BATCHING WITH VISION

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for batching items such as fish. The object is specifically to batch smaller items like pelagic fish, such as mackerel and herring or salmon. The batching apparatus and method of the present invention uses at least one image means to provide faster batching with more accuracy and less give-away.

Claims

1-26. (canceled)

27. An apparatus for batching items, the apparatus comprising an in-feed means, an in-feed station, a batching conveyor belt, where the batching conveyor belt is a cleated conveyor belt and where a portion of the batching conveyor belt is raised by an axle between an in-feed and an out feed end of the batching conveyor belt, a first image means directed to the in-feed station to detect the volume of items in the in-feed station, a second image means, said second image means determines at least one characteristic property of the items as the items pass over the axle, diverting means, a collection bin, and computing means wherein the computing means regulates the transport of items on the in-feed means to the in-feed station in response to data from the first image means, and wherein selected items are diverted to the collection bin by the diverting means based on data from the second image means.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the in-feed means is an in-feed conveyor.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a take away conveyor for transporting the items not selected for the collection bin back to the in-feed conveyor or the in-feed station.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the axis divides the batching conveyor belt into an in-feed and an out feed portion, and wherein the in-feed portion is at least partially inclining and the out feed portion is at least partially declining.

31. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the collection bin comprises weight cells connected to the computing means.

32. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the collection bin is a part of a packing apparatus.

33. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the cleats of the batching conveyor belt have a notch to allow liquid to exit the pocket formed between the cleats.

34. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein an electronic nose is positioned adjacent or at the top position between the inclining in-feed end and the declining out feed end of the batching conveyor belt.

35. A method for batching items, the method comprising the steps of: transporting the items to an in-feed station by an in-feed means, transporting the items from the in-feed station to a collection bin on a batching conveyor, where the batching conveyor belt is a cleated conveyor belt and where a portion of the batching conveyor belt is raised by an axle between an in-feed and an out feed end of the batching conveyor belt, determining the volume of items in the in-feed station by a first image means directed to the in-feed station, determining at least one characteristic property of the items as the items pass over the axis as they are transported from the in-feed to the out feed end of the batching conveyor belt, diverting selected items to the collection bin by a diverting means, wherein the computing means regulates the transport of items on the in-feed means to the in-feed station in response to data from the first image means, and wherein selected items are diverted to the collection bin by the diverting means based on data from the second image means.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein transporting the items over the portion of the batching conveyor belt raised by the rolls the items from side to side and creating more than one image view of the items.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the computer regulates the speed of an in-feed conveyor to secure a minimum amount of items in the in-feed station.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein items not selected for the collection bin are transported back to the in-feed conveyor or the in-feed station on a take away conveyor.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the computer collects continuously weight data from the collection bin.

40. The method according to claim 35, wherein the computer gives a signal through a relay if an item should be selected or transported back to the in-feed stream, said relay being connected to the second image means and to the diverting means.

41. The method according to claim 35, wherein the items to be batched are pelagic fish, such as herring or mackerel.

42. The method according to claim 35, wherein the speed of the in-feeding means and determining at least one characteristic property of each single items during rolling of the items from side to side as they pass from the inclining to the declining portion of the belt is controlled by the computing means.

43. The method according to claim 35, wherein the computing means sends information on the characteristics of the fish to a controller.

44. The method according to claim 35, wherein the computing means stores information on the characteristics of the fish directly after the information has been obtained in a database or a cloud, where controllers can access the date in real-time or at a later time point.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the controller is one or more of a controller of the ship, a decision maker on shore, buyer at a fish market, controller at a fish factory or surveillance officer at an authority on shore.

46. A fishing vessel for catching and slaughtering fish, said fishing vessel comprising an apparatus for batching items, the apparatus comprising: an in-feed means, an in-feed station, a batching conveyor belt, where the batching conveyor belt is a cleated conveyor belt and where a portion of the batching conveyor belt is raised by an axle between an in-feed and an out feed end of the batching conveyor belt, a first image means directed to the in-feed station to detect the volume of items in the in-feed station, a second image means, said second image means determines at least one characteristic property of the items as the items pass over the axle, diverting means, a collection bin, and computing means wherein the computing means regulates the transport of items on the in-feed means to the in-feed station in response to data from the first image means, and wherein selected items are diverted to the collection bin by the diverting means based on data from the second image means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] The invention will now be described in relation to the drawings with reference numerals to indicate the different components of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows the different components of the apparatus of the present invention. The drawing is a side view of the device where the outer side has been removed. In this embodiment the apparatus is designed to batch pelagic fish, such as herring or mackerel. An endless in-feeding conveyor belt 1 transports the items to an in-feeding station 2. The end of the in-feed belt shown in FIG. 1 has an inclining portion and a short declining portion in order to allow the items to drop into the in-feed station. The in-feed station is a receptacle with a conveyor belt 3 at the bottom to transfer the items towards the in-feeding end of the cleated conveyor 4. The portion of the cleated conveyor which transports items runs over a roller or axis 5, which raises the transporting portion defining an inclining in-feed portion 6 and a declining out-feed portion 7. The cleats 8 of the cleated conveyor belt 4 are at an interval which creates pocket size holding one herring or mackerel (see enlarged portion of the top part of the cleated conveyor). A first camera 9 is positioned above the in-feed station in obtains images of the in-feed station (see beam A). Data from the first camera is used to determine the current/real time volume/amount of fish in the in-feed station. The computer regulates the speed of the in-feed conveyor 1 based on the volume in the in-feed station, such that if the volume is decreasing the speed of the in-feed conveyor is increased, but if the volume is increasing then the speed of the in-feed conveyor is decreased. This feature is important in order to fill each pocket on the cleated conveyor belt, which is important to provide a faster batching method.

[0045] The enlarged portion of FIG. 1 shows the portion of the belt which is raised by the axle. When each pocket 10 is transported over the roller 5, the position of the fish in the pocket may shift as it is carried up by the aft cleat 11 forming the pocket until it is directly above the roller when the aft cleat pushes the fish onto the front cleat 12 which carries the fish the remaining distance. A second camera 13 is positioned above the belt where it passes the roller 5 obtaining images of the fish during the transport over the roller and determining at least one characteristic property of the fish. Because of the shift of the fish in the pocket 10, the camera (see beam B) is able to obtain images of more than one side of the fish. The items fall off the out-feed end of the cleated conveyor belt and a diverting means 14 directs the item either into the collection bin 15 or onto a take-away conveyor 16, for sending the items back to the in-feed conveyor or the in-feed station. The computer collects image data from the second camera and determines which items are selected for the collection bin and which items are re-routed to the in-feed stream or rejected. Items of wrong species or damaged items are rejected or re-routed to another line, while desired items are collected in the collection bin. When the batch is almost full the computer can select from the items on the out-feed end that have the best fit for the batch.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows two parallel devices of the present invention. The devices are similar to the device shown in FIG. 1 and will not be described in detail here. The figure shows device A (20) and device B (30) which are in an adjacent position with separate in-feed belts and in-feed stations, but they share the take-away conveyor and may share other components. This setup may be advantageous not only for batching one species with more throughput, but to perform sorting and batching of two species such as herring and mackerel.

[0047] The present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way. The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., about 3 shall also cover exactly 3 or substantial constant shall also cover exactly constant). The terms a, an, first, second etc do not preclude a plurality.