Batching Conveyor with Dual Cameras for Fish Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current batching systems for large quantities of small items, such as pelagic fish, face challenges in speed and accuracy due to contamination and the need for manual removal of damaged or wrong species, leading to significant give-away to ensure minimum weight in each batch.
Innovation Solution
A device with two cameras for speed control and image analysis, using a cleated conveyor belt with an inclining and declining portion, allowing each item to be transported separately and imaged from multiple angles, enabling faster and more accurate batching with reduced give-away.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual monitoring and ejection of damaged fish or wrong species is used, then quality control is improved, but processing speed decreases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and mechanical ejection with an automated optical inspection system using cameras and image processing algorithms. The system captures images of fish on the conveyor belt, automatically identifies damaged or wrong species through image analysis, and triggers mechanical ejection only for defective items, thereby maintaining quality control while enabling continuous high-speed processing without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service quality control where the batching device automatically monitors its own input stream, identifies defects, and removes problematic items without external human assistance. The image processing system continuously analyzes fish characteristics and autonomously determines which items to eject, making the quality control function self-sufficient and independent of human operators
2Productivity
If high-speed batching is used, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision of item characteristics deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary imaging and characterization of all fish items as they pass through the conveyor belt before the batching decision is made. By capturing images and analyzing characteristics in advance of the batching action, the system has sufficient time to process multiple items at high speed while maintaining accurate measurement of each item's properties, allowing speed and precision to coexist
3Reliability
If give-away weight is increased to ensure minimum batch weight, then reliability of batch weight specification is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual estimation and coarse batching with automated optical measurement and precise image analysis. The system accurately measures the weight and characteristics of each fish through imaging technology, enabling precise batching that reaches the minimum weight specification without requiring excessive give-away, thereby reducing substance loss while maintaining batch weight reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where the actual weight and characteristics of batched items are measured and compared against specifications in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust batching decisions dynamically, ensuring minimum weight requirements are met with minimal excess, thereby reducing give-away while maintaining specification compliance
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for batching items such as fish. The object is specifically to batch smaller items like pelagic fish, such as mackerel and herring or salmon. The batching apparatus and method of the present invention uses at least one image means to provide faster batching with more accuracy and less give-away.