Automated Food Cutting Machine With Sensor-Controlled Rotary Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food cutting machines face challenges such as high operator risk, variable productivity, irregular cutting portions, and fluctuating cutting times, which affect safety and cost forecasting in the food industry.
Innovation Solution
An automated food cutting machine with a cutting element, rotary shaft, and advance elements that allow continuous and automated cutting, featuring a retention system and control unit to manage the cutting process, ensuring consistent productivity and safety by minimizing human interaction with cutting elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional manual cutting is used, then operator flexibility is maintained, but operator safety deteriorates due to high risk of cuts
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect food items and the cutting machine autonomously performs cutting operations without requiring operator intervention during the cutting process, allowing the machine to serve itself by eliminating the need for human operators to be near the cutting area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cutting operations with an automated robotic cutting system that uses sensors for detection and a controlled robotic mechanism for precise cutting, substituting the operator's mechanical actions with an automated electromechanical system
2Productivity
If conventional machines stop for loading batches, then operator safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to interrupted cutting time
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic cutting system operates continuously without stopping to load batches, as the automated system can maintain constant cutting operations while sensors detect and guide food items through the process, eliminating idle time between batches
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and positioning of food items using sensors before the cutting operation begins, ensuring that food items are properly located and ready for immediate cutting without requiring stopping or manual adjustment during the process
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional machines use batch processing, then ease of operation is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to irregular cutting portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual batch processing with an automated robotic system that uses sensors for precise detection and control, substituting human-operated mechanical processes with an automated system capable of maintaining consistent cutting precision through electronic control and feedback mechanisms
4Loss of time
If operators manually arrange food batches, then adaptability is maintained, but loss of time increases due to placement and positioning time
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect and locate food items, eliminating the need for operators to manually arrange and position batches, as the machine autonomously identifies and processes each item through the cutting area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual food arrangement operations with an automated sensing and positioning system that uses detectors to locate items and a controlled robotic mechanism to guide them through the cutting process without human intervention
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an automated food cutting machine comprising a cutting element (1) defining a cutting point; a rotary shaft (5) for receiving a rotation; a body (4) joined to the rotary shaft (5); at least one housing (6) joined to the body (4) radially spaced with respect to the rotary shaft (5) such that by the rotation of the body (4) it is able to be positioned facing the cutting point; a cavity in each of the housings (6) for housing the products, the cavity being defined with an end opening for the passage of the foods and a longitudinal opening for depositing and removing the foods; an element (7) for moving through the cavity and dragging the foods towards the end opening; means for arranging the foods in the housing (6); a control unit for actuating the means with the element (7) being at the starting point and moving the element (7) between the starting and end points.