Meat processing system and meat processing method

Abstract

While keeping the size of the equipment down, it is possible to process bone-in meat, including ribs, with good cutting quality. [Solution] This application relates to a meat processing system for processing a workpiece that is bone-in meat including ribs. The meat processing system comprises a workspace on which a workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, a restraining unit for restraining the workpiece, a cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, a cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line based on previously acquired shape information, and a cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line. As cutting lines, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the underside of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the workspace, a lateral cutting line is determined for cutting the workpiece laterally. The cutting unit is controlled to cut the workpiece multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation for each of the multiple zones, operating the straight blade along the lateral cutting line.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a meat processing system and a meat processing method.

Background Art

[0002] In meat processing using bone-in meat including ribs as a workpiece, a processing process may be performed that includes a step of cutting a portion including ribs from the workpiece using a cutting tool such as a knife. Conventionally, this step has been performed manually by workers, but since it is a skilled operation that depends on the skills of the workers, variations in processing quality and processing volume are likely to occur. In addition, since the workpiece needs to be handled in a low-temperature environment, working in such a low-temperature environment for a long time places a heavy burden on the workers. Also, in manual work using a cutting tool, there are problems such as the occurrence of cutting tool scratches on the processed workpiece and a decrease in yield due to cutting widely so that no cartilage remains around the bone.

[0003] In order to solve the problems in such conventional work by workers, automation of work using a meat processing system has been studied. For example, in Patent Document 1, by analyzing image data obtained by imaging a workpiece that is bone-in meat including ribs, a cutting line corresponding to the shape of the workpiece is determined, and the workpiece is cut by operating a cutting tool along the cutting line, thereby disclosing an example of a meat processing system in which the cutting operation is automated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the cutting line is determined based on image data of the outer shape of the workpiece. As a result, the position of bones inside the workpiece cannot be accurately determined, and larger cuts are made according to the cutting line that takes margins into account for the bones, resulting in a low yield. Furthermore, the separation of the target part from the workpiece is completed in a single cutting operation along the determined line based on the image data. As a result, the torque applied to the cutting tool and the torque used to restrain the workpiece during cutting are relatively large, increasing the possibility of defects such as poor cutting and potentially reducing the quality of the cut.

[0006] Furthermore, if such workpiece restraint and cutting operations are attempted using robotic arms capable of flexible movement, the large torque required, as mentioned above, would necessitate a large-scale configuration for each robotic arm. In particular, when performing cutting operations while restraining a workpiece from the workspace, it is necessary to coordinate the robotic arm for restraining the workpiece with the robotic arm for performing the cutting operation. However, if these robotic arms become large in scale, there is a risk of interference between them.

[0007] At least one embodiment of this disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a meat processing system and a meat processing method that can process bone-in meat, including ribs, with good cutting quality while keeping the size of the apparatus down. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A meat processing system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure solves the above problems. A meat processing system for processing bone-in meat including ribs, A workspace on which the workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, A restraint unit for restraining the workpiece with respect to the aforementioned workspace, A cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, A cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line for the workpiece based on shape information acquired in advance for the workpiece, A cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line, Equipped with, The cutting line determination unit determines, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the underside of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the work space, a lateral cutting line for cutting the workpiece laterally. The cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to cut the workpiece multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation for each of the multiple zones, which involves operating the straight blade along the lateral cutting line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, a meat processing system and a meat processing method can be provided that can process bone-in meat, including ribs, with good cutting quality while keeping the size of the apparatus down. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a workpiece W, which is the object to be processed in a meat processing system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of a meat processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing the meat processing method carried out by the meat processing system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the control sequence for the restraint and cutting operations in step S106. [Figure 6A] This is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S201 in Figure 5. [Figure 6B]It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S202 in FIG. 5. [Figure 6C] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S203 in FIG. 5. [Figure 6D] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S204 in FIG. 5. [Figure 6E] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S205 in FIG. 5. [Figure 6F] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to step S206 in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a diagram schematically showing the first cutting line to the third cutting line used in the control sequence of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is a modification of FIG. 7.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described as embodiments or shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0012] First, referring to FIG. 1, a workpiece W that is a processing target of a meat processing system 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a workpiece W that is a processing target of a meat processing system 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] The workpiece W is, for example, a boned meat including ribs 2 of a livestock carcass served as meat such as pigs, cows, and sheep, which is a boned meat including ribs. This workpiece W has a first surface 4 on the side where the ribs 2 are located and a second surface 6 on the opposite side of the first surface 4. In a region 8 of the first surface 4, a plurality of ribs 2 extend along a predetermined direction, and the ends of the ribs 2 are buried along the edge 8a thereof. On the second surface 6 side of the workpiece W as viewed from the ribs 2, a meat portion 9 that will be separated from the ribs 2 in the subsequent processing is attached.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of a meat processing system 1 according to one embodiment, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device 100 in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the meat processing system 1 comprises a work space S on which the workpiece W to be processed is placed, a first robot device 10, a second robot device 20, and a third robot device 30 arranged to surround the work space S, and a control device 100.

[0015] The workspace S has a workbench 3 (for example, a cutting board) on which a workpiece W can be placed. The workpiece W is placed on the workbench 3 with the second surface 6 facing downwards and the first surface 4, on which the ribs 2 are exposed, facing upwards. Although not shown in Figure 2, the workspace S is also equipped with an input conveyor for bringing in workpieces W before processing to the workbench 3, and an output conveyor for removing workpieces W after processing has been completed on the workbench 3.

[0016] An imaging device 40 for acquiring shape information of a workpiece W is provided in the workspace S. The imaging device 40 is configured to acquire shape information regarding the external shape of the workpiece W after it has been brought into the workspace S and before the workpiece W has been processed. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the imaging device 40 is, for example, a three-dimensional camera 40a. The three-dimensional camera 40a can acquire shape information regarding the external shape of the workpiece W by imaging the workpiece W.

[0017] Furthermore, the meat processing system 1 may be equipped with an X-ray camera capable of acquiring shape information regarding the internal shape of the workpiece W (such as the shape of the ribs 2 embedded in the meat portion 9), in addition to shape information regarding the external shape of the workpiece W that can be acquired by the three-dimensional camera 40a. In this case, the X-ray camera may be provided in the imaging device 40 together with the three-dimensional camera 40a, but in the meat processing system 1 of this embodiment, it is provided as an external device to the imaging device 40.

[0018] The first robot device 10 is a cutting robot device that functions as a cutting unit for cutting a workpiece W in a workspace S, and has a first robot arm 12 configured as a 6-axis robot and a straight blade 14, which is a tool mounted on the tip of the first robot arm 12. Based on control signals from the control device 100 described later, the first robot arm 12 can perform cutting workpiece W in the workspace S according to a predetermined cutting line L by adjusting the position and angle of the straight blade 14 mounted on its tip.

[0019] The straight blade 14 mounted at the tip of the first robot arm 12 has a substantially straight blade surface. As described above, the position and angle of the straight blade 14 are controlled based on control signals from the control device 100 received by the first robot device 10, enabling it to accurately cut the workpiece W according to a specified cutting line L. Cutting operations using such a straight blade 14, when combined with the flexible movement of the robot arm, are advantageous in improving yield by enabling cutting operations according to various cutting lines L compared to using a curved blade surface.

[0020] The second robot device 20 is a restraining robot device that functions as a restraining unit for restraining a workpiece W in the workspace S, and has a second robot arm 22 configured as a 6-axis robot and a restraining tool 24 mounted on the tip of the second robot arm 22. The second robot arm 22 can perform a restraining operation by pressing the restraining tool 24 mounted on its tip against the workpiece W at a set restraining position R based on a control signal from the control device 100 described later.

[0021] The third robot device 30, together with the aforementioned second robot device 20, is a restraining robot device that functions as a restraining unit for restraining a workpiece W in the workspace S. It has a third robot arm 32 configured as a 6-axis robot and a restraining tool 34 mounted on the tip of the third robot arm 32. The third robot arm 32 can perform a restraining operation by using the restraining tool 34 mounted on its tip to press the workpiece W against a set restraining position R based on a control signal from the control device 100 described later.

[0022] Furthermore, although the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30 both function as restraint units, their configurations may be identical or at least partially different. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30 restrain different positions on the workpiece W, and therefore each has a restraint tool with a shape suitable for the respective restraint position R. That is, the restraint tool 24 mounted on the second robot device 20 and the restraint tool 34 mounted on the third robot device 30 are different from each other.

[0023] The control device 100 functions as a control unit for controlling the aforementioned components of the meat processing system 1, and is composed of a computer consisting of, for example, a central processing unit, memory, external storage device, input device, and output device. The control device 100 also has a control program pre-installed for implementing the control method described later, and various functions are realized when this control program is executed. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 100 includes an image data acquisition unit 102, an image data analysis unit 104, a cutting line determination unit 106, a constraint position determination unit 108, a cutting unit control unit 110, and a constraint unit control unit 112.

[0024] The image data acquisition unit 102 is configured to acquire image data from the imaging device 40. As mentioned above, the imaging device 40 has a three-dimensional camera 40a, and the image data acquisition unit 102 acquires the imaging results of the three-dimensional camera 40a as image data. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the meat processing system 1 is also equipped with an X-ray camera, the image data acquired by the X-ray camera is also acquired by the image data acquisition unit 102.

[0025] The image data analysis unit 104 is configured to identify shape information about the workpiece W in the workspace S by analyzing the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit 102. For example, from the image data acquired from the three-dimensional camera 40a, information about the external shape of the workpiece W is obtained as shape information, and from the image data acquired from the X-ray camera, information about the internal shape of the workpiece W is obtained as shape information. Based on this information about the external and internal shape of the workpiece W, the image data analysis unit 104 can obtain the shape information of the workpiece W necessary to determine the cutting line L and the constraint position R.

[0026] The cutting line determination unit 106 is configured to determine a cutting line L to be set for the workpiece W based on the shape information obtained by the image data analysis unit 104. As described above, the shape information includes information on the external and internal shapes of the workpiece W, so the cutting line determination unit 106 identifies the three-dimensional positional relationship of the ribs 2 in the workpiece W based on the shape information and determines a cutting line L to separate a portion including the ribs 2 from the workpiece W.

[0027] The constraint position determination unit 108 is configured to determine the constraint position R of the workpiece W when performing a cutting operation according to the cutting line L determined by the cutting line determination unit 106. The constraint position R is determined as a position suitable for stabilizing the posture of the workpiece W on the workbench 3 when performing a cutting operation according to the cutting line L. Such a constraint position R may be determined based on shape information obtained by the image data analysis unit 104, similar to the cutting line L described above, or it may be determined based on the cutting line L determined by the cutting line determination unit 106. In the latter case, the cutting line L and the constraint position R corresponding to the cutting line L are associated with each other and prepared in advance as correlation data, and the constraint position determination unit 108 can determine the constraint position R corresponding to the cutting line L determined by the cutting line determination unit 106 by referring to this correlation data.

[0028] The cutting unit control unit 110 is configured to control the first robot device 10, which is a cutting unit. The cutting unit control unit 110 generates a control signal to perform a cutting operation in accordance with the cutting line L determined by the cutting line determination unit 106, using a straight blade 14 mounted on the tip of the first robot arm 12 in the first robot device 10. This control signal converts the coordinate information defining the cutting line L into parameters relating to the position and orientation of the straight blade 14, and is generated as a signal to drive the first robot arm 12 to realize these parameters. The control signal thus generated is transmitted to the first robot device 10, thereby enabling the control of the first robot arm 12 so that a cutting operation is performed in accordance with the cutting line L.

[0029] The restraint unit control unit 112 is configured to control the restraint units, namely the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30. Using the restraint tool 24 mounted on the tip of the second robot arm 22 of the second robot device 20, or the restraint tool 34 mounted on the tip of the third robot arm 32 of the third robot device 30, the control unit generates a control signal to realize a restraint operation to restrain the workpiece W to the workbench 3 at the restraint position R determined by the restraint position determination unit 108. This control signal converts the coordinate information defining the restraint position R into parameters relating to the position and orientation of the restraint tool 24 or 34, and is generated as a signal to drive the second robot arm 22 or the third robot arm 32 to realize these parameters. The control signal thus generated is transmitted to the second robot device 20 or the third robot device 30, thereby enabling the control of the second robot arm 22 or the third robot arm 32 to restrain the workpiece W at the restraint position R.

[0030] Next, a meat processing method carried out by the meat processing system 1 having the above configuration will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the meat processing method carried out by the meat processing system 1 of Figure 2.

[0031] First, the imaging device 40 is used to image the workpiece W that has been brought onto the workbench 3 in the workspace S (step S101). In step S101, the image data from the three-dimensional camera 40a of the imaging device 40 is used to image the workpiece W before a series of processing steps are performed (however, the workpiece W may be pre-processed as appropriate). In this embodiment, the internal shape of the workpiece W is imaged by the X-ray camera before it is brought into the workspace S.

[0032] Next, the image data acquisition unit 102 acquires image data from the imaging device 40 (step S102). This image data includes not only image data relating to the external shape of the workpiece W captured by the three-dimensional camera 40a of the imaging device 40 in step S101, but also image data relating to the internal shape of the workpiece W captured by the X-ray camera in the stage before it is brought into the work space S.

[0033] Next, the image data analysis unit 104 obtains shape information of the workpiece W by analyzing the image data acquired in step S102 (step S103). As mentioned above, the image data includes image data captured by the three-dimensional camera 40a and image data captured by the X-ray camera. By analyzing this image data, shape information containing information about the external and internal shapes of the workpiece W can be obtained.

[0034] Next, the cutting line determination unit 106 determines the cutting line L based on the shape information acquired in step S103 (step S104). A specific example of the cutting line L will be described later, but based on the external and internal shapes of the workpiece W identified based on the shape information, the cutting line L for separating the part including the ribs 2 from the workpiece W is determined.

[0035] The determination of the cutting line L in step S104 may be performed using a predictive model for predicting the cutting line L based on shape information. In this case, the predictive model can be constructed, for example, by machine learning using a large amount of data defining the cutting line L corresponding to the shape information as training data. The cutting line determination unit 106 can suitably determine the cutting line L corresponding to the shape information by inputting the shape information acquired in step S103 to the predictive model.

[0036] Next, the constraint position determination unit 108 determines the constraint position R corresponding to the cutting line L determined in step S104 (step S105). A specific example of the constraint position R will be described later, but it is determined as the constraint position R necessary to stably maintain the posture of the workpiece W when the cutting operation is performed according to the cutting line L.

[0037] The determination of the constraint position R in step S105 may be performed using a predictive model for predicting the constraint position R based on the cutting line L. In this case, the predictive model can be constructed, for example, by machine learning using a large amount of data defining a constraint position R suitable for the cutting line L as training data. The constraint position determination unit 108 can suitably determine the constraint position R corresponding to the cutting line L by inputting the cutting line L determined in step S104 to the predictive model.

[0038] Next, the cutting unit control unit 110 controls the first robot device 10, which is the cutting unit, so that the cutting operation is performed according to the cutting line L determined in step S104. At the same time, the restraint unit control unit 112 controls the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30, which are the restraint unit, so that the workpiece W is restrained to the workbench 3 at the restraint position R determined in step S105 (step S106). As a result, the workpiece W in the workspace S is stably restrained to the workbench 3 at the restraint position R, and the cutting operation is performed according to the cutting line L, thereby automatically separating the part of the workpiece W that includes the ribs 2.

[0039] The workpiece W, after the cutting process is complete, is then transported outside by an unshown transport conveyor (step S107).

[0040] In this meat processing method, step S106 involves a restraining operation that restrains the workpiece W to the workbench 3 at the restraining position R determined in step S105, and a cutting operation that cuts the workpiece W according to the cutting line L determined in step S104, performed in cooperation with each other. In this embodiment, such restraining and cutting operations are performed sequentially multiple times according to a predetermined control sequence.

[0041] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control sequence for the restraint and cutting operations in step S106 of Figure 4, Figures 6A to 6F are explanatory diagrams corresponding to each step in Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the first cutting line L1 to the third cutting line L3 used in the control sequence of Figure 5.

[0042] First, as shown in Figure 6A, the second robot device 20, which is a restraint unit, uses a restraint tool 24 mounted on the tip of the second robot arm 22 to restrain the workpiece W at a first restraint position R1, which has been determined as a restraint position, by pressing it against the workbench 3 (step S201). The first restraint position R1 is located on the first surface 4 of the workpiece W, outside the region 8 where the ribs 2 are located, and is determined as a position that can suitably prevent the posture of the workpiece W from being disturbed when the first cutting operation is performed according to the first cutting line L1 in the subsequent step S202. In Figure 6A, an example of the first restraint position R1 is shown, which is located slightly away from the region 8 where the ribs 2 are located and is a position that is less likely to interfere with the first robot device 10 or the third robot device 30.

[0043] Next, as shown in Figure 6B, with the first constraint position R1 of the workpiece W constrained by the second robot device 20 in step S201, the first cutting operation is performed by operating the first robot device 10 according to the first cutting line L1 (step S202). The first cutting line L1 is defined along the peripheral edge 8a of the region 8 where the ribs 2 are located on the first surface of the workpiece W, and in a direction intersecting the direction of extension of the ribs 2. In the first cutting operation, the straight blade 14 mounted at the tip of the first robot arm 12 is operated so that a cut is made in the first cutting line L1 to a predetermined depth.

[0044] Furthermore, the depth of the cut in the first cutting operation is determined based on shape information, and is set, for example, to reach a position deeper than the rib 2 from the surface of the first face of the workpiece W.

[0045] Next, as shown in Figure 6C, the third robot device 30, which is a restraint unit, uses a restraint tool 34 mounted on the tip of the third robot arm 32 to restrain the workpiece W at the second restraint position R2, which has been determined as the restraint position, by pressing it against the workbench 3 (step S203). The second restraint position R2 is determined as a position that can suitably prevent the posture of the workpiece W from being disturbed when the second cutting operation is performed in the following step S204, by pressing the restraint tool 34 from above in the region 8 on the first surface 4 of the workpiece W where the ribs 2 are located.

[0046] Furthermore, when step S203 is performed, the workpiece W, which was constrained by the first robot device 10 at the first constrained position R1 in step S201, is further constrained by the second robot device 20 at the second constrained position R2. In other words, in step S203, the workpiece W is constrained at two points, the first constrained position R1 and the second constrained position R2, by the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30, respectively.

[0047] Next, as shown in Figure 6D, in step S203, with the first constraint position R1 and the second constraint position R2 of the workpiece W constrained by the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30, the first robot device 10 is operated according to the second cutting line L2 to perform the second cutting operation (step S204). The second cutting operation is achieved by inserting a straight blade 14 from one side of the workpiece W under the rib 2, and controlling the first robot arm 12 so that the tip of the blade passes through the second cutting line L2.

[0048] As schematically shown in Figure 7, the second cutting line L2 is determined as a transverse cutting line for cutting the workpiece W laterally in the first zone Z1, which is located on the side of the workpiece W that the straight blade 14 enters during the second cutting operation, when viewed from the right side in Figure 7, among the first zone Z1 and second zone Z2 defined along the extension direction of the rib 2 on the lower side of the workpiece W. During the second cutting operation, the straight blade 14 mounted on the tip of the first robot arm 12 is operated according to the second cutting line L2, thereby making a cut along the transverse direction on the lower side of the rib 2 in the first zone Z1.

[0049] Next, as shown in Figure 6E, the third robot device 30, which is a restraint unit, uses a restraint tool 34 mounted on the tip of the third robot arm 32 to restrain the workpiece W at the third restraint position R3, which has been determined as the restraint position, by pressing it against the workbench 3 (step S205). In other words, in step S205, in response to the change in the cutting state of the workpiece W due to the second cutting operation in step S204, the restraint position by the restraint tool 34 mounted on the tip of the third robot arm 32 is changed from the aforementioned second restraint position R2 to the third restraint position R3.

[0050] This change in constraint position is due to the change in the cutting state of the workpiece W as a result of the second cutting operation being performed in step S204. The third constraint position R3 is selected as a position that can suitably stabilize the posture of the workpiece W when the third cutting operation is performed in the subsequent step S206 on the workpiece W after the second cutting operation has been performed.

[0051] Step S205 may be omitted if necessary. In this case, the restraint position by the third robot device 30 remains the same as the second restraint position R2 during the second and third cutting operations and is not changed. As a result, the processing steps are reduced, which can suitably improve the processing efficiency of the workpiece W in the meat processing system 1.

[0052] Next, as shown in Figure 6F, in step S203, with the first constraint position R1 and the third constraint position R3 of the workpiece W constrained by the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30, the first robot device 10 is operated according to the third cutting line L3 to perform the third cutting operation (step S206). The third cutting operation is achieved by reinserting the straight blade 14 into the cut formed in the second cutting operation from one side of the workpiece W, and controlling the first robot arm 12 so that the tip of the blade passes through the third cutting line L3.

[0053] As shown in Figure 7, the third cutting line L3 is determined as a transverse cutting line for cutting the workpiece W laterally in the second zone Z2, which is located further back than the first zone Z1 that was cut in the second cutting operation, among the first zone Z1 and second zone Z2 defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the lower side of the rib 2 of the workpiece W. In the third cutting operation, the straight blade 14 mounted on the tip of the first robot arm 12 is operated according to the third cutting line L3, so that the straight blade 14 is reinserted into the cut in the first zone Z1 formed in the second cutting operation, and a cut along the transverse direction is made on the lower side of the rib 2 in the second zone Z2, which is located further back than the first zone Z1.

[0054] In the second and third cutting operations, the straight blade 14 is operated multiple times according to the second and third cutting lines L2 and L3 determined for each first zone Z1 and second zone Z2 defined along the extension direction of the rib 2 on the underside of the rib 2. As a result, the torque applied to the straight blade 14 is reduced compared to when only one lateral cutting operation is performed, thus allowing for optimal and stable cut quality. Furthermore, by reducing the torque required for the cutting operation, it becomes possible to miniaturize the first robot device 10, which is the cutting unit.

[0055] Furthermore, during the second and third cutting operations, the workpiece W is restrained using both the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30. This reduces the torque required for the restraining operation on a single robot device, allowing both the second robot device 20 and the third robot device 30 to be miniaturized. As a result, by miniaturizing each robot device in the meat processing system 1, the overall size of the system can be kept compact, and interference between each robot device during operation can be suitably avoided.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the example shows a case where the lateral cutting operation performed on the workpiece W is divided into a second cutting operation and a third cutting operation corresponding to the first zone Z1 and the second zone Z2, respectively. However, it may be further subdivided into many more cutting operations. For example, if the lateral cutting operation is performed along a curved cutting line that follows the ribs 2 of the workpiece W, a cutting line may be set for each zone further divided along the cutting line.

[0057] Figure 8 is a modified version of Figure 7. In this modified version, the second cutting line L2 is further divided into the first half cutting line L2a and the second half cutting line L2b, and the third cutting line L3 is Furthermore, it is further divided into the first cutting line L3a and the second cutting line L3b. This makes it possible to handle situations where the workpiece W contains curved bone, making it difficult to set up the straight second cutting line L2 and third cutting line L3. This can be achieved by setting each cutting line to correspond to zones Z1a and Z1b, which are subdivisions of the first zone Z1, and zones Z2a and Z2b, which are subdivisions of the second zone Z2, and then repeating the cutting operation in multiple steps.

[0058] As described above, according to each embodiment, the workpiece W, which is bone-in meat including the ribs 2, is placed on the work space S with the ribs 2 facing upwards. The workpiece W on the work space S is restrained by at least one of the second robot device 20 or the third robot device 30, which are restraining units, and is cut by operating the straight blade 14 of the first robot device 10, which is a cutting unit, according to the cutting line. In this cutting operation, by operating the straight blade 14 according to the cutting line determined based on the shape information of the workpiece W acquired in advance, it is possible to achieve good cut quality that takes into account individual differences in the shape of the workpiece compared to using a curved blade. Furthermore, as a cutting operation, by performing a lateral cutting operation multiple times, in which the straight blade 14 is operated according to the lateral cutting line determined for each zone defined along the extension direction of the ribs 2 on the underside of the ribs 2, the torque applied to the straight blade 14 is reduced compared to when the lateral cutting operation is performed only once, so that the cut quality can be suitably stabilized. Furthermore, by reducing the torque required for the cutting operation, the cutting unit can be miniaturized, resulting in a compact configuration, and interference with surrounding components such as the restraint unit can be effectively avoided during the operation of the cutting unit.

[0059] Furthermore, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of this disclosure, and the above-described embodiments may also be combined as appropriate.

[0060] The contents described in each of the above embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0061] (1) A meat processing system according to one embodiment is: A meat processing system for processing bone-in meat including ribs, A workspace on which the workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, A restraint unit for restraining the workpiece with respect to the aforementioned workspace, A cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, A cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line for the workpiece based on shape information acquired in advance for the workpiece, A cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line, Equipped with, The cutting line determination unit determines, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the underside of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the work space, a lateral cutting line for cutting the workpiece laterally. The cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to cut the workpiece multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation for each of the multiple zones, which involves operating the straight blade along the lateral cutting line.

[0062] According to the embodiment of (1) above, the workpiece, which is bone-in meat including ribs, is placed on the work space with the ribs facing upwards. The workpiece on the work space is restrained by a restraining unit, and is cut by operating the straight blade of the cutting unit according to the cutting line. In this cutting operation, by operating the straight blade according to the cutting line determined based on the shape information of the workpiece acquired in advance, it is possible to achieve better cut quality that takes into account individual differences in the shape of the workpiece compared to using a curved blade. Furthermore, as part of the cutting operation, by performing a lateral cutting operation multiple times, in which the straight blade is operated according to the lateral cutting line determined for each zone defined along the extension direction of the ribs on the underside of the ribs, the torque applied to the straight blade is reduced compared to performing the lateral cutting operation only once, so that the cut quality can be suitably stabilized. In addition, by reducing the torque required for the cutting operation, it is possible to miniaturize the cutting unit, so a compact configuration can be realized, and interference with surrounding components such as the restraining unit can be suitably avoided when the cutting unit is in operation.

[0063] (2) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (1) above, The cutting unit control unit converts the coordinate information defining the cutting line into parameters relating to the position and orientation of the straight blade in the cutting unit, and controls the control unit to realize these parameters.

[0064] According to the embodiment of (2) above, by converting coordinate information defining the cutting line into parameters relating to the position and orientation of the linear blade, a cutting operation following the cutting line can be suitably realized by controlling the cutting unit.

[0065] (3) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (1) or (2) above, The restraining unit restrains the workpiece on the side opposite to the straight blade, as viewed from the lateral cutting line, when the lateral cutting operation is performed.

[0066] According to the embodiment of (3) above, when performing a lateral cutting operation, the workpiece placed on the work space is constrained to a position opposite to the straight blade when viewed from the lateral cutting line. This effectively avoids interference between the cutting unit and the restraining unit, while stabilizing the posture of the workpiece during the lateral cutting operation and obtaining good cutting quality.

[0067] (4) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (3) above, The plurality of zones include a first zone located on the near side when viewed from the side into which the straight blade enters the workpiece during the lateral cutting operation, and a second zone located further back than the first zone. The cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to perform a first lateral cutting operation, which is the lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line determined for the first zone, and then to perform a second lateral cutting operation, which is the lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line determined for the second zone.

[0068] According to the embodiment described in (4) above, the lateral cutting operation performed on the workpiece is carried out multiple times, spanning a first lateral cutting operation and a second lateral cutting operation. In the first lateral cutting operation, the first zone on the front side of the workpiece is cut along the lateral cutting line, and then in the second lateral cutting operation, the second zone, which is further back than the first zone, is cut along the lateral cutting line. This makes it possible to cut a workpiece with thickness in the lateral direction with good cut quality by performing multiple lateral cutting operations.

[0069] (5) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (4) above, The restraining unit restrains the workpiece at a position further back from the straight blade than when performing the first lateral cutting operation, when performing the second lateral cutting operation.

[0070] According to the embodiment of (5) above, when performing a second lateral cutting operation on a second zone located further back than the first zone, the posture of the workpiece during the second lateral cutting operation can be suitably stabilized by moving the restraint position of the workpiece by the restraint unit further back than the first lateral cutting operation.

[0071] (6) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (5) above, The cutting line determination unit determines the cutting line as the longitudinal cutting line along the peripheral edge of the area of ​​the workpiece that contains the ribs, when the workpiece is viewed from above while constrained on the work space. The cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to perform a longitudinal cutting operation, which cuts the workpiece along the longitudinal cutting line, before the transverse cutting operation.

[0072] According to the embodiment of (6) above, a longitudinal cutting operation is performed on the workpiece before the transverse cutting operation described above is performed. In the longitudinal cutting operation, a cut is formed along a longitudinal cutting line that follows the periphery of the area where the ribs are located on the workpiece, so that the workpiece can be cut into pieces when the transverse cutting operation is subsequently performed.

[0073] (7) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (6) above, The restraining unit restrains the workpiece at a restraining position set outside the peripheral edge when the longitudinal cutting operation is performed.

[0074] According to the embodiment of (7) above, when performing a longitudinal cutting operation, the posture of the workpiece during the longitudinal cutting operation can be suitably stabilized by constraining the outer edge of the peripheral portion of the workpiece containing the ribs to the working space.

[0075] (8) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (7) above, The shape information is obtained in advance by imaging the workpiece on the workspace with a three-dimensional camera.

[0076] According to the embodiment of (8) above, the shape information used to determine the cutting line is acquired by imaging the workpiece on the work space with a three-dimensional camera in the stage prior to the cutting operation. Based on the shape information thus acquired, a cutting line that takes into account individual differences in the workpiece can be suitably determined. Furthermore, if an X-ray camera is available in addition to a three-dimensional camera, the external shape of the workpiece can be determined from the three-dimensional camera, and the internal shape from the X-ray camera. This allows for a more favorable determination of the cutting line, taking into account the individual differences of the workpiece by considering both its external and internal shapes.

[0077] (9) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (8) above, The cutting line determination unit determines the cutting line corresponding to the shape information using a learning model.

[0078] According to the embodiment of (9) above, a learning model for predicting the cutting line based on shape information is pre-constructed, and the cutting line corresponding to the shape information of the workpiece can be suitably determined using this learning model. Such a learning model can be constructed, for example, by machine learning using actual data of cutting lines corresponding to shape information as training data, and an appropriate cutting line can be determined for workpieces for which no two shapes are exactly alike.

[0079] (10) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (9) above, The cutting unit includes a cutting robot device having a robot arm equipped with the straight blade at its tip, The restraint unit comprises at least one restraint robot device having a robot arm equipped with a restraint tool at its tip for restraining the workpiece, The cutting robot device and the restraining robot device are coordinately controlled so that their robot arms do not interfere with each other.

[0080] According to the embodiment of (10) above, in the cutting robot device that functions as a cutting unit, a cutting operation is performed on the workpiece using a straight blade mounted on the tip of the robot arm. On the other hand, in the restraining robot device that functions as a restraining unit, a restraining operation is performed on the workpiece using a restraining tool mounted on the tip of the robot arm. The robot arms of both are controlled so as not to interfere with each other, thereby enabling the aforementioned workpiece processing to be performed effectively.

[0081] (11) A meat processing method relating to one embodiment is: A meat processing method for processing bone-in meat including ribs, A workspace on which the workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, A restraint unit for restraining the workpiece with respect to the aforementioned workspace, A cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, A cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line for the workpiece based on shape information acquired in advance for the workpiece, A cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line, Using a meat processing system equipped with, A step of determining, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the lower side of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the aforementioned workspace, a lateral cutting line for cutting the workpiece in the lateral direction, A step of controlling the cutting unit so that the workpiece is cut multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line for each of the multiple zones, It is equipped with.

[0082] According to the embodiment of (11) above, the workpiece, which is bone-in meat including ribs, is placed on the work space with the ribs facing upwards. The workpiece on the work space is restrained by a restraining unit, and is cut by operating the straight blade of the cutting unit according to the cutting line. In this cutting operation, by operating the straight blade according to the cutting line determined based on the shape information of the workpiece acquired in advance, it is possible to achieve better cut quality that takes into account individual differences in the shape of the workpiece compared to using a curved blade. Furthermore, as part of the cutting operation, by performing a lateral cutting operation multiple times, in which the straight blade is operated according to the lateral cutting line determined for each zone defined along the extension direction of the ribs on the underside of the ribs, the torque applied to the straight blade is reduced compared to performing the lateral cutting operation only once, so that the cut quality can be suitably stabilized. In addition, by reducing the torque required for the cutting operation, it is possible to miniaturize the cutting unit, so a compact configuration can be realized, and interference with surrounding components such as the restraining unit can be suitably avoided when the cutting unit is in operation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 1. Meat processing system 2 ribs 3 Workbench 4 Front page 6 Side 2 8 areas 8a Peripheral area 9 Meat part 10. First robotic device (cutting robotic device) 12. First robotic arm 14 straight blades 20. Second robotic device (restraint robotic device) 22. Second robotic arm 24 Restraint Tools 30. Third robotic device (restraint robotic device) 32. Third robotic arm 34 Restraint Tools 40 Imaging device 40a 3D camera 100 Control device 102 Image Data Acquisition Unit 104 Image Data Analysis Department 106 Cutting line determination section 108 Restraint position determination section 110 Cutting Unit Control Unit 112 Restraint Unit Control Unit S workspace Z1 Zone 1 Z2 Zone 2

Claims

1. A meat processing system for processing bone-in meat including ribs, A workspace on which the workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, A restraint unit for restraining the workpiece with respect to the aforementioned workspace, A cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, A cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line for the workpiece based on shape information acquired in advance for the workpiece, A cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line, Equipped with, The cutting line determination unit determines, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the underside of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the work space, a lateral cutting line for cutting the workpiece laterally. A meat processing system in which the cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to cut the workpiece multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation on each of the multiple zones, which involves operating the straight blade along the lateral cutting line.

2. The meat processing system according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit control unit converts coordinate information defining the cutting line into parameters relating to the position and orientation of the straight blade in the cutting unit, and controls the control unit to realize the parameters.

3. The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the restraining unit restrains the workpiece on the side opposite to the straight blade when viewed from the lateral cutting line during the lateral cutting operation.

4. The plurality of zones include a first zone located on the near side when viewed from the side from which the straight blade enters the workpiece during the lateral cutting operation, and a second zone located behind the first zone. The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to perform a first lateral cutting operation, which is a lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line determined for the first zone, and then perform a second lateral cutting operation, which is a lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line determined for the second zone.

5. The meat processing system according to claim 4, wherein the restraining unit restrains the workpiece at a position further back from the straight blade than when performing the first lateral cutting operation, when performing the second lateral cutting operation.

6. The cutting line determination unit determines the cutting line as the longitudinal cutting line along the peripheral edge of the area of ​​the workpiece that contains the ribs, when the workpiece is viewed from above while constrained on the work space. The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cutting unit control unit controls the cutting unit to perform a longitudinal cutting operation to cut the workpiece along the longitudinal cutting line before the transverse cutting operation.

7. The meat processing system according to claim 6, wherein the restraining unit restrains the workpiece at a restraining position set outside the peripheral edge when the longitudinal cutting operation is performed.

8. The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape information is obtained in advance by imaging the workpiece on the workspace with a three-dimensional camera.

9. The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cutting line determination unit determines the cutting line corresponding to the shape information using a learning model.

10. The cutting unit includes a cutting robot device having a robot arm equipped with the straight blade at its tip, The restraint unit comprises at least one restraint robot device having a robot arm equipped with a restraint tool at its tip for restraining the workpiece, The meat processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cutting robot device and the restraining robot device are coordinately controlled so that their robot arms do not interfere with each other.

11. A meat processing method for processing bone-in meat including ribs, A workspace on which the workpiece can be placed with the ribs facing upwards, A restraint unit for restraining the workpiece with respect to the aforementioned workspace, A cutting unit having a straight blade for cutting the workpiece, A cutting line determination unit for determining a cutting line for the workpiece based on shape information acquired in advance for the workpiece, A cutting unit control unit for controlling the cutting unit to cut the workpiece according to the cutting line, Using a meat processing system equipped with, A step of determining, for each of the multiple zones defined along the direction of extension of the ribs on the lower side of the ribs with respect to the workpiece placed on the aforementioned workspace, a lateral cutting line for cutting the workpiece in the lateral direction, A step of controlling the cutting unit so that the workpiece is cut multiple times by performing a lateral cutting operation along the lateral cutting line for each of the multiple zones, A meat processing method comprising [a specific feature].

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