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US 6,659,287 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for grading articles
AssigneeExeter Engineering Inc.
InventorStanley E. Hawkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for inspecting and sorting articles such as fruit and vegetables in which the articles are presented, on a conveyor, under a viewing device and classified. A take-off position is determined from the classification and the article is removed by means of an independently actuated ejector mechanism.
Claims37
A method of grading articles including fruits and vegetables, comprising the steps of:
- a) conveying the articles to be graded:
- b) monitoring the articles as they are conveyed;
- c) acting to remove at least one grade of article in response to data provided during the monitoring step;
- and
- d) removing articles by selectively actuating an array of article removal devices located below said articles, said article removal devices being actuated by signals generated during the monitoring step;
- characterised by the step of:
- e) causing the article removing devices to contact the articles to be removed, said contact imparting upward momentum to the articles, the upward momentum causing the articles to be propelled or flipped upwards away from the surface of the conveyor, in a direction substantially parallel with the direction of the conveying of the articles, towards a discharge location.
4 more elements
A method of grading articles including fruit and vegetables, comprising the steps of:
- locating the articles on a spool or roller conveyor element;
- causing the articles on the conveyor to pass under an inspection device at which the articles are inspected and scanned as they pass to produce inspection data;
- analyzing the inspection data from said articles by a data processing system, said data being processed and classified according to a predetermined criteria;
- and causing a selection of said articles to be removed from the conveyor in response to said classification, wherein during the step of removal, the article is caused to be propelled upwards from the surface of the conveyor, in a direction substantially parallel with the direction of the conveying of the articles, towards a discharge device.
1 more element
Apparatus for inspecting and sorting articles including fruit and vegetables, comprising:
- a) at least one drivable spool or roller conveyor means onto which articles are presented;
- b) an inspection device under which the articles are conveyed which inspects and scans the articles as they pass;
- c) a control system for analysing and processing the data obtained and adapted to classify the articles according to shape and/or size and/or defects present;
- d) an array of article removal devices located below said articles which may be actuated to displace/remove articles from the roller conveyor means in response to such classification;
- and
- e) at least one discharge location at which articles displaced/removed from the roller conveyor are received;
- characterised in that:
- f) the actuation of said article removal device causes contact with the articles to be removed, thereby imparting upward momentum thereto, said upward momentum causing the article to be propelled or flipped upwards away from the surface of the roller conveyor, in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the conveying of the articles, towards a discharge location.
5 more elements
Apparatus for grading articles including fruit and vegetables, comprising:
- a) apparatus having at least one drivable spool or roller conveyor means onto which articles are presented;
- b) a viewing or inspection device under which the articles are conveyed which inspects and scans the articles as they pass;
- c) a control system for analyzing and processing the data obtained and adapted to classify articles according to shape and/or size and/or defects present;
- and
- d) a mechanism for displacing/removing articles from the roller conveyor means in response to said classification, and at least one discharge location at which articles displaced/removed from the roller conveyor are received;
- characterized in that:
- e) the actuation of said article removal devices causes the articles to be propelled upwardly from the surface of the roller conveyor, in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the conveying articles, towards a discharge location.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.