The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 1979
Filed:
Dec. 09, 1976
Norman B Wassmer, Ontario, OR (US);
Franklyn G Anderson, Ontario, OR (US);
Joseph L Hodges, Ontario, OR (US);
Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for sorting items, such as peeled whole potatoes, which, in the absence of abnormalities, exhibit a substantially uniform light reflectivity, includes an illumination chamber through which the items to be sorted are passed successively as a stream. Light sensors are focused on a cross-sectional slice of the illumination chamber through which the items pass, each of these light sensors being focused on only a small portion of the slice. Electronic circuitry in conjunction with the light sensors counts the number of such sensors sensing abnormalities. If the number of sensors sensing abnormalities is greater than a predetermined minimum, a reject signal is produced. If desired, the circuitry may be arranged to also determine whether the number of sensors sensing abnormalities is greater than a predetermined percentage, for example, 50%, of the total number of sensors sensing the item, and thus produce a second reject signal if the abnromalities make up more than the predetermined percentage. Abnormal items are removed from the stream of items in response to the reject signals. Such removal may be accomplished so that items whose abnormalities exceed the predetermined minimum, but do not exceed the predetermined percentage are sent to one area while items whose abnormalities exceed the predetermined percentage are sent to a different area. One or more air jets may be used to effect the removal.