US5751833A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for inspecting articles such as agricultural produce
Assignee: Fruitonics Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-05-29
•
Granted: 1998-05-12
•
Expires: 2016-05-29
Abstract
Abstract A complete sorting system is provided herein including a sequence of interlacing cable conveyors for conveying objects to be sorted, such as apples or other agricultural produce, from bulk storage at the input to the system, through the system, and along to drops at the output of the system. The cable conveyors are configured and arranged to handle even delicate agricultural produce without damage and at high speed. The produce or objects which are conveyed typically do not roll along the conveyors. Preferably, objects of substantially any shape can be conveyed along the system.
Inventors
- 👤 Shmuel Blit
- 👤 Eyal Bartfeld
- 👤 Idan Pais
- 👤 Yair Eilam
- 👤 Efraim Vallach
- 👤 Haim Bezdin
- 👤 Israel Laron
- 👤 Doron Katzin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:01
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; B07C5/3422; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/314; G01N2021/317; G01N2021/3177
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
Apparatus for inspecting articles comprising: a camera means operative to inspect generally all exposed surfaces of the article simultaneously; and an image processor for providing a reconstruction of the exposed surfaces of an article in which substantially every point on the exposed surfaces of the article is reconstructed exactly once.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus for inspecting articles comprising: a camera means operative to inspect generally all exposed surfaces of the article simultaneously; and an image processor for providing a reconstruction of the exposed surfaces of an article in which substantially every point on the exposed surfaces of the article is reconstructed exactly once.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said camera means comprises at least first and second camera units and wherein said image processor comprises means for reconstructing predetermined at least first and second substantially nonoverlapping portions of the article in accordance with the images generated by the at least first and second camera units respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined portions of the article are determined in accordance with a predetermined model of the shape of the article, the model defining at least one model parameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 and also comprising an image-model comparison unit for comparing an image of at least a portion of the article to the predetermined model of the shape of the article and for correcting the determination of the predetermined portions of the article to take into account discrepancies between the actual shape of the article and the predetermined model thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said camera means comprises at least first and second camera units and wherein said image processor comprises: apparatus for comparing first and second images of first and second respective portions of the article generated by the first and second camera units respectively, thereby to identify overlap between first and second images.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the article is supported by an article supporting element disposed intermediate the article and said camera and wherein the image processor comprises an article supporting element identifier for differentiating an image of the article supporting element from the image of the article.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2933613A
Cited
US3225892A
Cited
DE2327355A1
Cited
US3867041A
Cited
US3961701A
Cited
US4146135A
Cited
US4204950A
Cited
US4246098A
Cited
US4515275A
Cited
US4534470A
Cited
US4735323A
Cited
US4645080A
Cited
US4687107A
Cited
US4863041A
Cited
US4799596A
Cited
US4741042A
Cited
US4940850A
Cited
US5085325A
Cited
US4878582A
Cited
US5010247A
Cited
WO1991004803A1
Cited
US5012116A
Cited
US5218555A
Cited
US5078258A
Cited
US5024530A
Cited
US5315384A
Cited
US5390261A
Cited
US5339963A
Cited
US5526119A
Cited
US5410637A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-11 | 2001-11-10 | 2002-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-11 | 2005-11-10 | 2006-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-11 | 2009-11-10 | 2010-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |