Vision recognition system for produce labeling
AssigneeSinclair Systems International, LLC
InventorsStephen Cronk, Jason Dale, Phillip Holland, Richard Hawkes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vision recognition system is provided for use with a high speed, automatic produce labeling machine. The system uses laser profiling to direct a sheet of light transversely to the longitudinal axis of a produce feed conveyor. The sheet of light periodically impacts, and generates laser profiles of, the surfaces of the produce items, such as pears, being fed by the conveyor to one or more labeling machines. The laser profiles are used to generate real world (x,y) coordinates of the domes of the incoming produce items, which are passed to the labeling machine or machines. Real world height (or z) coordinates may also be created and passed to the labeler.
Claims4
A vision recognition method for use with a high speed, automatic produce labeling machine, wherein a conveyor feeds incoming produce items along an axis A-A toward said labeling machine, wherein each produce item has a dome portion of its surface which occurs at the greatest height of said produce item's surface above said conveyor, comprising the steps:
- generating a sheet of light from a laser source or other high intensity light source,
- directing said sheet of light transversely to said axis A-A of said conveyor,
- causing said sheet of light to periodically impact the surfaces of said produce items to create instantaneous laser profiles of said surfaces
- locating the dome of each produce item by measuring the relative brightness of the reflections of said sheet of light from the surface of each produce item,
- creating real world coordinates (x,y) for the instantaneous location of said domes of said produce items horizontally on said conveyor, and
- transmitting said instantaneous real world horizontal (x,y) coordinates periodically to said labeling machine to provide advance data to said labeling machine regarding the real world horizontal location (x,y coordinates) of the dome of each incoming produce item to be labeled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.