Sea cucumber processing apparatus alignment and evisceration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The variability in size and shape of sea cucumbers, along with their defensive mechanisms, makes them difficult to process both manually and mechanically, requiring an efficient and gentle processing method to align, cut, split, eviscerate, and clean.

Innovation Solution

An automated apparatus with a narrowing input channel to align sea cucumbers, a cutting/splitting stage using a blade and wedge to make a controlled incision, and a cleaning stage involving brushes, water jets, and vacuum evisceration to process sea cucumbers efficiently without triggering defensive responses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a narrow input channel is used to align sea cucumbers, then alignment precision is improved, but the sea cucumber may trigger defensive mechanisms and harden its collagen fibers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoiddefensive mechanism activation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The input channel width is dynamically adjusted during the alignment process. The channel starts wider to avoid triggering defensive mechanisms, then gradually narrows to achieve proper alignment, allowing the sea cucumber to remain soft and compliant throughout the transition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sea cucumber is pre-soaked in water before entering the alignment channel to ensure the collagen fibers are already relaxed and the animal is in a compliant state, preventing defensive hardening when encountering the narrowing channel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If manual processing is used to handle sea cucumbers carefully, then the meat integrity is preserved, but processing productivity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeat integrityVSAvoidprocessing productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Manual handling operations are replaced with a automated mechanical system that uses gentle conveying mechanisms, controlled cutting blades, and automated cleaning components to process sea cucumbers with the same care as manual processing while achieving much higher productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The processing system controls physical parameters such as conveyor belt speed, blade cutting speed, and water flow pressure to ensure they remain within ranges that prevent damage to the sea cucumber meat while enabling continuous automated processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the sea cucumber is constrained during processing to maintain position, then processing precision is improved, but the animal's natural movement is restricted triggering defensive responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing precisionVSAvoiddefensive chemical discharge

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A water flow intermediary system is used to gently guide and position the sea cucumber through the processing stages without direct mechanical contact or tight constraints, reducing stress and defensive responses while maintaining adequate positioning precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Hydraulic systems are employed to create water currents that naturally guide the sea cucumber through the processing channel and hold it in position during cutting and cleaning operations, avoiding the need for direct mechanical restraint that would trigger defensive mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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

The apparatus enables efficient and automated processing of sea cucumbers, ensuring high-quality output by aligning, cutting, splitting, and cleaning while minimizing harm and maintaining the integrity of the meat, facilitating further processing and waste management.

Implementation Method 1

a vacuum tube connected at that hole to suck the viscera as the sea cucumber is pulled or pushed along the processing line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum suction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

brushes and water jets immediately following the first flattening plate spray and rinse the exposed body cavity/coelomic cavity of the sea cucumber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid spray: Fluid Spray

Implementation Method 3

brushes and water jets immediately following the first flattening plate spray and rinse the exposed body cavity/coelomic cavity of the sea cucumber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical abrasion: Brush

Data Source

PatentUS9609881B2Sea cucumber processing apparatus and method

Publication Date: 2017.04.04 MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND

AI summary

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.