Thermal process control
First Claim
1. A system for measuring the temperature of food products of variable sizes, shapes, thickness and types for processing at a thermal processing station operating under process parameters, comprising:
- (a) a conveyance system for conveying the food products in a stream to, through and from the thermal processing station;
(b) an upstream scanner located upstream from the thermal processing station to scan the food products entering the thermal processing station, the upstream scanner connected in data transmission communication with a computing device to analyze the data from the upstream scanner and based on this data, if the analysis indicates a sufficient variation between the scanning results and predetermined parameters of the food product, undertaking a corrective action;
(c) a downstream scanner for scanning all or some of the thermally processed food products of the stream, with the scanning data generated from the scanning, usable to model the physical features of the scanned food products;
(d) a temperature measuring station located separate from the stream of food products;
(e) a diverter system to direct selected modeled food products from the conveyance system to the temperature measuring station separate from the stream of food products;
(f) the temperature measuring station comprising temperature measurement instrumentation for measuring the temperature of the food products at the temperature measuring station; and
(g) an information transmission system for transmitting the temperature measurement data from the temperature measuring station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal processing and control system (10) includes a thermal processing station (12) for receiving food products (14) being carried on a conveyor system (16). A first scanning station (18) is located upstream from a similar processing station (12) for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (16). A second scanning station (20) is located downstream of the thermal processing station (12). A diverter conveyor (24) diverts selected food products (14) from the conveyor (16) to a transverse conveyor (26) which is capable of positioning the diverted food product onto a temperature measurement station (28), whereat the temperature of the food product is measured, either manually or automatically.
44 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for measuring the temperature of food products of variable sizes, shapes, thickness and types for processing at a thermal processing station operating under process parameters, comprising:
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(a) a conveyance system for conveying the food products in a stream to, through and from the thermal processing station; (b) an upstream scanner located upstream from the thermal processing station to scan the food products entering the thermal processing station, the upstream scanner connected in data transmission communication with a computing device to analyze the data from the upstream scanner and based on this data, if the analysis indicates a sufficient variation between the scanning results and predetermined parameters of the food product, undertaking a corrective action; (c) a downstream scanner for scanning all or some of the thermally processed food products of the stream, with the scanning data generated from the scanning, usable to model the physical features of the scanned food products; (d) a temperature measuring station located separate from the stream of food products; (e) a diverter system to direct selected modeled food products from the conveyance system to the temperature measuring station separate from the stream of food products; (f) the temperature measuring station comprising temperature measurement instrumentation for measuring the temperature of the food products at the temperature measuring station; and (g) an information transmission system for transmitting the temperature measurement data from the temperature measuring station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for measuring the temperature of food products processed at a thermal processing station operating under process parameters, comprising:
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(a) a conveyance system for conveying the food products in a stream that have been processed at the thermal processing station for further processing, storage, or packaging; (b) a temperature measuring station located separate from the stream of food products; (c) a diverter system to direct selected food products from the conveyance system to the temperature measuring station separate from the stream of food products; (d) the temperature measuring station comprising temperature measurement instrumentation for measuring the temperature of the food products at the temperature measuring station; (e) an information transmission system for transmitting the temperature measurement data from the temperature measuring station; (f) a scanner for scanning a stream of food products approaching the thermal processing station to determine the physical attributes and/or condition, as well as the total mass flow rate of the food products approaching the thermal processing station, and making this data available for use by a controller of the thermal processing station; (g) a monitoring system for monitoring process parameters of the thermal processing station; (h) the temperature measuring instrumentation measuring the temperatures of the food products exiting the thermal processing station, and making such temperature information available for use by the controller; and (i) a computing device for modeling the thermal processing station by considering one or more of the following dynamics; (i) the manner in which changes in the mass flow rate of the food products entering the thermal processing station results in changes to the temperature of the heat transfer fluid utilized to thermally process the food products; (ii) the manner in which changes in the geometry of the food products entering the thermal processing station causes changes to the rate of temperature change in the food products in the thermal processing station; and (iii) changes in the temperature of the food products exiting the thermal processing station relative to changes in the operating conditions of the thermal processing station or changes in the mass flow rate or the physical attributes of the food products entering the thermal processing station; and (j) the modeling results indicate that the future temperature of the food products exiting the thermal processing station is beyond a desired temperature range, the controller operable to adjust the process parameters of the thermal processing station or recommending that adjustments be made to the process parameters of the thermal processing station. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A control system for controlling a thermal processing system for food products in a thermal processing station, comprising:
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(a) a scanner for scanning a stream of food products approaching the thermal processing station to determine the physical attributes and/or condition, as well as the total mass flow rate of the food products approaching the thermal processing station, and making this data available for use by a controller of the thermal processing system; (b) a monitoring system for monitoring process parameters of the thermal processing system; (c) a temperature measuring system for measuring the temperatures of the food products exiting the thermal processing station, and making such temperature information available for use by the controller; and (d) a computing device for modeling the thermal processing system by considering one or more of the following dynamics; (i) the manner in which changes in the mass flow rate of the food products entering the thermal processing station results in changes to the temperature of the heat transfer fluid utilized to thermally process the food products; (ii) the manner in which changes in the geometry of the food products entering the thermal processing station causes changes to the rate of temperature change in the food products in the thermal processing station; and (iii) changes in the temperature of the food products exiting the thermal processing station relative to changes in the operating conditions of the thermal processing system or changes in the mass flow rate or the physical attributes of the food products entering the thermal processing station; and (e) if the modeling results indicate that the future temperature of the food products exiting the thermal processing station is beyond a desired temperature range, the controller operable to adjust the process parameters of the thermal processing station or recommending that adjustments be made to the process parameters of the thermal processing system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system for thermally processing a stream of food products at a thermal processing station under process parameters, comprising:
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(a) an upstream scanner located upstream from the thermal processing station to scan the food products entering the thermal processing station, the upstream scanner connected in data transmission communication with a computing device to analyze the data from the upstream scanner and based on this data, if the analysis indicates a sufficient variation between the scanning results and predetermined parameters of the food product, undertaking a corrective action; (b) a downstream scanner for scanning the food products after thermal processing and selecting the food products for temperature measurement from the food product stream and physically characterizing the selected food products; (c) a temperature measuring system, after the selected food products have been physically characterized, measuring the temperature of the selected food products at one or more locations within the selected food products expected to give representative temperature of the food product based on the physical characterizing of the food product; and (d) the computing device analyzing the temperature measurement results to determine if any changes are needed in the process parameters of the thermal processing station, and if said analysis indicates that changes are needed in the process parameters of the thermal processing station, transmitting control signals to change the applicable process parameters.
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Specification