Patents by Inventor Richard J. Hebel

Richard J. Hebel 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).

  • High speed mass flow food sorting apparatus for optically inspecting and sorting bulk food products
    Patent number: 5887073
    Abstract: A high speed mass flow food sorting apparatus and method comprises a product conveyor for receiving and conveying a laterally-distributed stream of bulk food articles past a product diverter. A camera is positioned to view the stream of food articles upstream of a product diverter. A sorting system downstream of the camera including a product diverter is configured to divert undesirable product in response to optically detected undesirable characteristics pursuant to an automated control system. The automated control system connects to the optical inspection system and the sorting system and includes an operator control console having a display and a screen-adjustable graphical slider usable for altering sorting characteristics corresponding to an undesirable optically detected characteristic so as to direct sorting of the undesirable food article during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Key Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney J. Fazzari, Richard J. Hebel, Frank K. Skorina
  • High speed mass flow food sorting appartus for optically inspecting and sorting bulk food products
    Patent number: 5659624
    Abstract: A high speed mass flow food sorting apparatus and method comprises a product conveyor for receiving and conveying a laterally-distributed stream of bulk food articles past a product diverter. A camera is positioned to view the stream of food articles upstream of a product diverter. A sorting system downstream of the camera including a product diverter is configured to divert undesirable product in response to optically detected undesirable characteristics pursuant to an automated control system. The automated control system connects to the optical inspection system and the sorting system and includes an operator control console having a display and a screen-adjustable graphical slider usable for altering sorting characteristics corresponding to an undesirable optically detected characteristic so as to direct sorting of the undesirable food article during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Inventors: Rodney J. Fazzari, Richard J. Hebel, Frank K. Skorina