Patents by Inventor Alexander Steffens

Alexander Steffens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11641863
    Abstract: A method for processing food products (12) includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (11), an X-ray unit (13) positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (17), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit (18) is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Patent number: 11498235
    Abstract: A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Publication number: 20200345043
    Abstract: A method for processing food products (12) includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (11), an X-ray unit (13) positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (17), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit (18) is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicants: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Publication number: 20200238556
    Abstract: A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicants: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Patent number: 10721947
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (10), designed and configured to acquire and analyse product-specific data for products (12) of the food processing industry, comprising a conveyor (11), which is gap-free in the transport plane, for transporting separated products (12) in transport direction T from an intake end to a discharge end, an X-ray unit (13) having at least one X-ray source (14) and at least one X-ray camera (15) for acquiring product-specific data, wherein X-ray source (14) and X-ray camera (15) are assigned to the conveyor (11) in such a manner that the products (12) can be guided along between the X-ray source (14) and the X-ray camera (15), as well as a control unit (16) which is connected to the X-ray unit (13) and is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a first data set, acquired by said X-ray unit (13), which is characterised in that at least one optical camera (17) is assigned to the same conveyor (11) between its intake end and discharge end,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignees: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Patent number: 10654185
    Abstract: A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Patent number: 10531668
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical inspection of the opened abdominal cavity (10) of gutted fish (11), comprising a conveying device (12) configured for conveying the fish (11) along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, pivotable ventral flaps holding elements (17) configured for holding open the abdominal cavity (10) of the fish, at least one optical imaging system (21, 22, 23) arranged along the processing line, said optical imaging system being designed and configured to take at least one sequence of images of abdominal cavity regions of one of the fish (11) in each case, said sequence comprising a plurality of single images, at least one illumination device (24, 25) configured for illuminating the abdominal cavity regions in each case with light of a predetermined spectral composition, in each case at the times the single images are taken, an evaluation unit (26) configured to evaluate the image sequence according to prescribed quality parameters, said evaluation unit be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD. BAADER GMBH + CO. KG, IHFOOD A/S
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Carsten Paulsohn, Niels Tjørnly Rasmussen, Eigil Mølvig Jensen, Ulrik Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20190116810
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical inspection of the opened abdominal cavity (10) of gutted fish (11), comprising a conveying device (12) configured for conveying the fish (11) along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, pivotable ventral flaps holding elements (17) configured for holding open the abdominal cavity (10) of the fish, at least one optical imaging system (21, 22, 23) arranged along the processing line, said optical imaging system being designed and configured to take at least one sequence of images of abdominal cavity regions of one of the fish (11) in each case, said sequence comprising a plurality of single images, at least one illumination device (24, 25) configured for illuminating the abdominal cavity regions in each case with light of a predetermined spectral composition, in each case at the times the single images are taken, an evaluation unit (26) configured to evaluate the image sequence according to prescribed quality parameters, said evaluation unit be
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicants: NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD. BAADER GMBH + CO. KG, IHFOOD A/S
    Inventors: Alexander STEFFENS, Carsten PAULSOHN, Niels Tjornly RASMUSSEN, Eigil Molvig JENSEN, Ulrik NIELSEN
  • Publication number: 20180029246
    Abstract: A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicants: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Publication number: 20180027848
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (10), designed and configured to acquire and analyse product-specific data for products (12) of the food processing industry, comprising a conveyor (11), which is gap-free in the transport plane, for transporting separated products (12) in transport direction T from an intake end to a discharge end, an X-ray unit (13) having at least one X-ray source (14) and at least one X-ray camera (15) for acquiring product-specific data, wherein X-ray source (14) and X-ray camera (15) are assigned to the conveyor (11) in such a manner that the products (12) can be guided along between the X-ray source (14) and the X-ray camera (15), as well as a control unit (16) which is connected to the X-ray unit (13) and is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a first data set, acquired by said X-ray unit (13), which is characterised in that at least one optical camera (17) is assigned to the same conveyor (11) between its intake end and discharge end,
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicants: John Bean Technologies Corporation, Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Jon A. Hocker, Alexander Steffens
  • Patent number: 7906742
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact arrangement for a vacuum interrupter chamber (1), which comprises a pair of inner contact pieces (11, 12), configured as RMF contact pieces, and a pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22) which are connected in parallel and are mounted closely adjacent to the inner contact pieces (11, 12). At least one of the inner contact pieces (11, 12) is movably mounted. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are also configured as RMF contact pieces. During interruption, the resulting electric arc can commutate completely or partially to the pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22). The inner contact pieces are substantially discoid. Advantageously, the contact pieces (11, 12, 21, 22) are coaxially positioned in relation to each other. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are advantageously pot-shaped or tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Dietmar Gentsch, Kaveh Niayesh
  • Patent number: 7471495
    Abstract: The vacuum switching chamber has two contact pieces and is provided with at least one heat pipe for dissipating heat. The heat pipe contains a working medium for dissipating the heat by evaporating the working medium in a section, referred to as the evaporator, of the heat pipe and condensing the working medium in a section, referred to as the condenser, of the heat pipe. Advantageously, the evaporator is in close thermal contact with at least one contact piece, and, in particular, at least part of the evaporator is integrated in the first contact piece or the second contact piece. Advantageously, the condenser has a cooling rib arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Martin Lakner, Jochen Kiefer, Daniel Chartouni, Dietmar Gentsch
  • Publication number: 20080067151
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact arrangement for a vacuum interrupter chamber (1), which comprises a pair of inner contact pieces (11, 12), configured as RMF contact pieces, and a pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22) which are connected in parallel and are mounted closely adjacent to the inner contact pieces (11, 12). At least one of the inner contact pieces (11, 12) is movably mounted. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are also configured as RMF contact pieces. During interruption, the resulting electric arc can commutate completely or partially to the pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22). The inner contact pieces are substantially discoid. Advantageously, the contact pieces (11, 12, 21, 22) are coaxially positioned in relation to each other. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are advantageously pot-shaped or tubular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Dietmar Gentsch, Kaveh Niayesh
  • Publication number: 20080000879
    Abstract: The vacuum switching chamber has two contact pieces and is provided with at least one heat pipe for dissipating heat. The heat pipe contains a working medium for dissipating the heat by evaporating the working medium in a section, referred to as the evaporator, of the heat pipe and condensing the working medium in a section, referred to as the condenser, of the heat pipe. Advantageously, the evaporator is in close thermal contact with at least one contact piece, and, in particular, at least part of the evaporator is integrated in the first contact piece or the second contact piece. Advantageously, the condenser has a cooling rib arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Martin Lakner, Jochen Kiefer, Daniel Chartouni, Dietmar Gentsch