Technical field of the invention The present invention concerns apparatus and method for automatic cutting of objects into portions of reduced dimensions. More specifically the invention involves utilizing a cutting device placed between two spaced-apart conveyors. The cutting device being operatively connected to a computer and moveable in the space between the conveyors.

Background of the invention It is well known that food such as fish and meat is sold and later served in predetermined portions (on the basis of weight, shape or other dimensions). This is the case with both the catering and the household sectors. Production of such fish and/or meat portions was previously performed by manual cutting, but various accessories and portion cutting machines have been developed in recent years. Studies have shown that manual portion cutting of fish fillets into predetermined sizes and shapes can yield a deviation in portion size of up to 10%, if no special methods are employed to increase the accuracy of manual cutting. Equipment is known which is based on either weighing or some kind of imaging. Repeated studies have shown that deviation in portion size may be around 5°'o when weighing, scales, or imaging devices are used to control the cutting machinery. In effect, such imprecision means a loss to the producer, since he needs to take this deviation factor into account in his agreements with buyers, and allow for overweight. In all probability, therefore, the producer receives a lower price per unit weight for the raw material input as weighed in comparison to what he would receive if he could reduce the deviation from the negotiated weight.

One of the problem in automatic cutting meat, such as fish or poultry into portions, is that it has only been possible to achieve straight line

cuttings, either transversal-or longitudinal cuts. The cutting means known are circular knives for cutting either transversally or longitudinally, but performing. the cut above the means conveying the object to be cut. In US patent no. 4,557,019 a method and equipment is described for automatic control of portion cutting of fish. More specifically, the patent describes portion cutting equipment whereby a transversal circular blade cutter is used.

In European patent no. 504,446 a method and equipment for automatic portion cutting of fish or meat is described. More specifically, the patent describes automatic portion cutting equipment whereby the fish or meat portions are cut transversally by a sword like cutting device.

US patent no. 4,875,254 describes a method and equipment for determining the volume, form, and weight of fish transported on a conveyor and cutting the fish by water jet cutter. By the water jet cutter it is possible to cut the fish longitudinally.

Further US patent 4,868,951 describes a apparatus and method for obtaining a portion of predetermined weight by cutting the object by a circular cutting knife. The cutting blade is arranged longitudinally along the conveying direction of the object.

Modern food processing demands high levels of productivity and precision. It is the aim of the producer and requests of the buyer to obtain as accurate portion size as possible. It is also an important factor that the objet in this case, fish or meat portions have a certain configurations due to the end. buyers requests. It is also required in many instances to perform both transverse and longitudinal, as well as curved cuttings to achieve the required portion sizes/configuration.

Enhanced processing technology would lead to much better utilization of raw material and thus cost-effectiveness of processing.

The main disadvantage of the known prior art is that it has not been possible to achieve longitudinal cut and/or curved cut on a continuous conveyor in an economical and effective manner. The cutting by circular rotating cutting mean placed above the conveyor path has not given the result expected. It has been very difficult to cut through the object without having problems with the conveyor. Further it is very difficult to achieve curved cutting lines as the cutting edge of the circular blade is so long. By using water jet cutting beam, one have on the other hand been able to achieve longitudinal and curved cuttings, but only with extremely expensive and complicated machinery. The maintenance costs for such jet beam machines are also extremely high.

Description of the invention The aim of the invention is to present apparatus and method for controlling automatic cutting of objects into portions of reduced dimensions by cutting device which is able to cut the object longitudinally in effective and economical manner.

This aim of the invention is achieved by providing an apparatus comprising: a frame, a first and a second conveyors placed one after the other on the frame, for transporting the objects along a transporting path from the first to the second conveyor in downstream direction. The first and second conveyor are separated by a gap. A means is arranged for determining the characteristics of the objects. A computer system is also arranged interacting with the means for determination of the characteristics of the object. A cutting device is arranged on the frame for cutting the objects into portions. The cutting device being operatively connected with the computer system. The cutting device being a band- saw-cutter having a cutting edge extending through the transporting path of the object as well as the gap in-between said first and second conveyor. The cutting edge, further being transversely moveable in said gap. Thereby cutting the objects into portions of predetermined reduced

dimension as the objects are conveyed from said first to the second conveyor.

The aim of the invention is also achieved by providing a band-saw-cutter that is a continuous band-saw blade cutter. The cutting edge/blade is aligned according to a cutting curve of the object. The band saw cutter is further equipped with a cutting supporting means arranged in a gap in- between the conveyors transporting the object which also forms a plane supporting the object during the cutting operation. The named supporting means is moveable transversely along with the cutting edge in the gap between the two conveyors. One variation of the invention describes arranging a plurality of individually moveable band-cutters spaced apart in the gap in-between the conveyors.

Finally, the aim of the invention is achieved by providing means for determining the dimensions of the objects comprises imaging equipment.

The imaging equipment being a line scan camera or a structural light frame camera device. Further the means for determining the characteristic properties of the objects being a weighing device. The weighing device being an in-and/or out-weighing conveyor platform.

Finally the imaging equipment being means for locating non wanted properties in the object or means for determining qualitative properties of the object such as fat/meat ratio, or collar detecting device.

The aim of the invention is further achieved by providing a first and a second conveyors placed one after the other on the frame for transporting the objects in downstream direction. The velocity of said first and second conveyor is adjustable according to the determination of the characteristic properties of the objects. Thereby the cutting of the objects into portions of predetermined reduced dimension as the objects are conveyed from said first to said second conveyor are better achieved.

In accordance with a method of the present invention which utilise the described band saw cutter the following steps are performed: conveying a present object to be cut; determining/measuring the characteristic properties of said object to be cut; utilising at least one of the characteristics determined/measured to establishing the desired cutting pattern; cutting the object based on said determined/measured characteristic of the object; said cutting being performed by band saw cutting blade; the cutting blade extending through the conveying path of the object; the cutting blade being transversely moveable with respect to the conveying path of the object, and thereby cutting the objects into portions of predetermined reduced dimension as the objects are conveyed along said conveyor/conveying direction.

Brief description of the draines Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a side view of the set-up of the apparatus; Figure 3 is a plan view of the set-up of the apparatus; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cutting edge of the apparatus; Figure 5 is a schematic electrical block diagram showing the interrelation of the components; and Figure 6 is a plan view of how a filet of fish or chicken breast can be cut.

More detailed description of the drawings and Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the portioning apparatus, generally referred to at the figures as number 21. The objects to be cut are placed on a conveyor, which can be of any known type. In the present invention, the conveyor comprises a plurality of conveyors longitudinally aligned

end-to-end with the other. The first conveyor belt (2) in which the object to be cut is placed. The first conveyor belt (2), transport the objects to be cut to a cutting device (4) placed in a gap (9) between the first and the second conveyor (2,3). Prior thereto or even as the object is transported on the first conveyor the object is measured/detected, as to determine one or more characteristics of the object. Such determination can be done by weighing by any known art of conveyor weighing means, such as load cell. Such determination can also be done by image measurement of the object where series of images of the object are recorded as image data (see fig. 2 and 3). Preferably, the image equipment is made in accordance with U. S. Patent No. 5,184,733, which is here incorporated as a reference. The image equipment could also be any kind of known so called structural frame camera, or imaging equipment for locating such characteristics as fat/meat ratio or non-wanted parts. Such non-wanted parts could be bones or other foreign articles.

The image data is any kind of such information, although most preferred any dimensional information for the object to be cut that can be used by the computer system, referred lo on the drawings as number 6 (see fig.

5). The dimensional information can be either the actual weight measured or calculated weight, calculated on the bases of length/width/height measurement of the object. As further defined in the patent claims, the imaging means, or the means for determining the characteristics of the object can be of any known type. Such could be line scan, or frame camera taking picture of the configuration (length, height, width) of the object. As also mentioned weighing the object can also be one way of obtaining the required data for the cutting.

The computer system (6) receive signals from the imaging and/or the weighing equipment and based thereupon, estimate/calculates characteristics of the object to be cut accordingly.

As the object is conveyed further along the first conveyor (2) it will reach the gap (9) between the first conveyor (2) and the second conveyor (3). In the gap the cutting device (4) is arranged. The cutting device herein described and preferred is a band-saw-cutter (7) extending substantially vertically there through. The object is to be cut along its longitudinal axis (17) as it passes the gap (9) between the conveyors (2,3). As can further been seen from the figure, the band saw cutter (7) is moveable transversally in the gap. By moving the band-saw-cutter transversally either in-between cutting sessions (no objet conveyed from the first to the second conveyor) or during the cutting of object, one will be able to achieve two things. Firstly, by moving the cutter in or out of the conveyor path of a particular object no movement of the object is required and it is no reason to align each and every object according to the placement of the cutter. Secondly, by moving the cutter during the cutting operation one can achieve a curve formed cutting path.

Pre-input parameters and/or calculated measurements of the velocity of the conveyor belts, and thus the speed at which the object passes through the equipment, are also input to the computer system (6). The velocity of the conveyor belts and image taken by the imaging equipment can be used by the computer system to determine the relative position of the object to be cut on the conveyor. Alternately, the use of encoders, sensors, or combination thereof, can also be used to determine the relative position of the object to be cut on the conveyor. The relative position of the object to be cut is sent to the computer system (6). By increasing or decreasing the speed of the conveyors one can influence the performance of the cutting, especially when cutting curves it can be preferred to decrease the speed of the conveyor temporarily. The computer system (6) then transmits data to a cutting device (4) operatively connected thereto. The cutting device (4) cuts the object at locations based on the estimated weight or other measured/detected characteristics or calculated by the computer. From the second conveyor

(3), the objects can alternatively be transported onto a third conveyor belt (not shown) across an. out-weigher (not shown), where each individual portioned part of the object is weighed before being transported for further processing, or for grading by the grading equipment (not shown).

Figure 2 and 3 shows the design of the equipment seen from the side and above. The means (5) for determining the characteristics of the objects is only shown in an illustrative manner. On the first conveyor (2) a number of uncut objects are illustrated (fig. 3). After the cutting device (7) and on the second conveyor (3) a number of longitudinally cut objets are also illustrated. As can been seen some of the objects have been cut along a straight line, as other have been cut along curved line. In the same manner in-weigher (12) and out-weigher (19) are shown illustrative. The out-weigher (19) is shown as integrated part of the second conveyor (3).

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the band-saw cutting device (7) of the apparatus. The band saw cutting blade (7) is arranged aligned with the transporting direction (13) of the conveyors (2,3). The band, extend substantially vertically through the transporting path of the object as well as the gap (9) between the conveyors. It is further illustrated that the blade can be rotated its vertical axle and tilted to the sides. In this way a better cutting of a curved cut is achieved. Therefor longitudinal slanted cut can be achieved. The band-saw cutting device (7) can bee any kind of cutting device having a blade that can extend through the object to cut. Such can be traditional endless band saws, with teethed or knife like cutting edge. A string can also be used, as well as jig-or stitch saws or similar.

Figure 5 is a schematic electrical block diagram showing the interrelation of the components. The figure is self-descriptive as each of

the components are named as well as numbered and their relation (connections) are shown.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of how a filet of fish or chicken breast can be cut in the apparatus. The cut can either, be straight longitudinal cut (22), or curved longitudinal cut. (23). As exemplified, either by using more than one cutting devices located in the same gap, or by using cutting devices located one after the other it is possible to split the fish filet as exemplified into two parts as well as cut the outside rim (24) away.

It thus will be appreciated that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing preferred specific embodiment has been shown and described for the purpose of this invention and are subject to change without departure from its basic principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.