Tuber Peeling Apparatus with Optical Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing peeling technologies for edible tubers, such as potatoes, struggle to achieve high-volume production with uniform product quality while minimizing waste, without reducing production rates.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize an illumination device and camera to detect reflected electromagnetic radiation, controlling the peeling mechanism to terminate the peeling process at a precise and uniform degree, thereby avoiding under-peeling and over-peeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If tubers are peeled excessively to ensure complete peel removal, then product quality is improved, but tuber flesh waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs real-time optical feedback during the peeling process. A camera system continuously monitors the tuber surface, detecting the transition from peel to flesh based on optical property changes. This feedback signal automatically controls the peeling mechanism to terminate peeling at the precise moment peel removal is complete, preventing over-peeling and flesh waste while ensuring complete peel removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical peeling control with an optical detection and control system. Instead of relying on fixed mechanical parameters or time-based control, the system uses optical sensors to detect the peel-flesh transition and dynamically adjusts the peeling process, enabling precise control that minimizes flesh waste while ensuring complete peel removal.
2Productivity
If high production rates are maintained, then productivity is improved, but uniform product quality becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time optical monitoring system provides continuous feedback during high-speed peeling operations. The camera system captures images at high frequency, and the control system processes these images to detect peel-flesh transitions for each tuber individually. This enables uniform quality control across all tubers even at high production rates, as each tuber's peeling is independently controlled based on its own optical characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary optical scanning and identification of the peel-flesh transition point before the peeling mechanism completes its action. This preliminary detection allows the control system to prepare the termination signal in advance, ensuring precise and uniform peeling termination across all tubers processed at high speed.
3Loss of substance
If real-time peeling control is implemented, then waste is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and control mechanisms with an optical detection system. Instead of using sophisticated mechanical sensors to measure peel thickness or peeling progress, the system uses optical cameras and image processing to detect the peel-flesh transition. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while achieving precise control to minimize flesh waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical detection system serves as an intermediary between the peeling mechanism and the control system. The camera captures optical information about the tuber surface, and this information is processed to generate control signals. This intermediary approach simplifies the direct coupling between mechanical peeling and control systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precise control.
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 achieves consistent high-quality peeling with reduced waste, allowing for precise control of the peeling process in real-time, and can be retrofitted to existing peeling equipment.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination device for directing electromagnetic radiation into the cavity
Implementation Method 2
detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected into the lens from tubers located in the cavity during a peeling operation
Data Source
AI summary
A method of peeling tubers includes providing a peeler device defining a cavity surrounded by a peeling mechanism, inputting tubers to be peeled into the cavity, directing electromagnetic radiation from an illumination device into the cavity-detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected into lens of a camera from tubers located in the cavity during a peeling operation by the peeling mechanism, and operating the peeler device based on the reflected electromagnetic radiation detected by the camera. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the method.