Automated station for salting meat pieces and operating method thereof

{
  "publication_number": "US11968989B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Automated station for salting meat pieces and operating method thereof",
  "abstract": "The invention relates to an automated station for salting meat pieces in a predetermined manner, enabling a method for salting poultry meat pieces to be automated, thus increasing productivity and thereby improving safety conditions. The station comprises motorised supply means for supplying meat pieces (P) in a forward direction, handling means for handling meat pieces in order to handle the meat piece coming from the supply means, salt supply means configured to provide salt on an inner and outer area of the meat piece (P), as well as a retrieval system for retrieving salt coming from the salt supply means.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An automated station for salting meat pieces, characterised in that it comprises: motorised supply means for supplying meat pieces (P) in a forward direction; handling means for handling meat pieces in order to handle the meat piece coming from the supply means; first salt supply means configured to inject salt in an inner area of the meat piece (P); second salt supply means configured to provide salt on the outer surface of the meat piece which include movement means to move the meat piece (P) in a forward and/or rotating direction; and a retrieval system for retrieving salt coming from at least the second salt supply means; wherein the handling means comprise a gripping head (5), coupled to a robot arm (6), which can move on the three coordinate axes (X, Y, Z), and wherein the gripping head (5) comprises a pair of clamps (50), actuated by means of a rack and pinion mechanism which acts by means of a pneumatic actuation system, each clamp (50) being associated with a corresponding rack (52) which moves along a guide (53).",
    "2. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 1, characterised in that the first salt supply means comprise a first dispenser (7) linked to a salt supply source.",
    "3. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 2, characterised in that the second salt supply means comprise a second upper dispenser (11) and a container (12) located beneath the second upper dispenser (11), wherein an inside of the container (12) has a pair of rollers (17) adjacent to each other, which rotate in one same direction, intended to direct the meat piece in the forward direction.",
    "4. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 3, characterised in that the container (12) has a base which is in on a plane inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the ground level.",
    "5. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 1, characterised in that the salt retrieval system comprises a salt collection deposit (13) located beneath a container of the second salt supply means, the collection deposit being connected. to a feeding chute (14) linked to a second dispenser, by means of a duct, and pumping means, such that it conveys a flow of salt from the container of the second salt supply means towards the feeding chute (14).",
    "6. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 1, characterised in that the motorised supply means comprise a conveyor belt (1) linked to motor means, the conveyor belt (1) having at least on one of the faces thereof a plurality of dividers (2) which define the individual accommodations for housing meat pieces (P).",
    "7. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 1, characterised in that the robot arm (6) is supported by a first support structure (8), provided with adjustable positioning means on a longitudinal axis.",
    "8. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 7, characterised in that the positioning means comprise platens (9) configured to he able to move along guide rails (10).",
    "9. The automated station for salting meat pieces according to claim 4, characterised in that the first salt supply means comprise a first dispenser (7) which presents a tubular body which ends at a lower end having a frustoconical-shaped narrowing (70)."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The object of the present invention is to provide an automated station for salting meat pieces, more specifically, poultry meat pieces, and an operating method thereof.\n\nMore specifically, the invention proposes the development of an automated station for salting meat pieces in a predetermined manner, enabling a method for salting poultry meat pieces to be automated, thus increasing productivity and thereby improving safety conditions.\n\nThe present invention corresponds to the technical field of manufacturing and preparing food products, being of special application in the preparation of products according to the requirements established in Judaism.\n\nDuring the handling of meat products, and more specifically, of chickens, kosher guidelines require the product to be preserved and treated with a coating of salt, on both the surface and in the inner cavities of each piece of chicken, in an individual manner, after the appropriate slaughtering operations have been performed.\n\nThese operations of thorough salting of each piece of chicken confer optimum preservation and sterilisation conditions to declare that the resulting meat product complies with Jewish dietary regulations.\n\nThese operations of salting each chicken in an individual manner are currently performed manually, by means of operators who come into direct contact with a salt bath, and handle the salt so that it impregnates the entirety of the outer area of each poultry meat piece, as well as the inner area thereof, through an orifice previously made, wherethrough the evisceration of the animal has been undertaken.",
  "cpc": [
    "A23B 4/325",
    "A22C 17/0053",
    "A22C 17/0093",
    "A22C 21/00",
    "A22C 9/001",
    "A23B 2/001",
    "A23B 2/788",
    "A23B 4/02",
    "A23B 4/023",
    "A23B 4/027",
    "A23B 4/285",
    "A23B 4/305",
    "A23L 13/57",
    "A23L 3/001",
    "A23L 3/358",
    "B25J 11/0045",
    "B25J 9/0093",
    "Y02A 40/90"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A22C 17/00",
    "A22C 9/00",
    "A23B 4/02",
    "A23B 4/023",
    "A23B 4/027",
    "A23B 4/32",
    "A23L 13/50",
    "A23L 3/00",
    "A23L 3/358",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 9/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Diseno y Construccion de Maquinaria Automatizada SL"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jose Antonio Tobias Granado"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-02-17",
  "publication_date": "2024-04-30",
  "grant_date": "2024-04-30",
  "priority_date": "2020-02-06",
  "application_number": "US-202117177260-A",
  "family_id": "69941403",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US1664474A",
    "FR2507863A3",
    "US5403056A",
    "US5472722A",
    "US5882253A",
    "US20020034565A1",
    "US20060134283A1",
    "WO2007067052A2",
    "US20110104346A1",
    "WO2014040604A1",
    "US20190029277A1",
    "EP3241441A1",
    "US20220072730A1"
  ]
}