Patent ID: 7158915
Filing Date: 2007-01-02
Classification: A22C,B23D,B26D,G01B,G01G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for displaying numeric values corresponding to the volume of any selected segment less than the whole of an item having an irregular shape, comprising: a support surface for supporting said item; a sensor bar; a support for positioning said sensor bar over said support surface, spaced above and extending across said item in a manner allowing said sensor bar to be passed over said item and positioned above any selected section of said item from any other position along said item so as to visually define a segment of said item less than the whole of said item; a displacement detector arrangement which generates signals corresponding to the displacement of said sensor bar from any reference position along said item in being positioned over any selected section of said item; a sensor arrangement generating signals corresponding to the cross sectional contour of successive sections of said item passing beneath said sensor bar as said sensor bar is moved to be positioned over said selected section of said item; a signal processor responsive to said signals generated by said displacement detector arrangement and said sensor arrangement to compute therefrom the volume of a selected segment of said item less than the whole of said item defined by movement of said sensor bar in moving over said item from said reference position to a position over said selected section of said item intermediate the length of said item; and a display displaying a numeric value corresponding to said volume of said selected segment of the item as computed by said signal processor at the same time that said sensor bar is in position over said selected section of said item.