Apparatus and method for detection of foreign bodies in products

• US 6,456,093 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Food Radar Systems AB
• Original Assignee: Sik - Institut For Livsmedel Och Bioteknik AB
• Inventors: Merkel, Harald, Skjöldebrand, Christina, Reimers, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERVEROS, DEMETRIOS C
• Application Number:
  US09/506,832
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 324/640, 324/639, 324/642, 324/637, 324/96
• US Class Current: 324/640
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 Food

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detection of foreign bodies in materials, comprising a first antenna device for transmitting electromagnetic signals, the transmitted electromagnetic signals are in the microwave range, the signals comprise at least two signals at different frequencies, a second antenna device for receiving signals originating from the first antenna, where the received signals, at least partially, passes through the materials, device for measuring at least one parameter of the received signals for each frequency, so as to obtain parameter values, device for comparing the parameter value with the corresponding output parameter value of the transmitted signals, so as to obtain a comparison value for each of the frequencies, device for analyzing each comparison value based on a reference value, which reference value is accessible to the apparatus, and device for emitting a signal when the comparison value differs a predetermined amount from the reference value. The invention also relates to a method for detection of foreign bodies in materials.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detection of foreign bodies in a material, comprising:

a first antenna device for transmitting electromagnetic signals in the microwave range, said signals comprise at least two signals at different frequencies;

a second antenna device for receiving signals originating from said first antenna, said received signals, at least partially, pass through said material;

means for measuring at least amplitude and phase information of said received signals for each separate frequency, so as to obtain a plurality of parameter values;

means for comparing each parameter value with the corresponding amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signals, so as to obtain a comparison value for each of said separate frequencies;

means for analyzing each comparison value based on a predetermined reference value, which predetermined reference value is accessible to said apparatus; and

means for emitting a signal when said comparison value differs a predetermined amount from said predetermined reference value.

2. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein each predetermined reference value is derived from comparing said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said separate frequencies, where said received reference signal, at least partially, has passed through a reference material, said reference material being without any foreign bodies.

3. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein each predetermined reference value is derived from comparing said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal has been obtained by evaluation of a model of the measurement setup and of the transmission properties of a reference material.

4. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing means compares said amplitude and phase information of each predetermined reference value with each received signal at the separate frequencies.

5. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein said amplitude and phase information comprises any of the group consisting of:

damping, signal runtime, signal delay time, signal velocity and complex S parameter.

6. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is adaptable for on-line detection.

7. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 6, wherein said apparatus is provided with conveyor means for transporting said material past said first and second antenna.

8. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus has a gap between said first and second antenna in an open structure, whereby a production line may be placed in said gap.

9. The apparatus for detection of foreign bodies according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined reference value is stored in a memory within said apparatus.

10. A method for detection of foreign bodies in a product comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic signals from a first antenna device, said transmitted electromagnetic signals being in the microwave range, said signals comprise at least two signals at different frequencies;

receiving signals in a second antenna device originating from said signals transmitted from said first antenna device, where said received signals, at least partially, have passed through said product;

storing predetermined reference values comprising amplitude and phase information for each transmitted separate frequency in a memory;

measuring at least amplitude and phase information of said received signals for each separate frequency, so as to obtain parameter values;

comparing the parameter values with the corresponding amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signals, so as to obtain a comparison value for each of said frequencies;

analyzing each comparison value using one of said predetermined reference values from said memory; and

emitting a signal when said comparison value differs a predetermined amount from said predetermined reference value.

11. The method for detection of foreign bodies in a product according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining each predetermined reference value from comparison of said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal, at least partially, has passed through a reference product, said reference product being without any foreign bodies.

12. The method for detection of foreign bodies in a product according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining each predetermined reference value from comparison of said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal has been obtained by evaluation of a model of the measurement setup and of the transmission properties of a reference product.

13. The method for detection of foreign bodies in a product according to claim 10, wherein the step of analyzing each comparison value is performed by comparing amplitude and phase information of each received signal with a corresponding predetermined reference value.

14. An apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product, comprising:

a first antenna device for transmitting electromagnetic signals in the microwave range, said signals comprise at least two signals at different frequencies;

a second antenna device for receiving signals originating from said first antenna, said received signals, at least partially, pass through said product;

means for measuring at least amplitude and phase information of said received signals for each separate frequency, so as to obtain parameter values;

means for comparing each parameter value with the corresponding amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signals, so as to obtain a comparison value for each of said separate frequencies;

means for analyzing each comparison value based on a predetermined reference value, which predetermined reference value is accessible to said apparatus; and

means for emitting a signal when said comparison value differs from a predetermined amount from said predetermined reference value.

15. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein each predetermined reference value is derived from comparing said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal, at least partially, has passed through a reference product, said reference product having a desired material property and content.

16. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein each predetermined reference value is derived from comparing said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal has been obtained by evaluation of a model of the measurement setup and of the transmission properties of a reference product.

17. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein said analyzing means compares said amplitude and phase information of each predetermined reference value with each received signal at the separate frequencies.

18. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 17, wherein said amplitude and phase information comprises any of the group consisting of:

damping, signal runtime, signal delay time, signal velocity and complex S parameter.

19. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein said apparatus is adaptable for on-line detection.

20. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein said apparatus has a gap between said first and second antenna in an open structure, whereby a production line may be placed in said gap.

21. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus is provided with conveyor means for transporting said product past said first and second antenna.

22. The apparatus for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined reference value is stored in a memory within said apparatus.

23. A method for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product comprising the steps of:

transmitting electromagnetic signals from a first antenna device, said transmitted electromagnetic signals being in the microwave range, said signals comprise at least two signals at different frequencies;

receiving signals in a second antenna device originating from said signals transmitted from said first antenna device, where said received signals, at least partially, have passed through said product;

storing predetermined reference values comprising amplitude and phase information for each transmitted different frequency in a memory;

measuring at least amplitude and phase information of said received signals for each frequency, so as to obtain parameter values;

comparing the parameter values with the corresponding amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signals, so as to obtain a comparison value for each of said frequencies;

analyzing each comparison value using one of said predetermined reference values from said memory; and

emitting a signal when said comparison value differs a predetermined amount from said predetermined reference value.

24. The method for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 23, wherein the method further comprises the step of obtaining each predetermined reference value from comparison of said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal, at least partially, has passed through a reference product, said reference product having a desired material property and content.

25. The method for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 23, wherein the method further comprises the step of obtaining each predetermined reference value from comparison of said amplitude and phase information of said transmitted signal with a parameter value of a received reference signal for each of said frequencies, where said received reference signal has been obtained by evaluation of a model of the measurement setup and of the transmission properties of a reference product.

26. The method for detection of changes in material properties and contents in a product according to claim 23, wherein the step of analyzing each comparison value is performed by comparing amplitude and phase information of each received signal with a corresponding predetermined reference value.