Fish Processing Support Web Groove for Knife Guidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

In fish processing, the existing L-shaped support bodies for conveying fish through cutting units with circular knives often result in unintentional contact between the support web and the knives due to wear and tear, leading to dull knives and decreased cutting quality, as well as potential machine damage.

Innovation Solution

The support web features a groove on its underside designed as a counter-position for the circular knives, allowing them to be positioned closer to the central bones and serving as a guide or counter-support, reducing the risk of contact and maintaining knife sharpness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the support web is positioned close to the circular knives to enable precise cutting near the central bone, then cutting precision is improved, but the risk of unintentional contact and knife dulling increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidknife sharpness maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove in the support web acts as an intermediary element between the support web and the circular knives. It provides a dedicated receptacle that guides the knives during operation, allowing them to pass through safely without direct contact with the support web itself, thus maintaining both cutting precision and knife sharpness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The groove is pre-formed in the support web at the correct position and dimensions before operation. This preliminary structuring ensures that when the circular knives pass through during fish processing, they automatically follow the predetermined path through the groove, preventing unintentional contact with surrounding areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the circular knives are positioned closer to the central bone to maximize yield, then productivity is improved, but the risk of contact with the support web increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveyieldVSAvoidmechanical contact risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The groove serves as a protective intermediary structure that enables the circular knives to operate at optimal positions close to the central bone for maximum yield, while simultaneously protecting against harmful mechanical contact by providing a controlled passage through the support web

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The groove structure provides beforehand protection by creating a safe zone that prevents direct mechanical contact between the support web and circular knives. This prior cushioning measure eliminates the risk of knife dulling and support web damage before such harmful contact can occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of manufacture

If the support web structure is simplified to reduce complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to guide and protect the knives may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport body fabricationVSAvoidknife guidance accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support web is segmented by introducing the groove feature, which divides the solid structure into regions separated by the recess. This segmentation creates the necessary guidance function without requiring complex additional components, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving precise knife guidance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The groove introduces local quality change to the support web by creating a specific geometric feature (recess) at the precise location where knife guidance is needed. The rest of the support web maintains its simple structure for easy manufacture, while the localized groove provides the necessary guidance function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2877031B1Device for processing fish
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD BAADER GMBH CO KG
  • EP2877031B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2877031B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2877031B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an L-shaped support body (10) for accommodating a fish and for conveying said fish, aligned such that the fish tail goes in first through a cutting unit (4) having a circular knife pair (6) of a fish processing device, which has an continuously circulating conveyor, wherein the support body (10) has a main body (12) for fastening said support body to the conveyor and a bearing web (14), which protrudes beyond a side wall (11) of the main body (12) and which has a support edge (16) arranged at the top for accommodating the center bones of the fish to be accommodated, wherein the bearing web (14) has a groove (18) arranged at the bottom, which groove is designed as a counter unit for the circular-blade pair (6). The invention further relates to a corresponding device for processing fish.