A METHOD OF PROCESSING A FOOD OBJECT

Abstract

A method of processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed, comprises acquiring image data of the food object, cutting the food object into smaller food pieces, determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects, and in case such undesired objects are detected, identifying which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A method of processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed, comprising: acquiring image data of the food object; cutting the food object into smaller food pieces; determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects, and in case such undesired objects are detected; identifying which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of cutting the food object comprises the step of determining a pattern based on the image data, and performing the cutting in accordance with the pattern.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pattern is determined dynamically in accordance with a set of image data for each received food object.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said image data comprise X-ray data obtained by means of exposing the food object with an X-ray beam and processing the intensities of the X-ray beam after penetrating through the food object.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising automatically separating those smaller food pieces containing the undesired objects from the food object based on the identification of which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein said undesired objects include one or more of the following: bones, bloodspots, gapings, or nematodes.

21. The method according to claim 15, where said acquired image data comprise digital data obtained by means of an inspection device such as a digital camera, RGB hyperspectral imaging and fluorescence, and where said undesired objects are selected from one or more of: bloodspots, nematodes or gapings.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the food object is a fish fillet.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects comprises detecting whether detected objects are above a pre-defined size range, wherein if the detected objects exceed the pre-defined size range the detected objects are considered to be undesired objects.

24. A system for processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed by a conveying means, comprising: image means for acquiring image data of the food object; cutting means for cutting the food object into smaller food pieces; a processor for: determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects, and in case such undesired objects are detected; identifying which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the imaging means is selected from one or more of the following: an X-ray apparatus; a Near Infrared (NIR) device; a RGB hyperspectral imaging and fluorescence; a digital camera.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the cutting means comprises a high pressure water cutter.

27. The system according to claim 24, further comprising automatic removing device for utilizing the identification of which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects in automatically removing these smaller food pieces from the remaining part of the food object.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the automatic removing device is selected from one or more of the following: a robotic system comprising at least one robotic arm or a conveyor assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method according to the present invention of processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed,

[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 show two examples of where a fish fillet, a white fish, has been automatically cut into smaller pieces, and

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a system according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method according to the present invention of processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed. The food object may be a fish fillet, poultry meat, beef, pork and the like. In the following, it will be assumed that the food object is a fish fillet.

[0026] In step (S1) 101 image data of the food object is acquired. The image data includes in one embodiment X-ray data obtained by means of exposing the food object with an X-ray beam and processing the intensities of the X-ray beam after penetrating through the food object. This is especially suitable in detecting bones, metal objects or any other undesired objects in the fish fillet.

[0027] The image data may also include digital data obtained by means of an inspection device such as a digital camera and where said undesired objects are selected from one or more of: bloodspots, nematodes or gapings.

[0028] In step (S2) 102 the food object is cut into smaller food pieces, e.g. loin part, belly part, tail part etc. This may be performed based on pre-fixed cutting patterns. In a preferred embodiment this cutting is determined dynamically in accordance to said acquired image data. This means that depending on the size/shape/geometry of the food object the cutting is determined accordingly.

[0029] In step (S3) 103 it is determined, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects.

[0030] In step (S4) 104, in case such undesired objects in (S4) are detected, it is identified which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects.

[0031] In step (S5) 105, the method may further comprise automatically separating those smaller food pieces containing the undesired objects from the food object. This may be performed via any type of a reject conveyor device or conveyor assembly such as by arranging two conveyors in an end-to-end arrangement and temporarily withdrawing one of the ends and create a gap there between through which the food pieces containing the undesired objects may be dropped down to a reject area or to a rework station where e.g. an operator may manually process the rejected piece. This may also be done using any type of a robotic arm, or an operator may be informed via any type of a device, e.g. via a display, which of the food piece(s) contain the undesired objects.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows one example where a fish fillet 200, a white fish, has been automatically cut into smaller pieces and where the cut includes cutting around the pin bones 205 in the fish fillet, where the pieces include a loin part 201, a belly part 202 and belly portion 203, and a tail part 204. This cutting may e.g. be performed using a high pressure water jet, but other cutting tools well known to a skilled person in the art may of cause be used.

[0033] The image date comprise X-ray data that are processed and based thereon it is decided how to cut this particular fish fillet depending on the size/shape of the fish fillet, i.e. the cutting is performed in a dynamic way. Moreover, the X-ray data are processed to determine whether any of the cut pieces contain undesired objects, such as bones or any other undesired fragments. In this case, the X-ray data indicates that a small piece of a bone is within the box 207 (in addition to the pin bone area 205) in the tail part 204, and another bone within the box 206 at the loin part. In this case, the size of these bone fragments are determined and based thereon it is determined whether or not they should be considered as being undesired objects. As an example, a bone of 2 mm length or less may be considered as not being undesired object, whereas bone fragments above 2 mm is considered as being an undesired object. In this particular case, only the size of the bone within box 206 may be categorized as being an undesired object and thus only this loin part is to be removed/rejected to a rework area where e.g. an operator will easily detect the undesired object, in this case the detected bone, as discussed above, instead of removing the whole fish fillet to e.g. said rework station.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows another fillet 300 that has been cut into similar pieces 301-304, but where no undesired object has been detected and thus no piece needs to be rejected.

[0035] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of a system 400 according to the present invention for processing a food object while the food object is being conveyed by a conveying means. The system comprises an image means (I_M) 401 for acquiring image data of the food object, a cutting means (C_M) 402 for cutting the food object into smaller food pieces, a processor (P) 403 for determining, based on the acquired image data, whether the food object contains undesired objects, and in case such undesired objects are detected, identifying which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects. The system further comprises an automatic removing device (R_D) 404 for utilizing the identification of which of the smaller food pieces contain the undesired objects in automatically removing these smaller food pieces from the remaining part of the food object. The automatic removing device (R_D) 404 may be a robot, or a reject structure embedded in a conveyor.

[0036] The imaging means may comprise one or more of the following: an X-ray apparatus, a Near Infrared (NIR) device, a RGB, hyperspectral imaging and fluorescence, a digital camera. The cutting means may in one embodiment comprise a high pressure water cutter.

[0037] The automatic removing device may comprise a conveyor assembly the automatically, e.g. two conveyors arranged in an end-to-end arrangement (one end ends where the other one starts) where e.g. one end of the conveyors is connected to a moving mechanism that allows a temporal opening between the two conveyors, where in response to a control signal indicating which of the smaller food pieces contain said undesired objects (e.g. bone), the temporal opening is created and the smaller food piece (or pieces) containing the smaller food object(s) is rejected and e.g. recirculated to e.g. an operator that may manually remove e.g. the bone therefrom, and even recirculate the processed piece back into the image means where it may be detected if the undesired object has fully been removed or not.

[0038] As addressed above, the automatic removing device may also comprise

[0039] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.