Food processing device and a method of providing images of food objects in a food processing device

1 . A food processing device comprising a conveyor and an imaging system,

wherein the conveyor forms a conveyor surface on which a food object can be conveyed in a conveying direction with a lower food surface against the conveyor surface and with an upper food surface facing away from the conveyor surface, the imaging system being configured to obtain images and to analyze a field of interest on the upper food surface and comprising:

a light source placed above the conveyor surface and configured to emit a light beam providing incident light on the conveyor surface and/or on the upper food surface,

a camera having an optical center line and being placed above the conveyor surface and configured for capturing a reflection of the incident light, and

a processor communicating with the camera and configured to analyze the field of interest on the upper food surface based on the captured reflection,

wherein the light source is positioned to emit a maximum intensity along a light source center line;

wherein an angle between the light source center line emitted from the light source and the optical center line is less than 20 degrees;

wherein the field of interest is defined as a line across the food object and across to the conveying direction;

wherein at the angle, a variation of reflected incident light from the field of interest, which is captured by the camera, reaches a minimum when a distance between the conveyor surface, or the light source, and the field of interest increases or decreases within an interval corresponding to height variation of the food object and between food objects; and

wherein the interval is less than 20 cm.

2 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical center line and a light source center line from the light source intersect at a location below the upper surface of the food object.

3 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source center line is perpendicular to the conveying direction.

4 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical center line is perpendicular to the conveying direction.

5 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the angle between the light source center line and the optical center line is at least 0.5 degrees.

6 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , comprising a processor and/or an image processor configured to receive data representing the reflected light which is captured by the camera and to determine color and/or light intensity and/or color variation and/or light intensity variation of a food object.

7 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , comprising an image processor configured to receive data representing the reflected light which is captured by the camera and to generate a 3D image profile of a food object.

8 . The food processing device according to claim 7 , wherein the processor and/or the image processor is configured to receive data and analyze image data while the food object is conveyed.

9 . A method of providing images of food objects in a food processing device, the food processing device comprising a conveyor and an imaging system, wherein the conveyor forms a conveyor surface on which a food object can be conveyed in a conveying direction with a lower food surface against the conveyor surface and with an upper food surface facing away from the conveyor surface, and wherein the imaging system is configured to analyze a field of interest of the upper food surface, the method comprising:

arranging a light source of the imaging system above the conveyor surface;

emitting a light beam from the light source to provide incident light on the conveyor surface and on the upper food surface;

arranging a camera above the conveyor surface for capturing a reflection of the incident light, the camera having an optical center line; and

using a processor communicating with the camera, analyzing the field of interest on the upper food surface based on the captured reflection;

wherein the light source is positioned to emit a maximum intensity along a light source center line;

wherein an angle between the light source center line emitted from the light source and the optical center line is less than 20 degrees;

wherein the field of interest is defined as a line across the food object and across to the conveying direction;

wherein at the angle, a variation of reflected incident light from the field of interest, which is captured by the camera, reaches a minimum when a distance between the conveyor surface, or the light source, and the field of interest increases or decreases within an interval corresponding to height variation of the food object and between food objects; and

wherein the interval is less than 20 cm.

10 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is positioned at a greater distance away from the conveyor surface than the light source, the camera being downstream from the light source.

11 . The food processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the field of interest is configured to move relative to the food object to analyze different parts of the upper food surface while the food object is being conveyed.

12 . The food processing device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system is screened from ambient light not originating from the light source.

13 . The food processing device of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the reflected light is blocked from reaching a frame of the camera by a shielding.

14 . The food processing device of claim 1 , wherein the light beam is a Gaussian beam having the maximum intensity along the light source center line.

15 . The food processing device of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor surface has a reflectance lower than an average reflectance of the food object.