Hollow Roller Pin Bone Removal with Internal Fluid Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for removing pin bones from fish fillets are complex, difficult to clean, and prone to high operating temperatures due to encapsulated electric motors, which reduces their service life and fails to maintain hygienic standards.

Innovation Solution

A compact device design with a hollow roller unit that integrates the drive unit internally, utilizing a fluid-permeable interior for cooling and heat dissipation, ensuring reliable operation and easy cleaning by using a fluid as a cooling medium to maintain specified temperatures and prevent overheating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electric motor is completely encapsulated or arranged spatially separate from the roller unit, then the motor is protected from contamination and moisture, but the device becomes complex and difficult to clean, and heat dissipation is impeded leading to high operating temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of drive unitVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive unit is integrated directly into the roller unit, merging two previously separate components into one unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate motor housings and complex sealing arrangements, while the fluid-cooled design provides protection without requiring complete encapsulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A fluid cooling system is implemented where coolant flows through channels in the roller unit to remove heat from the drive unit. This hydraulic approach provides both cooling and protective functions simultaneously, replacing the need for complex thermal management and sealing systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Reliability

If the electric motor is completely encapsulated, then protection from moisture and dirt is improved, but heat dissipation is impeded leading to reduction in service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of drive unitVSAvoidoperating temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The roller unit incorporates fluid flow channels that allow coolant to pass through the interior structure, creating a porous-like flow path. This enables continuous heat removal from the drive unit while maintaining structural integrity and protection from contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

A fluid coolant is introduced as an intermediary medium between the drive unit and the external environment. The coolant absorbs heat from the drive unit and transports it away, providing thermal management without requiring direct thermal contact with the external environment or complex heat sinks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the roller unit is designed as hollow with integrated drive unit, then compactness and ease of cleaning are improved, but protection against moisture and dirt ingress must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice compactnessVSAvoidprotection against contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drive unit and roller unit are merged into a single integrated component, eliminating separate housings and joints that would complicate cleaning. The fluid-cooled design provides protective functionality without requiring additional encapsulation layers or seals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The fluid cooling system serves dual purposes: thermal management and protective sealing. The continuous fluid flow creates a protective barrier that prevents contamination ingress while the integrated design maintains compactness and ease of cleaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 solution provides a compact, easy-to-clean device that effectively protects the drive unit from moisture and dirt, maintains optimal operating temperatures, and prevents overheating, thereby extending the service life and ensuring reliable operation while removing pin bones without heating the fish fillets.

Implementation Method 1

the fluid is set up as a cooling medium in order to absorb the waste heat produced by the drive unit and to transport it away from the interior

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The fluid continuity of the interior means that both the drive unit and the roller unit are always kept at a specified operating temperature or a specified operating temperature range by supplying and discharging a fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3262944B1Device for removing pin-shaped bones from fish fillets
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD BAADER GMBH CO KG
  • EP3262944B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3262944B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3262944B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for removing pin bones from fish fillets, comprising at least one rotatably mounted, profiled roller unit (10) with a counter-positioning element (11) forming a clamping gap (12), wherein the roller unit (10) and the counter-positioning element (11) are configured to grip the pin bones in the clamping gap (12) by clamping and to remove them from the fish fillets under tensile force, and is characterized in that the roller unit (10) has an interior space (15) in which a drive unit (16) configured to rotate the roller unit (10) is arranged.