Patents Assigned to Agri-Tech Incorporated
  • Patent number: 5533628
    Abstract: A color sorting apparatus has a singulator section, a color sorter and a conveyor which drops the sorted objects into appropriate collection bins. Objects for sorting are transported on an endless conveyor on wheels through the singulation and color sorting section. An independently adjustable speed belt rotates in the same direction as the wheels and operates to provide a view of each of four sides of the object to an imaging device. The imaging device, such as a camera, supplies red, green and blue signals to an image processor which performs a color transformation and obtains a single composite hue value for each object or piece of fruit to be sorted. Based on a comparison of the hue value to user programmed grading criteria, signals are provided to the conveyor so that the objects are ultimately deposited in appropriate sorting bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Agri Tech Incorporated
    Inventor: Yang Tao
  • Patent number: 5339963
    Abstract: A color sorting apparatus has a singulator section, a color sorter and a conveyor which drops the sorted objects into appropriate collection bins. Objects for sorting are transported on an endless conveyor on wheels through the singulation and color sorting section. An independently adjustable speed belt rotates in the same direction as the wheels and operates to provide a view of each of four sides of the object to an imaging device. The imaging device, such as a camera, supplies red, green and blue signals to an image processor which performs a color transformation and obtains a single composite hue value for each object or piece of fruit to be sorted. Based on a comparison of the hue value to user programmed grading criteria, signals are provided to the conveyor so that the objects are ultimately deposited in appropriate sorting bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Agri-Tech, Incorporated
    Inventor: Yang Tao
  • Patent number: 5197585
    Abstract: An object sorting apparatus has a singulation section, a sorting section, and a transfer section for transitioning objects, such as fruit, to be sorted to a conveyor which drops the objects into appropriate collection bins. Objects for sorting are transported on an endless conveyor or wheels through the singulation and sorting section. A first independently adjustable speed belt in the singulation section rotates in a direction opposite that of the flow of items from the singulation section to the sorter section, to assist in singulation. A second adjustable speed belt rotates in the same direction as the wheels and operates to provide a view of each of four sides of the object to an imaging device. The imaging device supplies signals representing a desired sorting parameter to a processor which evaluate the measured parameters and generates signals so that the objects are ultimately deposited in appropriate sorting bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Agri-Tech Incorporated
    Inventor: Roger Blood
  • Patent number: 5170880
    Abstract: A system for sorting items such as fruit includes a movable transport belt for each serial stream. The transport belt has first and second portions that are spaced a distance apart for receiving and carrying items previously singulated into serial streams. The first and second portions of the transport belts gradually diverge to slowly lower the items onto movable carriers which are introduced directly below the diverging sections of the transport belt portions. As a result, the fruit experiences little vertical drop and need not be accelerated by the carrier cups. Fruit or other items being gradually released from the belts can be transported at the same speed as the carrier cups to avoid the bruising effect caused by the rear portions of the carrier cups striking the items as they are dropped in. In addition, the transport belt can be arranged to carry the items through a sorter section without guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Agri-Tech, Incorporated
    Inventor: John A. Low
  • Patent number: 5121635
    Abstract: An apparatus for handling an object such as fruit having a major axis, includes at least one roller and a drive unit. The roller frictionally engages the object. The drive unit rotates the roller at a speed sufficient to cause the major axis of the object to be reoriented in a predetermined direction. This facilitates measuring the size and density of objects in a consistent manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Agri-Tech Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Coffelt, Tracy J. Kahl, John A. Low
  • Patent number: 5009307
    Abstract: A safety mechanism for conveyor systems is disclosed that enables components of the system to unfasten when an object, like a person's finger, becomes lodged in a space between two components of the system. The mechanism is automatically releasable when pressure is exerted upon it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Agri-Tech Incorporated
    Inventors: Lynn C. Chance, John A. Low