Reciprocating Chute for Automated Whole Muscle Netting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging systems for discrete pieces of whole muscle products, such as meat, face challenges in efficiently and automatically enclosing products in netting material and applying closure clips, particularly in accommodating varying product sizes and ensuring secure sealing.
Innovation Solution
A packaging system comprising a loading chute with a vertically reciprocating ceiling and floor, a netting chute, and a clipper mechanism, which allows for automatic loading, compression, and clipping of products, with adjustable components to accommodate different product sizes and ensure secure encasement in netting material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual packaging methods are used for whole muscle products, then flexibility in handling different product sizes is maintained, but packaging efficiency and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The loading chute incorporates a vertically reciprocating floor that automatically adjusts its position to accommodate different product sizes. The floor moves downward to create loading space and upward to compress products during automated packaging, enabling the system to handle varying product dimensions without manual intervention while maintaining high packaging efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system is designed with adjustable components including the reciprocating floor and configurable netting chute that can accommodate a range of whole muscle product sizes. This universal design allows a single automated system to handle multiple product types and sizes, improving productivity without requiring separate packaging lines for different products
2Productivity
If automated clipping mechanisms are used, then packaging speed and productivity increase, but the complexity of the packaging system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The netting chute is pre-configured with netting material before packaging operations begin. The system automatically feeds and positions the netting around whole muscle products as they move through the loading chute, eliminating the need for manual netting application while maintaining packaging speed through pre-prepared material configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The clipper mechanism is positioned to automatically apply clips to secure the netting around products as they emerge from the loading chute. The system self-regulates the clipping operation based on product position and size, with the reciprocating floor and netting chute working in coordination to present products to the clipper at optimal intervals, increasing packaging speed without proportionally increasing control system complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the loading chute ceiling and floor are fixed in position, then the structure is simpler, but the ability to accommodate varying product sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The loading chute floor is designed to reciprocate vertically, moving downward to create loading space for products of various sizes and upward to compress products during the packaging process. This dynamic adjustment allows the same chute structure to accommodate a range of whole muscle product dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall chute configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The loading chute is divided into functional zones: a loading zone where the reciprocating floor creates space for product insertion, a compression zone where the floor upward movement compact s products, and a discharge zone where packaged products exit. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while the overall structure remains manageable in complexity
4Productivity
If netting material is manually applied to products, then control over encasement quality is maintained, but packaging time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The netting chute is pre-loaded with netting material in the form of a continuous sleeve or pre-formed loops before packaging operations begin. As whole muscle products move through the loading chute, the netting is automatically fed and positioned around each product, ensuring consistent encasement quality while eliminating the time required for manual netting application
Solution Approach 2:
The netting chute acts as an intermediary mechanism between the packaging system and the whole muscle products. It automatically guides, positions, and secures the netting material around products of varying sizes through its configurable structure and coordinated movement with the reciprocating floor, ensuring reliable encasement while maintaining high packaging speed
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object, such as, for example, whole muscle meat pieces, in a covering material, such as, for example, netting. The devices include a loading chute having a ceiling or door having at least a portion configured to open and close and a floor underlying and in cooperating alignment with the ceiling. The ceiling and floor are configured to cooperate to encase a product chamber with an axially extending open channel therebetween. At least one of the floor and ceiling reciprocates in a substantially vertical direction between a first loading position corresponding to when the ceiling is open and a second operative position corresponding to when the ceiling is closed.