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:
Dec. 08, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1996
Jay Koch, Key Largo, FL (US);
Amos G Fowler, Atkins, AR (US);
Other;
Abstract
A device for detecting bone fragments in deboned poultry carried on a conveyor belt of flexible clear plastic material. Fluorescent lights are positioned under the conveyor. A second conveyor positioned above the first conveyor is made up of a linked series of rigid clear plastic slats which bear down on the deboned poultry passing over the light table in order to reduce the thickness to allow the light to show through and reveal bone fragments. A video camera positioned inside the conveyor and looking down on the flattened poultry parts is used to identify bone fragments. In another embodiment, the inspection may done by operators. In either embodiment filters, desirably rose colored, are used to enhance the visibility of the bone fragments. Computer image recognition may additionally be used to identify and reject parts with bone fragments.