Pepper de-stemming methods and apparatus
US11672270B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 17, 2019 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA23N15/003
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A way of dealing with challenges to the pepper processing industry and pepper growers is to mechanize pepper processing, including the de-stemming of whole peppers. The present example provides a method for mechanically de-stemming whole peppers. The method provides for the recognition of a pepper's shoulder and or interior regions and stem in order to generate a control signal to initiate a process to de-stem the pepper. In particular, several implementations of the method are provided that may include a mechanical system, a laser system, a machine vision system, a combination of a machine vision system and the laser system, and other equivalent implementations. Additionally disclosed, are methods of processing whole peppers utilizing automated de-stemming.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.