Method and apparatus for the manipulation of products

Claim 1

An apparatus for manipulation of products, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone, and a second zone downstream of said first zone; a light emitting assembly comprising a manual gripping portion which is freely movable to any position, a rod connected at one end to one end of said manual gripping portion and light emitting means, attached to the other end of said rod, for emitting light at a position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, said other end of said rod also being freely movable to any position, said manual gripping portion being provided with (a) a switch to be manually operated to command light to be emitted from said light emitting means and (b) detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of a recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by means of said light issued from said light emitting means, based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor, for imaging said first zone to receive the light from said first zone and for issuing a first signal indicating a first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; third signal generating means for recognizing said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal from said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate on said detection indicating means that said first position of said specific product in said first zone has been recognized; and manipulating means for treating said specific product in said second zone based on said third signal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for manipulation of products, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone, and a second zone downstream of said first zone; a light emitting assembly comprising a manual gripping portion which is freely movable to any position, a rod connected at one end to one end of said manual gripping portion and light emitting means, attached to the other end of said rod, for emitting light at a position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, said other end of said rod also being freely movable to any position, said manual gripping portion being provided with (a) a switch to be manually operated to command light to be emitted from said light emitting means and (b) detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of a recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by means of said light issued from said light emitting means, based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor, for imaging said first zone to receive the light from said first zone and for issuing a first signal indicating a first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; third signal generating means for recognizing said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal from said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate on said detection indicating means that said first position of said specific product in said first zone has been recognized; and manipulating means for treating said specific product in said second zone based on said third signal.

Claim 13

An apparatus for manipulation of products, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; illuminating means disposed below said conveying means in said first zone, for upwardly illuminating said products conveyed into the first zone with a light of a specific wavelength to enable finding a specific product; a light emitting assembly comprising light emitting means for emitting light having a different wavelength from said specific wavelength, at a first position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, and detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product as indicated by said light issued from said light emitting means based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means comprising a video sensor for imaging said first zone, and a filter disposed at an inlet of said video sensor for passing light having said different wavelength, and not passing light having said specific wavelength, said video sensor receiving light passed through said filter to issue a first signal indicating said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; third signal generating means for recognizing said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate a recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indicating means; and manipulating means for treating said specific product in said second zone based on said third signal.

Claim 14

An apparatus for manipulation of products, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; illuminating means disposed below said conveying means in said first zone, for upwardly illuminating said products conveyed into the first zone with a light of a specific wavelength to enable finding a specific product; a light emitting assembly comprising light emitting means for emitting light having a different wavelength from said specific wavelength, at a first position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, and detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product as indicated by said light issued from said light emitting means based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means comprising a video sensor for imaging said first zone, and a filter disposed at an inlet of said video sensor for passing light having said different wavelength, and not passing light having said specific wavelength, said video sensor receiving light passed through said filter to issue a first signal indicating said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; third signal generating means for recognizing said first position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate a recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indicating means; and manipulating means for treating said specific product in said second zone based on said third signal.

Claim 24

An apparatus for recognizing a position of a product, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; a light emitting assembly comprising a manual gripping portion which is freely movable to any position, a rod connected at one end to one end of said manual gripping portion, and light emitting means, attached to the other end of said rod, for emitting light at a position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, the other end of said rod also being freely movable to any position, said gripping portion being provided with a switch which is manually operated for commanding said light emitting means to emit light and with detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by the light emitting means based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor, for imaging said first zone to receive the light from said first zone and for issuing a first signal indicating the position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; and third signal generating means for recognizing said position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate the recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indicating means.

Claim 25

An apparatus for recognizing a position of a product, comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; a light emitting assembly comprising a manual gripping portion which is freely movable to any position, a rod connected at one end to one end of said manual gripping portion, and light emitting means, attached to the other end of said rod, for emitting light at a position of a specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, the other end of said rod also being freely movable to any position, said gripping portion being provided with a switch which is manually operated for commanding said light emitting means to emit light and with detection indicating means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by the light emitting means based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor, for imaging said first zone to receive the light from said first zone and for issuing a first signal indicating the position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; and third signal generating means for recognizing said position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indicating means to thereby indicate the recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indicating means.

Claim 27

An apparatus for identifying a position of a specific product comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; illuminating means disposed below said conveying means in said first zone for upwardly illuminating said products conveyed into the first zone with light of a specific wavelength to enable finding a specific product; a light emitting assembly comprising light emitting means for emitting light, having a different wavelength than said specific wavelength, at a position of said specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, and detection indication means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by light from the light emitting means, based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor for imaging said first zone and a filter at an inlet of said video sensor, to pass light having said different wavelength and not pass light having said specific wavelength, said video sensor receiving light which passes through the filter to issue a first signal indicating the position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; and third signal generating means for recognizing said position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indication means to thereby indicate the recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indication means.

Claim 28

An apparatus for identifying a position of a specific product comprising: conveying means for conveying a plurality of products along a path which includes a first zone and a second zone downstream of said first zone; illuminating means disposed below said conveying means in said first zone for upwardly illuminating said products conveyed into the first zone with light of a specific wavelength to enable finding a specific product; a light emitting assembly comprising light emitting means for emitting light, having a different wavelength than said specific wavelength, at a position of said specific product among said plurality of products in said first zone of said path, and detection indication means for providing a perceivable indication of recognition of said position of said specific product indicated by light from the light emitting means, based on a response signal supplied thereto; first signal generating means, comprising a video sensor for imaging said first zone and a filter at an inlet of said video sensor, to pass light having said different wavelength and not pass light having said specific wavelength, said video sensor receiving light which passes through the filter to issue a first signal indicating the position of said specific product in said first zone based on said received light; second signal generating means for detecting a speed of said conveying means and issuing a second signal indicative of said speed; and third signal generating means for recognizing said position of said specific product in said first zone based on said first signal issued by said first signal generating means, and for producing a third signal indicating a second position of said specific product in said second zone of said conveying means based on said recognized position of said specific product in said first zone and said second signal issued by said second signal generating means, and for producing said response signal and supplying said response signal to said detection indication means to thereby indicate the recognition of the position of said specific product in said first zone on said detection indication means.