An automatic mussel whole-shucking device and method

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic mussel full unshelling device and method, and belongs to the technical field of shellfish processing equipment. The device comprises a directional device, a shock knife ring cutting device, a meat taking device, a pneumatic device and a ring-shaped conveying belt. The directional device adjusts the disordered mussels into a standard posture with consistent heads and tails and unified abdomen and back orientations through head-tail orientation and abdomen-back orientation. The shock knife ring cutting device comprises an upper die, a middle die, a lower die and a ring-shaped shock knife. Flexible die closing is realized through the cooperation of positioning blocks and positioning grooves. The connection part between the shell and the meat is cut off by using high-frequency oscillation. The upper and lower suction cups respectively adsorb the upper shell and the lower shell. The meat taking device uses flexible side knives to extend into the shell to peel off the mussel meat. The pneumatic device cooperates with the driving mechanism and the trigger mechanism to realize automatic adsorption and release of the shell. The ring-shaped conveying belt drives the middle die to sequentially complete work in each station. The application realizes automatic mussel full process unshelling, has high mussel meat integrity, no heat processing damage, compact structure and is suitable for large-scale production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of shellfish processing technology, specifically to an automatic mussel shelling device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Mussels are an important economic shellfish in my country, and the core bottleneck in their processing is the shelling stage. Existing shelling technologies mainly include heat treatment (boiling, steaming, microwave), cold treatment (ultra-high pressure), laser shell-opening technology, and manual shelling methods. Heat treatment: The process is simple or efficient, but it can easily lead to nutrient loss in the shellfish meat, protein denaturation, and damage to flavor and texture. Ultra-high pressure cold treatment technology: It can preserve the quality of shellfish meat, but the equipment is expensive, the processing capacity is small, and the continuity is poor, making it difficult to apply on a large scale. Laser shell opening technology: It can precisely heat local areas, but the processing path is complex, the equipment precision requirements are high, and the shell opening efficiency and applicability are insufficient. Manual shelling: This method relies on manual operation with the help of knives or simple devices, resulting in low production efficiency, easy introduction of microbial contamination, high loss rate of shellfish meat, and difficulty in meeting the needs of large-scale processing.

[0003] Although the pre-processing steps of mussel processing, such as purification, sterilization, and grading, have been largely mechanized, the core shelling process still faces the aforementioned technical challenges and lacks integrated equipment that can balance quality, efficiency, and large-scale production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic mussel shelling device and method that can realize the automatic shelling and separation of mussel meat throughout the entire process, while ensuring the integrity and quality of the mussel meat, thus effectively solving the above-mentioned technical pain points.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: An automatic mussel shelling device, comprising: Orientation device, used to adjust disordered mussels into a standard posture with their heads and tails facing the same direction and their bellies and backs facing the same direction; The vibrating knife ring-cutting device, located downstream of the orientation device, is used to receive the oriented mussels and open their shells, creating a vertical spatial drop between the upper shell, the meat, and the lower shell of the mussel. A meat-removing device is located on one side of the vibrating knife ring-cutting device and is used to peel the mussel meat from the opened mussels so that the mussel meat can be collected separately. A pneumatic device, integrated into the vibrating knife ring-cutting device, is used to fix the mussel shell during the shelling process and to collect the upper and lower shells of the mussels separately after the meat is removed. A circular conveyor belt is provided, with the vibrating blade circumferential cutting device positioned above it. The circular conveyor belt rotates cyclically and passes sequentially through the end of the directional device, the working position of the vibrating blade circumferential cutting device, and the working position of the meat extraction device.

[0006] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Through the coordinated operation of the orientation device, vibrating blade ring-cutting device, meat extraction device, pneumatic device, and circular conveyor belt, the entire process of mussel processing—from posture calibration, shell opening, meat extraction to shell and meat sorting and collection—is fully automated, solving the technical problems of low mussel shelling efficiency, high meat loss, and difficulty in large-scale production in existing technologies. By adopting a heat-free mechanical shell-breaking method, nutrient loss and flavor damage caused by heat treatment are avoided, resulting in high meat integrity. Fully automated continuous operation significantly improves processing efficiency and reduces labor costs. The modular design makes the equipment compact, easy to maintain, and has good prospects for large-scale application.

[0007] Furthermore, the orientation device includes a head-tail orientation module and a ventral-dorsal orientation module; The head and tail orientation module includes a feeding trough that gradually slopes downward along the sliding direction, and the bottom of the feeding trough is connected to the frame through a vibration mechanism. The vibration mechanism includes a vibration motor and an elastic support. The vibration motor is fixed to the bottom of the feeding trough. The elastic support includes a cylinder vertically fixed to the frame, a support rod that slides with the inner cavity of the cylinder, and a spring set at the bottom of the cylinder. The bottom end of the support rod is connected to the bottom of the cylinder through the spring, and the top end is fixedly connected to the higher side of the bottom of the feeding trough through a mounting seat. The material feeding trough is symmetrically provided with two diversion plates arranged in a figure-eight shape. Both diversion plates are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the material feeding trough, and the distance between the upper ends of the two diversion plates is greater than the distance between their lower ends. The ventral-back orientation module includes a second feeding trough that gradually slopes downwards along the sliding direction. The bottom of the second feeding trough is fixed to the second frame via a fixing seat. The inlet end of the second feeding trough is connected to the outlet end of the first feeding trough. A limiting plate parallel to its slope direction is provided on one side of the second feeding trough, and a limiting block perpendicular to its slope is provided on the other side. A guide slope is provided at the end of the limiting block near the inlet of the second feeding trough. The slope direction of the guide slope is opposite to the slope direction of the second feeding trough. A stop bar is fixedly provided at the top of the guide slope. One end of the stop bar is fixedly connected to the limiting block, and the other end is suspended and extends towards the limiting plate.

[0008] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further scheme are as follows: The head-tail orientation module utilizes the difference in center of gravity between the heavier head and lighter tail of the mussel, combined with the low-frequency vibration of the vibrating motor, to automatically adjust the mussel to a head-forward posture during sliding, achieving an orientation accuracy of over 95%. Specifically, the two symmetrically arranged V-shaped guide plates in the first feeding trough, with a large gap at the upper end and a small gap at the lower end, form a gradually narrowing guide channel. This guides the sliding mussels to the center of the channel to form a single-line queue, preventing multiple mussels from entering the downstream side-by-side. It also corrects the lateral deviation of the mussels, ensuring they leave the first feeding trough with their heads facing forward and their body axis parallel to the sliding direction. Furthermore, the V-shaped guide plates naturally disperse the mussels, effectively preventing stacking and congestion, ensuring that the second feeding trough can process mussels one by one, improving the orientation accuracy and stability. Moreover, the guide plates only serve a guiding and limiting function, without forcibly clamping the mussels. Combined with the tilt angle and low-frequency vibration, the mussels slide naturally under their own weight, avoiding shell damage. The dorsal orientation module utilizes the thickness difference between the mussel's thinner abdomen and thicker back. Through the cooperation of limiting blocks and guide ramps, it automatically flips mussels with incorrect postures 180° under the action of gravity, achieving a standard posture with both abdomen and back facing the same direction. The entire orientation process is completed by a purely mechanical structure, requiring no sensors or electronic control systems. This results in low cost, low failure rate, and convenient maintenance, providing a reliable guarantee for subsequent precise shell opening.

[0009] Furthermore, the vibrating knife circumferential cutting device includes an upper die, a middle die, a lower die, and an annular vibrating knife; The annular vibrating knife is fixed to the bottom of the upper mold, the middle mold is fixed to the top of the lower mold, the top of the middle mold is provided with a cavity that matches the outline of the mussel, the shape of the annular vibrating knife matches the outline of the cavity, and the lower mold is fixed to the conveying surface of the annular conveyor belt. The upper mold includes an upper pressure plate and a lower pressure plate. The upper pressure plate is fixedly connected to the telescopic end of the lifting electric push rod. The lifting electric push rod is fixed on the frame three above the annular conveyor belt. The lower pressure plate is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate through a vibrating motor two. The annular vibrating knife is fixed at the bottom of the lower pressure plate. The lower pressure plate is provided with an upper suction cup at the center of the annular vibrating knife contour, and the bottom of the cavity is provided with a lower suction cup; Each of the four corners of the upper pressure plate is provided with a buffer spring and a positioning block. The upper end of the buffer spring is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate, and the lower end of the buffer spring is fixedly connected to the positioning block. The four corners of the middle mold are provided with positioning grooves that match the positioning blocks. The frame three is provided with a bottom support plate corresponding to the position of the vibrating knife circumferential cutting device, and the bottom support plate is located below the conveying surface on the annular conveyor belt.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom of the positioning block and the positioning groove can be configured as a V-shaped structure that cooperates with each other.

[0011] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solutions are as follows: the biomimetic concave mold cavity closely matches the mussel's shape, ensuring the mussel's stable posture during cutting, without tipping over or shifting; the cooperation between the positioning block and the positioning groove achieves precise alignment of the upper and lower molds; the buffer spring provides flexible cushioning during mold closing, avoiding damage to the mussel shell from rigid impacts; the shape of the annular vibrating knife matches the contour of the cavity, ensuring that it can complete circumferential cutting in one press, resulting in high cutting efficiency and good uniformity; the V-shaped structure facilitates quick alignment and eliminates installation errors, further improving the coaxiality of the annular vibrating knife and the cavity; the bottom support plate provides stable rigid support for the lower mold, effectively preventing elastic deformation of the conveyor belt due to local pressure, ensuring the accuracy of mold closing and positioning; the upper and lower suction cups are used to fix the lower shell and adsorb the upper shell, respectively, creating conditions for subsequent shell-meat separation.

[0012] Furthermore, the annular conveyor belt is tensioned and connected by tensioning rollers and drive rollers arranged horizontally and parallel to each other. Both ends of the tensioning rollers and drive rollers are rotatably connected to the frame three. One end of the drive roller is connected to the output shaft of the conveyor drive motor fixed on the frame three.

[0013] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solutions are: the circular conveyor belt has a simple structure and runs smoothly, enabling continuous conveying of multiple intermediate molds and improving production efficiency; the parallel arrangement of the tension roller and the drive roller ensures the stability of the conveyor belt's running trajectory and avoids deviation; the conveyor drive motor directly drives the belt, resulting in high transmission efficiency and convenient maintenance.

[0014] Furthermore, the meat extraction device includes: Two side blades, both made of flexible material and distributed one above the other, with the shapes of the two side blades matching the inner curvature of the upper and lower shells of the mussel, respectively; A horizontal electric push rod is fixed to one side of the vibrating knife circumferential cutting device, and it is fixedly connected to the ends of the two blades on both sides; The upper shell receiving device includes a servo motor, which is fixed on one side of the frame three. A receiving frame is fixed on the output shaft of the servo motor, and an upper shell collecting box is fixed on the receiving frame.

[0015] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solutions are as follows: the flexible side blades can adaptively fit along the curvature of the inner shell, avoiding the squeezing and damage to the shellfish meat caused by traditional rigid blades, and the shellfish meat integrity rate reaches more than 95%; the side blades distributed on the upper and lower sides act on the inner walls of the upper and lower shells simultaneously, resulting in high peeling efficiency; the horizontal electric push rod provides stable driving force and precise control; the servo motor driven rotating frame can realize the rapid positioning and resetting of the upper shell receiving device, ensuring that the upper shell falls accurately into the collection box and preventing shell and meat from mixing in.

[0016] Furthermore, the pneumatic device includes: An upper air pump and an upper connecting pipe, one end of which is fixedly connected to and communicates with the air intake of the upper air pump, and the other end of which is connected to or disconnected from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup. The lower air pump and the lower connecting pipe are provided. One end of the lower connecting pipe is fixedly connected to and communicates with the air intake of the lower air pump. The other end of the lower connecting pipe is connected to or disconnected from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup. Drive mechanism one is used to drive the upper connecting pipe to or from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup; Drive mechanism two is used to drive the lower connecting pipe to or from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup; The drive mechanism one and drive mechanism two have the same structure, both including: Support base; The drive screw has two ends rotatably connected to the support base; The drive block is threaded into the drive screw. The guide rod slides with the drive block, is parallel to the drive screw, and is fixedly connected to the support base; The lead screw drive motor is fixed on the support base, and its output shaft is connected to one end of the drive lead screw for transmission. The support base of the first drive mechanism is fixed on the upper mold, and the upper air pump is fixed on the support base of the first drive mechanism; The support base of the second drive mechanism is fixedly connected to one side of the annular conveyor belt, the lower connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the drive block of the second drive mechanism, and the lower air pump is fixed on the support base of the second drive mechanism.

[0017] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solution are: the drive mechanism can automatically connect or disconnect the upper connecting tube and the upper suction cup during the upward running process, thereby fixing or releasing the mussel's upper shell, thus accurately adsorbing and positioning the upper shell before peeling off to avoid displacement, and releasing it in time after peeling off to ensure that the upper shell falls smoothly into the collection box. Drive mechanism two rotates with the circumferential conveyor belt. When the lower suction cup is at the top of the circumferential conveyor belt during the vibrating knife ring cutting and meat removal processes, the drive lower connecting pipe connects to the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup, allowing the lower air pump to continuously provide negative pressure to the lower suction cup, firmly adsorbing the mussel lower shell into the cavity of the middle mold, ensuring the lower shell's stable posture and preventing loosening during ring cutting and meat removal. When the lower suction cup, carrying the separated mussel lower shell, moves to the lower shell collection box at the bottom of the circumferential conveyor belt, the drive lower connecting pipe separates from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup. At this time, it is located in the cavity... The lower shell, having lost its adhesion, naturally falls into the lower shell collection box under gravity, achieving precise unloading without the need for an additional pushing mechanism. The second drive mechanism moves synchronously with the circular conveyor belt. The lower connecting pipe and the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup are always opposite each other after being inserted, ensuring the reliability and repeatability of re-insertion after separation, greatly reducing the risk of air circuit connection failure, ensuring the reliability of the lower shell throughout the entire process of "fixing → conveying → releasing". Moreover, the entire structure is simple, reducing the length requirement of the lower connecting pipe and motion interference, and greatly improving the stability of the system.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes triggering mechanism one and triggering mechanism two; The triggering mechanism includes a baffle and a mechanical valve. The baffle is located on one side of the top of the annular conveyor belt and is hinged to a fixed support plate. A reset torsion spring is provided on the hinge side. The mechanical valve is located on the side of the baffle near the top end of the annular conveyor belt. Its trigger rod is directly opposite the baffle. The mechanical valve is fixedly connected to the support plate. The support plate is fixed on the frame. The structure of the triggering mechanism 2 is the same as that of the triggering mechanism 1. Its baffle 2 is located on one side of the bottom of the annular conveyor belt and is hinged to the support plate 2. A reset torsion spring is provided on the hinge side. The mechanical valve 2 is located on the side of the baffle 2 near the bottom end of the annular conveyor belt. Its trigger rod is directly opposite the baffle 2. The mechanical valve 2 is fixedly connected to the support plate 2. The support plate 2 is fixed on the frame 3. It also includes a stop bar fixedly installed on one side of the intermediate mold, and the end of the stop bar is provided with a contact roller.

[0019] The advantages of adopting the above-mentioned further solution are as follows: Triggering mechanism one and triggering mechanism two adopt a purely mechanical triggering method. The contact roller on the stop rod fixed on the middle mold touches the baffle. After the baffle is pressed and rotates, it squeezes the trigger rod of the mechanical valve, thereby opening the mechanical valve and controlling the action of the drive mechanism, realizing the complete automation of timing control. The entire triggering process does not require sensors and electrical control systems, and has a simple structure, low cost, and high reliability. The reset torsion spring ensures that the baffle automatically returns to its position after triggering, preparing for the next trigger. Triggering mechanism one and triggering mechanism two are located at the top and bottom of the circular conveyor belt, respectively, realizing the automatic adsorption and release of the lower suction cup at different work stations, ensuring the stable fixation of the lower shell during the meat extraction process and its automatic detachment at the unloading station.

[0020] Furthermore, the operating parameters of the annular vibrating knife in the vibrating knife circumferential cutting device are: oscillation frequency 15-25KHz, amplitude 0.1-2mm, and circumferential cutting time 1-2s.

[0021] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further scheme are: the high-frequency oscillation of 15-25KHz can quickly cut off the shell-meat connection without generating heat, avoiding the impact of heat processing on the quality of the shellfish meat; the small amplitude of 0.1-2mm ensures the cutting accuracy and avoids excessive pulling and damage to the shellfish meat; the circumferential cutting time of 1-2s ensures the cutting effect while taking into account the production efficiency.

[0022] An automated method for completely shelling mussels, using the apparatus described in any of the preceding claims, includes the following steps: S1: Place the mussels into the orienting device and orient them by head-tail and ventral-dorsal orientation to make them form a standard posture with their heads and tails aligned and their ventral-dorsal orientation uniform. S2: After orientation, the mussels fall into the cavity of the middle mold. When the middle mold moves with the ring conveyor belt to the area directly below the vibrating knife ring cutting device, the stop rod triggers mechanical valve one, which controls the start of drive mechanism two, so that the lower connecting pipe is inserted into the lower suction cup, and the lower suction cup adsorbs and fixes the lower shell of the mussel. S3: The lifting electric push rod drives the upper pressure plate downward, and flexible positioning is achieved through the cooperation of the positioning block and the positioning groove and the compression of the buffer spring, so that the annular vibrating knife fits the shell and meat connection part; the vibration motor is started to drive the annular vibrating knife to oscillate at high frequency and cut the connection part; then the upper air pump is started, the upper suction cup adsorbs the upper shell, and the lifting electric push rod drives the upper pressure plate upward by 1-2cm. Through the lifting of the upper shell, a vertical spatial difference of "upper shell, shell meat, lower shell" is formed. S4: The opened mussels are transported to the meat extraction device station. The horizontal electric push rod drives the blades on both sides to extend into the shell and peel off the mussel meat. The mussel meat falls onto the circular conveyor belt and is transported to the mussel meat collection box along with the circular conveyor belt. At the same time, when the upper pressure plate rises to the initial height, the drive mechanism starts to separate the upper connecting pipe from the upper suction cup, and the upper shell is received and collected by the upper shell collection box. S5: The lower shell continues to descend with the circular conveyor belt. When it reaches the bottom of the circular conveyor belt, the stop bar touches the baffle plate two and triggers the mechanical valve two. The mechanical valve two controls the drive mechanism two to start again, causing the lower connecting pipe to separate from the lower suction cup. The suction cup air path is instantly disconnected, and the lower shell falls off naturally under the action of gravity and falls accurately into the lower shell collection box, completing one working cycle.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This method achieves fully automated operation of the entire mussel process, from orientation, shell opening, meat extraction to shell-meat classification and collection, with each step closely linked and precise timing control. Employing heat-free mechanical shell breaking and flexible meat extraction technology results in high-quality, intact mussel meat; the purely mechanical triggering and control method reduces equipment costs and failure rates; the continuous operation mode significantly improves production efficiency, meeting the needs of large-scale processing; and the shell-meat classification and collection ensures product purity, complying with food processing hygiene standards.

[0024] Furthermore, in step S4, the side blade extends into the shell at an angle of 30°-45° and adaptively peels off along the curvature of the inner shell.

[0025] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned further solution are: the cutting angle of 30°-45° can ensure that the side knife can smoothly enter the gap inside the shell, and can also form a reasonable torque during the peeling process, so that the connection tissue between the shell meat and the shell is evenly stressed and easy to separate; the side knife adapts to the curvature of the inner shell, avoiding damage to the shell meat caused by hard peeling, and further improving the integrity rate of the shell meat. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automatic mussel shelling device according to the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the diagram; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic support component in an automatic mussel shelling device of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part B in the diagram; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part C in the diagram; Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the pneumatic device in an automatic mussel shelling device of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automatic mussel shelling device according to the present invention; Figure 8 This is a partial schematic diagram of the dorsal orientation module in an automatic mussel dehulling device of the present invention; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a mussel with its back facing the limiting plate before dorsoventrally orienting itself. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a mussel with its back facing the limiting plate flipping up along the guide slope until its abdomen is facing upwards. Figure 11 A diagram showing a mussel with its back facing the limiting plate after completing a 180° flip. Figure 12This is a diagram showing the head, tail, abdomen, and back of a mussel. Figure 13 for Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the cross-section along direction D.

[0027] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: 1. Orientation device; 11. Head and tail orientation module; 111. Feeding trough one; 112. Frame one; 113. Vibration motor one; 114. Cylinder; 115. Support rod; 116. Spring; 117. Mounting base; 118. Drain plate; 12. Abdomen and back orientation module; 121. Feeding trough two; 122. Fixed base; 123. Frame two; 124. Limiting plate; 125. Limiting block; 126. Guide slope; 127. Stop bar; 2. Vibrating knife ring cutting device; 21. Upper mold; 211. Upper pressure plate; 212. Lower pressure plate; 213. Lifting electric push rod; 214. Buffer spring; 215. Positioning block; 22. Middle mold; 221. Cavity; 222. Lower suction cup; 223. Positioning groove; 23. Lower... 1. Mold; 24. Annular vibrating knife; 25. Baffle; 26. Contact roller; 3. Meat taking device; 31. Side knife; 32. Horizontal electric push rod; 33. Upper shell receiving device; 331. Servo motor; 332. Shell receiving frame; 4. Pneumatic device; 41. Lower connecting pipe; 42. Support base; 43. Drive screw; 44. Drive block; 45. Guide rod; 46. Baffle one; 47. Mechanical valve one; 48. Support plate one; 49. Support plate two; 40. Baffle two; 401. Screw drive motor; 5. Annular conveyor belt; 51. Tensioning roller; 52. Drive roller; 53. Conveyor drive motor; 6. Frame three; 61. Bottom support plate; a. Head; b. Tail; c. Back; d. Abdomen; e. Upper shell; f. Lower shell. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The principles and features of the present invention are described below. The examples given are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0029] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic mussel shelling device, including a directional device 1, a vibrating knife ring-cutting device 2, a meat extraction device 3, a pneumatic device 4, and a ring conveyor belt 5.

[0030] The orientation device 1 is used to adjust the disordered mussels into a standard posture with their heads and tails facing the same direction and their bellies and backs facing the same direction. The vibrating knife ring-cutting device 2 is located downstream of the orientation device 1 and is used to receive the oriented mussels and open their shells, so that a vertical spatial difference is formed between the upper shell e, the mussel meat and the lower shell f of the mussel.

[0031] The meat extraction device 3 is located on one side of the vibrating blade ring cutting device 2 and is used to peel the mussel meat from the opened mussels so that the mussel meat can be collected separately.

[0032] The pneumatic device 4 is integrated into the vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2, used to fix the mussel shell during the shelling process and to collect the upper shell e and lower shell f of the mussel after the meat is extracted. The vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2 is located above the annular conveyor belt 5, which rotates cyclically and passes sequentially through the end of the orientation device 1, the working position of the vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2, and the working position of the meat extraction device 3.

[0033] Example 2 Based on Embodiment 1, the orientation device 1 in this embodiment includes a head-tail orientation module 11 and a ventral-back orientation module 12.

[0034] like Figures 2-3 As shown, the head-tail orientation module 11 includes a feeding trough 111 that gradually slopes downwards along the sliding direction. The bottom of the feeding trough 111 is connected to the frame 112 via a vibration mechanism. The vibration mechanism includes a vibration motor 113 and an elastic support member. The vibration motor 113 is fixed to the bottom of the feeding trough 111. The elastic support member includes a cylinder 114 vertically fixed to the frame 112, a support rod 115 slidingly engaged with the inner cavity of the cylinder 114, and a spring 116 disposed at the bottom of the cylinder 114. The bottom end of the support rod 115 is connected to the bottom of the cylinder 114 via the spring 116, and the top end is fixedly connected to the higher side of the bottom of the feeding trough 111 via a mounting base 117. Two diversion plates 118 are symmetrically arranged in a V-shape inside the feeding trough 111. Both diversion plates 118 are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the feeding trough 111, and the distance between the upper ends of the two diversion plates 118 is greater than the distance between their lower ends.

[0035] like Figure 4 and Figure 8 As shown, the ventral-back orientation module 12 includes a second feeding trough 121 that gradually slopes downwards along the sliding direction. The bottom of the second feeding trough 121 is fixed to the second frame 123 by a fixing seat 122. The inlet end of the second feeding trough 121 is connected to the outlet end of the first feeding trough 111. A limiting plate 124 parallel to its slope direction is provided on one side of the second feeding trough 121, and a limiting block 125 perpendicular to its slope is provided on the other side. A guide slope 126 is provided at one end of the limiting block 125 near the inlet of the second feeding trough 121, and the slope direction of the guide slope 126 is opposite to the slope direction of the second feeding trough 121. A stop bar 127 is fixedly provided at the top of the guide slope 126. One end of the stop bar 127 is fixedly connected to the limiting block 125, and the other end is suspended and extends towards the limiting plate 124.

[0036] During operation, the vibrating motor 113 drives the feeding trough 111 to generate low-frequency vibration, and the mussels begin to slide on the feeding trough 111. Two symmetrically arranged V-shaped guide plates 118 within the feeding trough 111, with a large upper distance and a small lower distance, form a gradually narrowing guide channel. After entering through the wider entrance, the mussels are gradually guided to the center of the channel by the guide plates 118 during the sliding process, forming a single-file queue. If a mussel is laterally deviated during the sliding process (i.e., its head 'a' faces forward but its body axis is not parallel to the sliding direction), it will be slightly touched and guided by the guide plates 118 when passing through the gradually narrowing V-shaped channel, thus automatically correcting its body axis and ensuring that all mussels ultimately leave the feeding trough 111 with their heads facing forward, tails 'd' facing backward, and their body axes parallel to the sliding direction. Meanwhile, the design of the figure-eight-shaped diversion plate 118 effectively prevents multiple mussels from entering the downstream side by side or stacked, ensuring that the discharge trough 2 121 can process mussels one by one.

[0037] After the mussels, oriented head-to-tail, enter the feeding trough 121, if their abdomen (d) faces the limiting plate 124, they can smoothly pass through the gap between the limiting plate 124 and the limiting block 125; Figures 9-11 As shown, if the back c faces the limiting plate 124, the thicker back c is blocked by the limiting block 125 and pushed to one side of the limiting block 125, causing the abdomen d to naturally turn towards the limiting block 125 and slide along the guide slope 126 of the limiting block 125. Since the tilt direction of the guide slope 126 is opposite to the downward direction of the feeding trough 121, the abdomen d of the mussel is lifted up and flipped until the abdomen d faces upward and contacts the baffle 127. Since the suspended end of the baffle 127 extends towards the side closer to the limiting plate 124, after the abdomen d contacts the baffle 127, it gradually continues to flip under the squeezing of the baffle 127 and its own gravity until the abdomen d faces the limiting plate 124 and the back c faces the limiting block 125, thus completing a 180° flip and achieving ventral-dorsal orientation.

[0038] Finally, ensure that all mussels enter the next work station in a uniform manner.

[0039] Example 3 Based on Example 2, such as Figure 5 As shown, the vibrating knife ring cutting device 2 in this embodiment includes an upper mold 21, a middle mold 22, a lower mold 23, and an annular vibrating knife 24.

[0040] The annular vibrating blade 24 is fixed to the bottom of the upper mold 21, and the middle mold 22 is fixed to the top of the lower mold 23. The top of the middle mold 22 is provided with a cavity 221 that matches the outline of the mussel, and the shape of the annular vibrating blade 24 matches the outline of the cavity 221. The lower mold 23 is fixed to the conveying surface of the annular conveyor belt 5.

[0041] The upper mold 21 includes an upper pressure plate 211 and a lower pressure plate 212. The upper pressure plate 211 is fixedly connected to the telescopic end of a lifting electric push rod 213, which is fixed on the frame 6 above the annular conveyor belt 5. The lower pressure plate 212 is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate 211 via a vibration motor, and the annular vibrating knife 24 is fixed to the bottom of the lower pressure plate 212. The lower pressure plate 212 has an upper suction cup at the center of the annular vibrating knife 24, and the bottom of the cavity 221 has a lower suction cup 222.

[0042] Each of the four corners of the upper pressure plate 211 is provided with a buffer spring 214 and a positioning block 215. The upper end of the buffer spring 214 is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate 211, and the lower end of the buffer spring 214 is fixedly connected to the positioning block 215. Each of the four corners of the middle mold 22 is provided with a positioning groove 223 that matches the positioning block 215. The bottom of the positioning block 215 and the positioning groove 223 are both set as mutually cooperating V-shaped structures.

[0043] In addition, a bottom support plate 61 is provided on the frame 6 corresponding to the position of the vibrating knife ring cutting device 2, and the bottom support plate 61 is located below the conveying surface on the annular conveyor belt 5.

[0044] During operation, when the middle mold 22 moves with the annular conveyor belt 5 to directly below the vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2, the lifting electric push rod 213 drives the upper pressure plate 211 downward. The positioning block 215 cooperates with the positioning groove 223 to achieve precise alignment, and the compression of the buffer spring 214 provides flexible buffering, allowing the annular vibrating blade 24 to accurately fit the shell-meat connection part of the mussel. During this process, the downward pressure on the lower mold 23 is transmitted through the annular conveyor belt 5 to the bottom support plate 61 located below it. The bottom support plate 61 provides stable rigid support for the lower mold 23, effectively preventing the conveyor belt from elastically deforming due to local pressure, and ensuring the accuracy of mold closing and positioning. Subsequently, the second vibration motor starts, driving the annular vibrating blade 24 to oscillate at a frequency of 15-25KHz and an amplitude of 0.1-2mm, with a ring-cutting time of 1-2s, cutting off the shell-meat connection part. Then the air pump starts, the upper suction cup adsorbs the upper shell e, and the lifting electric push rod 213 drives the upper pressure plate 211 to move upward. By lifting the upper shell, a vertical spatial difference is formed between the "upper shell e, shell meat and lower shell f", which facilitates the separation of the shell meat.

[0045] Example 4 Based on Example 3, such as Figure 7As shown, in this embodiment, the annular conveyor belt 5 is tensioned and connected by a horizontally parallel tension roller 51 and a drive roller 52. Both ends of the tension roller 51 and the drive roller 52 are rotatably connected to the frame 6. One end of the drive roller 52 is connected to the output shaft of the conveyor drive motor 53 fixed on the frame 6. When the conveyor drive motor 53 starts, it drives the annular conveyor belt 5 through the drive roller 52, while the tension roller 51 maintains the tension of the conveyor belt, ensuring smooth operation.

[0046] Example 5 Based on Example 4, such as Figure 1 As shown, the meat-removing device 3 in this embodiment includes two side blades 31, a horizontal electric push rod 32, and an upper shell receiving device 33.

[0047] Both side blades 31 are made of flexible material and are positioned vertically. The shapes of the two side blades 31 are respectively matched to the inner curvature of the mussel's upper shell e and lower shell f. A horizontal electric push rod 32 is fixed to one side of the vibrating knife annular cutting device 2 and is fixedly connected to the ends of the two side blades 31. Figure 5 As shown, the upper shell receiving device 33 includes a servo motor 331, which is fixed on one side of the frame 36. A receiving frame 332 is fixedly provided on the output shaft of the servo motor 331, and an upper shell collecting box is fixedly provided on the receiving frame 332.

[0048] During operation, after the mussels have opened, they are transported to the meat extraction device 3. A horizontal electric push rod 32 drives the two side blades 31 to extend into the shell at an angle of 30°-45°, adaptively peeling the mussel meat along the inner shell's curvature. The mussel meat falls onto the annular conveyor belt 5 and is transported with it to the mussel meat collection box. Simultaneously, when the upper pressure plate 211 rises to its initial height, the upper connecting pipe separates from the upper suction cup. The servo motor 331 drives the rotating frame 332, which in turn rotates the shell receiving frame 333 to below the upper shell e, ensuring that the upper shell e accurately falls into the upper shell collection box.

[0049] Example 6 Based on Example 5, such as Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the pneumatic device 4 in this embodiment includes an upper air pump, an upper connecting pipe, a lower air pump, a lower connecting pipe 41, a drive mechanism one, and a drive mechanism two.

[0050] One end of the upper connecting pipe is fixedly connected to and communicates with the air intake of the upper air pump, and the other end of the upper connecting pipe is inserted into or separated from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup. One end of the lower connecting pipe 41 is fixedly connected to and communicates with the air intake of the lower air pump, and the other end of the lower connecting pipe 41 is inserted into or separated from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup 222.

[0051] Drive mechanism one is used to drive the upper connecting pipe to connect or disconnect the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup. Drive mechanism two is used to drive the lower connecting pipe 41 to connect or disconnect the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup 222.

[0052] The drive mechanism one and drive mechanism two have the same structure, both including: a support base 42, a drive screw 43, a drive block 44, a guide rod 45, and a screw drive motor 401. Both ends of the drive screw 43 are rotatably connected to the support base 42. The drive block 44 is threadedly engaged with the drive screw 43. The guide rod 45 is slidably engaged with the drive block 44, parallel to the drive screw 43, and fixedly connected to the support base 42. The screw drive motor 401 is fixed on the support base 42, and its output shaft is drively connected to one end of the drive screw 43.

[0053] The support base 42 of the first drive mechanism is fixed on the upper mold 21, and the upper air pump is fixed on the support base 42 of the first drive mechanism. The support base 42 of the second drive mechanism is fixedly connected to one side of the annular conveyor belt 5, the lower connecting pipe 41 is fixedly connected to the drive block 44 of the second drive mechanism, and the lower air pump is fixed on the support base 42 of the second drive mechanism.

[0054] During operation, when the middle mold 22 moves with the annular conveyor belt 5 to directly below the vibrating knife ring cutting device 2, the lead screw drive motor 401 of the drive mechanism 2 starts, driving the drive lead screw 43 to rotate. The drive block 44 moves along the guide rod 45 towards the lower suction cup 222, so that the lower connecting pipe 41 is inserted into the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup 222. The lower air pump starts to draw air, and the lower suction cup 222 adsorbs and fixes the lower shell f of the mussel into the cavity 221 of the middle mold 22.

[0055] After the upper mold 21 completes the circumferential cutting and lifts upward to separate the upper shell e from the clam meat, the middle mold 22 and the drive mechanism 2 continue to be conveyed forward with the annular conveyor belt 5. At this time, the lower suction cup 222 maintains negative pressure to ensure the adsorption state of the lower shell f.

[0056] When the upper pressure plate 211 rises to the initial height, the servo motor 331 in the upper shell receiving device 33 drives the receiving frame 332 to rotate the upper shell collection box to directly below the upper mold. At the same time, the lead screw drive motor 401 of the drive mechanism one starts, and the drive block 44 drives the upper connecting pipe to separate from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup 215. The upper suction cup 215 releases pressure, and the upper shell e automatically falls into the upper shell collection box.

[0057] As the opened mussels move with the middle mold 22 to the meat extraction device 3, and the mussel meat is separated, the middle mold 22 continues to move with the annular conveyor belt 5 to the unloading station at the bottom of the annular conveyor belt 5. At this time, the lead screw drive motor 401 of the drive mechanism 2 starts in reverse, and the drive block 44 drives the lower connecting pipe 41 to separate from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup 222 in reverse. At this time, there is no negative pressure in the lower suction cup 222, and the lower shell f falls off naturally under the action of gravity and falls into the lower shell collection box, thus completing one working cycle.

[0058] Example 7 Based on Example 6, such as Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment also includes trigger mechanism one and trigger mechanism two.

[0059] The triggering mechanism includes a baffle 46 and a mechanical valve 47. The baffle 46 is located on one side of the top of the annular conveyor belt 5 and is hinged to a fixed support plate 48, with a return torsion spring provided on the hinged side. The mechanical valve 47 is located on the side of the baffle 46 near the top end of the annular conveyor belt 5, with its trigger rod directly opposite the baffle 46. The mechanical valve 47 is fixedly connected to the support plate 48, which is fixed to the frame 6.

[0060] The structure of triggering mechanism two is the same as that of triggering mechanism one. Its baffle two 40 is located on one side of the bottom of the annular conveyor belt 5 and is hinged to support plate two 49, with a return torsion spring provided on the hinged side. Mechanical valve two is located on the side of baffle two 40 near the bottom conveying end of the annular conveyor belt 5, with its trigger rod directly opposite baffle two 40. Mechanical valve two is fixedly connected to support plate two 49, which is fixed to frame three 6.

[0061] A stop bar is fixedly installed on one side of the intermediate mold 22, and a contact roller 26 is installed at the end of the stop bar 25. When the intermediate mold 22 moves with the annular conveyor belt 5 to the position of the trigger mechanism 1, the contact roller 26 touches the baffle 46, the baffle 46 triggers the mechanical valve 47 to open, and the mechanical valve 47 controls the drive mechanism 2 to start, realizing the insertion of the lower connecting pipe 41 and the lower suction cup 222. When the intermediate mold 22 moves to the position of the trigger mechanism 2, the contact roller 26 touches the baffle 40, the baffle 40 triggers the mechanical valve 2 to open, and the mechanical valve 2 controls the drive mechanism 2 to start again, so that the lower connecting pipe 41 and the lower suction cup 222 are separated. A reset torsion spring ensures that the baffle automatically returns to its original position after triggering.

[0062] Example 8 Based on Example 7, the preferred operating parameters of the annular vibrating blade 24 in the vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2 in this example are: oscillation frequency 20KHz, amplitude 0.5mm, and ring-cutting time 1.5s. These parameters can ensure the cutting effect while maximizing the preservation of the shellfish meat's integrity.

[0063] Example 9 An automated method for completely shelling mussels, using the apparatus described in any one of Examples 1 to 8, includes the following steps: S1: Mussels are placed into the orienting device 1. Head-tail and ventral-dorsal orienting are used to orient the mussels so that their heads and tails are aligned and their ventral-dorsal orientation is uniform. Specifically, head-tail orienting utilizes a vibrating motor to drive an inclined feeding trough, allowing the mussels to automatically adjust their head (a) to face forward as they slide. Ventral-dorsal orienting utilizes a limiting block 125 and a limiting plate 124 to adjust the mussels' ventral-dorsal orientation. Mussels with incorrect ventral-dorsal orientation rotate 180° under the pushing force of the limiting block 125, the limiting plate 124, and the baffle 127, as well as their own gravity, thus achieving uniform ventral-dorsal orientation. S2: After orientation, the mussels slide down into the cavity 221 of the middle mold 22 under the action of gravity. When the middle mold 22 moves with the annular conveyor belt 5 to the direct below the vibrating knife ring cutting device 2, the stop bar fixed on one side of the middle mold 22 touches the baffle 46, triggering the mechanical valve 47 to open. The mechanical valve 47 controls the drive mechanism 2 to start, so that the lower connecting pipe 41 is inserted into the lower suction cup 222, and the lower suction cup 222 adsorbs and fixes the lower shell f of the mussel.

[0064] S3: The lifting electric push rod 213 drives the upper pressure plate 211 downward. Flexible positioning is achieved through the cooperation of the positioning block 215 and the positioning groove 223, and the compression of the buffer spring 214, allowing the annular vibrating knife 24 to fit against the shell-meat connection. The vibration motor 2 is started, driving the annular vibrating knife 24 to oscillate at a frequency of 15-25KHz and an amplitude of 0.1-2mm, with a circumferential cutting time of 1-2 seconds, cutting off the shell-meat connection. Then, the upper air pump is started, the upper suction cup adsorbs the upper shell, and the lifting electric push rod 213 drives the upper pressure plate 211 upward by 1-2cm. The lifting of the upper shell creates a vertical spatial difference between the upper shell, the shellfish meat, and the lower shell.

[0065] S4: The opened mussels are transported to the meat extraction device 3. The horizontal electric push rod 32 drives the two side blades 31 to extend into the shell at an angle of 30°-45°, adaptively peeling off the mussel meat along the inner shell's curvature, achieving a mussel meat integrity rate of ≥95%. The mussel meat falls onto the annular conveyor belt 5 and is transported by the annular conveyor belt 5 to the mussel meat collection box. Simultaneously, when the upper pressure plate 211 rises to the initial height, the drive mechanism is activated, causing the upper connecting pipe to separate from the upper suction cup, and the upper shell e is received and collected by the upper shell collection box.

[0066] S5: The lower shell f continues to descend with the circular conveyor belt 5. When it reaches the bottom of the circular conveyor belt 5, the stop bar touches the baffle plate 40 and triggers the mechanical valve 2. The mechanical valve 2 controls the drive mechanism 2 to start again, causing the lower connecting pipe 41 to separate from the lower suction cup 222. The suction cup air path is instantly disconnected, and the lower shell f falls off naturally under the action of gravity and falls accurately into the lower shell collection box, completing one working cycle.

[0067] Example 10 Based on Example 9, in step S4, the side blade 31 extends into the shell at an angle of 30°-45° and adaptively peels along the inner shell's curvature. This angle range ensures that the side blade 31 can smoothly enter the gap inside the shell, and also generates a reasonable torque during the peeling process, so that the connecting tissue between the shell meat and the shell is subjected to uniform force, making it easy to separate and further improving the integrity rate of the shell meat.

[0068] In summary, this invention achieves fully automated operation of the entire mussel processing process, from posture calibration, shell opening, meat extraction, and shell and meat sorting collection, through the coordinated operation of the orientation device 1, the vibrating blade ring-cutting device 2, the meat extraction device 3, the pneumatic device 4, and the annular conveyor belt 5. Employing heatless mechanical shell breaking and flexible meat extraction technology results in high-quality, intact mussel meat; the purely mechanical triggering and control method reduces equipment costs and failure rates; and the continuous operation mode significantly improves production efficiency, meeting the needs of large-scale processing.

[0069] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic mussel shelling device, characterized in that, include: Orientation device (1) is used to adjust the disordered mussels into a standard posture with the head and tail facing the same direction and the abdomen and back facing the same direction. The vibrating knife ring-cutting device (2) is located downstream of the orientation device (1) and is used to receive the oriented mussels and open their shells, so that a vertical spatial drop is formed between the upper shell, the meat and the lower shell of the mussel. Meat extraction device (3) is set on one side of the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2) and is used to peel the mussel meat from the opened mussels so that the mussel meat can be collected separately. A pneumatic device (4) is integrated into the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2) to fix the mussel shell during the shelling process and to collect the upper and lower shells of the mussels after the meat is removed. The circular conveyor belt (5) is located above the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2). The circular conveyor belt (5) rotates in a cycle and passes sequentially through the end of the orientation device (1), the working position of the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2), and the working position of the meat taking device (3).

2. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orientation device (1) includes a head-tail orientation module (11) and a belly-back orientation module (12). The head and tail orientation module (11) includes a feeding trough (111) that gradually slopes downward along the sliding direction. The bottom of the feeding trough (111) is connected to the frame (112) through a vibration mechanism. The vibration mechanism includes a vibration motor (113) and an elastic support. The vibration motor (113) is fixed at the bottom of the feed trough (111). The elastic support includes a cylinder (114) vertically fixed on the frame (112), a support rod (115) that slides with the inner cavity of the cylinder (114), and a spring (116) set at the bottom of the cylinder (114). The bottom end of the support rod (115) is connected to the bottom of the cylinder (114) through the spring (116), and the top end is fixedly connected to the higher side of the bottom of the feed trough (111) through the mounting seat (117). The material feeding trough (111) is symmetrically provided with two diversion plates (118) arranged in a figure-eight shape. Both diversion plates (118) are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the material feeding trough (111), and the distance between the upper ends of the two diversion plates (118) is greater than the distance between their lower ends. The ventral-back orientation module (12) includes a second feeding trough (121) that gradually slopes downward along the sliding direction. The bottom of the second feeding trough (121) is fixed to the second frame (123) by a fixing seat (122). The inlet end of the second feeding trough (121) is connected to the outlet end of the first feeding trough (111). A limiting plate (124) parallel to its tilt direction is provided on one side of the second feeding trough (121), and a limiting block (125) perpendicular to its tilt surface is provided on the other side. A guide slope (126) is provided at one end of the limiting block (125) near the inlet of the second feeding trough (121). The tilt direction of the guide slope (126) is opposite to the tilt direction of the second feeding trough (121). A stop bar (127) is fixedly provided at the top of the guide slope (126). One end of the stop bar (127) is fixedly connected to the limiting block (125), and the other end is suspended and extends towards the limiting plate (124).

3. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vibrating knife ring cutting device (2) includes an upper mold (21), a middle mold (22), a lower mold (23) and an annular vibrating knife (24). The annular vibrating knife (24) is fixed at the bottom of the upper mold (21), the middle mold (22) is fixed at the top of the lower mold (23), the top of the middle mold (22) is provided with a cavity (221) that matches the outline of the mussel, the shape of the annular vibrating knife (24) matches the outline of the cavity (221), and the lower mold (23) is fixed on the conveying surface of the annular conveyor belt (5); The upper mold (21) includes an upper pressure plate (211) and a lower pressure plate (212). The upper pressure plate (211) is fixedly connected to the telescopic end of the lifting electric push rod (213). The lifting electric push rod (213) is fixed on the frame three (6) above the annular conveyor belt (5). The lower pressure plate (212) is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate (211) through the second vibration motor. The annular vibrating knife (24) is fixed at the bottom of the lower pressure plate (212). The lower pressure plate (212) is provided with an upper suction cup at the center of the outline of the annular vibrating knife (24), and the bottom of the cavity (221) is provided with a lower suction cup (222). The upper pressure plate (211) is provided with buffer springs (214) and positioning blocks (215) at its four corners. The upper end of the buffer spring (214) is fixedly connected to the upper pressure plate (211), and the lower end of the buffer spring (214) is fixedly connected to the positioning block (215). The middle mold (22) is provided with positioning grooves (223) that match the positioning blocks (215) at its four corners. The frame three (6) is provided with a bottom support plate (61) corresponding to the position of the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2), and the bottom support plate (61) is located below the conveying surface on the annular conveyor belt (5).

4. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The annular conveyor belt (5) is tensioned and connected by a tensioning roller (51) and a drive roller (52) arranged horizontally and parallel. Both ends of the tensioning roller (51) and the drive roller (52) are rotatably connected to the frame three (6). One end of the drive roller (52) is connected to the output shaft of the conveyor drive motor (53) fixed on the frame three (6).

5. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The meat extraction device (3) includes: Two side blades (31) are made of flexible material and are distributed vertically. The shapes of the two side blades (31) are respectively matched with the inner curvature of the upper and lower shells of the mussel. A horizontal electric push rod (32) is fixed to one side of the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2), and is fixedly connected to the ends of the two blades (31); The upper shell receiving device (33) includes a servo motor (331), which is fixed on one side of the frame three (6). A receiving frame (332) is fixed on the output shaft of the servo motor (331), and an upper shell collection box is fixed on the receiving frame (332).

6. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pneumatic device (4) includes: An upper air pump and an upper connecting pipe, one end of which is fixedly connected to and communicates with the air intake of the upper air pump, and the other end of which is connected to or disconnected from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup. The lower air pump and the lower connecting pipe (41) are connected to each other. One end of the lower connecting pipe (41) is fixedly connected to the air intake port of the lower air pump and communicates with each other. The other end of the lower connecting pipe (41) is connected to or separated from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup (222). Drive mechanism one is used to drive the upper connecting pipe to or from the exhaust pipe of the upper suction cup; Drive mechanism two is used to drive the lower connecting pipe (41) to be inserted into or separated from the exhaust pipe of the lower suction cup (222); The drive mechanism one and drive mechanism two have the same structure, both including: Support base (42); The drive screw (43) is rotatably connected to the support base (42) at both ends; The drive block (44) is threadedly engaged with the drive screw (43); The guide rod (45) is slidably engaged with the drive block (44), parallel to the drive screw (43) and fixedly connected to the support base (42); The lead screw drive motor (401) is fixed on the support base (42), and its output shaft is connected to one end of the drive lead screw (43) for transmission. The support base (42) of the drive mechanism is fixed on the upper mold (21), and the upper air pump is fixed on the support base (42) of the drive mechanism. The support base (42) of the second drive mechanism is fixedly connected to one side of the annular conveyor belt (5), the lower connecting pipe (41) is fixedly connected to the drive block (44) of the second drive mechanism, and the lower air pump is fixed on the support base (42) of the second drive mechanism.

7. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes triggering mechanism one and triggering mechanism two; The triggering mechanism includes a baffle (46) and a mechanical valve (47). The baffle (46) is located on one side of the top of the annular conveyor belt (5) and is hinged to the fixed support plate (48). A reset torsion spring is provided on the hinge side. The mechanical valve (47) is located on the side of the baffle (46) near the top end of the annular conveyor belt (5). Its trigger rod is directly opposite the baffle (46). The mechanical valve (47) is fixedly connected to the support plate (48). The support plate (48) is fixed on the frame (6). The structure of the triggering mechanism 2 is the same as that of the triggering mechanism 1. Its baffle 2 (40) is located on one side of the bottom of the annular conveyor belt (5) and is hinged to the support plate 2 (49). A reset torsion spring is provided on the hinge side. The mechanical valve 2 is located on the side of the baffle 2 (40) near the bottom end of the annular conveyor belt (5). Its trigger rod is directly opposite the baffle 2 (40). The mechanical valve 2 is fixedly connected to the support plate 2 (49). The support plate 2 (49) is fixed on the frame 3 (6). It also includes a stop bar (25) fixedly installed on one side of the middle mold (22), and the end of the stop bar (25) is provided with a contact roller (26).

8. The automatic mussel shelling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating parameters of the annular vibrating knife (24) in the vibrating knife circumferential cutting device (2) are: oscillation frequency 15-25KHz, amplitude 0.1-2mm, and circumferential cutting time 1-2s.

9. An automated method for completely removing the shells from mussels, using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Place the mussels into the orienting device (1) and orient them by head-tail orientation and ventral-dorsal orientation to make them form a standard posture with their heads and tails aligned and their ventral-dorsal orientations uniform. S2: The oriented mussels fall into the cavity (221) of the middle mold (22). When the middle mold (22) moves with the ring conveyor belt (5) to the bottom of the vibrating knife ring cutting device (2), the stop rod triggers the mechanical valve one (47) to control the start of the drive mechanism two, so that the lower connecting pipe (41) is inserted into the lower suction cup (222), and the lower suction cup (222) adsorbs and fixes the lower shell of the mussel; S3: The lifting electric push rod (213) drives the upper pressure plate (211) to move downward. Through the cooperation of the positioning block (215) and the positioning groove (223) and the compression of the buffer spring (214), flexible positioning is achieved, so that the annular vibrating knife (24) fits the shell and meat connection part; the vibration motor II is started to drive the annular vibrating knife (24) to oscillate at high frequency to cut off the connection part; then the upper air pump is started, the upper suction cup adsorbs the upper shell, and the lifting electric push rod (213) drives the upper pressure plate (211) to move upward by 1-2cm. Through the lifting of the upper shell, a vertical spatial drop of "upper shell, shell meat, lower shell" is formed. S4: The opened mussels are transported to the meat extraction device (3) station. The horizontal electric push rod (32) drives the two side blades (31) to extend into the shell to peel off the mussel meat. The mussel meat falls on the ring conveyor belt (5) and is transported to the mussel meat collection box along with the ring conveyor belt (5). At the same time, when the upper pressure plate (211) rises to the initial height, the drive mechanism starts to separate the upper connecting pipe from the upper suction cup, and the upper shell is received and collected by the upper shell collection box. S5: The lower shell continues to descend with the circular conveyor belt (5). When it reaches the bottom of the circular conveyor belt (5), the stop bar touches the second baffle (40) and triggers the second mechanical valve. The second mechanical valve controls the second drive mechanism to start again, so that the lower connecting pipe (41) separates from the lower suction cup (222). The suction cup air path is disconnected instantly, and the lower shell falls off naturally under the action of gravity and falls accurately into the lower shell collection box, completing one working cycle.

10. The automatic mussel shell removal method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step S4, the side blade (31) extends into the shell at an angle of 30°-45° and peels off adaptively along the inner shell arc.

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