Poultry Breast Deboning Mandrel Orientation and Gravity-Assisted Filleting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic deboning systems for poultry breast caps require extensive floor space and result in suboptimal de-skinning due to mandrels being conveyed upside down, leading to complex processing stations and less than optimal de-skinning results, as they are not aligned with the natural direction of gravity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where mandrels are kept in an upright position except during de-skinning, with the breast cap inverted to align with gravity for de-skinning from tail to head, using a conveying path in a horizontal plane and a breast cutter to separate fillets along the keel bone, allowing for efficient processing and reduced maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If mandrels are conveyed upside down to optimize floor space, then floor space requirement is reduced, but de-skinning quality deteriorates and processing station complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel orientation is made dynamic rather than fixed. The mandrel rotates 180 degrees to invert the breast cap only during the de-skinning operation, then returns to upright position for subsequent processing. This temporary inversion allows optimal de-skinning while maintaining upright orientation for other operations, resolving the contradiction between floor space optimization and de-skinning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic inversion of the mandrel at specific stages of the processing cycle. The mandrel is inverted only during the de-skinning phase and returned to upright position before and after this phase. This periodic action allows the system to benefit from inversion when needed for de-skinning quality while avoiding continuous inversion that would compromise other processing steps and increase overall system complexity.
2Area of stationary object
If mandrels are conveyed upside down to reduce floor space, then floor space is optimized, but processing station complexity and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel orientation is made dynamic rather than fixed. The mandrel rotates 180 degrees to invert the breast cap only during the de-skinning operation, then returns to upright position for subsequent processing. This temporary inversion allows optimal de-skinning while maintaining upright orientation for other operations, resolving the contradiction between floor space optimization and de-skinning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Different processing stations operate with different mandrel orientations optimized for their specific functions. The de-skinning station receives inverted mandrels, while cutting and filleting stations receive upright mandrels. This local optimization at each processing stage reduces overall system complexity compared to maintaining a single fixed orientation throughout the entire line.
3Ease of operation
If mandrels are conveyed with head end leading, then conveyor operation is simplified, but de-skinning results are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic inversion of the mandrel at specific stages of the processing cycle. The mandrel is inverted only during the de-skinning phase and returned to upright position before and after this phase. This periodic action allows the system to benefit from inversion when needed for de-skinning quality while avoiding continuous inversion that would compromise other processing steps and increase overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel is inverted specifically for the de-skinning operation, reversing the normal head-end-leading orientation. This inversion allows the de-skinning tool to engage the breast cap from the optimal direction, improving de-skinning results while maintaining simple conveyor operation for the majority of the processing cycle.
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 approach optimizes floor space usage, improves de-skinning efficiency, reduces maintenance needs, and allows for cleaner fillet removal with minimal manual labor, while enabling the use of mandrels for multiple processing cycles.
Implementation Method 1
the mandrel is being moved through the conveying path with the plane of symmetry aligned with the direction of travel. In particular the mandrel is moved through the conveying path with the neck end of the breast cap leading and the tail end trailing
Implementation Method 2
the mandrel within its plane of symmetry is brought into an upside-down position with the tail end of the breast cap leading for the optional step of de-skinning
Data Source
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AI summary
Method and system for automatically deboning poultry breast caps containing meat and a skeletal structure to obtain breast fillets. The method includes providing a mandrel (25) with a plane of symmetry in a vertical orientation and supporting a breast cap having a neck end and a tail end with its skeletal structure including a keel bone on top of the mandrel (25). The breast cap being held to the mandrel (25) with the keel bone aligned with the plane of symmetry. By moving the mandrel (25) through a conveying path extending through a substantially horizontal plane in a direction of travel (27) it passes a cutting implement (145) of a breast cutter (113) engaging the meat along the keel bone. The cutting implement (145) causes at least one incision along the area where the meat is attached to the keel bone and a breast fillet remover (115) downstream of the breast cutter (113) engages between the skeletal structure and the meat and separates the meat as a pair of single fillets from the skeletal structure. The arrangement is such that the mandrel (25) moves through the conveying path with the plane of symmetry aligned with the direction of travel (27).