Method and device for detecting dirt as present on articles, for example eggs

US6433293B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• FPS Food Processing Systems, B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Peter Bollinger · Boppard, DE
• Wolfgang Pomrehn · Wiehl, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 19, 2000
• Grant date: Aug 13, 2002
• Expiry date: Jul 19, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S209/936
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Method and device for detecting dirt on eggs is provided which comprises exposing the eggs to ultraviolet light, capturing images of the exposed eggs resulting in images formed of pixels, and determining within the images, surface areas of dirt by correlating data of contrast and data of position of the pixels. Such a method enables selecting and subsequently removing eggs which contain dirt surface areas of a predetermined size. Further, such a method and device may be applied advantageously for both white and brown eggs in egg sorting machines.