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:
Mar. 02, 2010
Filed:
Dec. 28, 2005
George Blaine, Lake Stevens, WA (US);
John R. Strong, Kirkland, WA (US);
Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr., Seattle, WA (US);
Craig E. Pfarr, Issaquah, WA (US);
George Blaine, Lake Stevens, WA (US);
John R. Strong, Kirkland, WA (US);
Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr., Seattle, WA (US);
Craig E. Pfarr, Issaquah, WA (US);
John Bean Technologies Corporation, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A method is provided for sorting incoming products (e.g., chicken butterflies) to be portioned into two or more types of end products (e.g., sandwich portions, strips, nuggets, etc.) to meet production goals. The method includes generally four steps. First, information on incoming products is received. Second, for each incoming product, a parameter value (e.g., the weight of an end product to be produced from the incoming product) is calculated for each of the two or more types of end products that may be produced from the incoming product. Third, the calculated parameter values for the incoming products for the two or more types of end products, respectively, are normalized so as to meet the production goals while at the same time achieving optimum parameter values. Fourth, for each incoming product, the end product with the best (e.g., largest) normalized parameter value is selected as the end product to be produced from the incoming product.