Adjustable Roller Chain Shrimp Peeler for Maritime Vessels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shrimp peeling machines are inefficient and angle-sensitive, making them unsuitable for use on maritime vessels like shrimp trawlers, resulting in suboptimal processing and the need for double freezing and thawing, which degrades the quality of the final product.

Innovation Solution

A shrimp peeling machine with a closed chain of cylindrical rollers, where the longitudinal axis is 90 degrees to the peeling direction, equipped with friction bearings and position regulation guys, allowing for adjustable roller positions and efficient peeling without angle sensitivity, enabling operation on maritime boats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If skewed parallel rollers are used for peeling shrimp, then the shrimp peeling machine can operate on land-based facilities, but the efficiency becomes dependent on the skew angle which changes on maritime vessels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeeling efficiencyVSAvoidadaptability to maritime environment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static skewed roller configuration into a dynamic system where cylindrical rollers can be independently adjusted in position and orientation. The rollers are mounted on adjustable supports that allow changing their angular position relative to the shrimp travel direction, enabling adaptation to different operating conditions on maritime vessels while maintaining effective peeling action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the key geometric parameter from fixed skew angle to adjustable roller orientation. By allowing continuous adjustment of the rollers' angular position and spacing, the system can optimize peeling efficiency for various shrimp sizes and vessel motion conditions, eliminating the angle sensitivity problem of fixed skewed rollers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If shrimp are frozen on trawlers and thawed before peeling on land, then the shrimp can be processed, but the quality degrades due to double freezing and extended processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoidproduct quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables preliminary peeling action to be performed on the trawler immediately after catch, before freezing is required. By making the peeling machine maritime-adaptable, shrimp can be peeled fresh onboard, eliminating the need for freezing-thawing cycles and associated quality losses, while maintaining high processing throughput through continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the roller position is fixed in known shrimp peeling machines, then the structure is simple, but it is not possible to adjust the mutual position between rollers for optimal peeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidpeeling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the roller positioning system while maintaining structural simplicity. The rollers are mounted on supports with adjustment mechanisms that allow easy modification of roller positions and orientations without complex reconfiguration, enabling optimization of peeling efficiency for different shrimp types and sizes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows for immediate peeling of shrimps on trawlers, avoiding freezing and improving product quality, optimizing the manufacturing process by completing it on the vessel, thus enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

the shrimps are shelled, by friction between the activated rollers and the released shells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2701520B1Shrimp peeling machine and method and application
Publication Date: 2017.12.06 VITTRUP ANDERS
  • EP2701520B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2701520B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2701520B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A shrimp peeling machine (1) is provided with a closed chain (3) consisting of a number of joints (14,15), which contain cylindrical rollers (4, 5, 6). The cylindrical rollers' longitudinal axis is displaced 90 degrees in relation to the shrimp peeling process direction (13). The rollers can be turned by activation of toothed wheel (7), the chain operated by at least one toothed wheel (12), which is connected to a motor device (10,11). The rollers' mutual placement can be adjusted using position regulation guys (17). It is hereby achieved that the shrimp peeling machine, contrary to the hitherto known technique, can be mounted and function in shrimp trawlers. With the invention, in a continuous process, shrimp can be landed in a shrimp trawler and be boiled, peeled and packaged on the vessel and thus be ready for sale to the consumers, as soon as the trawler reaches harbour.