Method and means for internal inspection and sorting of produce
Patent 3930994 Issued on January 6, 1976. Estimated Expiration Date: 
January 6, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
January 6, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 05/403173 filed on 10/03/1973US Classes:209/579, Laser209/565, Shift register209/588, Transmitted through item209/698, Means movable between horizontal item-supporting position and gravity discharge position209/925, DRIVEN OR FLUID CONVEYOR MOVING ITEM FROM SEPARATING STATION250/223RConveyor or chuteExaminersPrimary: Knowles, Allen N.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesB07C 5/34 (20060101)B07C 005/34 () AbstractApparatus and method for automatically evaluating articles particularly citrus fruits, on the basis of the uniformity and non-uniformity of their transparency to light rays and selectively separating them into different grades according to such evaluations, the fruit being oriented and carried by a conveyor in a path between a light ray source and light ray detectors positioned to straddle the fruit core portion, the signals from the detectors being carried to an internal quality computer controlled by timing sensors responsive to fruit movement through the light rays, wherein the percentage of internal damage is computed for each fruit, after which the fruits are successively separated into different predetermined grades according to their respective damage evaluations.Field of SearchConveyor or chute | |
