Granted Patent B2

US 12,310,375 · App. 17/442,802 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventor: Heinz Burkhalter (Wil, CH)

Assignee: PROVISUR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

A22C17/002A22C7/003A22C17/0073A22C17/0093B30B15/26B30B15/34

Abstract

Claims (77)

1. A food processing apparatus for processing food products comprising:

a press configured to press the food products according to predetermined pressing parameters;

a first analyzing device configured to analyze the food products before pressing and configured to generate corresponding first analysis parameters of the food products, the first analysis parameters representing product properties of the analyzed food product; and

a control unit having an output side connected to the press and which is configured to adjust the pressing parameters of the press, the control unit having an input side connected to the first analyzing device and configured to receive the first analysis parameters and to set the pressing parameters of the press as a function of the first analysis parameters and connected to the press, the control unit is configured to receive feedback from the press in the form of feedback pressing parameters, and the control unit is configured to calculate a product parameter which represents a degree of freezing of the pressed product based upon the feedback pressing parameters.

2. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to set at least one of the following pressing parameters:

a) maximum pressing force in at least one pressing axis,

b) pressing travel in at least one pressing axis,

c) pressing time,

d) pressing force-time curve which represents a course of a pressing force as a function of a pressing time in at least one pressing axis,

e) pressing travel-time curve which represents a course of a pressing travel as a function of a pressing time in at least one pressing axis,

f) overall behavior model of three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to one another, and

g) massaging parameters for massaging the food products during pressing.

3. The food processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the control unit is configured to determine an actual shape of the food products from the first analysis parameters before pressing,

the control unit is configured to determine from the determined actual shape of the food products before pressing and a predetermined desired target shape a required degree of deformation which is required in order to press the food product from the actual shape into the target shape,

the control unit is configured to set at least one pressing parameter as a function of the required degree of deformation so that the food products with a large degree of deformation are deformed more gently than the food products with a small degree of deformation.

4. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a second analyzing device configured to analyze the food products after pressing and configured to generate corresponding second analysis parameters of the food products, the second analysis parameters representing product properties of the pressed food product, and

wherein the control unit is connected on its input side to the second analyzing device and is configured to receive the second analysis parameters and is configured to set the pressing parameters as a function of the second analysis parameters.

5. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the control unit is configured to use the second analysis parameters to analyze whether the pressed food product has been altered as desired or undesired by a preceding pressing operation, by

a) a fragmentation of the food product, or

b) a fracture of a bone in the food product, or

c) a formation of a brow, or

d) a shaping of product shape into corners, or

e) shape accuracy according to a form set used in the press, or

f) relaxation of the food product after pressing; and

the control unit is configured to adapt the pressing parameters if the pressed food product has been altered in an undesired form by the preceding pressing operation.

6. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first analyzing device comprises a scanner configured to scan the food products and configured to determine at least one of the following product properties:

a) length of the food product,

b) width of the food product,

c) height of the food product,

d) volume of the food product,

e) shape of the food product,

f) fat content of the food product,

g) bone content of the food product,

h) lean meat content of the food product,

i) bone volume of the food product,

j) bone form of the food product,

k) presence of a brow of the food product.

7. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first analyzing device comprises a temperature measuring device configured to measure a temperature of the food products as a product property.

8. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a slicing device configured to slice the pressed food products;

a packaging device configured to package the food products; and

a conveying device configured to convey the food products along a conveying path successively through the first analyzing device, through the press, through the second analyzing device, through the slicing device and into the packaging device.

9. The food processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

at least one of the slicing device and the packaging device is configured to transmit desired specifications for the food product properties to the control unit, and

the control unit is configured to set the pressing parameters as a function of the desired specifications.

10. The food processing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein

the first analyzing device comprises a scanner and the first analysis parameters reflect a size of the incoming food products,

the press comprises a pressing chamber in which the food products are pressed, wherein the pressing chamber can be opened with an adjustable degree of opening to receive one of the food products for subsequent pressing of the food product, and

the control unit is configured to control the degree of opening of the pressing chamber according to the size of the food product as determined by the scanner, wherein the pressing chamber opens relatively wide for receiving a large food product, while the pressing chamber opens relatively little for receiving a small food product.

11. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is configured to set at least one of the following pressing parameters:

maximum pressing force in three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to a) one another,

b) pressing travel in three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to one another,

c) pressing time,

d) pressing force-time curve which represents a course of a pressing force as a function of a pressing time in three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to one another,

e) pressing travel-time curve which represents a course of a pressing travel as a function of a pressing time in three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to one another,

f) overall behavior model of three pressing axes which are aligned transversely to one another, and

g) massaging parameters for massaging the food products during pressing.

12. The food processing apparatus according in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the one pressing parameter is at least one of a pressing duration and a pressing speed.

13. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first analyzing device and/or the second analyzing device comprises a scanner configured to scan the food products and configured to determine at least one of the following product properties:

a) length of the food product,

b) width of the food product,

c) height of the food product,

d) volume of the food product,

e) shape of the food product,

f) fat content of the food product,

g) bone content of the food product,

h) lean meat content of the food product,

i) bone volume of the food product,

j) bone form of the food product,

k) presence of a brow of the food product.

14. The food processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the scanner is an optical scanner or an X-ray scanner.

15. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first analyzing device and/or the second analyzing device comprises a temperature measuring device configured to measure the temperature of the food products as a product property.

16. The food processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the scanner is an optical scanner or an X-ray scanner.

17. The food processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the desired specifications for the food product properties is a desired target shape of the food products.

Assignments (3)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (281)