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US 7,024,942 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for non-destructive detection of pits and seed fragments in fruit
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsEric S. Jackson, Ronald P. Haff, Thomas C. Pearson
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for the non-destructive detection of pits and pit fragments found in dried fruit has been developed. It utilizes a force transducer and a signal processor to determine whether or not pit or pit fragments are present in a fruit specimen, and is able to automatically separate specimens testing positive from the product stream.
Claims11
An apparatus for non-destructive detection of pits and seed fragments in dried fruit comprising:
- a. A conveyor belt
- b. A first roller for partially flattening a fruit specimen;
- c. A second roller for applying modulated force on said partially flattened fruit specimen;
- d. Means to measure the amount of said modulated force which is transmitted by said second roller through said fruit specimen;
- and
- e. Means to reject a fruit specimen which transmits a level of force at or above a threshold level.
3 more elements
An apparatus for detecting dried fruit containing pits or pit fragments, comprising
- a. a continuous belt;
- b. power-actuated roller means for setting said belt in motion;
- c. compressing means for compressing dried fruit to be tested for the presence of pits or pit fragments;
- d. detection means for determining whether said compressed dried fruit contains a pit or pit fragment;
- and
- e. rejection means for rejecting dried fruit containing a pit or pit fragment.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.