Apparatus and method for portioning using automatic workpiece conveyance speed control
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorsCraig E. Pfarr, George Blaine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portioning apparatus (10) includes a powered conveyor (12) for carrying workpieces (WP) past a scanning station (14) and past a cutting station (20). Information from the scanning station pertaining to physical parameters of the workpiece is transmitted to a control system (16) which then determines an optimal cutting strategy for the workpiece, which strategy is implemented at the cutting station (20). The length of time required to portion the workpiece is also determined, and this information is used to ascertain whether the speed of the conveyor (12) is optimal or should be changed.
Claims28
A portioning system, comprising:
- a movable conveyance surface for supporting and advancing workpieces to be portioned;
- a drive system for driving the conveyance surface, said drive system capable of moving the conveyance surface at a desired speed;
- a scanning system for scanning the workpieces being carried by the conveyance surface;
- a cutting system for portioning the workpieces being carried by the conveyance surface;
- a control system for automatically controlling the speed of the conveyance surface by controlling the operation of the drive system based on a determined length of time to cut the workpiece, which in turn is based on data from at least one of the scanning system regarding the workpiece being scanned and the cutting systems regarding the workpiece being cut.
A conveyor speed control system for a portioning apparatus having a conveyor driven by a variable-speed drive system for supporting and advancing workpieces to be portioned, a scanning system for scanning workpieces being carried by the conveyor, and a cutting system for portioning the workpieces being carried by the conveyor, said conveyor speed control system comprising determining the length of time required to portion workpieces being advanced by the conveyor, and determining an optimum speed for the conveyor based on the determined time required for portioning the workpieces, and the distance between adjacent workpieces being carried by the conveyor.
A portioning system, comprising:
- a movable conveyance surface for supporting and advancing workpieces to be portioned;
- a drive system for driving the conveyance surface, said drive system capable of moving the conveyance surface at a desired speed;
- a cutting system for portioning the workpieces being carried by the conveyance surface;
- a control system for automatically controlling the speed of the conveyance surface by controlling the operation of the drive system based on a determined length of time to portion the workpiece and the distance between adjacent workpiece being carried by the conveyance surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.