John Bean Technologies Corporation

Design Systems, Inc.

Fmc Technologies, Inc.

Fmc Corporation

Frigoscandia Food Processing Systems A.b.

Norman A Rudy

Craig E Pfarr

Darren P Wattles

Kwang S Kim

Stan Wijts

John R Strong

James S Tomlin

Richard Daniel Stockard

Carlos Aromin Ordona

Corneel Constant Wijts

Ronald A Shutter

Morteza Safai

Ramesh M Gunawardena

Daniel F Wilson

Nicholas C Tipper

Michael J Wierman

John E Arnold

Erich W A Wiesinger

Bret J Larreau

Arthur W Vogeley

A blocker apparatus () for blocking a stream () of high-pressure fluid includes a blocking member in the form of a sphere or ball (), or a rod () receivable within a partially surrounding seat () at the forward end of a seat carrier () to rotate in the seat. The seat carrier () is extended and retracted by an actuator () to place the blocking member within the path of the stream () and/or remove the blocking member from the path of the high-pressure stream. The blocking member is replaced by simply lifting the blocking member () off of the seat () and lowering a new blocking member into the seat.

High speed jet blocker with readily replaceable blocking material

A system for cutting a three-dimensional portion from a foodstuff includes a conveyor for carrying a foodstuff to be portioned, a scanner located adjacent to the conveyor for scanning the foodstuff, a computer coupled to the scanner for receiving scan information to determine one or more cutting paths for the foodstuff, and a cutter for portioning the foodstuff according to the determined cutting path(s). The computer performs generally four steps: (i) receiving scan information from the scanner; (ii) building a three-dimensional map of the foodstuff based on the received scan information; (iii) fitting at least one desired shape, which is stored in the memory of the computer, onto the built three-dimensional map; and (iv) determining one or more cutting paths for portioning the foodstuff to produce one or more portioned foodstuffs corresponding to the at least one desired shape.

System for portioning foodstuff to user-specified shape

The powered endless belt () of a lower conveyor () transports workpieces () past a scanning station () and then past a slicing station (), whereat the workpieces are sliced into desired thickness by a powered blade (). An upper hold-down conveyor () includes a powered belt () that assists in holding the workpieces stationary and stable as workpieces travel past the slicing station (). In this regard, the belt is of a compliant construction and is operated at a low enough tension to enable it to substantially conform to the contour of the upper surface of the workpiece, thereby to apply a substantially uniform load about the entire upper surface area of the workpiece.

Compliant hold-down conveyor for slicer

A system for cutting a three-dimensional portion from a foodstuff. The system includes a scanner for scanning the foodstuff, a computer coupled to the scanner for receiving information from the scanner to determine one or more cutting paths for the foodstuff, and a cutter for portioning the foodstuff according to the one or more determined cutting paths. The computer is configured to perform generally four steps: (i) receiving scan information of the foodstuff from the scanner; (ii) building a three-dimensional map of the foodstuff based on the received scan information of the foodstuff; (iii) fitting at least one desired shape, which is stored in memory of the computer, onto the three-dimensional map in the memory of the computer; and (iv) determining one or more cutting paths to be used in portioning the foodstuff so as to produce one or more portioned foodstuffs corresponding to the at least one desired shape.

Method for portioning foodstuff to user-specified shape

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.

Three axis portioning method

A method for portioning foodstuffs in three dimensions includes scanning the foodstuff to be portion, generating a three-dimensional map of the foodstuff, then comparing the generated three-dimensional map of the foodstuff with the desired shape which is stored in the memory of a computer. A computer then determines a particular cutting path in three dimensions in order to arrive at the predetermined shape, followed by a cutting in one direction to fix at least one dimension of the foodstuff, then determining whether the foodstuff is within the tolerance limits. The foodstuff is thereafter cut along its other dimensions to arrive at a portion trimmed along three dimensions.

A conveyorincludes an infeed/scanning section () and a cutting/outfeed section (). Both sections have an endless belt () and () each driven by a friction drive roller () and (). Adequate frictional load is applied between the endless belts and corresponding drive rollers by tension assemblies, each having a tensioning roller (), () rotatably mounted on a pivot frame structure (), () allowing the weight of the tensioning roller to be applied to the return run of the endless belts. Dampeners () () are integrated with the tensioning rollers () () to dampen vibrations in the endless belts () ().

Friction drive conveyor

A conveyor () moves workpieces (WP) past a scanning station () to ascertain one or more physical parameters of the workpiece (WP) and to a portioning station () wherein the workpiece (WP) is portioned into desired smaller portions. Thereafter, the conveyor () carries a portioned workpiece (WP) to an unloading station () where one or more pickup devices () removes specific portioned workpieces (PP) from the conveyor and places the portioned workpieces onto take away conveyors () for other locations remote from the first conveyor. A control system, composed in part of a computer (), keeps track of the locations of the workpieces (WP) on the conveyor () and also optionally on the take away conveyor () so that portioned pieces (PP) are placed at specific desired locations remote from the conveyor () by the pickup devices ().

Apparatus and method for portioning and automatically off-loading portioned workpieces

An apparatus for measuring the temperature of workpieces transported on a conveyor is disclosed. In one broad aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a translatable assembly which has a pick-up tool for picking up workpieces and a temperature-sensing device which is in proximity to the pick-up tool for measuring the temperature of the workpiece. Other embodiments are disclosed, including eliminating the pick-up tool, provided the temperature sensing device travels with the workpiece. Scanners can be utilized to designate the largest of the workpieces to be measured or for detecting overlapping workpieces. Feedback temperature control is achieved by varying a parameter, such as conveyor speed or a heat engine temperature. Also, a modeling module can be incorporated to assist with temperature control of the workpieces.

Automatically measuring the temperature of food

A conveyor belt assembly () for conveying an object to be portioned () by a fluid jet () is disclosed. The conveyor belt assembly () includes a conveyor belt formed from at least a first and a second picket () each having a length comprised of a sequence of geometrically shaped links () disposed transversely across the conveyor belt. The pickets () are disposed in a nested relationship to each other. The pickets () include upper edge portions () that form a conveying surface () for supporting and advancing the object to be portioned (). The upper edge portions () are tapered in the upward direction to reduce dispersion of the fluid jet () during impingement of the fluid jet () on the conveying surface ().

Conveyor belt assembly

A conveyor ( ) moves workpieces (WP) past a scanning station ( ) to ascertain one or more physical parameters of the workpiece (WP) and to a portioning station ( ) wherein the workpiece (WP) is portioned into desired smaller portions. Thereafter, the conveyor ( ) carries a portioned workpiece (WP) to an unloading station ( ) where one or more pickup devices ( ) removes specific portioned workpieces (PP) from the conveyor and places the portioned workpieces onto take away conveyors ( ) for other locations remote from the first conveyor. A control system, composed in part of a computer ( ), keeps track of the locations of the workpieces (WP) on the conveyor ( ) and also optionally on the take away conveyor ( ) so that portioned pieces (PP) are placed at specific desired locations remote from the conveyor ( ) by the pickup devices ( ).

Apparatus and method for portioning and automatically off-loading workpieces

An apparatus for performing high-speed interruption of high-speed fluid jets ( ) of the type used to cut food, plastics, wood, metal, and other products. The water jet ( ) is interrupted by a blocking bar ( ) mounted on a housing ( ). The blocking bar ( ) is pivoted by actuators so that the bar is disposed away from the high-speed fluid jet ( ) in the open position and blockingly intersects the high-speed fluid jet ( ) when in the blocking position. At least one of the actuators is an electromagnet assembly ( ) and ( ) having a selectively energizable coil ( ) such that energizing the coil ( ) will induce a magnetic field. The blocking bar ( ) has an area of high magnetic permeability ( ), wherein the bar ( ) may be pivoted by application of the magnetic field generated by the coil ( ) upon the area of high magnetic permeability ( ).

High-speed fluid jet blocker

A conveyor ( ) moves a workpiece (WP) past an x-ray source ( ) to detect existence and location of any undesirable material included in the workpiece, such as bones, fat, metal, etc. Thereafter, the conveyor carries the workpiece further, wherein a cutter ( ) segments the detected undesirable material from the workpiece into a segmented portion (SP) having a visually distinguishable shape, such as square, round, triangular, etc. A worker stationed downstream of the cutter along the conveyor may then easily spot the segmented portion (SP) in a distinguishable shape and offload the segmented portion from the conveyor, while leaving the rest of the workpiece (WP) on the conveyor for further processing. Alternatively, a pickup device ( ) may be used to automatically offload the segmented portion from the conveyor. A computer ( ) keeps track of the locations of the workpiece and the segmented portion at all times.

Apparatus and method for detecting and removing undesirable material from workpieces

An apparatus and method for performing high speed interruption of the flow of a very fine, high pressure, high speed water jet 12 of the type used to cut foods, paper, and other goods. The water jet 12 is interrupted by a pivotal blocking bar 22 within a blocker housing. The blocking bar 22 is pivoted in a collar 24b to a first desired position out of the path of water jet 12 or to a second desired position for blocking the path of water jet 12. A pivot arm 28, controlled by an output shaft 30 of a rotary actuator 32, controls the rotation of the blocking bar 22. A high pressured airflow is introduced into the device for controlling the exhaustion of blocked water within the device and for cooling the rotary actuator 32.

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Snohomish, WA, United States of America

Norman A Rudy