Fish Transport Station Inversion for Symmetrical Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish transport systems fail to maintain symmetrical orientation of fish during transport, leading to inefficient processing and yield loss due to uneven cutting and weight distribution, especially when processing salmon and other fish species.
Innovation Solution
A transport station with a transfer device that automatically converts fish from a lying position to a hanging position, ensuring symmetrical alignment through a revolving overhead conveyor with gripping mechanisms, allowing precise and reproducible processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fish are transported lying sideways on the conveyor, then handling is easier and positioning is simpler, but the fish's symmetry axis shifts causing uneven cutting and yield loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional lying transport orientation by suspending fish vertically head-down. This inversion resolves the contradiction because the fish's symmetry axis remains aligned with the vertical transport direction, ensuring consistent positioning for cutting while maintaining automated handling through the suspending mechanism
2Manufacturing precision
If fish are transported hanging head-up manually, then symmetry alignment is improved, but operator strain increases and automation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses head-down suspension instead of head-up positioning, which simplifies the automation mechanism. The fish's natural weight distribution and anatomy work with gravity to maintain stable vertical orientation, reducing the complexity of positioning mechanisms while preserving symmetry alignment for processing
3Extent of automation
If fish are transported lying down, then automation is simpler, but alignment reproducibility deteriorates due to product-dependent and quality-dependent factors
Solution Approach 1:
By suspending fish vertically head-down, the system creates a stable, gravity-dependent orientation that is independent of fish quality conditions such as rigor mortis stage or species variations. This inversion ensures consistent symmetry axis alignment across all fish types and conditions, improving reliability while maintaining automated operation
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transporting station (10) designed and intended for transporting fish in a transporting direction T, which is transverse to their longitudinal extent, comprising a conveying device (11) for transporting singulated fish horizontally along a transporting path TL from an entry region E of the conveying device (11) to an exit region A of the conveying device (11), wherein the conveying device (11) comprises a transporting element (12), which is driven in circulation and is distinguished in that the conveying device (11) is assigned a receiving device (13) which is designed and intended, and is in operative connection with the conveying device (11), such that the fish can be transferred automatically from the horizontal position on the transporting path TL of the conveying device (11) into a hanging position on a transporting path TH of the receiving device (13). The invention is also concerned with a fish-processing machine (47) having such a transporting station (10), and with a corresponding method.