Floating Knife Holder for Fish Fillet Surface Layer Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices fail to reliably and efficiently separate thin surface layers from animal food products, particularly skin-enclosing layers of fish fillets, due to limited kinematic response and uneven surface pressure, leading to slippage during transport.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical system with a knife holder pressure body that automatically adjusts its pivot axis to widen the tension gap inlet area and narrow the outlet area, allowing for a floating contact with the surface layer, reducing mass moments of inertia and maintaining consistent surface pressure through a pressure force that adapts to the layer's thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the knife holder pressing body is articulated by fixed pivot axes under pretension, then the structure is stable, but the response speed to detect surface layer thickness is slow due to mass moments of inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the pivot axis of the knife holder pressing body movable instead of fixed. The pivot axis can shift its position automatically in response to the surface layer being fed into the tension gap, allowing the system to adapt its geometry dynamically. This reduces the mass moments of inertia during operation and enables faster response to varying surface layer thicknesses while maintaining structural stability through the guide device that constrains the pivot axis movement.
2Device complexity
If the tension gap is kept constant, then the device structure is simple, but surface pressure becomes irregular causing slippage during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the tension gap by allowing the pivot axis position to shift automatically. As the surface layer enters the tension gap, the pivot axis moves to adjust the gap dimensions, ensuring optimal contact pressure is maintained throughout the transport process. This dynamic adaptation prevents slippage while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple, avoiding the need for complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service through the automatic adjustment mechanism where the pivot axis position changes in response to the surface layer itself. The physical presence of the surface layer in the tension gap directly causes the pivot axis to shift, creating a self-regulating system that adapts to varying layer thicknesses without external control inputs or complex sensing systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pivot axis is fixed to the frame, then the kinematic effect is limited, but the device structure is simpler
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by making the pivot axis movable along a guided path rather than completely free-floating. The guide device provides structured constraints that allow the pivot axis to shift position in response to operational conditions, enhancing kinematic adaptability to different surface layer thicknesses and types. This controlled mobility achieves the desired adaptability while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through the use of simple guide mechanisms.
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
This solution ensures reliable and secure grasping of thin surface layers, preventing slippage and improving the mechanical structure's simplicity by allowing the knife holder pressing body to float on the surface layer, maintaining consistent surface pressure and efficient transport.
Implementation Method 1
the grip of the carrier roller, i.e. its surface structure, is of particular importance. The outer surface of the roll is usually formed by teeth
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for separating a surface layer (81) from animal food products (8), comprising a driving roller (2), a cutting device (3) which is opposite said driving roller and which comprises a blade holder pressure body (32) and a pressure device (4) which exerts pressure upon said blade holder pressure body (32). An automatic traction gap (5) for transporting the separated surface layer (81) is formed between the driven driving roller (2) and the blade holder pressure body (32). A rear pressure body pivoting axis (301) is aligned on one side of the blade holder pressure body (32) which faces away from the driving roller (2). Said device (1) comprises a pressure body guiding device (6) which automatically displaces from the defined start position (300) to the blade holder pressure body (32), with which the rear pivoting axis (301) is arranged and can be automatically displaced such that the blade holder pressure body (32) pivots when inserted into the surface layer (81) counter to the pressure force, the traction gap (5) widens in an introduction area (51) and narrows in an extraction area (52). Said blade holder pressure body (32) is freely maintained counter to the pressure force such that along the traction gap (5), the system moving in a floating manner on the entire surface layer is inserted into the traction gap (5). The invention also relates to a method for automatically separating the surface layer (81 ) such that when the surface layer (81) is introduced into the traction gap (5), the introduction area (51) widens at the same time as the extraction area (52) narrows. The rear pivoting axis (301) is displaced in an automatically guided manner towards the driving roller (2) in an area behind the zenith (22) and the blade holder pressing body (32) is maintained in a floating working position which corresponds to when the traction gap (5) is completely filled by the surface layer (81).