Evisceration Weighing Assembly with Rotatable Arms for Moving Carcasses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to accurately weigh poultry carcasses while they remain attached to shackles moving from the evisceration step to the chilling step in poultry processing.
Innovation Solution
An evisceration weighing system with a frame portion and a rotatable portion, featuring first and second weigh plates and support arms, allows simultaneous weighing of two poultry carcasses by pivoting the support arms to stabilize and position the carcasses accurately over extended time, using a cam assembly and sprocket mechanism to minimize movement and enhance accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If poultry carcasses are weighed while moving on the processing line attached to shackles, then processing line speed is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to movement-induced errors
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is made rotatable relative to the frame, allowing it to dynamically adjust and pivot to follow the movement of the poultry carcass on the processing line. This dynamic adjustment stabilizes the weighing process by keeping the weigh plate properly positioned under the moving carcass, thereby maintaining measurement precision while the carcass continues to move at processing line speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable support arm acts as an intermediary between the moving poultry carcass and the stationary weighing mechanism. By introducing this intermediate rotatable connection, the system can accommodate the movement of the carcass while maintaining stable contact with the weigh plate, thus resolving the conflict between maintaining line speed and achieving accurate measurements.
2Measurement precision
If the weighing system uses a rotatable support arm to follow carcass movement, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The weighing system is segmented into a stationary frame portion and a rotatable support arm portion. This segmentation allows the simple stationary frame to provide stable mounting while the rotatable support arm handles the complexity of tracking movement. The division of functions reduces overall system complexity compared to making the entire weighing mechanism complex and adaptable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the support arm through rotation rather than requiring complex active control mechanisms. By using passive rotational movement that naturally follows the carcass position, the system achieves precise tracking without complex control systems, actuators, or sensors, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving measurement precision.
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
The system enables quick and accurate weighing of poultry carcasses, reducing movement-induced errors and allowing precise classification based on weight for further processing, while maintaining processing line speed.
Implementation Method 1
The first support arm is capable of applying a force to the first weigh plate that is indicative of a weight of a first poultry carcass supported by the first support arm
Implementation Method 2
The second support arm is capable of applying a force to the second weigh plate that is indicative of a weight of a second poultry carcass supported by the second support arm
Data Source
AI summary
An evisceration weighing system includes a frame portion and a rotatable portion. The frame portion includes a first weigh plate and a second weigh plate, with the rotatable portion rotatably mounted with respect to the frame portion. The rotatable portion includes a first support arm pivotally mounted to the rotatable portion capable of applying a force to the first weigh plate that is indicative of a weight of a first poultry carcass supported by the first support arm, and a second support arm pivotally mounted to the rotatable portion capable of applying a force to the second weigh plate that is indicative of a weight of a second poultry carcass supported by the second support arm. The evisceration weighing system is capable of weighing the first poultry carcass at the same time as the second poultry carcass.