Rotating Deflecting Roller for Variable Fish Fillet Skin Separation

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing apparatuses for separating surface layers in the food industry, such as skin and fat layers from fish fillets, struggle to achieve a variable cutting depth across the width, leading to inefficiencies and high complexity in design and control.

Innovation Solution

A cylindrical deflecting element that rotates and has a varying cross-sectional shape, allowing for a variable process gap to be formed, enabling product-specific separating operations by adjusting the gap width and depth both transversely and longitudinally.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the transport element is adapted to produce a variable process gap using adjustable supports with raised and lowered elements, then a variable cutting depth across the width can be achieved, but the device complexity and control expenditure increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevariable cutting depthVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The deflecting element is made rotatable about its longitudinal axis, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one. By rotating the deflecting element, the process gap can be varied in a simple manner to accommodate different product types and cutting depth requirements, eliminating the need for complex adjustable supports while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameter of the deflecting element by rotating it to different angular positions. This rotation alters the process gap configuration, enabling variable cutting depth control through a simple mechanical parameter change rather than complex structural adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the transport element is adapted with complex adjustable supports to achieve variable process gap, then product-specific separating operations can be performed, but the control expenditure and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct-specific separatingVSAvoidcontrol expenditure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable deflecting element provides a dynamic adjustment mechanism that is simple to operate. The rotation can be controlled manually or automatically to different positions for different product types, significantly reducing control expenditure compared to complex adjustable support systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a constant process gap is formed between the separating element and transport element, then the apparatus design is simple, but the cutting depth cannot be varied across the width for different product requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapparatus simplicityVSAvoidcutting depth variation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The deflecting element is made rotatable about its longitudinal axis, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one. By rotating the deflecting element, the process gap can be varied in a simple manner to accommodate different product types and cutting depth requirements, eliminating the need for complex adjustable supports while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameter of the deflecting element by rotating it to different angular positions. This rotation alters the process gap configuration, enabling variable cutting depth control through a simple mechanical parameter change rather than complex structural adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20120000331A9Device and method for separating surface layers in products of the food industry

Publication Date: 2012.01.05 NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD BAADER GMBH CO KG

AI summary

A method and apparatus to separate a surface layer of a product in the food industry. The apparatus includes a transport device to transport the product from an input region to an output region and a pressure device to press the product against the transport device. A separating device is arranged in the output region to separate the surface layer from the product. The separating device defines a separating gap between the separating device and the transport device. A substantially cylindrical, rotatably controllable deflecting device is arranged in the output region. The deflecting device has a shape varying in the axial direction and/or a circumferential direction. The transport device is guided around the deflecting device to create a variable process gap to separate the surface layer of the product from the product.