Meat trim sorting
US5482166A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 6, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 6, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T83/6491
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A sorting system is disclosed for reclaiming lean meat from highfat meat trimmings. The sorting system includes a meat dicing machine which receives laterally extending whole meat trimmings and which dices such meat trimmings without grinding or extruding, and without disturbing the lateral distribution of the meat. This results in a lateral distribution of meat trimmings, without requiring vibratory distribution which is disfavored in meat processing plants. A wide-belt inspection conveyor is positioned at the downstream end of the meat dicing machine to receive the laterally distributed meat dices. The wide-belt inspection conveyor operates at a greater linear speed than does the meat dicing machine to longitudinally space the meat dices from each other. An optical inspection and sorting station is positioned at the downstream end of the wide-belt inspection conveyor to differentiate relatively lean meat dices from relatively fatty meat dices and to separate such meat dices from each other.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.