Muscle trait research device and method thereof

Abstract

The application relates to a muscle trait research device and a method thereof, which comprises a normal-temperature placing area, a low-temperature curing area, a high-temperature heating area, a moving box and a track; the low-temperature curing area and the high-temperature heating area correspond to each other and are linearly distributed on the two sides of the normal-temperature placing area; a temperature control assembly comprises a reflux pump, a temperature compensator and a filter, an outlet is communicated with an inlet in sequence through the filter, the reflux pump and the temperature compensator, the low-temperature chamber and the high-temperature chamber are provided with corresponding connecting sleeves, the two ends of the track are fixed on the inner walls of the two chambers respectively, the moving box is sleeved on the track, the two sides of the moving box can be adaptively sleeved in the connecting sleeves and can be in the chambers, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a sample is arranged on the moving box. The application specifically provides the muscle trait research device with three-part continuous processing, each muscle pretreatment structure can be driven by an electric control, each structure can work independently, and the operation steps are simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of muscle trait research technology, and specifically to a muscle trait research device and method. Background Technology

[0002] The characteristics of pork generally include meat color, muscle pH, muscle marbling, water loss rate, cooked meat rate, storage loss, muscle tenderness, and intramuscular fat content. Among these, muscle tenderness is an important characteristic that affects the flavor of the muscle. Muscle tenderness is closely related to the diameter of muscle fibers, the amount of connective tissue or collagen fiber content in the muscle, and the intramuscular fat content.

[0003] Tenderness refers to the shearing force required when cutting meat. Before measuring tenderness, the pork needs to be processed. The existing method involves taking a loin muscle within 2 hours of slaughter, placing it in a plastic bag, and refrigerating it at 4°C for 96 hours. After aging, it is removed and left at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then, a 0.5cm diameter glass thermometer is inserted into the center of the loin muscle. The bag is sealed, and the bag is placed in a water bath with the opening facing upwards. The loin muscle is heated until the center temperature reaches 70°C, then quickly removed and cooled to room temperature. A 1.5cm thick piece of meat is cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, and a 1.27cm diameter circular sampler is used to take a sample along the muscle fiber direction. The cut meat samples are then placed on a commercially available tenderness measuring instrument to measure their shear force. The higher the shear force value, the lower the tenderness. Existing technologies are quite cumbersome in terms of meat pretreatment, requiring the pork to be transferred to three different temperature zones for processing. Current methods are inefficient, have poor temperature controllability, and require a high degree of human intervention, which is inconvenient for researchers. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a muscle trait research device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a muscle trait research device and method, which effectively solves the problem that existing muscle trait research requires storing meat in three temperature ranges beforehand. The existing technology lacks corresponding implementation equipment, resulting in low operational efficiency, poor temperature controllability, and high degree of human intervention in muscle trait research.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is: a muscle morphology research device, comprising a room temperature placement area, a low temperature curing area, a high temperature heating area, a moving box, and a track; the low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area correspond to each other and are linearly distributed on both sides of the room temperature placement area; the low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area each have corresponding low temperature chambers and high temperature chambers, each with a corresponding inlet and outlet, the inlet and outlet being connected to corresponding temperature control components, the temperature control components including a reflux pump, a temperature compensator, and a filter, and the outlet... The sample passes through a filter, a reflux pump, and a temperature compensator in sequence and is connected to the inlet. The low-temperature chamber and the high-temperature chamber are equipped with corresponding connecting sleeves. The two ends of the track are fixed to the inner walls of the two chambers respectively. The movable box is slidably mounted on the track and positioned between the two connecting sleeves. The two sides of the movable box can be fitted into the connecting sleeves and can be placed inside the chamber. A central hole is provided at the bottom of the movable box, and a mesh plate is provided inside the central hole. When the movable box is fully inserted into the chamber, the central hole can correspond to and communicate with the inlet and outlet. A temperature sensor for measuring the sample temperature is provided on the movable box.

[0006] Furthermore, the central hole, inlet, and outlet are all circular structures, and a tray is provided on the upper part of the mesh plate. A fixing tooth is provided in the center of the tray, and the temperature sensor is installed on the fixing tooth.

[0007] Furthermore, a baffle is provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves, and a sealing plate is also fitted on the track. The two sides of the movable box can be adapted to fit against the outer side of the sealing plate. A spring is provided on the inner side of the sealing plate, and the spring is fitted on the track.

[0008] Furthermore, a baffle is provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves, and a sealing plate is also fitted on the track. The two sides of the movable box can be adapted to fit onto the sealing plate, and magnets and iron blocks are placed between the two.

[0009] Furthermore, an electromagnetic lock is provided at the baffle, and a lock plate corresponding to the electromagnetic lock is provided on the sealing plate.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a drive screw that is horizontal with the track and fixed on the mounting surface of the track. The lower part of the movable box is provided with a drive sleeve that is threadedly connected to the drive screw. The drive screw can be driven by the drive structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the driving structure is a stepper motor, and both the stepper motor and the electromagnetic lock are connected to the controller via a timer.

[0012] Furthermore, the movable box has side plates on both sides, which are larger than the movable box and are adapted to the connecting sleeve. A skirt-shaped sealing sleeve is provided on the outer periphery of the central hole.

[0013] Furthermore, the room temperature placement area, the low temperature ripening area, and the high temperature heating area are provided in multiple sets, and the room temperature placement area and the low temperature ripening area of ​​the multiple sets are interconnected.

[0014] A method for studying muscle traits includes the following steps; Step 1: Take the sample to be tested After slaughter, the psoas muscle is removed and placed in a bag for later use; Step 2: Place the sample to be tested into the moving box. The bag has an insertion port at the bottom center. The sample is placed into the moving box and the insertion port is inserted into the fixing teeth so that the temperature sensor can measure the real-time temperature of the sample. Then the moving box is pushed into the low-temperature curing zone for curing, and the curing time is controlled at 96 hours. Step 3, place at room temperature Then move the mobile box to a room temperature storage area and let it stand for 15 minutes; Step 4: Heating in the high-temperature heating zone The mobile box is pushed into the high-temperature heating zone for heating until its center temperature reaches 70°C. Step 5: Cool to room temperature The mobile box was then moved from the high-temperature heating zone to the room temperature placement zone for natural cooling. Step 6: Sample tenderness measurement Then, the sample is removed, and the meat piece is cut in the direction perpendicular to the muscle fibers. A circular sampler is then used to take samples along the direction of the muscle fibers. The cut meat sample is then placed on a tenderness tester to measure its shear force.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are as follows: According to the operation steps of muscle pretreatment before tenderness measurement, the present invention has set up an operation device accordingly. That is, the present invention can transfer sequentially from room temperature - low temperature ripening zone - room temperature - high temperature heating zone - room temperature, which conforms to the operation specifications of pretreatment and provides a corresponding processing device for muscle pretreatment, thus providing convenience to people.

[0016] Structurally, the present invention places the room temperature place area between the low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area. The low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area are independently arranged on both sides. The structure is reasonable, avoids interference between low temperature and high temperature, and provides a structural basis for multiple embodiments. That is, the present invention can perform multiple muscle pretreatment processes at the same time.

[0017] In terms of zone transfer, this invention uses a track as the basis for movement, linearly arranging the room temperature placement zone, low temperature ripening zone, and high temperature heating zone, and using a moving box as the working carrier. By moving the moving box, the zone transfer can be achieved. At the same time, this invention sets a central hole and a placement zone in the center of the moving box. The central hole can connect with the inlet and outlet, so that during high temperature and low temperature processing, the gas with temperature can pass through the central hole and process the muscle in the placement zone.

[0018] In terms of sealing, the present invention arranges a sealing plate in the cavity. The sealing plate can temporarily move with the moving box, and when the moving box enters the corresponding side, the sealing plate separates from the moving box and is sealed in the connecting sleeve to prevent gas loss.

[0019] Therefore, this invention specifically provides a muscle trait research device with three-zone continuous processing, and each muscle pretreatment structure can be electrically driven, each structure can work independently, and can automatically execute the corresponding actions through the controller, realizing continuous operation of muscle pretreatment, greatly reducing the difficulty of operation, simplifying the operation steps, and providing people with a dedicated tool for conducting muscle trait research. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the pretreatment structure for a single muscle. Figure 3 for Figure 2 A top-view structural diagram; Figure 4 for Figure 2 Internal structure diagram; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the spring arrangement structure; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism.

[0021] Attached diagram labels: 1 is the room temperature placement area, 2 is the low temperature curing area, 3 is the high temperature heating area, 4 is the moving box, 41 is the mesh plate, 5 is the filter, 6 is the reflux pump, 7 is the temperature supplement, 8 is the inlet end, 9 is the outlet end, 10 is the track, 11 is the drive screw, 12 is the sealing plate, 13 is the iron block, 14 is the magnet, 15 is the locking plate, 16 is the lock body, 17 is the spring, and 18 is the connecting sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Example 1: This example aims to provide a muscle trait research device, mainly used for pretreatment of muscle. Before measuring muscle tenderness, the muscle needs to be placed in three temperature zones for cultivation. These three temperature zones are a room temperature zone, a low temperature ripening zone, and a high temperature heating zone. In the prior art, the three zones are generally arranged separately, requiring manual transfer of the muscle to the corresponding zone, which is relatively troublesome and inconvenient. Therefore, this example provides a muscle trait research device.

[0023] like Figures 1-3 The image shows a muscle morphology research device, including a room temperature placement area 1, a low temperature ripening area 2, a high temperature heating area 3, a moving box 4, and a track 10. This embodiment is equipped with an operating device corresponding to the pre-treatment steps of the muscle before tenderness measurement. Specifically, this embodiment allows for sequential transfer from the room temperature placement area 1 to the low temperature ripening area 2, then back to the room temperature placement area 1, then back to the high temperature heating area 3, and finally back to the room temperature placement area 1, conforming to the pre-treatment operation specifications and providing a corresponding processing device for muscle pre-treatment. In the specific structure, the low temperature ripening area 2 and the high temperature heating area 3 correspond to each other and are linearly distributed on both sides of the room temperature placement area 1. The track 10 connects the low temperature ripening area 2 and the high temperature heating area 3 on both sides and provides support. The two areas are arranged at intervals and form a connection with the room temperature placement area 1.

[0024] The low-temperature curing zone 2 and the high-temperature heating zone 3 each have corresponding low-temperature chambers and high-temperature chambers. Each low-temperature chamber and high-temperature chamber is equipped with a corresponding inlet and outlet, and connecting pipes are installed at the inlet and outlet respectively. Figure 1 The inlet end 8 shown in the image is connected to the inlet pipe, and the outlet end 9 is connected to the outlet pipe. The corresponding temperature control components are connected to the inlet at the beginning and the outlet at the end, respectively. The temperature control components can perform circulation filtration and temperature compensation for the low-temperature curing zone 2 and the high-temperature heating zone 3.

[0025] In the specific structure, the temperature control component includes a reflux pump 6, a temperature compensator 7, and a filter 5. The outlet connects to the inlet via the filter 5, reflux pump 6, and temperature compensator 7 in sequence. In this structure, filter 5 filters the gas, removing impurities. The reflux pump 6 then provides power for gas circulation, and temperature compensation is performed at the temperature compensator 7. Temperature sensors can be arranged in each chamber to obtain the processing temperature and perform real-time compensation. The temperature compensator is used to compensate for the thermoelectric potential change caused by the thermocouple reference junction temperature being below 4°C. Essentially, it is a DC millivolt generator; its output DC voltage is exactly the reduction in thermoelectric potential caused by the thermocouple reference junction (cold junction) temperature being below 4°C. Connecting it in series in the thermocouple circuit allows for automatic compensation when the thermocouple reference junction temperature is below 4°C. Temperature compensation for the high-temperature heating zone 3 can be achieved using an electric heating wire.

[0026] The low-temperature chamber and the high-temperature chamber are provided with corresponding connecting sleeves 18. The connecting sleeves 18 have an opening facing the room temperature placement area. Their internal shape is adapted to the movable box 4. The two ends of the track 10 are respectively fixed to the inner walls of the two chambers. The movable box 4 is slidably mounted on the track 10 and is located between the two connecting sleeves. The two sides of the movable box 4 can be adapted to be mounted in the connecting sleeves and can be placed in the chamber.

[0027] In this embodiment, a baffle is provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves. The baffle is larger inside and smaller outside, forming a barrier. A sealing plate is also fitted on the track 10. The sealing plate can move directionally on the track 10. In this embodiment, the track 10 is at least a double-track structure. The double-track structure can stably limit the movement of the moving box 4 and the sealing plate. The two sides of the moving box 4 can be fitted to the sealing plate, and magnets and iron blocks are set between them. The magnets and iron blocks are used to temporarily limit the connection, so that the sealing plate can move with the moving box 4 and separate after being subjected to strong force. In this embodiment, by arranging the sealing plate in the cavity, the sealing plate can temporarily move with the moving box 4. When the moving box 4 enters the corresponding side, the sealing plate separates from the moving box 4 and is sealed in the connecting sleeve to prevent gas loss.

[0028] An electromagnetic lock is installed at the baffle, and a corresponding locking plate is installed on the sealing plate. The electromagnetic lock can lock the sealing state of the sealing plate to ensure the sealing of the sealing plate when it is separated.

[0029] A central hole is provided at the bottom of the movable box 4, and a mesh plate 41 is provided inside the central hole. When the movable box 4 is fully inserted into the chamber, the central hole can correspond to and communicate with the inlet and outlet. A temperature sensor for measuring the sample temperature is provided on the movable box 4. In specific implementation, the central hole, inlet and outlet are all circular structures. A tray is provided on the upper part of the mesh plate 41. The tray also has ventilation holes to facilitate airflow around the sample to be tested. In order to facilitate the stabilization of the sample, a fixing tooth is provided in the center of the tray. The temperature sensor is set on the fixing tooth, and the fixing tooth can fix and limit the temperature of the sample to be measured.

[0030] This embodiment also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a drive screw. The drive screw is horizontal with the track 10 and fixed on the mounting surface of the track 10. A drive sleeve is provided at the lower part of the moving box 4. The drive sleeve is threadedly connected to the drive screw. The drive screw can be driven by the drive structure. The drive structure is a stepper motor. The stepper motor, temperature sensor, and electromagnetic lock are all connected to the controller through a delay unit.

[0031] In this embodiment, the movable box 4 can be moved along the track 10 and the drive screw through electronic control. During the movement, the screw and motor can be used to achieve self-locking at any position, keeping the movable box 4 in the corresponding position. In order to facilitate the identification of the position of the movable box 4, this embodiment selects an initial position and determines the position of the movable box 4 according to the number of rotations of the stepper motor. After the stepper motor rotates a certain number of times, it stops rotating and stops the movable box 4 in the corresponding position.

[0032] During operation, the temperature sensor obtains the center point temperature of the sample in real time and uploads it to the controller. The position of the moving box 4 is determined by comparing the number of forward and reverse rotations of the stepper motor in the initial state. The time when the moving box 4 enters the state is obtained according to the delay timer, thereby driving the stepper motor to perform the corresponding movement function, transferring the moving box 4 from one partition to the next specific partition. Thus, this embodiment specifically provides a muscle trait research device for three-part continuous processing. Each muscle pretreatment structure can be electrically driven, and each structure can work independently. The controller can automatically execute the corresponding actions to realize the continuous operation of muscle pretreatment, greatly reducing the difficulty of operation, simplifying the operation steps, and providing people with a dedicated tool for conducting muscle trait research.

[0033] This embodiment also includes an alarm. During the final stage of room temperature cooling of the sample, the temperature sensor detects that the meat sample has cooled to room temperature and triggers an alarm to alert the operator. This convenient feature greatly simplifies the meat tenderness measurement process and improves work efficiency. A method for studying muscle traits includes the following steps; Step 1: Take the sample to be tested After slaughter, the psoas muscle is removed and placed in a bag for later use; Step 2: Place the sample to be tested into the moving box. The bottom center of the bag has an insertion port. The sample is placed into the moving box 4 and the insertion port is inserted into the fixing teeth so that the temperature sensor can measure the real-time temperature of the sample. Then the moving box 4 is pushed into the low-temperature curing zone 2 for curing. The curing time is controlled at 96 hours. Step 3, place at room temperature Then move the mobile box 4 to the room temperature storage area 1 and let it stand for 15 minutes; Step 4, heating in high-temperature heating zone 3 The movable box 4 is pushed into the high-temperature heating zone 3 for heating until its center temperature reaches 70°C. Step 5: Cool to room temperature Then the mobile box 4 was moved from the high-temperature heating zone 3 to the room temperature placement area for natural cooling; Step 6: Sample tenderness measurement Then, the sample is removed, and the meat piece is cut in the direction perpendicular to the muscle fibers. A circular sampler is then used to take samples along the direction of the muscle fibers. The cut meat sample is then placed on a tenderness tester to measure its shear force.

[0034] This invention uses track 10 as the moving base, and linearly arranges the room temperature placement area 1, the low temperature curing area 2 and the high temperature heating area 3. The moving box 4 is used as the working carrier. By moving the moving box 4, the transfer of the zones can be realized. At the same time, this invention sets a central hole and a placement area in the center of the moving box 4. The central hole can be connected to the inlet and outlet, so that during high temperature and low temperature processing, the gas with temperature can pass through the central hole and process the muscle in the placement area.

[0035] In this embodiment, side plates are provided on both sides of the movable box 4. The side plates are larger than the movable box 4 and are adapted to the connecting sleeve. A skirt-shaped sealing sleeve is provided on the outer periphery of the central hole. The sealing sleeve enables the central hole to be connected with the inlet, ensuring that the airflow at the structure can smoothly contact the sample to be tested.

[0036] Example 2 further illustrates the driving structure of the sealing plate.

[0037] In this embodiment, a baffle is further provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves, and a sealing plate is also fitted on the track 10. The two sides of the movable box 4 can be adapted to fit against the outer side of the sealing plate. A spring is provided on the inner side of the sealing plate, and the spring is fitted on the track 10. An electromagnetic lock is provided at the baffle, and a locking plate corresponding to the electromagnetic lock is provided on the sealing plate. The electromagnetic lock can lock the sealing state of the sealing plate to ensure the sealing performance of the sealing plate when separated.

[0038] In this embodiment, the sealing plate is driven by a spring to move in the direction of the connecting sleeve, ensuring that the sealing plate can seal the connecting sleeve when the moving box 4 leaves the corresponding side partition, and the sealing plate is locked by an electromagnetic lock.

[0039] Example 3 further illustrates the fixing position of the mounting plate.

[0040] In this embodiment, multiple sets of room temperature placement area 1, low temperature curing area 2, and high temperature heating area 3 are provided, and the room temperature placement area 1 and low temperature curing area 2 of the multiple sets are interconnected. Structurally, the present invention arranges the room temperature placement area between the low temperature curing area 2 and the high temperature heating area 3, and the low temperature curing area 2 and the high temperature heating area 3 are arranged independently on both sides. The structural arrangement is reasonable, avoids interference between low temperature and high temperature, and provides a structural basis for multiple embodiments. That is, the present invention can perform multiple muscle pretreatment processes simultaneously.

Claims

1. A device for studying muscle traits, characterized in that, It includes a room temperature placement area, a low temperature curing area, a high temperature heating area, a moving box, and a track. The low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area correspond to each other and are linearly distributed on both sides of the room temperature placement area. The low temperature curing area and the high temperature heating area each have corresponding low temperature chambers and high temperature chambers. Each low temperature chamber and high temperature chamber is provided with a corresponding inlet and outlet. The inlet and outlet are respectively connected to corresponding temperature control components. The temperature control components include a reflux pump, a temperature compensator, and a filter. The outlet is connected to the inlet through the filter, the reflux pump, and the temperature compensator in sequence. The filter filters the gas to remove impurities. Then, the reflux pump provides power for gas circulation, and temperature compensation is performed at the temperature compensator. Temperature sensors are arranged in each corresponding chamber to obtain the processing temperature and perform compensation in real time. The low-temperature chamber and the high-temperature chamber are provided with corresponding connecting sleeves. The two ends of the track are respectively fixed to the inner walls of the two chambers. The movable box is slidably mounted on the track and is located between the two connecting sleeves. The two sides of the movable box can be fitted into the connecting sleeves. A central hole is provided at the bottom of the movable box, and a mesh plate is provided in the central hole. When the movable box is fully inserted into the chamber, the central hole can correspond to and communicate with the inlet and outlet. A temperature sensor for measuring the sample temperature is provided on the movable box. It also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a drive screw that is horizontal to the track and fixed to the mounting surface of the track. The lower part of the movable box is provided with a drive sleeve that is threadedly connected to the drive screw. The drive screw can be driven by the drive structure. The room temperature placement area, the low temperature curing area, and the high temperature heating area are provided in multiple sets, and the room temperature placement area and the low temperature curing area of ​​the multiple sets are interconnected.

2. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central hole, inlet, and outlet are all circular structures. A tray is provided on the upper part of the mesh plate, and a fixing tooth is provided in the center of the tray. The temperature sensor is installed on the fixing tooth.

3. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: A baffle is provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves, and a sealing plate is also fitted on the track. The two sides of the movable box can be adapted to fit against the outer side of the sealing plate. A spring is provided on the inner side of the sealing plate, and the spring is fitted on the track.

4. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: A baffle is provided on the inner side of the two connecting sleeves, and a sealing plate is also fitted on the track. The two sides of the movable box can be adapted to fit onto the sealing plate, and a magnet and an iron block are placed between the two.

5. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: An electromagnetic lock is installed at the platform, and a lock plate corresponding to the electromagnetic lock is installed on the sealing plate.

6. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drive structure is a stepper motor, and both the stepper motor and the electromagnetic lock are connected to the controller via a timer.

7. The muscle trait research apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The movable box has side plates on both sides, which are larger than the movable box and are adapted to the connecting sleeve. A skirt-shaped sealing sleeve is provided on the outer periphery of the central hole.

8. A method for studying muscle traits, applied to the apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps; Step 1: After slaughtering, take the psoas muscle and put it in a bag for later use. Step 2: Place the sample to be tested into the moving box. The bag has an insertion port at the bottom center. The sample is placed into the moving box and the insertion port is inserted into the fixing teeth so that the temperature sensor can measure the real-time temperature of the sample. Then the moving box is pushed into the low-temperature curing zone for curing, and the curing time is controlled at 96 hours. Step 3, place at room temperature Then move the mobile box to a room temperature storage area and let it stand for 15 minutes; Step 4: Heating in the high-temperature heating zone The mobile box is pushed into the high-temperature heating zone for heating until its center temperature reaches 70°C. Step 5: Cool to room temperature The mobile box was then moved from the high-temperature heating zone to the room temperature placement zone for natural cooling. Step 6: Sample tenderness measurement Then, the sample is removed, and the meat piece is cut in the direction perpendicular to the muscle fibers. A circular sampler is then used to take samples along the direction of the muscle fibers. The cut meat sample is then placed on a tenderness tester to measure its shear force.

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