SUCTION HEAD

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a meat suction head, a meat suction station and method of operating a meat suction head as stipulated in the below claims.

Background of the invention

The invention relates to a device, a system and method for removing undesirable material from a surface of a carcass or parts hereof such as from a meat piece. Undesirable material may be bone fragments, meat/fat/tendon fragments and/or foreign bodies located on the meat product or being attached to a meat piece

One such device is disclosed in EP 3 599 873, where a vacuum cleaner is coupled to a drag head body which may be dragged over a meat product in an automated process. The disclosed system however suffers from a number of drawbacks. First of all, the device has a relatively low efficiency and is difficult to implement in real life surroundings. Moreover, the drag head is very complex in nature and thereby expensive to manufacture and is not simple to clean.

Summary of the invention

The invention relates to a meat suction head (MSH) comprising a suction outlet (SUO), and the suction outlet is connectable, designed for being easily connectable with a suction device, a suction plane including a number of suction channels (SC) arranged parallel side by side, wherein each of said suction channels comprises a suction orifice (OR) being in fluidly connection with said suction outlet (SUO), wherein each of said suction channels comprises an open side facing the suction plane (SUP), , and wherein a longitudinal extend of each of said suction channels between a longitudinal end of said suction channels and said suction orifice is at least two times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice.

The invention relates to a meat suction head (MSH) comprising a suction outlet (SUO), and the suction outlet is connectable, designed for being easily connectable with a suction device, a suction plane including a number of suction channels (SC) arranged parallel side by side, wherein each of said suction channels comprises a suction orifice (OR) being in fluidly connection with said suction outlet (SUO), wherein each of said suction channels comprises an open side facing the suction plane (SUP), and wherein a longitudinal extend of each of said suction channels between an open longitudinal end of said suction channels and said suction orifice is at least two times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice.

Forming the suction channels so that the longitudinal extend of a suction channels is at least two times the longitudinal extend of the suction orifice between an open longitudinal end of the suction channel and the suction orifice ensures that a longitudinal air flow along the surface of the meat is formed over a relatively large area. This longitudinal air flow ensures better dislodging of objects and fragments sticking to the surface of the meat or being lodged in the surface of the meat and thereby ensures a more efficient meat suction head.

The meat suction head is also applicable in connection with conventional conveyor systems, where the meat pieces to be processed are conveyed without being rigidly fixed to the conveyor belt or without a requirement for a dedicated separate fixation arrangement to be used during suction. It should however be noted that it may be highly advantageous to apply specially adapted conveyors with the meat suction of the invention adding a friction between the conveyor and the meat pieces located on in. Examples of such added friction may e.g. be obtained through the use of specialized conveyor belt material, e.g. rubber materials or the conveyor may be fitted with mechanical protrusions, such as spikes etc., ensuring that the meat piece will not be moved on the conveyor in the direction of movement of the meat suction head.

The extent of the suction orifice may be regarded as the physically shortest diameter of the suction conduit between the suction outlet and the suction channel.

The application of suction channels in the longitudinal direction of the suction head applied according to the principles of embodiments of the invention makes it possible to automatically remove e.g. bone fragments, which are typically difficult to remove, by relatively low suction force and more efficient than typical state of the art manual removal of bone fragments by means of vacuum cleaner. In some applications it has shown that even standard industrial vacuum cleaners may feasibly be applied.

In the present context a meat piece or a meat cut refer to pork, beef or venison. The meat suction device is advantageously applied in relation to processing of pork meat, in particular pork belly after the ribs have been removed.

It should be noted that the meat type in the present context, due to the relatively specific design of the suction head is relatively important in particular in relation to meat size, but also in relation to the type of the residue which are to be removed by suction. Generally, it would be expected that the meat piece size should exceed 10 cm x 10 cm x 5 cm, such as 20 cm x 20 cm x 5 cm, such as 30 cm x 20 cm x 5 cm.

In the present context the term “suction outlet” refers to an interface subject to suction, and the term “outlet” in this connection refers to an outlet from the meat suction head for particles etc. removed by means of the established suction by the suction device by means of the suction device.

In an embodiment a longitudinal extend of each of said suction channels between an open longitudinal end of said suction channels and said suction orifice is at least three times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice, such as at least four times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice, such as at least five times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice, such as at least six times a longitudinal extend of said suction orifice.

In an embodiment a meat suction head is mounted in a suction head fixture (SHF)

In an embodiment a meat suction head fixture (SHF) is coupled to a robot arm via a robot arm swivel joint (RAJ).

In an embodiment, said meat suction head comprises a pressure force applicator (PF A) arranged for forcing said suction plane against an underlying surface in a direction perpendicular to said suction plane (SUP).

A pressure force applicator may include a spring, an active spring force control, pneumatic spring cylinder, actuator, a gravity affected weight, etc.

In an advantageous embodiment, the pressure force translates movement of the meat piece(s) in the horizontal direction of the conveyor into a pressure force between the meat suction head and the meat piece in the vertical direction (Y-direction) directed towards the conveyor. I this embodiment it is important/advantageous that a sufficient friction is established between the meat piece(s) and the conveyor e.g. by the application of a conveyor with mechanical protrusions on the surface or by providing a rough surface of the conveyor.

In an embodiment the meat suction head being suspended in a robot arm (ROA) and optionally in a robot arm suspension (ROAS) connecting the robot arm and the meat suction head (MSH), wherein the robot arm (ROA) and/or said robot arm suspension (ROAS) comprises a pressure force applicator (PF A) arranged for forcing said suction plane of said meat suction head (MSH) against an underlying surface in a direction perpendicular (Z) to said suction plane (SUP). This is extremely important as the engagement of the suction channels towards the meat surface has to be as tight as possible to ensure a proper and efficient suction.

In an embodiment said meat suction head comprises tilting means allowing said suction plane to tilt around a tilt axis extending parallel with the longitudinal extend of said suction channels.

The so-called tilt axis is thus oriented parallel in the direction of the X-axis of the meat suction head.

In an embodiment said number of suction channels are substantially identical.

In an embodiment said meat suction head is provided with a guide surface comprising at least two sliders enabling the meat suction head to be moved over a surface of a meat piece.

In an embodiment said meat suction head is provided with separating fins (SEF) arranged for separating said number of suction channels and wherein each of said separating fins are gradually protruding away from said suction plane at said a first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end of said suction channels.

Hereby the longitudinal ends of the fins will act as a guide surface ensuring that the meat suction head is guided along the often uneven surface of the meat being hoovered. I.e. sharp edges - that might catch the meat - is hereby avoided. The upwardly curving of the separating fins moreover will ensure and counteract that either the first or the second longitudinal end of the suction channel remains open when the suction channel(s) are dragged over the meat piece surface. In an embodiment the width of the separating fins (FIWI) are less then 10 mm, such as less than 8 mm, such as less than 6 mm, such as less than 5 mm.

By reducing the width of the separating fins the removal of bone fragments in particular will become more efficient.

In an embodiment a width of the suction channels (SC) of the meat suction head, the suction channel width (SUCW) is at least 5 mm, such as at least 8 mm, such as at least 10 mm, such as at least 15 mm, such as at least 20 mm.

In an embodiment a width of the suction channels (SC) of the meat suction head, the suction channel width (SUCW) is between 5 and 40mm, such as between 8 and 35mm, such as between 10 and 28 mm.

In an embodiment a depth of the suction channels (SC) of the meat suction head, the suction channel depths (SUCD) is as at least 3 mm, such as at least 5 mm, such as at least 8 mm, such as at least 10 mm, such as at least 12mm.

Unless otherwise noted, the suction channel depth is given as the distance in the Z- direction of the drag head between the upper wall and the suction plane of the meat suction head.

In an embodiment a depth of the suction channels (SC) of the meat suction head, the suction channel depth (SUCD) is between 3 and 25 mm, such as between 4 and 20mm such as between 4 and 13mm, such as between 5 and 11 mm.

The suction channel depth must not be too short, as the meat might then block the channel and compromise the effective suction length of the channel. The suction channel depth should not be too high, as the required suction may then need to be increased thereby leading to increased suction power and thereby too high energy consumption/ too high requirements for suction power.

In an embodiment a width of the orifice of the suction channels (SC), the orifice width (ORW), is at least 80% of the suction channel width (SUCW), such as at least 90% of the suction channel width (SUCW), such as at least 95% of the suction channel width (SUCW).

In an embodiment a length of the suction channels, the suction channel lengths (SUCL) is at least 50mm, such as at least 70mm, such as at least 90mm, such as at least 100mm, such as at least 120mm.

In an embodiment a length of the suction channels, the suction channel lengths (SUCL) is between 50 and 400 mm, such as between 70 and 350mm, such as between 80 and 400mm.

In an embodiment a meat suction head according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a transversal cross section of said number of suction channels between an open longitudinal end of said suction channels and said suction orifice is substantially constant.

A constant transversal cross section of the suction channels ensures a uniform flow throughout the channel along the surface of the meat between the open longitudinal end (or ends) and the suction orifice and thereby ensures that dislodged objects are transported unhindered to and out through the suction orifice.

In an embodiment the suction channels has an upper wall (UW) extending from the first longitudinal direction to the second longitudinal direction, and wherein the upper wall is forming part of an enclosure including side walls, such as the separating fins (SEF), which is downwardly open in the suction plane, where the suction channel is open in at least one of the ends, the first longitudinal end (FLE) and the second longitudinal end (SLE), and where at least the upper wall includes an orifice (OR) fluidly connected with the suction outlet (SUO).

In an embodiment at least one of a first longitudinal end (FLE) and a second longitudinal end (SLE) of each of said suction channels is/are open

In an embodiment a suction outlet (SUO) of the meat suction head is arranged for being connected to a suction device/is connectable to a suction device.

In an embodiment a meat suction head according to any of the preceding claims, wherein both said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end of said suction channels are open.

In an embodiment of the invention, the meat suction head is made as one piece, i.e. monolithic, by 3D printing, molding, routed from a block, etc. A monolithic head facilitates easy cleaning.

Moreover, the invention relates to a meat suction station comprising a meat suction head suspension (MSHSUS) suspending a meat suction head (MSH) , a suction device being connected to a suction outlet of said meat suction head, a conveyor arranged for conveying a piece of meat, preferably for conveying a meat piece into the working range of the meat suction heat , and where the meat suction head suspension (MSHSUS) suspends a meat suction head (MSH) movably at least in a Z-direction (vertically) to and from a surface of said conveyor (CONV).

Preferably, the meat suction head is robot-operated, and the movements/suction head scanning(s)/suction/ etc is performed automatically.

Moreover, the invention relates to a meat suction station comprising an robot, a meat suction head according to any of the preceding claims connected to said robot, a suction device being connected to a suction outlet of said meat suction head, a conveyor arranged for conveying a piece of meat to said robot and detector arranged for detecting and/or estimating a position of said meat piece on said conveyor.

The robot thereby facilitates automatic control and operation of said meat suction head relative to said controller.

In an embodiment a pressure force applicator (PF A) forcing the suction head towards the conveyor, while the suction head is moved in a movement pattern over the meat piece.

In an embodiment, the meat suction head is tiltably suspended in a meat suction head suspension (MSHSUS) so as to facilitate active and/or passive tilting of the meat suction head when meat suction head is moved/scanned over a meat piece to be processed. By this tiltable movement, it will be possible for the meat suction head to follow the surface of the meat piece to be processed, e.g. as a result of the counterforce invoked on the meat suction head by the meat piece itself and/or by use of active tilting.

The direction of tilting is e.g. illustrated in relation to fig. 6 performed around the X- axis (see also e.g. fig. 9 for definition of the X-axis) Wherein said conveyor is controlled by a controller and whereby the speed of the conveyor is controlled and adjusted on the basis of the movement of the meat suction head(s).

The meat suction head is programmed to perform suction “scannings” and in the present embodiment, such types of movements should preferably be relatively steady and not go too much up and down in speed. It is therefore advantageous to monitor the activity (meat piece load/meat piece frequency) on the conveyor and then simply dynamically adjust the speed of the conveyor in order to make it fit to the relatively fixed operation of the meat suction head(s).

In an embodiment moving the suction head in direction coinciding with the direction of the suction channels of the suction head.

In an embodiment the orientation of the suction channels when the suction head is moved over a meat piece is obtained reactively by mechanical rotation along the Z- axis of the suction head when dragging the suction head over the meat piece.

In an embodiment the orientation of the suction channels when the suction head is moved over a meat piece is obtained actively automatically regulating the rotation along the Z-axis of the suction head when dragging the suction head over the meat piece.

In an embodiment the meat suction head is moved over the meat piece in a scanning pattern (SCPA)

In an embodiment the meat suction head is automatically moved over the meat piece in a scanning pattern (SCPA) in the X-Y direction of the conveyor. In an embodiment the meat suction head being suspended in a meat suction head suspension (MSHSUS) said meat suction head suspension (MSHSUS) comprising a pressure force applicator (PF A) arranged for forcing said suction plane of said meat suction head (MSH) against an underlying surface in a direction perpendicular (Z) to said suction plane (SUP).

This implementation is highly advantageous as this may be performed without the use of a robot and the design is robust and easy to maintain.

In an embodiment of the invention the conveyor has a conveyor surface and wherein the conveyor surface includes a plurality of mechanical protrusions, typically pointing in the direction of the meat located on the conveyer, thereby inducing friction in relation to movement of the meat pieces in the X and Y direction of the conveyor. In other words, such protrusion may e.g. be spikes or any suitable mechanical design providing the intended function of counteracting sliding of the meat pieces in the X-Y direction on the conveyor CONV when the meat suction head is moved over the meat surface of the meat pieces.

Moreover, the invention relates to a method of removing loose objects from a piece of meat, said method comprising the steps of establishing suction through a suction outlet of a meat suction head according to any of claims 1-22

In an embodiment at least one meat suction head is moved along the longitudinal direction of the suction channels of the suction head and where the at least one meat suction head is moved automatically across said meat piece in a movement pattern covering at least a part of the meat piece.

Preferably movement patterns should be programmed to ensure that the part of the meat relevant to the meat suction is processed by at least one meat suction head once. This may include the total surface of a meat piece pointing away from a conveyor upon which the meat piece is located.

In an embodiment a meat suction head is moved along the longitudinal direction of the suction channels of the suction head and where the meat suction head is moved automatically across said meat piece in a movement pattern covering at least a part of the meat piece.

In an embodiment the surface to be processed may be covered by one meat suction head. In such a case it would be necessary to adapt the process to the speed of the conveyor or course adapting the speed of the conveyor belt to the available suction speed.

In an embodiment a plurality of meat suction heads are moved along the longitudinal direction of the respective suction channels of the suction heads and where the meat suction head is moved automatically across a meat piece in a movement pattern covering at least a part of the meat piece.

In an embodiment the surface to be processed may be covered by two, three or more meat suction heads. In such a case it would of course still be necessary to adapt the process to the speed of the conveyor or course adapting the speed of the conveyor belt to the available suction speed. In industrial slaughterhouse processes it should however be noted that the number of robots should be kept as low as possible. Partly due to economic considerations but not least because robots occupy space.

Generally, the movement patterns would typically be programmed to ensure that as much of the available surface for meat suction is reached in order to minimize unwanted residues on the processed meat piece. In an embodiment the movement pattern is programmed such that all surface subareas of the surface intended to be subject to processing by the meat suction head is covered by at least one scanning movement by the meat suction head.

In an embodiment the movement pattern is programmed such that all surface subareas of the surface intended to be subject to processing by the meat suction head is covered by at least two scanning movements by the meat suction head and where the scanning movements are mutually displaced. .

In the present context mutually displaced mean any displacement of the scanning pattern ensuring that a part of the meat piece is not effectively sucked due to the pressure of sliders/gliders of the meat suction head against the meat piece. In other words, the meat sucking head relies on being pressed towards the meat piece during processing and that means that some undesired residues, such as bone fragments, are not sucked away due to mechanical fixing between the part(s) of the meat suction head pressing against the meat piece. In an advantageous embodiment, the meat surface is thus scanned not only one time, but two times, and the second scanning should be at least slightly displaced to ensure that the residues, such as bone fragments, fixed by the meat suction head during the first scanning is free for suction in the second scanning by a suction channel..

In an embodiment the movement pattern is programmed such that all surface subareas of the surface intended to be subject to processing by the meat suction head is covered by at least two scanning movements in at least two different movement directions by the meat suction head.

It should be noted that experiments have shown that two suctions, substantially over the same surface area of the meat piece surface is highly advantageous when the suction is performed in different directions. If the meat suction head engages the meat piece in two opposite directions, the first suction will result in that the meat parts will rise and fold down in the first direction and thereby hide e.g. bone fragments, but when the meat suction head revisit the same subarea now in a different direction, the meat flanges will now fold in the “opposite” or another direction and thereby make the once hidden bone fragment(s) free for suction.

In an embodiment the movement pattern is programmed such that all surface subareas of the surface intended to be subject to processing by the meat suction head is covered by at least two scanning movement in two opposite movement directions by the meat suction head.

In an embodiment the intended movement patterns of meat pieces located on a conveyor is synchronized with the movement of the conveyor.

In an embodiment subjecting the suction head to a pressure force directed against a processing surface, such as a conveyor.

The system is advantageously applied in an automated way, i.e. by means of a robot carrying a suction head according to the invention and moving it automatically in movement part established for the purpose of performing removal of in particular bone fragments from a meat piece in an automated manner, e.g. in connection with a conveyor.

In an advantageous embodiment, the meat suction head is configured to be rotatably coupled to a suspension e.g. of a robot arm and where the meat suction head is rotatable along the longitudinal length of the suction head.

The rotating/tilting configuration allows the suction head to adapt to the surface of a the meat piece while the suction head is moved to the meat piece and facilitate an adaptation of the vertical distance of two or all of the suction channels to be close to the same, even if the surface contours of the meat piece varies. This “equalization” of vertical distance in practice allows a uniform suction over the meat piece for all suction channels and therefor facilitates that e.g. bone fragments are subjected to a suction force which is sufficiently equalized to ensure that these may also be removed even around the circumference of the meat piece. In an embodiment of the invention, the meat suction head is at least partly surrounded by a sound barrier, such as glass, plastic, etc., thereby facilitating a damping of the suction noise of the suction station to a dB level of less than 82dB, or even less than 78dB at the outside of the sound barrier.

The drawings

The invention will be described in the following description with reference to the drawings where

Fig 1 illustrates a perspective view of a meat suction head within the scope of the invention which is suspended in a robot arm suspension,

Fig. 2 illustrates a rear view of the meat suction head of fig. 1,

Fig. 3 illustrates a front view of a meat suction head within the scope of the invention,

Fig. 4 illustrate a cross section in the longitudinal direction of a meat suction head within the scope of the invention,

Fig.5a-c illustrate longitudinal cross-sections of three embodiment of a meat suction head within the scope of the invention,

Fig. 6-8 illustrate an implementation of swivel joint applicable for suspension of a meat suction head,

Fig, 9 and 10, illustrate how an embodiment of a meat suction head may tilt/rotate along a rotation axis in the longitudinal direction of the meat suction head, Fig. 11 illustrates a way of implementing a robot arm suspension keeping the meat suction head substantially aligned longitudinally with a surface upon which a meat piece is positioned during engagement of the meat piece by the meat suction head, the meat suction head moving in the longitudinal direction of the meat suction head, Fig. 12a-c illustrate three different configurations of suction channels within the scope of the invention,

Fig. 13a-d illustrate three of many possible industrial setups applying the inventive meat suction head,

Fig. 14a-f illustrate some of many different applicable movement patterns which may be applied for engagement movement of a meat suction head over a meat piece, Fig. 15 illustrates a possible hardware configuration applicable for an automated application of the meat suction head and where Fig. 16 illustrates principle features of suction channels of a meat suction head within the scope of the invention.

Detailed description

Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a meat suction head MSH is suspended in a robot arm ROA by means of a robot arm suspension ROAS. The robot arm ROA is a part of an automatically controlled robot (not shown) e.g. an industrial robot or a collaborative robot.

The robot, specifically the robot arm ROA is configured to move the meat suction head in movement patterns ensuring that the meat piece to be processed by the meat suction head MSH is processed at the intended surface area. Different ways of configuring movement paths and different system setup with different number of robots are e.g. illustrated in fig. 14a to 14f.

The meat suction head MSH has a suction outlet which is fluidly coupled of a suction conduit SUC of a suction device (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, this suction device may e.g. be an industrial vacuum cleaner. The illustrated meat suction head MSH is suspended in the robot arm suspension ROAS by a robot arm joint RAJ connecting the robot arm suspension ROAS and a suction head fixture SHF allowing the fixture to fixate the meat suction head while allowing a rotation of the meat suction head around the orientation of the swivel joint. Fig. 6-10 illustrate the functionality of a swivel joint suspension.

Furthermore the meat suction head MSH is formed by a number of suction channels SC. These suction channels SC are in the illustrated embodiment partly defined by separating fins SEF and an upper wall/enclosure, thereby having and open side, in this context the open side is facing a suction plane SUP (see e.g. fig. 3, 4, 12a-c). These parts of the suction channels are not illustrated in the present figure but they will be explored and explained in several of the following figures.

The illustrated robot arm suspension ROAS serves the purpose of providing a movement path of the meat suction head MSH where the meat suction head does not tilt significantly with respect to the X direction of the horizontal plane, X, Y, when moving over a curved surface of a meet piece.

A pressure force applicator PFA provides a constant pressure on the meat suction head, so that the pressure remains as constant as possible. This has the advantage that the functioning of the meat suction head will be optimized as the effective height of the suction channels formed when the meat suction head is moved over a meat piece are relatively constant in cross section thereby avoiding both that the meat suction head closes the suction channel completely thereby attaching the meat piece to the meat suction head by the suction force applied and also that the separating fins SEF doesn’t leak suction if the sliding fins are lifted too much from the meat piece.

Fig. 2 illustrates the meat suction head MSH of fig. 1 now from an front view as suspended in the robot arm suspension ROAS.

The robot arm suspension includes the power force application PFA and the suction head fixture SHF. The robot arm swivel joint RAJ is thus hidden behind the suction head fixture. The curved arrow below the suction head illustrates the rotational movement allowed by the robot arm swivel joint. In practice the joint will allow the meat suction head change direction around the swivel joint reactively when the nonshown robot arm moves the suction head of a meat piece (not shown) and thereby following the contours of the meat piece.

In the illustrated view, the suction channels SC are illustrated, here partly defined by separating fins SEF which also serves the purpose as being gliders, i.e. contact points/longitudinal areas) sliding over the meat piece.

In the present illustrated embodiment, the suction channels are open ended to ensure that, at either end, the meat suction head will not stick to the meat piece and close the suction channel(s) completely in the horizontal circumference of the suction head. Fig. 3 and 4 illustrate a stand-alone meat suction head MSH, e.g. the illustrated suction head of fig. 1 and 2 and some basic important features of a suction channel in a meat suction heat within the scope of the invention. Fig. 3 is shown as a front end view and fig. 4 illustrates a cross-section

The meat suction head MSH has a suction outlet SUO and the meat suction head forms a conduit CON projecting from the suction outlet SUO down through the meat suction head to an orifice OR, one orifice OR for each section channel SC.

Each suction channel SC in the present embodiment is closed upwards by an upper wall UW (upper walls UW) and by side wall, here also referred to as separating fins SEF. The orientation and the length of the channels are illustrated by the arrow SCL. The illustrate suction channels are here open in both longitudinal ends in the sense, that there is a first longitudinal end FLE, where the air may “leak” and a second longitudinal end SLE where suction may also “leak” thereby in principle avoiding non-sticking of meat to the suction head. Moreover, obviously, the suction channels have an open side facing in the direction of the meat to be processed, i.e. in the direction or coincident with a suction plane SUP.

The separating fins SEF defines a guide surface, defining a suction plane SUP, the guide surface is formed by the lower end of the separating fins SEF pointing towards the suction plane SUP. These lower ends thus forms a guide surface.

The separating fins SEF has a thickness in the Y direction, here referred to as fin width FIWI.

The fin width should be sufficient to mechanically withstand the pressure forcing the meat suction head towards a meat piece when processing this, and also being designed so as to slide as freely as possible on the meat piece surface. However, advantageously, the fin width should be kept relatively low in order not to compromise the overall efficiency of the meat suction head.

The suction channels are downwardly open and the bottom of the meat suction head defines a suction plane SUP, here shown in the Y direction of fig. 3 and in the X direction of fig. 4.

In the present context, it should be noted that sticking may be avoided if keeping the vertical distance between the upper wall and the suction plane SUP, i.e. the lower end of the separating fins SEF, within certain a certain range.

Moreover, it should be noted that the distance between the separating fins SEF, i.e. here the width of the suction channels should also be as big as possible to ensure a reliable and efficient removal of bone fragments, in particular.

Fig. 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate different configurations of a meat suction head MSH as seen as a cross-section in the longitudinal direction of the meat suction head. Each meat suction head has suction outlet SUO fluidly connected with a number of suction channels SC, the suction channels being mainly defined by separation fins SEF and an associated upper wall UW. The orifice OR may be located, as illustrated centrally in fig. 5a, and asymmetrically in fig. 5b and 5c.

In all embodiments, it is preferred that the suction outlet SUO is configured as curved or doubled curved all the way from the suction outlet SUO to the orifice OR, thereby reducing the risk and effect of turbulence to the largest degree possible and thereby obtaining an optimal suction and thereby friction losses.

Fig. 6 illustrates an advantageous implementation of swivel joint suspending the meat suction device MSH. In the illustrated embodiment a meat suction head MSH with separating fins SEF is suspended in a suction head fixture in a robot arm swivel joint RAJ, comprising a first swivel joint SWP1 and a second swivel joint SWP2.

The illustrated swivel joint parts SWP1 and SWP2 includes permanent magnets configured to affect the swivel joint to return to a neutral start position when the meat suction head is not in engagement with a meat piece. On the other hand, the magnets will allow the intended tilting/rotation of the head when the head engaging the meat piece when moved, under pressure in the Z-direction over a meat piece.

Fig. 7 and 8 illustrate a way of implementing a swivel joint with a magnetically induced return to neutral position.

A first swivel joint part SWP1, e.g. a joint part to be fixed on a robot arm or on a robot arm suspension (not shown here, but described in other parts of the present application), comprises a first joint part JP1 allowing a rotatable connection to a second joint part JP2 of a second swivel joint part SWP2 of fig. 8.

The first swivel joint part SWP1 includes first magnets FMAG, incorporated into the first swivel joint part e.g. by casting and the second swivel joint part SWP2 includes second magnet SMAG. The first magnets FMAG are of opposite polarity as the second magnet SMAG. When the two swivel joint parts are connected to allow rotation around an axis out of the plane of the drawing, the polarity will “push” the second magnet SMAG into a position approximately between the first magnets FMAG and thereby tend to invoke a rotation towards the middle point defined by the second magnet when the meat suction head in not engaged with a meat piece surface.

Alternative ways of obtaining a return to neutral position for the swivel joint may be obtained through electromagnetically forces, weight under the influence of gravity, etc..

Fig. 9 and 10 illustrate a front view of a meat suction head MSH in two different tilting states around a swivel joint (not shown) within the scope of the invention. The tilting/rotating is performed around the illustrated X axis The meat suction head MSH includes a suction outlet SUO and suction channels SC fluidly connected for suction via at least one orifice (not shown) located preferably in the upper wall UW of each suction channel SC. The suction channels are primarily defined be the respective upper walls and separating fins SEF of the suction channels SC.

In principle the illustrated functionality could be performed in a stationery meat piece MP, but in the present embodiment the meat suction head MSH is engaging the meat piece MP in a direction transverse to a movement of a conveyor CONV upon which the meat piece is moving. Examples of applicable scanning movement of the meat suction head MSH are e.g. illustrated in fig. 14a to 14e.

When engaging the meat piece MP with the meat suction head MSH by moving the meat suction head e.g. back and forward in and out of the plane illustrated on the drawing in the X-direction while pressing the meat suction head to the meat piece, the meat suction head will tilt slightly as indicated in fig 10 when compared to fig. 9. This provides an extremely effective suction even in spite of the fact that several suction paths are tilted equally at the same time.

In the illustrated embodiment the suction outlet is swiveled relative to the main body of the meat suction head MSH. In a preferred embodiment (not shown), the suction outlet is an integrated part of the meat suction head and moves/tils with the main body of the suction heat MSH, thereby providing an advantageous simple meat suction head which may be easily cleaned.

Fig. 11 illustrates an advantageous feature of the a robot arm suspension ROAS applied with a meat suction head MSH within the scope of the invention.

Basically, the illustrated robot arm suspension ROAS is connected to a robot arm ROA of a robot (not shown) and a suction head fixture SHF holding a meat suction head MSH including a suction outlet SUO and having suction channels at least partly defined by separating fins SEF.

The meat suction head MSH is sliding over the meat piece MP by mutual displacement in the X-direction. This displacement may e.g. be obtained through movement of the robot arm ROA alone, by movement of the surface, e.g. a conveyor CONV upon which the meat piece MP is located or typically by movement of both allowing the process to run continuously while the conveyor is moving, thereby avoiding start/stop.

To illustrate the mutual displacement, the meat suction head is illustrated in three different positions, POS1, POS2 and POS3.

In each position the meat suction head has been mutually displaced over the meat piece in the X-direction. It has also resulted in that the meat suction head has been displaced in the Z-direction.

In an advantageous embodiment, as illustrated, the suction plane SUP of the meat suction head MSH is substantially maintained parallel in the x-direction with the surface of the underlying surface, here the conveyor CONV. It should however be noted that the meat suction head does not tilt in the longitudinal direction X of the meat suction head, whereas tilting in the Y direction (not shown, but e.g. specifically illustrated in fig. 9 and 10) may indeed be advantageous. In other words, it may be advantageous keeping the suction plane SUP substantially parallel with the X axis (X-direction) but at the same time allowing the meat suction head to rotate or at least tilt around the X-axis.

In the present illustrated embodiment, this is obtained with a separate robot arm suspension ROAS e.g. as illustrated e.g. in connection with fig. 1 and 2. Alternatively this may also actively be obtained by directly programming the robot in which the meat suction head is suspended. This will of course require that the robot is capable of performing the intended regulation of the meat suction heads orientation in the X-direction.

Fig. 12a, 12b and 12c disclose three different embodiments of configurations of suction channels SC of a meat suction head MSH including a suction outlet SUO within the scope of the invention. The meat suction heads are seen as front views.

Figure 12a illustrates a front view of an embodiment having six suction channels SC. The illustrated suction channels SC has a suction channel width SUCW and side walls defining the walls of the suction channels SC, also referred to as separating fins SEF has a width designated FIWI; fin width.

It has proven advantageous to apply a relatively high number of parallel suction channels SC, here six, as this may both result in the possibility of having a relatively broad meat suction head, thereby enabling a relatively fast end simple movement pattern of the meat piece. In the present context, a meat suction head may have a width of approximately 14 to 17 cm, thereby facilitating that a typical meat piece, e.g. having a dimension (length x width x height) of about 40 cm x 28 cm x 7 cm) may be processed by only scanning the meat piece in the length direction twice, thereby covering the total width enough to ensure that the complete or enough of the surface to be sucked is indeed processed.

Fig. 12b illustrates a front view of another embodiment having only two suction channels SC. Also here, the suction channels are defined by the sidewalls, the separating fins SEF and the upper wall UW.

The suction head may be implemented as having a shorter width than in fig. 12a, thereby allowing the suction plane to adapt a little more precisely to the surface of the meat piece when processing the meat piece, thereby allowing a better suction. Evidently, the suction head might thus need more “scans’7movement patterns to cover the surface area to be processed. In other words, such a scan or movement pattern means the same, i.e. a movement of the meat suction head over the surface of a meat piece while engaging the meat piece with the meat suction head, typically while there is pressure on the meat suction head towards the meat piece.

Fig. 12c illustrates a further embodiment where a meat suction head has two suction channels. Another number of channels may be applied within the scope of the invention. In this embodiment, a lower part, towards the suction plane SUP, of the separating fins are formed by a flexible material, e.g. rubber or e.g. a brush, thus forming a lower part LOPA of the separating fins SEF which may flexibly adapt to the surface of the meat piece to be processed and thereby improving the efficiency of the suction channel.

In all three illustrated embodiment the upper wall includes a not-shown orifice allowing suction into the suction outlet SUO.

Fig. 13a, fig 13b and figure 13c illustrate different system setup within the scope of the invention.

Fig. 13a illustrates a system comprising a conveyor CONV conveying a number of meat pieces MP under control by a conveyor controller CC. The conveyor controller may in principle be a very simply arrangement providing the intended movement of the conveyor.

The system moreover includes a robot RO, e.g. a collaborative robot controlled by a robot controller RC. A robot may be regarded as a machine, especially one programmable by a computer, capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within.

A meat suction head MSH is connected to a robot arm of the robot RO by means of a robot arm suspension ROAS.

Furthermore the system includes at sensor arrangement SENS communicatively coupled with the robot controller RC.

The meat suction head MFH is furthermore coupled with a suction device SD via a suction conduit SUC.

The software executed on the controller controls the robot so that the meat suction head is dragged over the surface of the individual meat pieces MP in a desired movement pattern. The controller receives input from the sensor arrangement SENS, e.g. a vision camera, primitively reflection sensor etc. thus facilitating an accurate movement of the meat suction head.

The illustrated embodiment comprises only one robot and one associated meat suction heat, meaning the intended meat suction has to be performed by this meat suction head MSH alone. This may be solved by ensuring that the complete intended processing of the surface is performed with suitable movement patterns of the meat suction head. This may be performed while the conveyor is continuously moving, and it may also be performed while the conveyor is started and stopped to ensure that the robot is able to complete the intended movement pattern.

It is typically desired that the operation is performed while the conveyor is continuously moving meat pieces past the robot and the movement must therefore be synchronized with the movement of the conveyor. This may e.g. be accomplished by receiving relevant data at the robot controller RC, e.g. from an encoder of the conveyor, representing the speed or the realtime position(s) of the conveyor.

Fig. 13b illustrates a variant of the system if fig, 13a, now with two meat suction heads MSH and associated robots.

Fig. 13c illustrates a variant of the system if fig, 13a, now with three meat suction heads MSH and associated robots.

Common for the systems of fig. 13b and fig. 13c is that the meat suction heads and the associated robots are programmed to perform movement patterns over the meat pieces MP and the multiple suction stations may supplement each other. The multiple scanning stations may e.g. perform meat suction on different parts of the meat pieces, meaning that the meat pieces has be processed by all the different suction heads (at different parts of the meat surface) when the meat piece has passed the robots and the meat suction heads.

The robots may also be configured to perform meat suction and finish the meat suction for individual meat pieces. In other words, the robot controller assigns individual robots to the processing of respective meat pieces MP.

Fig. 13d illustrate a variant of the invention where two meat suction heads MSH are each suspended in a meat suction head suspension MSHSUS. The meat suction head suspension MSHSUS is configured to “scan” the meat pieces on a conveyor CONV when the conveyor is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow.

In the present embodiment the conveyor moves in the direction of the indicated X- axis. In the present context, the Y-direction is understood as indicated on the figure, i.e. the a direction perpendicular to the X-axis.

The meat suction heads MSH are in the present embodiment suspended in the meat suction head suspension MSHSUS so that these will be dragged over the meat pieces when the meat pieces MP are moved by the conveyor. In the present embodiment two meat suction heads MSH covers the complete transverse direction of the conveyor, i.e. the width of the conveyor CONV, thereby allowing a relatively simple process without requirement of a movement in the Y-direction but mainly moving the suction head up and down in the Z-direction. Some slight movement back and forth in the X direction may be fine, but it is not required within the scope of the invention.

Such an implementation may be obtained without a robot as such, e.g. with a suspension largely corresponding to the robot art suspension ROAS indicated in fig. 1, 2 and 11.

In a robot-less implementation, e.g. as indicated in fig. 13d, the number of meat suction heads MSH applied may be any number suitable for the intended suction of meat. Typically such a solution might include more meat suction heads than required in a robot implementation. An example of a such an implementation may e.g. be a conveyor having a total width, in the Y- direction, of 75 cm and where the width of the individual meat suction heads MSH are 15 cm, thereby requiring a total number of 5 meat suction heads covering the total width. This requires more suction heads, but the implementation makes it possible to “simply” suspend five meat suction heads in respective meat suction head suspensions allowing movement in the Z direction of the meat suction heads when they are dragged over the meat pieces MP.

Experiments have shown that a reliable meat suction may be obtained in this way as long as a certain force is present for keeping the meat suction head in tight contact with the meat suction head. This may e.g. be obtained by respective pressure force applicators or e.g. by weights associated with the suspension keeping the respective meat suction head tightly onto the meat suction head by the force of gravity.

Fig. 14a to 14f illustrate different meat suction movement patterns of a meat piece MP by a meat suction head MSH operated automatically by a robot RO, e.g. a robot of the embodiments of fig. 13a to 13c.

In fig. 14a the robot RO performs a dragging of the meat suction head over approximately half of the top surface of the meat piece MP in a back and forward movement, thereby processing the meat piece surface twice, but where the back and forward movement is slightly displaced DISP in order to ensure that the suction guide surface, e.g. the lower end of separating fins of a respective meat suction head, does not press onto the same part of the surface during the back and forward movement, thereby avoiding that e.g. bone fragments can be removed, at least in a second movement/scan when the meat suction head is dragged and pressing on another part of the meat piece.

Fig. 14b illustrates that a robot RO scans the complete intended surface area of the top facing meat piece in two back and forth scans/movements.

Fig. 14c illustrates an embodiment where the complete intended surface area is subject to only one run-through.

Fig. 14d illustrates that two robots RO and associated meat suction heads MSH together covers the total intended meat surface area while performing two surface passages, back and forth, on each sub area of the meat piece MP to be processed.

Fig. 14d moreover illustrates how the total surface area of the meat piece is processed in the specific example. A first subarea SAI is processed by the meat suction head when the meat suction head MSH moves in a movement path/a scan, away from the left robot and a second surface area SA2 is processed when the meat suction head MSH is moving back towards the robot in a return movement path. The two movement paths are slightly displaced and hence the two subareas SAI and SA2 are almost totally overlapping, although with a slight displacement thereby invoking that the meat suction head touches the meat surface at different areas during the two scans, forward and back.

Fig. 14e illustrates that a robot RO and associated meat suction head MSH may perform only a part of the processing of different meat pieces.

In an advantageous embodiment with two or more robots RO and associated meat suction heads MSH the robots can be programmed to perform different tasks and have different movement patterns. The robot RO illustrated in fig. 14e might e.g. be placed in the end of a suction production line and being communicatively connected optionally to a conveyor controller CC if such a controller is present, robot controller RC and one or more sensors, vision cameras etc. SENS (e.g. illustrated on fig. 13a and fig. 15). The sensors SENS measure the suction production line and the quality of the suction process on basis of criteria’s implemented and if a meat piece e.g. needs to be processed again then the robot RO and the meat suction head MSH can be activated by the robot controller RC to only perform suction on a relevant subarea of the meat piece e.g. as illustrated with the moving pattern on fig. 14e.

Furthermore the pressure of the pressure force applicator PF A, the suction power of the meat suction head MSH, the speed of the conveyor etc. can optionally be adjusted for this process e.g. to meet the defined quality levels etc.

Also, in this context the term “sensor” SENS is to be understood as any kind of detector/sensor suited for detecting characteristics of the piece of meat. I.e., the term comprises any kind of laser scanner, proximity sensor, ultrasound sensor or scanner, photo optic sensor, a sonar or radar system, X-ray system, vision system or other or any combination thereof.

Fig. 14f illustrates that a movement pattern by the robot RO and associated meat suction head MSH may extend along an axis parallel with the extension of a underlying conveyor.

It should be noted that experiments have shown that two suctions, substantially over the same surface area of the meat piece surface is highly advantageous when the suction is performed in different directions. If the meat suction head engages the meat piece in two opposite directions, the first suction will result in that the part of the meat piece processed will rise and fold down in the first direction and thereby hide or lock e.g. bone fragments, but when the meat suction head revisit the same subarea now in a different direction, the meat flanges will now fold in the “opposite” direction or another direction and thereby make the once hidden or locked bone fragment free for suction.

Fig. 15 illustrates the principle setup of a possible automated configuration of the system, e.g. as implemented in fig. 13a-c and/or fig. 14a to 14e.

The hardware includes a conveyor CONV and an associated conveyor controller CC. The conveyor controller includes a conveyor controller CC having a memory MEM and a CPU.

The hardware further includes a robot RO and an associated robot controller RC including memory MEM and a CPU.

The robot controller RC and the conveyor controller CC may e.g. be communicatively coupled e.g. to communicate conveyor speed to the robot controller. In an advantageous embodiment the hardware further includes one or more sensors such as conventional sensors, cameras, vision systems, measuring devices (illustrated as “SENS”) communicatively coupled to the robot controller RC and indirectly to the conveyor controller CC e.g. to communicate the position of meat pieces, the quality/effect of the meat suction performed by one or more meat suction heads MSH, the orientation of the meat pieces before and after the suction process etc.

Fig. 16 illustrates a meat suction head MSH as seen from below, e.g. the embodiment of fig. 4.

The meat suction head MSH has a number of suction channels SC defined by separating fins SEF and respective upper walls UW.

The separating fins has a fin width FIWI. Each suction channel as a suction channel length SCL extending at least from the left to the right side of a respective orifice OR. Each orifice is fluidly connected with a suction outlet SUO and has a orifice width ORW.

It is preferred that the orifice width ORW is as broad as possible to keep the friction as low as possible and thereby reduce turbulence when air is sucked in through the orifice into the suction outlet SUO.