Patent Application
20230039747
The present invention relates to food, and more particularly to the field of monitoring the manufacture of food particles. It relates in particular to a method and a device for measuring dimensions of pellets.
The pellets for food, for example for animal food, are particles that comprise food materials, for example compacted and/or dehydrated. The pellets have the advantage of being less dusty than powder or flour. The volume of the pellets is of particular importance: if a pellet has a too high volume, an animal may have difficulty swallowing it. On the other hand, if the pellet has a too small volume, the animal may tend to ingest a smaller amount of food. Thus, during the production of pellets, there is a need to accurately monitor the three-dimensional size and/or the volume of the pellets.
A pellet can have a regular geometric shape, such as a cylinder or a sphere. Thus, the measurement of one or two characteristic lengths of the pellet allows calculating its total volume.
It is known to measure, using a caliper, the diameter and the length of each of the pellets of a sample of pellets. This operation is long and tedious: for example, it can take more than 15 minutes for an experienced controller to measure a sample of 50 pellets.
To this end, document FR3049374 B1 describes a method for measuring the size and volume of pellets by acquisition of a digital image of a sample of pellets, as well as a digital processing that allows determining the diameter and the length of each of the pellets. Each pellet is assimilated to a sphere or to a spheroid during the estimation of its volume.
However, the method described in patent FR3049374 B1 does not allow accurately determining the volume of pellets whose shape is complex, particularly different from a sphere or a spheroid.
Indeed, with reference to
One aim of the invention is to propose a solution for measuring the volume of food particles, preferably pellets, having complex shapes with accuracy.
This aim is achieved within the framework of the present invention thanks to a device for holding pellets for food, comprising:
The invention is advantageously completed by the following characteristics, taken individually or in any one of their technically possible combinations:
Another aspect of the invention is a system for measuring the three-dimensional size of pellets for food comprising:
Another aspect of the invention is a system for measuring the three-dimensional size of pellets for food, comprising:
Advantageously, the measuring system comprises a scanner, the scanner comprising the imaging system and the transparent planar carrier.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for measuring the three-dimensional size of pellets for food, comprising the following steps:
a) acquiring a first digital image of the immobilized pellets opposite a planar carrier,
b) rotating each of the pellets by an angle comprised between 70° and 110°, then immobilizing the pellets at this angle opposite the carrier, c) acquiring a second digital image of the pellets following step b).
Advantageously, the step b) is implemented by immobilizing the pellets in at least one pellet holding device in accordance with the invention.
Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which should be read in relation to the appended drawings in which:
In all the figures, similar elements bear identical references.
Device 1 for Holding the Pellets
With reference to
The device 1 also comprises a system 5 for holding the pellets 2, adapted to immobilize one or several pellets 2 against each of the two portions 3a, 3b, in the fold 4. Thus, it is possible to dispose along the angle iron 3 pellets 2, separated from each other, and immobilized in the angle iron 3. By “immobilized”, it is meant that the pellets 2 are stable in a given position. The pellets can for example be immobilized by gravity by resting against one of the portions 3a, 3b of the angle iron 3 or both.
The planar portions 3a, 3b are at least partly, and preferably entirely, optically transparent. By “transparent”, it is meant that it is possible to discern an object immobilized in the angle iron 3 from the exterior of the angle iron 3. More particularly, it is meant that the angle iron 3, by virtue of its material and its geometry, absorbs less 50% of the energy of light waves in the visible range, preferably without changing the wavelength. Thus, for a fixed observer, for example a fixed imaging system, it is possible to observe all of the pellets 2 immobilized in the device 1 at two different angles, depending on whether the device 1 rests on a portion 3a or on the other portion 3b. The angle iron 3 can for example be made of transparent plastic, such as [ . . . ].
The system 5 for holding the pellets 2 can preferably comprise a planar wedge 6, and means 7 for fixing the wedge 6 to the angle iron 3.
With reference to
The wedge 6, and more generally the holding system 5 can be made of an opaque material. By opaque, it is meant that the material absorbs more than 90% of the transmitted light energy. Thus, the wedge 6 and/or the holding system 5 form an opaque background during the imaging of the pellets 2 through one of the transparent portions 3a, 3b of the angle iron 3.
The wedge 6 is preferably made of a blue material. By blue, it is meant blue according to the AFNOR X08-010 standard, i.e. emitting or reflecting light waves with a wavelength comprised between 466 nm and 490 nm. Thus, it is possible, during the imaging of the pellets 2, to facilitate the recognition of the contours of the pellets 2 by a computer processing. Indeed, the inventors measured that the color furthest chromatically from the pellets, on average, was blue.
The holding system 5 can be configured so that, when fixing the wedge 6 to the angle iron 3, the wedge 6 has a face opposite one of the portions 3a, 3b, and so that the material forming this face has a Young's modulus of less than 1 GPa, and preferably less than 10 MPa. Thus, as the pellets 2 are fragile with regard to the pressure, the face of the wedge 6 can deform on contact with the pellets 2, and avoid degrading the pellets 2 when fixing the wedge 6.
The holding system 5 can also comprise a bracket 8, the shape of the bracket 8 being complementary to that of the angle iron 3. A planar portion of the bracket 8 then forms the wedge 6. The other portion of the bracket can serve as an opaque background during the imaging of the pellets 2 immobilized in the device 1. Particularly, the bracket 8 can be fixed to the angle iron 3 according to two configurations. In a first configuration, the bracket 8 is fixed to the angle iron 3 so that one of the faces of the bracket 8 is a wedge 6 for the holding system 5.
Measuring System 9
With reference to
In general, the measuring system 9 can comprise, instead of the device 1, a device configured to immobilize a plurality of pellets 2 on the carrier 10 and according to a plurality of different positions for each of the pellets 2. Finally, the measuring system 9 comprises an imaging system 11 adapted to image an object in contact with the carrier 10, and preferably through the carrier 10.
The imaging system 11 can be preferably disposed on the opposite side to the object to be imaged, relative to the carrier 10. Thus, it is possible to image all of the pellets 2 from different angles, by changing the portion 3a or 3b on which the device 1 rests on the carrier 10. Alternatively, the imaging system and the object to be imaged can be disposed on the same side of the carrier 10.
The measuring system 9 is preferably a portable system. It is meant by “Portable” a system that can be hand-carried by a user. The measuring system 9 preferably comprises an enclosure, for example in the form of a suitcase, the enclosure comprising the carrier 10, the imaging system 11 and the pellet 2 holding device 1. The enclosure preferably has matt and dark, preferably black, internal faces, so as to avoid imaging reflections during the measurement of the three-dimensional size of the pellets 2.
The measuring system 9 preferably comprises a scanner, the scanner comprising both the imaging system 11 and the transparent planar carrier 10. By “scanner” it is meant a device comprising a transparent planar carrier 10, and a linear image sensor, for example of the CCD or CIS type, disposed under the planar carrier 10, and motorized so as to scan the surface of a portion of the carrier 10, making it possible to image an object disposed on the other side of the carrier 10.
Method for Measuring the Three-Dimensional Size of the Pellets 2
With reference to
Preferably, the second step 702 is implemented by immobilizing the pellets 2 in at least one device 1 in accordance with the invention.
The pellets 2 can be deposited on the angle iron 3. The first step 701 can be implemented by acquiring a first digital image of the pellets 2 thus deposited. Preferably, the bracket 8 can be fixed to the angle iron 3 during the first step 701, in a configuration in which the wedge 6 is not in contact with the pellets 2 and in which another portion of the bracket 8 is a matt background during the acquisition of the first digital image of the pellets 2.
The second step 702 can be implemented by bringing the wedge 6 closer so as to raise the pellets in the fold 6, and thus cause a rotation of each of the pellets 2 by an angle approximately equal to 90°. The pellets 2 are thus immobilized at this angle by fixing the wedge 6 of the bracket 8 to the angle iron 3. Finally, during a third step 703, a second digital image of the pellets 2 which are still held by the wedge 6 is acquired.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR1914949 | Dec 2019 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2020/052504 | 12/17/2020 | WO |
