Methods for detecting pitch in lumber
AssigneeWeyerhaeuser NR Company
InventorThomas J. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods are provided for detecting compression wood, blue stain, or pitch in lumber. A light beam is projected towards the wood sample. Line or area cameras acquire images of light that is reflected from the wood sample. Based on the intensity of the reflected light at one or more locations on the wood sample, compression wood, blue stain, or pitch may be detected.
Claims13
A method for detecting pitch in a wood sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- projecting a coherent light beam toward a first section of the wood sample;
- acquiring a first image of reflected light using a first line camera focused at a predetermined distance from a center of the light beam;
- measuring a first intensity of the reflected light based on the first image;
- and
- detecting pitch within the wood sample based on whether the first intensity is greater than a threshold intensity.
A method for detecting pitch in a wood sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- projecting one or more coherent light beams toward a first section of the wood sample;
- acquiring an image of the first section using an area camera;
- measuring first intensity of reflected light along a first pixel row based on the image wherein the first pixel row is based on a predetermined distance from the light beam;
- and
- detecting pitch within the wood sample based on whether the first intensity is greater than a threshold intensity.
A method for detecting pitch in a wood sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- projecting one or more coherent light beams toward a first section of the wood sample;
- acquiring an image of the first section using an area camera;
- predetermining a first intensity;
- determining s first distance from the light beam a which an intensity of reflected light is equal to the predetermined first intensity;
- and
- detecting pitch within the wood sample based on whether the first distance is greater than a threshold distance.
A method for detecting pitch in a wood sample the method comprising the steps of:
- projecting a coherent light beam toward a first section of the wood sample, wherein the light beam has a wavelength in a range from 680 nm to 850 nm;
- acquiring a first image of reflected light using a first line camera focused at a predetermined distance from a center of the light beam;
- measuring a first intensity of the reflected light based on the first image;
- and
- detecting pitch within the wood sample based on whether the first intensity is greater than a threshold intensity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.