Patents by Inventor Gerald W. Heitschmidt

Gerald W. Heitschmidt 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).

  • Imaging system for sorting poultry meat with wooden breast myopathy
    Patent number: 10596601
    Abstract: The image sorting system sorts normal chicken breast meat fillets from chicken fillets that exhibit wooden breast myopathy (i.e. WB fillets). In the preferred embodiment, a camera and associated controller gather data and construct a digital image of a chicken breast fillet as it travels on a conveyer belt. The digital image is used to calculate a centroid (i.e. center of mass) of the fillet. As the fillet moves over a nose of the conveyor belt and free-falls to a lower conveyor belt, the controller determines the distance between the fillet centroid and a reference point (preferably the conveyer belt axis of rotation). If the distance exceeds a predetermined minimum distance, the fillet is designated a WB fillet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Seung C. Yoon, Brian C. Bowker, Hong Zhuang, Kurt C. Lawrence, Gerald W. Heitschmidt, Tae Sung Shin
  • IMAGING SYSTEM FOR SORTING POULTRY MEAT WITH WOODEN BREAST MYOPATHY
    Publication number: 20180333752
    Abstract: The image sorting system sorts normal chicken breast meat fillets from chicken fillets that exhibit wooden breast myopathy (i.e. WB fillets). In the preferred embodiment, a camera and associated controller gather data and construct a digital image of a chicken breast fillet as it travels on a conveyer belt. The digital image is used to calculate a centroid (i.e. center of mass) of the fillet. As the fillet moves over a nose of the conveyor belt and free-falls to a lower conveyor belt, the controller determines the distance between the fillet centroid and a reference point (preferably the conveyer belt axis of rotation). If the distance exceeds a predetermined minimum distance, the fillet is designated a WB fillet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: SEUNG C. YOON, BRIAN C. BOWKER, HONG ZHUANG, KURT C. LAWRENCE, GERALD W. HEITSCHMIDT, TAE SUNG SHIN
  • Egg micro-crack detection systems
    Patent number: 7796241
    Abstract: An avian eggshell egg-check/crack detection system was developed to aide official egg graders. It includes an imaging system and a device to produce negative pressure in an egg chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Kurt C. Lawrence, Seung C. Yoon, Gerald W. Heitschmidt, Deana Jones, Bosoon Park, Vernon A. Savage