Patent Application
20140259713
The present invention is directed to the field of measurement of food products or irregularly shaped objects.
The storage of large quantities of food products, such as packaged meat and poultry, on wholesale or retail merchant's shelves requires that the dimensions of food products, especially those in irregular and/or non-rigid containers, are accurately measured to ensure that adequate shelf space is allocated for their placement, storage, and display. To ensure the food products meet prescribed specifications, they can be measured to characterize selected parameters, such as size, shape, area, volume, or thickness. These physical characteristics of food products can be critical for customer acceptance of the product and also may lend themselves to the quality of the product.
Some product measurement methods involve such crude size measurements as using a ruler, which can be time consuming and lack precision. A definitive numerical precision for merchants to plan product display and for product packagers to design product packaging is needed.
A measurement tool includes a first vertical panel, a second vertical panel, a third vertical panel and a fourth vertical panel. Each vertical panel is connected perpendicularly to two other panels and is movable relative to the other panels. A primary ruled component is on a planar surface of at least two of the vertical panels. A connection knob is on a vertical edge of the vertical panels. A connection knob retaining slot is formed in the planar surface of a vertical panel of each one of the vertical panels. When the tool is assembled, the connection knob is received inside the connection knob retaining slot formed in an adjacent vertical panel.
A method of measuring an object includes the steps of inserting the object into a measurement tool having a plurality of vertical panels that form a rectilinear enclosure that is enclosed on at least four sides, and sliding the plurality of vertical panels toward each other until the vertical panels contact the object. Contact of the vertical panels with the object provides a measurement of length and width of the object. It is possible to measure non-rigid objects, which are objects that change shape in response to a shift in position or in response to internal or external pressure applied to the object. This is in contrast to a rigid object, which is an object that retains a uniform shape in any position and throughout application of internal or external pressure.
A method for determining a minimum footprint of a plurality of products includes the steps of inserting a product (or multiple products, such as two products) in a first relative orientation into a measurement tool having a plurality of vertical panels that form a rectilinear enclosure that is enclosed on four sides; moving the plurality of vertical panels toward each other until the vertical panels contact the product(s); measuring length and width of the product(s) in the first relative orientation using a ruled device; and repositioning the product(s) in other relative orientations and repeating the moving and measuring steps until a smallest square area is identified. This method is especially useful when measuring at least two irregularly shaped objects simultaneously.
a is a perspective view of an interior surface of one of the vertical panels of the measurement tool shown in
b is a perspective view of an exterior surface of the vertical panel shown in
a and 3b are perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the measurement tool, respectively showing a ruler for measuring product height mounted to the measurement tool and separate from the measurement tool; and
A primary ruled component 12 is on a planar surface of at least two of the vertical panels. The measurement tool is not limited to having a ruled component on two of the vertical panels. It is possible and, in some cases, preferable to have a ruled component on a planar surface of three or even all four of the vertical panels. As shown in
With reference to
As shown in
The connection knob is rectangular in cross-section and maintains its respective vertical panel at an upright angle, preferably generally 90°, from the plane of the surface on which the measurement tool rests. However, the connection knob 14 is not necessarily restricted to a rectilinear configuration as shown in the Figures. The connection knob 14 preferably has straight edged sides to help maintain the vertical panel in an upright configuration relative to an adjoining vertical panel. The connection knob 14 can be circular or otherwise have curved edges. The knob should fit snuggly enough inside of the connection knob retaining slot 18 to maintain the vertical panel in an upright configuration.
The connecting knob 14 is attached to a vertical panel via a connecting neck 22. The connecting neck 22 shown in the figures is rectangular in cross-section. The rectangular cross-sectional shape further helps to keep the vertical panel in an upright configuration relative to the adjoining vertical panels and to the surface on which the tool rests. A connection knob locking element 24, such as a butterfly nut 24 in cooperation with a bolt, can be added to maintain a position of one vertical panel relative to an adjoining vertical panel. Such a locking element can be configured to limit the travel distance of any of the vertical panels or can be configured to lock any of the vertical panels in a particular position. When used to limit the travel distance of a vertical panel, the connection knob locking element is outside of the measurement tool's product measurement area 26, for instance when a maximum product size must be adhered to. Conversely, the locking element 24 would be inside the product measurement area 26 if a minimum size measurement is necessary. When used to lock the vertical panel in a particular position, the connection knob locking mechanism can be positioned on the edge 16 of the vertical panel such that it engages a through hole or slot (not shown) in an adjoining vertical panel.
As shown in the figures, the ruled component 12 is a ruler that is embedded in or written on a surface of the vertical panel. However, the embodiment can also include an after market ruler that is attached via snaps, clips or some other fastening means to the vertical panel. As shown in
a and 3b show an alternative embodiment of the measurement tool. A third ruled component 30c removably engages an anchoring slot 38. The length of the anchoring slot 38 is sized so that the third ruled component 30c extends all the way to the bottom of the measurement tool. Thus, accurate height measurements are possible when a product is in the product measurement space 26. When a third dimension is not needed or if disassembly of the measurement tool is desired, the third ruled component 30c can be removed from the anchoring slot 38.
The planar surface of each of the vertical panels should preferably contain no discontinuities throughout a length and height thereof. A lack of discontinuities is helpful when measuring objects that are not stiff, that have an irregular shape or protrusions, or that have a non-rigid, variable shape that depends on the pressure applied to the object. By “irregular shape,” it is meant that an object is anything other than rectilinear.
With further reference to
To use the measurement tool described above, a person inserts an object to be measured into the interior of a measurement tool that, as disclosed above, has a plurality of vertical panels that form a rectilinear disclosure that is enclosed on all sides. Although
The product measurement tool can be used to measure rigid and non-rigid objects. A non-rigid object is an object that changes shape in response to a shift in the non-rigid object's position or in response to internal or external pressure applied on the object. A rigid object is an object that retains a uniform shape in any position and throughout application of internal or external pressure. For example, a bag containing unfrozen chickens or fish or other food product would be considered a non-rigid object, and a bag containing thoroughly frozen chicken, fish or other food product would be considered a rigid object.
To determine a minimum footprint of a product or of a plurality of products, a person should insert the product or products in a first relative orientation into the measurement tool, which, as already described above, has a plurality of vertical panels that form an enclosed rectilinear enclosure. The plurality of vertical panels are pressed toward each other until the vertical panels contact the product or products and a ruled device is used to measure a length and a width of the product or products. The product is repositioned within the measurement tool multiple times until a smallest square area is determined. If measuring a plurality of products, the products are repositioned within the square area measurement tool and/or into further relative orientations with respect to each other multiple times until a smallest square area is determined. This method is especially useful when measuring at least two irregularly shaped objects. In everyday use, the term “footprint” typically means the surface area of an object that is in contact with a surface on which the object rests. However, for purposes of the present disclosure, the term “footprint” means the widest possible area of an object in a plane perpendicular to the vertical panels. For example, a ball having a diameter of twelve inches has small surface area in contact with the surface on which the ball is resting, relative to the diameter of the ball. However, at least for the purposes of the present disclosure, the ball would have a footprint of a circle with a diameter of twelve inches.
It is conceivable that the methods disclosed herein can be automated. For example, motion of each vertical panel relative to another vertical panel can be motorized. Also, measurements can be taken using a light beam or electronic distance measurement tool, instead of a ruler.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention.
