Dynamic Food Surface Removal Roller for Irregular Meat Contours
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional removal devices for surface layers in the food industry face challenges in maintaining consistent pressure due to irregular product thickness, leading to suboptimal removal processes.
Innovation Solution
A control unit continuously adjusts the relative position between the product feed and the removal tool, ensuring a constant pressure force by actively guiding the opposing surface along the product contour, using a driven pressure roller or knife blade, and employing detection devices like ultrasonic sensors or optical systems for precise contour tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If spring devices are used to preload the removal tool against the product surface, then the removal tool can be pressed against the product, but the pressure force changes in the event of irregular product thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the static spring device with an active adjusting device that can dynamically modify the relative position between the removal tool and the product feed. This allows the system to adapt to varying product thicknesses in real-time, maintaining consistent pressure force despite irregular product contours. The adjusting device transforms the static pressing mechanism into a dynamic one that responds to product variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using a detection device (such as ultrasonic sensors or optical systems) to continuously monitor the product contour and provide information to the control unit. The control unit processes this information and adjusts the removing device's position accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures uniform pressure force application regardless of product thickness variations.
2Device complexity
If the position of the removal tool is fixed relative to the product feed, then the device structure is simple, but the pressure force cannot be adjusted for irregular product thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with a combination of detection devices (optical or ultrasonic sensors) and controlled positioning systems. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while enhancing adaptability, as the system uses sensing and controlled movement rather than intricate mechanical linkages to achieve precise positioning and pressure control.
3Reliability
If the removal tool actively adjusts its position to follow the product contour, then uniform pressure force is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces control system complexity by replacing complex mechanical positioning mechanisms with detection devices (optical or ultrasonic sensors) that electronically sense product contour and control units that process this information to drive simple actuators. This substitution maintains reliable uniform removal while significantly reducing mechanical and control complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a
Figure 2
AI summary
The device has a food product supplying unit (13) supplying a meat product (11) to a removal roller (10), along product conveying direction (P) such that the product is pressed with a component perpendicular to the conveying direction toward an operative surface (20) of the roller. A control unit (23) is associated with a positioning device (19) for adjusting a position of the roller relative to the supplying unit based on a contour of the product. The control unit adjusts the operative surface of the roller during a surface layer removing process based on the contour of the product. The removal roller is designed as a tool for defatting, skinning and derinding the product. An independent claim is also included for a method for removing a surface layer from food products.