Device and system for optically analyzing food products

• US 10,458,965 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P&P Optica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: P&P Optica Incorporated
• Inventors: Iyer, Krishna, Pawluczyk, Olga Ewa, Oldenburg, Bradley, Guthrie, Simon, Stork, Timothy M. F., Osika, Ewa, Lizius, David William, Pawluczyk, Romuald, Shaw, Anthony Robert, Baran-Harper, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Maurice C
• Application Number:
  US15/998,434
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/008 for measuring quality, e.g. to determine further processing
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2501/0081 Sorting of food items
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/342 according to optical properties, e.g. colour according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0202 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0205 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. optical manifolds, diffusers, windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0286 Constructional arrangements for compensating for fluctuations caused by temperature, humidity or pressure, or using cooling or temperature stabilization of parts of the device; Controlling the atmosphere inside a spectrometer, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0289 Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a spectrometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of measurement area; Position tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1765 Method using an image detector and processing of image signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1774 Line array detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3155 Measuring in two spectral ranges, e.g. UV and visible
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/845 Objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/251 Colorimeters; Construction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0231 : Thermostating
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0238 : Moisture monitoring or controlling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0686 : Cold filter; IR filter
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 : Food

Abstract

A device and system for optically analyzing food products is provided. The device comprises first and second imaging devices respectively sensitive to first and second wavelengths; the imaging devices include a line-scan camera to acquire images of food products at a line in a food-path-facing direction, and a line-scan spectrometer to acquire spectroscopic images at the line. The device includes an optical filter configured to: convey the first wavelengths from the line to the first imaging device; and convey the second wavelengths from the line to the second imaging device. The device includes a frame to align the optical filter and respective optical axes of the first and second imaging devices, relative to each other and the food-path-facing direction, such that the first imaging device and the second imaging device are optically aligned via the optical filter to image the line.

Claims

1. A device for optically analyzing food products, the device comprising:

a first imaging device sensitive to first wavelengths;

a second imaging device sensitive to second wavelengths,

one of the first imaging device and the second imaging device comprising;

a line-scan camera configured to acquire images of food products in a human-visible wavelength spectrum, at a line in a food-path-facing direction,

and an other of the first imaging device and the second imaging device comprising;

a line-scan spectrometer configured to acquire spectroscopic images of the food products from the line in the food-path-facing direction;

an optical filter configured to;

convey the first wavelengths from the line to the first imaging device; and

convey the second wavelengths from the line to the second imaging device; and

a frame configured to align the optical filter and respective optical axes of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, relative to each other and the food-path-facing direction, such that the first imaging device and the second imaging device are optically aligned via the optical filter to image the line.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a conveyor located in the food-path-facing direction relative to both the respective optical axis of the first imaging device and the optical filter, the line located at the conveyor about perpendicular thereto.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the respective optical axes of the first imaging device and the second imaging device are at about 90°

to each other, and the optical filter is at about 45°

to each of the respective optical axes, the optical filter further configured to;

transmit the first wavelengths from the line to the first imaging device; and

reflect the second wavelengths from the line to the second imaging device.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fold mirror,

wherein the frame is further configured to:

align the respective optical axes of the first imaging device and the second imaging device at about 90°

to each other;

align the optical filter at about 45°

to each of the respective optical axes; and

align the fold mirror about parallel to the optical filter,

wherein the fold mirror is positioned to;

reflect the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths from the line to the optical filter, and

wherein the optical filter is further configured to;

reflect the first wavelengths from the fold mirror to the first imaging device; and

transmit the second wavelengths from the fold mirror to the second imaging device.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a conveyor located in the food-path-facing direction relative to both the respective optical axis of the first imaging device and the optical filter, the line located at the conveyor about perpendicular thereto,

wherein the fold mirror is positioned to reflect the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths at the conveyor to the optical filter from the food-path-facing direction towards the optical filter.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a removeable fold mirror, and the food-path-facing direction includes one of:

a first food-path-facing direction;

or a second food-path-facing direction about 90°

to the first food-path-facing direction,

wherein, when the removeable fold mirror is present, the removeable fold mirror reflects the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths of the line in the first food-path-facing direction to the optical filter; and

the optical filter reflects the first wavelengths of the line in the first food-path-facing direction from the removeable fold mirror to the first imaging device and transmits the second wavelengths of the line in the first food-path-facing direction from the removeable fold mirror to the second imaging device; and

wherein, when the removeable fold mirror is removed, the optical filter reflects the first wavelengths of the line in the second food-path-facing direction to the first imaging device and transmits the second wavelengths of the line in the second food-path-facing direction to the second imaging device.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising one of:

conveyor located in the first food-path-facing direction aligned with the respective optical axis of the first imaging device, the line located at the conveyor about perpendicular thereto; and

a waterfall food product path in the second food-path-facing direction aligned with the respective optical axis of the second imaging device, the line located at the waterfall food product path about perpendicular thereto.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising an enclosure configured to enclose the first imaging device, the second imaging device, the optical filter, the removeable fold mirror, and the frame, the enclosure including:

a first aperture located in the first food-path-facing direction; and

a second aperture located in the second food-path-facing direction, one of the first aperture and the second aperture covered by a window transparent to the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths, and the other of the first aperture and the second aperture covered by a cover.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein each of the window and the cover are removeable and attachable to either of the first aperture and the second aperture.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the enclosure is ruggedized with respect to temperature over a range of one or more of about 0.1°

C. to about 60°

C. and about 0.1°

C. to about 100°

C.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the enclosure is one or more of waterproof and resistant to disinfecting chemicals.

12. The device of claim 8, further comprising one or more of a humidity control device and a temperature control device located inside the enclosure.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure configured to enclose the first imaging device, the second imaging device, the optical filter, and the frame, the enclosure including a window transparent to the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths, the window positioned in the enclosure to convey the first wavelengths and the second wavelengths of the line to the optical filter.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the enclosure ruggedized with respect to temperature over a range of one or more of about 0.1°

C. to about 60°

C. and about 0.1°

C. to about 100°

C.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the enclosure is one or more of waterproof and resistant to disinfecting chemicals.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising one or more of a humidity control device and a temperature control device located inside the enclosure.