John Bean Technologies Corporation

Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud.baader Gmbh + Co Kg

Frigoscandia, Inc.

Fmc Corporation

Fmc Technologies, Inc.

Frigoscandia Equipment Ab

Frigoscandia Equipment Aktiebolag

Frigoscandia Equipment A/s

Frigoscandia Equipment Ag

Frigoscandia Equipment Inc.

Jbt Marel Corporation

Jon Almon Hocker

John R Strong

George R Blaine

Richard Daniel Stockard

Ramesh M Gunawardena

Alexander Steffens

Jerome D Leising

Jonny Malmberg

Robert C Wilson

Jerry O'Connor

David Faires

Per Blixt

Craig E Pfarr

Erick A Sorenson

Harrison T Gill

Nicholas C Tipper

Gary Walter Luhm

Roger P Crasic

Yvette L Smith

Donald L Hogan

Rick Wilson

H&aring;kan Ohlsson

Jonathan Keogh

Jeffrey Grant Escobar

Calibrating the operation of a cutter used in a portioning system to cut workpieces into portions, wherein the work- piece is carried along a driven conveyance device past a scanner and then to a cutting apparatus. The calibration method employs a correction algorithm to correct for vari- ables or limitations in the condition of one or more com- ponents of the portioning system and/or variations or limi- tations in the operation or operational capabilities of the portioning system. The correction algorithm may also factor in the physical condition, configuration, or composition of the workpieces being portioned, as well as whether the workpieces move on the conveyance device prior to and/or during the portioning operation.

Blade portioner calibration

A conveyor systemcarries work items, such as flexible, pliable, food products, through a scanning systemwhich generates data pertaining to various physical parameters of the food products. Thereafter, the food products are transported through a processing station which may be in the form of a portioning system. Next, the portioned food products are transported to a harvesting systemutilizing a actuatorto unload the food product portionsby vacuuming the portions into a nozzle. Such food products are transported to one or more desired locations through a hose/tube connected to a nozzle or may be launched through the air in a trajectory aimed at the desired placement location.

Pick and throw harvesting

A method for processing food products () includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (), an X-ray unit () positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit () is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.

Method for processing products of the food processing industry

A processing system () and corresponding method () are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (). An X-ray scanning station () is located on an upstream conveyor section () to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor () at which is located an optical scanner () to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor () to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner. Once this identity is confirmed, if required, the data from the X-ray scanner is translated or transformed onto the data from the optical scanner. Such translation may include one or more of the shifting of the food items in the X and/or Y direction, rotation of the food item, scaling of the size of the food item, and sheer distortion of the food item. Next, the location of the undesirable material within the food item is mapped from the X-ray scanning data onto the optical scanning data. Thereafter, the undesirable material is removed by a cutter(s) (). The food item may also (or alternatively) been portioned by the cutter(s) ().

Method for processing food item

The invention relates to an apparatus (), designed and configured to acquire and analyse product-specific data for products () of the food processing industry, comprising a conveyor (), which is gap-free in the transport plane, for transporting separated products () in transport direction T from an intake end to a discharge end, an X-ray unit () having at least one X-ray source () and at least one X-ray camera () for acquiring product-specific data, wherein X-ray source () and X-ray camera () are assigned to the conveyor () in such a manner that the products () can be guided along between the X-ray source () and the X-ray camera (), as well as a control unit () which is connected to the X-ray unit () and is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a first data set, acquired by said X-ray unit (), which is characterised in that at least one optical camera () is assigned to the same conveyor () between its intake end and discharge end, by means of which, in addition to the X-ray unit (), product-specific data of the products () transported on said conveyor () can be acquired, wherein the optical camera () is connected to a control unit () which is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a second data set, acquired by the optical camera (). The invention also relates to a system () comprising such an apparatus () as well as a method for processing products () of the food processing industry.

Apparatus for acquiring and analysing product-specific data for products of the food processing industry as well as a system comprising such an apparatus and a method for processing products of the food processing industry

Cutting/portioning using combined X-ray and optical scanning

A thermal processing and control system () includes a thermal processing station () for receiving food products () being carried on a conveyor system (). A first scanning station () is located upstream from the thermal processing station () for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (). An actuator () automatically connects temperature measuring devices () with selected food products (). A diverter conveyor () diverts selected food products () from the conveyor () to a transverse conveyor () for either further processing or alternative processing, depending on how system () is configured. The temperature measuring devices () are automatically removed from the food products at station ().

Thermal measurement and process control

Calibrating the operation of a cutter used in a portioning system to cut workpieces into portions, wherein the workpiece is carried along a driven conveyance device past a scanner and then to a cutting apparatus. The calibration method employs a correction algorithm to correct for variables or limitations in the condition of one or more components of the portioning system and/or variations or limitations in the operation or operational capabilities of the portioning system. The correction algorithm may also factor in the physical condition, configuration, or composition of the workpieces being portioned, as well as whether the workpieces move on the conveyance device prior to and/or during the portioning operation.

A system for measuring physical properties of a workpiece in motion which includes a conveyance assembly for conveying the workpiece, a scanning assembly for scanning the workpiece, and a measurement assembly for measuring at least one physical property of the workpiece while the workpiece is in motion.

System and method for assessment of a workpiece in a continuous flow process

A thermal processing and control system () includes a thermal processing station () for receiving food products () being carried on a conveyor system (). A first scanning station () is located upstream from a similar processing station () for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (). A second scanning station () is located downstream of the thermal processing station (). A diverter conveyor () diverts selected food products () from the conveyor () to a transverse conveyor () which is capable of positioning the diverted food product onto a temperature measurement station (), whereat the temperature of the food product is measured, either manually or automatically.

Thermal process control

A system for cutting a workpiece into one or more portions or final pieces, and then transferring the final pieces to a receiving location, includes a conveyor configured to support and advance workpiece, as well as a cutter configured to cut the workpiece into the final pieces. At least one fluid nozzle is positioned relative to the conveyor and selectively activatable to discharge a stream of fluid at a predetermined location(s) on the final piece, thereby to propel the final piece from the conveyor to a receiving location. A controller activates the nozzle to direct the fluid stream at the target position(s) on the final pieces.

Apparatus and method for harvesting portions with fluid nozzle arrays

An apparatus for gas treatment of products rises a housing having top, bottom and side walls; a conveyor belt for transporting the products along a first path in the housing; a tunnel having perforated walls and enclosing the conveyor belt along the first path; a gas circulation device communicating with the tunnel via the perforated walls for circulating gas into the tunnel in the form of gas jets impinging upon the products carried by the conveyor belt, and out of the tunnel in a return channel back to the gas circulation device; and a gas conditioning device positioned in the return channel. At least one substantially vertical part of the connecting walls of the high-pressure chamber is removable so as to provide access to the inside of the pressure chamber, and at least one of the side walls of the housing along the high-pressure chamber may be movable so as to widen the space between at least one wall and the high-pressure chamber.

Apparatus for gas treatment of products

Processing a work piece by first scanning the work piece. The work piece is modeled to determine its weight, outer perimeter and/or how the work piece could be divided into portions of specific areas and perimeters based on desired portion weights of desired areas and perimeters. The modeled work piece and/or the modeled portions are compared with the one or more desired perimeter configurations. The deviation of the modeled outer perimeter size of the work piece and/or portions from the desired perimeter configuration(s) is calculated. Based on such calculations, one or more steps in processing the work piece and/or portions therefrom is carried out. Such one or more steps may include modeling the work piece again, using different modeling criteria or options, if the calculated deviation is outside an acceptable range.

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Bothell, WA, United States of America

Jon Almon Hocker