Patents by Inventor Roland C. Myers, Jr.

Roland C. Myers, Jr. 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).

  • System for topping and tailing lettuce heads using a camera-guided servo-controlled water knife
    Patent number: 9486008
    Abstract: A system for trimming a lettuce head using a digital imaging system and cutting mechanism. The lettuce head is conveyed between a lower feed conveyor and an upper feed conveyor that is disposed a fixed distance over and substantially aligned with a lower feed conveyor. The digital imaging system is configured to capture an image of the lettuce head and determine a cutting profile using the image. The cutting mechanism is disposed over the lower feed conveyor and includes: a servo motor mechanically coupled to a drive shaft; an armature with a pivot end mounted to the drive shaft and a sweep end disposed a radial distance from the pivot end; a cutting nozzle, mounted to the sweep end of the armature, configured to trim the lettuce head; and servo-control circuitry configured to articulate the cutting nozzle through a cutting arc based on the cutting profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: DOLE FRESH VEGETABLES, INC.
    Inventors: Rosser W. Pryor, Roland C. Myers, Jr., Stephan C. Robinson, Roger D. Billingsley, Stephen Chris Jens, Frank E. Davis, Robert Ragon
  • SYSTEM FOR TOPPING AND TAILING LETTUCE HEADS USING A CAMERA-GUIDED SERVO-CONTROLLED WATER KNIFE
    Publication number: 20140030394
    Abstract: A system for trimming a lettuce head using a digital imaging system and cutting mechanism. The lettuce head is conveyed between a lower feed conveyor and an upper feed conveyor that is disposed a fixed distance over and substantially aligned with a lower feed conveyor. The digital imaging system is configured to capture an image of the lettuce head and determine a cutting profile using the image. The cutting mechanism is disposed over the lower feed conveyor and includes: a servo motor mechanically coupled to a drive shaft; an armature with a pivot end mounted to the drive shaft and a sweep end disposed a radial distance from the pivot end; a cutting nozzle, mounted to the sweep end of the armature, configured to trim the lettuce head; and servo-control circuitry configured to articulate the cutting nozzle through a cutting arc based on the cutting profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: DOLE FRESH VEGETABLES, INC.
    Inventors: Rosser W. PRYOR, Roland C. MYERS, JR., Stephan C. ROBINSON, Roger D. BILLINGSLEY, Stephen Chris JENS, Frank E. DAVIS, Robert RAGON
  • System for topping and tailing lettuce heads using a camera-guided servo-controlled water knife
    Patent number: 8549996
    Abstract: A system for trimming a lettuce head using a digital imaging system and cutting mechanism. The lettuce head is conveyed between a lower feed conveyor and an upper feed conveyor that is disposed a fixed distance over and substantially aligned with a lower feed conveyor. The digital imaging system is configured to capture an image of the lettuce head and determine a cutting profile using the image. The cutting mechanism is disposed over the lower feed conveyor and includes: a servo motor mechanically coupled to a drive shaft; an armature with a pivot end mounted to the drive shaft and a sweep end disposed a radial distance from the pivot end; a cutting nozzle, mounted to the sweep end of the armature, configured to trim the lettuce head; and servo-control circuitry configured to articulate the cutting nozzle through a cutting arc based on the cutting profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
    Inventors: Rosser W. Pryor, Roland C. Myers, Jr., Stephan C. Robinson, Roger D. Billingsley, Stephen Chris Jens, Frank E. Davis, Robert Ragon