Global Patent Index - EP 1000319 A1

EP 1000319 A1 20000517 - A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE TOPOGRAPHICAL SURFACE SHAPE OF AN ARTICLE

Title (en)

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE TOPOGRAPHICAL SURFACE SHAPE OF AN ARTICLE

Title (de)

VERFAHREN UND APPARAT ZUR BESTIMMUNG DER TOPOGRAPHISCHEN OBERFLÄCHENFORM EINES GEGENSTANDES

Title (fr)

PROCEDE ET APPAREIL POUR DETERMINER LA TOPOGRAPHIE SUPERFICIELLE D'UN ARTICLE

Publication

EP 1000319 A1 20000517 (EN)

Application

EP 98938875 A 19980804

Priority

  • IE 9800070 W 19980804
  • IE S970574 A 19970801

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO9906796A1] Apparatus (1) for determining the topographical surface shape of a bulk meat product (2) comprises an infeed conveyor (7) in which the length of the bulk meat product (2) is determined. A weighing conveyor (9) weighs the bulk meat product (2), which is then transferred to a throughfeed conveyor (10) for passing the bulk meat product (2) through a scanning device (11) for scanning the circumferential surface of the bulk meat product (2) through 360 DEG transversely of the direction of movement (arrow A) of the bulk meat product (2) through the scanning device (11). The scanning device (11) comprises a hoop-shaped carrier (43) on which four ultrasonic scanning heads (45) are mounted at 90 DEG intervals to each other. A stepper motor (47) rotates the carrier (43) in incremental angular steps through 90 DEG for performing 360 DEG of scanning of the surface of the bulk meat product (2). The stepper motor (47) rotates the carrier (43) through 90 DEG in the direction of the arrow B, and then in the reverse direction of the arrow C and so on so that the bulk meat product is scanned at intervals along its length as the carrier (43) is oscillated in the direction of the arrows B and C through 90 DEG .

IPC 1-7

G01B 17/00; G01B 17/06

IPC 8 full level

G01B 17/06 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

A22C 17/0033 (2013.01); A22C 17/0086 (2013.01); G01B 17/06 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

See references of WO 9906796A1

Designated contracting state (EPC)

BE DE FR GB

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 9906796 A1 19990211; AU 8745898 A 19990222; EP 1000319 A1 20000517; IE S77866 B2 19980114; IE S970574 A2 19980114

DOCDB simple family (application)

IE 9800070 W 19980804; AU 8745898 A 19980804; EP 98938875 A 19980804; IE S970574 A 19970801