| CPC F16K 37/0025 (2013.01) [B07C 5/368 (2013.01); F16K 31/0675 (2013.01); F16K 37/0058 (2013.01); B07C 2501/0018 (2013.01); B07C 2501/0081 (2013.01); B07C 2501/009 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A food article defect removal system for removing defective food articles from a food processing line, the food article defect removal system comprising:
a manifold comprising an exterior wall at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber configured for holding pressurized fluid, the exterior wall defining a first plurality of channels extending from a first side of the manifold into fluid communication with at least one of the first chamber or the second chamber, the manifold comprising an interior wall disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, the interior wall defining a second plurality of channels extending from the first side of the manifold to a second side of the manifold;
a valve assembly comprising a plurality of valves selectively connecting each one of the first plurality of channels to a corresponding one of the second plurality of channels for selectively dispensing the pressurized fluid from the second side of the manifold, wherein at least one valve of the plurality of valves includes:
a coil configured to produce a magnetic field when electrical current is passed through the coil to operate the at least one valve;
an optical indicator configured to transmit, as optical data bits, an optical indication corresponding to at least one health characteristic of the at least one valve, the optical data bits transmitted as the optical indication comprising at least one of eight data bits, thirty-two data bits, or seventy-two data bits;
an optical sensor configured to receive the optical indication comprising the optical data bits from the optical indicator; and
a current sensor configured to connect to an electrical circuit including the coil and a current source for supplying electrical current to the coil; and
a controller communicatively coupled with the valve assembly, the optical sensor, and the current sensor, the controller configured to determine a plurality of rates of change of electrical current supplied to the coil, compare the optical indication and the plurality of rates of change to determine a health of the at least one valve, and report the health of the at least one valve.
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