Patent US3628657A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3628657A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1968-08-15
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Granted: 1971-12-21
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Expires: 1988-08-15
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus of the present invention serves to detect a pit or a pit fragment that may remain in a peach half because of an imperfect pit removing operation. Toward this end, a conventional gas laser casts continuously a beam of laser light on a conventional oscillating mirror. In turn, the oscillating mirror, which is located on one side of an advancing peach half, projects an oscillating pencil of laser light through the advancing peach half. On the other side of the advancing peach half and disposed in the path of travel of the oscillating pencil of laser light is a suitable light sensing device. A conventional light diffusing screen intercepts the oscillating pencil of laser light in the absence of a peach half. While no peach half is in the path of travel of the oscillating pencil of laser light, the diffusing screen diffuses the oscillating pencil of laser light, the intensity of which is sufficient to cause the light sensing device to produce a no reject signal in the output thereof. When a peach half with no pit or pit fragment therein advances through the oscillating pencil of laser light, it diffuses the oscillating pencil of laser light. As a consequence thereof, a no reject signal is produced in the output of the light sensing device. Should a pit or a pit fragment be present in the advancing peach half, then the oscillating pencil of laser light is partially blocked or intercepted by the opaque characteristics of a pit or pit fragment, which causes a reduction of the intensity of the light impinging on the light sensitive device. This action results in a reject signal being produced in the output of the light sensing device.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald J Billett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:38
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/3416
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in translucent fruit comprising means for projecting a narrow pencil of light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected pencil of light for scanning the fruit with said oscillating pencil of light reflected toward the translucent fruit, and a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent fruit and responsive to changes in the diffused light for producing an electrical signal when the oscillating pencil of light strikes the opaque object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in translucent fruit comprising means for projecting a narrow pencil of light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected pencil of light for scanning the fruit with said oscillating pencil of light reflected toward the translucent fruit, and a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent fruit and responsive to changes in the diffused light for producing an electrical signal when the oscillating pencil of light strikes the opaque object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance as claimed in claim 1 wherein said source of light is a laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting a beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance wIth the presence or absence of an object in the fruit, and diffusing means disposed between said beam of light and said detecting device to diffuse the beam of light in the absence of said translucent substance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting a beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance wIth the presence or absence of an object in the fruit, and diffusing means disposed between said beam of light and said detecting device to diffuse the beam of light in the absence of said translucent substance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit as claimed in claim 3 wherein said beam of light is narrow and said means for casting said beam of light includes an oscillating mirror for casting an oscillating pencil of light toward the fruit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit as claimed in claim 4 in which said means for casting an oscillating pencil of light comprises a source of laser light that projects a beam of laser light on said oscillating mirror and said oscillating mirror casts the oscillating beam of laser light toward the fruit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit as claimed in claim 5 wherein said source of light is a gas laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
147 words
Apparatus for detecting opaque pit fragments in pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for scanning the fruit half in the inspection zone with a pencil of light, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
147 words
Apparatus for detecting opaque pit fragments in pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for scanning the fruit half in the inspection zone with a pencil of light, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in open-pitted fruit halves as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for scanning with a pencil of light includes a laser and an oscillating mirror for casting an oscillating pencil of light toward the fruit half.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in open-pitted fruit halves as claimed in claim 8, and comprising means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light between said mirror and said light detecting device to scatter the oscillating pencil of laser light directed toward said light detecting device during the absence of a fruit half in the inspection zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance comprising a source of light for projecting a beam of light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected beam of light for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the translucent substance, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent substance and responsive to the diffused light for producing an electrical signal, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating beam of light cast by the oscillating mirror to diffuse the same in the absence of the translucent substance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance comprising a source of light for projecting a beam of light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected beam of light for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the translucent substance, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent substance and responsive to the diffused light for producing an electrical signal, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating beam of light cast by the oscillating mirror to diffuse the same in the absence of the translucent substance.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance comprising a gas laser for projecting continuously a pencil of laser light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected pencil of light for casting an oscillating pencil of light toward the translucent substance, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent substance and responsive to the diffused light for producing an electrical signal, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light cast by the oscillating mirror to diffuse the same in the absence of the translucent substance.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a translucent substance comprising a gas laser for projecting continuously a pencil of laser light, an oscillating mirror disposed in the path of the projected pencil of light for casting an oscillating pencil of light toward the translucent substance, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the translucent substance and responsive to the diffused light for producing an electrical signal, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light cast by the oscillating mirror to diffuse the same in the absence of the translucent substance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, and a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit and responsive to the light intensity Of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of an object in the fruit, an object in the fruit affects the light diffused through the fruit, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating beam of light to conduct the beam of light toward said light detecting device in the absence of a fruit in the inspection zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, and a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit and responsive to the light intensity Of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of an object in the fruit, an object in the fruit affects the light diffused through the fruit, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating beam of light to conduct the beam of light toward said light detecting device in the absence of a fruit in the inspection zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, said means including an oscillating mirror, said means comprising a source of laser light that projects a pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror which casts the oscillating pencil of laser light toward the fruit, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit advancing over said opening, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light between said opening in said member and said light detecting device to conduct the oscillating pencil of laser light toward said light detecting device during the absence of a fruit in the inspection zone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for detecting objects in fruit comprising a conveyor for advancing fruit into an inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit in the inspection zone, said means including an oscillating mirror, said means comprising a source of laser light that projects a pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror which casts the oscillating pencil of laser light toward the fruit, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit advancing over said opening, and diffusing means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light between said opening in said member and said light detecting device to conduct the oscillating pencil of laser light toward said light detecting device during the absence of a fruit in the inspection zone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
283 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in open-pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light including an oscillating mirror for casting the oscillating beam of light toward the fruit half in the inspection zone, said means comprising a source of laser light that projects a continuous pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror and said oscillating mirror casts the oscillating pencil of laser light toward the fruit half, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit half advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit half advancing over said opening, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light between said opening in said member and said light detecting device to scatter the oscillating pencil of laser light impinging on said light detecting device during the absence of a fruit half in the inspection zone, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
283 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in open-pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light including an oscillating mirror for casting the oscillating beam of light toward the fruit half in the inspection zone, said means comprising a source of laser light that projects a continuous pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror and said oscillating mirror casts the oscillating pencil of laser light toward the fruit half, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit half advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit half advancing over said opening, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, means disposed in the path of the oscillating pencil of laser light between said opening in said member and said light detecting device to scatter the oscillating pencil of laser light impinging on said light detecting device during the absence of a fruit half in the inspection zone, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of detecting a pit fragment is a drupe half comprising the steps of, advancing the drupe half along a predetermined path, casting on said drupe half an oscillating beam of laser light, and diffusing the oscillating beam of laser light in the absence of a drupe half.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of detecting a pit fragment is a drupe half comprising the steps of, advancing the drupe half along a predetermined path, casting on said drupe half an oscillating beam of laser light, and diffusing the oscillating beam of laser light in the absence of a drupe half.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of detecting a pit fragment in a drupe half comprising the steps of, advancing the drupe half along a predetermined path, casting on said drupe half an oscillating beam of laser light, and scattering the oscillating beam of laser light in the absence of a drupe half.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of detecting a pit fragment in a drupe half comprising the steps of, advancing the drupe half along a predetermined path, casting on said drupe half an oscillating beam of laser light, and scattering the oscillating beam of laser light in the absence of a drupe half.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a moving translucent comestible comprising, means to project a pencil of light of smaller span than the comestible, means to move said pencil of light repeatedly across the moving comestible to diffuse light through said comestible when the pencil of light is not interrupted by an opaque object, and a light detecting device disposed in the paTh of light diffused through the translucent comestible and responsive to change in light intensity to produce a signal when the pencil of light strikes an opaque object to reduce the diffusion of light through the comestible.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus for detecting an opaque object in a moving translucent comestible comprising, means to project a pencil of light of smaller span than the comestible, means to move said pencil of light repeatedly across the moving comestible to diffuse light through said comestible when the pencil of light is not interrupted by an opaque object, and a light detecting device disposed in the paTh of light diffused through the translucent comestible and responsive to change in light intensity to produce a signal when the pencil of light strikes an opaque object to reduce the diffusion of light through the comestible.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
224 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit half in the inspection zone, said means including an oscillating mirror and a source of laser light that projects a continuous pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror which casts the oscillating pencil of light toward the fruit half, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit half advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit half advancing over said opening, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
224 words
Apparatus for detecting pit fragments in pitted fruit halves comprising a fruit conveyor for advancing successively fruit halves cutside down to an inspection zone, a second conveyor for advancing fruit halves from the inspection zone, means for casting an oscillating beam of light toward the fruit half in the inspection zone, said means including an oscillating mirror and a source of laser light that projects a continuous pencil of laser light on said oscillating mirror which casts the oscillating pencil of light toward the fruit half, a member in said inspection zone over which the fruit half advances, said member being formed with an opening through which said pencil of laser light oscillated by said oscillating mirror is cast in penetrating the fruit half advancing over said opening, a light detecting device disposed in the path of the light diffused through the fruit half and responsive to the light intensity of the diffused light for producing an output signal in accordance with the presence or absence of a pit fragment in the fruit half, a pit fragment being an opaque object and capable of intercepting light, and a rejection mechanism disposed adjacent said inspection zone and operative to divert the fruit half from said second conveyor in response to said light detecting device producing a signal representative of a fruit half to be diverted.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
67 words
The method of detecting an opaque object in a moving translucent comestible comprising projecting a pencil of light of smaller span than the comestible, moving said pencil of light repeatedly across the moving comestible to diffuse light through said comestible when the pencil of light is not interrupted by an opaque object, and sensing the light diffused through said object to detect a reduction of said light.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
67 words
The method of detecting an opaque object in a moving translucent comestible comprising projecting a pencil of light of smaller span than the comestible, moving said pencil of light repeatedly across the moving comestible to diffuse light through said comestible when the pencil of light is not interrupted by an opaque object, and sensing the light diffused through said object to detect a reduction of said light.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-20 | 1975-06-21 | 1975-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-06-21 | 1979-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-20 | 1983-06-21 | 1983-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |