Cutting – With product handling means – Including means to divert one portion of product from another
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-19
2004-12-07
Goodman, Charles (Department: 3724)
Cutting
With product handling means
Including means to divert one portion of product from another
C083S152000, C083S177000, C083S932000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06826989
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for portioning and/or trimming workpieces, and more particularly to an apparatus for portioning or trimming workpieces by shape, weight, or other physical parameter and then automatically off-loading the portioned workpieces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Workpieces, including food products, are cut or otherwise portioned into smaller portions by processors in accordance with customer needs. Also, excess fat, bone, and other foreign or undesired materials are routinely trimmed from food products. It is usually highly desirable to portion and/or trim the workpieces into uniform sizes, for example, for steaks to be served at restaurants or chicken fillets used in frozen dinners or in chicken burgers. Much of the portioning/trimming of workpieces, in particular food products, is now carried out with the use of high-speed portioning machines. These machines use various scanning techniques to ascertain the size and shape of the food product as it is being advanced on a moving conveyor. This information is analyzed with the aid of a computer to determine how to most efficiently portion the food product into optimum sizes. For example, a customer may desire chicken breast portions in two different weight sizes, but with no fat or with a limited amount of acceptable fat. The chicken breast is scanned as it moves on a conveyor belt and a determination is made through the use of a computer as to how best to portion the chicken breast to the weights desired by the customer, so as to use the chicken breast most effectively.
Portioning and/or trimming of the workpiece can be carried out by various cutting devices, including high-speed water jet cutters or rotary or reciprocating blades, as the food product continues to travel on the conveyor. Once the portioning/trimming has occurred, the resulting portions are off-loaded from the conveyor by hand to be placed on a second take-away conveyor for further processing or, perhaps, to be placed in a storage bin. The manual off-loading of portioned pieces is often unsatisfactory because it is difficult for the worker to visually distinguish between portions that might vary by only a few ounces. As a result, the portioned piece may be placed onto the wrong conveyor or into the wrong storage bin. Also, the portioning of food products, especially fish, poultry or meat, typically occurs at relatively low temperatures, in the range of 40 degrees. Performing the same repetitive off-loading tasks in this cold environment can lead to physical ailments as well as creating an undesirable work environment. As such, relatively high worker turnover is not uncommon.
The present invention is directed at automatically portioning workpieces, including food products, and then automatically off-loading the portioned workpieces for further processing, for storage, etc. In addition, the present invention is capable of recognizing which particular portioned piece is being off-loaded so that portioned pieces of like weight, shape, or other physical parameter are routed to the proper off-loading conveyor, storage bin, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a system for automatically portioning and/or trimming workpieces to desired reduced sizes and then automatically removing the portioned workpieces for routing to other locations based on the size, weight, or other physical parameter of the portioned workpiece. The system includes a first conveyor having a moving support service adapted to support and advance a workpiece to be portioned. The workpiece is cut/trimmed into one or more desired reduced size portions at a cutting station. Thereafter, a pickup device picks up the workpiece from the first conveyor to carry the portioned workpiece to locations removed from the first conveyor. A control subsystem tracks the locations on the moving support surface of the workpiece portions before and after portioning and directs the pickup device to pick up a desired workpiece portion and carry such desired workpiece portion to a specific remote location based on a physical parameter or other attribute of the portioned workpiece. In this manner, like portioned workpieces are removed to the same location remote from the first conveyor.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the pickup device includes an attachment end portion that is attachable to the portioned workpiece. In addition, the pickup devices are supported for movement relative to the first conveyor to carry the portioned workpieces away from the first conveyor to a location remote from the first conveyor.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the attachment end portion of the pickup device adheres to the portioned workpiece by suction.
In another aspect of the present invention, the attachment end portion of the pickup device includes a suction tip or head, and a suction source is connected to the suction tip to cause the suction tip to adhere to the workpiece.
In an additional aspect of the present invention, the suction source is produced by a venturi in air flow communication with the suction tip. Pressurized air is supplied to the venturi, causing the venturi to generate a reduced pressure air source.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the suction tip is downwardly extendible for attachment to a workpiece and then upwardly retractable to lift the workpiece off of the conveyor and carry the workpiece to a location remote from the conveyor.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pickup device is mounted on the carriage for supporting and guiding the pickup device for movement relative to the conveyor.
In a further aspect, the present invention includes an impingement or restraining device which is located relative to the pickup device for restraining the upward movement of sections of the workpiece that do not comprise the portioned workpiece to be picked up by the pickup device.
In another aspect of the present invention, the weight, size, or other desired physical parameter(s) of the portioned workpiece is ascertained or measured downstream of the pickup device, and based on such information, the portioning subsystem may be recalibrated so as to produce portions of the desired size or other physical parameter.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, the portioning/trimming of the workpieces is carried out utilizing high speed water jets as cutters.
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Ordona Carlos A.
Pfarr Craig E.
Rudy Norman A.
Wattles Darren P.
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
FMC
Goodman Charles
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