions of said item, an amplifier corresponding to each of said detectors, multiplexer means for scanning said detectors over a plurality of scans, and an analog to digital converter for converting signals from said detectors and data control means for controlling the scanning of said detectors by said multiplexer, whereby a block of digital bytes is generated corresponding to each examined item.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said data control means controls the scanning of said detector array a predetermined plurality of times corresponding to each item examined, and controls the transfer of data to a storage unit such that said block of data comprises a matrix of NxD bytes of data, N representing the number of scans of said plurality of detectors and D representing the number of detectors in said plurality of detectors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said analyzing means comprises: means for inspecting data from each of said N scans to determine start and stop threshold values for each detector and for generating said process signals as a function only of data encompassed by said threshold values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein said analyzing means further comprises: means for inspecting data from each of said N scans of each detector to determine a start value and a stop value, and for generating said process signals as a function only of data encompassed by said start and stop values.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein said analyzing means further comprises: means for obtaining the square of the difference between the stop threshold value and the start threshold value corresponding to each detector, and for summing such difference square values to get a volume signal for each said item, said processing means having means for sorting said items as a function of volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said analyzing means further comprises: difference means for operating on the bytes in a stored data block corresponding to each detector and obtaining the differences of adjacent scan bytes between said start and stop values corresponding to each detector and wherein said processing means sorts said items as a function of said differences.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said analyzing means comprises: means for determining, from said block of data, a representation of two orthogonal dimensions of said item, and for generating therefrom a signal representative of the shape of said item, and said means for processing comprises means for sorting said items.as a function of shape.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein said analyzing means further comprises: means for summing said differences and for selecting a predetermined number of said sums of differences of the different detectors, and for sorting said items as a function of said selected sums.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said video signal means comprises: a first set of said detectors employed to generate blemish signals, and a second set of said detectors employed to generate color signals, and said means for processing comprises: means for sorting said items as a function of color and blemish.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
. 13. The apparatus as described in claim 1,-further comprising: means for moving successive items into position to be examined by said video signal means, and wherein said analyzing means comprises: means for generating, from each block of item data, a signal representative of item variegation, and means for sorting said items as a function of item variegation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said video signal means comprises: illuminating means for illuminating said item as it is passed by said video signal means, said illuminating means having a plurality of light sources positioned to direct overlapping light on the surface examined by said video signal means, thereby providing substantially uniform illumination of said item as it is examined.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus as described in claim 1, comprising: means for moving successive items into position to be examined by said video signal means, and where said video signal means comprises: an array of light detectors, each positioned to generate a signal representative of ligh reflected from a portion of the surface of said item, and uniform illuminating means for uniformly illuminating each said portion of item surface by directing substantially equal amounts of light thereon from a plurality of sources, whereby said detectors generate signals representative substantially only of the surface condition of said item.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as described in claim 15, wherein said video signal means views said item at a first direction each of said sources is aligned to direct light at said item at an angle relative to said first direction, said angle being 45° or greater. 1
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like, said apparatus having a light signal means for viewing said items and developing a plurality of data signals corresponding to each viewed item, having means for moving successive items into position to be viewed by said light signal means, characterized by: means for illuminating each said item substantially uniformly over the surface thereof being viewed by said light signal means; difference means for obtaining difference signals corresponding to the difference of data signals. from light signal means corresponding to adjacent portions of the surface of each said item and means for sorting said items as a function of said difference signals; and block data means for receiving all of said data signals corresponding to each given item, said difference means being connected to operate on said block of data signals as a batch following examination of a given item by said light signal means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like, said apparatus having a light signal means for viewing said items and developing a plurality of data signals corresponding to each viewed item, having means for moving successive items into position to be viewed by said light signal means, characterized by: means for illuminating each said item substantially uniformly over the surface thereof being viewed by said light signal means; difference means for obtaining difference signals corresponding to the difference of data signals. from light signal means corresponding to adjacent portions of the surface of each said item and means for sorting said items as a function of said difference signals; and block data means for receiving all of said data signals corresponding to each given item, said difference means being connected to operate on said block of data signals as a batch following examination of a given item by said light signal means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like, comprising: video signal means for examining an item and generating a plurality of digital signal, each said signal being representative of the surface condition of a respective portion of said item, and batch processing means for providing batch processing of said accumulated data after it has been accumulated, and generating therefrom at least one sorting signal, and means for sorting said item in accordance with said sorting signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like, comprising: video signal means for examining an item and generating a plurality of digital signal, each said signal being representative of the surface condition of a respective portion of said item, and batch processing means for providing batch processing of said accumulated data after it has been accumulated, and generating therefrom at least one sorting signal, and means for sorting said item in accordance with said sorting signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus as described in claim 18, wherein said video signal means comprises illuminating means for illuminating said item when in position to be viewed, said illuminating means comprising a plurality of light sources directing light at a position of said item, said light sources being arranged substantially in a plane displaced from said item as it is being viewed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus as described in claim 19, wherein said light sources direct light towards said item at an angle relative to said plane, which angle is in a range of about 15° - 45°.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
142 words
Apparatus for sorting items such as fruit, having means for moving successive said items to and past a predetermined location and means for generating a block of item signals representative of each said item as it is about at said location, characterized by means for storing each said block of item signals as said item signals are generated and means for processing said block of signals after all of said item signals in a block have been generated; said means for processing comprising means for inspecting each said block of item signals to determine the presence of one or more predetermined signal characteristics and means for processing said block of signals as a function of said determined signal characteristics and for developing therefrom a sorting signal corresponding to each item; and means for sorting said items in accordance with said sorting signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
142 words
Apparatus for sorting items such as fruit, having means for moving successive said items to and past a predetermined location and means for generating a block of item signals representative of each said item as it is about at said location, characterized by means for storing each said block of item signals as said item signals are generated and means for processing said block of signals after all of said item signals in a block have been generated; said means for processing comprising means for inspecting each said block of item signals to determine the presence of one or more predetermined signal characteristics and means for processing said block of signals as a function of said determined signal characteristics and for developing therefrom a sorting signal corresponding to each item; and means for sorting said items in accordance with said sorting signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for processing further comprises means for selecting less than all of the item signals of each said block as a function of said predetermined signal characteristics, and means for processing said selected signal from each said block to develop therefrom said sorting signal corresponding to each item.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for processing-fruit items and the like comprising: an illuminating system for illuminating items present in a detecting zone; a detector system responsive to light reflected from said items in said zone said detection system including a linear array of detectors positioned to examine different portions of said items; a transport mechanism for moving said items through said zone; means for periodically scanning said array to obtain a data signal output proportional to said reflected light detected by each detector of said array as said items move through said zone; and means for counting the data signal output for each detector of said array whereby the length and width of said fruit item may be determined.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for processing-fruit items and the like comprising: an illuminating system for illuminating items present in a detecting zone; a detector system responsive to light reflected from said items in said zone said detection system including a linear array of detectors positioned to examine different portions of said items; a transport mechanism for moving said items through said zone; means for periodically scanning said array to obtain a data signal output proportional to said reflected light detected by each detector of said array as said items move through said zone; and means for counting the data signal output for each detector of said array whereby the length and width of said fruit item may be determined.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising: analyzing means responsive to said counting means for determining the volume of said item.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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