Patent ID: 8642910

Claim:
An apparatus for sorting raw berry crops in which the berry crops have healthy ripe whole berries and other components, the apparatus comprising: a supply system suitable for supplying the berry crops, said supply system having a downstream end; a vision system comprising: an artificial vision system for acquiring images of the berry crops exiting said supply system; and a processor for analyzing the acquired images so as to recognize and to differentiate the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components based on a pre-established criteria; and a selective sorting system for separating the healthy ripe whole berries from the other components, in real time said processor controlling said selective sorting system, said supply system spreading the berry crops into a single layer so as to align and isolate the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components in a rectilinear movement at a regulated speed so as to move the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components individually through said vision system, said vision system configured and arranged to individualize the healthy ripe whole berries and the other components in space so as to perform selective separation of the healthy ripe whole berries from the other components in real time by said selective sorting system during a free fall of the raw berry crops after release from said downstream end of said supply system.