Richard E Heck

US Patent:

7173708, Feb 6, 2007

Filed:

Dec 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/727491

Inventors:

Juan Gutierrez Ibarra - Alta Loma CA, US
James B. Sheffler - Chino Hills CA, US
Richard D. Heck - Lucerne Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Sunkist Growers Inc. - Ontario CA

International Classification:

G01N 21/47
B07C 5/10

US Classification:

356446, 250223 R, 2503418, 250910, 209587

Abstract:

A method and apparatus of sorting plant products based on damage to the plant products is disclosed. A beam emitter emits an illumination light toward the outer surface of a plant product. A beam detector detects substantially a single wavelength of a reflected light produced by the plant product responsive to the illumination light. A control unit determines at least one of a presence, an amount, and a severity of damage responsive to the reflected light. The control unit assigns a damage category to the plant product responsive to the determination of damage.

US Patent:

D605478, Dec 8, 2009

Filed:

Mar 3, 2009

Appl. No.:

29/333123

Inventors:

Eric J. Melton - Alta Loma CA, US
Lynette M. Setlich - Chino Hills CA, US
James B. Sheffler - Chino Hills CA, US
Richard D. Heck - Lucerne Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Sherman Oaks CA

International Classification:

0704

US Classification:

D 7673

US Patent:

20100224041, Sep 9, 2010

Filed:

Mar 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/716676

Inventors:

Eric J. MELTON - Alta Loma CA, US
Lynette M. SETLICH - Chino CA, US
James B. SHEFFLER - Chino Hills CA, US
Richard D. HECK - Lucerne Valley CA, US

Assignee:

SUNKIST GROWERS, INC. - Sherman Oaks CA

International Classification:

B26D 1/00
A47J 43/04
B26D 7/00
B26D 1/06

US Classification:

83 13, 99538, 83167, 83762

Abstract:

A food slicing apparatus includes a container, a removable top, and a slicing device that includes blades and slides relative to the top. The top defines a patterned hole which accommodates the blades as the slicing device slides from an open position in which the blades are spaced from the top, toward a closed position in which the blades are disposed through the patterned hole. A piece of food that is placed on the top below the blades and is sliced by pressing the slicing device against the food and the sliced pieces are moved into the container by further pressing on the slicing device thereby pressing the frame of the slicing device against the food. The slicing device and top are thereafter removed from the container, and a lid is placed on the container to accommodate the food after it has been sliced.

US Patent:

62059009, Mar 27, 2001

Filed:

Jul 9, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/350794

Inventors:

Richard D. Heck - Hesperia CA
Henry A. Affeldt - Apple Valley CA

Assignee:

Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Ontario CA

International Classification:

B26D5/08
7
A23N15/00

US Classification:

83551

Abstract:

An automatic food product cutting apparatus is provided that employs a continuously rotating table arranged with multiple cutter cups, each cup being aligned with a plunger that rotates with the table. The plungers are driven to force fruit through the cup and to withdraw from the cup by cam following rollers that follow a generally elliptical cam track. The cam track is concentric to but does not rotate with the table. With this arrangement, a single drive motor is used to power both the rotation of the table and the plunging force to push the food product through the cutter cups, thereby achieving smooth, continuous operation.

US Patent:

58450025, Dec 1, 1998

Filed:

Nov 3, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/334165

Inventors:

Richard D. Heck - Riverside CA
Henry A. Affeldt - Victorville CA

Assignee:

Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Ontario CA

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382110

Abstract:

The topographic surface features of a translucent object, such as a citrus fruit with a peel, are scanned and evaluated to permit the classification thereof according to its surface features. In the case of citrus fruit, the coarseness or pebbliness, puff and crease, ridge and valley, cuts, punctures, scrapes and splits, clear rot or sour rot of the peel is optically identified through digital analysis of the pixel scans and sorted based upon the peel surface quality. The object is classified by separating the scanned image of the fruit from the background image and removing the background image. A statistical evaluation of the image of the object as a whole, including both hemispheres of the object, is made to determine if there is any surface feature variation which might qualify as a defect or be a suitable basis upon which a classification judgment can be made. If there is, the object image is subject to high frequency or low pass filtering and thresholding of the pixel intensities to derive a refined image. The refined image is then tabulated or organized into neighborhoods contiguous to sharp transitions or gradual transitions to identify specific areas defined as blobs which, when compared against a given minimum area, shape requirement and/or width can be identified as one of the surface imperfections sought.

US Patent:

51176114, Jun 2, 1992

Filed:

Feb 6, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/475934

Inventors:

Richard D. Heck - Riverside CA
Don Dossey - Montclair CA
Alfredo Acevedo - Yucaipa CA

Assignee:

Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Sherman Oaks CA

International Classification:

B65B 3912
B65B 3902
B65B 3538

US Classification:

53475

Abstract:

An apparatus for packing closely-arranged articles into a receptacle includes a rigid funnel having inwardly sloping walls and a downwardly projecting flexible skirt means attached to the funnel. The flexible skirt comprises a plurality of flexible planar segments that project downwardly into the receptacle. The funnel and skirt are lowered into an empty receptacle, the articles are packed, and the funnel and skirt are lifted out. The skirt means avoids contact between the articles and the walls of the receptacle as the receptacle is being packed, thereby decreasing the potential for damage to the articles. The apparatus includes a switch that stops the downward movement of the funnel and skirt when the bottom edge of the skirt is adjacent the bottom of the receptacle.