Food processing apparatus and method for sequentially scanning food products

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a food processing apparatus with a scanner for determining properties of a food product, in particular a food bar, with at least two substantially parallel separately drivable conveyor tracks for supplying the food products to the scanner, and with a control unit for controlling the drive of the conveyor tracks. According to the disclosure, the control unit is adapted to separately control the drive of the conveyor tracks to convey at least one food product of a first conveyor track and at least one food product of a further conveyor track sequentially through a scanning area of the scanner. The disclosure further relates to a method for scanning food products.

Claims

1. A food processing apparatus comprising: a scanner with a scanning unit for determining properties of food products, wherein said scanning unit comprises a radiographic device including an X-ray source and a detector; at least two parallel, movable conveyor belts that are each separately drivable by a respective drive for supplying said food products to said scanner, said at least two parallel conveyor belts including a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt; a common weighing apparatus associated with said at least two parallel conveyor belts; and a control unit for controlling said drives of said at least two parallel conveyor belts, wherein said control unit is configured to separately control said drives of said at least two parallel conveyor belts to sequentially convey at least one food product on said first conveyor belt entirely through a scanning area of said scanner and then at least one food product on said second conveyor belt entirely through said scanning area of said scanner, wherein said control unit is further configured to control said drive of said first conveyor belt in order to move said first conveyor belt at a time when said second conveyor belt remains stationary, and wherein said weighing apparatus is configured to determine weight of each of said food products via a differential weight measurement during sequential supply of said food products.

2. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is configured to individually convey said food products through said scanning area.

3. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning unit is movable.

4. The food processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said scanning unit is pivotable.

5. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning unit has an upright beam axis.

6. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a beam axis of said scanning unit is horizontal.

7. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a food cutting apparatus disposed downstream of said scanner, wherein said food processing apparatus is configured to simultaneously slice, using said food cutting apparatus, said at least one food product on said first conveyor belt and said at least one food product on said second conveyor belt based on properties or values determined by said scanner.

8. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector is arrangeable between two of said at least two parallel conveyor belts.

9. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning unit comprises a support which is mounted pivotable about at least one of said at least two parallel conveyor belts.

10. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conveyor device of at least one of said at least two parallel conveyor belts extends through said scanning area.

11. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a third conveyor belt for supplying food products to said scanner, wherein said control unit is configured to control movement of said third conveyor belt and one of said first and second conveyor belts to provide simultaneous movement of said third conveyor belt and said one of said first and second conveyor belts.

12. The food processing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said control unit is configured to control movement of said third conveyor belt and said first conveyor belt to provide simultaneous movement of said third conveyor belt and said first conveyor belt, and wherein said second conveyor belt is disposed between said first conveyor belt and said third conveyor belt.

13. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said at least two parallel conveyor belts comprises a conveyor device that extends through said scanning area.

14. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second conveyor belts comprise first and second upstream conveyor belts, respectively, and wherein said food processing apparatus further comprises first and second downstream conveyor belts that extend downstream of said scanner, wherein said first and second downstream conveyor belts are aligned with said first and second upstream conveyor belts, respectively.

15. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control unit is further configured to control said drives of said first and second conveyor belts in order to align a leading end of said at least one food product on said first conveyor belt and a leading end of said at least one food product on said second conveyor belt downstream of said scanning area.

16. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a food cutting device positioned downstream of the scanning unit.

17. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control unit is configured to control said drives of said at least two parallel conveyor belts so that said at least one food product on said first conveyor belt is moved through said scanning area while said at least one food product on said second conveyor belt is not moved past a pre-scanning position upstream of said scanning area, and so that said at least one food product on said second conveyor belt is held at said pre-scanning position at a time when said at least one food product on said first conveyor belt is being moved through said scanning area.

18. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scanning unit comprises a pivotable X-ray source and a laterally adjustable detector.

19. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scanner comprises a housing which extends across said at least two parallel conveyor belts.

20. The food processing apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a food cutting apparatus disposed downstream of said scanner, wherein said food processing apparatus is configured to slice, using said food cutting apparatus, said at least one food product associated with said first conveyor belt and said at least one food product associated with said second conveyor belt based on properties determined by said scanner.

21. The food processing apparatus according to claim 20 wherein each of said at least two parallel conveyor belts extends through said scanning area.

22. A food processing apparatus comprising: a scanner with a scanning unit for determining properties of food products; first and second parallel conveyor belts that are each configured to supply food products to the scanner and that are independently movable; a first drive for driving the first conveyor belt, and a second drive for separately driving the second conveyor belt; a third conveyor belt for supplying food products to the scanner; a control unit for controlling the first and second drives; and a food cutting device disposed downstream of the scanner; wherein the control unit is configured to separately control the first and second drives to sequentially convey a first food product on the first conveyor belt through a scanning area of the scanner and then a second food product on the second conveyor belt through the scanning area of the scanner, so that the first product is entirely conveyed through the scanning area before the second food product reaches the scanning area, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the drive of the first conveyor belt in order to move the first conveyor belt at a time when the second conveyor belt remains stationary, wherein the food processing apparatus is configured to simultaneously slice, using the food cutting device, the first food product and the second food product based on properties or values determined by the scanner, and wherein the control unit is configured to control movement of the third conveyor belt and one of the first and second conveyor belts to provide simultaneous movement of the third conveyor belt and the one of the first and second conveyor belts.

23. The food processing apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the control unit is configured to separately control the first and second drives so that the first food product on the first conveyor belt is moved through the scanning area while the second food product on the second conveyor belt is not moved past a pre-scanning position upstream of the scanning area, and so that the second food product on the second conveyor belt is held at the pre-scanning position at a time when the first food product on the first conveyor belt is being moved through the scanning area.

24. The food processing apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the scanning unit comprises a pivotable X-ray source and a laterally adjustable detector.

25. The food processing apparatus according to claim 22 wherein each of the first and second conveyor belts extends through the scanning area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a food processing apparatus according to the disclosure, where the food products are arranged upstream of a scanning area of a scanner.

(2) FIGS. 2-5 show the sequential supply of the respective food products through the scanner in the embodiment of the food processing apparatus according to the disclosure in plan view.

(3) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view through the scanning area of an embodiment of a food processing apparatus according to the disclosure.

(4) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through the scanning area of a further embodiment of a food processing apparatus according to the disclosure.

(5) FIG. 8 shows a sectional view through the scanning area of a further embodiment of a food processing apparatus according to the disclosure.

(6) FIG. 9 shows a fragmentary plan view of an environment in which conveyor devices extend through a scanning area of a scanner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a food processing apparatus 1 according to the disclosure in a plan view. The food processing apparatus 1 comprises a scanner 2 which can determine properties of food products 4, 5, 6, 7 in a scanning area 3. The scanning area 3 can in particular be defined as a scanning plane whose surface normal is defined by the conveying direction F of the food products 4, 5, 6, 7. The food products 4, 5, 6, 7 are initially arranged on the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 upstream of the scanner 2.

(8) The conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 are drivable individually, where a control unit is provided which can separately control the respective drive D of the individual conveyor tracks. Thereby, the food products 4, 5, 6, 7 can be conveyed separately on the upstream conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 in the conveying direction F. The conveyor tracks in particular comprise a conveyor belt for conveying the food products. In alternative embodiments, a pusher or gripper can also be provided which conveys the respective food products 4, 5, 6, 7.

(9) Furthermore, conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14 are provided downstream of the scanner 15 which are associated with the respective upstream conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11. This means, the respective conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 extend in particular at a short distance in the conveying direction F downstream of the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11, where the scanning area 3 is defined between the conveyor tracks. It can thereby be prevented that the scanner 2 during scanning of the food products 4, 5, 6, 7 is obstructed by the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

(10) The conveyor tracks 8, 12 are synchronized in their conveying speed, in particular, mechanical synchronization of their drive can be provided. The same applies for the conveyor tracks 9 and 13, 10 and 14, and 11 and 15.

(11) The scanner 2 comprises a housing 16 into which the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 extend from the one side, and from which the conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 extend on the other side. The housing 16 is designed, in particular, to shield from X-ray radiation which is used for scanning in the scanner 2. For this purpose, the housing can be partially made of lead. In addition, the housing 16 can have attached shielding curtains covering the supply and discharge openings for the food products 4, 5, 6, 7. The housing 16 is in FIG. 1 shown relatively short in the conveying direction F, but can also extend over the entire or almost the entire length of the conveyor tracks arranged upstream and downstream.

(12) FIG. 2 shows how a first food product 4 is conveyed through the scanning area 3 of the scanner 2. For this purpose, the drive of the conveyor tracks 8 and 12 are activated by a control unit, so that the conveyor tracks 8 and 12 convey the food product 4 resting on them. In particular the first food product 4 is conveyed only on the conveyor track 8 until it reaches the scanning area 3. The food product 4 is then conveyed at substantially constant speed through the scanning area 3 and onto the downstream conveyor track 12. In this, at least one property of the food product 4 is determined with the scanner, in particular, the food product 4 is irradiated and the data thus determined is stored in dependency of the longitudinal direction of the food product 4 extending in the conveying direction F.

(13) After the food product 4 has been entirely conveyed through the scanning area 3, it rests exclusively on the downstream conveyor track 12. When the food product 4 is located at a desired position on the downstream conveyor track 12, the drive of the conveyor tracks 8 and 12 is stopped.

(14) The conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 are disposed on a weighing device 24, in particular a digital scale. In the present embodiment, all the downstream conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 are disposed on only one digital scale. The weight of the food product 4 is determined by the weight difference before and after conveying the food product 4 on the downstream conveyor track 12.

(15) In FIG. 3, the food product 4 is arranged in its intermediate stop position on the conveyor track 12. Furthermore, the further food product 5 was already conveyed from the upstream conveyor track 9 through the scanning area 3 onto the downstream conveyor track 13, where the scanner has then determined the property of the food product 5. The digital scale being associated with the conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 then determines the weight difference from the state in which only the food product 4 rested on the conveyor track 12, to the state, as shown in FIG. 3, in which the food products 4 and 5 each rest on the conveyor tracks 12 and 13. In using the weight difference, the weight of the food product 5 can be determined.

(16) Due to the separate drive of the conveyor tracks 12 and 13, the leading ends of the food products 4, 5 can be aligned to each other. This can occur in particular based on the properties of the food product being determined by the scanner. By using the scanner, the position of the leading ends of the food products 4, 5 can be determined with respect to the conveyor tracks 12, 13. This information can be utilized to achieve an alignment of the food products 4, 5. An alignment of the further food products 6, 7 with the food products 4, 5 can be achieved accordingly. Alternatively, a light barrier can also be provided in the region of the downstream conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15, which allows an alignment of the food products 4, 5, 6, 7, in that the drive of the respective conveyor track is stopped when the leading end of a food product arrives at the light barrier.

(17) FIG. 4 shows the state of the food processing apparatus 1, in which the food product 6 was conveyed by the conveyor tracks 10, 14 through the scanning area 3 of the scanner, so that it was possible to determine its properties. The weight of the food product 6 is determined, as already described above in relation to the food product 5, by differential weight measurement, and the leading end of the food product 6 is aligned with the leading ends of the food products 4 and 5.

(18) Finally, the final food product 7 is conveyed by the conveyor tracks 11 and 15 through the scanning area 3 of the scanner 2, so that the properties of the food product 7 can be determined.

(19) FIG. 5 illustrates the state where all the food products 4, 5, 6, 7 have passed through the scanning area 3 and can be supplied to further processing. In particular a food cutting device 26 downstream of the conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 is provided for this, which is not illustrated in the figures. Advantageously a so-called slicer is used, which simultaneously slices the food products 4, 5, 6, 7 arranged in parallel adjacent to each other with only one cutting blade, in particular a circular knife or sickle knife. The conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15 of the scanner can be the feeder conveyor tracks for the slicer.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view through the scanning area 3 of a scanner 2 in an embodiment of a food processing apparatus 1 according to the disclosure. The state shown corresponds to the state between FIGS. 2 and 3 at the point in time when the food product 5 is conveyed through the scanning area 3. The perspective in FIG. 6 is against the conveying direction F. Accordingly, the food product 4 is not shown because it is already located in front of the drawing plane, the food product 5 is shown hatched since it is precisely in the drawing plane, and the food products 6 and 7 are still on the upstream conveyor tracks 10 and 11 as shown in FIG. 3.

(21) The scanner 2 comprises a housing 16 and a scanning unit 17 movably arranged therein. The scanning unit 17 is a radiographic device which comprises an X-ray source 18 and a detector 19. The beam axis A of the X-ray beam bundle originating from the X-ray source 18 is aligned substantially vertically. It is pointed out that the X-ray radiation fans out from the X-ray source 18. The X-ray radiation irradiates through the food product 5 and its intensity is detected by the detector 19. In particular the density of the food product 5 can be thereby be detected.

(22) It is pointed out that the X-ray radiation reaches the detector 19 without passing through the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, 13, 14, 15, since a spacing is provided between the conveyor tracks, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The X-ray source 18 and the detector 19 are provided in the conveying direction F precisely at the level of this spacing. Due to the fact that the food product 5 is during scanning conveyed through the scanning area 3, the density of the food product 5 can be determined along the entire longitudinal extent of the food product 5. In other embodiments, respective conveyor devices of the conveyor tracks can also extend through the scanning area. Particularly suited conveyor devices, such as belt conveyors, are provided for this, which do not shield the X-rays. FIG. 9 shows such an embodiment where conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10 and 11 extend through the scanning area 3.

(23) The X-ray source 18 is in the present embodiment arranged above the food product 5, the detector 19 beneath. In other embodiments, however, a reverse arrangement can also be given, meaning that the X-ray source 18 can be disposed below the food product 5 and the detector 19 above the food product 5.

(24) The scanning unit 17 comprises in particular a support 20, which connects the detector 19 and the X-ray source 18 with each other Thereby, the scanning unit 17 forms an integral component.

(25) The scanning unit 17 is movable in the width direction B in the scanning area 3. First, the scanning unit 17 is disposed on the width of the conveyor track 8 to scan the first food product 4. Then the scanning unit 17 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 6 to scan the food product 5. In the further course, the scanning unit 17 is further moved in the width direction B to the supply track 10, and then to the conveyor track 11 to respectively scan the food products 6 and 7.

(26) FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the food processing apparatus according to the disclosure in a sectional view in the scanning area 3. The scanning unit 17 again comprises an X-ray source 18 and a detector 19 which, however, are in this embodiment attached in an immobile manner. The beam axis A of the X-ray beam bundle originating from the X-ray source 18 is aligned substantially horizontally. FIG. 7 shows the state in which the food products 4 and 5 were already passed through the scanning area and are resting on the downstream conveyor tracks 12 and 13, the food product 7 is arranged upstream of the scanning area 3 on the conveyor track 11, and the food product 6 is just being conveyed through the scanning area 3, so that its properties are being determined. The upstream and downstream conveyor tracks can in this embodiment each be combined to end-to-end conveyor tracks, as no spacing between the conveyor tracks is necessary because the beam path does not extend through the plane of the conveyor tracks.

(27) In a further preferred embodiment, further detectors 21, 22, 23 can be arranged between the conveyor tracks 8, 9; 9, 10; 10, 11. In particular, the detectors 21, 22, 23 can be individually adjusted in the upper direction H. Thereby, a respective detector can, when viewed starting out from the X-ray source 18, be arranged closely behind each food product to be analyzed, so that a more accurate measurement result regarding the respective food product can be obtained. In the state of the food processing apparatus 1 in FIG. 7, the additional detector 22 is disposed closely beside the food product 6. Once the food product 7 is conveyed through the scanning area 3, the detector 23 is located closely behind the food product 7 between the conveyor tracks 11 and 10. The detectors 21, 22, 23 are all moved downwardly when the first food product 4 is analyzed starting from conveyor track 8.

(28) However, it is pointed out that the food processing apparatus 1 according to FIG. 7 can also be designed without detectors 21, 22 and 23, so that only detector 19 is provided for all the food products.

(29) FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment of a food processing apparatus according to the disclosure. In this embodiment the scanning unit 17 is pivotable. In the present embodiment, the pivot axis for the scanning unit 17 is located substantially in the area of its X-ray source 18, so that the X-ray source 18 is only rotates, whereas the detector 19 is pivoted into different positions below the respective conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10. The X-ray source 18 and the detector 19 are again connected by a support 20. The orientation of the X-ray source 18 towards the detector 19 can thereby be ensured.

(30) FIG. 8 shows the state in which the scanning unit 17 scans the food product 7. In order to illustrate the pivoting of the scanning unit 17, a further pivot position of the scanning unit 17 for irradiating the food product 4 is shown in dashed lines. Pivoting the scanning unit 17 for scanning the food products 5, 6, which are supplied to the conveyor tracks 9, 10, is performed accordingly.

(31) In other embodiments, the X-ray source 18 can also be not arranged in the region of the pivot axis. In particular, the pivot axis can essentially be arranged in the middle between the X-ray source 18 and the detector 19, so that both the X-ray source 18 and the detector 19 can be pivoted. In this particular case, a semi-circular C-support is in particular suggested, since it is then moved substantially along a circular path. With suitable mounting outside the pivot axis, for example on rails, it can thereby be possible that the support 20 does not need not be pivoted in the spacing between the conveyor tracks 8, 9, 10, 11 and the conveyor tracks 12, 13, 14, 15. In other embodiments, a motion of the X-ray source 18 can also be provided relative to the detector 19. A pivoting X-ray source 18, as illustrated in FIG. 8, can be combined with a detector linearly adjustable in the width direction B, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

(32) It is also possible that a sub-group of food products is simultaneously scanned. For example, several food products can be scanned simultaneously next to each other by a common scanning unit. Alternatively, two separate scanning units can be provided to simultaneously scan the food product disposed in parallel spaced from each other. Nevertheless, the required radiation intensity of the scanning unit can be reduced and the quality of analysis can be improved in contrast to the prior art solutions, in which all of the food products are scanned simultaneously.