Food Defect Detection Using Contrast Material Penetration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical systems struggle to detect defects on foodstuffs like fruits, vegetables, and seeds with uniform color surfaces, leading to inaccurate calibration and manual sorting, as they fail to differentiate between surface variations and actual defects.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that applies a contrasting material onto the foodstuff surface to make defects more visible, using optical systems to identify these defects after the material has penetrated into and been removed from the defect areas, ensuring precise detection and separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical systems are calibrated to detect defects on uniform color surfaces, then detection sensitivity increases, but false rejection of intact fruit with surface color variations increases
Solution Approach 1:
A contrast material is introduced as an intermediary substance between the optical system and the foodstuff surface. This material selectively penetrates defects and creates optical contrast, enabling the system to distinguish true defects from natural surface variations without requiring aggressive calibration that would cause false rejections
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast material changes the optical properties of defect areas by introducing a different color or reflectivity characteristic. This allows the optical system to detect defects based on color/reflectivity differences created by the material rather than relying on subtle natural variations in the foodstuff surface
2Measurement precision
If manual sorting is used to ensure accurate defect identification, then detection accuracy improves, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The contrast material serves as a mediator that enhances defect visibility to automated optical sensors, bridging the gap between machine vision capabilities and the subtle visual cues that human sorters use. This enables automated systems to achieve accuracy previously only attainable through manual inspection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual sorting process with an automated optical detection system enhanced by contrast material application. This substitution maintains high detection accuracy while dramatically increasing throughput by processing multiple items simultaneously at automated speeds
3Measurement precision
If contrast material is applied to enhance defect visibility, then detection precision improves, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contrast material is designed to be self-applying through gravity or capillary action, eliminating the need for complex application mechanisms. The material automatically penetrates defects and coats the surface without requiring pumps, nozzles, or controlled delivery systems, thereby enhancing detection precision while adding minimal process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast material is designed to be easily removable or washable from the foodstuff surface after inspection. This allows the material to be discarded without complex removal mechanisms, maintaining simplicity in the overall process while achieving the benefit of enhanced defect visibility during inspection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the precision and efficiency of defect detection, allowing for automated sorting with greater accuracy and productivity, while maintaining the edibility of the foodstuffs by using edible contrast materials.
Implementation Method 1
application means, adapted to distribute a dry or fluid contrast material onto the surface of the foodstuffs, such that said contrast material can penetrate into any surface defects
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus (10, 110) for detecting defects on the outer surface of foodstuffs (P) that comprises an optical system (40, 140) configured to analyse the surface of the foodstuffs (P) and detect the presence of any defects, wherein there are provided application means (20, 120) adapted to distribute a dry or fluid contrast material (23, 123) onto the surface of the foodstuffs (P), such that said contrast material can penetrate into any surface defects, and removal means (30, 130) adapted to remove excess contrast material from the surface, so that it remains inside the aforementioned surface defects only, said contrast material making the defects detectable by the optical system.