Shellfish Meat Extraction Device Using Pneumatic Blasts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The process of deshelling shellfish, particularly lobsters, is tedious and labor-intensive, with existing automated solutions being costly and inefficient due to the complex structures of claws, knuckles, and tails.
Innovation Solution
A shellfish meat extraction device that uses a burst of compressed air to blast meat out of shells, featuring a custom-designed blow tube with a silicone liner that creates a seal around the shellfish part, and a rotary drum system to move blow tubes through receiving, extraction, and discard positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated means are used to extract meat from shellfish, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the deshelling process into distinct stages: receiving shellfish parts, sealing them in blow tubes, extracting meat with compressed air, and discarding shells. Multiple blow tubes are arranged on a rotary drum, allowing parallel processing of multiple shellfish parts simultaneously, which increases productivity while keeping each individual blow tube simple in structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses compressed air (pneumatics) as the primary mechanism for meat extraction. A blast of compressed air is sent through the blow tube to blow the meat out of the shell, eliminating the need for complex mechanical cutting or scraping devices. The pneumatic system is simple, reliable, and easily adjustable for different shellfish types
2Device complexity
If manual labor is used for deshelling, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blow tube system is designed to automatically seal around shellfish parts using a vacuum that pulls the bladder against the shell, then automatically extract meat using compressed air. The system requires minimal human intervention beyond loading shellfish parts and collecting extracted meat, achieving automation without complex control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The blow tube uses a flexible silicone bladder that can adapt to different shellfish part shapes and sizes. The bladder is inflated to seal around the part, then deflated to allow meat extraction. This flexibility allows the same simple blow tube design to handle various shellfish types without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms
3Adaptability or versatility
If different structures of claws, knuckles, and tails are addressed, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blow tube is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple types of shellfish parts (claws, knuckles, tails) with different structures. The same basic design with adjustable parameters can accommodate various shapes and sizes, eliminating the need for multiple specialized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts parameters such as compressed air pressure, vacuum level, and blow tube dimensions to optimize performance for different shellfish parts. By changing these parameters rather than redesigning the entire system, the device maintains adaptability while keeping the basic structure simple
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 device efficiently automates the deshelling process, reducing manual labor and costs while effectively extracting meat from various shellfish parts, including claws and knuckles, with high precision and speed.
Implementation Method 1
When the blow tube is ready to accept a claw or knuckle, a vacuum is applied to the blow tube to pull the bladder back against the inner walls of the blow tube to create space that allows the part to fall into the tube. Once the part is in the blow tube, the tube is pressurized to create the sealed blow chamber.
Implementation Method 2
When the blow tube is ready to accept a claw or knuckle, a vacuum is applied to the blow tube to pull the bladder back against the inner walls of the blow tube to create space that allows the part to fall into the tube.
Implementation Method 3
A blast of air is then sent to this chamber from an airline connected to the blow cap on one end of the blow tube and, due to the bladder seal, air is directed through the inside of the knuckle shell, or out the laser cut hole in the claw, taking the claw and knuckle meat with it.
Data Source
AI summary
A shellfish meat extraction device that automates that process of extracting meat from shellfish parts, such as lobster claws, by using pressurized tubes to grip the parts and then bursts of pressure to effectively shoot the meat out of the part, after which the empty shell is discarded and the process repeated.