Poultry Wing Segmenting System with Orientation-Independent Cutting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing poultry wing segmenting systems require left and right wing orientation, leading to inconsistent cuts, potential bone fragmentation, and contamination, limiting high-speed processing efficiency and product value.
Innovation Solution
A poultry wing segmenting system with a drive mechanism and conveyor that suspends wings by their shoulder joints, using a horizontally rotatable wheel with annular slots and guide members to ensure consistent cutting without orientation dependence, reducing operator load and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual poultry wing processing is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but processing speed and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The poultry wing is divided into three distinct segments (drumette, flat, and tip) through automated cutting at specific joints. The segmentation mechanism uses multiple cutting blades positioned at different locations to separate the wing into uniform portions, enabling consistent high-speed processing while maintaining product quality through precise segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing positioning mechanism pre-aligns the poultry wing in the cutting apparatus before cutting occurs. Guide members and positioning structures ensure the wing is correctly oriented and secured, allowing the cutting blades to operate at high speed with consistent accuracy without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
2Productivity
If automated poultry wing processing is implemented, then processing speed increases, but cut accuracy and consistency deteriorate due to orientation dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting apparatus features asymmetric blade positioning and guide member configurations that accommodate both left and right wings regardless of orientation. The non-symmetric arrangement of cutting elements ensures consistent cutting paths and joint separation accuracy for wings entering the system in different orientations, eliminating orientation-dependent variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning and cutting mechanism is designed to universally handle both left and right wings, as well as variations in wing size and shape. The guide members and cutting blades are configured to perform the same precise cutting function on any wing orientation, making the system multi-functional and orientation-independent while maintaining high cut accuracy.
3Productivity
If high-speed cutting is applied, then processing efficiency improves, but bone fragmentation and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting blades are strategically positioned and shaped to match the specific anatomical features of the poultry wing joints. Each blade is locally optimized for cutting at its specific joint location (elbow joint between drumette and flat, wrist joint between flat and tip), with blade geometry and positioning tailored to the local structural requirements, enabling high-speed cutting without bone fragmentation or contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
A poultry wing segmenting system and method of use, includes a drive mechanism, a conveyor having a plurality of spaced shackles which hold the poultry wing suspended by their shoulder joints vertically positioned and presented to a horizontally rotatable wheel which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced lateral notched slots therearound, the rotatable wheel has a pair of annular slots into which cutting blades are positioned, a plurality of wing engaging members and guide members to bias and open the wing joints against cutting blades drawn through the annular to produce separate poultry wing segments of drumette, flat, and tip.