Equipment for removing unwanted elements from the abdominal cavity of gutted fish

Abstract

The present invention relates to an installation for removing undesirable elements such as parasites and / or viscera remnants from the abdominal cavity of eviscerated fish. According to the invention, the installation comprises a scraping and suction tool (2) including a suction channel (4) having a proximal end (5) and a distal end (6), the distal end (6) of said suction channel (4) comprising a suction orifice (7) and scraping means (8) adapted for scraping the wall of the fish's abdominal cavity, and the proximal end (5) of said suction channel (4) being connected to vacuum means adapted for suctioning said undesirable elements. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Installation for removing unwanted elements from the abdominal cavity of gutted fish Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of the fishing industry.

[0002] It relates more particularly to an installation which makes it possible to remove undesirable elements from the abdominal cavity of eviscerated fish, for example remnants of viscera and / or parasites. State of the art

[0003] For their presentation for sale and consumption, after fishing, the fish undergo an evisceration operation which can be carried out manually or by means of automatic machines, directly on the fishing vessel, or subsequently, for example in the workshop of a fishmonger.

[0004] However, despite the care taken in this operation, remnants of viscera and / or parasites may persist attached to the abdominal wall of the fish.

[0005] In particular, some fish may be infested with worms of the "anisakis" type, which after ingestion may cause in humans a digestive parasitosis called "anisakisis", which can lead to allergic reactions sometimes severe.

[0006] All species of fish are potentially carriers of anisakis, and for several years, professional sailors, fishmongers and veterinarians have noted an increased presence of this parasite in the fish caught.

[0007] The current evolution of the way seafood is consumed towards preparations of raw or lightly cooked, smoked, marinated, salted products such as sushi, carpaccio, smoked fish, etc., increases the exposure of consumers to such a risk of parasitosis.

[0008] There is therefore a need to propose a technical solution to effectively clean the abdominal wall of fish after evisceration, in particular to limit or even eliminate the presence of such parasites. Presentation of the invention

[0009] To this end, the present invention proposes an installation for removing undesirable elements such as parasites and / or viscera remnants from the abdominal cavity of eviscerated fish, this installation being characterized in that it comprises a scraping and suction tool including a suction channel having a proximal end and a distal end,

[0010] which distal end of said suction channel comprises a suction orifice and suitable scraping tools for scraping the abdominal cavity wall of fish,

[0011] and which proximal end of said aspiration channel is connected to means of creating a vacuum suitable for aspirating said undesirable elements.

[0012] The scraping means make it possible to detach undesirable elements (such as remnants of viscera and / or parasites) from the abdominal wall of the fish; and the suction means make it possible to evacuate these undesirable elements, for example to a dedicated container.

[0013] The recovered parasites can then be destroyed by any appropriate means.

[0014] Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the installation according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0015] - the scraping means may include at least one movable scraping blade positioned at the suction opening of the scraping and suction tool;

[0016] - the distal end of the scraping and suction tool may be tube-shaped comprising a longitudinal tube axis, which tube is provided with said suction orifice equipped with said scraping means, said at least one scraping blade being driven in rotation, in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal tube axis, by a motorized drive shaft centered on said longitudinal tube axis;

[0017] - the installation may include means for supplying water to supply water to level of the suction port of the scraping and suction tool;

[0018] - the means of water supply may include: (a) means of supplying water, and (b) said motorized drive shaft which is hollow and includes an internal cavity,

[0019] which internal cavity includes a proximal end which is connected to said water supply means, and which internal cavity includes a distal end which opens through a water supply orifice at said suction orifice;

[0020] - the installation may include water-driven motor means for the rotational drive of the motorized drive shaft, which water-driven motor means may include a mechanical drive element adapted to be driven in rotation by a water current from said water supply means;

[0021] - said water-flow propulsion means may comprise (a) a chamber of (b) a motor equipped with at least one upstream water inlet connected to said water supply means and at least one downstream water outlet connected to a water discharge pipe, (b) a hollow cone-shaped mechanical drive element, disposed in said motor chamber, comprising a large base and a small base, which large base is delimited by a circular outline and is in the form of a wide opening oriented towards said upstream water inlet, and which small base extends into said motorized drive shaft,

[0022] which motorized drive shaft passes through a wall of said motor chamber in the vicinity of said at least one downstream water outlet,

[0023] the inner surface of said motor chamber located opposite said circular contour of the large base of said mechanical drive member, having the same shape as said circular contour, with a slight gap between the two to allow the passage of a flow of water necessary for the rotation of said mechanical drive member;

[0024] - the engine chamber may comprise a central frustoconical peripheral wall which surrounds said cone-shaped mechanical drive element, the angle at the apex of said central frustoconical peripheral wall being less than the angle at the apex of said mechanical drive element;

[0025] - the proximal end of the suction channel of the scraping and suction tool may be extended by a suction tube which leads into the internal volume of a collection tank, for the collection of said undesirable elements, said means of creating a vacuum comprising at least a vacuum pump arranged to tend to create a vacuum in the internal volume of said collection tank;

[0026] - the installation may include several scraping and suction tools which each extends into a suction tube leading into the internal volume of the same collection tank, for the collection of said undesirable elements.

[0027] Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0028] In addition, various other features of the invention become apparent from the attached description made with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

[0029] [Fig-1] is a schematic overview showing one embodiment possible installation in accordance with the invention;

[0030] [Fig.2] is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a scraping tool and suction of the installation illustrated on the [Fig.l];

[0031] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of the end of the scraping and suction tool illustrated in [Fig.2].

[0032] The installation 1 schematically illustrated in [Fig. 1] comprises here two workstations A1, A2 adapted for removing from the abdominal cavity of eviscerated fish P, undesirable elements such as parasites and / or remnants of viscera.

[0033] For this purpose, each workstation Al, A2 of the installation 1 includes a scraping and suction tool 2, intended to be used / handled by an operator O to scrape the abdominal wall of the eviscerated fish P, and which is connected to means of creating a vacuum 3 adapted to suction and evacuate the unwanted scraped and detached elements.

[0034] The scraping and suction tool 2 is illustrated schematically and in isolation in figures 2 and 3.

[0035] This scraping and suction tool 2 includes a suction channel 4 having a proximal end 5 and a distal end 6.

[0036] The distal end 6 of the suction channel 4 includes a suction orifice 7 and scraping means 8 adapted for scraping the wall of the abdominal cavity of P fish.

[0037] The proximal end 5 of the suction channel 4 is connected to the vacuum means 3 adapted to aspirate the unwanted elements scraped and detached by the scraping means 8.

[0038] As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, the distal end 6 of the scraping and suction tool 2 is in the form of a tube 9 which includes a longitudinal axis of tube 10, and which terminates with the aforementioned suction orifice 7, equipped with the scraping means 8.

[0039] The scraping means 8 comprise at least one movable scraping blade 11 disposed at the suction orifice 7 of the scraping and suction tool 2; and this at least one scraping blade 11 is driven in rotation, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of tube 10, by a motorized drive shaft 12 centered on said longitudinal axis of tube 10.

[0040] The drive shaft 12 is driven in rotation by motor means 13 detailed later in the description.

[0041] At the distal end 6 of the scraping and suction tool 2, the drive shaft 12 is kept centered in the tube 9, on the longitudinal axis of the tube 10, by a bearing structure 14.

[0042] This bearing structure 14 is adapted so as not to completely obstruct the suction channel 4 in order to allow the suction of unwanted elements scraped and detached by the scraping means 8.

[0043] The drive shaft 12 is here a hollow shaft comprising a central channel 12a which opens at each of its ends, for reasons also explained later in the description.

[0044] The scraping means 8 here comprise a set of four scraping blades 11 arranged radially from a central block 15.

[0045] The single-piece assembly formed by the central block 15 and the scraping blades 11 is secured to the end of the drive shaft 12 by any suitable means, preferably by removable fastening means. These fastening means may consist of removable interlocking means (for example, of the type of a square central recess 16, or more generally a polygonal one).

[0046] As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, a protective cover 9a can be mounted on the free end of the tube 9 to protect the periphery of the scraping blades 11.

[0047] This protective housing 9a is fitted by insertion onto the free end of the tube 9 before the assembly of the central block 15 / scraping blades 11. Its free end is in the form of a circular crown 9a 1 adapted to come to be positioned on the side of the scraping blades 11, while keeping the edge of the latter in protrusion to allow the scraping operation.

[0048] It is understood that the desired scraping is obtained by the edge of the scraping blades 11 under the effect of their rotation around the longitudinal axis of tube 10.

[0049] The central imprint 16 passes through the central block 15 to form a through opening 16a which communicates with the central channel 12a of the drive shaft 12.

[0050] The means for creating a vacuum 3 (or suction means 3) include a suction tube 17 which connects the proximal end 5 of the suction channel 4 of the scraping and suction tool 2 and the internal volume 18 of a collection tank 19 (which may be made of stainless steel).

[0051] And the internal volume 18 of the collection tank 19 is connected to a vacuum pump 20 by a pipe 21.

[0052] The pipeline 21 can be made of stainless steel; it is equipped with a valve 22 of the sectional or ball valve type, manual or operated by pneumatic actuator.

[0053] The suction tube 17 is also equipped with a valve 23 of the sectional or ball valve type, manual or operated by pneumatic lung.

[0054] This suction tube 17 comprises:

[0055] - a first section 171 which connects the valve 23 and the proximal end 5 of the channel suction 4 of the scraping and suction tool 2, and

[0056] - a second section 172 which connects the valve 23 and the collection tank 19.

[0057] The first section 171 of the suction tube 17 is made of a material flexible / soft (for example in flexible corrugated tubing so as not to crush with the vacuum, or in flexible Neoprene (registered trademark) of suitable thickness), to facilitate the maneuvers of scraping the abdominal cavity of the fish P by the operator O.

[0058] The second section 172 of the suction tube 17 can be made of stainless steel.

[0059] The vacuum pump 20 can be a turbine-type pump, a liquid ring pump, or a lobe pump. The vacuum to be achieved can be on the order of 500 mbar; and the power The useful training power can be 4 kW. On a boat, this motorization can be achieved by a hydraulic motor connected to the existing hydraulic power unit.

[0060] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the bottom 24 of the collection tank 19 can be funnel-shaped, the walls of which converge towards a lower central orifice equipped with a valve 25 (for example, of the manually operated on / off type) which extends into an evacuation tube 26 (for example, made of stainless steel).

[0061] The proximal end 5 of the suction channel 4 of the scraping and suction tool 2 is here in the form of a tubular sleeve onto which one of the ends of the first section 171 of the flexible suction tubing 17 is forcibly fitted.

[0062] According to a particularly interesting embodiment, the installation includes water supply means 27 adapted to supply water to the suction orifice 7 of the scraping and suction tool 2, so as to optimize the cleaning of the abdominal wall of the fish by the scraping means 8; and, as explained below, these water supply means 27 are advantageously used to drive the drive shaft 12 of the scraping means 8 in rotation.

[0063] For this purpose, as can be seen in [Fig.1], the water supply means 27 include a main water supply pipe 271 (for example made of stainless steel), from which extends a flexible water supply tube 272 for each scraping and suction tool 2.

[0064] The main water supply pipe 271 can be connected to the city water network.

[0065] The flexible tubing 272 is connected to the scraping and suction tool 2 via a tubular connecting sleeve 28; and it is connected to the main water supply line 271 via a valve 272a (for example, a manually operated on / off type valve).

[0066] The main water supply pipe 271 and the flexible water supply tubing 272 form water supply means 271, 272 for the scraping and suction tool 2.

[0067] Starting from the connecting sleeve 28, the feed water passes through the drive means 13, here of the water-flow type. Part of this feed water, having passed through the drive means 13, flows through the central channel 12a of the drive shaft 12 to exit through the through opening 16a, at the level of the suction orifice 7 (allowing the abdominal cavity of the fish to be "wetted" during the scraping operation); and the remainder of the feed water having passed through the drive means 13 is discharged, for example, to wastewater, via:

[0068] - an internal drain pipe 29 within the scraping and suction tool 2,

[0069] - a flexible / flexible material tubing 30, and

[0070] - a rigid evacuation pipe 31 (for example made of stainless steel).

[0071] The through opening 16a forms a water supply orifice for the scraping and suction tool 2.

[0072] The discharge pipe 29 of each scraping and suction tool 2 includes a tubular sleeve-shaped extension 32 adapted for connecting the associated flexible material tubing 30.

[0073] At their other end, the flexible material tubes 30 are connected to the rigid pipe 31 via a valve 33, for example of the manually operated on / off type.

[0074] As can be seen in [Fig.2], the water-flow motor means 13 comprise a motor chamber 34 in which a water flow is created, and in which is housed a mechanical drive element 35, arranged to be driven in rotation by the water flow, and which is engaged with the motorized drive shaft 12.

[0075] The engine chamber 34 includes an upstream water inlet 36 connected to the water supply means 271, 272 and one or more downstream water outlet(s) 37 connected(s) to the aforementioned drain pipe 29.

[0076] In this case, this engine chamber 34 comprises:

[0077] - an upstream wall 341, here in the general shape of a spherical cap, in which opens the upstream water inlet 36,

[0078] - a central peripheral wall 342, generally frustoconical in shape, and

[0079] - a downstream wall 343 (here flat) in which the water outlet(s) are provided downstream 37.

[0080] The large base of the central frustoconical peripheral wall 342 of the engine chamber 34 is oriented towards the upstream wall 341 in the general shape of a spherical cap; and the small base of the central frustoconical peripheral wall 342 of the engine chamber 34 is oriented towards the downstream wall 343.

[0081] The mechanical drive element 35 is in the form of a hollow cone, arranged in the motor chamber 34, and centered on the longitudinal axis of tube 10.

[0082] This hollow cone 35 comprises a large base 351 delimited by a circular contour 352, which forms a wide opening oriented towards the upstream water inlet 36.

[0083] It also includes a small base 353 which is oriented towards the downstream wall 343 of the engine chamber 34.

[0084] The motorized drive shaft 12 extends from the small base 353 of the hollow cone 35 to the suction port 7.

[0085] More specifically, the proximal end 121 of the motorized drive shaft 12 is secured to the small base 353 of the hollow cone 35, and it passes through the latter so that its internal channel 12a opens into the internal volume of this hollow cone 35 and be connected (or be in fluidic relationship) with the water supply means 271,272.

[0086] This proximal end 121 of the motorized drive shaft 12 exits the motor chamber 34 through a suitable orifice 344, provided in the downstream wall 343, near the downstream water outlet(s) 37.

[0087] The downstream water outlet(s) 37 is / are located on the periphery of the small base 353 of the hollow cone 35.

[0088] The contour of the orifice 344 constitutes a bearing for the proximal end 121 of the motorized drive shaft 12.

[0089] A little beyond the downstream wall 343, it is noted that the proximal end 121 of the motorized drive shaft 12 passes through a wall 291 of the evacuation pipe 29 via an orifice 292 whose contour also serves as a bearing.

[0090] As explained above, the distal end 122 of the motorized drive shaft 12 extends to the suction port 7 at which its central channel 12a opens through the through opening 16a.

[0091] The proximal 121 and distal 122 ends of the motorized drive shaft 12 also constitute the proximal 121 and distal 122 ends of the central channel 12a.

[0092] As illustrated by [Fig.2], the inner surface 345 of the motor chamber 34 which is located opposite the circular contour 352 of the large base 351 of the cone-shaped mechanical drive element 35, has the same shape as said circular contour 252, with a slight gap 38 between the two to allow the passage of a flow of water necessary for the rotation of said mechanical drive element 35.

[0093] It is further noted that, in the upstream / downstream direction of the water flow, and starting from the large base 351 of the mechanical drive element 35, the central frustoconical peripheral wall 342 of the motor chamber 34 moves progressively away from the cone-shaped mechanical drive element 35.

[0094] At this level, the angle at the apex of the central frustoconical peripheral wall 342 of the motor chamber 34 is less than the angle at the apex of the cone-shaped mechanical drive element 35. Installation Implementation 1

[0095] To activate the stations A1, A2 of the installation 1, the vacuum pump 20 is started; the valve 25 of the collection tank 19 is closed; the valves 22 and 23 are opened to tend to create a vacuum in the collection tank 19 and to achieve suction in the suction channel 4 and at the suction orifice 7 of the scraping and suction tool 2; the water supply valves 272a are opened, as are the water discharge valves 33.

[0096] Water from the water supply means 27 enters the engine chamber 34 by its upstream water inlet 36.

[0097] Part of the water flow enters the hollow cone 35 and passes through the central channel 12a of the drive shaft 12 to exit through the through opening 16a at the suction port 7.

[0098] Another part of the water flow which enters the motor chamber 34 passes through the gap 38, between the conical mechanical drive element 35 and the inner surface 345 of the wall of the motor chamber 34, to exit through the downstream water outlets 37 and be evacuated through the evacuation pipe 29, the tube 30 and the evacuation conduit 31.

[0099] The presence of these water currents inside and outside the wall of the mechanical drive element 35 causes the mechanical drive element 35 to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the tube 10, and consequently causes the drive shaft 12 and the scraper blades 11 to rotate also around the longitudinal axis of the tube 10.

[0100] The flow rate of the feed water and the dimensional characteristics of the drive means 13 are adapted to optimize the rotational torque of the scraping blades 11 (several blade sizes can be considered depending on the size of the fish to be treated, which makes it possible to obtain different rotational powers and several passage diameters to suck up the waste).

[0101] The operator O can take hold of the scraping and suction tool 2, and can apply friction or scraping pressure to the wall of the abdominal cavity of the fish P, by means of the scraping means 8, in order to detach undesirable elements such as parasites and / or viscera remnants.

[0102] The detached unwanted elements are sucked into the suction channel 4 with some of the water exiting through the through opening 16a.

[0103] The other part of the water (not sucked up) which comes out through the through opening 16a can be recovered, at the level of a work table of the workstations A1, A2, or at ground level, by any suitable means.

[0104] Undesirable elements are collected in a storage container (not shown) placed in the bottom of the collection tank 19. After removal from the collection tank 19 they can be destroyed by any suitable technique.

[0105] The flexible tubing 171, 272 and 30 facilitate the handling in space of the scraping and suction tool 2 by the operator O, and in particular facilitate the application of its head equipped with the scraping means 8 against the abdominal wall of the fish P.

[0106] The central block 15 with its scraping blades 11, mounted by press-fitting onto the end of the drive shaft 12, can be easily replaced in case of damage or if it is desired to use other shapes of scraping blades, for example depending on the type of fish being processed. Depending on the shape of the scraping blades used, the presence of suitable and dedicated protective covers 9a may also be considered.

[0107] In one embodiment, the water current motor means 13 can be replaced by a suitable electric actuator (for example a low voltage DC or lithium battery type electric motor).

Claims

Demands

1. An installation (1) for removing undesirable elements such as parasites and / or viscera remnants from the abdominal cavity of eviscerated fish (P), which installation (1) comprises a scraping and suction tool (2) comprising a suction channel (4) having a proximal end (5) and a distal end (6), which distal end (6) of said suction channel (4) comprises a suction orifice (7) and scraping means (8) adapted for scraping the wall of the abdominal cavity of the fish (P), and which proximal end (5) of said suction channel (4) is connected to vacuum means (3) adapted for suctioning said undesirable elements, characterized in that it comprises water supply means (27) for supplying water to said suction orifice (7) of the scraping and suction tool (2).

2. Installation (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said scraping means (8) comprise at least one movable scraping blade (11) disposed at said suction orifice (7) of the scraping and suction tool (2).

3. Installation (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the distal end (6) of the scraping and suction tool (2) is in the form of a tube (9) comprising a longitudinal tube axis (10), which tube (9) is provided with said suction orifice (7) equipped with said scraping means (8), said at least one scraping blade (11) being driven in rotation, in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal tube axis (10), by a motorized drive shaft (12) centered on said longitudinal tube axis (10).

4. Installation (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said water supply means (27) comprise: - water supply means (271, 272), and - said motorized drive shaft (12) which is hollow and which comprises an internal cavity (12a), which internal cavity (12a) comprises a proximal end (121) which is connected to said water supply means (271, 272), and which internal cavity (12a) comprises a distal end (122) which opens through a water supply port (16a) at said suction port (7).

5. Installation (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises water-driven drive means (13) for the rotational drive of said motorized drive shaft (12), which water-driven drive means (13) comprise a mechanical drive element (35) adapted to be rotated by a water current from said water supply means (271, 272).

6. Installation (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said water-driven drive means (13) comprise: - a drive chamber (34) provided with at least one upstream water inlet (36) connected to said water supply means (271, 272) and at least one downstream water outlet (37) connected to a water discharge pipe (29), - a hollow cone-shaped mechanical drive element (35) disposed in said drive chamber (34), comprising a large base (351) and a small base (353), which large base (351) is delimited by a circular contour (352) and is in the form of a wide opening oriented towards said upstream water inlet (36), and which small base (353) extends into said motorized drive shaft (12), which motorized drive shaft (12) passes through a wall (343) of said engine chamber (34) in the vicinity of said at least one downstream water outlet (37),the inner surface (345) of said engine chamber (34) located opposite said circular contour (352) of the large base (351) of said mechanical drive element (35), having the same shape as said circular contour (352), with a slight clearance (38) between the two to allow the passage of a flow of water necessary for the rotation of said mechanical drive element (35).

7. Installation (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said motor chamber (34) comprises a central frustoconical peripheral wall (342) which surrounds said cone-shaped mechanical drive element (35), the apex angle of said central frustoconical peripheral wall (342) being less than the apex angle of said mechanical drive element (35).

8. Installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said proximal end (5) of the suction channel (4) of the scraping and suction tool (2) extends into a suction tube (17) which terminates in the internal volume (18) of a collection tank (19), for the collection of said undesirable elements, said

9. means for creating a vacuum (3) comprising at least one vacuum pump (20) arranged to create a vacuum in said internal volume (18) of said collection tank (19). Installation (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises several scraping and suction tools (2) each extending into a suction tube (17) leading into the internal volume (18) of the same collection tank (19), for collecting said unwanted elements.

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