Inspection and cutting apparatus
US4520702A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1983 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T83/543
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An article inspection and cutting apparatus (10) is described for high production processing of elongated articles (12) such as raw potato strips (french fries). The apparatus includes a conveyor (20) for moving the articles (12) in line in a large number of transversely spaced lanes past an inspection (28) station and a cutting station (30). Scanning cameras (38, 40) at the inspection station (28) rapidly scan across the lanes to detect color or shade variation in the articles (12) and generate electrical signals characteristic of the defect. Rotating sets of knife wheels (54) are positioned at the cutting station for selectively projecting two or more knives (68) from the periphery of the wheel to cut sections of the article (12) containing the defect to separate the defective portion from the remainder of the article. The apparatus 10 has the capability of detecting the size of different shade defects and removing smaller dark defects and larger lighter defects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.