Automated Meat Loading With V-Guide Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current deboning processes require manual labor to load meat with bones onto conveyance lines, as existing automated systems struggle to securely grip and position the meat for automated handling.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a V-shaped guide to align and position the meat with bones, combined with a multi-axis articulated arm to grip and transfer the meat to a carrier device, ensuring automated loading without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a multi-axis articulated arm is used to automatically grip meat with bones, then automation of the loading process is improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loading system is divided into separate functional modules: a positioning mechanism (V-shaped guide) that handles alignment, and a gripping mechanism (multi-axis articulated arm) that handles grasping. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The V-shaped guide performs preliminary positioning of the meat before the articulated arm attempts to grip it. By pre-aligning the meat and ensuring the thinnest part protrudes, the system reduces the difficulty of the gripping operation, making the complex articulated arm more effective and reliable.
2Device complexity
If manual hanging of meat to clamper is used, then device complexity is reduced, but labor requirements and physical effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the meat's own weight and the V-shaped guide structure to automatically position and align the meat. The thinnest part of the meat naturally protrudes through the guide, and the conveyor belt's movement provides the forcing mechanism, eliminating the need for manual intervention while keeping the device relatively simple.
3Ease of operation
If the thinnest part of meat is positioned in a certain direction for easy grip, then gripping ease is improved, but positioning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped guide is an asymmetric structure designed to work with the natural anatomy of the meat. The guide's geometry is specifically configured to receive the thinnest part of the meat and force it to protrude in a predetermined direction, making the meat ready for gripping without requiring complex active positioning mechanisms.
4Productivity
If automated loading is implemented, then productivity is improved, but reliability of gripping may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped guide performs preliminary positioning that ensures the thinnest part of the meat protrudes and is properly aligned before the articulated arm grips it. This pre-preparation significantly increases the reliability of the gripping operation, as the meat is already in the optimal position for secure grasping.
Solution Approach 2:
The V-shaped guide acts as an intermediary mechanism between the conveyor belt and the articulated arm. It mediates the transition from passive conveyance to active gripping by ensuring proper alignment and protrusion, thereby bridging the gap between speed and reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
Work for loading meat with bone on a clamping device or a hanger installed on a deboning line of meat with bone can completely be automated and personal cut is realized. In a method for loading meat with bone (1) on a carrier device in a deboning process for performing deboning while meat with bone (1) is conveyed by the carrier devices (11 and 12), a tip projection (8) of meat with bone (1) is loaded on conveyors (23 and 24) toward a conveyor travel direction, and meat with bone (1) is transferred to a downstream-side of the conveyer. Movement of meat with bone (1) is temporarily delayed on a guide plate of a V-shape guide (27) which is arranged on a conveyer face of the conveyer downstream side and in which an interval (s1) through which the tip projection can pass is formed in a center. The tip projection (8) of meat with bone (1) is projected forward from the interval (s1) by movement of the conveyer face, and the tip projection (8) is positioned. Amulti-axis articulated arm (31) having holding parts (312 and 312) operated along an operation track which is previously set holds the positioned tip projection (8) and it is conveyed to a loading part (32) of the carrier device.