US 8,025,000 B2 · Three axis portioning method

Abstract

The portioning foodstuffs in three dimensions includes generating a three-dimensional map of the foodstuff, and then comparing the generated three-dimensional map of the foodstuff with the desired shape as stored in the memory of a computer. The computer determines the particular cutting path in three dimensions in order to arrive at the predetermined shape. This is followed by cutting in one direction to fix at least one dimension of the foodstuff, determining whether the foodstuff is within the tolerance limits or whether the foodstuff portion has moved during the first cutting operation. If so, the foodstuff is rescanned to generate a two-dimensional image of the foodstuff, followed by cutting the foodstuff to arrive at a portion trimmed along three dimensions.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for determining the cutting path for portioning three-dimensional foodstuffs in accordance with one or more predetermined three-dimensional shapes executed on a computer having a central processing unit, the method comprising:

using said computer to obtain a three-dimensional model of an unportioned foodstuff corresponding to the three-dimensional shape of the unportioned foodstuff;
using said means computer to compare the three-dimensional model to at least one desired predetermined three-dimensional shape of a portioned foodstuff of desired predetermined physical parameters;
using said computer to compute one or more cutting paths to portion the unportioned foodstuff into the at least one desired predetermined three-dimensional shape of the portioned foodstuff to optimize the value realized from the unportioned foodstuff.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Three axis portioning method

Life of this patent

Three axis portioning method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22