Patents by Inventor David Below

David Below 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).

  • Publication number: 20220132872
    Abstract: An animal ribcage primal cut having a bone array located therein is portioned into one or more sub primal cuts, each having at least one bone located therein. The primal cut is scanned at scanning station 14 while being conveyed on a conveyor 12 to determine the physical characteristics of the primal cut. A processor 18 determines how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts in accordance with desired physical characteristics of the sub primal cut and production requirements for the sub primal cuts. A controller controls a cutter to divide the primal cut into one or more sub primal cuts according to the determination previously made on how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Matthew F. Falkoski
  • Patent number: 11266156
    Abstract: An animal ribcage primal cut having a bone array located therein is portioned into one or more sub primal cuts, each having at least one bone located therein. The primal cut is scanned at scanning station 14 while being conveyed on a conveyor 12 to determine the physical characteristics of the primal cut. A processor 18 determines how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts in accordance with desired physical characteristics of the sub primal cut and production requirements for the sub primal cuts. A controller controls a cutter to divide the primal cut into one or more sub primal cuts according to the determination previously made on how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Matthew F. Falkoski
  • Patent number: 11188049
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with the one or more desired shapes of the final piece(s) as a directly controlled physical characteristic (parameter/specification) as well as one or more resulting indirectly controlled physical characteristics (parameters/specifications). The desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) are defined by a plurality of manipulatable reference coordinates. A workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then portioning of the workpiece is simulated in accordance with the desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) defined by the directly controlled reference coordinates, thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10875208
    Abstract: Cutting system (10) includes a conveyor (12) for carrying work products (13) past a scanner (200) and then past one or more cutting systems (17). The cutting systems include one or more assembly/units/apparatus (19) arranged in an array or series for cutting continuous strip(s) from the work products (13). The cutting assemblies (19) are carried by a powered system to move the cutter assemblies in spiral, serpentine, back-and-forth or other patterns to cut one or more continuous strips from the work product. The conveyor (12), scanner (200), and cutter systems (17) are coupled to and controlled by a computer (220).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below
  • Publication number: 20200288729
    Abstract: An animal ribcage primal cut having a bone array located therein is portioned into one or more sub primal cuts, each having at least one bone located therein. The primal cut is scanned at scanning station 14 while being conveyed on a conveyor 12 to determine the physical characteristics of the primal cut. A processor 18 determines how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts in accordance with desired physical characteristics of the sub primal cut and production requirements for the sub primal cuts. A controller controls a cutter to divide the primal cut into one or more sub primal cuts according to the determination previously made on how to portion the primal cut into desired sub primal cuts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Matthew F. Falkoski
  • Publication number: 20190317467
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with the one or more desired shapes of the final piece(s) as a directly controlled physical characteristic (parameter/specification) as well as one or more resulting indirectly controlled physical characteristics (parameters/specifications). The desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) are defined by a plurality of manipulatable reference coordinates. A workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then portioning of the workpiece is simulated in accordance with the desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) defined by the directly controlled reference coordinates, thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, JR.
  • Patent number: 10303151
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with the one or more desired shapes of the final piece(s) as a directly controlled physical characteristic (parameter/specification) as well as one or more resulting indirectly controlled physical characteristics (parameters/specifications). The desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) are defined by a plurality of manipulatable reference coordinates. A workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then portioning of the workpiece is simulated in accordance with the desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) defined by the directly controlled reference coordinates, thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180143607
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with the one or more desired shapes of the final piece(s) as a directly controlled physical characteristic (parameter/specification) as well as one or more resulting indirectly controlled physical characteristics (parameters/specifications). The desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) are defined by a plurality of manipulatable reference coordinates. A workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then portioning of the workpiece is simulated in accordance with the desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) defined by the directly controlled reference coordinates, thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, JR.
  • Patent number: 9675090
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9128810
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with one or more directly controlled characteristics (parameters/specifications) and/or indirectly controlled characteristics (parameters/specifications). The workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then simulating portioning of the workpiece is carried out in accordance with the one or more directly controlled characteristics (parameters/specifications), thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece. The simulated portioning of the workpiece is performed for multiple combinations of one or more directly controlled characteristics until an acceptable set of one or more directly controlled characteristics and/or one or more indirectly controlled characteristics is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Blaine, Craig E. Pfarr, David A. Below
  • Patent number: 8412366
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George Blaine, David A. Below, Arthur W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7651388
    Abstract: Portioning system (10) includes a conveyor (12) for conveying work products (14) past a scanner (16). A data processor (22) receives the scanning data and generates a thickness and/or volume distribution of the work product. The processor is programmed to determine in advance how the work product may be portioned into a plurality of desired end products, and more specifically how one or more of the end products may be cut and then subsequently sliced without having to re-scan the cut portion. The processor controls a cutting device (18) for portioning the work product under the cutting strategy determined by the processor, and also controls a slicing device (20) for subsequently slicing one or more of the cut portions to achieve a desired thickness per the determined cutting strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David Faires, David A. Below
  • Patent number: 7593785
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George Blaine, David A. Below, A. W. Vogeley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090149980
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: JOHN BEAN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: George Blaine, David A. Below, A. W. Vogeley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090143886
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: George Blaine, David A. Below, A.W. Vogeley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20060156878
    Abstract: Portioning system (10) includes a conveyor (12) for conveying work products (14) past a scanner (16). A data processor (22) receives the scanning data and generates a thickness and/or volume distribution of the work product. The processor is programmed to determine in advance how the work product may be portioned into a plurality of desired end products, and more specifically how one or more of the end products may be cut and then subsequently sliced without having to re-scan the cut portion. The processor controls a cutting device (18) for portioning the work product under the cutting strategy determined by the processor, and also controls a slicing device (20) for subsequently slicing one or more of the cut portions to achieve a desired thickness per the determined cutting strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventors: David Faires, David Below
  • Publication number: 20050154490
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: George Blaine, David Below, A. Vogeley