IP Library Granted Patent US 8,016,649
Granted Patent B2
US 8,016,649 · App. 13/000,217 · Granted Sep 13, 2011

Positioning device for the halves of slaughtered animal bodies for optical capture in the cleaving plane

Assignee: CSB-System AG
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,016,649
App. No.
13/000,217
Granted
Sep 13, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A positioning apparatus for animal carcass halves, particularly slaughtered pig halves, arranges a cleaving plane to be aligned in parallel with an imaging plane of a camera. The positioning apparatus includes a rear guide element disposed movably at a level of an upper guide. In a region of an imaging position of a slaughtered pig half, the positioning apparatus includes rollers operating as pressure elements.

Claims (16)

1. A positioning device for halves of slaughter animal bodies, suspended on hooks for a parallel alignment of a cleaving plane with respect to a capture plane of a camera for a subsequent evaluation and classification by an optical image processing, comprising at least two guide elements including an upper guide element and a lower guide element disposed substantially horizontally on vertical supports vertically over one another, with a sufficient spaced disposition, outside a relevant capture region facing the camera; and a rear guide element is disposed in a moveable manner and in a region of a capture position of the slaughtered half has rollers as pressure elements.

2. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said rear guide element is disposed in relation to a cleaving site at a level of said upper guide element.

3. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said rear guide element is connected to one end of a lever which is rotatable about a fixed point, further comprising a mass located at another end of said rotatable lever.

4. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said rollers have axes which are offset with respect to each other corresponding to a back contour in a back region of the slaughtered half in a horizontal plane in the capture region.

5. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said rollers have different diameters corresponding to a back contour in a back region of the slaughtered half.

6. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein one of said rollers and two other of said rollers are disposed on opposite sides of said rear guide element.

7. A positioning device as defined in claim 6 , wherein said one roller is formed in a manner of said two rollers, one of which being disposed above said rear guide element and another of which being disposed beneath said rear guide element.

8. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a further roller disposed at an inlet of the positioning device on an upper one of said guides and an additional roller disposed on said rear guide element.

9. A positioning device as defined in claim 8 , wherein said further roller and said additional roller have axes which are inclined corresponding to an angle of a tubular track extending in an inclined manner over the inlet of the positioning device.

10. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said rollers have a solid surface and also bearing points which are covered.

11. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a run-up element disposed in a region of an inlet of the positioning device and on which a respective foreleg of the slaughtered half runs up and which for a left half effects rotation of a cleaving side in a direction of the camera.

12. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the positioning device is a modular positioning device.

13. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said guide elements have retainers which are adjustable on said vertical supports.

14. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an adjusting element provided on a component selected from the group consisting of a lever and a retainer of said rear guide element.

15. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising functional surfaces provided on all surfaces of the positioning device which come into contact with a slaughtered animal body and comprising an anti-microbial effect.

16. A positioning device as defined in claim 1 , wherein said two guide elements are guide tubes.

Priority Claims (1)
DE 20 2008 009 594 U · Jul 17, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110111682A1 · May 12, 2011