US3910416A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fruit pit detecting method and apparatus
Assignee: WILLAMETTE CHERRY GROWERS Inc
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Filing: 1974-03-12
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Granted: 1975-10-07
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Expires: 1994-03-12
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for inspecting fruit, such as cherries, which has passed through a pitting machine is disclosed. The apparatus includes transducers for detecting whether a pit has been successfully removed from each of a plurality of simultaneously pitted cherries, and if not, causes the operation of air cylinders to reject the unpitted cherries. Timing is accomplished with photocells and shift registers. Through the use of integrated circuitry a separate circuit for each piece of fruit simultaneously pitted is provided. The inspector is adaptable for most high-speed pitting machines presently known.
Inventors
- 👤 George Calvin Payne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:11
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/36; B07C5/363; B07C5/365; B07C5/366; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; B07C5/3425; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising: a plurality of detection means for generating signals in response to detecting pits successfully removed from said fruit, said detection means comprising means responsive to passage of said pits after removal thereof from said fruit; a plurality of circuit means having at least first, intermediate and last storage elements for receiving and storing plural sets of said signals; timing means responsive to the progress of said receptacles for shifting successive sets of said signals from said first storage elements to subsequent storage elements; and a plurality of separating means each responsive to the presence or absence of a signal at said last storage element outputs for separating defectively pitted fruit from successfully pitted fruit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising: a plurality of detection means for generating signals in response to detecting pits successfully removed from said fruit, said detection means comprising means responsive to passage of said pits after removal thereof from said fruit; a plurality of circuit means having at least first, intermediate and last storage elements for receiving and storing plural sets of said signals; timing means responsive to the progress of said receptacles for shifting successive sets of said signals from said first storage elements to subsequent storage elements; and a plurality of separating means each responsive to the presence or absence of a signal at said last storage element outputs for separating defectively pitted fruit from successfully pitted fruit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus of claim 1 further including means for rendering inoperative ones of said separating means in the absence of fruit in a conveyor receptacle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus of claim 1 including means responsive to said timing means for enabling the output of the last storage element outputs, said separating means being operative in accordance with the enablement of the output of the last storage element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detection means comprise electromechanical transducers which generate said signals when said pits impinge thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said storage elements comprise shift registers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said circuit means are implemented as integrated circuits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus of claim 6 wherein the number of detecting means and circuit means are the same as the number of pieces of said fruit pitted in one cycle of operation of said pitting machine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus of claim 6 wherein a separate detecting means and circuit means is provided for each receptacle passing under the pitting assembly in one cycle of operation of said machine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said timing means include: timing pins mounted on said conveyor and photoelectric means positioned along said conveyor responsive to said timing pins.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus of claim 9 wherein said photoelectric means include: a first photocell responsive to said timing pins for enabling said last storage element outputs and for causing said shifting of said signals, and a second photocell responsive to said timing pins for disabling said last storage element outputs thereby to turn off said separating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separating means includes a plurality of solenoid-actuated air cylinders supplied from a common compressed air supply.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
108 words
Apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for rendering inoperative includes: a light source positioned along said conveyoR at the level of said receptacles; a plurality of photo detectors positioned above said receptacles for detecting light from said source reflected off fruit in said receptacles and providing an indication in the absence of fruit in said receptacle; a photocell responsive to the progress of said receptacles for providing said indication to an intermediate storage element only when said receptacles are directly under said photo detectors; said indication, if provided to said intermediate storage element, inverting the pit signal stored therein to thereby prevent operation of said separating means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising: a plurality of electromechanical transducers generating signals in response to pits successfully removed from said fruit impinging thereon; a plurality of circuits having at least first, intermediate and last storage means for storing and shifting plural sets of said signals; timing pins mounted on said conveyor; a first photocell positioned along said conveyor responsive to said timing pins for enabling last storage means outputs and for causing shifting of said signals; a second photocell positioned along said conveyor responsive to said timing pins for disabling the last storage means outputs; and a plurality of solenoid-actuated air cylinders each responsive to the presence or absence of a signal at one of said last storage means outputs, when said last storage means outputs are enabled for separating unpitted fruit from successfully pitted fruit.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising: a plurality of electromechanical transducers generating signals in response to pits successfully removed from said fruit impinging thereon; a plurality of circuits having at least first, intermediate and last storage means for storing and shifting plural sets of said signals; timing pins mounted on said conveyor; a first photocell positioned along said conveyor responsive to said timing pins for enabling last storage means outputs and for causing shifting of said signals; a second photocell positioned along said conveyor responsive to said timing pins for disabling the last storage means outputs; and a plurality of solenoid-actuated air cylinders each responsive to the presence or absence of a signal at one of said last storage means outputs, when said last storage means outputs are enabled for separating unpitted fruit from successfully pitted fruit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further including a light source positioned along said conveyor at the level of said receptacles; a plurality of photo detectors positioned above said receptacles for detecting light from said source reflected off fruit in said receptacles and providing an indication in the absence of fruit in said receptacle; and a photocell responsive to the progress of said receptacles for providing said indication to an intermediate storage element only when said receptacles are directly under said photo detectors; said indication, if provided to said intermediate storage element, inverting the pit signal stored therein to thereby prevent operation of the separating means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising the steps of: detecting pits separately from said fruit after said pits have been successively removed from said fruit; generating a set of signals in response to detecting said pits; providing each of said signals to a separate memory storage circuit; shifting successive sets of said signals through said memory storage circuits in response to the progress of said receptacles on said conveyor; and separating fruit contained in said receptacles according to the presence or absence of a signal at the outputs of said memory storage circuits.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for inspecting fruit passing through a pitting machine on a conveyor having receptacles for said fruit comprising the steps of: detecting pits separately from said fruit after said pits have been successively removed from said fruit; generating a set of signals in response to detecting said pits; providing each of said signals to a separate memory storage circuit; shifting successive sets of said signals through said memory storage circuits in response to the progress of said receptacles on said conveyor; and separating fruit contained in said receptacles according to the presence or absence of a signal at the outputs of said memory storage circuits.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 15 further including detecting receptacles which are empty and altering the signal stored in the memory circuits in the absence of fruit in a receptacle by inverting the signal stored in said memory circuits which correspond to said empty receptacles.
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) | 1978-10-06 | 1979-04-07 | 1979-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-06 | 1983-04-07 | 1983-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-06 | 1987-04-07 | 1987-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |