Multi-Stage Meat Grinder With Variable Blade Force Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foodstuff grinders fail to effectively separate soft tissue from hard materials, leading to undesirable inclusion of small hard pieces in the final comminuted meat product, as they often chip off hard material fragments during the grinding process.
Innovation Solution
A multi-stage comminuting apparatus with independently controlled blade forces and different screen opening sizes in each stage, where the first stage rejects large hard pieces and the second stage recovers soft tissue while preventing hard material fragments from passing through, using fluid pressure to vary the cutting force and screen opening sizes to optimize tissue recovery and separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single-stage grinder with uniform screen openings is used, then the device complexity is low, but small hard material fragments are chipped off and included with the meat product
Solution Approach 1:
The grinder is divided into multiple stages, each with screens of different opening sizes. The first stage uses larger screen openings to reject large hard pieces, while the second stage uses smaller screen openings to prevent small hard fragments from passing through with the meat. This segmentation allows each stage to specialize in removing hard material of different sizes, significantly improving hard material separation precision without requiring an overly complex single-stage design.
Solution Approach 2:
Each grinding stage is equipped with screens having locally optimized opening sizes appropriate to that stage's function. The first stage screens have larger openings tailored for rejecting large hard pieces, while the second stage screens have smaller openings tailored for preventing small hard fragments from contaminating the final product. This local quality optimization ensures each stage performs its specific separation function effectively.
2Quantity of substance
If high blade force is applied to increase tissue recovery, then soft tissue recovery increases, but hard material is more likely to be chipped off
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding process is segmented into multiple stages with progressively different blade forces. The first stage operates with higher blade force to maximize soft tissue recovery from the feed material. The second stage operates with lower blade force to gently process the material that passed through the first stage, minimizing the chipping off of hard material fragments. This segmentation allows each stage to optimize blade force for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade force is made dynamic and stage-specific rather than uniform throughout the grinding process. Each stage can independently control its blade force level, allowing the system to adapt the cutting intensity to the specific requirements of that stage - high force for initial tissue recovery, low force for final separation to prevent hard material damage.
3Quantity of substance
If larger screen openings are used to improve tissue recovery, then more soft tissue passes through, but small hard material fragments also pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The screening function is segmented across two stages with different opening sizes. The first stage uses larger screen openings to allow maximum soft tissue throughput while rejecting large hard pieces. The second stage uses smaller screen openings to catch and reject small hard material fragments that passed through the first stage. This segmentation enables each stage to optimize screen opening size for its specific separation task.
Solution Approach 2:
Each stage is equipped with screens having locally optimized opening sizes matched to that stage's separation requirements. The first stage screens have larger openings appropriate for initial tissue recovery with high throughput. The second stage screens have smaller openings appropriate for final hard fragment removal. This local quality matching ensures optimal performance for each stage's specific function.
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 apparatus significantly increases soft tissue recovery while minimizing the amount of hard material in the output, ensuring a cleaner final product by utilizing multiple separation stages with distinct grinding characteristics and adjustable blade forces to isolate and eject hard material fragments effectively.
Implementation Method 1
A first pressure communication structure provides pressure communication to the first pressure transfer chamber. A second pressure communication structure provides pressure communication to the second pressure transfer chamber.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a drive structure on which are mounted both a first blade carrier and a second blade carrier. The first blade carrier has a first blade facing a cutting surface of a first screen portion, and is mounted on the drive structure so that the first blade is moveable along a first positioning axis with respect to the cutting surface of the first screen portion. The second blade carrier has a second blade facing a cutting surface of a second screen portion, and is mounted on the drive structure so that the second blade is moveable along a second positioning axis with respect to the cutting surface of the second screen portion. A first pressure is used to vary the force with which the first blade presses against the first screen portion and a second fluid pressure is used to vary the force with which the second blade presses against the second screen portion.