Poultry Evisceration Tool Hinge Protection Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evisceration methods and apparatuses for poultry carcasses suspended by the legs face challenges in preventing tissue from covering the hinge of the evisceration tool, leading to inefficient automation and potential damage to viscera during evisceration, particularly when using carousel machines.
Innovation Solution
The evisceration apparatus features a support bracket that moves synchronously with the evisceration tool, a neck clamp to secure the poultry carcass, and curvatures in the bracket halves that create a window for larger viscera to tip away from the hinge, ensuring the viscera package can be transferred efficiently without covering the hinge, and a transport shackle equipped with jaws to handle the viscera package in a single action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the evisceration tool is used without a support bracket, then the device complexity is reduced, but the tissue may cover the hinge of the tool during evisceration
Solution Approach 1:
A support bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the evisceration tool and the viscera package. The support bracket extends from the clamping device and provides a surface that prevents the viscera package from tipping over in an undesired direction, ensuring that tissue does not cover the hinge of the evisceration tool during the evisceration process.
2Extent of automation
If the evisceration tool is mounted on a carousel machine without a support bracket, then the automation is simplified, but the viscera package cannot be taken over in a single action
Solution Approach 1:
The support bracket acts as a mediator that enables the transport shackle to take over the viscera package in a single action. By preventing the viscera package from tipping over, the support bracket ensures that the package remains in a favorable position for the transport shackle to grip and remove it efficiently from the carousel machine.
3Device complexity
If the bracket halves are moved out of the body cavity without a support bracket, then the device complexity is reduced, but the viscera package may tip over and cover the hinge
Solution Approach 1:
The support bracket serves as a mediator that guides the viscera package during its removal from the body cavity. As the bracket halves move upward, the support bracket prevents the viscera package from tipping over in an undesired direction, ensuring smooth and easy operation without additional handling.
4Device complexity
If no window is provided in the bracket halves, then the device complexity is reduced, but larger viscera cannot tip away from the hinge
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket halves are designed with a window that segments the structure, creating an opening that allows larger viscera (such as the gizzard and liver) to tip through the window in a direction away from the hinge. This segmentation ensures that the viscera package is properly oriented during removal, preventing tissue from covering the hinge.
Data Source
AI summary
An evisceration apparatus for eviscerating a poultry carcass suspended by the legs. An exemplary apparatus includes an evisceration tool that is movable up and down, and into and out of a body cavity of the poultry. The evisceration tool includes two bracket halves that connect to each other with a hinge at a lower extremity of the tool. The two bracket halves are embodied with cooperating clamping faces adjacent to the hinge for clamping a part of the viscera of the poultry when the two bracket halves are moved towards each other from an open position into a closed position.