Poultry Carrying Hook With Dome-Shaped Positioning Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carriers for supporting carcass parts of slaughtered poultry require precise and accurate positioning, which is challenging to achieve at high speeds in automated processing plants, as they rely on manual or semi-automatic placement and may not ensure reliable and reproducible alignment.
Innovation Solution
A carrier with a dome-shaped positioning element that moves between retracted and extended positions to engage the inner face of the carcass part, centering and straightening it, combined with a hook and optional auxiliary holding elements to secure the carcass part in place during transport and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a known carrier with a fixed carrier body shape is used, then the carrier structure is simple, but the positioning precision of the carcass part deteriorates because accurate placement is difficult to achieve at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning element is made moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, allowing the carrier to adapt dynamically to the carcass part. This dynamic adjustment enables the dome-shaped engagement end to press against the inner face and guide the carcass part into correct alignment, resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dome-shaped engagement end of the positioning element works together with the curved shape of the facies visceralis sterni to enable self-centering and self-straightening of the carcass part. The geometry of the positioning element and the carcass part's bone surface work in conjunction to automatically achieve precise positioning without requiring complex external positioning mechanisms.
2Productivity
If manual or semi-automatic placement is used, then the carrier structure remains simple, but the productivity decreases due to the time required for precise positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The self-positioning mechanism enabled by the dome-shaped engagement end pressing against the inner face allows the carcass part to automatically center and straighten itself during high-speed automated placement. This eliminates the need for slow manual adjustment while maintaining precise positioning, thereby increasing productivity without sacrificing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The moveable positioning element extends during the placement process to actively guide and adjust the carcass part's position in real-time, enabling precise positioning to occur automatically at high speeds rather than requiring slow manual intervention.
3Ease of operation
If the positioning element is always extended, then the positioning function is always active, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the carcass part cannot be easily placed initially
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning element transitions from a retracted state during initial placement (allowing easy operation) to an extended state during positioning (ensuring reliability). This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by providing the appropriate configuration at the appropriate time in the placement process.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning element is retracted beforehand to allow easy initial placement of the carcass part onto the carrier body. After placement, it extends to perform the positioning function, ensuring that the carcass part is reliably centered and straightened without interfering with the initial easy placement operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention pertains to a carrier for supporting a carcass part of slaughtered poultry, the carrier comprising: • - a carrier body (11), said carrier body comprising a support surface for engaging at least a part of the inner face of the carcass part, • - a hook (14) for holding the carcass part on the carrier body, • - a positioning element (21) for positioning the carcass part relative to the carrier, which positioning element has a dome shaped engagement end for engaging the inner face of the carcass part, • which positioning element is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which extended position the dome shaped engagement end of the positioning element protrudes from the support surface of the carrier body, • the positioning element being arranged such relative to the support surface of the carrier body that in its extended position, the dome shaped engagement end of the positioning element engages the inner face of the carcass part at or adjacent to the fades visceralis sterni of the sternum in the region between the left and right margo costalis of the sternum.