Trussing system and method

1 . A slaughtered bird trussing, the slaughtered bird trussing system including:

a vision system, the vision system including at least one image capture device for capturing at least one image of a slaughtered bird, and

a determination system configured to determine at least one of a size, a shape, a position, and a quality of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image,

wherein the determination system is configured to determine a size of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image and wherein the determination system is further configured to calculate the required length of a trussing band based on at least the determined size.

2 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 1 , further including a controller and a communication system and wherein the communication system communicates with and controls a trussing apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird.

3 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 2 , wherein the trussing apparatus is a robot and the motion of the robot is controlled based on information from the vision system.

4 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 3 , wherein the robot holds a slaughtered bird and trusses the slaughtered bird by moving the slaughtered bird relative to a fixed trussing band.

5 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 3 , wherein a slaughtered bird is held, and wherein the robot trusses the slaughtered bird by moving a trussing band over the slaughtered bird.

6 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 1 , further including:

a plurality of slaughtered bird holders, each slaughtered bird holder configured to hold a slaughtered bird;

a conveyer configured to convey the plurality of slaughtered bird holders; and

a trussing station including a trussing apparatus configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band.

7 . A slaughtered bird trussing system, the slaughtered bird trussing system including:

a vision system, the vision system including at least one image capture device for capturing at least one image of a slaughtered bird, and

a determination system configured to determine at least one of a size, a shape, a position, and a quality of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image,

wherein determining the quality of a slaughtered bird includes at least one of:

determining if a wing is in a correct position;

determining if a wing and/or leg of the slaughtered bird is broken;

determining if a wing and/or leg of the slaughtered bird is missing;

determining a skin condition of the slaughtered bird;

determining a quality of a truss on a slaughtered bird; and

determining whether a trussing band is in a correct position.

8 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 7 , wherein the determination system is configured to determine a size of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image and wherein the determination system is further configured to calculate the required length of a trussing band based on at least the determined size.

9 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 8 , further including a controller and a communication system and wherein the communication system communicates with and controls a trussing apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird.

10 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 9 , wherein the trussing apparatus is a robot and the motion of the robot is controlled based on information from the vision system.

11 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 10 , wherein the robot holds a slaughtered bird and trusses the slaughtered bird by moving the slaughtered bird relative to a fixed trussing band.

12 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 10 , wherein a slaughtered bird is held, and wherein the robot trusses the slaughtered bird by moving a trussing band over the slaughtered bird.

13 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 7 , further including:

a plurality of slaughtered bird holders, each slaughtered bird holder configured to hold a slaughtered bird;

a conveyer configured to convey the plurality of slaughtered bird holders; and

a trussing station including a trussing apparatus configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band.

14 . A slaughtered bird trussing system, the slaughtered bird trussing system including:

a vision system, the vision system including at least one image capture device for capturing at least one image of a slaughtered bird, and

a determination system configured to determine at least one of a size, a shape, a position, and a quality of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image,

wherein determining the quality of a slaughtered bird includes at least one of:

determining if a wing is in a correct position;

determining if a wing and/or leg of the slaughtered bird is broken;

determining if a wing and/or leg of the slaughtered bird is missing; and

determining a skin condition of the slaughtered bird,

wherein the determination system causes the bird not to be trussed when the slaughtered bird does not meet a desired quality.

15 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 14 , wherein the determination system is configured to determine a size of a slaughtered bird based on the at least one image and wherein the determination system is further configured to calculate the required length of a trussing band based on at least the determined size.

16 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 15 , further including a controller and a communication system and wherein the communication system communicates with and controls a trussing apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird.

17 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 16 , wherein the trussing apparatus is a robot and the motion of the robot is controlled based on information from the vision system.

18 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 17 , wherein the robot holds a slaughtered bird and trusses the slaughtered bird by moving the slaughtered bird relative to a fixed trussing band.

19 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 17 , wherein a slaughtered bird is held, and wherein the robot trusses the slaughtered bird by moving a trussing band over the slaughtered bird.

20 . The slaughtered bird trussing system of claim 14 , further including:

a plurality of slaughtered bird holders, each slaughtered bird holder configured to hold a slaughtered bird;

a conveyer configured to convey the plurality of slaughtered bird holders; and

a trussing station including a trussing apparatus configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band.