Apparatus and Methods for Cutting Food Products into Portions

• US 20100288093A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thurne-Middleby Ltd. (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Marel, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kelsey, John, Seager, Richard David
• Application Number:
  US12/779,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/13
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/007 Control means comprising cameras, vision or image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/00 Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting cutters B26D1/00; arrangements for guiding hand cutting tools B26B29/06; punching tools or dies, cutting-out knives or dies B26F
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/30 for weighing cut product
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/32 for conveying or stacking cut product means for removing cut-out material or waste B26D7/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/145 Including means to monitor product

Abstract

Processing apparatus and methods are provided for use in the division of a food product log(32) into separate portions prior to cooking of the portions. The apparatus includes a machine (2) for cutting portions from an end of the product log, a controller (34) for controlling the operation of the cutting machine, and a sensing arrangement (30) for generating a signal dependent on a cross-sectional dimension of the product at the end. The controller is arranged to determine the thickness of the next portion to be cut from the end by the cutting machine (2) with reference to the signal from the sensing arrangement and to the value of a cook-out parameter related to the proportion of the end of the product which is formed by at least one constituent of the product. The thickness is calculated with a view to the portion achieving a predetermined target weight after it has been cooked.

Claims

1. Processing apparatus for use in the division of a food product log into separate portions prior to cooking of the portions, the apparatus including:

a machine for cutting portions from an end of the product log;

a controller for controlling the operation of the cutting machine; and

a sensing arrangement for generating a signal dependent on a cross-sectional dimension of the product at the end,

wherein the controller is arranged to determine the thickness of the next portion to be cut from the end by the cutting machine with reference to said signal and to the value of a cook-out parameter related to the proportion of the end of the product which is formed by at least one constituent of the product, with a view to the portion achieving a predetermined target weight after it has been cooked.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one constituent is selected from fat, lean, bone and water.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generated by the sensing arrangement comprises an area signal dependent on the cross-sectional area of the end.

4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting machine is arranged to cut a plurality of food products into portions simultaneously.

5. Apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cutting machine has a plurality of output lanes for conveying corresponding lines of portions cut from respective food products.

6. Apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is operable to vary the rate at which portions from each of the plurality of products are outputted by the cutting machine independently of the rates for the other products.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to take into account variation in the cooking performance associated with different lanes through a cooker downstream of the cutting machine in calculating the thickness of the next portion to be cut by adjustment of respective cook-out parameter values.

8. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the or each cook-out parameter value is adjustable in response to user input.

9. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing arrangement comprises a detector operable to generate a content signal dependent on the proportion of the end of the product which is formed by at least one constituent of the product, and the controller is arranged to determine the value of the respective cook-out parameter with reference to the content signal.

10. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to receive a feedback signal from a weighing device downstream of a cooker, and adjust the or each cook-out parameter value with reference to the feedback signal, so as to minimize deviation from the predetermined target weight for cooked portions.

11. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to generate an output signal for transmission to a cooker downstream of the cutting machine, which signal relates to at least one performance characteristic of the cooker and/or at least one characteristic of a product to be sliced or being sliced, to adjust the operation of the cooker.

12. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to receive a cooker input signal from a cooker downstream of the cutting machine, which signal relates to at least one performance characteristic of the cooker, and the controller is operable to adjust the or each cook-out parameter value with reference to the cooker input signal.

13. Apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one performance characteristic of the cooker is selected from:

the speed of the conveyor carrying the food portions through the cooker;

the power of the cooker;

differences in the cooker performance with respect to different lanes through the cooker; and

the positions of microwave waveguides in the cooker.

14. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one performance characteristic of the cooker is selected from:

the speed of the conveyor carrying the food portions through the cooker;

the power of the cooker;

differences in the cooker performance with respect to different lanes through the cooker; and

the positions of microwave waveguides in the cooker.

15. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing arrangement comprises at least one of:

a light detection arrangement;

an x-ray analysis arrangement;

an MRI arrangement; and

an ultrasound analysis arrangement.

16. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting machine is a slicing machine for cutting slices from the end face of a product.

17. A food processing system comprising apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a cooker.

19. A method of claim 18 carried out using an apparatus of claim 1.

20. A method of claim 18 carried out using a food processing system of claim 17.

18. A method of controlling processing apparatus to divide a food product log into separate portions prior to cooking of the portions, the apparatus including a machine for cutting portions from an end of the product log, a controller for controlling the operation of the cutting machine, and a sensing arrangement, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

outputting a signal from the sensing arrangement to the controller dependent on a cross-sectional dimension of the product at the end; and

determining with the controller the thickness of the next portion to be cut from the end by the cutting machine with reference to said signal and to the value of a cook-out parameter related to the proportion of the end of the product which is formed by at least one constituent of the product, with a view to the portion achieving a predetermined target weight after it has been cooked.