Determining the thickness profile of work products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11570998-B2
Application number	US-202016887057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

A processing system ( 10 ) and a corresponding method are provided for processing work products (WP), including food items, to locate and quantify voids, undercuts and similar anomalies in the work products. The work products are conveyed past an X-ray scanner ( 14 ) by a conveyance device ( 12 ). Data from the X-ray scanning is transmitted to control system ( 18 ). Simultaneously with the X-ray scanning of the work product, the work product is optically scanned at the same location on the work product where X-ray scanning is occurring. The data from the optical scanner is also transmitted to the control system. Such data is analyzed to develop or generate the thickness profile of the work product. From the differences in the thickness profiles generated from the X-ray scanning data versus the optical scanning data, the location of voids, undercuts and similar anomalies can be determined by the control system. This information is used by the processing system ( 10 ) to process the work product as desired, including adjusting for the locations and sizes of voids, undercuts and similar anomalies present in the work product.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for determining the thickness profile of a work product, comprising:
a. scanning a work product with an X-ray scanner,
b. analyzing the data from the X-ray scanner with a computer processor to develop a thickness profile of the work product,
c. scanning the work product with an optical scanner,
d. analyzing the data from the optical scanner with a computer processor to develop a thickness profile of the work product based on the optical scanning data,
e. comparing the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data and determining (quantifying) the differences between the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data, and
f. mapping the location(s) on the work product where a difference exists between the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the work product is a food product, and the differences between the thickness profile developed from the X-ray scanning data and the thickness profile developed from the optical scanning data correspond to: a void in the work product; an undercut beneath the work product; or other location devoid of the work product.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting the work product on a conveyance device past the X-ray scanner and the optical scanner.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the X-ray scanner and the optical scanner relative to the conveyance device to simultaneously scan the same location on the work product.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the work product using the determined differences between the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data and the location(s) on the work product where a difference exists between the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transporting the work product in a direction of travel past the X-ray scanner and the optical scanner;
wherein the X-ray scanner scans the work product along a line extending transversely to the direction of travel of the work product and
wherein the optical scanner scans the work product along a line extending transversely to the direction of travel of the work product.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transporting the work product past the X-ray scanner on a first conveyor and transporting the work product past the optical scanner on a second conveyor.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
g. wherein the data from the X-ray scanning comprises a first data set corresponding to the two dimensional shape of the work product,
h. wherein the data set from the optical scanning comprises a second data set corresponding to the two dimensional shape of the work product,
i. comparing the first and second data sets from the X-ray scanning and the optical scanning corresponding to the two-dimensional shape of the work product, and
j. determining if a sufficient variation exists between the first and second data sets to require translation of the first data set into the second data set.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein translation of the first data set from the X-ray scanning onto the second data set from the optical scanning comprises one or more of:
(i) directional translation of the work product;
(ii) rotational translation of the work product;
(iii) scaling the size of the work product;
(iv) shear distortion of the work product.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transporting the work product past the X-ray scanner and the optical scanner on a first conveyor and transporting the work product to a processing station on a second conveyor whereat the work product is processed using the thickness profiles determined from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data.

11. A system for determining the thickness profile of a work product, comprising:
a conveyance device for conveying the work product;
an X-ray scanner for scanning the work product being conveyed on the conveyance device and generating a first data set regarding the physical characteristics of the work product, including a thickness profile of the work product;
an optical scanner for scanning the work product being conveyed on the conveyance device for generating a second data set regarding the physical characteristics of the work product, including the thickness profile of the work product; and
a control system configured to:
generating thickness profiles of the work product from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data;
quantifying the differences between the thickness profiles of the work product from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data; and
mapping the location(s) on the work product where differences exist between the thickness profiles from the X-ray scanning data and the optical scanning data.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the work product comprises a food product and the differences between the thickness profile of the food product from the X-ray scanning data and the thickness profile of the food product from the optical scanning data corresponds to a void in the food product, an undercut beneath the food product, or location with respect to the food product that is devoid of the food product.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the X-ray scanner and the optical scanner are positioned relative to the conveyance device to simultaneously scan the same location on the work product.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the X-ray scanner is configured to scan the work product along a line extending transversely to the direction of travel of the work product on the conveyance device; and
the optical scanner is configured to scan the work product along a line extending transversely to the direction of travel of the work product on the conveyance device.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the optical scanner is configured to scan the work product along the same line that the X-ray scanner is configured to scan the work product.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the optical scanner is configured to scan the work product along the same line and at the same time that the X-ray scanner is configured to scan the work product.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the conveyance device comprises a first conveyor corresponding to the X-ray scanner and a second conveyor corresponding to the optical scanner.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the control system compares a first data set from the X-ray scanning data corresponding to the two-dimensional shape of the work product with a second data set from the optical data scanning corresponding to the two-dimensional shape of the work product and comparing the first and second data sets from the X-ray scanning and the optical scanning to determine if a sufficient variation exists between the first and second data sets to require translation of the first data set into the second data set.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the translation of the first data set from the X-ray scanning into the second data set from the optical scanning comprises one or more of:
directional translation of the work product;
rotational translation of the work product;
scaling of the size of the work product; and
shear distor

Assignees

• John Bean Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Pfanstiel David
• Holmes Daniel
• Stockard Richard D
• Vogeley Jr Arthur W

Classifications

• G06T2207/10116

  X-ray image · CPC title

• B26D5/00

  Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting · CPC title

• G01B11/2522 Primary

  the position of the object changing and being recorded · CPC title

• G06T2207/30128

  Food products · CPC title

• B26D7/0625

  by endless conveyors, e.g. belts · CPC title