Poultry thigh meat crease inserting device and poultry thigh meat automatic crease inserting method

Abstract

To provide a poultry thigh meat incision device that can prevent remaining of a bone fragment to the deboned poultry thigh meat, and can improve the yield of the deboned poultry thigh meat, and provide a poultry thigh meat automatic incision method.SOLUTION: A poultry thigh meat incision device includes an ankle holding part 2 for holding an ankle of poultry thigh meat M, a knife unit 3 having an incision knife 23, a stabbing drive unit 4 for driving the knife unit 3, a thigh meat pressing part 5 for pressing the surface of the poultry thigh meat M, and a moving part 9 for moving the ankle holding part 2. The knife unit 3 includes: a knife holding part 22 for holding the incision knife 23 so that a blade edge may be directed in an incision moving direction of the incision knife 23 and in the side opposite to the ankle holding part 2, and holding the incision knife 23 in the front-back direction in a displacing manner; and a coil spring 25 for elastically biasing the incision knife 23 in the front-back direction of the incision knife 23, and toward the bone of the poultry thigh meat M.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically scoring chicken thigh meat. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an automatic deboning device (automatic deboning device) for automatically deboning bone-in chicken thigh meat (hereinafter simply referred to as chicken thigh meat) cut from the femur of a chicken carcass. This device, which is a device for a process preceding the final process of peeling the meat from the bone, is equipped with a holding mechanism for suspending the chicken thigh meat and a scoring mechanism for scoring the chicken thigh meat suspended from the ankle holding part. The holding mechanism includes an ankle holding part (hanger) for holding the ankle of the poultry thigh meat to suspend the poultry thigh meat, an upper pusher for pressing the Achilles tendon side of the poultry thigh meat, and a lower pusher for pressing the lower part of the poultry thigh meat. The incision making mechanism includes a incision making knife, a forward / backward moving part for inserting the incision making knife into the poultry thigh meat, and a lifting part for cutting down the incision making knife inserted into the poultry thigh meat.

[0003] With this configuration, the automatic deboning device performs incision cutting on poultry thigh meat as a process preceding the final process of peeling meat from the bone. Specifically, a incision cutting knife is inserted along the bone of the poultry thigh meat near the ankle. Then, the upper pusher is depressurized when cutting down the incision cutting knife on the thigh. When cutting down the incision cutting knife on the knee joint, the pressure of the upper and lower pushers is released to prevent dislocation of the knee joint and cut down the incision cutting knife. When cutting down the incision cutting knife on the thigh, the lower pusher is pressurized to push the femur obliquely upward, and then depressurized to appropriately change the pressure of the bone against the knife blade surface that descends along the femur below the knee joint and cut down. By performing incision cutting on the poultry thigh meat in this way, the yield rate of poultry thigh meat during automatic deboning is improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4073133 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the thickness of bones in poultry carcasses varies depending on the chicken species, age, farm rearing method, etc. Therefore, the optimal position for inserting the crease knife into the bone varies for each piece of poultry thigh meat. As a result, the bone may be damaged by the crease knife, or the crease may not be made along the bone. Therefore, there are problems in that bone fragments remain in the deboned poultry thigh meat in the final process of peeling the meat from the bone, and it is difficult to improve the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a poultry thigh meat muscle-inserting device and a poultry thigh meat automatic muscle-inserting method that can prevent bone fragments from remaining in deboned poultry thigh meat and improve the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the poultry thigh meat tendon cutting device of the present invention comprises an ankle holding section which holds the ankle of a bone-in poultry thigh meat cut from the femur of a poultry carcass, a knife unit having a tendon cutting knife, a piercing drive section which drives the knife unit so as to pierce the poultry thigh meat held in the ankle holding section with the cutting edge of the tendon cutting knife along the side of the tibia opposite to the patella, a thigh meat pressing section which elastically presses the surface of the poultry thigh meat from the patella side, and a tendon cutting section which cuts the tendon in the extension direction of the poultry thigh meat held in the ankle holding section. and a moving section which moves at least one of the ankle holding section and the knife unit relative to the other so that the incision knife moves to make the incision, and the knife unit is characterized in that it is equipped with a knife holding section which holds the incision knife so that the tip of the blade faces in the incision movement direction of the incision knife and opposite the ankle holding section, and which holds the incision knife so that it can be displaced in the front-to-back direction, and a biasing section which elastically biases the incision knife in the front-to-back direction of the incision knife and toward the bone of the poultry thigh meat.

[0008] With this configuration, when the cutting tip of the incision knife is inserted along the side of the tibia by the insertion drive unit, when the incision knife hits the bone, the incision knife is displaced so as to move away in the front-back direction. At this time, the incision knife is elastically biased toward the bone by the biasing unit, so the incision knife moves away against this elastic force. This makes it possible to prevent the incision knife from being inserted into the bone. In addition, since the incision knife is pressed along the bone, the incision knife can be reliably aligned along the bone. When the incision knife hits the bone, the incision knife moves away from the bone, so the incision knife can be inserted as close to the side of the bone as possible. Furthermore, the thigh meat pressing unit prevents the bone and the incision knife from being displaced in a direction away from each other, and the incision knife can be moved while being in close contact with the bone. Therefore, in the subsequent final process of peeling the meat from the bone, it is possible to prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat and to improve the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat.

[0009] In the above configuration, the ankle holding part may suspend the poultry thigh meat, and the moving part may move at least one of the ankle holding part and the knife unit up and down so that the incision knife moves downwardly relative to the poultry thigh meat.

[0010] With this configuration, it is possible to easily control the position of the chicken thigh meat by utilizing gravity, and also to easily cut the crease knife along the bone.

[0011] In the above configuration, the thigh meat pressing portion may have a pressing force adjusting portion which changes the position of the bone of the poultry thigh meat so that the incision knife fits along the bone of the poultry thigh meat by changing the pressing force on the poultry thigh meat in accordance with the amount of relative movement between the ankle holding portion and the knife unit by the moving portion.

[0012] Here, the joint (near the patella) where the femur and tibia of the poultry thigh meat are connected is curved. Therefore, if the incision knife is simply moved in a straight line to cut the incision knife along the bone from the tibia to the femur, there is a possibility that the incision knife will cut into the cartilage of the joint. Therefore, by changing the pressing force of the thigh meat pressing part using the pressing force adjustment part, when the incision knife tries to cut into the cartilage of the joint, the position of the poultry thigh meat is changed so that the incision knife moves away from the incision knife against the pressing force of the pressing force adjustment part. This allows the incision knife to be surely moved along the bone from the tibia to the femur without damaging these bones. Therefore, it is possible to more surely prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat and more surely improve the yield of the deboned poultry thigh meat.

[0013] In the above configuration, the knife holding portion may hold the crease knife so that the crease knife is swung around the rear of the blade base, and the cutting tip side is displaced in the front-to-back direction more than the blade base.

[0014] By configuring in this manner, it is possible to make it easier for the incision knife to escape from the bone when the cutting tip of the incision knife hits the bone.

[0015] In the above configuration, the knife holding portion may include a restricting portion that restricts a displacement range of the creasing knife.

[0016] Here, if the displacement range of the crease knife is unnecessarily widened, it becomes difficult to determine the position of the tip of the crease knife and to aim the side of the bone with the crease knife. Therefore, by restricting the displacement range of the crease knife with a restricting portion, it becomes easier to aim the tip of the crease knife at the edge of the side of the bone and to stab it. This further improves the yield of deboned chicken thigh meat.

[0017] In the above-mentioned configuration, a cutting board portion may be provided which prevents the stripping knife from escaping from the poultry thigh meat in the piercing direction.

[0018] With this configuration, the crease knife can be inserted reliably into the chicken thigh meat.

[0019] The automatic muscle-making method of the present invention comprises an ankle holding step of holding the ankle of a bone-in poultry thigh meat cut from the femur of a poultry carcass; a knife inserting step of inserting the tip of a muscle-making knife into the poultry thigh meat near the ankle, along the side of the tibia of the poultry thigh meat opposite the patella, without penetrating the poultry thigh meat; a pressing step of elastically pressing the surface of the poultry thigh meat from the patella side after the knife inserting step; and a muscle-making step of moving the muscle-making knife in a straight line to the femoral head of the poultry thigh meat while continuing the pressing step, to make muscle marks along the bone of the poultry thigh meat, wherein the muscle-making knife is elastically biased so that the flat of the muscle-making knife faces the bone during the knife inserting step and the muscle-making step.

[0020] By using this method, the cutting edge of the crease knife can be aimed at the side edge of the bone in the poultry thigh meat. Even if the crease knife hits the bone, it can be reliably removed from the bone. This makes it possible to prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat in the final process of peeling the meat from the bone, and improves the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat.

[0021] In the above method, in the pressing step, the pressing force on the poultry thigh meat may be reduced when the amount of movement of the incision knife exceeds a predetermined amount during the incision making step.

[0022] By using this method, the incision knife can be moved along the tibia and femur, which are bent and connected. In other words, by reducing the pressing force of the thigh meat pressing part by the pressing force adjusting part, the poultry thigh meat can be released before the incision knife cuts into the cartilage of the joint. This allows the incision knife to be reliably moved along the bones from the tibia to the femur without damaging these bones. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat and more reliably improve the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat.

[0023] In the above method, the poultry thigh meat may be suspended in the ankle holding step, and the incision knife may be vertically lowered in the incision making step.

[0024] By using this method, it is possible to easily control the position of the chicken thigh meat by utilizing gravity, and it is also possible to easily cut the meat with the skewering knife along the bone.

[0025] The above method may further include a step of preventing the poultry thigh meat from escaping in the piercing direction of the incision knife in the knife piercing step, the pressing step and the incision making step.

[0026] By using this method, the slitting knife can be inserted reliably into the chicken thigh meat. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat in the final step of peeling the meat from the bone, and it is also possible to improve the yield of the deboned poultry thigh meat. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an incision making device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state immediately after poultry thigh meat has been conveyed to the incision making device. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a holder unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holder unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a process diagram for making incisions in an embodiment of the present invention, (a) to (c) showing each process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] <Creasing device> FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the incision making device 1. FIG. The incision inserting device 1 is provided in an automatic deboning device 110 that automatically debones bones (tibia T, femur F) from poultry thigh meat M. The automatic deboning device 110 has a number of working stations arranged in the circumferential direction. The multiple working stations are working spaces set up for each step of processing poultry thigh meat in stages.

[0031] For example, in the automatic deboning device 110, roughly speaking, a station for feeding poultry thigh meat into the automatic deboning device 110, a station for scoring the fed poultry thigh meat (hereinafter referred to as the score scoring station), a station for cutting the meat around the ankles of the poultry thigh meat, a station for peeling the meat from the poultry thigh meat up to the joints, a station for cutting the joint muscles and knee cartilage, a final station for peeling the meat from the bone to debon it, and a station for discharging the remaining bones are set up in this order in the circumferential direction.

[0032] Each station is provided with a device having a respective function. The poultry thigh meat is transported to each station in order, whereby the poultry thigh meat is processed stepwise. The incision making device 1 is provided in the incision making station. Hereinafter, the up-down direction when the automatic deboning device 110 is placed on the floor will be simply referred to as the up-down direction, and the horizontal direction will be simply referred to as the horizontal direction.

[0033] <Creasing device> As shown in FIG. 1, the incision making device 1 comprises an ankle holding section 2 which holds the ankle A of the poultry thigh meat M, a knife unit 3 which makes incisions in the poultry thigh meat M, a piercing drive section 4 which drives the knife unit 3, a thigh meat pressing section 5 which presses the poultry thigh meat M, a cutting board section 6, ankle inner pressing section 7, thigh meat inner pressing section 8, a moving section 9 which moves the ankle holding section 2 in the vertical direction, and a thigh meat measuring section 10.

[0034] <Ankle support part> The ankle holder 2 includes a cylindrical support bar 11 extending vertically, and a hanger 12 attached to the lower end 11a of the support bar 11. In the following explanation, the ankle holder 2 is assumed to be in a state where it has been transported to the incision making station. Poultry thigh meat is hung from the hanger 12. The moving part 9 is detachably connected to the upper end (not shown) of the support bar 11, and a rotating table (not shown) is also connected to the upper end. This allows the ankle holding part 2 to rotate in the circumferential direction.

[0035] The moving unit 9 is, for example, an electric linear actuator. The electric linear actuator is provided so that a slider (not shown) moves up and down. The ankle holder 2 is transported to the incision making station, and the upper end of the support bar 11 is detachably connected to, for example, a slider (not shown) of the moving unit 9. As a result, when the moving unit 9 is driven, the ankle holder 2 is pulled upward.

[0036] The amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is lifted by the moving part 9 (an example of the amount of movement in the claims) is detected by a sensor (not shown) provided on the moving part 9. This detection result is output as a signal to the control part 130, which controls the overall driving of the automatic deboning device 110. The amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is lifted is set in the control part 130. This set amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is lifted is the amount by which the incision knife 23, described below, will pass through the entire length of poultry thigh meat. The amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is lifted is set assuming the maximum size of poultry thigh meat that can be distributed. The control part 130 controls the operation of the moving part 9 based on the detection result from the moving part 9.

[0037] <Knife unit> The knife unit 3 comprises a support pipe 15 extending in the vertical direction, a cylindrical drive bar 16 inserted into the support pipe 15 and protruding from above and below the support pipe 15, and a holder unit 17 attached to a lower end 16a of the drive bar 16 via a mounting block 18. The drive bar 16 is rotatably supported by the support pipe 15. The support pipe 15 is fixed to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110.

[0038] <Holder unit> Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder unit 17 as viewed from above, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder unit 17 as viewed obliquely from above. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the holder unit 17 comprises a support portion 21 attached to the mounting block 18, a knife holding portion 22 supported rotatably by the support portion 21, a creasing knife 23 held by the knife holding portion 22, a regulating portion 24 that regulates the displacement range of the knife holding portion 22, and a coil spring (an example of a biasing portion in the claims) 25 that elastically biases the creasing knife 23 via the knife holding portion 22.

[0039] The support part 21 includes a fixing part 26 having a plate shape that is long in the horizontal direction, and a support part main body 27 that is integrally molded on one longitudinal side of the fixing part 26. The fixing part 26 is formed with a bolt hole 26a through which a bolt (not shown) is inserted to fasten the fixing part 26 to the mounting block 18. The support body 27 includes a vertical wall 31 that is integrally formed on one longitudinal side of the fixed portion 26 and extends in the up-down direction, and horizontal walls 32 that extend from both vertical ends of the vertical wall 31 toward the opposite side to the fixed portion 26. The horizontal walls 32 extend while bending so as to move away from the fixed portion 26 as they move away from the vertical wall 31.

[0040] Of the two horizontal walls 32, the upper horizontal wall 32 has two tongue portions 34 bent and extended downward and arranged side by side in the horizontal direction at the end opposite to the vertical wall 31. These tongue portions 34 are for attaching the restricting portion 24. Furthermore, the support body 27 is provided with a cylindrical support shaft 36 between the two tongue pieces 34 and connected to the two side walls 32. The support shaft 36 extends in the vertical direction. The knife holding part 22 is supported by the support shaft 36 so as to be freely rotatable.

[0041] The knife holding part 22 includes a holding part main body 37 and an attachment 38 for attaching the creasing knife 23 to the holding part main body 37. The holding part main body 37 includes a plate-shaped holding base part 41 arranged closer to the fixed part 26 than the side wall 32, and a pair of legs 42a, 42b integrally formed with a back surface 41a of the holding base part 41 on the side of the side wall 32. The back surface 41a and a surface 41b opposite to the back surface 41a of the holding base part 41 extend along the vertical direction.

[0042] The pair of legs 42a, 42b protrude horizontally from slightly inside both vertical ends of the back surface 41a. The pair of legs 42a, 42b are located between the two lateral walls 32. The pair of legs 42a, 42b are also located in the horizontal center of the holding base 41. Through holes 43a, 43b that penetrate vertically are formed at the tips of the pair of legs 42a, 42b. Bushings 40 are attached to these through holes 43a, 43b. The support shaft 36 is inserted into these bushings 40. As a result, the holding unit main body 37 is rotatably supported on the support shaft 36 via the bushing 40. In other words, the knife holding unit 22 oscillates (swings) around the support shaft 36.

[0043] The attachment 38 is integrally formed with an attachment base part 44 attached to the surface 41b of the holding base part 41 and a knife attachment part 45 protruding from the attachment base part 44 toward the opposite side to the legs 42a, 42b. The attachment base part 44 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction. Both ends of the attachment base part 44 in the vertical direction are fastened and fixed to the holding base part 41 by bolts 46.

[0044] The knife attachment portion 45 is disposed in the vertical center of the attachment base portion 44. The crease knife 23 is attached to the knife attachment portion 45, whereby the crease knife 23 is held on the attachment 38. The knife attachment portion 45 holds the crease knife 23 so that the flat 23a of the crease knife 23 is aligned in the vertical direction. The flat 23a of the crease knife 23 refers to the flat portion on which the cutting edge 23c is formed, among the flat portions of the crease knife 23 in the front-to-back direction.

[0045] The crease knife 23 has a single edge. The crease knife 23 is held by the knife attachment part 45 so that the cutting edge 23b protrudes toward the side opposite the attachment base part 44. The crease knife 23 is held by the knife attachment part 45 so that the cutting edge 23c faces the fixed part 26. The crease knife 23 is held by the knife attachment part 45 so that the cutting edge 23d faces downward.

[0046] That is, the crease knife 23 swings (displaces) in the front-to-back direction of the crease knife 23 around the spindle 36 via the knife holding part 22. Since the cutting edge 23b of the crease knife 23 protrudes toward the opposite side to the attachment base part 44 and the blade base 23e is located closer to the spindle 36 than the cutting edge 23b, when the crease knife 23 swings, the cutting edge 23b side is displaced more than the blade base 23e. The amount by which the creasing knife 23 protrudes from the knife attachment portion 45 can be adjusted by an adjustment screw 47 which is screwed into the rear surface 41 a of the holding base portion 41 and protrudes from the center of the attachment base portion 44 in the vertical direction.

[0047] The regulating part 24 that regulates the displacement range of the knife holding part 22 is composed of a first stopper screw 48a and a first nut 48b, and a second stopper screw 49a and a second nut 49b, which are separately attached to the two tongue parts 34. Each stopper screw 48a, 49a is screwed into a female thread (not shown) formed in each tongue part 34 from the opposite side to the knife holding part 22, and is fixed by the corresponding nut 48b, 49b. This makes it possible to determine the amount of projection of each stopper screw 48a, 49a from each tongue part 34 toward the knife holding part 22, and then maintain this amount of projection.

[0048] Here, the tips of the stopper screws 48a, 49a are positioned on both horizontal sides of the pair of legs 42a, 42b on the back surface 41a of the holding base part 41. This allows the stopper screws 48a, 49a to regulate the amount of swing (amount of rocking) of the knife holding part 22 about the support shaft 36. The amount of swing of the knife holding part 22 is determined by the amount of protrusion of the stopper screws 48a, 49a from the tongue parts 34, 35.

[0049] The coil spring 25 is attached from above the spring retainer 50 attached to the first stopper screw 48a. The spring retainer 50 is composed of a cylindrical portion 50a loosely fitted into the first stopper screw 48a, and a flange portion 50b integrally formed on the end of the cylindrical portion 50a on the tongue portion 34 side. The flange portion 50b is formed to have a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion 50a via a step. The coil spring 25 is attached so that an end face of the coil spring 25 abuts against an end face 50c of the flange portion 50b on the holding base portion 41 side.

[0050] The coil spring 25 is mounted in a slightly compressed state between the flange portion 50b and the holding base portion 41. This causes the elastic force of the coil spring 25 to act, urging the first stopper screw 48a side of the holding base portion 41 forward. In other words, the coil spring 25 elastically urges the crease knife 23 via the knife holding portion 22 so that the cutting blade 23c faces the fixed portion 26 side.

[0051] With this configuration, the drive bar 16 is rotated within a predetermined range around the axis C of the drive bar 16 by the insertion drive unit 4. The insertion drive unit 4 is composed of, for example, an actuator and a link mechanism. By rotating the drive bar 16, the holder unit 17 is swung within a predetermined range around the axis C (see arrow Y1 in FIG. 2). Specifically, the holder unit 17 is swung around the axis C so that the cutting edge 23b of the creasing knife 23 moves forward so as to be positioned directly below the hanger 12, and moves back from directly below the hanger 12. Here, the holder unit 17 has a fixed portion 26 fixed to an attachment block 18 attached to the drive bar 16. Therefore, the creasing knife 23 is elastically biased by the coil spring 25 so as to move toward the axis C.

[0052] In the following description, the position where the holder unit 17 (the incision knife 23) is fully advanced is referred to as the advanced position, and the position where the holder unit 17 (the incision knife 23) is fully retreated is referred to as the retreated position. When the holder unit 17 is in the advanced position, the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23 is pierced into the poultry thigh meat suspended from the ankle holding part 2 (details will be described later).

[0053] <Thigh meat holding part> 1, the thigh meat pressing unit 5 includes a waterproof case 55 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110, a pressing actuator (an example of a pressing force adjustment unit in the claims) 56 housed in the waterproof case 55, and a pressing bar 57 connected to a rod (not shown) of the pressing actuator 56. The thigh meat pressing unit 5 presses down the poultry thigh meat suspended from the hanger 12 from the radial outside of the hanger 12.

[0054] The pressing bar 57 protrudes outward through the waterproof case 55. The pressing bar 57 is composed of a rod portion 57a ​​which moves back and forth relative to the waterproof case 55, and a pressing bar body 57b which is bent and extended from the tip of the rod portion 57a ​​at a right angle to the rod portion 57a. The pressing bar body 57b presses the poultry thigh meat from the radially outer side of the hanger 12.

[0055] In the thigh meat pressing unit 5, when the presser bar 57 is fully advanced by the presser actuator 56, the presser bar main body 57b is positioned almost directly below the hanger 12. In addition, the thigh meat pressing unit 5 is arranged so that, when the presser bar 57 is fully retracted by the presser actuator 56, the presser bar main body 57b does not come into contact with the waterproof case 55. In the following explanation, the position in the thigh meat pressing unit 5 where the presser bar 57 is fully advanced is referred to as the pressing position, and the position where the presser bar 57 is fully retracted is referred to as the retracted position.

[0056] Here, the presser actuator 56 advances the presser bar 57 while exerting a predetermined elastic pressing force on the presser bar 57 while the presser bar 57 moves from the retracted position to the pressing position. The elastic pressing force of the presser actuator 56 is not constant, but is changed (e.g., reduced) according to the amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is pulled up by the moving part 9. That is, the presser actuator 56 also functions as a pressing force adjustment part that changes the pressing force of the presser bar 57 according to the amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is pulled up by the moving part 9. Information on the amount by which the ankle holding part 2 is pulled up is obtained from the control part 130.

[0057] <Chopping board section> The cutting board 6 is attached to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110. The cutting board 6 is disposed on the opposite side of the hanger 12 from the knife unit 3 and below the hanger 12. The cutting board 6 is formed in a plate shape so as to be located in most of the area below the hanger 12. The cutting board 6 is disposed so as to face in the vertical and radial directions.

[0058] <Ankle support part> The ankle inner pressing unit 7 includes a waterproof case 61 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110, an inner pressing actuator 62 housed in the waterproof case 61, and an inner pressing unit 63 attached to the tip of a rod 62a of the inner pressing actuator 62. The ankle inner pressing unit 7 presses the ankle area of ​​the poultry thigh meat hung on the hanger 12 from the radially inner side of the hanger 12.

[0059] The rod 62a of the inner retainer actuator 62 protrudes to the outside of the waterproof case 61 through a rod insertion hole (not shown) formed in the waterproof case 61. The inner retainer 63 attached to the protruding tip is formed in an L-shape when viewed from the radial direction. That is, the inner retainer 63 is composed of a base part 63a attached to the rod 62a and a lower plate 63b integrally formed with the lower end of the base part 63a.

[0060] The lower plate 63b extends radially outward from the base portion 63a and horizontally. A tip edge 63c of the lower plate 63b is formed so as to be parallel to the pressing bar body 57b of the thigh meat pressing portion 5. The lower plate 63b presses the ankle area of ​​the poultry thigh meat from the radially inner side.

[0061] The ankle inner holder 7 is disposed so that when the inner holder 63 is fully advanced by the inner holder actuator 62, the tip of the lower plate 63b is located directly below the hanger 12 and slightly radially inward of the hanger 12. The ankle inner holder 7 is also disposed so that when the inner holder 63 is fully retracted by the inner holder actuator 62, the inner holder 63 does not come into contact with the waterproof case 61. In the following description, the position of the ankle inner holder 7 where the inner holder 63 is fully advanced is referred to as the holding position, and the position where the inner holder 63 is fully retracted is referred to as the retracted position.

[0062] <Thigh meat inner holding part> The thigh meat inner pressing unit 8 includes a waterproof case 65 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110, a thigh meat inner pressing actuator 66 housed in the waterproof case 65, and a thigh presser 68 connected to the thigh meat inner pressing actuator 66. The thigh meat inner pressing unit 8 presses down the poultry thigh meat hung on the hanger 12 from the side opposite to the cutting board unit 6.

[0063] The thigh presser 68 comprises an attachment block 71 attached to the inner thigh presser actuator 66, and a presser plate 72 fixed to the attachment block 71. The inner thigh presser section 8 is swung by the inner thigh presser actuator 66 so that the presser plate 72 moves towards and away from the cutting board section 6. The swing range of the presser plate 72 lies between a position where the presser plate 72 faces the cutting board section 6 and is substantially parallel to the cutting board section 6, and a position where the presser plate 72 is separated from the cutting board section 6 to such an extent that it does not come into contact with the waterproof case 65. In the following description, in the inner thigh meat pressing section 8, the position where the pressing plate 72 moves forward to face the cutting board section 6 and is approximately parallel to the cutting board section 6 is referred to as the pressing position. The position where the pressing plate 72 moves backward to approach the waterproof case 65 is referred to as the retracted position.

[0064] <Thigh meat measurement part> The thigh meat measuring unit 10 comprises a waterproof case 75 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the automatic deboning device 110, a thigh meat measuring actuator 76 housed in the waterproof case 75, an encoder (not shown) provided on the thigh meat measuring actuator 76, and a measuring arm 77 connected to the thigh meat measuring actuator 76. The thigh meat measuring unit 10 measures the external shape of the poultry thigh meat when the ankle holding unit 2 is pulled up by the moving unit 9 (details will be described later).

[0065] The measuring arm 77 extends horizontally from the waterproof case 75 radially outward, and is then bent upward. A contact plate 78 that comes into contact with the poultry thigh meat is provided at the tip of the measuring arm 77. The measuring arm 77 is rotated by the thigh meat measuring actuator 76 so that the contact plate 78 moves up and down around the base end of the measuring arm 77. This rotation position is detected by an encoder (not shown). In the following description, the position where the contact plate 78 is raised in the thigh meat measuring unit 10 is referred to as the measurement position, and the position where the contact plate 78 is lowered is referred to as the retracted position.

[0066] <Operation of the incision device> Next, the operation of the incision making device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Fig. 1, first, the poultry thigh meat M to be transported to the scoring device 1 is hung at a station for feeding the poultry thigh meat M so that the ankle A is hooked on a hanger 12 provided at the ankle holding section 2. In this way, the ankle A of the poultry thigh meat M is held by the hanger 12 (ankle holding section 2) (ankle holding process).

[0067] At this time, the position of the poultry thigh meat M is such that the tibia T is positioned above and the femur F is positioned below. The length direction of the poultry thigh meat M from which the tibia T and femur F extend is the extension direction of the poultry thigh meat M. The extension direction of the poultry thigh meat M hung on the hanger 12 is approximately the same as the up-down direction.

[0068] When the ankle holding part 2 is transported from the station where the poultry thigh meat M is fed to the incision making station, the posture of the poultry thigh meat M is such that the patella P faces radially outward. Also, at this point, the holder unit 17 (knife unit 3), thigh meat pressing part 5, ankle inner pressing part 7, thigh meat inner pressing part 8, and thigh meat measuring part 10 are each in their retracted positions.

[0069] After the above steps, the thigh meat pressing portion 5, the ankle inner pressing portion 7 and the thigh meat inner pressing portion 8 are moved to the pressing position. Then, the pressing bar body 57b of the pressing bar 57 of the thigh meat pressing portion 5 and the lower plate 63b of the inner pressing portion 63 of the ankle inner pressing portion 7 clamp the poultry thigh meat M directly below the hanger 12, i.e., directly below the ankle A, in the radial direction (the pressing of the ankle by the pressing bar 57 of the thigh meat pressing portion 5 is the pressing step). This determines the position of the poultry thigh meat M near the ankle A.

[0070] Further, most of the poultry thigh meat M below the ankle A is circumferentially clamped by the cutting board portion 6 and the pressing plate 72 of the thigh meat inner pressing portion 8. This allows the poultry thigh meat M to be maintained in a constant position. Furthermore, the thigh meat measuring part 10 is moved to the measurement position. Then, the contact plate 78 of the thigh meat measuring part 10 comes into contact with the poultry thigh meat M slightly above the patella P. After this state, the holder unit 17 (knife unit 3) is moved to the forward position.

[0071] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the incision making process, with (a) to (c) showing each process. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4(a), when the holder unit 17 (knife unit 3) is in the forward position, the incision knife 23 is advanced (see arrow Y2 in Figure 2), and the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M just below the hanger 12 without penetrating the poultry thigh meat M (knife insertion process).

[0072] More specifically, the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23 is inserted into the tibia T on the side opposite the patella P, that is, along the radially inner side of the tibia T, directly below the hanger 12. In other words, the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23 is inserted into the tibia T on the side opposite the axis C, which is the pivot axis of the holder unit 17 (knife unit 3).

[0073] Since the cutting edge 23c of the crease knife 23 faces the fixed part 26, the crease knife 23 is positioned such that the flat 23a and the cutting edge 23c face the tibia T when the crease knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M. In addition, the cutting edge 23d of the crease knife 23 faces downward.

[0074] Incidentally, it is desirable that the stab position of the incision knife 23 be aligned so that the cutting tip 23b comes as close as possible to the tibia T. However, the thickness of the bones of poultry thigh meat M varies depending on the chicken species, age, farm breeding method, etc. Therefore, even if the position of the poultry thigh meat M near the ankle A is determined by the thigh meat pressing part 5 and the ankle inner pressing part 7, the position of the side of the tibia T, i.e., the stab position of the cutting tip 23b of the incision knife 23, varies slightly for each piece of poultry thigh meat M. As a result, if the stab position of the incision knife 23 is adjusted to aim as close as possible to the edge of the side of the tibia T so that the cutting tip 23b comes into contact with the tibia T, there is a possibility that the incision knife 23 will stab the tibia T.

[0075] Here, the creasing knife 23 swings (displaces) in the front-to-back direction of the creasing knife 23 about the support shaft 36 via the knife holding part 22. Moreover, the creasing knife 23 is elastically biased by the coil spring 25 so as to move toward the axis C. In other words, the coil spring 25 elastically biases the flat 23a of the creasing knife 23 toward the tibia T.

[0076] Therefore, when the incision knife 23 hits the tibia T, the cutting tip 23b of the incision knife 23 moves away in the front-to-back direction along the tibia T against the spring force of the coil spring 25 (see arrow Y3 in FIG. 2). The knife holding part 22 holds the incision knife 23 so that the incision knife 23 swings around the support shaft 36 behind the blade base 23e. As a result, the cutting tip 23b side of the incision knife 23 is displaced more in the front-to-back direction than the blade base 23e. Therefore, when the incision knife 23 hits the tibia T, the cutting tip 23b easily moves away from the tibia T.

[0077] Moreover, since the cutting edge 23c of the incision knife 23 faces the tibia T, the incision knife 23 is likely to be subjected to a force in a direction moving away from the tibia T when it hits the tibia T. As a result, the incision knife 23 is likely to move away along the tibia T. Therefore, the incision knife 23 will not pierce the tibia T. Moreover, since the incision knife 23 is elastically biased toward the tibia T, the incision knife 23 is displaced while following the tibia T as closely as possible.

[0078] Furthermore, when the slit cutting knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M, the cutting board 6 is disposed on the opposite side of the poultry thigh meat M to the slit cutting knife 23. Therefore, when the slit cutting knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M, the cutting board 6 prevents the poultry thigh meat M from escaping in the piercing direction of the slit cutting knife 23 (escape prevention process). Therefore, the scribing knife 23 is reliably inserted into the poultry thigh meat M. Furthermore, since the poultry thigh meat M is sandwiched between the cutting board portion 6 and the pressing plate 72 of the thigh meat inner pressing portion 8, the poultry thigh meat M does not flap about due to the impact when the scribing knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M.

[0079] Next, the ankle inner pressing part 7 is returned to the retracted position, and then the ankle holding part 2 is raised by the moving part 9. At this time, the pressing process is continued. By raising the ankle holding part 2, the relative movement between the poultry thigh meat M and the holder unit 17 (knife unit 3) causes the incision knife 23 to be lowered vertically relative to the poultry thigh meat M (incision process). In other words, this vertical descent is the incision movement direction of the incision knife 23.

[0080] Here, the pressing process continues until the ankle holding part 2 is lifted up to a predetermined amount (until the incision making process is completed). When the ankle holding part 2 is lifted up, the presser bar 57 of the thigh meat presser 5 elastically presses the surface of the poultry thigh meat M from the radially outer side (the patella P side) while lifting the poultry thigh meat M. That is, the presser bar 57 of the thigh meat presser 5 always elastically presses the poultry thigh meat M towards the incision making knife 23 while lifting the poultry thigh meat M. Therefore, the incision making knife 23 is reliably aligned along the tibia T while the poultry thigh meat M is lifted up.

[0081] The position of the poultry thigh meat M is such that the femur F, which is located below the patella P, is positioned radially inward of the tibia T. Therefore, when the incision knife 23 passes behind (radially inward) the patella P of the poultry thigh meat M, the femur F is slightly bent in the up-down direction at the joint of the patella P. In addition, the reaction force of the incision knife 23 pressing the femur F causes the poultry thigh meat M to be displaced radially outward.

[0082] Here, the presser actuator 56 of the thigh meat presser 5 also functions as a presser force adjusting section which changes (reduces) the presser force of the presser bar 57 depending on the amount of lifting of the ankle holding section 2 by the moving section 9. More specifically, as a presser force adjusting section, it is set so that the presser force of the presser bar 57 on the poultry thigh meat M is reduced to the minimum when the presser bar 57 passes over the patella P of the poultry thigh meat M. Therefore, when the incision knife 23 passes over the back side of the patella P, the poultry thigh meat M is appropriately allowed to be displaced radially outward (see arrow Y4 in FIG. 8(b)).

[0083] Moreover, the incision knife 23 properly moves away from the back side of the patella P and the femur F in accordance with the load applied thereto. Therefore, the incision knife 23 passes through the back side of the patella P and reaches the femoral head Fh of the femur F, without cutting into the cartilage of the joint, and reliably follows each bone T, F (see FIG. 9(c)). That is, by changing (reducing) the pressing force of the presser bar 57, the posture (position) of the bone of the poultry thigh meat M is changed so that the incision knife 23 follows the bone of the poultry thigh meat M. When the ankle holding part 2 is raised to a predetermined amount by the moving part 9 and the scoring knife 23 has completely passed through the poultry thigh meat M, scoring of the poultry thigh meat M is completed.

[0084] Furthermore, when the ankle holding part 2 is raised by the moving part 9, the contact plate 78 of the thigh meat measuring part 10 is displaced, following the radially outer shape of the poultry thigh meat M. This displacement of the contact plate 78 causes the measuring arm 77 to rotate. The rotation position of the measuring arm 77 is detected by an encoder (not shown), thereby measuring the outer shape of the part of the poultry thigh meat M that was in contact with the contact plate 78. This measurement result is used in a station where the meat is peeled off from the bone and deboned. After these operations are completed, the thigh meat presser 5 and knife unit 3 return to their retracted positions.

[0085] As described above, the incision making device 1 includes the ankle holding part 2, the knife unit 3, the piercing drive part 4, the thigh meat pressing part 5, and the moving part 9. The knife unit 3 includes a knife holding part 22 and a coil spring 25. Therefore, when the piercing drive part 4 pierces the cutting tip 23b of the incision making knife 23 along the side of the tibia T, if the incision making knife 23 hits the tibia T, the incision making knife 23 can be moved away in the front-back direction. This makes it possible to prevent the incision making knife from piercing the bone.

[0086] In addition, the coil spring 25 elastically biases the incision knife 23 so that it follows the tibia T. This allows the incision knife 23 to be reliably aligned along the tibia T. When the incision knife 23 hits the tibia T, it moves away from the tibia T, so that the incision knife 23 can be inserted as close to the side of the tibia T as possible. Furthermore, the thigh meat presser 5 prevents the bones T, F and the incision knife 23 from being displaced in directions away from each other, and allows the incision knife 23 to be moved while being in close contact with each bone T, F. This makes it possible to prevent bone fragments from remaining on the deboned poultry thigh meat M in the final process of peeling meat from the bones T, F, and to improve the yield of the deboned poultry thigh meat M.

[0087] The incision making device 1 suspends poultry thigh meat M by the ankle holding part 2. Then, by lifting the ankle holding part 2 by the moving part 9, the incision making knife 23 is moved downwards to make incisions in the poultry thigh meat M. This makes it easier to control the position of the poultry thigh meat M by utilizing gravity. Also, it makes it easier to make incisions by lining the incision making knife 23 along each bone T, F.

[0088] The crease knife 23 has a single edge. The knife holding part 22 holds the crease knife 23 so that the cutting blade 23c faces the tibia T of the poultry thigh meat M. The cutting blade 23c makes it easier for the crease knife 23 to apply a force in a direction away from the bone when it hits the tibia T. This makes it possible to more reliably pierce the crease knife 23 by aiming as closely as possible at the side edges of each bone T, F. This ensures that the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat M can be improved.

[0089] The pressing actuator 56 also functions as a pressing force adjusting unit that changes (reduces) the pressing force of the pressing bar 57 according to the amount of lifting of the ankle holding unit 2 by the moving unit 9. Therefore, even if the poultry thigh meat M is lifted in a straight line, the incision knife 23 will not cut into the cartilage of the joint until it passes through the back side of the patella P and reaches the femoral head Fh of the femur F. In other words, even if the incision knife 23 is cut in a straight line in the extending direction of the poultry thigh meat M, the incision knife 23 will not cut into the cartilage of the joint until it passes through the back side of the patella P and reaches the femoral head Fh of the femur F. That is, by changing (reducing) the pressing force of the pressing bar 57, the posture (position) of the bone of the poultry thigh meat M can be changed so that the incision knife 23 runs along the bone of the poultry thigh meat M. And the incision knife 23 can be reliably run along each bone T, F without damaging each bone T, F. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned chicken thigh meat M, and to more reliably improve the yield of the deboned chicken thigh meat M.

[0090] The knife holding part 22 holds the crease knife 23 so that the crease knife 23 swings around the support shaft 36 behind the blade base 23e. As a result, the cutting edge 23b side of the crease knife 23 is displaced in the front-to-back direction more than the blade base 23e. This makes it possible for the crease knife 23 to easily move away from each bone T, F when the cutting edge 23b of the crease knife 23 hits each bone T, F.

[0091] The swing range of the knife holding part 22 (the displacement range of the incision knife 23) is restricted by the restricting part 24. Here, if the swing range of the knife holding part 22 is unnecessarily widened, it becomes difficult to determine the position of the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23, and it becomes difficult to insert the incision knife 23 into the side edge of the tibia T. For this reason, by restricting the swing range of the knife holding part 22 by the restricting part 24, it becomes easier to insert the cutting edge 23b of the incision knife 23 into the side edge of the tibia T. As a result, the yield of deboned poultry thigh meat M can be further improved.

[0092] The regulating portion 24 is made up of a first stopper screw 48a, a first nut 48b, and a second stopper screw 49a and a second nut 49b. Therefore, the swing range of the knife holding portion 22 can be easily adjusted. The piercing drive unit 4 drives the knife unit 3 around the axis C. This makes it possible to easily retract the knife unit 3 while minimizing the amount of movement of the knife unit 3. This makes it easier to ensure a transport space for the poultry thigh meat M, and allows the incision making device 1 to be made smaller.

[0093] The incision making device 1 includes a cutting board 6. Therefore, when the incision making knife 23 is inserted into the poultry thigh meat M, the cutting board 6 can prevent the poultry thigh meat M from slipping away in the direction of the incision making knife 23. Therefore, the incision making knife 23 can be inserted reliably into the poultry thigh meat M.

[0094] The method for scoring poultry thigh meat M includes an ankle holding step, a knife inserting step, a pressing step, and a scoring step. In the knife inserting step and the scoring step, the scoring knife 23 is elastically biased so that the flat 23a of the scoring knife 23 faces each bone T, F. This makes it possible to prevent bone fragments from remaining in the deboned poultry thigh meat M in the subsequent final step of peeling meat from each bone T, F, and improves the yield of the deboned poultry thigh meat M.

[0095] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the poultry thigh meat M is suspended by the ankle holding part 2 has been described. However, this is not limited thereto, and the ankle holding part 2 may hold the ankle A of the poultry thigh meat M. The cutting board part 6 may be arranged in the horizontal direction, and the poultry thigh meat M may be placed on the cutting board part 6. The ankle A of the placed poultry thigh meat M may then be held. In this case, the knife unit 3, the piercing drive part 4, the thigh meat pressing part 5, the ankle inner pressing part 7, the thigh meat inner pressing part 8, the moving part 9, and the thigh meat measuring part 10 may be provided according to the position of the poultry thigh meat M. The moving part 9 may be configured to move the ankle holding part 2 in the horizontal direction.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the ankle holding part 2 is moved by the moving part 9, and the incision making knife 23 makes incisions in the poultry thigh meat M. However, this is not limited to the above, and it is sufficient that the moving part 9 is configured so that at least one of the ankle holding part 2 and the knife unit 3 moves relative to the other in the extension direction of the poultry thigh meat M. It is sufficient that the incision making knife 23 moves relative to the poultry thigh meat M by the moving part 9, and makes incisions.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the knife holding part 22 holds the creasing knife 23 so that the creasing knife 23 swings around the support shaft 36 behind the blade base 23e. This causes the creasing knife 23 to displace in the front-to-back direction. Then, the creasing knife 23 moves away from each bone T, F when the cutting edge 23b of the creasing knife 23 hits each bone T, F. However, this is not limited to the above, and the knife holding part 22 may be configured to hold the creasing knife 23 so that it can be displaced in the front-to-back direction. For example, the entire creasing knife 23 may be configured to displace in parallel.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the knife unit 3 is rotated about the axis C by the piercing drive unit 4, and thereby the holder unit 17 moves between the forward position and the retracted position. However, this is not limited to this, and the piercing drive unit 4 may be configured to move the holder unit 17 in a straight line and pierce the cutting edge 23b of the crease knife 23 into the poultry thigh meat M.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the coil spring 25 is used as the biasing part that elastically biases the flat 23a of the incision knife 23 toward the tibia T. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the biasing part may be any member that elastically biases the incision knife 23. For example, rubber, sponge, or the like may be used instead of the coil spring 25.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the regulating part 24 that regulates the displacement range of the knife holding part 22 is described as including the first stopper screw 48a and the first nut 48b, and the second stopper screw 49a and the second nut 49b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the regulating part 24 may be configured to regulate the displacement range of the knife holding part 22. For example, convex parts may be formed in place of the stopper screws 48a and 49a.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the creasing knife 23 is described as having a so-called single edge. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the creasing knife 23 may have a double edge. In this case, the flat surface 23a of the creasing knife 23 refers to both flat surfaces in the front and back directions of the creasing knife 23. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1...score inserting device (poultry thigh meat core inserting device), 2...ankle holding part, 3...knife unit, 4...piercing drive part, 5...thigh meat pressing part, 6...cutting board part, 8...thigh meat inner pressing part, 9...moving part, 12...hanger (ankle holding part), 22...knife holding part, 23...score inserting knife, 23a...flat, 23b...cutting tip, 23c...cutting blade, 23d...blade tip, 23e...teeth base, 24...regulating part, 25...coil spring (biasing part), 48a...first stopper screw (regulating part), 49a...second stopper screw (regulating part), 56...pressure actuator (pressure force adjusting part), A...ankle, C...axis (axis line), Fh...femoral head, M...poultry thigh meat, P...patella, T...tibia

Claims

1. An ankle holder for holding an ankle of a bone-in chicken thigh cut from a femur of a chicken carcass and suspending the chicken thigh; a knife unit having a creasing knife; a piercing drive unit that drives the knife unit so as to pierce the tip of the incision knife along a side of the tibia opposite to the patella in the poultry thigh meat held by the ankle holding unit; a thigh meat pressing portion that elastically presses the surface of the chicken thigh meat from the patella side; a moving unit that moves at least one of the ankle holding unit and the knife unit up and down so that the incision knife moves downward to incision the poultry thigh meat held by the ankle holding unit; Equipped with The knife unit includes: a knife holder for holding the crease knife such that the tip of the knife faces in the crease movement direction of the crease knife and in a direction opposite to the ankle holder; a biasing portion for elastically biasing the incision knife in a front-back direction of the incision knife toward the bone of the poultry thigh meat; Equipped with The knife holding portion is rotatably supported on a support shaft provided behind the blade base, and the crease knife is swung around the support shaft, and the crease knife is held so that the cutting tip side is displaced in the front-back direction more than the blade base, The support shaft extends in the vertical direction. A poultry thigh meat muscle inserting device characterized by the above.

2. 2. The poultry thigh meat tendon cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the thigh meat pressing unit has a pressing force adjusting unit which changes the position of the bone of the poultry thigh meat so that the tendon cutting knife fits along the bone of the poultry thigh meat by changing the pressing force on the poultry thigh meat in accordance with the amount of relative movement between the ankle holding unit and the knife unit by the moving unit.

3. 3. The poultry thigh meat scoring device according to claim 1, wherein the knife holding portion includes a restricting portion that restricts a displacement range of the scoring knife.

4. A cutting board portion is provided for preventing the stripping knife from slipping away from the chicken thigh meat in the direction of insertion.

4. The poultry thigh meat muscle inserting device according to claim 1,

5. an ankle holding step of holding an ankle of a bone-in chicken thigh meat cut from a femur of a chicken carcass; a knife piercing step of piercing the poultry thigh meat in the vicinity of the ankle along a side of the tibia of the poultry thigh meat opposite to the patella, without penetrating the poultry thigh meat; a pressing step of elastically pressing the surface of the poultry thigh meat from the patella side after the knife piercing step; and a scoring step of moving the scoring knife in a straight line to the femoral head of the poultry thigh meat while continuing the pressing step, to score the poultry thigh meat along the bone, In the ankle holding step, the poultry thigh meat is suspended, In the crease making step, the crease making knife is vertically lowered, In the knife piercing step and the incision making step, the incision making knife is swung around a support shaft extending in the vertical direction behind the blade base, and the incision making knife is elastically biased so that the flat of the incision making knife faces the bone while the cutting edge side of the incision making knife is displaced in the front-back direction more than the blade base. The automatic muscle-inserting method for poultry thigh meat is characterized by the above.

6. In the pressing step, when the movement amount of the incision knife exceeds a predetermined amount during the incision process, the pressing force on the poultry thigh meat is reduced.

6. The automatic muscle-inserting method for poultry thigh meat according to claim 5.

7. 7. The automatic muscle-inserting method for poultry thigh meat according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the knife piercing step, the pressing step and the incision-inserting step include an escape holding step of preventing the poultry thigh meat from escaping in the piercing direction of the incision-inserting knife.

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