Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
ALIGNMENT MECHANISM FOR FOOD SEPARATOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[ooo1] The present invention relates to method and apparatus for separating
soft and solid
components of food, more specifically, the present invention relates to a
mechanism that
pre-aligns solid materials for further processing in production.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[00021 In the food processing industry it is common to use a so-called soft
separator which
separates soft and solid components of food, for example, bones from meat.
Such food
separator has been described for example in US Patent 4,899,890.
[0003] Referring to Figure 1, the soft separator 100 generally has a machine
frame 102 supporting
a hollow drum 104 driven to rotate and having a perforated outer surface 106,
an endless
compression belt 108 which is adapted to apply pressure onto the hollow drum
104 from
outside on being wrapped around a portion of the circumference of the hollow
drum 104.
[0004] The function of these machines is such that the material to be
compressed is placed
between the compression belt 108 and the perforated outer surface 106 of the
hollow drum
104 and is thereby subjected to a quasi-hydraulic pressure. This pressure
causes the more
readily flowable soft components of the material mixture to flow through the
perforations of
the hollow drum 104, while the remaining components are left on the outer drum
surface and
are stripped away from there. A stripping blade 110, which may be positioned
with its cutting
edge directed against the direction of rotation of the hollow drum 104 and
pressed against
the outer drum surface may be used. Conventional means, for example but not
limited to, a
stationary auger (not shown), may be provided for removing material from
interior 112.
[0005] With a soft separator, a variety of materials may be subjected to a
separating process which
involves the division of components of varying flowability. The process is
continuous and
generally high yielding. One common applied separation is the separation of
bone from
meat. The meat bones 114 are randomly positioned and fed to the hollow drum
104 via a
shut or conveying belt before being carried to the perforated out surface 106
with the
compression belt 108. The bones 114 may be placed on the compression belt 108
by hand
at different heights and angles. The speed of the compression belt 108 may
exceed operator
08914246CA 1
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
efficiency, and thereby not allowing the bones to be placed in an efficient
manner and
therefore are randomly positioned. This presentation has several
disadvantages. For
example, randomly orientated bones between the perforated out surface 106 and
the
compression belt 108 causes different pressures between the compression belt
108 and the
hollow drum 104. Another disadvantage of randomly orientated bones is the
different contact
areas between the bone and the drum, resulting in a reduction of separation
efficiency.
Randomly orientated bones also cause guiding problems due to different
pressures on the
carrier belt sides and non-uniform wear of the belt.
[0006] Greater belt tension has to be applied to overcome frictional
resistance created by the
random bone presentation. This also reduces belt life and puts unnecessary
loading on the
belt supporting rolls plus drive load.
[0007] Further disadvantages of randomly orientated bones include more easily
slitting or cutting of
the belt due to uneven bone pressure. The slits or cuts further create a
cleaning problem as
small scraps of bone or flesh are hard to eliminate from the belt, thereby
failing to satisfy the
hygiene requirement.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need to a method to orient the bones in a
substantially single direction
during the soft separation process of food. There is further a need to have an
alignment
mechanism for aligning solid component of the mixture of food components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided an
aligning mechanism for use in a soft separator including a compression belt
and a hollow
drum with perforations. The compression belt applies pressure onto the hollow
drum
thereby results in a compression zone. The aligning mechanism comprises a
longitudinal
member located upstream of the compression zone of the soft separator, and
above the
compression belt, the longitudinal member is oriented at an angle to a moving
direction
of the compression belt, and aligning means for aligning solid components in
mixed food
components on the compression belt, the aligning means is coupled to the
longitudinal
member.
[0010 Preferably, the aligning mechanism further comprises moving means for
moving the
longitudinal member.
08914246CA 2
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
[0011] Preferably, the longitudinal member is a an alignment shaft.
[0012] Preferably, the longitudinal member is perpendicular or angled to the
moving direction of
the compression belt.
[0013] Preferably, the aligning means comprises a plurality of fingers.
[0014] Preferably, the solid components are bones.
[0015] Preferably, the moving means is an air motor.
[0016] Preferably, the moving means is an electric motor.
[0017] Preferably, the longitudinal member oscillates in a direction parallel
to a surface of the
compression belt.
[0018] Preferably, the longitudinal member rotates about a longitudinal axis.
[0019] Preferably, the plurality of the fingers is flexible.
[0020] Preferably, the plurality of the fingers is rigid.
[0021] Preferably, the aligning mechanism further comprises a hopper for
providing the mixed
food components.
[0022] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a
method of
aligning solid component of a mixed food component, comprising the steps of:
providing
a compression belt and a hollow drum having a plurality of perforations;
applying
pressure to the compression belt and the hollow drum to form a compression
zone;
aligning solid components in mixed food components upstream from the
compression
zone, on the compression belt.
[0023] This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all
features of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] These and other features of the invention will become more apparent
from the following
description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein:
08914246CA 3
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
Figure 1 depicts an existing soft food separator with random oriented solid
food
component;
Figure 2 shows a soft food separator with aligned solid food component;
Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of the aligning mechanism; and
Figures 4 (a) and (b) depict another embodiment of the aligning mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to some specific embodiments of
the invention
including the best modes contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the
invention.
Examples of these specific embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
While the invention is described in conjunction with these specific
embodiments, it will be
understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the described
embodiments. On
the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and
equivalents as may
be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended
claims. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth
in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present
invention may be
practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances,
well-known
process operations have not been described in detail in order not to
unnecessarily
obscure the present invention.
[0026] In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a,"
"an," and "the"
include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Unless defined
otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same
meaning as
commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
invention belongs.
[0027] Referring to Figure 2, in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, an
aligning mechanism is provided for aligning the solid component 202 of the
food to be
processed, before the food is to be compressed between the perforated out
surface 106
and the compression belt 108. In general, the aligning mechanism is provided
upstream
from the compression zone, where compression belt 108 applies pressure onto
the
hollow drum 104. The aligned solid component, for example but not limited to,
bones,
provide more uniform pressures and comparable contact areas between the
compression belt 108 and the hollow drum 104, thereby increasing separation
efficiency.
08914246CA 4
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
[0028] Figure 3 shows one embodiment of the aligning mechanism 300 which is
generally
located upstream from the compression zone, where compression belt 108 applies
pressure onto the hollow drum 104. The aligning mechanism 300 includes a
longitudinal
member 302, for example an alignment shaft, which generally is mounted above
the
compression belt 108 and at an angle, preferably perpendicular, to the moving
direction
of the compression belt 108. Aligning means, for example, a plurality of
fingers 304 is
provided on the longitudinal member 302. The longitudinal member 302 may be
stationary. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention the
longitudinal member 302 is driven by a moving means 306, for example but not
limited to
an electrical motor, an air motor, an oscillating pump or hydraulic cylinder
to oscillate in
the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal member 302. In accordance with
another
embodiment of the present invention the longitudinal member 302 is driven by a
motor
306, for example but not limited to an electrical motor, or an air motor to
rotate around
the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal member 302.
[0029] The fingers 304 on the longitudinal member 302 may be made of rigid
material, for
example but not limited to stainless steel or hard plastic. The fingers 304
may also be
made of flexible material, for example but not limited to soft plastic,
rubber, urethane, or
spring. It should be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the lengths,
size and
positioning of the fingers 304 depend on the size of the solid food component,
for
example, bones.
[0030] Figure 4 (a) shows another embodiment of the aligning mechanism 400. In
this
embodiment, food components include the solid food components 402 are fed
through a
hopper 402. A longitudinal member 406, for example but not limited to an
alignment
shaft, is provided in the hopper 404, the longitudinal member 406 may traverse
the
hopper. The longitudinal member 406 may be at an angle, preferably
perpendicular, to
the moving direction of the compression belt 108. In accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention the longitudinal member 406 is driven by a
moving
means 408, for example but not limited to an electrical motor, an air motor,
an oscillating
pump or hydraulic cylinder to oscillate in the longitudinal direction of the
longitudinal
member 406. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention the
longitudinal member 406 is driven by a motor 408, for example but not limited
to an
electrical motor, or an air motor to rotate around the longitudinal axis of
the longitudinal
member 406.
08914246CA 5
CA 02670245 2009-06-25
[0031] Figure 4 (b) shows an example of the longitudinal member 406 with disc-
shaped
members 410 at predefined distance along the longitudinal axis. It should be
apparent to
a person skilled in the art that the lengths and size of the disc-shaped
members 410 and
the space therebetween depend on the size of the solid food component, for
example,
bones.
[0032] The present invention has been described with regard to one or more
embodiments.
However, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
defined
in the claim.
08914246CA g
