CONVEYOR APPARATUS FOR IMAGING FOOD PRODUCTS

• Main Authors: BARAN-HARPER, Alexander, SHAW, Anthony Robert, HINOJOSA, Hernan Miguel, STORK, Timothy M.F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 16.03.2022
• Subjects: COLORIMETRY; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT,POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED,VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT; MEASURING; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; RADIATION PYROMETRY; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TESTING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING

Apparatuses for imaging food products are provided. An apparatus includes a first and second conveyor, the first conveyor configured to move a flexible food product at a first speed, the second conveyor configured to move the flexible food product at a second speed greater than the first speed, a receiving portion of the second conveyor positioned in a downward direction relative to the first conveyor to receive the flexible food product, thereby flipping the flexible food product and stretching the flexible food product for imaging. An apparatus may include a guide mechanism to guide the food product to be flipped. An apparatus may move a plurality of food products and spread apart the plurality of food products for imaging. An apparatus may include a receiving structure having a low-friction receiving surface for stretching or spreading apart food products.