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Thermal measurement and process control

  • US 10,602,759 B2
  • Filed: 06/13/2016
  • Issued: 03/31/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for measuring the temperature of food products processed at a thermal processing station under process parameters, comprising:

  • (a) a conveyance system conveying the food products in a stream through the thermal processing station;

    (b) a characterizing system physically characterizing all or some of the food products of the stream being carried by the conveyance system and based on the physical characterization of the food products;

    (i) selecting sample food products for temperature measurement, and (ii) determining one or more locations on the selected sample food products that are expected to give a representative temperature at which to measure the internal temperature of the selected sample food products;

    (c) temperature sensing devices to be inserted into food products to travel with the food products through the thermal processing station to monitor the temperature of the food product during the thermal processing of the food product;

    (d) a powered multi-axis system inserting the temperature sensing devices into the selected sample food products at the selected locations on the sample food products that are expected to give a representative temperature of the sample food products as the selected sample food products are carried by the conveyance system at a location upstream of the thermal processing station, and wherein once the temperature sensing devices are inserted into the sample food products, the powered system is detached from the temperature sensing devices; and

    (e) temperature monitoring devices monitoring the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing devices that have been inserted into the sample food products, including during the thermal processing of the selected sample food products.

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