Patent ID: 6701279
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: A22C,B26D

Abstract:
A method of determining the volume of a length of bulk product having a varying cross-section, including the steps of linearly moving the product through an inspection plane which extends generally perpendicular to the linear movement of the product by means of a motor-driven conveyor, and computing the length of the product by reference to its linear speed past a detector, comprising the steps of(1) moving at least one distance measuring transducer in the inspection plane along an actuate path which extends only partly around the product cross-section, (2) computing the distance from the transducer to each of a succession of points around the free surface of the product in the inspection plane, (3) computing therefrom and from stored data about the shape of the surface of said conveyor in, or just upstream or downstream of the inspection plane, the area of the cross-section defied by said points to provide a complete set of data by which to compute the cross-sectional shape and/or area, (4) determining the increments of volume of product attributable to each transducer scan by reference to the distance moved by the product before the next scan, and (5) summing the increments of volume over the whole of the length of the product as it progresses through the inspection plane.