Philip L Hoffman
Engineers in Medford, OR

5443164, Aug 22, 1995

Aug 10, 1993

8/105349

Casey P. Walsh - Medford OR
Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR
William S. Drummond - Medford OR
H. Parks Squyres - Medford OR

Simco/Ramic Corporation - Medford OR

B07C 500, G01N 2100

209580

A plastic container sorter (10) moves labeled plastic containers (14, 20, 48, 54, 58) of various colors and transparencies through an inspection zone (18). A pair of line-scanning color cameras (22, 24) capture respective transmittance and reflectance images of the containers and generate raw transmittance and reflectance image data. The raw container data are digitized, normalized, and binarized to provide accurate transmittance and reflectance container RGB image data and binarized image data for differentiating container image data from background data. Container sorting entails eroding (120) the binarized transmittance image and merging (122) the eroded image with the transmittance image data to yield a transmittance image. The eroded transmittance image is analyzed (124, 126) to determine whether the container is opaque. If the container is opaque, color analysis proceeds by analyzing the reflectance image data.

5337884, Aug 16, 1994

Aug 9, 1993

8/105313

Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR
Richard J. Signorello - Grants Pass OR

Simco/Ramic Corporation - Medford OR

B65G 4502

198500

An optical inspection system (10) has a conveyor belt (18) that turns at a non-rotating turning bar (22). An inner surface (20) of the conveyor belt contacts a turning surface (22T) of the turning bar. A reservoir (60) for holding a lubricant (62), such as water, is formed by a free surface (22F) of the turning bar, two reservoir side walls (54, 56), a free surface (52F) of a feed bar (52), and a lower surface (58). The feed bar has orifices (69) for discharge of the lubricant into the reservoir and is connected to a source of lubricant subject to volume regulation. When the conveyor belt is in operation, the volume of lubricant supplied to the reservoir keeps the line of contact (22L) between the inner surface and the turning surface covered with lubricant. Rods (64, 66) regulate the flow of lubricant so as to maintain adequate coverage with lubricant of the region (46) where the conveyor belt turns over the turning bar and of the line of contact between the inner surface and the turning surface. The top (22H) of the turning bar is a distance (H) lower than the common level of the top (52H) of the feed bar, the top of the side walls, and the tops (64H, 66H) of the rods.

5957306, Sep 28, 1999

Jun 18, 1997

8/877925

Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR

SRC Vision, Inc. - Medford OR

B07C 500

209587

An air decelerator for an inspection and sorting system employing pneumatic ejectors, comprising an air plenum adapted to generally cause a stream of air to flow in a direction opposing acceptable articles moving in a trajectory, and thereby decelerate the velocity of the articles to reduce the impact of the articles when they come into contact with the receiving surface to minimize damage to the articles caused by the impact.

5297667, Mar 29, 1994

Nov 12, 1992

7/974410

Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR
David A. Welbon - Medford OR
Richard J. Signorello - Grants Pass OR

Simco/Ramic Corporation - Medford OR

B65G 4722

198493

A stabilizing system stabilizes articles carried on conveyors for automated bulk processing equipment. In a preferred embodiment, a flow of gas (e. g. , air) is projected along a conveyor belt in a direction generally parallel to that in which articles are carried by the belt. The air flow has a velocity (i. e. , speed and direction) substantially the same as that of the belt to reduce aerodynamic resistance that would otherwise bear against the articles. As a result, the articles may be transported on the conveyor belt at high speeds with substantially increased stability or throughput.

6152282, Nov 28, 2000

Feb 1, 1999

9/241826

James Ewan - Los Altos CA
Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR

SRC Vision, Inc. - Medford OR

B65G 4724, B07C 502, B07C 5342

198382

A laned conveyor apparatus includes an infeed roller and an outfeed roller rotatably mounted to a frame in spaced apart relation for movably supporting a flexible product-carrying belt that forms a closed loop about the rollers to define a conveying region having a length and a width. A plurality of elastic separating bands are removably positioned around the rollers and the product-carrying belt and spaced apart at intervals along the width of the conveying region to form lanes along the length of the conveying region. The separating bands contact an outer surface of the product-carrying belt to form a frictional interface with the product-carrying belt that causes the separating bands to move in coordination with movement of the product-carrying belt. A guide mechanism mounted to the frame includes multiple guide features spaced apart at intervals along the width of the conveying region for guiding the separating bands so that the lanes are accurately and precisely positioned in relation to the frame. An adjustable tensioning device is provided for tensioning the separating bands across the conveying region to minimize slippage of the separating bands at the frictional interface.

5431289, Jul 11, 1995

Feb 15, 1994

8/196581

Philip L. Hoffman - Medford OR

Simco/Ramic Corporation - Medford OR

B07C 500

209638

A conveyor system for transporting and aligning articles to be sorted in an automated bulk processing system is disclosed. The conveyor comprises one or more product-carrying lanes, each lane comprising two side belts separated by a central product-carrying belt. Each of the side belts is raised with respect to the product-carrying belt, thereby guiding articles on to the product-carrying belt. In a preferred embodiment, the product-carrying belt has two product-carrying surfaces and is provided with a 180. degree. lengthwise twist whereby the product-carrying surfaces are alternately presented on the upper surface of the conveyor system for each complete belt travel cycle. The 180. degree. lengthwise twist is maintained in position by a belt guide or comb located on the underside of the conveyor system.