Neck Slitting Pre-Evisceration Tool for Poultry Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current evisceration methods in poultry processing result in high contamination rates due to the remains and contents of the crop, with existing tools moving along the breast side of the body cavity, leading to inefficiencies and food safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A pre-evisceration device and method that includes a neck slitting knife and a pre-evisceration release tool to loosen the esophagus and trachea at the neck side of the crop before evisceration, preventing contamination by creating a neck slit and using a scraper or jet tool to release these components without damaging the crop, allowing for controlled evisceration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an eviscerating tool is inserted via the vent end and moved along the breast side of the body cavity to remove the viscera pack, then the evisceration process can be automated and streamlined, but the crop remains vulnerable to damage and its contents can contaminate the body cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting a pre-evisceration release tool through a neck slit to loosen the esophagus and trachea from surrounding tissue before the main evisceration process. This preliminary loosening allows the subsequent eviscerating tool to remove the viscera pack without damaging the crop or milking its contents into the body cavity, thus maintaining productivity while preventing contamination
2Productivity
If the crop is firmly connected to surrounding tissue during evisceration, then the evisceration tool can effectively remove the viscera pack, but the crop may be damaged or its contents may be milked into the body cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the evisceration process into two distinct stages: first, a pre-evisceration release tool loosens the esophagus and trachea from surrounding tissue through a neck slit; second, the main eviscerating tool removes the viscera pack through the vent end. This segmentation allows effective viscera removal while preserving crop integrity by preventing the milking effect
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a neck slit is made and a pre-evisceration release tool is used to loosen the esophagus and trachea, then crop contamination is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - a neck slit - that provides access for a pre-evisceration release tool to loosen the esophagus and trachea before main evisceration. This intermediary approach prevents crop contamination while adding minimal complexity, as the neck slit is a simple structural modification and the release tool can be integrated into existing evisceration equipment
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a pre-evisceration device and a method for preparing the evisceration of beheaded slaughtered poultry, wherein the viscera pack is to be eviscerated from the vent end. Aneck slitting knife makes a neck slit along the neck at the breast side of the poultry. Apre-evisceration release tool is adapted to be inserted via the neck slit between the esophagus and trachea and the naturally surrounding tissue, and to be moved along the neck to loosen said at least part of the trachea and esophagus adhering to said neck. The pre-evisceration tool releases, prior to evisceration, part of the esophagus and trachea at the neck side of the crop between a position adjacent the crop, at the neck side thereof, and the neck opening.