Food Grading via Fluid Spray Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food grading machines face difficulties in handling delicate food products of varying sizes, particularly in grasping and processing fish portions that are cut close together without damaging or disturbing adjacent portions, due to the challenge of designing effective gripper arms that can accommodate different sizes and orientations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves cutting food articles, such as fish fillets, into portions oriented parallel to each other, using x-ray imaging to detect and remove undesirable components like bones, and employing a grading device with multiple degrees of freedom to move and reposition portions while maintaining their alignment and orientation, utilizing a combination of cutting machines, x-ray machines, and robotic arms to automate the grading process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a robot arm with gripper is used to pick up food articles from conveyor, then automation is improved, but the ability to handle delicate food products of various sizes and orientations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical gripper arm system with a spray nozzle system that uses fluid dynamics (water spray) to remove portions from the conveyor. This substitution eliminates the grasping and holding mechanisms that struggle with delicate food products, while maintaining automated operation through computer-controlled spray targeting based on imaging system detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a spray nozzle system using water or fluid spray to remove unwanted portions from food articles on the conveyor. The hydraulic/pneumatic spray mechanism provides contactless removal capability, adapting to various food sizes and orientations without physical grasping, thus resolving the contradiction between automation and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gripper arm is made big enough for biggest articles, then versatility is improved, but space required between small articles increases
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the physical gripper arm with a spray nozzle system, the invention eliminates the need for large mechanical structures that require significant space. The spray mechanism can target and remove portions from articles of any size without requiring the nozzle to be physically large, thus maintaining high article density on the conveyor while achieving universal applicability.
3Extent of automation
If robotic arm is used to grasp articles, then automation is improved, but the ability to grasp articles oriented very close together deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical grasping system with a spray-based removal system. The spray nozzle can precisely target and remove portions from articles that are closely spaced on the conveyor without requiring physical access or manipulation space, thereby maintaining automation while improving ease of operation for densely packed articles.
Solution Approach 2:
The water spray acts as an intermediary medium between the automated control system and the food portions. Instead of direct mechanical contact requiring space for gripper movement, the spray medium can reach and remove portions from closely spaced articles through fluid dynamics, enabling automated operation on densely packed conveyors.
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
This approach allows for efficient and precise grading of food articles by automatically removing undesirable components and maintaining the alignment and orientation of portions, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of food processing while minimizing damage to delicate products.
Implementation Method 1
using x-ray imaging to detect and remove undesirable components like bones
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure concerns methods for processing and grading food articles including x-raying the food articles a first time and taking a 3D image of the food articles.