Meat Cutting Device with Automatic Conveyor Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cutting devices for meat require manual and time-consuming adjustment of conveyor belts to set the angle of the cutting blade, leading to risks of damage or poor product guidance, especially when changing meat types or portion sizes.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating transfer means that link the rotation of the cutting blade to an adjustment movement of the conveyor belt, ensuring optimized spacing between the cutting blade and conveyor belts through a system of driving rods, levers, and cams, allowing for automatic adjustment of the conveyor belts based on the cutting blade's angle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the cutting blade is set at an angle in relation to the vertical direction, then cutting versatility is improved, but the horizontal space occupied by the cutting blade increases, causing risk of damage to conveyor belts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting angle adjustmentVSAvoidrisk of damage to conveyor belts
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces transfer means (comprising driving rods, levers, and cams) as an intermediary mechanism between the cutting blade angle-setting system and the conveyor belt displacement system. This intermediary automatically translates the cutting blade's angular position into corresponding conveyor belt displacement, ensuring the conveyor belts are positioned at safe distances from the cutting blade at any angle, thereby preventing damage while maintaining cutting versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustment of conveyor belts is performed to set cutting blade angle, then cutting angle can be changed, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting angle settingVSAvoidadjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the conveyor belt adjustment is automatically performed based on the cutting blade's angular position. The transfer means automatically calculate and execute the required conveyor belt displacement when the cutting blade angle is changed, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly reducing adjustment time while maintaining cutting versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the opening between conveyor belts is enlarged to accommodate angled cutting blade, then cutting blade can be set at greater angles, but meat transfer smoothness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting blade angle rangeVSAvoidmeat transfer smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback mechanism through the transfer means that continuously monitors the cutting blade's angular position and automatically adjusts the conveyor belt positions accordingly. This feedback system ensures that the opening between conveyor belts is optimized for each cutting angle, maintaining both the ability to accommodate various cutting angles and the smooth transfer of meat portions by preventing excessive opening that would cause meat pieces to fall.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2759205B1Cutting device for cutting meat into required portions
Publication Date: 2015.07.22 MARELEC CONSTRUCT
  • EP2759205B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2759205B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2759205B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

This invention relates to a cutting device (1) for cutting meat into required portions, comprising a cutting blade (2), a feeding conveyor belt (3) and a removal conveyor belt (4), setting means (5, 6, 16) for setting the angle (90°-α) of the cutting blade (2) and displacement means (14) for adjusting an aforementioned conveyor belt (4), wherein the adjustable conveyor belt (4) is adjusted automatically together with the setting of the angle (90°-α) since the cutting device (1) comprises transfer means (7, 8, 9, 10) for transferring the rotation movement of the cutting blade (2), when the angle (90°-α) is set, to an adjustment movement of the adjustable conveyor belt (4).