Cutting Apparatus

A cutting apparatus, comprising:

• an elongated conveying surface having a longitudinal axis, and which transports a stream of discrete objects, and wherein the conveying surface has a first, intake end, and a second, exhaust end, and further conveys the stream of discrete objects at a given speed between the first and second ends thereof;
• a first image capturing device located elevationally, above, the elongated conveying surface, and which further generates an image signal which is representative of the discrete objects which are being transported past the image capturing device by the movement of the conveying surface;
• a first illumination device located elevationally, above, the conveying surface, and which, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which is reflected from the discrete objects which are passing below the first image capturing device, and which further is captured by the first image capturing device;
• a defect and foreign object removal device which is positioned adjacent to the second, exhaust end of the conveying surface;
• a first controller which is coupled in controlling, and image signal receiving relation relative to, the first image capturing device, and further is coupled in controlling relation relative to the elongated conveying surface, and first illumination device, and wherein the first controller is further operable to identify individual objects moving along in the stream of discrete objects, and which are either foreign objects, or discrete objects having an undesirable feature which must be removed from the stream of objects so as to produce a uniform stream of objects, and wherein the first controller generates a control signal which identifies a location on an identified object having an undesirable feature, and where the undesirable feature begins, and ends, or identifies the object as a foreign object, and wherein the control signal causes the first controller to generate a predetermined electrical current or a control signal;
• a first sensor for measuring an amperage of the electrical current which is generated by the first controller, and wherein the first sensor is coupled in signal transmitting relation relative to the first controller;
• a second sensor for measuring the voltage of the electrical current which is generated by the first controller, and wherein the second sensor is coupled in signal transmitting relation relative to the first controller;
• an admittance measuring device which is electrically coupled with each of the first controller, and the second sensor, in a feed-back loop, and which is further coupled in signal transmitting relation relative to the first controller;
• a voice coil actuator which is electrically, and controllably coupled with the first controller, and which is further positioned elevationally, above, the conveying surface, and wherein the voice coil actuator receives the electrical current which is generated by the first controller, and wherein the voice coil actuator further includes a moveable drive member having a distal end, and wherein the voice coil actuator, when energized by the electrical current that is generated by the first controller, reciprocally moves the drive member along a path of travel in the direction towards, and away from the conveying surface;
• a knife which is mounted on the drive member of the voice coil actuator, and which further has a distal cutting edge, and which is operable to engage, and sever, objects in the stream of discrete objects, and which have an identified undesirable feature as determined by the controller from analyzing the image signal delivered to the first controller from the first image capturing device, and wherein the first controller is effective, following an identification of an undesirable feature in an object, to energize the voice coil actuator so as to move the knife into, and out of, engagement with the object having an identified undesirable feature, so as to severingly separate the identified, undesirable feature from the object which is moving within the object stream, and wherein the signals generated by the first and second sensors, and the admittance measuring device, and which are transmitted to the controller are used by the controller to determine, at least in part, a cutting characteristic of the knife;
• a second image capturing device which is located elevationally, above, the conveying surface, and is further located in spaced relation, and downstream relative to, the first mentioned image capturing device, and wherein the second image capturing device periodically generates an image signal which is representative of the discrete objects, undesirable foreign objects, and severed undesirable features which were derived from the discrete objects, after the discrete objects were previously engaged by the knife;
• a second illumination device which is located elevationally above the conveying surface, and adjacent the second image capturing device, and wherein the second illumination device, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which is reflected from the discrete objects, foreign objects, and the severed, undesirable features of the discrete objects, and which are passing below the second image capturing device, and wherein the reflected electromagnetic radiation is captured by the second image capturing device;
• a second controller which is coupled in controlling relation relative to each of the second image capturing device;
• second illumination device;
• and the defect and foreign object removal device which is located near the distal end of the conveying surface, and wherein the second controller identifies the discrete objects, foreign objects, and severed undesirable features which are derived from the discrete objects, and which are identified from the image signal supplied by the second image capturing device, and which is supplied to the second controller, and wherein the second controller generates a control signal which is transmitted to the defect and foreign object removal device, and which is subsequently effective in rendering the defect and foreign object removal device operable to remove the foreign objects, and severed undesirable features derived from the stream of discrete objects so as to produce a uniform stream of objects;
• and
• an operator interface which is operably coupled with each of the controllers, and wherein the cutting characteristics of the knife is transmitted by the first mentioned controller to the operator interface for display to an operator.