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. 11, 2006
Filed:
May. 10, 2004
Applicants:
Eric S. Jackson, Albany, CA (US);
Ronald P. Haff, Albany, CA (US);
Thomas C. Pearson, Manhattan, KS (US);
Inventors:
Eric S. Jackson, Albany, CA (US);
Ronald P. Haff, Albany, CA (US);
Thomas C. Pearson, Manhattan, KS (US);
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 3/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An apparatus and method for the non-destructive detection of pits and pit fragments found in dried fruit has been developed. It utilizes a force transducer and a signal processor to determine whether or not pit or pit fragments are present in a fruit specimen, and is able to automatically separate specimens testing positive from the product stream.