Meat Processing Knife Pin Pendulum Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing meat processing machines face issues with shaft deflection due to shear forces, leading to misalignment of cutting components and increased wear or destruction of the cutting set.

Innovation Solution

The machine employs an oscillating bearing for the knife pin on the driven shaft, utilizing partially spherical side surfaces and concave sections for precise decoupling from bending moments, combined with roller bearings and sealing elements to reduce wear and maintain alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the knife pivot is rigidly connected to the driven shaft, then the cutting set maintains stable alignment, but the shaft deflection under shear forces causes misalignment and increased wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting set alignment stabilityVSAvoidshaft bending moment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the knife pivot and driven shaft is segmented into two independent functions: the pin connection transmits only rotational motion while the pendulum mounting absorbs bending moments and shear forces, separating the transmission of useful motion from the absorption of harmful forces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pendulum mounting acts as an intermediary element between the knife pivot and the driven shaft, decoupling the rigid connection and allowing the knife pivot to accommodate shaft deflection while maintaining rotational motion transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the shaft is made more rigid to resist bending, then shaft deflection is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshaft rigidityVSAvoidshaft structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The knife pivot mounting is made dynamic through the pendulum arrangement, allowing it to adapt to shaft deflection in real-time, which compensates for shaft flexibility without requiring the shaft itself to be made more rigid

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If the cutting set is designed with precise alignment, then cutting performance is improved, but the system becomes highly sensitive to shaft deflection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting set alignment precisionVSAvoidalignment stability under load
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pendulum mounting provides preliminary protection against misalignment by preemptively absorbing bending moments and shear forces, preventing these forces from causing alignment deviations in the precisely engineered cutting set

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 effectively decouples the knife pin from bending and shear forces, preventing shaft deflection and reducing wear, thereby ensuring stable operation and extended lifespan of the cutting set.

Implementation Method 1

the knife pin is mounted on the driven shaft in a pendulum-like manner. This pendulum-like mounting allows the knife pin's movement to be largely decoupled from the bending moments caused by the shear and bending forces exerted on the driven shaft, while the rotary motion of the driven shaft continues to be smoothly transmitted to the knife pin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPendulum mechanism: Pendulum

Implementation Method 2

The effects of load-related deformation of the driven shaft on the running behavior of the knife pivot can be further reduced by mounting the knife pivot in front of and/or behind at least one perforated disc

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRoller bearing: Roller

Implementation Method 3

The area of the pendulum movement can be sealed using sealing elements, for example made of rubber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP4382209A1Meat processing machine
Publication Date: 2024.06.12 MADO GMBH
  • EP4382209A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4382209A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4382209A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A machine (1) for processing meat is provided, comprising a motor, (120) a shaft (130) driven by the motor (120), and a receiving (150) for a piece or block of meat to be processed, wherein the receiving (150) is open towards the driven shaft (130) so that a portion of the piece or block of meat received in the receiving (150) is conveyed by a screw (131) arranged at least partially on the driven shaft (130) to a cutting set (200), wherein the cutting set (200) comprises at least one perforated disc (220, 221) arranged substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the driven shaft (130) and at least one knife (238, 239) arranged on a knife pin (230) and rotatable with it in a plane lying substantially parallel to the at least one perforated disc (220, 221).wherein the cutter pin (230) is arranged on the driven shaft (130) such that a rotation of the driven shaft (130) is transmitted to the cutter pin (230), so that the at least one cutter (238, 239) rotates, the cutter pin (230) being pivotally mounted on the driven shaft (130).