Automated classifier and meat cut fat trimming method and apparatus
US7001261B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA22C17/008
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for a meat cut classification and fat trimming for sensing the thickness of a layer of fat of a cut of meat and the various contours thereof as it travels along a conveyance and providing the fat thickness or classification information to a downstream system for performing a fat trimming operation. The meat cut classification system comprises a split/multi-belt conveyor having split/multi-belts proximately spaced apart extending in the same direction and having a uniform equidistant gap there between and said conveyor having a drive for conveying the meat cut through the classification system and a multi-probe mechanism assembly operable to position the probes between the multi-belts of the conveyor and extend the probes upward between the multi-belts to penetrate the meat cut for measuring the fat thickness.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.