Controllable Knife Tool for Uniform Fat Trimming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing fat from meat cuts are inefficient in achieving a uniform thickness, often resulting in the fat being divided into multiple pieces, which reduces its commercial value and is difficult to achieve manually.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a knife tool with at least two controllable blade parts that adapt their position and angle to follow a desired trimming interface, allowing for precise removal of fat as a single piece while maintaining a uniform thickness on the lean meat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single blade knife tool is used to remove fat from meat cuts, then the structure is simple, but the manufacturing precision of uniform fat thickness is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The knife tool is divided into multiple controllable blade parts (at least two) that can be independently adjusted in position and angle. Each blade part can be controlled separately to follow the complex three-dimensional fat-to-lean interface, enabling precise removal of fat with uniform thickness while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade parts are made continuously adjustable in position and angle during the cutting process. This dynamic adaptability allows the knife tool to follow the varying fat-to-lean interface along the meat cut, achieving uniform fat thickness removal while the device structure remains manageable through coordinated control of multiple adjustable components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple knife blade loops are used to adapt to fat variations, then the adaptability improves, but the fat is divided into multiple strips reducing commercial value
Solution Approach 1:
The knife tool uses multiple controllable blade parts that can be independently positioned and angled. These segmented blades work in coordination rather than independently cutting separate strips, allowing them to collectively follow the fat-to-lean interface while maintaining continuity of the cut to preserve the fat as a single piece.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple blade parts are combined into a single integrated knife tool system that operates together to remove the fat layer as one continuous piece. The blade parts are coordinated through control means to function as a unified cutting edge that adapts to interface variations while preserving fat integrity, unlike separate loops that create disconnected strips.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual trimming is used to achieve uniform fat thickness, then the precision can be high, but the productivity is low and physical strain is high
Solution Approach 1:
The knife tool with multiple controllable blade parts automatically adapts to the fat-to-lean interface variations through its adjustable mechanism. The system performs the complex precision trimming task autonomously without requiring manual intervention, achieving both high uniformity of fat thickness and high productivity while eliminating physical strain on workers.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustment capability of the blade parts allows the machine to automatically follow the varying fat interface at high speed. This eliminates the need for slow manual trimming while maintaining precision, as the mechanical system can rapidly adapt its position and angle to achieve uniform fat removal at industrial production rates.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the knife tool is stationary while meat moves, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to follow fat interface variations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The knife tool incorporates multiple blade parts that are continuously adjustable in position and angle during operation. This dynamic capability allows the stationary knife tool to adapt to the varying fat-to-lean interface as the meat cut moves past it, achieving high adaptability while the overall device structure remains relatively simple through coordinated control of the adjustable blade components.
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
Enables the efficient removal of fat in one piece with a consistent thickness, enhancing the market value of both the fat and lean meat by reducing shear forces and improving cutting precision.
Implementation Method 1
The thickness of inter alia the fat on the meat cut is measured upstream of the knife tool using an ultrasonic or x-ray sensor
Implementation Method 2
The thickness of inter alia the fat on the meat cut is measured upstream of the knife tool using an ultrasonic or x-ray sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for removing fat from one face of a meat cut, where a knife tool cuts a layer of fat and possibly skin from the face. The knife tool is adapted to cut across the entire width of said meat cut along a desired trimming interface. The knife tool includes at least two controllable blade parts, each having a cutting edge, the blade parts extending between the first face and a fat-to-lean interface without intersecting said first face. The position of said cutting edges and the angle of the blade parts are continuously adapted, by controlling the at least two controllable blade parts, to cut following the desired trimming interface, whereby the fat and possible skin is trimmed from the lean in one single piece of fat.