Method and apparatus for filling tuna cans with consistent premium tuna cake appearance
US7735303B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 5, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65B25/061
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A tuna fish canning apparatus is provided wherein each can has a premium cake appearance. The machine has first and second turrets adjacent each other which rotate around a common axis. Fish slugs loaded into a shared pocket by the adjacent turrets are severed along a plane between the turrets to produce first and second cakes with each cake having a cut surface and each cake adapted to be transferred into a can. The present invention provides first and second knock-out plungers for ejecting the first and second cakes into cans, wherein the first and second knock-out plungers are positioned on opposite sides of the plane between the first and second turrets so that each cake has its freshly cut surface at the top of the can to provide a premium appearance. A method for achieving the same result is also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.