Angled Sausage Slice Forming via Oblique Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is no economical process for producing high volumes of sliced, semi-moist, shelf-stable meat patties that appear to have been cut at an angle from a conventional round skinned sausage log, either for human or pet food consumption, as existing pet food manufacturing processes fail to meet the requirements of cost-effectively manufacturing such products.
Innovation Solution
The use of angled knockout cavities and cups in a forming system that simulates an angled cut, allowing for the production of meat or proteinaceous products with angled edges, resembling hand-cut skinned sausage slices, by modifying the die cavities and knockout plunger system to create angled sausage slices with visible ingredients like beef muscle chunks or apples, and adjusting the composition and processing conditions to achieve a semi-moist and shelf-stable product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional vertical knockout cups are used in patty forming plates, then large quantities of food can be processed efficiently, but the products have uniform disc-like shapes that lack aesthetic appeal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by using knockout cups with angled axes (e.g., 45 degrees from vertical) instead of vertical knockout cups. This asymmetric arrangement causes the meat emulsion to be ejected at an angle, creating irregular, non-uniform shapes that resemble hand-cut sausage slices, thereby improving aesthetic appeal while maintaining production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension by tilting the knockout cup axes at an angle relative to the vertical direction. This angular orientation adds a dimensional component to the ejection process, transforming the traditional vertical ejection path into an angled trajectory that produces irregular, visually appealing product shapes
2Ease of operation
If semi-moist pet food is produced to improve palatability and texture, then the product becomes more appealing to pets, but the shelf life is significantly reduced without refrigeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the moisture content of the meat emulsion during formulation and processing. By optimizing the water activity and moisture levels within specific ranges, the product achieves semi-moist texture for palatability while preventing excessive moisture that would lead to rapid spoilage, thereby extending shelf life without refrigeration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining meat emulsion with binders, preservatives, and other functional ingredients in specific formulations. These composite formulations create a matrix that maintains semi-moist texture for pet palatability while incorporating components that inhibit microbial growth and oxidation, enabling long-term storage stability
3Ease of operation
If high moisture meat products are produced to improve texture and palatability, then the product becomes more appealing, but the products spoil quickly and require canning or refrigeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the moisture content and water activity of the meat emulsion. By formulating the product with optimized moisture levels that are high enough for desirable texture and palatability but controlled enough to prevent rapid microbial proliferation, the product achieves both quality attributes and storage stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preservatives and antioxidants as protective agents that extend product life without requiring expensive canning or refrigeration infrastructure. These additive components act as affordable, effective means to stabilize the high-moisture meat product against spoilage during storage
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed for manufacturing slices of sausages that appear to have been cut from a conventional round sausage log at an angle. An illustrative embodiment provides a manufacturing process for making portions to be finished into angled pet treats comprising: (a) providing a ground mix of proteinaceous material, flavor enhancers and preservatives to a forming chamber comprising: a fixed base surface, a fixed top surface, and a movable intermediate section insertable between said base and top surfaces, said intermediate section having a plurality of die cavities that each have a central axis oblique to the surface of said intermediate plate, said top surface having a plurality of feeder holes that overlap at least partially with said die cavities, (b) filling said plurality of die cavities via said feeder holes with said foodstuff, thereby forming a plurality of portions in shapes and dimensions that generally correspond to the shapes and dimensions of said die cavities, (b) moving said intermediate section containing said plurality of portions out of said chamber, (c) forcibly ejecting said portions with a plurality of longitudinal elements that reciprocate in and out of said die cavities along said central axis, thereby forming angled pet treats.