Butchering – Viscera processing – Pressure differential type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-09
2004-04-27
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Butchering
Viscera processing
Pressure differential type
C452S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726556
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for separating abdominal fat from abdominal skin of a slaughtered bird, comprising: positioning a supporting surface against at least a part of the side of the abdominal skin which is remote from the abdominal fat, and scraping at least a part of the abdominal fat off the abdominal skin with the aid of a movable scraper member. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A bird has abdominal fat in the abdominal cavity against the abdominal skin in the region between the cloaca and the sternum. When the bird is slaughtered, without special measures the abdominal fat remains attached to freely hanging parts of the abdominal skin of the carcass after the viscera have been removed therefrom via an abdominal opening.
Nowadays, traders in slaughtered poultry products impose different demands on the removal of abdominal fat from abdominal skin of poultry depending on specific consumer requests. In some cases, it is required for all the abdominal fat to be removed from the carcass (and for the abdominal skin to remain on the carcass), but in other cases there is also a demand for the possibility of selective removal of abdominal fat, meaning that the amount of abdominal fat to be removed must be adjustable from 0% to 100% (with the abdominal skin remaining on the carcass). In addition, there is a demand for an increase in the quality of the abdominal fat obtained by avoiding the abdominal fat of a bird being recovered in many pieces and/or by avoiding contamination to the abdominal fat obtained by moisture and other tissue, such as pieces of intestine or kidneys. If it forms a substantially cohesive unit and is free from contamination, the abdominal fat can be processed further as a high-grade product and can be redistributed to slaughtered poultry products, for example as natural product fat. Furthermore, there is a demand for it to be possible to remove the abdominal fat either before cooling of the carcass or after this cooling, as desired. In this context, the fact that the mechanical properties of the carcass, and in particular of the abdominal skin and of the abdominal fat, differ considerably before and after cooling has to be taken into account.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
The separation of abdominal fat from abdominal skin is known from the prior art.
European Patent Application 486,099 discloses a device and method in which an oval, conical head with a scraping edge is passed through an abdominal opening into the body cavity of a slaughtered bird which is hanging by its legs from a hook. Behind the head there is an elongate, axially movable, hollow mandrel with transverse dimensions which are smaller than those of the head. Furthermore, behind the head there is an annular supporting member which can move in the same direction as the mandrel and the transverse dimensions of which substantially correspond to those of the head. The supporting member can be pressed onto the rear side of the head by means of spring means. As a result of a subatmospheric pressure being created in the mandrel, abdominal skin is sucked along the head into the mandrel. Then, the supporting member is moved towards the head, so that the abdominal skin is clamped between the head and the supporting member. Then, the head is moved out of and, together with the supporting member, away from the carcass, the abdominal fat being scraped off the abdominal skin at the location of the scraping edge of the head. The abdominal fat which is scraped off is sucked away via the mandrel.
One drawback of the known device is that the head is bulky, and consequently there is a risk of abdominal skin being torn into and torn off as a result of displacement. Therefore, detached pieces of abdominal skin may pass into the abdominal fat removed, which is highly undesirable since such pieces impair the quality of the abdominal fat or subsequently have to be removed again from the abdominal fat obtained in order to achieve a high quality. Secondly, the presence of abdominal skin in abdominal fat reduces the weight of (the carcass of) the bird, so that the yield from the bird is lower.
The use of vacuum to suck away abdominal fat has the drawback that the abdominal fat is removed in pieces and that all kinds of undesirable substances and pieces of tissue (such as pieces of intestines and kidneys) which are situated in the airstream sucked away may find their way into the abdominal fat removed, with the consequences discussed above.
In the known device, there is also a risk of abdominal skin being torn into and torn off on account of the fact that the movement of the scraper member, i.e. the scraping edge of the head, is directed substantially perpendicularly to the supporting surface which interacts therewith, i.e. the bottom side of the annular supporting member. As a result, the scraping edge may tear the abdominal skin in the event of a heavy load being imposed on the abdominal skin as a result of the scraping. In the embodiment selected, the load on the abdominal skin is high on account of the fact that both the scraper member and the supporting surface are moving in the same direction relative to the abdominal skin.
Another drawback of the bulky nature of the known device is that consequently the freedom of design decreases with respect to the design of the bird-conveyor hook, which must not interfere with one another.
Yet another drawback of this known device is that it is unsuitable for use on carcasses which have been cooled, since the abdominal skin, which is relatively rigid on account of the cooling, cannot be sucked into the mandrel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and device which provide a low load on the abdominal skin and high efficiency of removal of abdominal fat and which can be used on both uncooled and cooled carcasses.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is of simple design and not very bulky.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device which allows selective, i.e. optionally complete or partial, removal of abdominal fat.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method and device with which abdominal fat can be obtained as a high-grade product, i.e. substantially as a whole and/or substantially without contamination.
To achieve one or more of the abovementioned and other objects, the method according to the invention is wherein the movement of the scraper member is directed substantially parallel to the supporting surface. First displacement means are provided for implementing this feature in the device according to the invention. By virtue of this feature, the load on the abdominal skin is relatively low, thus preventing undesirable tearing of the abdominal skin both in the case in which the supporting surface adopts a substantially fixed position with respect to the abdominal skin during the scraping operation and in the case in which the supporting surface moves with respect to the abdominal skin, in the same direction as the scraper member or in the opposite direction, during the scraping operation.
Preferably, the supporting surface is moved to the vicinity of the edge of an evisceration opening of the bird immediately prior to the scraping operation, and in particular the supporting surface is positioned on the side of the sternum of the bird. The abdominal skin can then be brought into contact with the supporting surface over its maximum surface area, so that the removal of abdominal fat can be carried out optimally. To achieve a selective harvesting of abdominal fat, it is obviously also possible for the supporting surface to be moved at least partially into the abdominal cavity of the bird immediately prior to the scraping operation, if only a part of the abdominal fat is to be obtained. In this case, the supporting surface will shield part of the abdominal skin, making it inaccessible to the scraper member. Another possibility for harvesting only a part of the abdominal fat which is present is f
Gooren Peter Antonius Maria
Lankhaar Jenneke Antonia Christina
van den Nieuwelaar Adrianus Josephes
van Happen Francis Willem Johan
Jordan Charles T.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Nelson Judith A.
Stork PMT B.V.
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