Food Processing Device Knife Cutting Unhindered Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional food grinders with rotating knives and hole-plates struggle to efficiently detect and remove undesired objects like bone fragments, leading to high discard rates and contamination risks due to the mincing of these objects into small fragments, which complicates processing and increases equipment wear.
Innovation Solution
A food processing device with a knife configured to cut food objects in an unhindered flow path, eliminating the need for a hole-plate, allowing for larger, more easily detectable sliced lumps and incorporating an inspection unit to efficiently identify and remove undesired objects, while reducing equipment wear and processing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rotating knife and hole-plate combination is used to mince meat, then fine mincing quality is achieved, but undesired objects are fragmented into very small pieces making detection and removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hole-plate from the system, extracting the source of excessive fragmentation. The knife now cuts meat without forcing it through small holes, producing larger pieces that are easier to inspect while still achieving adequate mincing through the knife action alone
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forcing meat through holes to achieve mincing (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using knife cutting action to achieve mincing without hole-plate restriction, thereby avoiding excessive fragmentation while maintaining product quality
2Ease of operation
If human handling is used to remove undesired objects before grinding, then some undesired objects can be removed, but the risk of contamination increases and not all undesired objects are removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated inspection system using technology (such as metal detectors, vision systems, or other detection devices) to identify and remove undesired objects, eliminating contamination risk from human handling while improving detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-inspection and self-removal of undesired objects through automated detection mechanisms integrated into the processing line, eliminating the need for human intervention while maintaining high reliability in object removal
3Manufacturing precision
If a hole-plate is used to ensure fine mincing, then smooth and homogenous meat product is achieved, but equipment wear increases and processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the hole-plate from the system, the patent eliminates the bottleneck that limited processing speed. The knife alone can achieve sufficient mincing without the restrictive hole-plate, allowing faster processing while maintaining adequate product homogeneity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mincing mechanism parameters by eliminating the hole-plate restriction, allowing the knife to operate with greater freedom and speed while still achieving the desired cutting effect through optimized knife geometry and cutting action
4Reliability
If large amounts of meat are discarded to secure no undesired objects, then product safety is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system performs preliminary detection and removal of undesired objects before the meat is fully processed and distributed. By inspecting and removing contaminants early in the process, the system ensures product safety without requiring excessive discarding of potentially good meat
Solution Approach 2:
Replacing manual inspection with automated detection technology enables more precise identification and removal of only the undesired objects, rather than discarding large portions of meat as a safety margin, thereby reducing substance loss while maintaining product safety
Data Source
AI summary
A food processing device includes a feeding structure arranged for the transport of food objects downstream from an inlet to an outflow of a flow path. The feeding structure has a first feeder with a transport auger arranged upstream a knife, and a second feeder arranged downstream a knife, a knife configured to cut the food objects in the flow path to provide a substance of sliced lumps. The flow path defines an unhindered passage between the knife and the outflow to facilitate a free flow of the substance of sliced lumps away from the knife. An inspection unit is configured to detect undesired objects in the substance of sliced lumps. The food object could be meat, fruit, or vegetables. The processing device provides an unhindered flow of the sliced lumps away from the knife, facilitating an easier inspection and removal of undesired objects from the lumps.