Unitary Finger Pad Assembly for Poultry Plucking Machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current poultry feather plucking machines require frequent replacement of resilient picking fingers due to rapid wear, necessitating excessive manual force for installation and replacement, leading to inefficiencies and increased training needs, with existing mechanisms often becoming inoperable from poultry fat and debris accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A unitary disc and rubber finger pad assembly with integral fingers, featuring a flat face and central mounting hole, allows for easy installation, removal, and replacement without excessive force, utilizing a retaining bolt and washer system for secure attachment to the drive shaft, reducing the number of pieces and minimizing damage during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual fingers are mounted separately on discs using annular recesses and backing plates, then the fingers can be securely held during rotation, but the installation and replacement requires excessive manual force and substantial training
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components (disc, fingers, mounting mechanism) into a unitary finger pad assembly where the fingers are integrally molded to the disc. This eliminates the need for separate mounting operations and excessive force application, while maintaining secure attachment through the integrated design that includes a retaining groove and centrifugal locking feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the finger replacement task by providing a pre-assembled unitary finger pad that can be replaced as a single unit. The finger pad itself is segmented into multiple fingers integrated on a disc, allowing systematic replacement without handling individual fingers separately.
2Ease of manufacture
If individual fingers are replaced manually one by one, then replacement is possible, but the time required is excessive (4-7 man hours per machine)
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fingers are combined into a single unitary finger pad assembly that can be installed in one operation. The integral construction allows the entire set of fingers on a disc to be replaced simultaneously rather than individually, dramatically reducing replacement time from 4-7 hours to under 30 minutes per machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The fingers are pre-assembled into a complete unitary finger pad assembly before installation. This preliminary assembly includes molding the fingers integrally to the disc and preparing the mounting features, so that during replacement, the entire functional unit is installed in one action without intermediate assembly steps.
3Reliability
If traditional locking mechanisms are used to hold backing plate and support plate together, then rotation at maximum velocity is maintained, but the mechanism becomes inoperable after a few hours due to gumming from poultry fat and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex traditional locking mechanism that used separate backing plates and centrifugal locks. Instead, the locking function is integrated directly into the unitary finger pad structure through a retaining groove and centrifugal locking feature that are molded as part of the disc, removing the vulnerable separate locking components that gummed up.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism functions are merged into the integral structure of the unitary finger pad. The retaining groove and centrifugal locking feature are formed as part of the molded disc, eliminating separate locking components that could accumulate fat and debris, thereby extending operational life.
4Ease of operation
If excessive force is applied during finger installation, then fingers can be seated in support holes, but the region becomes dirty and gummy from fat and dust accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The finger and mounting structure are merged into a unitary assembly that requires no separate seating operation. The integral construction with pre-formed mounting features eliminates the need to apply excessive force to press individual fingers into holes, thereby preventing the generation of dirty and gummy conditions during installation.
5Reliability
If frequent finger replacement is performed, then worn fingers are replaced, but substantial training of personnel is required and accidental drops occur
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement task is segmented into handling a single unitary finger pad assembly rather than multiple individual fingers. This segmentation into a manageable unit reduces complexity, minimizes training requirements, and prevents accidental drops by reducing the number of small components that can be lost during replacement operations.
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
This solution significantly reduces finger replacement time by over 80% and minimizes rubber loss during changes, enabling a single person to replace all fingers in 30 minutes and reducing accidental drops by 70%, thus improving operational efficiency and reducing the need for extensive training.
Implementation Method 1
Frictional forces between the rubber fingers and the feathers remove the feathers from the bird
Implementation Method 2
an integrated centrifugal locking mechanism was utilized. This locking mechanism was required to hold the support plate and the backing plate together tightly when the disc assembly was rotating at its maximum velocity
Data Source
AI summary
A unitary resilient rubber finger pad for a poultry plucking machine, the finger pad having a circular base with a central aperture therethrough, an annular base plate completely embedded within the circular base; a plurality of fingers extending from one face of the base, each of the fingers being fixed to the face of said base, each of said fingers having a base, a tapered shank, and a grip pattern on a portion of said shank remote from said base; the fingers being arranged in a pair of concentric rings on the base. The method of mounting the finger pad is also disclosed.