DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING TISSUE FROM AN INTESTINE.

Abstract

The invention relates to a tissue separator device for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, particularly a pig, sheep, or cattle, where the intestine is connected to the rest of the group via tissue. The tissue separator device comprises a guide device having at least one guide surface configured to contact the intestine and a tissue cutting device configured to provide separation in the tissue adjacent to the intestine. The guide device further comprises a first guide element and a second guide element that can be moved relative to each other to define a space configured to accommodate the tissue. The space has a variable width.The tissue cutting device is configured to operate in space, wherein the tissue separating device further comprises an elastic element configured to exert a force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, wherein the force of the elastic element drives the first guide element and the second guide element towards each other.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING TISSUE FROM AN INTESTINE FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to the field of intestinal extraction from an animal organ and tissue. More specifically, the invention relates to a device and method for separating intestinal tissue from an animal during an intestinal extraction process. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Animal intestines, particularly the small intestines connecting the stomach and large intestines, are a valuable and highly prized natural product when properly processed. They can be used, for example, as casings, skins, or casings for sausages, and for other purposes. This is especially true for pig, sheep, or cattle intestines. In an animal slaughter process, a group of organs is removed from an animal's body cavity. Subsequently, the organs and tissues are separated from the group for further processing. In one of these separation steps, at least a portion of the group comprising an intestine and at least one other organ, such as the stomach and tissue, is conveyed to an intestine separation station to separate the intestine from the rest of the group or portion of the group. The group or portion of the group may be suspended from a support on a mechanical transport device, such as a conveyor. The conveyor, which may be an endless conveyor, comprises a series of supports, each of which carries a group or portion of the group. When the supports are moved continuously or intermittently, one group or portion of the group at a time is presented at the intestine separation station. The intestine separation station may be part of a so-called intestine room for processing intestines. Traditionally, at a separation station, a person separates the intestine by hand. The person holds a knife, comprising a handle and an elongated cutting blade on one side, like a razor blade, attached to the handle. The knife and the intestine, while still attached to the bundle or part of the bundle, move relative to each other, so the knife moves very close to the intestine near its outer surface and in its longitudinal direction. In the process of separating the intestine, it must be separated from the deformable adipose tissue in which the blood vessels leading to and from the intestine are embedded. These blood vessels are also referred to as whiskers. During intestinal removal, it is essential to ensure that the separation or cut is made as close to the intestine as possible to remove as much adipose tissue as possible and obtain an intestine with whiskers of the shortest possible length, without damaging the intestine. The person, or operator, handling the knife must be trained and experienced in performing this task, which takes a relatively long time to practice. The working position required for the operator's hand to hold the knife is quite unnatural and uncomfortable and can cause symptoms in the operator's hand, arm, and related body parts. NL2015948C2 discloses an intestine separator device for separating adipose tissue from an intestine removed from an animal. The intestine separator device comprises a guide device that defines a space with a tissue-cutting device operating therein. The adipose tissue attached to the intestine is accommodated in the space and stretched by the guide device. The tissue-cutting device cuts the adipose tissue from the intestine, leaving whiskers of minimal length. The guiding device comprises two guiding elements, or fingers, with the distance between them controlled by an operator via hand controls. The hand controls are deflected to a fully open position by a spring-loaded force. Moving the hand controls toward each other brings the guiding elements closer together. The operator controls the distance between the guiding elements by pressing the hand controls together against the spring force. In use, the operator reduces the distance between the guiding elements from the fully open initial position to the desired distance based on the tactile feedback provided by the interaction between the device and the intestine being processed.This allows the operator to process intestines of slightly different sizes, but it also makes the operator dependent on the quality of the extracted intestine and causes the operator's hand to tire. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It would be desirable to provide a tissue separator and a method for separating tissue from an intestine with reduced operator dependence and reduced operator strain. Reduced operator dependence can enable less-skilled workers to produce consistently high-quality results, while reduced operator strain can allow for faster work, with fewer errors resulting in product loss and / or longer work intervals between breaks. Reduced operator dependence can also involve incorporating the tissue separator. ML / t / ZUZZ / U í 4ÓOU MA / IZ / ZUZZ / U / in an automated system, where the tissue separating device is connected to a mechanical handling device such as a robotic arm. To address one or more of these problems, in a first aspect of the invention, a tissue separator device is provided for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, in particular a pig, sheep, or bovine, wherein the intestine is connected to the rest of the group through tissue, the tissue separator device comprising: a guide device having at least one guide surface configured to come into contact with the intestine; A tissue-cutting device configured to provide separation in tissue near the intestine, wherein the guide device further comprises a first guide element and a second guide element that can be moved relative to each other to define a space configured to accommodate said tissue, wherein the space has a variable width, wherein the tissue-cutting device is configured to be operative in the space, wherein the tissue-separating device further comprises an elastic element configured to exert an elastic element force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, wherein the elastic element force drives the first guide element and the second guide element towards each other. The space can be opened when the first guide element is at a distance from the second guide element. The bowel retractor also allows the space to be closed, or almost closed, when the first guide element rests against the second guide element, or almost rests against the second guide element, leaving a minimal distance between the first and second guide elements. In use, a bowel is moved along the separating device to guide the tissue within the space toward a tissue separating site where the tissue cutting device operates. Within this space, friction generated between the first and second guide elements on one side and the tissue on the other causes the tissue to be pulled taut near the separating site, ensuring reliable and easy separation. A variable gap width allows for adjustment of the actual gap width to the actual tissue thickness as it moves along the gap toward the tissue separation point, where the thickness extends in the gap width direction. Tissue thickness can vary not only from one animal's intestine to another's intestine, but also during processing, where the tissue may have varying thicknesses at different locations along its length. The gap width is determined by the interaction of forces exerted on at least one of the tissue guide elements and by the elastic element. MA / IZ / ZUZZ / U / can be a spring, such as a torsion spring, that provides a force that tends to decrease the width of the space by forcing the guide elements toward each other. The force exerted by the elastic element can be adjusted. If the elastic element is a spring, the force exerted by the elastic element can be adjusted by changing the spring's pretension. The variable width of the gap, in which the fabric moves to reach the parting point, due to the first and second guide elements being able to move relative to each other, allows the fabric to reach the parting point without jamming. Jamming can occur in a gap with a fixed width that would be too narrow for some parts of the fabric to pass through, preventing it from reaching the parting point. Furthermore, the variable width of the gap allows the fabric to reach the parting point while generating sufficient friction between the fabric and the first and second guide elements without the friction being too low or even zero in a gap. Therefore, excessively low friction can occur in a gap with a fixed width that would be wider than the thickness of at least some parts of the fabric. In contrast to the NL2015948C2 device, the elastic element forces the guide elements toward each other rather than away from each other. As a result, the width of the space in use is determined by the interaction between the force of the elastic element and the force exerted by the bowel alone, rather than by a compressive action from the operator. Allowing the space width to be determined by operator-independent quantities reduces the operator's workload and ensures consistent results. This reduces operator dependence and strain, particularly on the operator's hand and arm muscles. In one embodiment of the tissue separator device, the first and second guide elements can rotate relative to each other to vary the gap width, allowing for reliable positioning of the guide elements. In another embodiment of the tissue separator device, the first guide element is fixed relative to the tissue cutting device, while the second guide element is movable relative to the cutting device, allowing for a relatively simple construction, particularly of the first guide element. In another embodiment of the tissue separator device, the second guide element can rotate around an axis of rotation of the guide element. In yet another embodiment of the tissue separator device, the elastic element is configured to exert a force on the second guide element, forcing it toward the first guide. In one embodiment of the tissue separator device, the space formed by the first guide element and the second guide element comprises a narrowed tissue inlet area. In another embodiment of the tissue separator device, the first guide element and the second guide element each comprise a rounded end portion in a tissue inlet area of ​​the space. A narrowing tissue entry area—that is, a constriction in the area of ​​the space where the tissue enters—promotes easy tissue capture and smooth tissue movement into the space, even if the tissue sways as a result of its movement. A similar effect is achieved by designing the first and second guide elements to have a rounded end portion. In one embodiment of the tissue separator device, the first guide element comprises a first guide surface and the second guide element comprises a second guide surface, wherein the first guide surface and the second guide surface are configured to come into at least partial contact with the intestine. The first and second guide surfaces serve to maintain a predetermined distance between the tissue separation point created by the tissue retractor and the intestinal surface. This ensures that the tissue is separated from the intestine at a short distance without damaging it. The first and second guide surfaces perform their function reliably even with varying gap widths. In one embodiment of the tissue separating device, the first guide element comprises a first side facing a second side of the second guide element, wherein the first side and the second side define the space. The first and second sides may be substantially flat surfaces. These flat surfaces may extend, when no guide tissue is used between them, substantially parallel to each other, or, when guide tissue is used between them, may extend at an angle of no more than 20° to each other when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a direction of tissue movement through space. Thus, at least a portion of the first and second sides may, when using the bowel retractor, be in contact with the tissue to generate a frictional force to promote optimal tissue separation by the retractor. In one embodiment of the tissue retractor, the tissue retractor comprises a stop element to limit the movement of the first and second guide elements toward each other. Alternatively, the tissue retractor may also comprise a stop element to limit the movement of the first and second guide elements away from each other. These stop elements limit the relative range of movement of the guide elements and establish a minimum and / or maximum gap width. This prevents damage to the tissue and / or intestine due to tissue becoming lodged in the gap if the gap width is too small, and prevents damage to the tissue or the tissue retractor if the gap width becomes too large. In one embodiment of the tissue separator device, the tissue cutting device comprises a rotaryly driven cutting element. When using a device to separate an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, approximately 20 meters of intestine will be processed in less than 10 seconds. Assuming continuous operation, 8 hours of use of the intestine separator device translates to a cutting length of over 57 kilometers. By providing a rotaryly driven cutting element, a relatively long operating time for the tissue separator can be achieved, unlike, for example, with the use of a stationary cutting element such as a razor blade. In another embodiment of the tissue separating device, the cutting element is a circular knife having a peripheral cutting edge, in particular, but not limited to, a smooth (i.e., non-serrated) cutting edge. In practice, a circular knife of this type has proven to have high performance, particularly in terms of long operating times, low wear, easy replacement, etc. In another embodiment of the tissue separator device, part of the cutting edge extends across the space. This ensures that the tissue is cut close to the intestine, minimizing whisker length. In another embodiment of the tissue separating device, the cutting element extends in a plane that extends at an angle between 20° and 60°, particularly around 45°, to the guide surface of the guide device. Positioning the plane of the rotating cutting element at an angle to the guide surface of the guide device means that, during the separation process, the separated tissue diverges from the intestine. This pulls the intestine against the guide surface(s) of the guide device, closely following them to maintain a small, constant distance between the intestinal surface and the actual separation point in the tissue. This ensures a consistent and small whisker length. In one embodiment of the tissue separator device, the tissue separator device comprises a fluid supply conduit configured to supply fluid to the tissue cutting device. The supply of fluid to the tissue cutting device, particularly the supply of hot water at a temperature between 20°C and 60°C, specifically 40°C, has a cleaning effect on the device, removing tissue residue. The relatively high water temperature prevents the tissue residue from solidifying and adhering to the cutting device, which would impede its operation. Furthermore, ML / Water may be supplied to at least a portion of the space area, particularly the area where the tissue-cutting device acts on the tissue, to provide a lubricating effect that improves tissue passage and the cutting action of the tissue-cutting device. The fluid may also include lubricating, cleaning, or disinfecting additives that enhance its effectiveness. The fluid may also be used to cool a motor or drive train that powers the cutting element. The fluid may include additives that improve its cooling efficiency. Alternatively, the tissue-separating device may include a separate coolant supply. This fluid may be a liquid such as water, with or without additives, or a gas such as air.When a gas is used, it can be supplied at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, so the engine or drivetrain operates in a pressurized environment. This reduces the chances of any liquid reaching the engine or drivetrain. In one embodiment of the tissue separator, the cutting element is driven by an electric motor. The electric motor can be integrated into the tissue separator and directly coupled to the cutting element. This allows for efficient power transfer to the cutting element and reduces the complexity of the drive train. Furthermore, it eliminates the need to connect transmission cables, pressurized hydraulic lines, or pressurized air lines to the tissue separator, thus reducing the weight and complexity of the device and its connected lines, as well as the rigidity of those lines. Alternatively, the motor can be external. In this case, the cutting element can be driven by a transmission cable or by air, water, or another fluid that drives an internal turbine connected to the cutting element. In a separate and independent aspect of the invention, a method is provided for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, in particular a pig, sheep, or bovine, wherein the intestine is connected to the rest of the group through tissue, the method comprising: move the intestine in its longitudinal direction with respect to a guide device; guiding the tissue in a space of the guide device, wherein the guide device comprises a first guide element and a second guide element that define the space, and which can be moved relatively towards and away from each other to vary the width of the space, wherein the first guide element and the second guide element are elastically forced towards each other by the force of an elastic element, and wherein at least one guide surface of the guide device comes into contact with the intestine; to allow the tissue to exert a force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, where the width of the space is determined by the interaction between the force of the elastic element and the force exerted by the tissue; and to provide, in space, a separation in the tissue near the intestine. In another embodiment of the method, the first guide element is rigidly mounted on a tissue separating device, wherein the second guide element is movably mounted on the tissue separating device, wherein the force of the elastic element is provided by an elastic element acting on the second guide element. These and other aspects of the invention will be more easily appreciated as they are better understood with reference to the following detailed description and considered in relation to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference symbols designate similar parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a tissue separator device according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a top view of the tissue separator device from Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a bottom view of a portion of a tissue separating device according to the invention, in which a space is closed between a first guide element and a second guide element. Figure 4A shows a top view of a portion of a tissue separating device according to the invention in which a space is closed between a first guide element and a second guide element. Figure 4B shows the top view of the tissue separator device portion of Figure 4A, where the space is open. Figure 5 shows a rear view of an embodiment of a tissue separator device according to the invention. Figure 6 schematically illustrates a method in which a tissue separator device is used to separate an intestine from the tissue. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The figures show a tissue separator device 1 according to the invention. The tissue separator device 1 comprises a guide device 6 configured to guide tissue 5 (Figure 6) to a tissue cutting device 8. The tissue cutting device 6 is configured to separate tissue 5 from an intestine 2. In this way, an intestine 2 can be separated from a group of organs 3 to which it is attached by tissue 5. The intestine can be from any animal, particularly a pig, sheep, or cattle. The guide device comprises a first guide element 9 and a second guide element 10, with a variable-width gap 11 between the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10. The width of the gap 11 can change due to the relative movement of the first and second guide elements 9, 10. This movement is controlled by an elastic element 12, which may be implemented as a spring and which exerts a force that tends to push the first and second guide elements 9, 10 toward each other. The fabric 5 is guided by the guide device 6 through the gap 11 to the fabric cutting device 8. The guide device 6 comprises a tapering fabric entry area 14 comprising rounded end portions 15 of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10, so that the fabric 5 can smoothly enter between the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10. The tissue separator device 1 comprises an internal fluid channel 110, which is configured to transport fluid from the fluid supply conduit 25 to the rotaryly driven cutting element 22. This fluid cleans, lubricates and / or disinfects the rotaryly driven cutting element 22 during use of the tissue separator device 1. Figure 2 shows a top view of the tissue separating device 1. The tissue cutting device 8 is a rotary-driven cutting element 22, more specifically a circular knife 23. The circular knife 23 is driven by an electric motor, which can be a three-phase electric motor powered through three electrical power cables 102 from a single cable 101. The electric motor can be directly coupled to the rotary-driven cutting element 22. The electric motor is controlled via electrical control cables 103. The electrical power supplied to the electric motor through the electrical power cables 102 is controlled, for example, by an on / off switch, via the electrical control cables 103.The rotary-driven cutting element 22 extends in a plane extending at an angle between 20° and 60°, particularly around 45°, to the guide surfaces 16, 17 of the guide device 6. Figures 3 to 4B show detailed views of the tissue separator device head 1 with space 11 closed (Figures 3 and 4A) and with space 11 open (Figure 4B). In the embodiment shown, the second guide element 10 can rotate about a rotation axis of guide element 10A and is forced toward the first guide element 9 by a spring 107. The force exerted by spring 107 on the second guide element 10 can be adjusted by changing the pretension of spring 107 using a spring pretension adjuster 108 having predetermined pretension settings marked from 8. Other adjustment means may be present if a different type of elastic element 12 is used instead of spring 107. The properties of the intestine 2 and connective tissue 5 of different animals may vary, for example, ML / t / ZUZZ / U 7 4ÓOU between different species or different breeds within a species. Allowing the force exerted by the elastic element to be adjusted makes it possible to adapt the tissue separator device 1 for use on different types of intestines, for example, for intestines of different animal species or different breeds of the same species. A comparison of Figures 3, 4A, and 4B shows that, due to the rotation of the second guide element 10 relative to the first guide element 9 when opening the space 11, the first side 18 and the second side 19 of the blade 11 extend at a relative angle to each other. This gives the space 11 a conical shape, narrowing towards the peripheral edge 24 of the circular knife 23. The angle increases with the width of the space: if the space is wider, the angle increases. The tissue retractor 1 comprises a stop element 20 that limits how far the space 11 can open by restricting the range of motion of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10 relative to each other. In the depicted embodiment, the stop element 20 limits the movement of the second guide element 10. This establishes an upper limit for the width of the space 11, such that it may be impossible or highly unlikely for a finger or other body part of a user of the tissue retractor 1 to come into contact with the peripheral edge 24 of the circular knife 23. This reduces the risk of injury to the user. The tissue separator device 1 may also include another stop element to limit the movement of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10 towards each other. In the represented embodiment, the first and second guide elements 9, 10 may touch each other, so a separate stop element is not required to limit the movement of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10 towards each other. Figure 4B shows that the peripheral cutting edge 24 extends partially through the space 11, so that the cutting action of the circular knife 23 takes place in the space. The circular knife 23 has a smooth peripheral cutting edge 24. Figure 5 shows a rear view of the tissue separator device 1, showing the connections to the three power cables 102 and the two electrical control cables 103 on the electrical cable 101, as well as a fluid supply conduit 25. More or fewer power cables and electrical control cables can be used in alternative embodiments according to the invention, for example, when the electric motor is a single-phase AC motor or a DC motor, for example, a brushless DC motor. Figure 6 illustrates a method for separating tissue 5 from an intestine 2 of an animal, particularly a pig, sheep, or cattle. The intestine 2 is connected to a group of organs 3 that rests on a table or other support structure by tissue 5. The group of organs 3 can also be suspended from a hook, rail, or other hanging device, possibly a portable hanging device. The intestine 2 moves longitudinally relative to a guide device 6, such that the tissue 5 attached to the intestine 2 is guided into a space 11 of the guide device 6. The guide device may be part of a tissue separator device 1 as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The longitudinal movement of the intestine 3 relative to the guide device 6 is achieved by pulling on the intestine 2. At least one guide surface 16,17 of the guide device 6 comes into contact with intestine 2. Space 11 is defined by a first guide element 9 and a second guide element 10, which guide elements 9, 10 can be moved closer together and further apart to vary the width of space 11. The first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10 are elastically forced toward each other. Tissue 5 exerts force on at least one of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10. The width of space 11 is then determined by the interaction between the force of the elastic element and the force of tissue 5 on at least one of the first guide element 9 and the second guide element 10. In the space, tissue 5 is separated from intestine 2 close to intestine 2, so that very little tissue 5 remains in intestine 2 and the whisker length is minimized.In the embodiment shown, the first guide element 9 is fixedly mounted on the tissue separator device 1 and the second guide element 10 is movably mounted on the tissue separator device 1. The force of the elastic element is provided by an elastic element 12 acting on the second guide element 10. As explained in detail above, a tissue separator device is disclosed for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, particularly a pig, sheep, or cattle, where the intestine is connected to the rest of the group via tissue. The tissue separator device comprises a guide device having at least one guide surface configured to contact the intestine and a tissue-cutting device configured to provide separation in the tissue adjacent to the intestine. The guide device further comprises a first guide element and a second guide element that can be moved relative to each other to define a space configured to accommodate said tissue. The width of the space is variable.The tissue cutting device is configured to operate in space, wherein the tissue separating device further comprises an elastic element configured to exert a force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, wherein the force of the elastic element drives the first guide element and the second guide element towards each other. As necessary, detailed embodiments of the present invention are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention, which can be implemented in various ways. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching a person skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriate detailed structure. Furthermore, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather to provide a clear and understandable description of the invention. The terms "a / an," as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term "plurality," as used herein, is defined as two or more. The term "other," as used herein, is defined as at least one or more. The terms "including" and "having," as used herein, are defined as comprehensive (i.e., open language, not excluding other elements or steps). Any reference sign in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or the invention. The mere fact that certain measures are mentioned in mutually dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The term coupled, as used here, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically.

Claims

1. A tissue separator device for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, in particular porcine, ovine or bovine, wherein the intestine is connected to the rest of the group via connecting tissue, the tissue separator device comprising: a. a guide device having at least one guide surface configured to come into contact with the intestine; b.A tissue-cutting device configured to provide separation in connective tissue near the intestine, wherein the guide device further comprises a first guide element and a second guide element movable relative to each other to define a space configured to accommodate said connective tissue, wherein the space has a variable width, wherein the tissue-cutting device is configured to be operative in the space, wherein the tissue-separating device further comprises an elastic element configured to exert an elastic element force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, wherein the elastic element force drives the first guide element and the second guide element toward each other.

2. The tissue separating device according to claim 1, wherein the first guide element and the second guide element can be rotated relative to each other to vary the width of the space.

3. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first guide element is fixed with respect to the tissue cutting device and the second guide element is movable with respect to the tissue cutting device.

4. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second guide element can rotate about an axis of rotation of the guide element.

5. The tissue separator device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the elastic element is configured to exert a force on the second guide element such that the second guide element is forced towards the first guide element to minimize the width of the gap.

6. The tissue separator device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the force exerted by the elastic element is adaptable.

7. The tissue separator device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastic element is a spring.

8. The tissue separator device according to the preceding claim, wherein the force exerted by the spring can be adapted by changing the spring's pretension.

9. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the space formed by the first guide element and the second guide element comprises a narrowing tissue entry area.

10. The tissue separator device according to the preceding claim, wherein the first guide element and the second guide element each comprise a rounded end portion in a tissue entry area of ​​the space.

11. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first guide element comprises a first guide surface and the second guide element comprises a second guide surface, wherein the first guide surface and the second guide surface are configured to come into at least partial contact with the intestine.

12. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first guide element comprises a first side facing a second side of the second guide element, wherein the first side and the second side define the space.

13. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a stop element for limiting the movement of the first guide element and the second guide element towards each other.

14. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a stop element for limiting the movement of the first guide element and the second guide element moving away from each other.

15. The tissue separating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tissue cutting device comprises a rotaryly driven cutting element.

16. The tissue separating device according to the preceding claim, wherein the cutting element is a circular knife having a peripheral cutting edge.

17. The tissue separator device according to the preceding claim, wherein the cutting edge is smooth.

18. The tissue separating device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein part of the cutting edge extends through the space.

19. The tissue separating device according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein the cutting element extends in a plane extending at an angle between 20° and 60°, in particular around 45°, to the guide surface of the guide device.

20. The tissue separator device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a fluid supply conduit configured to supply fluid to the tissue cutting device.

21. The tissue separator device according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the cutting element is driven by an electric motor.

22. The tissue separator device according to the preceding claim, wherein the electric motor is directly coupled to the cutting element.

23. A method for separating an intestine from a group of organs removed from an animal, in particular a pig, sheep, or bovine animal, wherein the intestine is connected to the rest of the group via connective tissue, the method comprising: a. moving the intestine in its longitudinal direction with respect to a guide device; b. guiding the connective tissue in a space of the guide device, wherein the guide device comprises a first guide element and a second guide element that define the space and can be moved toward and away from each other to vary the width of the space, wherein the first guide element and the second guide element are elastically forced toward each other by the force of an elastic element, and wherein at least one guide surface of the guide device comes into contact with the intestine; c.allow the connective tissue to exert a force on at least one of the first guide element and the second guide element, where the width of the space is determined by the interaction between the force of the elastic element and the force exerted by the connective tissue; and d. provide, in space, a separation in the connective tissue near the intestine.

24. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the first guide element is rigidly mounted on a tissue separating device, wherein the second guide element is movably mounted on the tissue separating device, and wherein the force of the elastic element is provided by an elastic element acting on the second guide element.

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