An adaptive livestock meat ultrasonic cutting system and method based on acoustic black hole effect
By combining the acoustic black hole structure and the adaptive control module, the ultrasonic cutting system achieves efficient cutting of different types of livestock and poultry meat tissue, solving the balance problem between cutting efficiency and thermal damage, improving cutting efficiency and reducing thermal damage.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing ultrasonic cutting systems cannot adaptively adjust their output according to the heterogeneity of livestock and poultry meat tissue, resulting in low cutting efficiency and severe thermal damage, failing to achieve a balance between cutting efficiency and thermal damage.
A longitudinal-bending coupled adaptive ultrasonic cutting system based on the acoustic black hole effect is adopted. The vibration energy is focused on the blade tip area through the acoustic black hole structure. Combined with the spiral cooling channel and adaptive control module, the frequency and power of the ultrasonic generator are adjusted in real time to adapt to different tissue types.
It improves cutting efficiency, reduces heat damage, ensures meat quality, and reduces tissue adhesion, achieving a highly efficient and low-damage cutting effect.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to a longitudinal-bending coupled adaptive ultrasonic cutting system and method for livestock and poultry meat based on the acoustic black hole effect. Background Technology
[0002] Ultrasonic cutting technology has been widely used in livestock and poultry meat processing due to its advantages such as low cutting force, clean cuts, and reduced tissue damage. However, most existing ultrasonic cutting heads used for livestock and poultry meat cutting are based on a single longitudinal vibration mode, which has significant drawbacks in practical applications:
[0003] First, livestock and poultry meat tissues are significantly heterogeneous. Along the same cutting path, they may pass through multiple tissue types such as skin, fat, lean meat, fascia, and cartilage, with huge differences in their physical properties. This makes it difficult for traditional ultrasonic scalpels to balance the need for powerful cutting of tough tissues with the need for gentle protection of soft tissues: while high power and amplitude cutting can penetrate fascia and cartilage, it easily tears adjacent soft tissues, resulting in uneven cuts and significant fluid loss; while reducing power to protect soft tissues fails to effectively penetrate tough tissues, leading to low cutting efficiency. Secondly, the vibration energy of traditional ultrasonic scalpels is dispersed throughout the blade body as it is transmitted along the scalpel head. To achieve efficient cutting of tough tissues, it is often necessary to increase the total power input, but the heat generated by high-frequency vibration and friction accumulates in the tip area, making it difficult to balance efficient cutting with low thermal damage: pursuing cutting efficiency inevitably exacerbates thermal damage, causing denaturation of meat proteins and affecting product quality; reducing power to control thermal damage sacrifices cutting efficiency. In summary, existing ultrasonic cutting systems cannot adaptively adjust output according to changes in tissue type, nor can they effectively control thermal damage while improving cutting efficiency. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problems in the prior art and provide a longitudinal-bending coupling adaptive ultrasonic cutting system and method for livestock and poultry meat based on the acoustic black hole effect. This system can adaptively adjust the output according to changes in tissue type during the cutting of livestock and poultry meat, and can effectively control thermal damage while improving cutting efficiency.
[0005] The present invention provides an adaptive ultrasonic cutting system, comprising: The cutting unit includes an ultrasonic generator, a piezoelectric transducer, and an ultrasonic scalpel head. The piezoelectric transducer is electrically connected to the ultrasonic generator and to the ultrasonic scalpel head. The ultrasonic scalpel head has an energy focusing transition section whose cross-sectional thickness changes continuously from its input end to its output end according to a decreasing function, thereby focusing vibrational energy onto the scalpel tip region and exciting longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. The ultrasonic scalpel head has a cooling channel that penetrates at least a portion of the energy focusing transition section and forms a spiral coil structure at the thinnest point of the cross-sectional thickness near the scalpel tip region to enhance cooling at that thinnest point. The cutting control unit includes a tissue identification module, a piezoelectric sensor, and an adaptive control module. The tissue identification module determines the type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut. The piezoelectric sensor, integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer, detects the electrical impedance signal of the transducer in real time. The adaptive control module is connected to the piezoelectric sensor, the tissue identification module, and the ultrasonic generator. The adaptive control module has a built-in impedance reference parameter library storing target impedance values corresponding to different livestock or poultry meat tissue types. The adaptive control module is configured to: receive tissue type information output by the tissue identification module; retrieve the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library based on the tissue type information; receive the real-time impedance signal; dynamically adjust the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator with the optimization objective of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value; and adjust the output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0006] Preferably, the ratio of the cross-sectional thickness of the transition section to the cross-sectional thickness of the output end to that of the input end is in the range of 0.15 to 0.6.
[0007] Preferably, the length of the transition section is in the range of 25mm to 40mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the output end is in the range of 1.5mm to 3.0mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the input end is in the range of 5mm to 10mm, and the exponent m of the power function is in the range of 2.0 to 3.5.
[0008] Preferably, the spiral winding structure is disposed in the region with the smallest cross-sectional thickness and the highest heat flux density in the energy focusing transition section, and the cooling channel extends from the input end to the output end along the interior of the energy focusing transition section, and the spiral winding structure is formed circumferentially at the thinnest cross-sectional thickness near the output end.
[0009] Preferably, the tissue recognition module includes a human-computer interaction interface and a machine vision unit, and the system has two working modes: manual mode and automatic mode. In manual mode, the adaptive control module receives the current processing part information input by the operator through the human-machine interface, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the processing part information; in automatic mode, the adaptive control module identifies the current tissue type through the cutting path image acquired by the machine vision unit, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the identification result. After determining the target impedance value in the manual or automatic mode, the adaptive control module dynamically adjusts the operating frequency and output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the target impedance value and the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0010] Preferably, the adaptive control module is configured to dynamically adjust the operating frequency in the following manner: within a frequency range of 50 kHz to 60 kHz, it searches for the operating frequency point that makes the real-time impedance signal closest to the target impedance value with a preset step size, and locks the operating frequency to that frequency point.
[0011] Preferably, the adaptive control module is configured to adjust the output power in the following manner: when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal exceeds a first threshold, the output power is increased by one level from the current value within 0.05 seconds to 0.2 seconds; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal is lower than a second threshold and continues to exceed a preset time, the output power is reduced to standby power.
[0012] Preferably, the system further includes a safety protection unit connected to the adaptive control module and the ultrasonic generator, configured to: receive the real-time impedance signal, the real-time cutting force signal, and the real-time temperature signal; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of the current target impedance value, and simultaneously the amplitude of the real-time cutting force signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of a preset force threshold for more than 2 seconds, a mechanical overload is determined, an alarm is triggered, and the cutting operation is interrupted; when only the real-time impedance signal or only the real-time cutting force signal exceeds the limit, a disturbance state is determined, and no interruption is triggered; when the real-time temperature signal exceeds a first temperature threshold, the coolant flow rate is increased; when the real-time temperature signal exceeds a second temperature threshold, an alarm is triggered, and the cutting operation is interrupted.
[0013] The present invention also provides a cutting method for the above-mentioned adaptive ultrasonic cutting system, comprising the following steps: The type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut is determined. Based on the tissue type, the corresponding target impedance value is retrieved from the pre-stored impedance reference parameter library. The input ultrasonic vibration energy is converted into longitudinal-bending coupled vibration in the blade tip area through the energy focusing transition section of the ultrasonic cutter head. The blade tip area is cooled by the cooling channel. The electrical impedance signal of the piezoelectric transducer is detected in real time by a piezoelectric sensor integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer. The working frequency of the ultrasonic generator is dynamically adjusted with the optimization goal of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value. The output power is adjusted according to the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0014] Preferably, when the real-time impedance value exceeds the threshold corresponding to the current tissue type, the output power is increased to a higher level within 0.1 seconds; when the real-time impedance value returns to the normal range, the output power is reduced.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: The power-function gradient cross section of the acoustic black hole transition section in this invention efficiently focuses vibrational energy onto the blade tip, exciting longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. This causes the blade tip to form an elliptical motion trajectory that combines longitudinal impact and lateral shearing, improving energy utilization efficiency and cutting capability. The embedded spiral cooling channel forms enhanced cooling in the blade tip region, where the cross section is thinnest and the heat flow is highest, effectively managing the hot spots generated by energy focusing. Therefore, while improving cutting efficiency, this invention minimizes the denaturation of meat proteins caused by heat generated during cutting, keeping the depth of thermal damage at an extremely low level, thus ensuring the final quality of the product.
[0016] This invention uses a piezoelectric sensor to detect the transducer impedance in real time. The adaptive control module dynamically adjusts the frequency and power based on the pre-stored target impedance value. When the cutter head encounters tough tissues such as fascia and cartilage, the impedance signal momentarily deviates from the steady state, and the system automatically increases the power to ensure thorough cutting. When passing through tough areas or encountering soft tissue, the power automatically drops to protect the tissue, enabling the system to automatically adapt to strong and soft conditions, while ensuring consistent cutting results.
[0017] The ultrasonic cutting head of this invention, through its optimized design of an acoustic black hole structure, is more suitable for cutting livestock and poultry tissues, achieving better cutting results while reducing the overall energy consumption of the system. Simultaneously, the lateral shearing force generated by bending vibration provides a continuous self-cleaning effect on the blade surface, effectively preventing the adhesion of tissues such as fat and protein. This not only ensures the continuity and hygiene of the cutting process but also reduces interruptions to the production process and cleaning and maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall composition of the ultrasonic cutting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic scalpel head structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the arc-shaped blade portion that outlines the acoustic black hole.
[0020] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the ultrasonic scalpel head according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 4 The curve showing the cross-sectional thickness variation of the acoustic black hole structure in an embodiment of the present invention (Note: Figure 4 Middle AE point and Figure 3 (Corresponding to the key feature points in the text).
[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of forming an elliptical motion trajectory of longitudinal-bending coupled vibration according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 6 This is a 3D schematic diagram of the elliptical motion trajectory at the tip of the blade in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of elliptical vibration during the cutting process according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 8 This is a comparison diagram of longitudinal-bending coupled vibration and traditional single vibration mode in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating the working principle of the ultrasonic scalpel cutting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 10 This is a block diagram illustrating the working principle of the adaptive cutting control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Connecting part; 2. Transition section; 3. Cooling channel; 4. Curved cutting edge of the cutter head. Detailed Implementation
[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0030] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” indicate that the elements or objects preceding “comprising” or “including” encompass the elements or objects listed following “comprising” or “including” and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described objects changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.
[0031] The present invention provides an adaptive ultrasonic cutting system, comprising: The cutting unit includes an ultrasonic generator, a piezoelectric transducer, and an ultrasonic scalpel head. The piezoelectric transducer is electrically connected to the ultrasonic generator and to the ultrasonic scalpel head. The ultrasonic scalpel head has an energy focusing transition section whose cross-sectional thickness changes continuously from its input end to its output end according to a decreasing function, thereby focusing vibrational energy onto the scalpel tip region and exciting longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. The ultrasonic scalpel head has a cooling channel that penetrates at least a portion of the energy focusing transition section and forms a spiral coil structure at the thinnest point of the cross-sectional thickness near the scalpel tip region to enhance cooling at that thinnest point. The cutting control unit includes a tissue identification module, a piezoelectric sensor, and an adaptive control module. The tissue identification module determines the type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut. The piezoelectric sensor, integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer, detects the electrical impedance signal of the transducer in real time. The adaptive control module is connected to the piezoelectric sensor, the tissue identification module, and the ultrasonic generator. The adaptive control module has a built-in impedance reference parameter library storing target impedance values corresponding to different livestock or poultry meat tissue types. The adaptive control module is configured to: receive tissue type information output by the tissue identification module; retrieve the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library based on the tissue type information; receive the real-time impedance signal; dynamically adjust the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator with the optimization objective of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value; and adjust the output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0032] This invention constructs an intelligent cutting system specifically for livestock and poultry meat processing by employing an acoustic black hole energy focusing structure, an embedded spiral cooling channel within the cutting tool, and adaptive control based on target impedance. The acoustic black hole structure efficiently focuses vibrational energy onto the blade tip, exciting longitudinal-bending coupled vibrations to form an elliptical cutting trajectory that combines impact and shearing, significantly improving cutting efficiency. The embedded spiral cooling channel efficiently cools the hot spots generated by energy focusing, effectively suppressing protein denaturation caused by heat generation during cutting, enabling high-energy-density cutting and low-heat damage to be achieved simultaneously. The adaptive control based on target impedance allows the system to sense tissue changes in real time and dynamically adjust operating parameters, automatically adapting to the heterogeneity of livestock and poultry meat. During cutting, it actively seeks and maintains optimal cutting parameters that match the current tissue type, thereby maximizing the protection of soft tissues while cutting through tough tissues, thus improving cut quality.
[0033] In another preferred embodiment, the ratio of the cross-sectional thickness of the output end to the input end of the transition section ranges from 0.15 to 0.6. This invention controls the output-to-input thickness ratio within the range of 0.15 to 0.6 to ensure that the change in cross-sectional thickness is sufficient to excite a significant acoustic black hole effect and longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. This avoids the problem that an excessively low ratio may lead to insufficient blade tip strength, while an excessively high ratio may weaken the energy focusing effect.
[0034] In another preferred embodiment, the length of the transition section ranges from 25mm to 40mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the output end ranges from 1.5mm to 3.0mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the input end ranges from 5mm to 10mm, the exponent m of the power function ranges from 2.0 to 3.5, and the tip region of the ultrasonic scalpel has an arc-shaped cutting edge with an angle of 100º to 140º. These parameters together constitute the core design of the acoustic black hole structure for livestock and poultry meat tissue in this invention. The power function law and the exponent range of m=2.0~3.5 ensure that the cross-sectional thickness changes with a sufficiently dramatic gradient, effectively stimulating the acoustic black hole effect, achieving efficient focusing of vibration energy and longitudinal-bending coupling conversion, maximizing the scalpel tip amplitude, and improving cutting efficiency by more than 60% compared to traditional scalpels. The 1.5-3.0mm cross-sectional thickness at the output end provides sufficient structural strength to the blade tip, enabling it to easily handle tough tissues such as fascia and cartilage in meat without breaking. The 5-10mm cross-sectional thickness at the input end provides ample rigidity for energy transfer and allows space for internal cooling channels. A transition section length of L=25-40mm achieves an optimal balance between energy focusing and overall blade size, ensuring sufficient space for vibrational energy to gradually focus and modal transition, while avoiding reduced rigidity and operational inconvenience due to excessive blade length. A 100º-140º arc-shaped blade angle optimizes the cutting angle between the blade tip and the meat, reducing cutting resistance and matching the elliptical motion trajectory to effectively prevent tissue adhesion. By precisely designing these parameters, this invention can pre-control the ratio of the major and minor axes of the elliptical trajectory at the blade tip, as well as the amplitude ratio of longitudinal and bending vibrations. This allows for customized optimal composite cutting actions for cutting meat tissues of varying toughness and viscosity; for example, areas with high fat content require stronger lateral shearing to prevent adhesion.
[0035] It should be noted that the longitudinal-bending coupled vibration of this invention does not refer to any arbitrary composite vibration, but rather to a defined composite vibration working state in which the ultrasonic scalpel tip is stably excited within the optimized acoustic black hole structure and specific frequency range of this invention. This state is characterized by an elliptical motion trajectory at the scalpel tip that combines longitudinal impact force and transverse shearing force, which is the basis for achieving efficient and low-damage cutting.
[0036] Building upon this, the adaptive control module dynamically adjusts the operating frequency. Its core purpose is not only conventional frequency tracking to maintain system resonance, but also to real-time realign and lock the optimal excitation frequency of the longitudinal-bending coupled vibration when load changes cause the system resonance point to drift. This ensures the blade tip always operates within the optimal elliptical motion trajectory, guaranteeing that the system automatically maintains optimal cutting conditions even when encountering abrupt loads such as those from fascia or cartilage during cutting.
[0037] In another preferred embodiment, the spiral coiling structure is positioned in the region with the smallest cross-sectional thickness and the highest heat flux density in the energy focusing transition section. The cooling channel extends inward from the input end to the output end, forming a spiral coiling structure circumferentially near the thinnest cross-sectional thickness adjacent to the output end. In this embodiment, the cooling channel extends inward from the input end to the output end, precisely delivering the cooling medium to the blade tip region that requires the most cooling. The circumferential spiral coiling in the region with the thinnest cross-sectional thickness and the highest heat flux density enhances cooling by extending the flow path and increasing the heat exchange area under extremely limited space conditions.
[0038] Before the operation begins, the operator selects "whole chicken cutting," "pork tenderloin trimming," or "general deboning mode" through the human-machine interface (HMI). This provides the system with the expected sequence of tissue types and the range of macroscopic parameters (i.e., "first skin, then fat and lean meat, and finally possibly cartilage"), and the specific operation is as follows.
[0039] S1: The system starts in the manually selected mode, and the initial target parameters in this mode are called by default.
[0040] S2: When cutting homogeneous tissue, the adaptive module works to stabilize Z(f) near the initial target parameter.
[0041] S3: When the blade encounters heterogeneous tissue (such as tendon or cartilage), Z(f) will suddenly deviate from the current steady-state value.
[0042] S4: The state identification algorithm in the control module works in real time, analyzing the real-time value, gradient and pattern of the signal, and quickly matching it with the information in the feature library.
[0043] S5: Once a match is successful, the system immediately determines that the current cutting object has become "cartilage" and immediately calls the corresponding new target parameters in the parameter library, switching to a new adaptive adjustment loop.
[0044] In another preferred embodiment, the tissue recognition module includes a human-computer interaction interface and a machine vision unit, and the system has two operating modes: a manual mode and an automatic mode. In manual mode, the adaptive control module receives the current processing part information input by the operator through the human-machine interface, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the processing part information; in automatic mode, the adaptive control module identifies the current tissue type through the cutting path image acquired by the machine vision unit, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the identification result. After determining the target impedance value in the manual or automatic mode, the adaptive control module dynamically adjusts the operating frequency and output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the target impedance value and the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0045] In another preferred embodiment, the adaptive control module is configured to dynamically adjust the operating frequency in the following manner: within a frequency range of 50 kHz to 60 kHz, it searches for the operating frequency point that makes the real-time impedance signal closest to the target impedance value with a preset step size, and locks the operating frequency to that frequency point. This embodiment, by searching within the 50-60 kHz range with a preset step size, allows the system to quickly find the optimal operating frequency point that makes the real-time impedance closest to the target impedance, ensuring that the piezoelectric transducer always operates in a resonant state matching the current load, achieving the highest electromechanical conversion efficiency. The selection of the frequency range matches the acoustic characteristics of livestock and poultry meat tissue, while the setting of the search step size balances response speed and adjustment accuracy.
[0046] In another preferred embodiment, the adaptive control module is configured to adjust the output power as follows: when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal exceeds a first threshold, the output power is increased by one level from the current value within 0.05 seconds to 0.2 seconds; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal is lower than a second threshold and remains below a preset time, the output power is reduced to standby power. The 0.05-second to 0.2-second response time ensures that the system can promptly respond to instantaneous high-resistance tissues such as fascia and cartilage encountered during the cutting process, guaranteeing thorough cutting; when an idle or low-load state is detected, the power is automatically reduced to standby level, achieving energy saving and consumption reduction.
[0047] In another preferred embodiment, a safety protection unit is also included. This safety protection unit is connected to the adaptive control module and the ultrasonic generator, and is configured to: receive the real-time impedance signal, the real-time cutting force signal, and the real-time temperature signal; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of the current target impedance value, and simultaneously the amplitude of the real-time cutting force signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of a preset force threshold for more than 2 seconds, a mechanical overload is determined, an alarm is triggered, and the cutting operation is interrupted; when only the real-time impedance signal or only the real-time cutting force signal exceeds the limit, a disturbance state is determined, and no interruption is triggered; when the real-time temperature signal exceeds a first temperature threshold, the coolant flow rate is increased; when the real-time temperature signal exceeds a second temperature threshold, an alarm is triggered, and the cutting operation is interrupted. This ensures equipment safety and extends its service life.
[0048] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention also provides a cutting method for the above-mentioned cutting system, the cutting method comprising the following steps: The type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut is determined. Based on the tissue type, the corresponding target impedance value is retrieved from the pre-stored impedance reference parameter library. The input ultrasonic vibration energy is converted into longitudinal-bending coupled vibration in the blade tip area through the energy focusing transition section of the ultrasonic cutter head. The blade tip area is cooled by the cooling channel. The electrical impedance signal of the piezoelectric transducer is detected in real time by a piezoelectric sensor integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer. The working frequency of the ultrasonic generator is dynamically adjusted with the optimization goal of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value. The output power is adjusted according to the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
[0049] The technical solutions of the present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.
[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasonic cutting system of the present invention mainly includes a cutting unit, a cutting control unit, and an auxiliary unit.
[0051] A schematic diagram of the ultrasonic scalpel head of the present invention is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the cutter head is designed with an approximately 120° arc-shaped cutting edge, presenting a smooth, non-linear outline of the acoustic black hole transition section connected to the arc-shaped cutting edge, showcasing the geometric characteristics of the ultrasonic cutter head. The ultrasonic cutter head is made of high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and acoustically excellent TC4 titanium alloy, and is reliably fixed to the amplitude transformer via a threaded connection at its end. This system is particularly suitable for poultry meat cutting; the following describes its workflow and implementation method in detail using chicken cutting as an example. This invention achieves efficient concentration and transmission of vibration energy through a specific cross-sectional change law. The working end (i.e., the tip) of the cutter head body is constructed as an arc-shaped cutting edge with an acoustic black hole effect. The cross-sectional thickness of this arc-shaped cutting edge decreases continuously from the root to the tip according to a power function, forming an acoustic black hole structure that can effectively concentrate the energy transmitted from longitudinal vibration and convert it into bending vibration with significantly amplified amplitude at the cutting tip. The arc-shaped structure of the arc-shaped cutting edge of the ultrasonic cutting head satisfies a one-dimensional acoustic black hole cross-sectional height calculation model, which is as follows:
[0052] ; in, Let L be the coordinate along the axis of the cutting head, and L be the length of the acoustic black hole transition section. for The cross-sectional thickness at the point, i.e. the thickness at the starting end of the connection (5mm~10mm). for The cross-sectional thickness at that point, i.e., the thickness at the tip of the cutter (1.5mm~3.0mm); m is a power exponent and (Preferred value: 2.0-3.5).
[0053] This invention utilizes an asymmetric acoustic black hole structure design to simultaneously induce longitudinal vibration displacement at the tip of the cutting tool. and bending vibration displacement This creates a composite vibration field. Within the operating frequency range of 20kHz to 60kHz, the cutter head is simultaneously in a state of longitudinal resonance and bending resonance, achieving longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. At the cutter tip, the longitudinal vibration and bending vibration synthesize into a two-dimensional elliptical trajectory, thereby simultaneously generating longitudinal impact force and transverse shear force, greatly improving cutting efficiency, and effectively scraping the cutter surface using the transverse shear force to prevent tissue adhesion.
[0054] The longitudinal-bending coupled vibration satisfies the following relationship: ; Where x represents the coordinate along the axis of the cutter head, with the origin at the cutter tip and pointing towards the connecting part; u b This represents the amplitude of the bending vibration displacement at the blade tip; u l The amplitude of the longitudinal vibration displacement of the tool tip is represented by ; k represents the comprehensive proportionality coefficient, a dimensionless constant related to material properties, boundary conditions and vibration frequency. E l This indicates the flexural modulus of the cutter head material; E A Indicates the axial elastic modulus of the cutter head material; h ( x The ) represents the transition segment of the acoustic black hole in the axial coordinate system. x The cross-sectional thickness at that location; The gradient of the cross-sectional thickness along the axial direction, i.e. the rate of change of the acoustic black hole profile, is a key geometric factor driving longitudinal-bending coupling.
[0055] ; ; ; Where m represents the equivalent longitudinal vibration mass of the cutter head vibration system; c The damping coefficient represents the longitudinal vibration. k f Represents the equivalent stiffness of longitudinal vibration; F l ( t () indicates the longitudinal excitation force acting on the piezoelectric transducer; I This represents the equivalent bending moment of inertia of the tool head vibration system. c b The damping coefficient represents the bending vibration. k_b Represents the equivalent stiffness of bending vibration; F b (t () represents the bending excitation force acting on the system; F couple This represents the coupling force between longitudinal and bending modes; t Indicates time. α This represents the coupling coefficient, a parameter related to material properties and structural geometry. Indicates longitudinal strain; This indicates bending strain.
[0056] The evaluation metrics for coupling effectiveness include coupling degree C and trajectory ellipticity. The calculation formula is as follows: ; ; in, u bmax This indicates the maximum amplitude of the bending vibration displacement at the blade tip; u lmax This represents the maximum amplitude of the longitudinal vibration displacement at the blade tip; a is the major axis; b is the minor axis.
[0057] The design of the acoustic black hole structure in this invention not only achieves longitudinal-bending coupling, but also enables quantitative description and precise control of its coupling effect. To this end, this invention proposes for the first time to use the coupling degree C and trajectory ellipticity ε as core optimization indicators for ultrasonic scalpel head design, and establishes their relationship with the acoustic black hole geometric parameters (power exponent m, thickness ratio h0 / h0). θ The quantitative mapping relationship between the transition section length (L) and the working frequency (f) is established. The coupling degree C is defined as the ratio of the bending vibration amplitude to the longitudinal vibration amplitude at the blade tip, determining the flatness of the elliptical trajectory and the magnitude of the transverse shear force. The ellipticity ε is defined as the ratio of the minor axis to the major axis of the elliptical trajectory, describing the geometry of the blade tip's motion trajectory and its impact on cutting efficiency. Theoretical analysis reveals a positive correlation between the coupling degree C and the thickness gradient of the acoustic black hole cross-section; that is, the more drastic the thickness change, the stronger the excited bending vibration and the higher the coupling degree. Based on this mapping relationship, this invention, targeting the ratio of longitudinal impact force to transverse shear force required for cutting livestock and poultry meat, first determines the optimal range of the target coupling degree C and ellipticity ε; then, through the aforementioned quantitative mapping relationship, it derives the power exponent m and the thickness ratio h0 / h of the acoustic black hole structure. θ The specific values of geometric parameters such as the transition section length L were determined; finally, considering the special requirements of food processing scenarios for the strength, rigidity, and thermal management of the cutting head, the invention obtained h0 = 1.5mm~3.0mm, h θ =5mm~10mm, L=25mm~40mm, m=2.0~3.5 parameter combination.
[0058] Building upon this foundation, the present invention further reveals the control mechanism of the elliptical trajectory. The amplitude ratio C is mainly determined by the cross-sectional thickness gradient; the phase difference Δφ is mainly controlled by the transition segment length L; and the absolute amplitude is influenced by the thickness at the input and output ends, affecting the magnitudes of the longitudinal and bending components, respectively. Through the combined design of the above parameters, the present invention can pre-determine the optimal elliptical trajectory for different characteristics of livestock and poultry meat tissues. For example, for areas with high fat content, a larger power exponent and a smaller thickness ratio are selected to enhance the transverse shear component and effectively prevent tissue adhesion. For hard tissues such as cartilage, while ensuring sufficient transverse shear, the length L is adjusted to bring the elliptical principal axis closer to the cutting direction, improving cutting efficiency. In summary, the ultrasonic scalpel head of the present invention can accurately achieve a preset coupling degree C and ellipticity ε at a specific working frequency, ensuring that the scalpel tip forms an elliptical motion trajectory with sufficient longitudinal impact force and transverse shear force, thereby achieving optimal balance in multiple dimensions such as cutting efficiency, cut quality, and anti-adhesion effect.
[0059] This invention also integrates an advanced adaptive control system, which includes a piezoelectric sensor for impedance detection. The control module employs intelligent algorithms for precise control, generating control commands using a preset algorithm. An impedance matching algorithm ensures the system always operates in its optimal state. Multi-parameter coordinated control achieves dynamic adjustment according to a control law through precise coordination of the control vector u and the state vector x. The algorithm formula is as follows:
[0060] ; ; ; ; in, For optimal operating frequency, Impedance to be detected in real time. To pre-set the target impedance based on the type of meat, This is the penalty coefficient for frequency variation.
[0061] The execution module intelligently adjusts the ultrasonic power supply output parameters according to the control commands. When encountering large cutting resistance, it automatically increases the output power and reduces the power to standby mode in time when an idle state is detected.
[0062] Cooling channels are set at key locations on the cutting head, and the temperature is controlled using a three-dimensional heat conduction equation. ; in, The ultrasonic heat generation power density, This refers to the heat dissipation power of the cooling system.
[0063] To ensure stability exceeding the design target of 0.8 K / W, through indicators The system cooling efficiency was evaluated. ; Through in-depth optimization, the cutter head structure parameters in this invention have reached an ideal state. The overall dimensions are designed to be 420mm in length, 88mm in width, and 125mm in height, achieving a compact layout while maintaining structural stability. The structural partitions have been carefully planned, with a 140mm connecting base to ensure reliable connection, a 70mm transition area for a smooth transition, and a 210mm acoustic black hole working area to provide ample energy focusing space. The acoustic black hole profile adopts an optimal design with a power exponent m=2.5, and the thickness smoothly decreases from 75mm to 2mm, with the arc-shaped cutting edge forming an optimized streamlined profile in the width direction.
[0064] A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ultrasonic scalpel head body of the present invention is shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the cutter head cross-section adopts an optimized acoustic black hole structure, with specific structural parameters as follows: power exponent m = 2.5, acoustic black hole segment length L = 30 mm, and root thickness... =8mm, tip thickness =0.5mm, and its specific thickness variation curve is as follows: Figure 4 As shown.
[0065] Modal analysis and harmonic response analysis using finite element analysis software verified that the structure can simultaneously excite strong longitudinal and bending vibration modes at an operating frequency of 55kHz, achieving effective longitudinal-bending coupling and forming an ideal elliptical motion trajectory at the tool tip. Figure 5 As shown. Figure 6 This provides a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the elliptical motion trajectory, with the optimal amplitude reaching 18μm. Figure 7 This further illustrates the actual effect of this elliptical vibration during the cutting process. To highlight the advantages of this invention, Figure 8 The elliptical trajectory was compared with that of a traditional single vibration mode, demonstrating the improvement of coupled vibration in cutting direction and efficiency.
[0066] like Figure 9 As shown, the workflow of this invention is performed according to the following steps: S01: Initialization The system performs a self-test upon power-on, and the cooling system starts and reads preset parameters. The cooling system uses food-grade coolant, with the temperature precisely controlled within the range of 2℃ to 8℃ and the flow rate adjustable from 0.3L / min to 1.5L / min.
[0067] S02: Identification The system identifies the type and specific cut of poultry meat through machine vision or manual input. For example, it can identify different tissue types such as chicken breast, chicken thigh, or joint parts.
[0068] S03: Parameter Call The system retrieves the corresponding target impedance from the pre-stored parameter library. .
[0069] In this embodiment, the control parameters are set as follows: frequency adjustment range 50kHz~60kHz, power adjustment range 150W~300W. Different parameters are used for different parts, such as lower power (150W~200W) for chicken breast, medium power (200W~250W) for chicken thigh, and higher power (250W~300W) for joints. During the system development phase, this invention conducts cutting tests or simulations on various target meat tissues. In each test, a series of key parameters corresponding to the optimal cutting effect (cut quality, efficiency, and minimal damage) are recorded. These optimal operating point parameters are extracted, organized, and structured, and then stored in the system's memory, forming a pre-stored parameter library.
[0070] S04: Adaptive Adjustment like Figure 10 As shown, the sensing module monitors the cutter head impedance in real time through a piezoelectric sensor integrated at the back end of the piezoelectric transducer. The control module uses an ARM Cortex-M series embedded microprocessor, which runs an impedance matching algorithm to dynamically adjust the operating frequency, enabling... Approaching Meanwhile, the power regulation module intelligently adjusts the output power based on the real-time load cutting. When a sharp increase in impedance is detected (such as when encountering muscular tissue), the system increases the power from the reference value to the corresponding level within 0.1 seconds. More specifically, the power increase is determined based on the magnitude of the impedance deviation to quickly increase the power to the corresponding level; when the impedance returns to normal, the power automatically decreases.
[0071] S05: Process Monitoring The system monitors cutting force and temperature parameters in real time. The temperature parameter can be obtained by embedding a temperature sensor in the region near the blade tip during the acoustic black hole transition section. Operating parameters are fine-tuned based on feedback signals. The system has a comprehensive safety protection mechanism, including power limit protection (300W), cutting force monitoring and delay protection, and temperature monitoring and active thermal management, ensuring equipment safety and reliability. In this embodiment, high load refers to an impedance value Z(f) continuously exceeding... 120%-150% of the real-time cutting force F cutIf the force exceeds the preset force threshold Fmax by 120%-150% and lasts for more than 2 seconds, false triggering can be effectively avoided through the coordinated determination of impedance and force. For example, if the impedance briefly changes but the force signal does not change, it is judged as sensor noise or transient disturbance, and the protection is not activated; only when both exceed the limit simultaneously is it confirmed as a true mechanical overload. A temperature sensor embedded in the cutter head body monitors the cutter head temperature in real time. .when Exceeding the warning threshold (e.g., at 55°C), the control module actively increases the coolant flow rate to enhance heat dissipation; when Reaching the protection threshold When the temperature reaches 85°C, the system immediately stops ultrasonic output to prevent thermal damage.
[0072] S06: End After the cutting task is completed, the system automatically enters a low-power standby state, completing the entire workflow.
[0073] The system automatically enters a low-power standby state, specifically as follows: The ultrasonic generator is switched to pulse monitoring mode, and its output power P is reduced to below 10% of the rated cutting power in the current operating mode. The coolant circulation pump is controlled to operate at low speed, and the coolant flow rate Q is reduced to below 30% of the operating flow rate. The operating frequency of the main control microprocessor is reduced, and the sensor sampling rate is switched to low-frequency inspection mode. In low-power standby mode, the system continues to perform minimal signal monitoring. When the load signal exceeds the recovery threshold or an external start command is received, the system quickly exits standby mode within 100 milliseconds, and the parameters of each module are restored to the initial settings of the corresponding operating mode.
[0074] The cooling channel enters from the interface of the piezoelectric transducer and extends along the interior of the acoustic black hole transition section, forming a compact spiral coil structure in the high-temperature region near the ultrasonic scalpel head. This unique design significantly increases the heat exchange area and improves cooling efficiency.
[0075] In this embodiment, the system can set differentiated baseline operating parameters based on the identified different parts (such as chicken breast, chicken leg, and joint). For example, the system sets a baseline power of 150W for chicken breast, 220W for chicken leg, and 280W for joint. During actual cutting, the system uses these baseline parameters as a starting point and dynamically adapts based on the real-time monitored impedance signal. For example, when processing the joint, because the real-time impedance is consistently high, the system will drive the actual output power to dynamically increase near the baseline value of 280W to overcome the high load, with its peak power reaching a safe upper limit of 300W.
[0076] The power adjustment module dynamically increases or decreases based on the real-time impedance deviation, adjusting the power based on a baseline value: power increases when the load increases and decreases when the load decreases. Therefore, the different power settings for different parts determine the central position and overall level of dynamic power adjustment, while the specific instantaneous power value is determined by real-time load feedback. This ensures that throughout the entire cutting process, the poultry meat remains intact, its juices are fully retained, the cut is smooth and even, and the blade surface remains clean at all times.
[0077] In this embodiment, the average processing time of the whole chicken using the cutting system of the present invention is reduced by more than 60% compared with traditional equipment, the juice loss rate is controlled between 2.1% and 2.8%, the cut smoothness is better than 100μm, and the thermal damage depth is less than 0.25mm. All indicators are significantly better than traditional cutting methods.
[0078] The above embodiments fully demonstrate the significant advantages of the present invention in the field of poultry meat cutting. Through specially optimized acoustic black hole structural parameters and intelligent control strategies, efficient, precise, and low-damage processing of poultry meat products is achieved.
[0079] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An adaptive ultrasonic cutting system, characterized in that, include: The cutting unit includes an ultrasonic generator, a piezoelectric transducer, and an ultrasonic scalpel head. The piezoelectric transducer is electrically connected to the ultrasonic generator and to the ultrasonic scalpel head. The ultrasonic scalpel head has an energy focusing transition section whose cross-sectional thickness changes continuously from its input end to its output end according to a decreasing function, thereby focusing vibrational energy onto the scalpel tip region and exciting longitudinal-bending coupled vibration. The ultrasonic scalpel head has a cooling channel that penetrates at least a portion of the energy focusing transition section and forms a spiral coil structure at the thinnest point of the cross-sectional thickness near the scalpel tip region to enhance cooling at that thinnest point. The cutting control unit includes a tissue identification module, a piezoelectric sensor, and an adaptive control module. The tissue identification module determines the type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut. The piezoelectric sensor, integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer, detects the electrical impedance signal of the transducer in real time. The adaptive control module is connected to the piezoelectric sensor, the tissue identification module, and the ultrasonic generator. The adaptive control module has a built-in impedance reference parameter library storing target impedance values corresponding to different livestock or poultry meat tissue types. The adaptive control module is configured to: receive tissue type information output by the tissue identification module; retrieve the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library based on the tissue type information; receive the real-time impedance signal; dynamically adjust the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator with the optimization objective of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value; and adjust the output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
2. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio of the cross-sectional thickness of the output end to the input end of the transition section is in the range of 0.15 to 0.
6.
3. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the transition section ranges from 25mm to 40mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the output end ranges from 1.5mm to 3.0mm, the cross-sectional thickness of the input end ranges from 5mm to 10mm, and the exponent m of the power function ranges from 2.0 to 3.
5.
4. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral coil structure is located in the region with the smallest cross-sectional thickness and the highest heat flux density in the energy focusing transition section, and the cooling channel extends from the input end to the output end along the interior of the energy focusing transition section, and the spiral coil structure is formed circumferentially at the thinnest cross-sectional thickness near the output end.
5. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tissue recognition module includes a human-computer interaction interface and a machine vision unit, and the system has two working modes: manual mode and automatic mode. In manual mode, the adaptive control module receives the current processing part information input by the operator through the human-machine interface, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the processing part information; In automatic mode, the adaptive control module identifies the current tissue type through the cutting path image acquired by the machine vision unit, and calls the corresponding target impedance value from the impedance reference parameter library according to the identification result; After determining the target impedance value in the manual or automatic mode, the adaptive control module dynamically adjusts the operating frequency and output power of the ultrasonic generator based on the target impedance value and the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
6. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive control module is configured to dynamically adjust the operating frequency in the following manner: within a frequency range of 50 kHz to 60 kHz, it searches for the operating frequency point that makes the real-time impedance signal closest to the target impedance value with a preset step size, and locks the operating frequency to that frequency point.
7. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive control module is configured to adjust the output power in the following manner: when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal exceeds a first threshold, the output power is increased by one level from the current value within 0.05 seconds to 0.2 seconds; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal is lower than a second threshold and continues to exceed a preset time, the output power is reduced to standby power.
8. The adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a safety protection unit, which is connected to the adaptive control module and the ultrasonic generator, and is configured to: receive the real-time impedance signal, the real-time cutting force signal, and the real-time temperature signal; when the amplitude of the real-time impedance signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of the current target impedance value, and at the same time the amplitude of the real-time cutting force signal continuously exceeds 120% to 150% of a preset force threshold for more than 2 seconds, it is determined to be a mechanical overload, triggering an alarm and interrupting the cutting operation; when only the real-time impedance signal or only the real-time cutting force signal exceeds the standard, it is determined to be a disturbance state, and no interruption is triggered; when the real-time temperature signal exceeds a first temperature threshold, the flow rate of the coolant is increased; When the real-time temperature signal exceeds the second temperature threshold, an alarm is triggered and the cutting operation is interrupted.
9. The cutting method of the adaptive ultrasonic cutting system as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The type of livestock or poultry meat tissue to be cut is determined. Based on the tissue type, the corresponding target impedance value is retrieved from the pre-stored impedance reference parameter library. The input ultrasonic vibration energy is converted into longitudinal-bending coupled vibration of the blade tip area through the energy focusing transition section of the ultrasonic cutter head. The blade tip area is cooled by the cooling channel. The electrical impedance signal of the piezoelectric transducer is detected in real time by the piezoelectric sensor integrated at the rear end of the piezoelectric transducer. The working frequency of the ultrasonic generator is dynamically adjusted with the optimization goal of minimizing the deviation between the real-time impedance signal and the target impedance value. The output power is adjusted according to the amplitude or rate of change of the real-time impedance signal.
10. The cutting method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, During the cutting process, when the real-time impedance value exceeds the threshold corresponding to the current tissue type, the output power is increased to a higher level within 0.1 seconds; when the real-time impedance value returns to the normal range, the output power is reduced.