Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CRAB PROCESSING DEVICE AND CRAB PROCESSING METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001]
The present invention relates to a crab processing device and a crab
processing
method, and specifically, to a processing device and a processing method
capable of
removing a shell and a gill of a crab, and also relates to a processing device
and a
processing method capable of recovering the removed shell and recovering brown
meat in
the shell to provide the brown meat as a product.
2. Description of the Related Art:
[0002]
A crab is known as a delicious food material and is popular all over the
world. The
crab has a shell, which needs to be removed to provide the crab in a proper
form as a food
material. Even after the shell of the crab is removed, gills, which are
inedible, also need to
be cleanly removed. In the case where a crab is eaten in a household, the
shell and the gills
of the crab may be removed by hand one by one. In a seafood processing plant,
it is very
troublesome to remove the shell and the gills of crabs. Some shell removal
devices have
been proposed, but existing shell removal devices often do not remove the
shell or gills
completely or cleanly. In consideration of the work of removing the remaining
part of the
shell or gills, it is better and reasonable to conduct manual removal from the
points of view
of cost, speed, accurateness and safety.
[0003]
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For removing the shell of a crab manually, the shell is pressed onto a
rotating roller
to be disengaged. Then, the gills attached to the meat of the crab (meat at
the shoulder)
deprived of the shell is removed by the rotating roller. The crab (meat of the
crab)
deprived of the shell and the gills is put on a belt conveyor and is recovered
at a different
site. Such a shell removing work requires a large number of operators when the
amount of
crabs to be processed at the plant is large, is hard labor and lacks
cleanliness. As the
number of the operators is larger, the personnel expenses are increased. In
addition, there
is a limit on the speed of such a manual work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004]
As a result of active studies made in an attempt to provide a technique of
automatically removing the shell and the gills of a crab, the present inventor
completed a
processing device and a processing method for removing the shell and the gills
of a crab.
The present invention, made in light of the above-described situation, has an
object of
providing a processing device and a processing method for removing the shell
and the gills
of a crab.
[0005]
A processing device for a crab according to the present invention includes a
transportation mechanism transporting a crab; a shell remover removing a shell
of the crab;
a gill remover removing a gill of the crab; and a crab cutter cutting the crab
into halves.
The gill remover includes a jetting device jetting pressurized water toward
the crab at an
oblique angle with respect to a horizontal line.
[0006]
In a preferable embodiment, the gill remover includes a coupling portion
connected
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with a hose; a water pipe connected with the coupling portion; and the jetting
device
connected with the water pipe. The hose is connected with a water booster
pump. The
jetting device includes a plurality of jetting openings.
[0007]
In a preferable embodiment, the transportation mechanism is a belt conveyor.
The
jetting device is located on each of two sides of the belt conveyor.
[0008]
In a preferable embodiment, the belt conveyor includes a first belt portion
located
on the left side in an advancing direction of the transportation mechanism; a
second belt
portion located on the right side in the advancing direction of the
transportation
mechanism; and a central belt portion located between the first belt portion
and the second
belt portion. A surface of the central belt portion is lower than surfaces of
the first belt
portion and the second belt portion. The surfaces of the first belt portion
and the second
belt portion allow legs of the crab to be put thereon. The surface of the
central belt portion
allows a site of the crab including the shell to be put thereon.
[0009]
In a preferable embodiment, the central belt portion is configured to turn
back
before the shell remover to circulate.
[0010]
In a preferable embodiment, the shell remover includes a movable belt
mechanism
holding the legs of the crab transported by the transportation mechanism; and
a shell
removal gear disengaging the shell of the crab.
[0011]
In a preferable embodiment, the shell removal gear includes an upper gear
rotatable
forward in the advancing direction of the transportation mechanism; and a
lower gear
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rotatable in a direction opposite to the advancing direction of the
transportation
mechanism. The lower gear includes a hook at a tip thereof, the hook being
engageable
with a front region of the crab on a belly side.
[0012]
In a preferable embodiment, the movable belt mechanism is urged toward the
transportation mechanism by a spring.
[0013]
In a preferable embodiment, the processing device further includes a recovery
member recovering the shell and brown meat contained in the shell, the
recovery member
being provided below the shell remover.
[0014]
In a preferable embodiment, the crab cutter includes a rotatable cutter
cutting the
crab after the crab passes the shell remover and the gill remover.
[0015]
A shell/gill removal device according to the present invention is a shell/gill
removal
device disengaging a shell of a crab. The shell/gill removal device includes a
shell
remover removing a shell of a crab; and a gill remover removing a gill of the
crab. The
shell remover includes a movable belt mechanism holding, from above, legs of
the crab
transported by a transportation mechanism; and a shell removal gear
disengaging the shell
of the crab. The shell removal gear includes an upper gear rotatable forward
in an
advancing direction of the transportation mechanism; and a lower gear
rotatable in a
direction opposite to the advancing direction of the transportation mechanism.
The lower
gear includes a hook at a tip thereof, the hook being engageable with a front
region of the
crab on a belly side. The gill remover includes a jetting device jetting
pressurized water
toward the crab deprived of the shell. The jetting device is located on each
of two sides of
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the transportation mechanism.
[0016]
A processing method for a crab according to the present invention includes the
steps of putting a crab on a transportation mechanism; removing a shell of the
crab while
transporting the crab by the transportation mechanism; and jetting high
pressure water at
an oblique angle toward the crab deprived of the shell to remove a gill of the
crab.
[0017]
In a preferable embodiment, the processing method further includes the step of
cutting the crab into two halves after the step of removing the gill.
to [0018]
In a preferable embodiment, the transportation mechanism is a belt conveyor.
In
the step of putting the crab, the crab is put on the belt conveyor in a state
where the shell of
the crab is directed downward and a mouth of the crab is directed forward in
the advancing
direction. In the step of removing the shell, the shell of the crab is
disengaged by a gear
applying a downward force to the mouth of the crab. In the step of removing
the gill, the
high pressure water is allowed to hit the gill to remove the gill while the
crab is transported
by the transportation mechanism.
[0019]
In a preferable embodiment, in the step of removing the shell of the crab, the
shell
drops downward. The processing method further includes the step of recovering
brown
meat contained in the dropped shell.
[0020]
In a preferable embodiment, in the step of removing the gill, the gill drops
downward and together with the jetted water and is abolished.
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[0021]
A crab processing device according to the present invention includes a
transportation mechanism transporting a crab, a shell remover, a gill remover,
and a crab
cutter. The gill remover includes a jetting device jetting pressurized water
toward the crab
at an oblique angle. Therefore, the gills attached to the crab deprived of the
shell is
removed cleanly by the pressurized water. While the crab is transported by the
transportation mechanism, the shell removal and the gill removal are performed
automatically. Thus, a crab meat product is produced at low cost and a high
level of
cleanliness.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a structure of a crab
processing
device 100 in an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2A shows how a crab 400 is processed in an embodiment according to the
present invention.
FIG. 2B shows how the crab 400 is processed in an embodiment according to the
present invention.
FIG. 2C shows how the crab 400 is processed in an embodiment according to the
present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of crab processing device 100
in
an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of crab processing device 100
in
an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows the entrance side of the crab processing device 100 in an
embodiment
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according to the present invention (perspective front view).
FIG. 6 shows a transportation mechanism 50 (belt conveyor 51) in an embodiment
according to the present invention (perspective side view).
FIG. 7 shows a structure of a movable belt mechanism 16, shell removal gears
21
and 22 and a crab cutter 40 in an embodiment according to the present
invention
(perspective front view).
FIG. 8 shows a structure of the movable belt mechanism 16 and the crab cutter
40
in an embodiment according to the present invention (perspective side view).
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a structure of the shell removal gears 21
and
22 in an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an operation of the shell removal gears 21
and
22 in an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows a structure of a gill remover 30 (coupling portion 31) in an
embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows a structure of the gill remover 30 (jetting device 34) in an
embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 13 shows a structure of the gill remover 30 (jetting device 34) in an
embodiment according to the present invention, in a state where the crab 400
is located.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of the gill remover 30
(jetting
device 34).
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a structure of the crab processing device
100.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a crab processing method in an embodiment
according to the present invention.
FIG. 17 shows the entrance side of another crab processing device 100 in an
embodiment according to the present invention (perspective front view).
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FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the another crab processing device 100
in an
embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the another crab processing device 100
in an
embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 20 shows the crab 400 used in the crab processing method in an embodiment
according to the present invention (photo substituting a drawing).
FIG. 21 shows a shell 406 and brown meat 404 removed in the crab processing
method in an embodiment according to the present invention (photo substituting
a
drawing).
FIG. 22 shows crab meat 407 produced by the crab processing method in an
embodiment according to the present invention (photo substituting a drawing).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023]
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be
described with reference to the drawings. In the following figures, elements
or sites having
the same functions bear the same reference signs, and overlapping descriptions
may be
omitted or simplified for the sake of simplicity. In the figures, relative
sizes (length, width,
thickness, etc.) may not accurately reflect the actual relative sizes.
[0024]
Elements which are other than elements specifically referred to in this
specification
and are necessary to carry out the present invention may be grasped as a
matter of design
choice for a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the conventional
technology in this
field. The present invention can be carried out based on the contents
disclosed by this
specification and the attached drawings, and the technological common
knowledge in the
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art. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment in any
way.
[0025]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a structure of a crab
processing
device 100 in an embodiment according to the present invention. The crab
processing
device 100 in this embodiment includes a transportation mechanism 50
transporting a crab
400 and a shell/gill removal device 10 including a shell remover removing the
shell of the
crab 400. The shell/gill removal device 10 in this embodiment includes a gill
remover
removing the gills of the crab 400 and a crab cutter cutting the crab 400 into
two halves, in
addition to the shell remover.
[0026]
The transportation mechanism 50 in this embodiment is a belt conveyor. The
belt
conveyor 50 in this embodiment includes a belt portion 51 (51a, 51b and 51c)
on which the
crab 400 may be placed, a driving force source (motor) 52 driving the belt
portion 51, a
driving force transmission member (chain) 53, a driving roller 56 and a
subordinate roller
54. The belt conveyor 50 is supported by a frame 55. The belt portion 51
supported by the
frame 55 is rotatable by the driving force of the motor 52. The frame 55 is
formed of a
metal material (e.g., stainless steel).
[0027]
The belt portion 51 of the belt conveyor 50 advances in an advancing direction
(arrows 101, 102, 105 and 106) by the driving force of the motor 52. When
being put on
the belt portion 51, the crab 400 is transported in the advancing direction by
the belt
conveyor 50.
[0028]
The belt portion 51 of the belt conveyor 50 in this embodiment includes a
first belt
portion 51a located on the left side in the advancing direction (arrow 101), a
second belt
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portion 5 lb located on the right side in the advancing direction, and a
central belt portion
51c located between the first belt portion 51a and the second belt portion 5
lb. A surface of
the central belt portion 51c is lower than a surface of the first belt portion
51a and a surface
of the second belt portion 51b. On the surfaces of the first belt portion 51a
and the second
belt portion 51b, legs of the crab 400 may be located. On the surface of the
central belt
portion 51c, a portion including the shell of the crab 400 may be located.
[0029]
In the structural example in this embodiment, the central belt portion 51c has
a
width smaller than that of the first belt portion 51a (and also that of the
second belt portion
51b). In this embodiment, the width of the central belt portion 51c (width of
the portion
located between the first belt portion 51a and the second belt portion 51b),
and/or the
height of the central belt portion 51c (the difference between the height of
the surface of
the central belt portion 51c and the height of the surfaces of the first belt
portion 51a and
the second belt portion 51b) may be changeable in accordance with the size of
the crab 400
(whether the crab 400 is large or small). For example, in the case where the
crab 400
weighs less than 400 g, the width of the central belt portion 51c may be set
to 13 cm
whereas in the case where the crab 400 weights 400 g or more, the width of the
central belt
portion 51c may be set to 14 cm.
[0030]
In this embodiment, the central belt portion 51c is configured to turn back
before
the shell remover in the shell/gill removal device 10 to circulate. More
specifically, the
central belt portion 51c is wound along a roller 59a in a region of the
shell/gill removal
device 10 and changes the advancing direction thereof so as to advance toward
the
subordinate roller 54. Thus, the central belt portion 51c circulates between
the subordinate
roller 54 and the roller 59a. The central belt portion 51c turns back before
the shell/gill
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removal device 10 whereas the first belt portion 51a and the second belt
portion 51b keep
advancing in the shell/gill removal device 10. Therefore, the first belt
portion 51a and the
second belt portion 51b keep moving while having a space therebetween beyond
the point
at which the central belt portion 51c turns back. The central belt portion 51c
has
substantially the same structure on the other side of the shell/gill removal
device 10 (on the
exit side). A chain (driving force transmission member) 59c is extended
between the roller
59a and the roller 59b.
[0031]
The shell/gill removal device 10 includes a frame 10a (formed of a metal
material
such as, for example, stainless steel or the like). Stoppers 10b are provided
at ground
contact portions of the frame 10a. In this embodiment, a control panel
(controller box) 14
is provided on the frame 10a of the shell/gill removal device 10. The control
panel
(controller box) 14 may be located at any other position. The control panel 14
controls an
operation of the shell/gill removal device 10 and the transportation mechanism
50. The
control panel 14 includes a button 14a. Pushing the button 14a operates the
control panel
(controller box) 14. The control panel 14 includes an outer housing and a
wiring
board/control portion (e.g., circuit board including a semiconductor
integrated circuit and
an electronic component) accommodated in the housing. The control panel 14 is
electrically connected with a predetermined component in each of the
shell/gill removal
device 10 and the transportation mechanism 50. Driving motors 12 (12a, 12b and
12c) are
also located on the frame 10a of the shell/gill removal device 10. The driving
motors 12
may be located at any other position. The control and communication by the
control panel
14 may be performed wirelessly or may be performed by remote control.
[0032]
On the side of the roller 59a (on the entrance side) of the shell/gill removal
device
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10, a movable belt mechanism 16 holding the legs of the crab 400 transported
by the belt
conveyor 50 (first belt portion 51a and the second belt portion 51b) is
located. The
movable belt mechanism 16 has a function of pressing the crab 400 or the like
downward
(toward the surface of the belt conveyor 50) by an urging member (e.g.,
spring). In this
embodiment, the movable belt mechanism 16 includes a plurality of (two in this
example)
belt portions 16a on the left side and a plurality of (two in this example)
belt portions 16b
on the right side. A plurality of rollers 18 are also provided in the vicinity
of the movable
belt mechanism 16. The movable belt mechanism 16, in cooperation with the
rollers 18,
circulates to drive the crab 400 or the like in the advancing direction.
Alternatively, the
movable belt mechanism 16 may include one (single) belt portion 16a on the
left side and
one (single) belt portion 16b on the right side.
[0033]
The shell/gill removal device 10 includes the shell remover (20) removing the
shell
of the crab 400 transported by the belt conveyor 50, the gill remover (30)
removing the
gills of the crab 400 deprived of the shell, and the crab cutter (40) cutting
the crab 400
deprived of the gills into two halves. The shell remover (20), the gill
remover (30) and the
crab cutter (40) are located in this order (in the advancing direction) from
the entrance of
the shell/gill removal device 10. The shell remover (20), the gill remover
(30) and the crab
cutter (40) will be described below in detail.
[0034]
FIG. 2A through FIG. 2C show how the crab 400 is processed by the processing
device 100 in this embodiment.
[0035]
In FIG. 2A, reference sign 400a represents the crab before being put on the
transportation mechanism (belt conveyor) 50. An operator 300 (300a or 300b)
shown in
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FIG. 1 spreads legs 401 of the crab 400 (arrow 402), and puts the crab 400
such that a shell
406 of the crab 400 is directed downward (such that a belly 403 is directed
upward). Then,
the operator 300 puts the crab 400 on the belt conveyor 50 such that the shell
406 contacts
the surface of the central belt portion 51c and the legs 401 of the crab 400
are on or above
the surfaces of the first belt portion 51a and the second belt portion 51b.
The conveyor belt
50 is configured (designed) such that the surface of the central belt portion
51c is lower
than the surfaces of the first belt portion 51a and the second belt portion
51b. Therefore, it
is easy to put the shell 406 in the recessed portion provided by the central
belt portion 51c
whereas putting the legs 401 on the first belt portion 51a and the second belt
portion 51b.
The crab 400 is located such that the mouth (or beak) 405 (or a front region
including the
eyes) of the crab 400 are directed forward in the advancing direction.
[0036]
In FIG. 2B, reference sign 400b represents the crab in a state of being
deprived of
the shell 406 by the shell remover in this embodiment. The crab 400b has the
shell 406
removed to have the inside (crab meat) 407 exposed, but the gills 409 (the
gills themselves
are not shown) are attached to the crab meat 407. The gills 409 are inedible
and thus need
to be removed. The gills may be removed by the gill remover in this
embodiment.
[0037]
In FIG. 2C, reference sign 400c represents the crab in the state of being
deprived of
the gills and cut into two halves by the crab cutter (40) in this embodiment.
In this state,
the crab 400 is clean meat deprived of the shell 406 and the gills 409.
Namely, the crab
400 is in a state of a processed crab product (crab meat with shoulder meat
and legs, or
crab section) as a food product.
[0038]
Now, FIG. 1 will be referred to again. In the structural example shown in FIG.
1, a
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crab feeder 60 feeding the crab 400a to be processed is provided on a stage
before
(upstream with respect to) the crab processing device 100 in this embodiment.
The crab
feeder 60 is, for example, a transportation mechanism (belt conveyor, roller
conveyor,
chain conveyor, etc.) or a box (basket) accommodating the crab 400a. The crab
400a fed
by the crab feeder 60 is put on the transportation mechanism (belt conveyor)
50 by the
operator 300a. The crab 400a may be fed automatically by a machine (or a
robot) instead
of the operator 300a.
[0039]
Next, the crab 400a is put on the belt conveyor 50 by the operator 300b in a
state
where the legs 401 are spread, and advances toward the shell/gill removal
device 10 (arrow
101). Next, the crab 400a goes into the shell/gill removal device 10 (arrow
102), and
advances in the shell/gill removal device 10 by the movable belt mechanism 16
(16a, 16b)
in a state where the legs 401 are secured.
[0040]
In the shell/gill removal device 10, first, the shell 406 is disengaged by the
shell
remover in this embodiment. The removed shell 406 drops downward together with
brown
meat contained in the shell 406 (see arrow 86). The removed shell 406 may be
received by
a recovery container (basket, etc.). In the structure shown in FIG. 1, the
removed shell 406
is moved by a transportation mechanism (slider (e.g., metal inclining plate),
roller
conveyor, belt conveyor, etc.) 81 (arrow 88) and is recovered by a recovery
member
(recovering container) 82 (arrow 88b). In the case where a recovery device
including the
transportation mechanism 81 and the recovery member 82 is used, the shells 406
(containing brown meat) are not accumulated below the shell/gill removal
device 10, and
thus the work is efficiently done (and the work area is clean). The brown meat
in the shell
406 is a delicious food material and is also processed into a food product.
Therefore, it is
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advantages for post-processing to recover the brown meat by the recovery
member 82. In
addition, the shell 406 itself is not a food material but may be used as a
container. It is also
advantageous to recover the shell 406 efficiently.
[0041]
Next, in the shell/gill removal device 10, the gills (409) are removed by the
gill
remover in this embodiment. The gill remover uses water (pressurized water,
namely,
high-pressure water) to remove the gills. Therefore the gill remover is
connected with
water booster pumps 70 (70a, 70b). Water is introduced into the water booster
pump 70
from a hose 71 coupled with a water pipe in the plant. The water (pressurized
water) is
supplied via a pressurized water hose 72 to the gill remover in the shell/gill
removal device
10. The hose 72 may be coupled with the gill remover directly or via a
coupling portion.
In the structural example in this embodiment, a plurality of (two in this
example) movable
water booster pumps 70 (70a, 70b) are used.
[0042]
The gills (409) removed by the gill remover drop downward together with water
jetted from the gill remover (see arrow 87). The removed gills (409) may be
received by a
recovery container (basket, etc.). In the structure shown in FIG. 1, the
removed gills (409)
are moved by a transportation mechanism (slider (e.g., metal inclining plate),
roller
conveyor, belt conveyor, etc.) 83 (arrow 89) and is recovered by a recovery
member
(recovering container) 84 (arrow 89b). In the case where the gills are
recovered in this
manner, the gills or water is not accumulated under the shell/gill removal
device 10.
Therefore, the work is efficiently done, and the work area is clean.
[0043]
Next, in the shell/gill removal device 10, the crab 400 (crab meat) is cut
into two
halves by the crab cutter (40) in this embodiment. The crab may be cut by a
rotatable
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blade (rotatable saw) or may be cut by any other cutting mechanism (e.g.,
guillotine cutter,
water cutter, etc.). The expression "cut into two halves" indicates that as
shown in FIG 2C,
the crab 400c is cut into right side meat and left side meat, and does not
indicate that the
crab is accurately cut into two halves in terms of the weight or volume.
[0044]
Then, the crab 400c (crab meat cut into halves) is transported from the
shell/gill
removal device 10 (see arrows 105 and 106). The crab 400c (crab meat as a food
product)
may be recovered by a recovery box (e.g., basket) or, as shown in FIG. 1, may
be
transported to another site by, for example, a transportation mechanism (belt
conveyor,
roller conveyor, chain conveyor, etc.) 62 (see arrow 107). In the case where
the crab 400c
is transported to another site, the work efficiency of the shell/gill removal
device 10 (crab
processing device 100) is improved.
[0045]
A system including the crab processing device including the shell/gill removal
device 10, the water booster pump 70 and the transportation mechanism 81 or 83
(occasionally, also including the transportation mechanism 60 or 62) may be
referred to as
a "crab meat production system 200". The driving motors 12a, 12b and 12c shown
in
FIG. 1 respectively drive the shell remover, the crab cutter and the movable
belt
mechanism 16.
[0046]
Now, with reference to FIG. 3 through FIG. 14, the structure of the crab
processing
device 100 in this embodiment will be further described. FIG. 3 is a
perspective side view
showing the structure of the crab processing device 100. The crab processing
device 100
shown in FIG. 3 is slightly different from the crab processing device 100
shown in FIG. 1,
but is the same in the basic operation and structure. Thus, overlapping
descriptions will be
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omitted. FIG. 4 shows the crab processing device 100 as seen from a side
opposite to
FIG. 3. In the structural example shown in FIG. 4, the control panel 14 is
located
separately from the shell/gill removal device 10.
[0047]
FIG. 5 shows the crab processing device 100 shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the
front
side (from the entrance side). FIG. 6 shows the belt conveyor 50 of the crab
processing
device 100 shown in FIG. 5 as seen from a side face thereof. As shown in FIG.
5 and
FIG. 6, the central belt portion 51c is slightly recessed from the first belt
portion 51a (left)
and the second belt portion 51 b (right), and the body of the crab 400 (shell
406) may be
located in the recess.
[0048]
FIG. 7 shows a structure of the movable belt mechanism 16 (16a, 16b) shown in
FIG. 5. FIG 7 shows the movable belt mechanism 16 as seen from the exit side.
On the
entrance side of a shaft 19 (rotation axis shown as being closer to the viewer
of FIG. 7) of
the movable belt mechanism 16, a shell removal gear 21 (upper gear or upper
blade)
included in the shell remover 20 is located. Below the shell removal gear 21
(upper gear),
a shell removal gear 22 (lower gear or lower blade) usable in combination with
the shell
removal gear 21 is located.
[0049]
On the exit side of the shell removal gear 21 (side closer to the viewer of
FIG. 7), a
jetting device 34 included in the gill remover 30 is provided. The jetting
device 34 is
accommodated in a container (box) 35 attached to a frame 11 (e.g., metallic
housing frame).
On the exit side of the gill remover 30 (jetting device 34) (side closer to
the viewer of
FIG. 7), a rotatable blade (rotatable cutter) 41 included in the crab cutter
40 is provided.
[0050]
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FIG. 8 shows the structure shown in FIG. 7 as seen from a side face thereof
The
rollers 18 (18a, 18b) and the shaft 19 included in the movable belt mechanism
16, and an
urging member 17 (17a, 17b) pressing the belt portion 16a (16b) downward, are
provided.
The urging member 17 includes a spring (urging member) 17a and a frame 17b
securing
and supporting the spring 17a. The belt portion 16a (16b) is pressed downward
by the
urging member 17, so that the legs 401 of the crab 400 are held by the belt
portion 16a
(16b) and the fist and second (left and right) belt portions 51a and 51b of
the belt conveyor
50. The crab 400 is transported in the advancing direction while the legs 401
thereof are
held as described above. At the center (central line) of the movable belt
mechanism 16, the
rotatable blade 41 included in the crab cutter 40 is located. The center of
the rotatable
blade 41 is secured by a shaft 41s.
[0051]
FIG. 9 shows a combination structure of the shell removal gear (upper gear) 21
and
the shell removal gear (lower blade) 22. The shell removal gear (upper gear)
21 has a
shape of a rotatable disc and has a function of pressing the belly 403 of the
crab 400 (side
opposite to the shell 406). The shell removal gear (upper gear) 21 has a gear
shape with
grooves formed therein such that the belly 403 of the crab 400 is easily
pressed. The shell
removal gear (lower blade) 22 includes a plurality of extending portions
(wings) 23a
extending from a shaft 22s and a hook 23b formed at a tip of each of the
extending portions
(wings) 23a. The hooks 23b in this embodiment each have a shape of letter C
that is
opened outward (is shaped like mandible of stag beetle). When the hook 23b
touches the
mouth 405 (front region of the belly 403 of the crab 400) and is rotated, the
shell 406 of the
crab 400 is removed cleanly.
[0052]
FIG. 10 schematically shows an operation of the shell removal gear (upper
gear,
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upper teeth) 21 and the shell removal gear (lower blade, lower gear, lower
teeth) 22. The
upper gear 21 is rotated along the advancing direction (arrow 103) (i.e., the
upper gear 21
is rotated in the direction of arrow 21r, clockwise on the sheet of FIG 10).
By contrast, the
lower blade 22 is rotated in a direction opposite to the advancing direction
(arrow 103) (i.e.,
the lower blade 22 is rotated in the direction of arrow 23r, clockwise on the
sheet of
FIG. 10). When the crab 400a advances (arrow 103) and is held between the
upper gear 21
and the lower blade 22, the hook 23b of the lower blade 22 is stuck in the
mouth 405 of the
crab 400a. When the hook 23b is rotated to move downward, the shell 406 of the
crab
400a are disengaged cleanly. The disengaged shell 406 drops into the space
below. After
this, each time the crab 400a advances, this operation is repeated. The shell
remover 20
including the shell removal gears 21 and 22 operates in this manner. The
rotation rate
(and/or the number of teeth) of the shell removal gears 21 and 22 may be
appropriately
determined in accordance with the size or type of the crab or the
transportation speed. In
this embodiment, the rotation rate of the upper gear 21 is set to be lower
than the rotation
rate of the lower gear 22. Specifically, the rotation rates are adjusted such
that while the
upper gear 21 is rotated once, the lower gear 22 is rotated twice (or close to
twice, for
example, 1.5 times to three times). In this embodiment, one motor is used to
set the
difference between the rotation rates of the upper gear 21 and the lower gear
22 (for
example, such that the rotation rate of the lower gear 22 is twice the
rotation gear of the
upper gear 21) by use of a plurality of gears, more specifically, a larger
gear (upper gear
21) and a smaller gear (lower gear 22). Alternatively, the rotation rates of
the upper gear
21 and the lower gear 22 may be respectively controlled by different motors.
[0053]
FIG. 11 through FIG 13 show the structure of the gill remover 30 in this
embodiment. FIG 11 shows a coupling device (coupling portion) 31 coupled with
the hose
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(pressurized water hose) 72 extending from the water booster pump 70. The
coupling
device 31 is connected with water pipes 32, which extend to a position in the
shell/gill
removal device 10 at which the gills are to be removed. In this example, one
coupling
device 31 is provided at each of two sides of the crab processing device 100
(shell/gill
removal device 10). Alternatively, the water pipes 32 may extend from one
coupling
device 31. In this example, a plurality of water pipes 32 extend from one
coupling device
31. Alternatively, one water pipe 32 may extend from one coupling device 31.
[0054]
FIG. 12 shows the jetting device 34 located in the shell/gill removal device
10.
FIG. 13 shows that the crab 400b deprived of the shell 406 is located in the
structure shown
in FIG. 12.
[0055]
In the structural example shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of jetting devices 34
each
including an jetting opening 33 at a tip thereof are provided. The jetting
devices 34 are
located in a box 35 provided on a part of the frame 11 (parallel direction
member)
supporting the jetting devices 34. In the structure in this embodiment, a
series of four
jetting devices (jetting nozzles) 34 are provided. A total width of the four
jetting devices
34 is about 10 cm (e.g., 20 cm to 8 cm), which is relatively short. The
jetting devices 34 of
such a compact size are advantageous for being located in a processing device
(in this
example, in the shell/gill removal device 10). The water pipes 32 extending
from the
coupling device 31 are respectively connected with jetting devices 34, and the
pressurized
water from the water booster pump 70 is supplied to the jetting devices 34 via
the coupling
device 31 and the water pipes 32. As shown in FIG. 13, the crab 400b is
transported to the
gill removal position in a state where the legs 401 are held between the belt
portion 16a
and the belt portion 51b.
CA 2962992 2017-03-31
[0056]
FIG. 14 schematically shows how the pressurized water is jetted from the
jetting
device (nozzle) 34 in this embodiment toward the crab 400b. The crab 400b is
located in a
state where the belly 403 is directed upward (while being deprived of the
shell 406). The
gills 409 are attached to a part of the lower face (part of the crab meat) of
the crab 400b. In
this embodiment, the jetting device 34 is directed obliquely upward so that
jetted water 39
(medium for gill removal) is jetted from the jetting opening (nozzle opening)
33 at an
oblique angle (0). The jetted water 39 from the jetting opening 33 is adjusted
to pass a
space 35s in the box 35 of the jetting device 34 and hit a predetermined site
(at which the
gills 409 are positioned) of the crab 400b. A reason why the jetted water 39
is adjusted to
be jetted in an oblique direction (with jetting angle 0) is that it has been
found by
experiments conducted by the present inventor that the gills 409 are removed
more cleanly
in this manner than in the case where the water (pressurized water) is jetted
in a horizontal
direction or vertical direction.
[0057]
In the structural example in this embodiment, the oblique angle (jetting angle
0) of
a central line 33c of the jetting opening 33 is, for example, about 5 degrees
to 45 degrees
(in an example, 10 degrees to 35 degrees, preferably 30 5 ) with respect to
the
horizontal line (L). As long as the gills 409 are removed cleanly, there is no
specific
limitation on the angle and any preferably angle may be adopted. In this
embodiment, the
jetting opening 33 of the jetting device 34 has a diameter of, for example,
0.5 mm to 3 mm
(in an example, 1 mm 0.2 mm). The diameter is not limited to such a range,
and any
other preferable size may be used. In the example shown in FIG. 12 and FIG.
13, four
jetting openings 33 (jetting devices 34) and another four jetting openings 33
(jetting
devices 34) are arrayed on the left side and the right side. Any other
structural example or
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number may be used. The pressure of the pressurized water (jetting water) 39
(plunger-
type high pressure ejection pressure) is, for example, 20 kgf/cm2 to 80
kgf/cm2 (in an
example, 30 kgf/cm2 to 50 kfg/cm2). The pressure is not limited to such a
range, and any
pressure at which the gills 409 are removed cleanly may be used. The amount of
the jetted
water may be set to 20 liters/minute or greater. The pressure of the
pressurized water 39
may be variable or constant. In the structural example in this embodiment, the
oblique
angle (jetting angle 0) is fixed. Alternatively, the oblique angle (jetting
angle 0) may be
variable (the nozzle 34 may be swung). In the structure in this embodiment,
the crab 400
is deprived of the gills 409 while being moved by the transportation
mechanisms (50, 16).
The transportation of the crab 400 may be once stopped to remove the gills
409. In the
case where the gills 409 are removed while the crab 400 is transported
continuously, the
throughput is higher and the flow from/to the other steps (shell removal step,
etc.) is
smoother.
[0058]
Next, the crab 400 deprived of the gills 409 is continuously moved (toward the
exit) to be cut into two halves by the rotatable blade 41 of the crab cutter
40. In the case
where the crab 400 does not need to be cut into two, the crab cutter 40 does
not need to be
provided. It is convenient to cut the crab 400 into two halves on this stage
as a part of a
series of operations (by one processing device 100 or shell/gill removal
device 10).
[0059]
After being cut by the crab cutter 40, the crab 400c is transported by the
belt
conveyor 50 as shown in FIG. I. The crab 400c is deprived of the shell and
also the gills
cleanly, and thus is used as a processed crab product (crab meat product or
crab sections).
[0060]
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the overview of the crab processing device
100
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in this embodiment. First, the crab 400 is transported by the belt conveyor 50
(arrows 101
and 102) and enters the shell/gill removal device 10. The shell/gill removal
device 10
includes the shell remover 20, the gill remover 30 and the crab cutter 40. The
crab 400 is
processed by these processors sequentially. After being processed by the shell
remover 20,
the shell and the brown meat of the crab 400 may be collected by the shell and
brown meat
recovery member 81 (82). In this embodiment, the shell and brown meat recovery
member
81 (82) includes the transportation mechanism (conveyor) 81 and the recovering
container
82. Alternatively, the shell and brown meat recovery member 81(82) may have a
different
structure (e.g., the transportation mechanism may not be included, or the
recovering
to container may be modified). The gill remover 30 is connected with the
water booster
pump 70. In the plant, it is preferable to use a movable booster pump (water
booster
pump) 70. Alternatively, water may be supplied from a water booster pump
device
installed in a fixed manner to the gill remover 30 via the hose 72.
[0061]
Then, the processed crab meat (crab meat without shell or gills, crab
sections)
comes out of the shell/gill removal device 10 (arrows 105 and 106) and
transported by the
belt conveyor 50 to be collected. After this, the collected crab (crab
sections) is
transported to the next step, for example, a boiling step. During the
transportation, the crab
(crab sections) may be classified by size or the like. The crab sections
deprived of the shell
automatically are located side by side in a left-right direction uniformly and
are classified
by size in the next step on the belt conveyor connected with the shell/gill
removal device
10 or are efficiently put into a boil container. By contrast, in the case
where the shell is
removed manually, the crab sections are moved onto the conveyor in the state
of being
located side by side non-uniformly in the left-right direction. This causes a
problem that
the work efficiency is low.
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[0062]
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a crab processing method (method for producing
a
crab meat product) in this embodiment.
[0063]
First, the crab 400 is put on the conveyor 50 in a state where the shell 406
is
directed downward (in a state where the belly 403 is directed upward) (step
S100). Next,
the conveyor 50 is moved to transport the crab 400 toward the shell/gill
removal device 10
(step S110). Then, the shell 406 of the crab 400 is disengaged (step S200),
and the gills
409 of the crab 400 are removed (step S300). Next, the crab 400 deprived of
the shell 406
and the gills 409 is cut into two halves (step S400). The crab sections (half
portions of the
crab meat) obtained as a result of such processing are recovered (step S500).
In the step of
disengaging the shell 406 of the crab 400 (step S200), the brown meat (and the
shell 406)
of the crab 400 may be recovered.
[0064]
In this embodiment, the transportation rate of the conveyor 50 is set such
that when
crabs are processed continuously, a processed product of each crab is output
every 0.8 to
1.0 second. This numerical value may be changed in accordance with other
conditions; for
example, the transportation rate may be decreased. This processing rate
corresponds to the
productivity of 2.5 tons/hour for crabs each weighting 0.7 kg. If the plant is
operated for a
day (10 hours), 25 tons of meat is processed. The crab 400 has a size (width)
of, for
example, 9 cm to 13 cm. For crabs having a size out of this range, the device
may be
changed so as to fit to such crabs. The crab 400 preferable for the processing
method in
this embodiment is snow crab or red snow crab. The method in this embodiment
is
applicable to any other type of crab (e.g., red king crab). In the case where
the shell and
the gills are removed by operators, at least six operators are needed in order
to process 2.5
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tons per hour. The crab processing method in this embodiment is superior to
the manual
work done by operators in term of the product quality (appearance of the crab
meat,
uniformity) and also the cleanliness of the crab processing plant (cleanliness
during the
work).
[0065]
The crab processing device 100 (shell/gill removal device 10) in this
embodiment
includes the transportation mechanism 50 transporting the crab 400, the shell
remover 20,
the gill remover 30 and the crab cutter 40. The gill remover 30 includes the
jetting device
34 jetting pressurized water 39 toward the crab 400. Therefore, the gills 409
attached to
the crab 400 deprived of the shell 406 are removed cleanly with the
pressurized water 39.
Especially when the water is jetted (ejected) at an oblique angle (0), the
gills 409 are
removed cleanly, specifically, more cleanly than by a gill removing roller.
The crab
processing device 100 in this embodiment automatically performs the shell
removal (S200)
and gill removal (S300) while transporting the crab 400 by the transportation
mechanism
50, and thus produces crab meat products at low cost and high level of
cleanliness.
[0066]
With the technique in this embodiment, expenses (personnel expenses) are
decreased by an automatic operation. The automatic operation suppresses the
quality
deterioration (remaining gills, etc.). As compared with manual work, the
automatic
operation improves the quality of the crab meat products and also make the
quality uniform.
The automatic operation also increases the processing speed. It requires
almost 6 seconds
to process one crab manually, whereas the automatic shell/gill removal device
10 in this
embodiment requires only 1 second or less to process one crab. The shell/gill
removal
device 10 in this embodiment removes the gills 409 almost completely.
[0067]
CA 2962992 2017-03-31
The shell 406 is removed with almost no damage, and thus may be recycled.
Since
the shell 406 is recovered in a state of containing brown meat therein, the
brown meat is
easily recovered. Therefore, according to the technique in this embodiment, it
is easy to
recover the removed shell, and also to recover the brown meat in the shell and
provide the
brown meat as a product. In the case where the shell and the gills are removed
manually,
the shell 406 and the gills 409 are mixed together. As a result, the during
recovery of the
shell 406 and the brown meat, a large amount of gills 409 remains as
impurities. With the
automatic shell/gill removal in this embodiment, the shell 406 is removed and
then the gills
409 are removed. The steps are separate, which has an advantage that the gills
are not
to much
mixed with the shell 406. The gill remover 30 (high pressure jetting device
34) may
be attached to a space having a width of about 10 cm, which contributes to the
size
reduction of the crab processing device 100. Occasionally, the brown meat of
the crab may
remain in a shoulder part of the crab section deprived of the shell. The crab
meat (shoulder
part, etc.) with the brown meat attached thereto may be treated as a defective
product. The
brown meat is removed more cleanly by the automatic shell removal in this
embodiment
(by the technique using water pressure) than manual shell removal.
[0068]
FIG. 17 through FIG. 19 show another structure (modified example) of a crab
processing device 100 (shell/gill removal device 10) in this embodiment. FIG.
17 is a
perspective view of the crab processing device 100, for example, the
shell/gill removal
device 10, as seen from the entrance side. FIG. 18 shows a structure of a
right side (as seen
from the entrance side) of the crab processing device 100. FIG. 19 shows a
structure of an
opposite side (left side) of the crab processing device 100.
[0069]
In the crab processing device 100 shown in FIG. 17, the movable belt mechanism
26
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16 includes one (single) belt portion 16a on the left side and one (single)
belt portion 16b
on the right side.
[0070]
In the structural example shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, one motor 12a operates
the
shell remover 20 (21, 22), namely, the upper teeth 21 and the lower teeth 22
of the shell
remover 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG 18, the power of the motor 12a is
transmitted to
a gear 15a connected with the motor 12a and then is transmitted to a gear 15b
via a chain
I 5c. The rotation of the gear 15b moves the lower teeth 22. As shown in FIG.
19, the
power of the gear 12a is also transmitted to a gear 15h connected with the
gear 12a and
then is transmitted to a gear 15i via a chain 15j. The rotation of the gear
15i moves the
upper teeth 21. In this structural example, the power of one motor 12a moves
the upper
gear 21 and the lower gear 22 such that the rotation rates thereof are
different, by use of the
gear 15a and the like. Especially, the diameter of the gear 15b is made small
to increase
the rotation rate thereof. Alternatively, two motors may be used to move the
upper gear 21
and the lower gear 22 such that the rotation rates thereof are different.
[0071]
The motor 12b operates the crab cutter 40. More specifically, the motor 12b
moves
the rotation blade (rotation cutter) 41 included in the crab cutter 40 via a
chain 15e. The
motor 12c moves the movable belt mechanism 16. More specifically, the motor
12c moves
the movable belt mechanism 16 via the chain 15e. The number and the positions
of the
motors and the structures of the gears and the chains are not limited to those
described
above, and maybe appropriately modified.
[0072]
FIG. 20 through FIG. 22 show experiment examples of processing the crab 400 by
use of the crab processing device 100 (shell/gill removal device 10) in this
embodiment.
27
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FIG. 20 shows the crab 400 put on the conveyor 50. The crab 400 shown in FIG
20 is
snow crab. FIG. 21 shows the shell 406 removed by the shell remover 20. It is
confirmed
that brown meat 404 neatly remains in the shell 406. FIG 22 shows the crab
meat 407
(crab product 408) obtained after the crab 400 is processed by the gill
remover 30 and the
crab cutter 40. It is confirmed that the gills 409 are cleanly removed. It is
also confirmed
that the brown meat 404 does not remain in the sections 408.
[0073]
The present invention has been described by way of a preferable embodiment.
The
description does not limit the present invention, and the preferable
embodiment may be
to modified in any of various manners. For example, the belt conveyor is
mainly described as
the transportation mechanism 50 of the crab processing device 100 in this
embodiment.
Any other transportation mechanism that realizes the operation in this
embodiment may be
used. A system mainly including the gill remover 30 in this embodiment may be
structured,
and other steps may be performed separately. However, it is desirable to
perform the steps
continuously by the same system.
[0074]
The present invention provides a crab processing device and a crab processing
method capable of removing a shell and a gill of a crab, and also provides a
processing
device and a processing method capable of recovering the removed shell and
recovering
brown meat in the shell to provide the brown meat as a product.
DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SIGNS
[0075]
10 Shell/gill removal device
11 Frame
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12 Driving motor
14 Control panel
16 Movable belt mechanism
17 Urging member
18 Roller
19 Shaft
20 Shell remover
21 Shell removal gear (upper gear)
22 Shell removal gear (lower gear)
1() 30 Gill remover
31 Coupling device
32 Water pipe
33 Jetting opening
34 Jetting device
35 Box
39 Jetted water
40 Crab cutter
41 Rotatable blade
50 Transportation mechanism (belt conveyor)
51 Belt portion
52 Motor
54 Subordinate roller
56 Driving roller
60 Crab feeder
70 Water booster pump
29
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72 Pressurized water hose
81/82 Shell and brown meat recovery member
100 Crab processing device
200 Crab meat production system
30
