Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FISH PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for
processing fish, and more particularly to systems and methods for cutting the
belly of a fish, severing the gullet connection to the body of the fish and
removing the viscera from the body without significant damage to the body or
the viscera.
Description of the Related Art
In some fish products, the head is removed at the gills, leaving a
hard cartilage structure on the head end of the fish called the collar. The
viscera, including the gonads (roe or milt) are removed, the kidney membrane
is cut and the kidney is removed with water sprays and brushes. In the salmon
industry, this product is called a head and gut product which is a valuable
commodity. In recent years the value of intact roe (female gonads) has also
increased making it a valuable commodity as well. However, if the roe skein is
cut or otherwise damaged, the value of the roe is greatly diminished. Some
markets also value the undamaged milt (male gonads).
In many fish, including salmon, the gullet is attached only to the
collar, and the viscera are firmly attached only to the gullet and the anal
vent or
anus. In most fish caught in saltwater, where the highest volume of commercial
fish is caught, the connection of the viscera to the vent is not strong, and
is
easily broken when cleaning the fish. Disconnecting the gullet from the
collar,
however, is significant to proper cleaning of most fish, and significant to
avoiding damage to the gonads.
Machines for cutting open the belly, removing the viscera and
cleaning the belly cavity have been in use for many years. Some machines
require detaching the gullet from the body prior to processing. Some allow the
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gullet to be intact before processing, but do not reliably remove the gullet.
When the gullet is not cut free or does not break free from the body during
processing, the remainder of the viscera does not separate from the fish, the
valuable roe or milt is damaged and the fish is not cleaned properly, thereby
increasing labor costs and downgrading value of the fish product.
Example systems and methods for processing fish are described
in US Patent Nos. 3,925,846; 4,563,793; 4,630,335; 5,352,152; and 5,413,524.
While known systems have been generally effective to process
fish, the systems suffer from various deficiencies and shortcomings, such as,
for example, inadvertent damage to the gonads or remaining fish structure
during processing which diminishes the value of the processed fish and/or
recovered fish parts. As another example, many known systems are incapable
of effectively adjusting to variations in the size, shape and/or firmness of
the
fish being processed in a reliable and repeatable manner.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The systems and methods of processing fish described herein
provide for the efficient and reliable removal the viscera from a fish, with
the
collar intact, without damage or with minimal damage to the viscera or the
fish.
This can be accomplished without regard to significant variations in the fish
size, shape and/or firmness, and also without regard to individual variations
in
arrangement and location of the internal viscera of the fish. The systems and
methods may further provide particularly effective cleaning of a cavity of the
fish
after the viscera is removed.
In some embodiments, an extractor may be optimally positioned
to enter the fish below the backbone and above the gullet thereof, yet exit
the
fish at the anal vent without impalement. This may be accomplished, for
example, with an actuator or other device which positions the extractor at a
first
height for when the extractor enters the fish and moves the extractor to a
second height to exit the anal vent without significant damage. In some
embodiments, a profile of a tip of the extractor may be configured to severe
the
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gullet from the collar in a particularly reliable manner without significant
damage
to the gullet or other structures of the fish. According to some embodiments,
when the extractor enters the fish body, movable wing members positioned
below the extractor may open to gather the viscera. After the extractor moves
to exit the fish or during the movement of the extractor, the wing members may
close to assist in severing the connection between the viscera and the fish.
Movement of the extractor and the opening and closing of the wing members
may be controlled to move at the same or different times during a gutting
operation. Movement of the extractor and/or the wing members may be
controlled or triggered by movement of tension rollers engaging conveyor belts
which may be transporting the fish, a lever or other mechanism that senses or
contacts the top of the fish during transport, actuators (e.g., air cylinders)
coupled to devices that sense or contact the collar or another part of the
fish
during transport or other sensing and control devices positioned along the
transport path of the fish through the fish processing system.
In some embodiments, a blade for cutting the belly of the fish may
be movably coupled to the fish processing system to enable the blade to track
a
profile of the fish during a cutting operation. A guide may be coupled to the
blade to move in unison therewith and the guide may be positioned to be
inserted into a body of the fish to guide the fish across the blade during the
cutting operation. A linkage mechanism may be coupled to the guide and
configured to enable the guide to move in response to the profile of the fish
without substantial angular rotation of the guide as the guide moves through a
length of the fish during the cutting operation. For instance, the linkage
mechanism may include links forming a parallelogram such that an angular
orientation of a floating link and components fixedly coupled thereto (e.g.,
the
guide) is maintained substantially constant throughout movement of the linkage
mechanism.
A fish processing system may be summarized as including a
blade to incise a belly of a fish when the fish is transported from an
upstream
location across the blade and a gutting device positioned downstream of the
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blade, the gutting device including an extractor movably coupled to the fish
processing system to selectively position a tip of the extractor relative to
anatomy of the fish during a gutting operation. The extractor may be
configured
to enter the fish at a first height below a backbone and above a gullet of the
fish
and exit the fish at a second height that is substantially aligned with an
anal
vent of the fish. The extractor may be configured to automatically move from
the first height to the second height during an interval in which the tip of
the
extractor moves through a length of the fish during the gutting operation. The
fish processing system may further include an actuator coupled to the
extractor
to move the extractor between the first height and the second height during
the
gutting operation. The fish processing system may further include a sensor
positioned to sense a location of the fish during the gutting operation and
trigger
the actuator to move the extractor. When viewing the extractor in a direction
along a longitudinal length thereof, a profile of the tip of the extractor may
include a central portion disposed between opposing downwardly open
grooves. The opposing downwardly opposing grooves of the extractor may be
positioned to assist in severing a gullet of the fish from a collar of the
fish
without significant damage to the collar.
The gutting device may further include a pair of opposing wing
members configured to move between an open configuration and a closed
configuration. The wing members may be configured to enter a fish in the
closed configuration and thereafter move to the open configuration to gather
viscera of the fish. The wing members may be further configured to move from
the open configuration toward the closed configuration to assist in severing
the
viscera from the fish prior to when the wing members exit the fish. Movement
of the wing members may be coordinated with movement of the extractor. The
wing members may be configured to transition from the open configuration to
the closed configuration at about the same time when the extractor moves from
a first height to a second height lower than the first height. The wing
members
may be configured to transition from the open configuration to the closed
configuration after the extractor moves from a first height to a second height
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lower than the first height. The wing members may be configured to transition
from the closed configuration to the open configuration after the extractor
enters
the fish and a leading edge of each respective wing member is near a collar of
the fish.
The fish processing system may further include a vacuum head
assembly positioned downstream of the gutting device to clean a cavity of the
fish after the gutting operation. The vacuum head assembly may include at
least one flexible suction member located to flex in response to the anatomy
of
the fish as the fish moves across the vacuum head assembly during a cleaning
operation. The vacuum head assembly may further include a fluid jet passage
to discharge fluid into the cavity of the fish as the fish moves across the
vacuum
head assembly during the cleaning operation. The vacuum head assembly
may further include a body having a stop portion to limit movement of the at
least one flexible suction member during the cleaning operation. The vacuum
head assembly may include at least two sequentially positioned suction
members to clean the cavity of the fish during the cleaning operation.
A fish processing system may be summarized as including a
blade to incise a belly of a fish when the fish is transported from an
upstream
position across the blade; a guide positioned to be inserted into a body of
the
fish to guide the position of the fish as the belly is cut by the blade during
a
cutting operation; and a linkage mechanism coupled to the guide and the blade,
the linkage mechanism configured to enable the guide to move in response to a
profile of the fish without substantial angular rotation of the guide as the
guide
moves through a length of the fish during the cutting operation. The linkage
mechanism may be configured to limit the angular rotation of the guide to five
degrees or less as the guide moves through the length of the fish during the
cutting operation. The linkage mechanism may be configured to maintain the
guide at the same spatial orientation as the guide moves through the length of
the fish during the cutting operation. The linkage mechanism may include a
pair of links which operate in a parallel relationship throughout movement of
the
guide during the cutting operation.
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A fish processing system may be summarized as including a
blade to incise a belly of a fish when the fish is transported from an
upstream
location across the blade; and a gutting device positioned downstream of the
blade, the gutting device including a pair of opposing wing members movable
between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the wing members
configured to enter the fish in the closed configuration and thereafter move
to
the open configuration to gather viscera of the fish during a gutting
operation.
The wing members may be further configured to move from the open
configuration toward the closed configuration to assist in severing the
viscera
from the fish prior to when the wing members exit the fish. Movement of the
wing members may be coordinated with movement of an extractor of the gutting
device which is positioned to sever a gullet from the fish during the gutting
operation.
A fish processing system may be summarized as including a
blade to incise a belly of a fish when the fish is transported from an
upstream
location across the blade; and a gutting device positioned downstream of the
blade, the gutting device including an extractor and a guide, the guide
movably
coupled to the fish processing system to selectively position the guide such
that
a tip of the extractor enters a head end of the fish below a backbone and
above
a gullet of the fish and exits a tail end of the fish substantially aligned
with or
below an anal vent of the fish during a gutting operation. The guide may be
configured to automatically move from a first height to a second height during
an interval in which the tip of the extractor moves through a length of the
fish
during the gutting operation. An actuator may be coupled to the guide to move
the guide between the first height and the second height during the gutting
operation. A sensor may be positioned to sense a location of the fish during
the gutting operation and trigger the actuator to move the guide. The gutting
device may further include a pair of opposing wing members configured to
move between an open configuration and a closed configuration. Movement of
the wing members may be coordinated with movement of the guide. The wing
members may be configured to transition from the open configuration to the
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closed configuration at about the same time when a tip of the guide moves from
a first height to a second height higher than the first height or the wing
members may be configured to transition from the open configuration to the
closed configuration after the guide moves from the first height to the second
height.
The fish processing system may further include an upstream
guide positioned to be inserted into a body of the fish to guide the position
of
the fish as the belly is cut by the blade during a cutting operation; and a
linkage
mechanism coupled to the upstream guide and the blade, the linkage
mechanism configured to enable the upstream guide to move in response to a
profile of the fish as the upstream guide moves through a length of the fish
during the cutting operation. The fish processing system may further include a
vacuum head assembly positioned downstream of the gutting device to clean a
cavity of the fish after the gutting operation, the vacuum head assembly
including at least one flexible suction member located to flex in response to
the
anatomy of the fish as the fish moves across the vacuum head assembly during
a cleaning operation.
An extractor to separate a gullet from a fish may be summarized
as including an elongated base and a leading tip at an end of the elongated
base, a profile of the leading tip having a central portion disposed between
opposing downwardly open grooves when viewing the profile of the leading tip
in a direction along a longitudinal length of the extractor. The opposing
downwardly open grooves may be v-shaped. A lower profile section of the
central portion may be substantially flat. A lower profile section of the
central
portion may be arcuate. A lower profile section of the central portion may be
concave and an upper profile section of the central portion may be convex. The
opposing downwardly opposing grooves may be positioned to assist in severing
the gullet of the fish from a collar of the fish without significant damage to
the
collar.
A vacuum head assembly of a fish processing system may be
summarized as including a main body having a suction cavity and at least one
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flexible suction member coupled to the suction cavity of the main body, the
flexible suction member configured to flex in response to anatomy of a fish as
the fish moves across the vacuum head assembly during a cleaning operation.
The vacuum head assembly may further include a fluid jet passage to
discharge fluid into a cavity of the fish as the fish moves across the vacuum
head assembly during the cleaning operation. The main body of the vacuum
head assembly may include a stop portion to limit movement of the at least one
flexible suction member during the cleaning operation. The vacuum head
assembly may include at least two sequentially positioned flexible suction
members to clean a cavity of the fish during the cleaning operation.
A method of processing a fish may be summarized as including
transporting a fish across a blade to cut a belly of the fish during a cutting
operation; transporting the fish across a gutting device to remove viscera of
the
fish with gonads intact during a gutting operation; and manipulating an
extractor
of the gutting device to pass through the fish at different elevations while
transporting the fish across the gutting device during the gutting operation.
The
method of processing a fish may further include moving wing members of the
gutting device between an open configuration and a closed configuration while
transporting the fish across the gutting device during the gutting operation
to
gather and severe the viscera from the fish. The method of processing a fish
may further include severing a gullet from the fish at least in part with a
leading
end of an extractor having a profile which includes a central portion disposed
between opposing downwardly open grooves. The method of processing a fish
may further include moving a position of the blade via a linkage mechanism in
response to a profile of the fish during the cutting operation, the linkage
mechanism rigidly coupled to a guide that is configured to trace the profile
of
the fish without substantial angular rotation of the guide as the guide moves
through a length of the fish during the cutting operation. The method of
processing a fish may further include passing the fish over a flexible vacuum
member to clean a cavity of the fish after the viscera is removed.
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A method of processing a fish may be summarized as
transporting a fish across a blade to incise a belly of the fish; and passing
the
fish across a gutting device positioned downstream of the blade such that a
tip
of an extractor of the gutting device enters a head end of the fish below a
backbone and above a gullet thereof and exits a tail end of the fish
substantially
aligned with or below an anal vent thereof. The method may further include
moving the extractor from a first height to a second height lower than the
first
height during an interval in which the tip of the extractor moves through a
length
of the fish. The method may further include moving a guide upstream of the
extractor from a first height to a second height higher than the first height
during
an interval in which the tip of the extractor moves through a length of the
fish.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Figures 1A and 1B are side elevational views of a fish processing
system according to one embodiment.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the fish processing system of
Figures 1A and 1B.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the fish
processing system of Figures 1A and 1 B showing a cutting device thereof.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the fish processing
system of Figures 1A and 1 B showing a gutting device thereof in a closed
configuration.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the portion of the fish
processing system of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a top plan view of a portion of the fish processing
system of Figures 1A and 1 B showing the gutting device thereof in an open
configuration.
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the portion of the fish
processing system of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an isometric view of an extractor, according to one
embodiment, usable with the fish processing system of Figures 1A and 1 B.
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Figure 9 is a front elevational view of the extractor of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the extractor of Figure 8.
Figure 11 is a top plan view of the extractor of Figure 8.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the extractor of Figure 8
taken along line 12-12 of Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a front elevational view of an extractor, according to
another embodiment, usable with the fish processing system of Figures 1A
and 1 B.
Figure 14 is a side elevational view of a portion of the fish
processing system of Figures 1A and 1B showing a vacuum head assembly
thereof according to one embodiment.
Figure 15 is a side elevational view of a portion of a fish
processing system, according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments.
However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may
be
practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances,
well-
known structures and techniques associated with fish processing systems and
methods may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily
obscuring descriptions of the embodiments. For instance, well known
conveying systems may be used to transport fish through the various fish
processing systems and devices described herein, such as, for example,
opposing conveyor belts which are pressed into contact with the fish by
tensioning rollers disposed along a fish transport path. Drive and control
systems may be provided with the conveyor systems to selectively control a
speed with which the belts move and thus a rate at which fish are processed.
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the
specification and claims which follow, the word "comprise" and variations
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thereof, such as, "comprises" and "comprising" are to be construed in an open,
inclusive sense, that is as "including, but not limited to."
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or
"an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic
described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one
embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in
an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular
features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable
manner
in one or more embodiments.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the
singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the
content
clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term "or" is
generally
employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates
otherwise.
Figures 1A and 1B show a fish processing system 10 according to
one embodiment. The fish processing system 10 includes a fish infeed trough
12 for supporting fish 11 in a generally upright position as the fish 11 are
fed via
a infeed conveyor belt 18 toward a cutting device 14, a gutting device 16 and
other components of the system 10. A guide roller 20 may be provided to
engage a back of the fish 11 as the fish 11 progress toward the cutting device
14 and other components of the system. The guide roller 20 may assist in
positioning the fish 11 for further transport by vertically aligned conveyor
belts 22 on opposing sides of the fish 11. The conveyor belts 22 may be driven
by drive pulleys 24 and urged toward a centerline of the system 10 by tension
roller assemblies 26 (Figures 2, 4 and 6) disposed along a transport path of
the
fish 11 to accommodate fish 11 of varying size, shape and firmness.
Fish 11 are conveyed from the infeed trough 12 towards the
cutting device 14. The cutting device 14 may include a floor plate 30
positioned
to support the fish 11 as the fish 11 are sequentially fed over a guide for
further
processing, such as, for example, a guide rod 32. The floor plate 30 may be
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flexibly coupled to the cutting device 14 by a spring element or other
resilient
device 31 to enable the floor plate 30 to flex in response to the fish 11 as
the
guide rod 32 passes through the fish 11. The floor plate 30 and guide rod 32
interoperate to isolate the meat of the fish belly for cutting and to
effectively
shield the viscera from damage during the cutting operation.
To further protect the viscera and fish from damage, the guide rod
32 of the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1A and 1 B is movably coupled to
the fish processing system 10 to move relative to the fish 11 as the fish 11
are
transported across a blade 34 of the cutting device 14. More particularly, a
linkage mechanism 40 couples the blade 34 and guide rod 32 to a base 42 of
the fish processing system 10 and enables the blade 34 and guide rod 32 to
move in unison in response to a profile of the fish 11. For instance, as the
guide rod 32 approaches a tail end of the fish 11 during the cutting
operation,
the guide rod 32 is led downward by the anatomy of the fish thereby displacing
the central axis of the blade 34 which moves in unison with the guide rod 32.
The blade 34 and guide rod 32 are suspended in space by the linkage
mechanism 40 and move in response to a profile of the fish 11 as the guide rod
32 enters the leading end of the fish 11 and moves through the fish 11.
Notably, the end of the cutting operation is characterized by a generally
downward motion of the blade 34 and the guide rod 32 with little to no angular
rotation of the guide rod 32 relative to a base reference frame of the fish
processing system 10, as described in more detail below.
As shown in Figure 3, the linkage mechanism 40 may be a four-
bar linkage including three link members 44, 46, 48 rotatably coupled to each
other and the base 42 at pivot axes 50, 52 (which define a ground link or
fixed
link). The link members 44, 46, 48 and pivot axes 50, 52 may be sized and
positioned such that the floating link 48 is maintained at a relatively
constant
angular orientation with respect to a base reference frame during the cutting
operation. The guide rod 32, which is coupled to move in unison with the
floating link 48 via an intermediate plate 33 and arm structure 35, is thus
able to
move in response to a profile of the fish 11 without substantial angular
rotation
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of the guide rod 32 as the guide rod 32 moves through the fish 11. In this
manner, the guide rod 32 is configured to traverse through the fish 11 in a
particularly unobtrusive manner to aid in cutting the belly while minimizing
the
risk of damage to the viscera, including the gonads.
In some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 40 is configured to
limit the angular rotation of the floating link 48 and guide rod 32 to five
degrees
or less as the guide rod 32 moves through the length of the fish 11 during the
cutting operation. In other embodiments, the linkage mechanism 40 is
configured to limit the angular rotation of the floating link 48 and guide rod
32 to
two degrees or less. In still further embodiments, the linkage mechanism 40 is
configured to maintain the guide rod 32 at the same spatial orientation as the
guide rod 32 moves through the length of the fish 11. In such embodiments,
the grounded links 44, 46 of the linkage mechanism 40 operate in a parallel
relationship. In other embodiments, the cutting device 14 of the fish
processing
system 10 may not include a linkage mechanism 40 altogether. Instead, the
guide rod 32 may be fixed relative to the base reference frame or pivotally
coupled to the base 42 to rotate through a relatively wide angle of rotation
during the cutting operation (e.g., more than ten degrees).
With reference again to Figures 1A and 1 B, the fish processing
system 10 of the illustrated embodiment is configured to feed fish 11 which
have been cut along their belly by the cutting device 14 to the gutting device
16
for further processing. More particularly, the fish 11 are fed to the gutting
device 16 for removal of the viscera of the fish, including the gonads.
With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the gutting device 16 includes
an extractor 60 that is positionable to enter the fish 11 below the backbone
and
above the gullet of the fish 11. A guide 62 may be positioned upstream of the
gutting device 16 to assist in properly aligning the fish 11 with the
extractor 60.
During operation, the fish 11 pass over the guide 62 after leaving the cutting
device 14 and are guided to a predetermined position with respect to the
extractor 60, or more particularly, a tip 64 of the extractor 60. As the tip
64 of
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the extractor 60 enters and passes through the fish 11, the extractor 60
severs
the connection between the gullet and the remainder of the fish 11.
The extractor 60 is attached to a frame 66 which is movably
coupled to the base 42 of the fish processing system 10 to position the tip 64
of
the extractor at different elevations or heights during the gutting operation.
For
example, in the illustrated embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, the frame 66 is
pivotably coupled to the base 42 to rotate about an axis of rotation 68, as
indicated by the arrows labeled 70. During operation, the tip 64 of the
extractor
60 may be positioned at a first height when entering the fish 11 and the tip
64'
moved to another height prior to exiting the fish 11 by rotating the frame 66
and
hence extractor 60 about the axis of rotation 68. In other embodiments, the
frame 66 may be coupled to the base 42 by a linkage mechanism, such as, for
example a four-bar linkage mechanism to enable height adjustment of the
extractor 60 during the gutting operation. In still further embodiments, the
frame 66 may be coupled to the base 42 to translate linearly, such as, for
example, along elongated slots.
Irrespective of the particular arrangement, the extractor 60 is
advantageously enabled to move between different heights during the gutting
operation. In some embodiments, the extractor 60 may move between different
heights in a step-wise manner, and in other embodiments, may move in a
continuous manner. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, an
actuator 72, such as, for example, a two-position air cylinder, may be coupled
between the frame 66 and the base 42 to transition the tip 64 of the extractor
60
at a first height H, when entering the fish and a second height H2 when
exiting
the fish 11. Movement of tension rollers engaging conveyor belts 22 which may
be transporting the fish 11, a lever or other mechanism that senses or
contacts
the top of the fish 11 during transport, actuators (e.g., air cylinders)
coupled to
devices that sense or contact the collar or another part of the fish 11 during
transport or other sensing and control devices may be positioned along the
transport path of the fish 11 to determine a position of the fish 11 during
the
gutting operation and trigger the actuator 72 to move the tip 64 of the
extractor
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60 accordingly. In addition, as shown in Figure 1 B, a hold down device 80 may
be provided to bias the fish 11 downwardly during the gutting operation to
prevent the fish 11 from inadvertently rising due to the insertion of the
extractor
60.
With reference to Figure 15, in other embodiments, a fish
processing system 410 may be provided with a gutting device 416 that includes
an extractor 460 positioned downstream of a movable guide 462. The movable
guide 462 is shaped and located to position transported fish 11 such that the
extractor 460 enters the head end of the fish 11 below the backbone and above
the gullet of the fish 11. The extractor 460 may remain static or
substantially
static with respect to a frame or base 442 of the fish processing system 410
during the gutting operation. The guide 462 is positioned upstream of the
extractor 460 and is movable to assist in aligning the fish 11 with the
extractor 460 during operation. More particularly, during operation, fish 11
may
pass over the guide 462 after leaving a cutting device, such as, for example
the
cutting device 14 shown in Figure 3, and may be guided to a predetermined
position with respect to the extractor 460, or more particularly, a tip 464 of
the
extractor 460. As the tip 464 of the extractor 460 enters and passes through
the fish 11, the extractor 460 severs the connection between the gullet and
the
remainder of the fish 11.
In the example embodiment of Figure 15, the guide 462 is
movably coupled to the frame or base 442 of the fish processing system 410 to
position an end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462 at different elevations or
heights during the gutting operation. For example, the guide 462 may be
pivotably coupled to the frame or base 442 to rotate about an axis of rotation
468, as indicated by the arrows labeled 470 in Figure 15. During operation,
the
end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462 may be positioned at a first height H3
when the extractor 460 enters the fish 11 and the end or tip portion 466' may
be
moved to another height H4 prior to the extractor 460 exiting the fish 11 by
rotating the guide 462 about the axis of rotation 468. In other embodiments,
the
guide 462 may be coupled to the frame or base 442 by a linkage mechanism,
CA 02785157 2012-08-07
such as, for example, a four-bar linkage mechanism, to enable height
adjustment of the end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462 during the gutting
operation. In still further embodiments, the guide 462 may be coupled to the
base 442 to translate linearly, such as, for example, along elongated vertical
slots.
Irrespective of the particular arrangement, the end or tip portion
466 of the guide 462 is advantageously enabled to move between different
heights H3, H4 during the gutting operation. In some embodiments, the
guide 462 may move between different heights in a step-wise manner, and in
other embodiments, may move in a continuous manner. For example, as
shown in the illustrated embodiment, an actuator 472, such as, for example, a
two-position air cylinder, may be coupled between the guide 462 and the frame
or base 442 to transition the end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462 at a
first
height H3 when entering the fish and a second height H4 when exiting the fish
11. Movement of tension rollers engaging conveyor belts 22 which may be
transporting the fish 11, a lever or other mechanism that senses or contacts a
portion of the fish 11 during transport, actuators (e.g., air cylinders)
coupled to
devices 488 that sense or contact the collar or another part of the fish 11
during
transport or other sensing and control devices may be positioned along the
transport path of the fish 11 to determine a position of the fish 11 during
the
gutting operation and trigger the actuator 472 to move the end or tip portion
466
of the guide 462 accordingly.
In some embodiments, the end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462
may be configured to move from a first height H3 which positions the fish 11
such that the tip 464 of the extractor 460 enters at the head end of the fish
11
below the backbone and above the gullet of the fish and exits the tail end of
the
fish substantially aligned with or below the anal vent thereof. In this
manner,
the end or tip portion 466 of the guide 462 may be configured to move from a
first height H3 to a second height H4 higher than the first height H3 during
an
interval in which the tip 464 of the extractor 460 moves through a length of
the
fish 11 during the gutting operation.
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CA 02785157 2012-08-07
Turning back to the example embodiment of Figures 1 through 7,
and with reference specifically to Figures 4 through 7, the gutting device 16
may further include a pair of wing members 82 to assist in gathering viscera
of
the fish 11 during the gutting operation and to assist in severing the viscera
from the body of the fish 11. The wing members 82 are rotatably coupled to the
frame 66 of the gutting device by a hinge 84 or other structure such that the
wing members 82 may transition between an open configuration in which the
wing members 82 are spread relatively further apart, as illustrated by the
distance labeled D, in Figure 4, and a closed configuration in which the wing
members 82 are relatively closer together, as illustrated by the distance
labeled
D2 in Figure 6. The wing members 82 may flare out to spread opposing sides of
the fish 11 in a lower region of the fish 11 when entering the same. In
addition,
the wing members 82 may include a leading end region 86 which extends or
tapers toward the centerline of the system 10 to facilitate entry of the wing
members 82 in the fish 11 to be processed.
As illustrated best in Figure 7, the wing members 82 may be
configured to transition from the closed configuration (Figures 4 and 5) to
the
open configuration (Figures 6 and 7) shortly after entering the fish 11.
Movement of tension rollers engaging conveyor belts 22 which may be
transporting the fish 11, a lever or other mechanism that senses or contacts
the
top of the fish 11 during transport, position sensors that sense or contact
the
collar or another part of the fish 11 during transport or other sensing and
control
devices may be positioned along the transport path of the fish 11 to determine
a
position of the fish 11 during the gutting operation and trigger the wing
members 82 to move. For instance, a position sensor 88 may be positioned to
sense a position of the fish 11 during the gutting operation and trigger the
wing
members 82 to transition from the closed configuration (Figures 4 and 5) to
the
open configuration (Figures 6 and 7). An actuator 90 may be coupled between
the frame 66 and the wing members 82 for this purpose. The wing members 82
advantageously gather the viscera in a particularly nondestructive manner
during the gutting operation. After gathering the viscera, the wing members 82
17
CA 02785157 2012-08-07
may transition back to the closed configuration (Figures 4 and 5) to assist in
separating the viscera from the fish by severing the viscera in the
intersection
92 between the wing members 82 and the extractor 60. Again, movement of
the wing members 82 may be triggered by a variety of sensor and control
devices. In addition, the movement of the wing members 82 may be
coordinated with movement of the extractor 60 and/or guide 460 (Figure 15),
such as, for example, to occur simultaneously or sequentially.
After the viscera is removed by the gutting device 16, the
remaining fish product 11 may be transported downstream for further
processing and cleaning. For example, one or more kidney scrapers 98 (Figure
1A) may be positioned downstream of the gutting device 16 to scrape or
otherwise pierce the kidneys of the fish 11. The kidney scrapers 98 may be
biased toward the underside of the fish to apply a predetermined amount of
force to the fish 11 when scraping or piercing the kidneys. As another
example,
rotatable brushes 100 may be located downstream of the gutting device 16 to
further clean the interior of the fish 11 as the fish pass over the rotatable
brushes 100. Moreover, to prevent inadvertent rising of the fish 11 during the
cleaning operation, additional hold down devices 102 may be positioned to bias
the fish 11 downwardly as the fish 11 pass over the brushes 100. In some
embodiments, fluid jets and/or suction devices may also be provided in
combination with or in lieu of the brushes 100 to further clean the remaining
fish
product 11 during the cleaning operation. For example, the fish processing
system 10 may include one or more suction head assemblies 104 (Figure 1A),
each positioned between adjacent brushes 100, as described in greater detail
further below. After the fish product 11 is adequately gutted and cleaned, the
fish product 11 may be discharged from the fish processing system 10 for
packaging, or in some cases, further processing. The viscera, including the
gonads, can also be discharged or collected for packaging or further
processing.
Figures 8 through 12 illustrate one embodiment of an extractor
110 which is shaped in a particularly efficient and compact form factor to
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CA 02785157 2012-08-07
process fish 11 in a reliable and repeatable manner. The extractor 110 has a
generally elongate body 112 which extends from a leading end or tip 114 to a
trailing end 116. The leading end or tip 114 tapers toward a point and
includes
a convex upper surface to enter the fish 11 in a particularly nondestructive
manner. The tip 114 is also inclined relative to a horizontal reference plane.
In
the illustrated embodiment, for example, the tip 114 inclines in two stages
toward a horizontal surface 120 on the underside of the extractor 110.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the incline includes two generally
flat
inclined surfaces 118, 124; however, it is contemplated that in other
embodiments the inclined portion of the tip could be a single, flat inclined
surface or could be a non-planar surface or non-planar surfaces.
The extractor 110 further includes downwardly open grooves 122
at opposing sides of the extractor 110 near the tip 114. The grooves 122 may
have a v-shape (as illustrated), a u-shape or other shape cross-sectional
profile. The grooves 122 are positioned relative to the tip 114 to assist in
severing the gullet from the fish 11 during a gutting operation in a
nondestructive manner.
The extractor 110 may also include slots 130, apertures or other
features for securing the extractor 110 to a gutting device, such as the
gutting
devices 16 described herein. The slots 130 may allow for the extractor 110 to
be adjusted fore and aft to interface, for example, with a guide 62 or other
structure that feeds fish 11 toward the extractor 110. Also, the extractor 110
is
interchangeably coupleable to the gutting device 16 to facilitate servicing or
replacement.
With reference to Figure 12, a cross-sectional profile of the tip 114
of the extractor 110 may include a profile having a central portion disposed
between the opposing downwardly open grooves 122 when viewing the profile
in a direction along a longitudinal length of the extractor 110. The profile
may
include an upper profile section 132 that is convex and a lower profile
section
134 between the grooves 122 that is substantially linear. In this manner, the
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CA 02785157 2012-08-07
overall profile may generally resemble a D-shape or semicircular shape with
opposing grooves 122 at the corners.
With reference to Figure 13, another extractor 210 is shown
having opposing downwardly open grooves 222 that are u-shaped. The tip 214
of the extractor 210 also includes a central inclined surface 218 that is
concavely shaped. In this manner, a cross-sectional profile of the tip 214 may
include an upper profile section that is convex and a lower profile section
234
between the grooves 222 that is arcuate, curvilinear or convex. The overall
profile may generally resemble a bat wing. In other embodiments, the cross-
sectional profile of a tip of the extractor may have other shapes, such as,
for
example, a D-shape with a saw tooth or scalloped lower profile section.
Figure 14 illustrates one embodiment of a suction head
assembly 104 which is particularly well suited for cleaning an internal cavity
of a
fish 11 after the viscera of the fish 11 is removed. The suction head assembly
104 may be positioned downstream of a cutting device 14 (Figure 1B) and
gutting device 16 (Figure 1 B) to receive fish 11 which have been processed to
remove the viscera, such as, for example, in the ways described above. In
some embodiments, the suction head assembly 104 may be located between
adjacent cleaning brushes 100 and configured in such a manner to suction
material from the internal cavity of the fish 11 as the fish 11 passes across
the
suction head assembly 104 between the brushes 100. The suction head
assembly 104 may be removably coupled to a mounting bracket 310 of the fish
processing system 10 with fastener devices, such as, for example, threaded
bolts.
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the vacuum head
assembly 104 may include one or more elongated flexible suction members
302, 302' extending from a main body 300 of the vacuum head assembly 104.
The suction members 302, 302' may be tubular members, for example, of a
semi-rigid material, such as, for example, various plastics. The suction
members 302, 302' are positioned such that as a fish 11 passes over the
vacuum head assembly 104, the suction members 302, 302' are caused to flex
CA 02785157 2012-08-07
in the direction of travel in a response to the interaction with anatomy of
the fish
11, as represented by the suction members 302' shown in broken lines. In this
manner, the suction members 302, 302' may closely track an inner profile of
the
fish 11 and clean the fish 11 quite effectively during a cleaning operation.
An
end 304 of the suction members 302, 302' may be inclined such that the end
304 is oriented substantially parallel to surfaces of the internal cavity of
the
fish 11 as the suction members 302, 302' flex during the cleaning operation.
The suction members 302, 302' may be positioned sequentially when more
than one suction member 302, 302' is provided, such as, for example, as shown
in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 14.
The main body 300 of the suction head assembly 104 includes a
suction cavity which is coupled to a vacuum source (not shown) and the one or
more suction members 302, 302' via a conduit 312 to create a vacuum within
the suction members 302, 302' to draw fluid and other matter from the internal
cavity of the fish 11 during the cleaning operation. The main body 308 may
further include a fluid jet passage 308 coupled to a water source or other
source of cleaning solution or liquid (not shown) to discharge water or other
cleaning solution or liquid into the cavity of the fish 11 as the fish 11
moves
across the vacuum head assembly 104 during the cleaning operation. The fluid
jet passage 308 may be positioned to direct fluid into the cavity slightly
upstream of where the suction members 302, 302' interoperate with the fish 11
to assist in the cleaning operation.
The main body 300 of the vacuum head assembly 104 may also
include a stop portion 306 to limit movement of the one or more suction
members 302, 302' during the cleaning operation. For example, as shown in
Figure 14, a portion 306 of the main body 300 may be located downstream of
the suction members 302, 302' and may be correspondingly shaped to a
curvature of the suction members 302, 302' in a flexed position corresponding
to a desired limit of travel. In this manner, the suction members 302, 302',
may
be oriented to clean the fish 11 in a particularly efficient manner throughout
at
least a substantial portion of the cleaning operation as the fish 11 passes
over
21
CA 02785157 2012-08-07
the vacuum head assembly 104. Various control and positioning mechanisms,
such as, for example, hold down devices 102 (Figure 1A) may be positioned to
bias the fish 11 downwardly as the fish 11 pass over the vacuum head
assembly 104. In some embodiments, a fluid jet passage 308 may not be
provided or may be provided in a separate device remote from the main body
300. In some embodiments, sensors and other control mechanisms may be
provided to activate the suction of the suction head assemblies 104 and/or the
fluid jet discharged from the fluid jet passage 308 in response to a location
of
the fish 11 as it moves toward and across the vacuum head assembly 104
during operation.
Although many aspects of the fish processing systems 10, 410
and methods described herein are discussed in the context of an integrated
system for processing fish in a particularly efficient and reliable manner, it
is
appreciated that aspects may be applied to a wide range of fish processing
systems, subsystems and other devices. For example, the cutting devices 14
and gutting devices 16, 416 described herein may be freestanding units or may
be integrated into various other processing systems having a variety of
capabilities. As another example, the extractors 60, 110, 210 and cleaning
head assemblies 104 described herein may be incorporated into other known
fish processing devices with little or no modification to such systems.
Still further, although the fish processing systems and methods
described herein are discussed in the context of producing head and gut
product, it is appreciated that upon review and study of the present
disclosure,
it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that aspects of the
various
embodiments described herein may be modified to process fish in which the
head of the fish is only partially cut from the fish body.
Moreover, the various embodiments described above can be
combined to provide further embodiments.
These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in
light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims,
the
terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific
22
CA 02785157 2012-08-07
embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be
construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of
equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not
limited by the disclosure.
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