John Bean Technologies Corporation

Stan Wijts

Kwang S Kim

Norman A Rudy

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

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.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Stan Wijts