WO2002069721A1

WO2002069721A1 - Method and apparatus for cutting bird carcasses

Info

Publication number: WO2002069721A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/000939
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koorosh Khodabandehloo; Steve Flack
Original assignee: ROBOTIC SOLUTIONS PLC
Current assignee: ROBOTIC SOLUTIONS PLC
Priority date: 2001-03-05
Filing date: 2002-03-04
Publication date: 2002-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 2003-09-05
Also published as: GB0107308D0

Abstract

A method of cutting bird carcasses in preparation for removing meat therefrom includes supporting an eviscerated carcass on a mandrel (10) inserted into the body cavity of the carcass. An electronic image of the carcass is obtained while supported on the mandrel using a visual imaging system (2, 3). The image is analysed to ascertain the position of datum points on the carcass and relative movements between the mandrel and an elongate cutting blade (5) are produced such that the blade moves in three mutually orthogonal axes and angularly relative to the carcass. The datum points are used to control the relative movements such that the blade makes controlled cuts in the carcass starting with a first cut (31) alongside the wishbone. The blade is then moved angularly and a second cut (32) is made extending from the first cut alongside the breast bone.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING BIRD CARCASSES

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for cutting bird carcasses, e.g. poultry or game birds, in preparation for removing meat therefrom.

BACKGROUND

It is known to utilise a visual imaging system to position water jets to trim deboned meat portions on a conveyor. It is also known from WO 91 04670 to use a visual imaging system to control a knife blade to cut up animal carcasses, but such systems are unsuitable for making the complex and intricate cuts involved in removing meat from a bird carcass.

It is also known to position eviscerated bird carcasses on a mandrel to allow the breast meat to be removed from the skeleton. The meat may be removed by a machine having a pair of rotating cutting discs, but since rotary blades are not capable of making close and accurate cuts much useable meat may be left on the carcass. On the other hand there is a risk that bone or cartilage may be removed with the meat. The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive method and apparatus for making the initial accurate cuts which are necessary to ensure clean and efficient removal of the breast meat from a bird carcass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a method of cutting bird carcasses in preparation for removing meat therefrom which includes:

- supporting an eviscerated carcass on a mandrel inserted into the body cavity of the carcass;

- obtaining an electronic image of the carcass while supported on the mandrel using a visual imaging system;

- analysing the electronic image to ascertain the position of datum points on the carcass;

- producing relative movement between the mandrel and an elongate cutting blade such that the blade moves in three mutually orthogonal axes and angularly relative to the carcass; and

- using said datum points to control the relative movements such that the blade makes controlled cuts in the carcass.

The first cut is preferably made by angularly positioning the blade alongside the wishbone and moving the blade through the meat alongside the wishbone from the neck end to the breast bone. Next, the blade is angularly rotated relative to the carcass, or vice versa, and re-inserted through the first cut underneath the wishbone. The blade is then positioned substantially parallel to the breastbone and moved downwardly alongside the breastbone from the neck end to the tail end of the bird. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view of apparatus in accordance with the invention for cutting bird carcasses;

Figure 2 is a front view of a chicken carcass supported on the mandrel of the apparatus, shown positioned ready for commencing the first cut;

Figure 3 is a top view of the carcass shown in Fig. 2; and

Figures 4 to 8 are similar views to Fig. 2 but showing the sequence of cuts which are made in the initial process of removing the breast meat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 , shows the apparatus which may be used for cutting poultry or game bird carcasses which have been eviscerated and prepared to provide separate openings at the neck and tail ends. The apparatus includes a carcass-support mandrel 1 , a video camera 2, an information processing unit 3 and a robot 4 carrying an elongate cutting blade 5 having two opposed longitudinal cutting edges.

The mandrel 1 may be static or it may be one of a number of similar mandrels which carry carcasses along a production line. The mandrel is stepped inwardly at 10 providing a reduced upper end 11 so that when a carcass is lowered onto the mandrel with the tail end downwards the narrower neck opening of the bird becomes seated on the shoulder 10.

The camera 2 is positioned to receive an image of the carcass on the mandrel 1 and convert the image into an electronic signal which is fed to the processing unit 3. The processing unit continuously analyses the image according to advanced software algorithms to produce a continuously updated set of datum points which identify key positions on the carcass. These datum points are used to accurately control the movements of the robot 4 in relation to the relative position between the carcass and the blade 5 and scales the movements of the robot to take into account the size of the carcass.

The robot 4 includes a fixed base 20 and an articulated arm 21 having a number of sections 22 which are movable under accurate servomotor control through intermediate joints 24. Thus, the robot can move the blade 5 in three mutually orthogonal x, y and z axes. In addition, the blade is mounted on the arm for angular rotation under servomotor control.

The carcass may be cut while stationery or moving. In both cases the cuts are made very accurately, as will now be explained in relation to the initial precuts which facilitate the removal of separate breast fillets from the carcass. Fig. s 2 and 3 show a chicken carcass 30 supported on the mandrel 1 with its neck end upmost as described. The blade 5 is angularly positioned alongside the wishbone and then moved through the meat alongside the wishbone from the neck end to the breast bone to make an initial cut 31 , as shown in Fig. 4. Next, the blade is withdrawn, angularly rotated and re-inserted through the first cut 31 to pass under the wishbone and emerge in the neck opening, as shown in Fig. 5. The blade is then angularly rotated to extend substantially parallel to the breastbone as shown in Fig. 6 and moved downwardly alongside the breastbone from the neck end to the tail end of the bird to make a longitudinal cut 32, as shown in Fig.s 7 and 8.

Further processing of the carcass to remove the breast and other meat can be carried out manually or mechanically.

It will be appreciated that although it is preferred to use a robotic arm or equivalent means to move the blade it would also be possible, though less convenient, to keep the blade still and move the carcass.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method of cutting bird carcasses in preparation for removing meat therefrom which includes:

2. A method according to Claim 1 , in which a first cut is made by angularly positioning the blade alongside the wishbone and moving the blade through the meat alongside the wishbone from the neck end to the breast bone.

3. A method according to Claim 2, in which the blade is angularly rotated relative to the carcass, inserted through the first cut, to extend substantially parallel to the breastbone and moved alongside the breastbone to make a second cut from the neck end to the tail end of the bird.

4. Apparatus for cutting bird carcasses in preparation for removing meat therefrom which includes:

- support means which includes a mandrel for insertion into the body cavity of an eviscerated carcass to support the carcass thereon;

- a visual imaging system for producing an electronic image of the carcass when supported on the mandrel;

- an elongate cutting blade;

- drive means for producing relative movement between the mandrel and the blade in three mutually orthogonal axes and further being arranged to produce relative angular movement between the blade and the mandrel; and

- processing means for analysing the electronic image to ascertain the position of datum points on the carcass, and using said datum points to control the drive means such that the blade makes controlled cuts in the carcass.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, in which the mandrel is stepped inwardly to provide a reduced upper end to project through the neck opening of the carcass.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4, in which the drive means includes an articulated robotic arm which carries the blade.