Conveyor system and a method for producing a sequence of discrete food items from a plurality of incoming food objects

摘要

This invention relates to a conveyor system and a method for producing a sequence of discrete food items from a plurality of incoming food objects including at least one food item conveyed by an in-feed conveyor including an in-feed conveyor belt such that the distance between adjacent food objects of said sequence of discrete food objects fulfills a pre-determined distance criterion. A first conveyor belt provided adapted to be placed adjacent to the in-feed conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt is provided adapted to be placed adjacent to the first conveyor belt. The adjacent ends of the first and second conveyors belts are operable connected together via a junction such that their internal position is fixed at all times. An imaging mechanism images the incoming objects so as to obtain image data including image data indicating the length of the incoming objects and distances between adjacent incoming objects. A control unit is provided to operate a back and forth advancement of the junction and thus adjust the active length of the first conveyor. The first conveyor belt acts thus as a buffer for collecting at least one of the incoming food objects from the in-feed conveyor. The control unit operates the delivering of the at least one collected food objects to the second conveyor belt via controllable advancing of the junction from an extended position towards a contracted position of the first conveyor based on the image data.

主权项

1. A conveyor system for producing a sequence of discrete food items from a plurality of incoming food objects conveyed by an in-feed conveyor belt, each of the incoming food objects including at least one food item, where the distance between adjacent food items of said sequence of discrete food items fulfills a pre-determined distance criterion, said conveyor system comprising:
a first conveyor belt, where an upstream end of said first conveyor belt is placed adjacent to a downstream end of said in-feed conveyor belt forming a first set of adjacent conveyor belt ends, a second conveyor belt, where an upstream end of said second conveyor belt is placed adjacent to a downstream end of said first conveyor belt forming a second set of adjacent conveyor belt ends connected together via a junction, wherein said first conveyor belt and said second conveyor belt are closed loop belts, which furthermore are connected via a lower junction, positioned below the surface of said first conveyor belt and said second conveyor belt, said junction and said lower junction being connected via a set of tooth belts extending between the junction and the lower junction via a roller located below the first conveyor belt and a roller located below the second conveyor belt, an imaging mechanism for imaging said incoming food objects so as to obtain image data including image data indicating the length of the incoming food objects and distances between adjacent incoming food objects, a control unit adapted to operate a back and forth movement of said second set of adjacent conveyor belt ends while maintaining the internal position of the adjacent conveyor belt ends fixed and thus adjust the active length of the first conveyor belt, said control unit being configured for operating said back and forth movement of said second set of adjacent conveyor belt ends via said set of tooth belts connecting said junction and said lower junction,wherein said first conveyor belt acts as a buffer for collecting at least one of said incoming food objects from said in-feed conveyor belt, and where said control unit operates the delivering of said at least one collected food objects to said second conveyor belt via controllable movement of said second set of adjacent conveyor belt ends based on said image data.