More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or <BR> <BR> seasoning of salt/seasoned meat such as"coppa", loin, or cooked or raw ham, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND ART As is known, ham production comprises a salting step, in which the cut of meat, i. e. the leg portion eventually forming the ham, is covered once or several times with a layer of salt, which penetrates gradually into the leg portion to dehydrate it; and, after a rest and wash step, a final seasoning step in which the leg portion is hung in a seasoning chamber and subjected for a given time to airflow at given temperature and

humidity.

Salting time, i. e. the time interval in which the leg portion is allowed to"rest"to absorb the salt, and seasoning time are critical factors seriously affecting the quality of the end product. Nevertheless, in ham production, salting and seasoning times are still determined exclusively on the basis of expert opinion.

That is, after manually removing a sample of the ham using a special tool, an expert inspects, smells, and feels the leg portion and sample, and accordingly determines, on the basis of experience, whether salting is completed, i. e. whether the leg portion has properly absorbed the salt, and/or whether the ham is properly seasoned. For example, by manually determining the weight loss and/or consistency of the ham, the expert decides whether or not it requires further seasoning.

Being purely subjective,"manual"control and analysis of salting and seasoning times as described above has drawbacks which, on the one hand, prevent a reduction in rejects due to incomplete seasoning or improper salting, and, on the other, prevent consistent classification on the basis of ham quality and structural characteristics, both of which are essential conditions to reduce production cost and satisfy consumer demand respectively.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or

seasoning of salt/seasoned meat, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or seasoning of salt/seasoned meat, as claimed in Claim 13.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a method of operating the apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or seasoning of salt/seasoned meat, as claimed in Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of the apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or seasoning of salt/seasoned meat according to the teachings of the present invention ; Figure 2 shows a first flow chart of the operations performed by the apparatus at a first operating stage; Figure 3 shows a second flow chart of the operations performed by the apparatus at a second operating stage; Figure 4 shows a third flow chart of the operations performed by the apparatus to determine the characteristic parameters of salt/seasoned meat.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole an apparatus for automatically controlling salting and/or

seasoning of salt/seasoned meat, and which performs a number of measurements of each salt/seasoned meat item to acquire information Is relative to a number of characteristic parameters of the salt/seasoned meat item, and processes the characteristic parameters to automatically issue a forecast salting time DT1 and/or seasoning time DTa of the salt/seasoned meat item.

More specifically, apparatus 1 automatically controls salting and/or seasoning of salt/seasoned meat such as"coppa", loin, and ham, hereinafter indicated by number 2, and to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

With reference to Figure 1, apparatus 1 substantially comprises a preferably, though not necessarily, horizontal work top 3, on which the ham 2 for control is placed ; a clamping device 4 for centring and clamping ham 2 in a given position on work top 3; a weighing device 5 for supplying information Ip relative to the weight of ham 2; an electromechanical measuring station 6 for supplying information Iz relative to the bioelectric impedance Z$ measured between at least two given points of ham 2, and for supplying information Ic indicating the compactness and consistency of ham 2; and an image acquisition station 7 for supplying information IIM relative to a number of images of ham 2 taken from different angles, to permit, by processing the images, a three-dimensional reconstruction of the image of ham 2.

In the Figure 1 example, work top 3, clamping device

4, weighing device 5, electromechanical measuring station 6, and image acquisition station 7 of apparatus 1 are fitted to a gantry type supporting structure 8, but may obviously be fitted individually to respective supporting structures arranged at appropriate points along a production line for producing hams 2.

Supporting structure 8, shown schematically in the Figure 1 example, comprises a base 9, from which extends upwards a supporting frame 10, in turn comprising two parallel, spaced, tubular posts 11 extending vertically from base 9, and a horizontal, tubular, top cross member 12 connecting the top ends of the two vertical posts 11.

In the Figure 1 example, base 9 is conveniently defined by a trolley comprising a number of rollers or wheels 13 (four, in the example shown) by which to move apparatus 1 on its supporting surface ; and preferably, though not necessarily, a number of height-adjustable supporting brackets 14 by which to manually or automatically adjust the height of base 9 and, therefore, of apparatus 1 with respect to its supporting surface.

Work top 3 is located beneath and parallel to cross member 12, rests on two supporting brackets 3a, each fixed to a respective post 11, and may be either fixed, e. g. defined by a rectangular supporting plate (not shown) fixed rigidly in a horizontal position to supporting brackets 3a, or movable to convey ham 2 along a given straight path through apparatus 1.

More specifically, in the Figure 1 example, work top

3 is defined by a conveyor belt 3 interposed between the two posts 11 and resting on supporting brackets 3a, and which conveys ham 2 along a given path through apparatus 1. In the example shown, conveyor belt 3 comprises a horizontal drive roller 3c, which, by means of respective supporting members 3b, rests at both ends on respective supporting brackets 3a, and drives conveyor belt 3 under the control of a drive device 15 fixed to frame 10 and defined, for example, by an electric motor, the drive shaft of which is connected mechanically to drive roller 3c.

In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that apparatus 1 may preferably, though not necessarily, comprise a supporting device (not shown) for supporting conveyor belt 3, and which is interposed between supporting members 3b and supporting brackets 3a to adjust the height of conveyor belt 3 with respect to the supporting surface of apparatus 1.

Clamping device 4 is located at the two vertical posts 11, just over the top surface or branch of conveyor belt 3, and cooperates with conveyor belt 3 to centre and clamp ham 2 in a predetermined position, to enable measuring station 6 to measure characteristic parameters PMI o f ham 2.

In the Figure 1 example, clamping device 4 comprises two parallel, facing clamping rods or members 4a resting on the top branch of conveyor belt 3, and which, in use, are moved by respective linear electric actuators 17

between a rest position, in which each clamping member 4a is located at a major lateral edge of conveyor belt 3 to clear the way for ham 2 along the straight path, and a work position, in which, as conveyor belt 3 stops, clamping members 4a are moved towards each other and towards the centre plane of conveyor belt 3 to centre and grip ham 2 in the predetermined clamped position.

With reference to Figure 1, weighing device 5 comprises two known load cells 5a, each of which is interposed between a respective supporting member 3b of conveyor belt 3 and a supporting bracket 3a, and cooperates with the other load cell 5a to supply information Ip relative to the weight P of ham 2, when ham 2 is in the above predetermined clamped position on conveyor belt 3.

Measuring station 6 comprises a measuring head 19 fitted to cross member 12 with the interposition of a known actuating device 20, which, on command, rotates measuring head 19 about a substantially vertical axis B perpendicular to the top supporting surface of conveyor belt 3.

In the Figure 1 example, measuring head 19 comprises at least two measuring needles 21, spaced apart parallel to each other and to axis B; and two actuating devices 22, each of which moves a respective measuring needle 21 axially along the corresponding longitudinal axis to and from conveyor belt 3, and, as the relative measuring needle 21 penetrates the meat of ham 2, supplies

information Ic relative to the compactness of the meat.

In the example shown, each actuating device 22 has a known electromechanical circuit 22a for measuring the force required by respective measuring needle 21 to penetrate the meat of ham 2, and supplying information Ic relative to the compactness or consistency of ham 2.

Measuring head 19 also comprises an electric measuring circuit 23 connected electrically to the two measuring needles 21, and which, as the needles penetrate the meat of ham 2, measures the bioelectric impedance ZB along a path extending through the internal tissue of ham 2 and between the two penetration points of measuring needles 21 located a predetermined distance apart.

In the example shown, electric measuring circuit 23 generates a preferably, though not necessarily, alternating current of predetermined intensity and frequency, e. g. of about 50 kHz, which flows along one or more conducting branches or paths which close inside ham 2 between two nodes coincident with the two penetration points of measuring needles 21. By means of known electrical measurements, electric measuring circuit 23 supplies information Iz relative to bioelectric impedance ZB, and in particular data relative to the bioelectric resistance RB and bioelectric capacitive reactance XB measured between the two penetration points of measuring needles 21 through which the current flows.

In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that, appropriately processed, the bioelectric

resistance RB and bioelectric capacitive reactance XB values relative to the conducting branches or paths inside ham 2 give various indications relative to the composition of the tissue of ham 2 through which the current flows, and from which to estimate the fat percentage of ham 2. Impedance ZB must be measured completely (resistance and capacitive reactance) when dealing with"fresh", i. e. non-salted or non-seasoned, meat, but may be limited to measuring bioelectric resistance RB when dealing with salted and/or seasoned meat.

With reference to Figure 1, image acquisition station 7 comprises at least two video devices 24 fixed preferably, though not necessarily, to supporting frame 10 to supply information Im relative to images of the ham taken from two different angles, and by which to calculate the volume of ham 2 by means of a known mathematical model.

More specifically, in the Figure 1 example, each video device 24 is known, and comprises, for example, a videocamera or any similar image acquisition device, which is fixed to a respective post 11 and oriented to acquire an image of a respective portion, e. g. a lateral portion, of ham 2.

Apparatus 1 also preferably, though not necessarily, comprises a temperature detecting device 25 for measuring and supplying, instant by instant, information IT relative to the temperature T of ham 2; an acidity

control device 26 for acquiring and supplying information IA relative to the acidity of ham 2; and a hygroscopic detecting device 27 for measuring and supplying information Iu relative to the humidity of ham 2. In the example shown, temperature detecting device 25 may comprise an electronic infrared thermometer fixed to frame 10 to remote-measure temperature T; acidity control device 26 may comprise an electronic pH-meter fixed to the frame by an actuating device for moving the electronic pH-meter to and from conveyor belt 3; and hygroscopic detecting device 27 may comprise an electronic hygrometer fixed to frame 10 by an actuating device (not shown) for moving the hygrometer to and from conveyor belt 3.

Apparatus 1 also comprises a central control unit 28, which coordinates all the operating steps (described in detail later on) of apparatus 1, i. e. acquisition of information Is (i. e. IP, ICI IZ, IA, Im* IT, Iu) relative to the characteristic parameters measured on ham 2, and processing of the characteristic parameters to forecast the salting and/or seasoning times DT1 and DT2 of ham 2.

More specifically, central control unit 28 substantially comprises a central processing module 29; a display device 30, e. g. a monitor; and a control device 31, e. g. a keyboard, by which the operator controls central processing module 29.

More specifically, central processing module 29 is connected electrically to weighing device 5 to receive

information Ip relative to the weight of ham 2 ; to electric measuring circuit 23 to receive information Iz relative to the bioelectric impedance ZB measurement; to the electromechanical circuit of actuating devices 22 to receive compactness information Ic ; to video devices 24 to receive information I : Em relative to the images acquired; to temperature detecting device 25 to receive information IT relative to the temperature of ham 2; to acidity control device 26 to receive information IA relative to the acidity of ham 2; to hygroscopic detecting device 27 to receive information Iu relative to the humidity of ham 2; and to control device 31 to receive operator commands and information.

Central processing module 29 also activates/deactivates, by means of a control signal, both clamping device 4 and drive device 15 of conveyor belt 3, to control travel, centring, and clamping of ham 2 on command ; and supplies actuating device 20 of measuring head 19 with a control signal to rotate measuring head 19 about axis B.

Central processing module 29 also supplies control signals to actuating devices 22 to translate measuring needles 21 axially, and to actuating device 16 to move measuring needles 21 horizontally.

Central control unit 28 also comprises a memory device 32 connected to central processing module 29 and storing a reference table 32a containing a number of quality indexes KI, each relative to a given quality

range of hams 2. Each stored quality index KI is also related to a number of stored, updateable, predetermined reference fields or parameters PRI, which may comprise, for example, forecast salting time DT1 ; forecast seasoning time DT2 ; a reference specific weight PR ; reference consistency CR ; reference bioelectric impedance ZR ; reference colour OR ; reference acidity AR ; reference humidity UR. It should be pointed out that the above quality indexes KI and respective reference parameters PRY in reference table 32a are generated by central control unit 28 by statistically processing data and measured characteristic parameters ? Mi acquired during setup of apparatus 1, during which, on the one hand, the measured characteristic parameters Pm for calculating the quality indexes KI of standard or"specimen"hams as a function of their actual quality during the seasoning and/or salting process are acquired, and, on the other, the actual optimum seasoning and salting times DE1 and DE2 of the standard hams are memorized by the operator in memory device 32.

For this purpose, memory device 32 stores a history table 32b containing, for each ham 2, an identification code Ci unequivocally related to ham 2; the measured characteristic parameters PMI of ham 2 acquired at a given production stage; and, preferably, the actual optimum seasoning and salting times DE1 and DE2 of ham 2.

By statistical processing of the data stored in history table 32b, values can be obtained and assigned to

reference parameters PRI in reference table 32a.

With reference to the flow charts in Figures 2 and 3, operation of apparatus 1 will now be described relative to two different ham control operating stages, both performed at the final production stage of ham 2 : a first operating stage (shown in the Figure 2 flow chart) controlling a ham 2 which has not yet been salted (or seasoned, obviously), and is still"fresh" (unsalted), i. e. in meat cut condition; and a second operating stage (shown in the Figure 3 flow chart) controlling the fully salted and/or fully seasoned ham 2.

Before describing operation of apparatus 1, it should be pointed out that ham 2 is trackable, i. e. unequivocally identifiable, at each control step performed by apparatus 1. For which purpose, each ham 2 has an identification code CI, which may be stamped or fixed visibly, e. g. in the form of a tag, on the surface of ham 2, and is keyed in and memorized in history table 32b by the operator on control device 31, or which may be contained in a passive transponder 35 integrated, for example, in ham 2, and which communicates identification code Ci to central control unit 28 over a radio-frequency transmission-receiving system employing an enabling module (not shown) connected to central control unit 28.

In the example shown, transponder 35 may preferably, though not necessarily, memorize ham 2 tracking information, such as provenance; type of meat cut; meat cut receiving date; butchering date; etc.

To begin with, apparatus 1 identifies ham 2 by acquiring identification code CI (block 100), e. g. by activating and reading passive transponder 35, and possibly also reading the tracking information.

Once ham 2 is identified, central control unit 28 commands acquisition of the measured characteristic parameters Pm of the ham (block 110). More specifically, at this step (described in detail later on, with reference to the Figure 4 flow chart), central control unit 28 acquires information Ip, Ic, Iz, In relative, respectively, to measured characteristic parameters Pm of weight, consistency, impedance Za and images ; and preferably, though not necessarily, also acquires <BR> <BR> information IT, IA, Iu relative, respectively, to the temperature, acidity, and humidity of ham 2.

It should be pointed out that, on acquiring information Im relative to the images of ham 2, central processing module 29, by means of a known image processing program (not described in detail), makes a three-dimensional digital reconstruction of the shape of ham 2, to calculate the volume and (by means of the weight) the specific weight of ham 2. Central processing module 29 also processes the acquired surface colour values to supply a mean surface colour value On.

On acquiring information relative to measured characteristic parameters Pm, central processing module 29 determines a quality index KI of ham 2 as a function of the measured characteristic parameters, and by

implementing (block 120) a polynomial mathematical equation (mathematical model) in which each measured characteristic parameter Pm considered in the calculation is multiplied by a"weight"coefficient, which may be established beforehand and can be adjusted by the operator, from control device 31, as a function of the desired ham quality and/or the type of processing performed.

At this point, a ham quality class is determined as a function of quality index Ki (block 120).

Once the quality class is determined, a forecast is made of the salting time Dn and/or seasoning time Dry ouf ham 2 as a function of the quality class of ham 2. More <BR> <BR> specifically, the quality index Ki of ham 2 is compared with each of the reference quality indexes KR stored in reference table 32a (block 130) ; if the quality index Ki satisfies a given equation with a given reference quality index Kg. (YES output of block 130), ham 2 is classified in the quality range relative to the given reference quality index KR ; conversely (NO output of block 130), another comparison is made with another stored reference quality index KR (block 140).

Once ham 2 is classified, central processing module 29 acquires from reference table 32a the salting time DT1 and seasoning time DT2 corresponding to the reference quality index KR satisfying the equation, and displays them to the operator on display device 30 (block 150).

Once the salting and seasoning times are displayed,

central processing module 29 memorizes the measured characteristic parameters Pm of ham 2 in history stable 32b, i. e. identification code Ci, the calculated specific weight, measured consistency, acquired bioelectric impedance ZB, calculated reference colour, and displayed times DT1 and D (block 160).

With reference to Figure 3, control of ham 2 by apparatus 1 will now be described relative to a second operating stage, in which salting or seasoning of the ham has been completed. It should be pointed out that, at this stage, apparatus 1 may be used both to forecast seasoning time DT2, and to"refine"and update the reference parameters PRI stored in reference table 32a.

First of all, central control unit 28 acquires the identification code CI of the ham (block 200), and accordingly determines the corresponding characteristic parameters Pm of the ham acquired during previous controls (e. g. at the first operating stage) and stored in history table 32b, so as to determine the quality index KI assigned to ham 2.

At this point, apparatus 1 acquires the characteristic parameters PMI of ham 2 (block 210). More specifically, central processing module 29 acquires information Is relative to the measured characteristic parameters Pm of ham 2, and repeats the operations performed by block 120 in Figure 2 to determine the bioelectric values (bioelectric impedance ZB), consistency, specific weight, temperature, humidity, and

acidity of ham 2.

Once the measurements are made, central processing module 29 determines whether each measured parameter Pm satisfies a given equation with the corresponding reference parameter PRI stored in reference table 32a and in the quality class relative to the quality index K= of ham 2 (block 230). At this step, processing module 29 may determine, for example, whether the difference between the weight measured during a previous control, e. g. prior to salting, and the current weight of ham 2 (e. g. after salting) is below a predetermined weight loss threshold; and/or whether the measured consistency is above/below a predetermined consistency threshold; or whether the measured bioelectric values and relative phase angle satisfy predetermined conditions, etc. (block 240). This check may obviously also be extended to each of the other measured characteristic parameters Pm.

In the event of a positive response (YES output of block 240), i. e. the measured characteristic parameters PMI satisfy a given equation with the corresponding reference parameters PRI, apparatus 1 indicates, e. g. by means of a message on display device 30, that salting or seasoning has been completed properly (block 250).

Conversely (NO output of block 240), apparatus 1 indicates salting or seasoning is incomplete (block 260); in which case, the operator makes a direct"manual"time assessment, and enters on the control device (block 270) the actual salting time DE1 (or actual seasoning time

DE2) 1 which is memorized in history table 32a together with the other characteristic parameters PMI measured on ham 2 at the same operating time (block 280).

At this point, central processing module 29 statistically processes the data in history table 32b, and accordingly updates reference parameters PRI, and particularly times Dn and DT2 stored in reference table 32a (block 290).

With reference to Figure 4, the following is a detailed description of operation of apparatus 1 to measure characteristic parameters Pm (block 110 in Figure 2, and block 210 in Figure 3).

In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that apparatus 1 may be set up with conveyor belt 3 interposed between an output station (not shown) for hams 2, e. g. downstream from a conveyor from which it receives hams 2, and a loading station (not shown) for hams 2, e. g. upstream from a conveyor belt to which it supplies hams 2.

Once ham 2 is loaded onto conveyor belt 3, central control unit 28 operates drive device 15 to feed conveyor belt 3 forward to set ham 2 in the predetermined position (block 300).

As ham 2 advances on conveyor belt 3, central control unit 28 activates video devices 24, which acquire sequential images of ham 2 and, at the same time, supply information Im to central control unit 28 (block 310).

As ham 2 reaches the clamping position, central

control unit 28 activates linear electric actuators 17 of clamping members 4a, which both move forward to centre and clamp ham 2 (block 320). At this point, load cells 5a determine the weight of the ham, and supply information Ip to central control unit 28 (block 330), which commands rotation, by actuating device 20, of measuring head 19 about axis B (block 340), and possibly translation, by actuating device 16, of each measuring needle 21 with respect to axis B.

By means of actuating devices 22, central control unit 28 commands axial translation of measuring needles 21, which gradually penetrate the body of ham 2 (block 350), while the electromechanical circuit supplies central processing module 29 with information Ic relative to the consistency of the ham.

Once the ham is penetrated by measuring needles 21, electric measuring circuit 23 generates current (block 360), and supplies central control unit 28 with information Iz relative to the bioelectric impedance Za measured between the two penetration points.

At this point, temperature detecting device 25 supplies temperature information IT ; acidity control device 26 supplies acidity information IA ; and hygroscopic detecting device 27 supplies humidity information Iu.

Apparatus 1 has the major advantage of making an automatic objective assessment on the basis of the actual condition of the ham, which, on the one hand, enables

consistent ham classification, and, on the other, greatly reduces the number of rejects at the final ham salting and seasoning stages.

Clearly, changes may be made to the apparatus as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

In particular, in addition to controlling salt/seasoned meat, apparatus 1 as described may also be used for controlling other food products, such as cheese, fish, or any other type of meat.