WO2008033741A2

WO2008033741A2 - Method and apparatus for pattern cutting fruit

Info

Publication number: WO2008033741A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/077962
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jon Christensen; Graham Wheeler; Jeff Gosior
Original assignee: Sunkist Growers Inc
Current assignee: Sunkist Growers Inc
Priority date: 2006-09-11
Filing date: 2007-09-10
Publication date: 2008-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-11
Also published as: WO2008033741A3

Abstract

A cutting apparatus and method for cutting plant products, such as citrus fruit. Individual plant products are oriented for cutting the product into slices. The slices are arranged in series on a conveying mechanism and are imaged by a vision system in order to detect physical characteristics of each slice, including the presence of skin, peel, core, seeds and/or rot. The imaged slices are conveyed to a die cutter array, which selectively positions and activates one or more die cutters to create a desired cutout shape from each article slice based on information from the vision system. The die-cut article slices have desired and undesired portions separated and delivered to appropriate receivers for collection.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOM PATTERN CUTTING FRUIT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[01] This Application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,508 filed September 11, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. Field of the Invention

[02] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for precisely cutting whole plant products, such as fruit, vegetables, or similar articles, into desired slices or patterns. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing sliced plant products with an outer skin or peel, a core and/or unwanted parts removed. More particularly, the invention relates to the large-scale production of sliced citrus fruit, such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit, as well as sliced apples, pears or similar fruit having an outer skin that is to be removed.

Description of the Related Art

[03] Current methods to form peeled or patterned sliced plant products, particularly fruit slices, are slow, laborious, and inaccurate, whether manual, automated or a combination of both.

[04] Manual methods require multiple steps and multiple machines to achieve a final product. According to these methods, whole plant products are first manually peeled and then manually sliced with a knife or are placed in a manually-operated sectionizer to create slices. Depending on the plant product, the slices may then be transferred to another work surface to be shaped with a knife or a pre-shaped cutter. At such work station, a core or even rot portions may be removed as welt. Such manual methods are incompatible with large- scale and economic commercial production.

[05] In conventional automated systems, automatic devices first peel the plant product at a first location, and then transfer the sliced product to a second location having one or more cutters for slicing. The peeling process typically uses a cam-follower technique or the like, which uses a cam to track the contour of the plant product while cutting at a predetermined depth. Other techniques assume a predetermined size and shape, and simply cut away the surface to a predetermined depth. However, such peeling techniques often fail to completely and cleanly remove the peel or skin from the entire plant product, leaving bits of skin and/or pith. Moreover, core or rot portions cannot be removed without separate processing. The resulting peeled plant product is then sliced or sectioned, resulting in slices that often contain some peel or pith remnants. However, such slices often appear shredded due to the pulling of the slicer blades against the unpeeled portions of the plant product slice. Further, slices tend to be non-uniform as a result of the variable thickness of the peel portions remaining on the plant product. Thus, mechanically peeled and sliced plant product often retains unwanted remnants of pith and skin or peel. Moreover, even if the sliced plant product is free of pith, the flesh may be cut non-uniformly, and the cellular and vesicular walls of the flesh may be broken, giving the slices of the plant product a shorter shelf life, and leaving them less sanitary and less appealing to consumers. Rot, if present on a given plant product, also may remain and slices containing rot may be mixed in with clean slices, causing an undesirable result,

[06] Finally, current methods have no means of registering the processed plant product against an absolute standard. To the contrary, these conventional methods produce plant product slices that are non-matching and non-uniform, making them less marketable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[07] A cutting apparatus, with a first cutting mechanism for cutting a whole plant product into slices, a sensor mechanism for determining information about the slices to guide further cutting or positioning of the slices, a second cutting mechanism for further cutting of the slices to remove peel, pith and core portions, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the slices or the second cutting mechanism for said further cutting of the slices. One or both of the positioning mechanism and the second cutting mechanism are controlled based upon the information determined by the sensor mechanism.

[08] A second plurality of cutting mechanisms also may be used to remove other portions of a slice, such as core or rot portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[09] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[1©] FIG. 1 is a partial illustration of a schematic of a fruit slicing apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, from one isometric perspective;

[11 ] FIG. 2 is a partial illustration of a schematic view of the fruit slicing apparatus of Fig.

1, with a cover removed from a camera housing and a cover housing removed from a dicing assembly, from another isometric perspective;

[12] FIG. 3 is a partial illustration of a side schematic view of the fruit slicing apparatus of

Fig. 1, with a cover removed from a camera housing and a cover housing removed from a dicing assembly;

[131 Frø^s- 4A-4E present a schematic illustration of the slicing steps performed by the slicing apparatus of Fig. 1;

[14] FIGs. 5A-5C are partial illustrations of alternative arrangements of cutting dies for use in the apparatus of Fig. 1;

[15] FIG. 6 is a partial illustration of a back sectional view of the operational mechanisms of the plant product slicing apparatus of Fig. 1; [16] FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the operational mechanisms of the plant product slicing apparatus of Fig. 1;

[17] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a separation assembly for the plant product slicing apparatus of Fig. 1.

[18] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process of cutting plant products, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[19] Fig. 1OA is an illustration of an image of a plant product slice taken by the camera with a superimposed image of a circular target cut; Fig. 1OB is an illustration of the cut plant product; and Fig. 1OC is an illustration of another target cut shape.

[20] Fig. 11 is a schematic illustration of a top view of a system arrangement of two or more cutter arrangements in sequence prior to a separation assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[21] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrated as isometric schematic views of a plant product cutting and peeling machine 10, is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The machine comprises several components that may be mounted on a frame 15, table or like support as known in the art to provide flexibility in mounting and assembly, and includes a conveyor section 20, typically in the form of a moving belt, but also including a series of moving platforms, plates or the like, that extends from an upstream position 21 to a downstream position 22 of the machine. The conveyor section 20, which is adapted to carry plant product slices from the upstream position 21 to the downstream position 22, is disposed below a slicing assembly 30, a vision section 40, a cutting section 50 and a separation assembly 60, arranged in the upstream to the downstream positions in the recited order, and a!! carried by the frame 15 in a preferred embodiment Fig. 2 illustrates the machine 10 with covers 4OA and 50A removed from the vision section 40 and the cutting section 50, respectively, As further detailed with respect to Fig. 3 and 6, the frame 15 also will support several other components, including a loading section 210, a slicing blade assembly 220, a die cutting assembly 580, and a transverse plunger assembly 650. [22) As illustrated in the schematic side view of the machine 10 in Fig. 3, the loading section 210 comprises a hopper 16 that may be mounted on the top or side of the frame 15 and is disposed in a position to receives a whole plant product PP, such as a fruit or vegetable that is to be peeled and sliced. The loading section 210 also includes a singulating chute 17 that is arranged to deliver whole plant products PP to the slicing assembly 30. The slicing assembly 30 includes a blade plunger assembly 13, a rotating spool mechanism 18, and the slicing blade assembly 19. The singulating chute 17 acquires plant products PP from the hopper 16 and loads a plant product PP, one at a time, onto a pair of orienting rotating spools 180, or other mechanism known in the art for orienting a plant product PP for further processing.

[23] In the illustrated and exemplary embodiment that is particularly applicable to plant products PP having a round shape, such as citrus fruits, the spools 180 of the rotating spool mechanism 18 have a concave surface for receiving the plant product PP and are mounted parallel to each other, with their rotational axes 180A parallel to the direction of the conveyor 20 below, and with a spacing between the surfaces of the spools 180 adjusted to accommodate the average size of the lot of the whole plant product PP to be cut and peeled. Typically, the plant products PP are assembled into lots of a common size and shape for convenient processing of multiple products in a single run or at one time. However, one skilled in the art would recognize that adjustments for individual plant products of different sizes could be made, but would be at the price of efficiency and cost. The spools 180 may be rotated at the same speed by a common spool motor 181 and belt assembly 182, or may be rotated independently by separate motors at the same or different speeds, as appropriate to orient the plant product for further handling.

124] Once a plant product PP is oriented properly on the spools 180, the spools' rotation is deactivated. The determination of proper orientation may be based simply on time of spool rotation or based on vision detection or mechanical or electrical sensing devices, as would be understood by one skilled in the art. According to the illustrations of the exemplary embodiment in Fig. 7, the spools 180 then separate and assume a position illustrated as 180', delivering the plant product PP to the slicing blade assembly 220 by gravity feed. The spools 180 are separated from one another by two independent swing arm structures 170, each mounted to a respective spool 180 and operative by a force provided to an appropriate lever mechanism by a hydraulic or electrical motive source 175, such as an electronic solenoid or pneumatic plunger, as would be known to those skilled in the art. In the illustration of the exemplary embodiment, of Fig. 6, both swing arm structures 170 are connected to a pin-slider mechanism 160 which, when a spool displacement pin 150 is forced downward, causes the swing arms 170 to rotate upward resulting in an outward motion of the spools 180 from the plant product orienting position to a displaced position 180', as illustrated in Fig. 7. [2S] As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the slicing blade assembly 19 is located directly under the spools 180 and includes a slicing blade array 190 having a set of parallel blades 191 that extend upward vertically and have cutting edges 192 that are oriented horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal, as desired for a particular plant product PP. Disposed above the slicing blade assembly 19 is the blade plunger assembly 13 that includes a plunger 130 having a plurality of plunger plates 131 and being guided along guides 132 for movement in an upward and downward direction by a driving mechanism 133, which may be electronic or pneumatic. The blades 191 in the blade array 190 are spaced apart sufficiently that they will receive the pressing plates 131 of the blade plunger 130 as the plunger is moved in a downward direction and applies a force to the plant product PP, driving the lower surface of the plant product PP against the blade edges 191 causing a cut. The cut plant product PP is then deposited, in whole or in part, onto the conveyor 20 for further processing. [26] With reference to the sequence of steps for the foregoing process that are schematically illustrated in Figs. 4A-4E, in a first step illustrated in Fig. 4A₅ when the spools 180 are separated in a direction A-A by movement of the arms 170 under motive force provided by motors 175, the plant product PP drops onto the sharp edges 192 of blades 191 of the slicing blade array 190. Concurrent with the downward motion of the spool displacement pin 150, in step 4B, a blade plunger 130, having a plurality of parallel plates 132 with blunt edges 132, is moved downward. The edges 132 of the plates 131 of blade plunger 130 contacts the plant product resting on the slicing blade array 190. The blade plunger 130 continues downward, forcing the fruit through the slicing blade array 190. Because the plates 131 of the blade plunger 130 are designed to mesh with and pass through the blades 191 of slicing blade array 190, the plant product slices S are forced through the slicing blade array 190, causing them to release and descend in step 4C in a direction C into one or more catching devices, which are disposed below the slicing blade array 190. Slices S of plant product may be flat thin slices or thicker, larger pieces of varying shape, depending on the positioning and shape of the blades in the slicing blade array 190. Optionally, if desired, end portions S' may be separated in a direction D from the remainder of the slices. [27] One or more of a variety of adjustable catching devices may be used, and the illustrated and exemplary embodiment in the figures uses cups 140 and chutes 100, that may be positioned below the slicing blade array 190 to selectively receive desirable and undesirable groups of plant product slices. Chutes 100 are normally employed to direct undesirable plant product slices, such as fruit ends (stems), to a discard receptacle (not shown) located off the frame 15 of the machine. Cups 140 are normally employed to each receive a portion of the desired plant product slices S.

[28] In the step illustrated in Fig. 4D and with reference to Figs. 6 and 7, cups 140 are then independently activated by pneumatic cylinders 240 to rotate outward, causing the cup 140 body to become inverted. The cup 140 is designed with a slot such that during this rotation, a fixed plunger 250 on the machine frame 15 behind the cup 140 will pass through the cup center, thereby positively forcing the plant product slice group to eject onto a conveyor 20 that is moving below the cups 140, as may be understood from the illustration in Fig. 6. [29] Finally, in the step illustrated in Fig. 4E, the plant product slice group, arranged in a stack, travels on the conveyor 20 to a position as illustrated in Fig 3, where it contacts a destacking plate 110, which is adjusted such that it allows one slice S to separate from a stack of slices SS, and continue traveling downstream along the conveyor path independent of the remaining slices of the stack, as illustrated in Fig. 7. As would be understood by one skilled in the art, the remaining slices in a stack are removed one slice at a time. The period of time between the forcing of each plant product slice group onto the conveyor must be sufficient to permit the slices in the slice group to be de-stacked and presented serially on the conveyor 20. [30] The series of separated plant product slices S that are being carried on the surface of conveyor 20 are then imaged, one at a time, by a vision section 40. As illustrated in Fig, 2 with cover 4OA removed, the vision section 40 consists of a computer controlled lighting assembly 410 and a image capture device 420, such as a camera, CCD or other conventional image capture device, as well as an image capture circuit, a processing system coupled to the circuit, and a user interface for the processing system, including appropriate display and input sections (all not shown). However, as may be understood by those skilled in the ait, the vision section 40 may be any appropriate factory vision system known in the art. The vision section 40 acquires an image of the cross section of each plant product slice, and then processes the image to obtain information on or characteristics of the plant product slice, such as its size, shape, outside (flavedo - peel) boundary, inside (albedo) boundary, center character (core, voids, etc.), and meat character (defects, seeds, voids, rot, etc). The particular location on the conveyor 20, in both the downstream direction of movement of the conveyor 20 and a direction orthogonal to that direction also may be obtained for subsequent use in positioning the cutting tools. The processor in the vision section 40 is programmed to match the obtained information to parameters, criteria or other information, which may previously have been entered by a user via the user interface or stored as a result of processing of historical data or previous products. The processor in the vision system is synchronized with the conveyor 20 so that the images taken of individual slices may be correlated with the position of individual plant product slices on the conveyor 20. The vision section 40 may be controlled locally by a processor, or may be controlled via a network set up to provide common and centralized control via a local or wide area network, as would be understood by those skilled in the art.

[31] Each plant product slice S is then identified for acceptance or rejection. If accepted, the fruit slice is designated for cutting with one of a plurality of dies in the die cutting section 50, and the position of the slice S on the conveyor 20 is stored for tracking. If rejected, only the position of the slice S on the belt is stored for tracking. Information with regard to the acceptance and rejection of plant product slices, as well as other data and statistics related to the plant products and the processing operation, can be accumulated,, stored and processed in the processor system, whether local or networked. (32] The accepted plant product slices S are then conveyed to the cutting section 50, which has a cover 5OA over a die cutting assembly 580. The die cutting assembly 580 consists of a sliding frame 520 situated above the conveyor belt 20 and a set of cutting dies, which may be any number but are illustrated as four dies 585a-585d in the Figures, and accompanying movement mechanisms 586. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the sliding frame 520 is oriented to be moved in a direction that is orthogonal to the motion of the conveyor belt 20 so that the dies can be positioned over the plant product slice regardless of its position on the conveyor 20. The sliding frame 520 contains one or more pneumatically actuated and interchangeable cutting dies 585a-585d of varying radial size and, possibly, varying shape, which are arranged along the direction of travel of the conveyor 20. According to the preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 2. a computer controlled DC stepper motor 560 positions the sliding frame 520 for each plant product slice according to the imaged cross section of the slice and the imaged and tracked position of the slice on the conveyor 20, the desired location of the die cut within the fruit slice, and the position in the sliding frame 520 of the required cutting die 585. The die is then operated by movement mechanism 586, which may be an electronic solenoid or pneumatic plunger, or the like, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. [33] The detail of the images captured by the vision section 40, as well as the programming used to control the analysis and processing of image data that permits a skin or peel portion, or other boundary portion, to be distinguished with precision, as would be readily developed by those in the image processing arts, will permit the accurate identification of the location of each slice on the conveyor, accurate selection of appropriate cutting die 585a-585d, accurate movement of both the conveyor and the cutter sliding frame 520 and accurate operation of the appropriate die in the frame 520, as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

[34] While the illustrated example in Fig. 7 shows a set of cutting dies 585a-585d arranged in series in the direction of travel of the conveyor 20, as detailed in Fig. 5 A, it would be clear to those skilled in the art that the series of cutting dies may be arranged transverse to the direction of travel of the conveyor 20, as illustrated in Fig. 5B. Moreover, the dies need not be arranged in series, but may be assembled as an array of dies in a matrix arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 5C or other two dimensional arrangement that is moveable in coordination with the positioning of the conveyor. Further, the invention is not limited to a single group or array of die cutters, but it may be implemented as a series of cutter groups, each following an imaging system, as illustrated in Fig. 1 L

[35] An example of an image of a plant product slice and the cutting boundary (a dotted line) as determined according to processing of the image date, is illustrated in Fig. I OA. [36] Once the slice on the conveyor 20 reaches the proper position for further cutting by the die cutter assembly 50, the conveyor belt 20 may be stopped momentarily by the processing system that provides a synchronized control of the conveyor 20 and cutting section 50. The appropriate die 585 then descends downward by actuation of the electronic or pneumatic mechanism 586 and cuts through the plant product slice, thereby cutting the plant product slice so as to cut away a desired meat portion from an undesired skin or peel portion, and even to provide a desired shape. Typically, because the plant product slices are substantially circular, the shape of the cut meat portion will be circular. An example of the resultant circular cut slice is illustrated in Fig. 10B₅ and an illustration of a different shaped cut slice is illustrated in Fig. 1OC. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention in Fig. 7, a spring 587 returns the actuated die 585 to its home position. The cut slice is then engaged by the separation assembly 60.

[37] Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the computer that controls the overall operation of the machine then triggers the operation of a pneumatically actuated separating plunger 650 in separation assembly 60 that is mounted transverse to the conveyor 20. The plunger 650 is positioned to push die-cut slices in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the conveyor 20, forcing the plant product slice components off the conveyor 20.

[38] The separation assembly 60 further consists of a plate 610 with correspondingly sized and positioned holes 620a, 620b to match the desired slices of the plant product. Clearly, there can be only one hole or holes of different sizes and shapes, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. As the plant product slice components travel over the pattern plate 620, the desired portion of the plant product slice drops down through the opening into a receptacle 630while the alternate portion of the plant product slice continues to the end of the plate and falls into a second receptacle. In particular, the plunger 650 is moveable in the illustrated example from a home position A to a first hole position B having a small hole 620a such that a large piece passes over and does not fall in. The plunger 650 can continue on to a second hole position C, where a larger hole 620b can accept a larger slice. There may be several different holes as would be understood by those skilled in the art. Finally, the plunger 650 extends to position D, where the remaining rind is pushed into receptacle 630. Alternatively, the undesired portion of the plant product slice is elevated and redirected away from the desired portion, which continues to travel in the initial plane of motion. There may be many other alternatives, as understood by those skilled in the art. [39] At this time, the conveyor 20 may be reactivated to position the next plant product slice into place for die cutting and separation. 62

[40] Imaged plant product slices which are unacceptable for die cutting can be removed from the conveyor 20 by one of a plurality of the transverse plungers 588 or conveyed to the end of the conveyor 20, where they drop into a receptacle for discard or separate processing. [411 Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 11 , based upon the original image taken at the vision section 40, additional unwanted portions of the slices, such as rot, blemishes and cores can be removed by a second set of cutters 50' of appropriate size and shape. Clearly, plural sets of cutters can be used, or a single set of cutters with multiple sizes and shapes to sequentially process a single slice, as would be understood by those skilled in the art, can be used to process a single slice at one time.

[42] As would be known to those skilled in the factory automation arts, a series of safety switches are attached to various panels and portions of the machine to protect a human user or attendant in the event of a mishap or machine failure. [43] On the basis of the foregoing description of several possible structural implementations of the present invention, but without limitation thereto, an exemplary flow of the process for automatically preparing sliced plant products having a desired size, shape and characteristic may be described with reference to Fig. 9. The illustrated process assumes that plant products have already been assembled for cutting and have been delivered to an input for orientation and cutting. First, in step Sl₅ the product is oriented individually for slicing, and in the exemplary but non limiting embodiment described herein, rotatable and separable spools 180 provide this function, hi step S2, the product is sliced into several slices by a slicing blade assembly 19, which in the disclosed embodiment is interactive with a plunger assembly 13. Desirable portions S and undesirable portions S' of the sliced product are separated in step S3 and undesirable portions S' of the plant product that have been sliced may be discarded by various mechanisms, such as chutes 100, in step S4. The desired portions S of the sliced plant product are kept together, as by cups 140 in the exemplary embodiment, and ejected as a stack of slices onto a conveyor in step S5. The stack of slices is destacked in step S6, using a destacking plate 110 as in the exemplary embodiment, such that a series of slices S is conveyed downstream. Each slice S is imaged in step S7 using appropriate machine vision apparatus 40, and control information is determined from the images taken, in a manner known in the art. In steps S 8 and S9, at least one of the conveyor mechanism and a die cutting mechanism is positioned on the basis of the imaged slice and appropriate control processing so mat an accurate cutting of the slice for a desired output may be conducted. In step SlO, a die 585 a-585d is selected and operated to cut the slice S. As would be evident from the disclosure thus far, one of several dies may be selected, and in fact, a series of die operations may be programmed to obtain the desired size and shape. In step Sl 1 , the cut slice is then separated from its undesired portions in separator 60 and the desirable portions are saved while the undesirable portions are discarded. [44] While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with one or more embodiments, it is not limited thereto as these embodiments are presented only by way of example and that equivalent steps and components may be substituted and design details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims, as interpreted according to applicable law.

Claims

77962WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A plant product processing apparatus comprising:

(a) a first cutting mechanism which cuts a plant product into a plurality of plant product slices;

(b) an imaging system operative to image at least one of said plurality of plant product slices and provide imaging data for said at least one of said plant product slices;

(c) second cutting mechanism operative to cut away an outer peripheral region of said at least one of said plurality of plant product slices on the basis of cutting control information;

(d) positioning mechanism operative to transport said at least one of said plurality of plant product slices from said imaging system to said second cutting mechanism; and

(e) a processor, operative to receive said imaging data and to generate said cutting control information for controlling the cutting operation of said second cutting mechanism.

2. The plant product processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said processor is operative in response to said image data to control the positioning mechanism to position said at least one slice at said second cutting mechanism.

3. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second cutting mechanism comprises a plurality of cutters and said processor is operative in response to said image data to select one of said plurality of cutters.

4. The plant processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of cutters comprise die cutters, at least two of which are a different size.

5. The plant processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said plurality of cutters are commonly mounted on a moveable frame, said frame being moveable to position a selected one of said cutters for cutting said at least one plant product slice.

6. The plant processing apparatus of claim 5 wherein, said moveable frame is disposed to move transverse to a direction of movement of said positioning mechanism.

7. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first cutting mechanism comprises an array of blades operative to cut said plant product into said plurality of slices.

8. The cutting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said processor commonly controls the operation of said first cutting mechanism, said second cutting mechanism and said positioning mechanism.

9. The plant processing apparatus of claim 8_S wherein said processor is coupled to a network.

10. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an orienting mechanism for uniformly orienting plant products for cutting by said first cutting mechanism.

11. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism is a computer-controlled belt conveyor.

12. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first cutting mechanism is adjustable to create slices with variable thicknesses.

13. The plant processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plant product is a fruit.

14. The plant processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plant product is a citrus fruit.

15. An automated method for cutting whole plant products into peeled slices, comprising the ordered steps of: (a) cutting a whole plant product into a plurality of slices, and

(b) cutting at least one of the plurality of slices to remove peripheral portions from said one of the plurality of slices.

16. A method for cutting plant products into slices and removing undesirable portions, comprising:

(a) cutting a whole plant product into slices with a first cutting mechanism;

(b) determining cutting control information by sensing physical data for at least one of said first slices;

(c) automatically positioning said at least one of the first slices with respect to a second cutting mechanism on the basis of said cutting control information, for cutting the first slices into second slices; and

(d) automatically cutting the first slices into said second slices.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the undesirable portions comprise at least one of a plant product peel, a plant product core and a plant product rot.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said sensing comprises optical sensing.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatic cutting comprises die cutting.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising selectively positioning one of a plurality of cutters for cutting the first slices into said second slices .

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically transporting fruit slices from a location of said sensing to a location of said second cutting mechanism.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the article is a whole citrus.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the article is a whole apple.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the article is a whole fruit.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the article is a whole vegetable.