Method and system for processing of food items

Abstract

A method and system for the processing of food items that are supplied to a batching apparatus, where the batching apparatus comprises at least one handling means of the robotic type. By means of the batching apparatus a first process is performed, according to which food items are selectively batched in consideration of measured, detected and/or estimated data for the individual items and in consideration of at least one predefined criterion. Particular food items are identified and led to another process, the particular food items being food items that are deviant in relation to one or more predefined parameter(s) relating to the batching and/or food items that have not been selected to be batched during the first process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for processing food items, said system comprising:
 a conveyor extending to a batching apparatus and structured to provide at least a subset of said food items to the batching apparatus;   at least one measurement device that measures, detects, and/or estimates data about each one of said subset of food items, wherein the measured, detected, and/or estimated data includes data relating to a weight determined for the respective food items;   said batching apparatus including a robot that collects members of said subset of food items into batches in consideration of the measured, detected, and/or estimated data about each one of said food items;   a controller that is programmed to identify, from said food items, particular food items that deviate from one or more predefined parameter(s) and/or particular food items that cannot be used during a batching process at said batching apparatus, wherein
 said robot performs said batching process in combination with the controller in a manner such that each batch of food items fulfils at least one predetermined criterion associated with that particular batch, such that said fulfilling of said predetermined criterion is established with respect to said measured, detected, and/or estimated data of the food items in the respective batches; and 
   an arrangement that transports said particular food items to a different apparatus, wherein at least a subset of said particular food items are processed differently than the batched food items, to obtain processed food items.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one predetermined criterion is different for at least some of the batches. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one predetermined criterion includes a total weight of the food items provided in the respective batches. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said different apparatus comprises allocation means for allocating said particular food items based on a purpose of the particular food items which is different from the purpose of the food items batched by said batching apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said different apparatus comprises cutting means for facilitating a cutting and/or trimming of the particular food items. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said different apparatus comprises:
 cutting means for facilitating a processing of at least said subset of the particular food items for cutting and/or trimming of the subset of the particular food items for making the subset of the particular food items suitable for batching by said batching apparatus; and   a conveyor for transporting said subset of the particular food items that were cut and/or trimmed to said batching apparatus for batching said subset of the particular food items.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , further comprising vision equipment for providing at least a portion of said measured, detected and/or estimated data for the subset of food items. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said different apparatus comprises means for facilitating a manual processing of the particular food items that are transported to said different process. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said batching apparatus further comprises at least one additional robot. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said arrangement that transports said particular food items to said different apparatus comprises a conveyor. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein transporting said particular food items to said different apparatus comprises use of one or more diverter means. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said diverter means comprises one or more diverter wings or diverter arms. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises at least one additional robot comprised in said different apparatus, which at least one additional robots is controlled to handle said particular food items in connection with at least part of said different process including guiding or transferring said particular food items. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one measurement device comprises a weighing device configured for providing said measured, detected and/or estimated data relating to a weight for the respective food items based on gravimetric or volumetric measurements. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising x-ray equipment for providing at least a portion of said measured, detected and/or estimated data for the subset of food items. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising scanning equipment for providing at least a portion of said measured, detected and/or estimated data for the subset of food items. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller is further programmed for controlling the batching process performed by said batching apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . A system for processing food items, said system comprising:
 a conveyor extending to a batching apparatus and structured to provide at least a subset of said food items to the batching apparatus;   at least one measurement device that measures, detects, and/or estimates data about each one of said subset of food items, wherein the measured, detected, and/or estimated data includes data relating to a weight determined for the respective food items;   said batching apparatus including a robot that collects members of said subset of food items into batches in consideration of the measured, detected, and/or estimated data about each one of said food items;   a controller that is programmed to identify, from said food items, particular food items that deviate from one or more predefined parameter(s) and/or particular food items that cannot be used during a batching process at said batching apparatus, wherein
 said robot performs said batching process in combination with the controller in a manner such that each batch of food items fulfils at least one predetermined criterion associated with that particular batch, such that said fulfilling of said predetermined criterion is established with respect to said measured, detected, and/or estimated data of the food items in the respective batches; and 
   an arrangement that performs a different process on at least a subset of the particular food items such that the subset of the particular food items are processed differently than the batched food items to obtain processed food items.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein said arrangement that performs a different process on at least a subset of the particular food items comprises a different apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein said arrangement that performs a different process on at least a subset of the particular food items comprises at least one of a conveyor, a diverter means and an additional robot that transports said subset of particular food items to be differently processed.