Abstract

A station includes one or more loading positions; feeder to feed empty boxes to loading positions; loading robot with gripper to take groupings of frozen food and transfer them to the boxes; scale to automatically weigh the boxes; and dispenser to automatically deposit individual units of frozen food in the loaded boxes. The conditioning station is controlled for slightly downward loading of the boxes so that at the end of the loading by means of the loading robot it is not necessary to remove any individual unit of frozen food from the box, as well as so that, after depositing by the dispenser, the weight of the loaded box is equal to or greater than a predetermined set point within a predetermined tolerance. It enables the loading to be automated and the weight of the boxes of frozen food to be optimised.

IPC Classes  ?

• B65B 57/14 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• B65B 5/06 - Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
• B65B 5/10 - Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
• B65B 25/06 - Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
• B65B 35/50 - Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indexing system for frozen food products that comprises a laminar band arranged for the surface of the band to move and displace linearly and cyclically. The band incorporates pushers with a geometry matching the common geometry of frozen products, said pushers being arranged on the surface of the band, and said pushers thus being jointly connected in their movement with linear and cyclic displacement of the surface of the band. The pushers in turn allow the joint displacement of the products with the displacement of the band itself. The indexing system further comprises a hopper system, a product positioning system, a quality control system, a rejection system and a control unit.

IPC Classes  ?

• B07C 5/36 - Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• B07C 5/02 - Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream, orientating

Abstract

The station comprises: one or more loading positions; a feeder to feed empty boxes to the loading positions; a loading robot with a clamp to grasp groupings of the frozen food and convey them to the boxes; a scale to automatically weigh the boxes; and metering means to automatically deposit individual frozen food units in the loaded boxes. The conditioning station is programmed to load the boxes with less food units so that at the end of the loading by the loading robot, there is no need to remove any individual frozen food unit from the box, and so that, after the deposit by the metering means, the weight of the loaded box is equal to or greater than that of a pre-determined setpoint within a pre-determined tolerance. It allows loading to be automated and the weight of the boxes of frozen food to be optimised.

IPC Classes  ?

• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• B65B 5/06 - Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
• B65B 5/10 - Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
• B65B 25/06 - Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
• B65B 35/50 - Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging
• B65B 57/14 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• G01G 9/00 - Methods of, or apparatus for, the determination of weight, not provided for in groups

Abstract

The station comprises: one or more loading positions; a feeder to feed empty boxes to the loading positions; a loading robot with a clamp to grasp groupings of the frozen food and convey them to the boxes; a scale to automatically weigh the boxes; and metering means to automatically deposit individual frozen food units in the loaded boxes. The conditioning station is programmed to load the boxes with less food units so that at the end of the loading by the loading robot, there is no need to remove any individual frozen food unit from the box, and so that, after the deposit by the metering means, the weight of the loaded box is equal to or greater than that of a pre-determined setpoint within a pre-determined tolerance. It allows loading to be automated and the weight of the boxes of frozen food to be optimised.

IPC Classes  ?

• B65B 5/06 - Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• B65B 5/10 - Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
• B65B 25/06 - Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
• B65B 35/50 - Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging
• B65B 57/14 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• G01G 9/00 - Methods of, or apparatus for, the determination of weight, not provided for in groups

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated grading system for fish loins, comprising at least one artificial vision hyperspectral camera, at least one information memory storage unit, and at least one operatively connected control unit, characterised in that an illumination system emits light in a wide region of the near infrared spectrum (a plurality of wavelengths) and illuminates a fish loin from which a hyperspectral image is to be obtained, and the hyperspectral camera captures the radiation reflected by the fish loin, performing a spectral decomposition and generating an image with the corresponding bands, wherein the control unit is configured to grade the fish loins based on the images taken by the artificial vision hyperspectral camera and the information stored in the storage unit.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 21/359 - Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light using near infrared light
• G01N 21/84 - Systems specially adapted for particular applications
• G01N 33/12 - Meat; Fish
• G01J 3/00 - Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry; Monochromators; Measuring colours
• A22C 25/04 - Sorting fish; Separating ice from fish packed in ice

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.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23B 4/02 - Preserving by means of inorganic salts
• A22C 9/00 - Apparatus for tenderising meat, e.g. ham
• A22C 17/00 - Other devices for processing meat or bones
• A23B 4/32 - Apparatus for preserving using solids
• A23L 3/00 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
• A23L 3/358 - Inorganic compounds
• A23L 13/50 - Poultry products, e.g. poultry sausages
• B25J 9/00 - Programme-controlled manipulators
• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• A23B 4/023 - Preserving by means of inorganic salts by kitchen salt or mixtures thereof with inorganic or organic compounds
• A23B 4/027 - Preserving by means of inorganic salts by inorganic salts other than kitchen salt or mixtures thereof with organic compounds, e.g. biochemical compounds

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.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23B 4/023 - Preserving by means of inorganic salts by kitchen salt or mixtures thereof with inorganic or organic compounds
• A23B 4/30 - Apparatus for preserving using liquids by spraying of liquids
• A23B 4/32 - Apparatus for preserving using solids
• A23B 4/28 - Apparatus for preserving using liquids by injection of liquids
• A22C 21/00 - Processing poultry

Abstract

Fowl positioning system comprising a metering belt, arranged to receive randomly oriented slaughtered fowl and meter them one by one on a conveyor belt linked to a computer vision system, the belt being arranged to sequentially position the fowl under the computer vision system in order to determine the location of each fowl on the conveyor belt, and a robotic arm with a gripper at its end, arranged to sequentially grasp each fowl from the conveyor belt and string them one by one in a predefined position on one of the supports located in a fowl processing line, the robotic arm being linked to the computer vision system such that the latter determines the position in which the gripper grips and releases the fowl.

IPC Classes  ?

• A22C 17/00 - Other devices for processing meat or bones
• A22C 21/00 - Processing poultry

Abstract

Fowl positioning system, comprising a dosing belt, arranged to receive randomly oriented slaughtered fowl and dose them one by one on a conveyor belt linked to a computer vision system, the belt being arranged to sequentially position the fowl under the computer vision system in order to determine the placement in which each fowl is found on said conveyor belt, and a robotic arm with a gripper on the end, arranged to sequentially grasp each fowl from the conveyor belt and thread them one by one in a predefined position on one of the supports located in a fowl processing line, the robotic arm being linked to the computer vision system such that it determines the position for the gripper to clamp and release the fowl.

IPC Classes  ?

• A22C 21/00 - Processing poultry

Abstract

The invention comprises a surrounding frame wherein four modules are fixed: a first module for glass waste, a second module for plastic and metal waste, a third module for paper/cardboard waste, and a fourth module for organic waste. The modules respectively comprise devices for reducing the volume of the waste, such that once the volume of the waste has been reduced, the waste is deposited by gravity in independent containers arranged in the lower part of the surrounding casing, below the devices, which operate by means of a single electric motor.

IPC Classes  ?

• B65F 1/00 - Refuse receptacles
• B65F 1/14 - Other constructional features
• B02C 18/00 - Disintegrating by knives or other cutting or tearing members which chop material into fragments; Mincing machines or similar apparatus using worms or the like
• B02C 18/24 - Drives
• B02C 19/00 - Other disintegrating devices or methods
• B30B 9/32 - Presses specially adapted for particular purposes for consolidating scrap metal or for compacting used cars