CA1300398C - Probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties of meat - Google Patents
Probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties of meatInfo
- Publication number
- CA1300398C CA1300398C CA000546153A CA546153A CA1300398C CA 1300398 C CA1300398 C CA 1300398C CA 000546153 A CA000546153 A CA 000546153A CA 546153 A CA546153 A CA 546153A CA 1300398 C CA1300398 C CA 1300398C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- piston rod
- probe
- probe unit
- meat
- measuring means
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 239000000523 sample Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 66
- 235000013372 meat Nutrition 0.000 title claims abstract description 27
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000011796 hollow space material Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 abstract description 7
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 abstract description 6
- 241001052209 Cylinder Species 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000010348 incorporation Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 15
- 210000000988 bone and bone Anatomy 0.000 description 3
- 210000000845 cartilage Anatomy 0.000 description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 210000002445 nipple Anatomy 0.000 description 3
- 230000035515 penetration Effects 0.000 description 3
- 241000283690 Bos taurus Species 0.000 description 2
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 description 2
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000003307 slaughter Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009966 trimming Methods 0.000 description 2
- 101150034533 ATIC gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 241000282887 Suidae Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003344 environmental pollutant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002372 labelling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 231100000719 pollutant Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012549 training Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
- G01N33/02—Food
- G01N33/12—Meat; fish
Abstract
A probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties in meat ABSTRACT
A probe unit for automatic determination of quality pro-perties in meat has an oblong, tubular housing (5, 16) whose front part (5) mounts a double-acting drive cylin-der (4), the piston rod (10) of which is tubular and extends through both ends of the cylinder. The front end of the piston rod mounts a light reflection measur-ing means (12), and the rear end of the piston rod carries a pulse generator which cooperates with a rod-shaped reference means (17), firmly mounted in parallel with the piston rod, to produce electric pulses upon movement of the said rod, said pulses being applied to a counter whose display represents the position of the measuring means with respect to the cylinder. The signals from the measuring means represent the type and/or quality of the material in which the measuring means is present at any time. The probe unit is sturdy and reliable in operation and requires little space, in particular in transverse direction, and therefore lends itself parti-cularly well for incorporation in automatic systems with many probe units.
A probe unit for automatic determination of quality pro-perties in meat has an oblong, tubular housing (5, 16) whose front part (5) mounts a double-acting drive cylin-der (4), the piston rod (10) of which is tubular and extends through both ends of the cylinder. The front end of the piston rod mounts a light reflection measur-ing means (12), and the rear end of the piston rod carries a pulse generator which cooperates with a rod-shaped reference means (17), firmly mounted in parallel with the piston rod, to produce electric pulses upon movement of the said rod, said pulses being applied to a counter whose display represents the position of the measuring means with respect to the cylinder. The signals from the measuring means represent the type and/or quality of the material in which the measuring means is present at any time. The probe unit is sturdy and reliable in operation and requires little space, in particular in transverse direction, and therefore lends itself parti-cularly well for incorporation in automatic systems with many probe units.
Description
~31J~3~
A probe unit for automatic determination of quality pro-perties of meat ________________________________________________________ Pig slaughterhouses classify the individual slaughter animals to pay the pig producer in accordance with the quality of the animals supplied. Classification of slaugh-ter hogs is determinated by means of some meat and fat thickness measurements which an operator performs with a gun-like instrument.
The instrument has a pointed probe which the operator lû inserts into the carcass at predetermined locations.
; During the passage into or out of the carcass the measur-ing means of the probe detect transition from one material to another, e.g. from meat to fat.
The detection may be based on different conductivity of the materials or on changed reflection of light.
The actual penetration depth of the probe in the proce-dure is determined by a reference plate which is movably positioned on the instrument and which constantly engages the surface of the carcass under the action of a spring.
~0 The plate is firmly mounted on the end of one or two slide rods acting on a position meter which is incorpo-rated in the instrument. Thus, the meter provides a sig-nal which represents the actual penetration depth of the probe with respect to the rind surface.
The probe and depth signals are coupled in a control unit to a measurement result for the meat and fat thick-ness. The results can be related to other parameters, such as weight, in a connected calculating unit so as to automatically provide a value of the so-called meat percentage. This determines the price category according to which the carcass is to be paid.
d~
.
~3V~J~
A probe unit for automatic determination of quality pro-perties of meat ________________________________________________________ Pig slaughterhouses classify the individual slaughter animals to pay the pig producer in accordance with the quality of the animals supplied. Classification of slaugh-ter hogs is determinated by means of some meat and fat thickness measurements which an operator performs with a gun-like instrument.
The instrument has a pointed probe which the operator lû inserts into the carcass at predetermined locations.
; During the passage into or out of the carcass the measur-ing means of the probe detect transition from one material to another, e.g. from meat to fat.
The detection may be based on different conductivity of the materials or on changed reflection of light.
The actual penetration depth of the probe in the proce-dure is determined by a reference plate which is movably positioned on the instrument and which constantly engages the surface of the carcass under the action of a spring.
~0 The plate is firmly mounted on the end of one or two slide rods acting on a position meter which is incorpo-rated in the instrument. Thus, the meter provides a sig-nal which represents the actual penetration depth of the probe with respect to the rind surface.
The probe and depth signals are coupled in a control unit to a measurement result for the meat and fat thick-ness. The results can be related to other parameters, such as weight, in a connected calculating unit so as to automatically provide a value of the so-called meat percentage. This determines the price category according to which the carcass is to be paid.
d~
.
~3V~J~
The method described requires training of special classi-fying operators who must be able to operate the instrument correctly.
The measurement results are subject to some uncertainty, which is partly owning to the sys-tem and partly to the operator.
The invention provides a probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties in meat comprising: an insertion probe, a measuring means in a free end of said insertion probe, a double-acting drive cylinder unit for reciproca-tingly moving said insertion probe, said double-acting drive cylinder unit including a pipe, a piston rod arranged for sliding reciprocation in said pipe and extending through both ends of said pipe and having an overall length at least twice the length of its stroke, the piston rod having a front end forminy said insertion probe and a rear end, a position meter, located at said rear end of said piston rod, producing electric signals indicative of the position of the measuring means with respect to the pipe.
An advantage of the probe unit of the present invention is that it may be mounted in an automatic measuring apparatus which can perform the measurements on the supplied carcasses necessary to determine the quality properties of these without assistance from an operator. Such probe units are to enable thickness measurements with good accuracy on all oacurring types o carcasses, so as to provide reliable determination of the qualities of the individual carcasses. Since the apparatus is to accommodate a rather large number of probe units, e.g. ten, it is important that the individual unit is a compact and sturdy structure. In particular, the dimensions in the transverse ~L3~
- 2a - 22903-259 direction should be as small as possible.
The requirements are satisfied by a probe unit accordin~
to the present invention. ~'hus, ln this structure, the posi-tion meter can easiLy be kept within the transverse dimensions determined by the drive cylinder, and the simple structure makes -the unit sturdy and reliable in operation.
The present probe unit makes it possible to determine meat and fat thickness on carcasses without any need for an operator, since a suitable number of probe units mounted in a frame can automatically per~orm the necessary measurements, controlled by a control unit. When :~L3~39l3 the probes are inserted into and/or extracted from the carcass, a plurality of associated values for the light reflection and the probe position may be provided by means of the light reflection as a function of the move-ment of the probe. The meat and fat thicknesses may bedetermined directly in a computer on the basis of the representation.
Thus, the probe unit of the invention is not vitiated by the errors which occur in connection with the known instruments and which are caused by wrong calibration of the zero point of the length meters and compression of meat and fat layers because of the engagement pressure of the reference plate.
The compact structure and simple operation of the probe unit permits construction of an automatic apparatus which can perform far more measurements during the allocated period of time than the instruments served by operators.
Nevertheless, the risk of errors~is relatively small, one reason being that the measurement is not dependent upon correct positioning of a reFerence plate, and the measuring method is relatively tolerant in respect of incorrect positioning of the probe. For example, bones and cartilage which the probe might hit will immediately manifest themselves in a series of constant position measurement results. Owin9 to the small force and inertia of the probe and the piston rod when they encounter these portions, there is no risk of broken probes which are -left in the meat.
With more probe units it is also possible to perform 30~ so many thickness measurements on a carcass that it is even possible to classify the individual cuts of the carcass. Thus, the cuts need no longer be used in accor-dance with the classification of the carcass, but may instead be used according to their actual quality.
3L3~
The light reflection measuring means used is sufficiently sensitive to be able to dis-tinguish not only between fat and meat, but also between various meat qualities. It may e.g. be used for determining fat marbling or meat colour, thereby also giving information on cuts with a too high fat marbling or too light meat. Thus, it is possible in the same operation to obtain measurement results which determine the meat percentage of the carcass, while very specifically determining the usefulness of the cuts in the further processing.
.0 It is moreover possible to perform automatic thickness measurements on cuts so that these may be sorted or processed in accordance with the meat and fat thicknesses measured. For example, the knife oE trimming machines for loin cuts can be con-trolled accurately by the thickness measurements recorded in a measuring set-up to enable production of loins with a uniform thickness of fat or a thickness of fat determined by the fleshi-ness.
The position meter may be arranged in several ways. It ~ay e.g. have a coil surrounding the piston rod, or a counter-~0 coupled light detector may be provided, sensing a line division onthe piston rod. A simple and reliable embodiment of -the position meter is disclosed.
The reference means may e.g. be a potentiometer, but owing to the accuracy it is preferred that the signal generator is a pulse generator acting on a counter circuit.
The signal generator should be so arranged that it releases a pulse e.g. for each O.l mm displacement of the piston . ~
- 5 - 22g03-25g rod. Rotating pulse generators are useul for this purpose.
Pre~erably, the light reflection measuring means consists in a known manner o a light diode and a photo diode or transistor juxtaposed on a substrate with a partition between them, since this provides for a very fine detection o the txansition between the various materials. The measuring means can operate in the region for visible light or in the infrared region.
When monochromatic light or the like is used, the measuring means preferably operates in a wavelength region providing good contrast between areas with good quality properties, e.g. normal meat, and less valuable areas, e.g. fat or ligh-t meat. In the embodiment disclosed both the measuring means and the connecting lines are protected effectively.
The position meter and the rear part of the piston rod may expendiently be protected against pollution by being surrounded by a housing. This housing may suitably form an elongation of and have the same length as a corresponding housing surrounding the cylinder. The probe with the measuring means is then the only exterior movable part of the probe unit, which is thus easy to mount and clean.
Owing to the movement of the reflection measuring means, the lines to it should pass over materials tolerant to bending, such as a flexible print. This makes it even possible to establish durable line connections inside a pipe whose diameter just corresponds to the diameter of the cylinder. This can be done in that the flexihle print has been olded once and is so 3L3(:~Q3~8 - 6 - 22903-25~
secured to the end of the rod and the contact mean.s, respectively, that it is generally parallel with the piston rod inside the position housing.
~ e invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of the probe unit of the invention.
The probe unit is built around a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 1 with two connection nipples 2 and 3 for compressed air.
The cylinder consists of an interior pipe 4 and is surrounded by an outer impact resistant pipe 5. Both pipes are secured between two end members 6 and 7, which are each provided with a gaske-t 8 and 9 through which a tubular piston rod 10 can slide under -the action of a piston 11. As shown by the drawing, piston rod 10 extends through both ends of interior pipe 4.
The piston rod has a window in which a light reflection measuring means 12 is bonded by means of clear resin. The reflection measuring means consists in a known manner of a light diode and a photo diode secured to a small plate. A wall is present between the light diode and the photo diode so that the photo diode does not receive light directly from the light diode, but just light which is reflected from materials outside the window.
Conventional electric wiring or lines from the reflection measuring means are passed through the hollow piston rod to the right end of the rod, where they are connected with a printed circuit board 13 mounted on the rod and containing a pre-amplifier for the photo diode. The printed circuit board is ~L3~03~8 connected through a bent flexible electric lines 14 with contact means such as plug socket 15 mounted on the end wall of a protective housing 16. Through t'nis socket the probe unit may be electrically connected with equipment recording signals from the reflection measuring means and a position meter mounted in the housing 16.
This position meter consists of a rack 17 secured to the end member 7 and a pulse generator 18 mounted on the end of the piston rod. The pulse generator has a shaft with a toothed wheel running on the rack.
The Eree end lOa of the piston serves as a probe element and is provided with a removable tip 19 having an inclined cutting edge whose greatest transverse dimension is greater than the diameter of the piston rod. It should be clear from the drawing that the measuring means 12 is provided in the free end of insertion probe lOa. A ring-shaped white body 20 IS placed around the probe element lOa of the rod and is affected by a spring 21 positioned between the body and the end member 6.
To avoid penetration of moisture and pollutants into the ~0 probe unit, there is provided narrow channels (not shown) leading from the small space directly below each of the nipples 2 and 3 into the space which is defined by the pipes 4 and 5. Likewise, a channel leads from the latter space into the space defined by the housing 16. Thus, a slight positive pressure is maintained in the cavity of the probe unit.
The probe unit of the invention is preferabl~ used in large automatic systems Eor determination of the quality ~3~3~3 - 8 - 22gO3-259 properties of carcasses, but -the unit may also be used in auto~atic systems for determination of meat colour in loin cuts.
A plurality of probe units is mounted in such systems by fixing the housing of the cylinder, the position meter housing or the like on frames suitable for the purpose. The fra~es may be provided with adjustment devices which position the probe units correctly with respect to the carcass or the cut, depending upon its size and shape.
After -the frame with the probe units of the system has been positioned with respect to the carcass, the units are a~tivated by means of a control system. Compressed air is automatically admitted to the right chamber of the cylinder through the nipple 3, thereby causing the piston 11 to move the rod 10 with the probe to the left. When the tip 19 meets the rind surface on the carcass, it cuts a slit through which the probe unit lOa with the measuring means 12 can easily be introduced into the carcass.
The movement of the piston rod produces electric pulses in the pulse generator 1~ because of the rotation of the toothed wheel in engagement with the rack 17. The pulses are applied via the flexible electric lines 14 to outer recording equipment with a counter whose display is indicative of the position of the rod.
If the time interval between the counter pulses exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the probe has encountered bones or cartilage, and the control system causes -the compressed air supply to be switched to the left chamber of the cylinder so that the probe immediately returns to the starting position.
- ~L3Q(~
- 8a - 22903-259 Normally, the probe does not encounter bones or cartilage, and the piston will complete i-ts movement until it reaches the top far le-ft position in the cylinder 1. In this position, the probe has passed -through the inner side of the carcass so that the reflection measuring means is again disposed in air.
The control system then switches the compressed air supply to the left chamber of the cylinder so that khe probe is withdrawn from the carcass. During the movement of -the piston rod to the right, the pulse generator 18 again generates electric pulses affecting the counter of the recording equipment. From the foregoing, it should be clear that the double acting pneumatic cylinder reciprocatingly moves insertion probe lOa into and out of a carcass under the action of the compressed air.
Each time the counter display is counted up by l, a reflection measurement is performed and the reflection value is stored. This provides for a set of associated values of reflection and position for each 0.1 mm movement of the rod 10 to ~he right. First, the reflection measuring means registers air which gives no reflection, then meat which has a certain reflection, and fat which has a strong reflection, and finally again air which is per-13~
ceived black.
The reflections measured are converted to symbols indi-cative of air, fat or meat by introduction of suitable reflection limit values in the recording equipment. The equipment may then calculate the desired thickness measures for meat and fat by means of the associated position values. The measures are passed via a data transmission line to a main computer, which, depending upon the program, prints thicknesses, meat percentage and/or class and optionally controls equipment labelling the carcasses and the cuts in accordance with their qualities. The equipment may also control sorting systems which transport the carcasses and the cuts to the relevant processing locations in the slaughterhouse. Here, the cuts, etc., can be processed fully automatically or semiautomatically in accordance with the recordings, and e.g. the knife of a subsequent trimming apparatus can be controlled in response to the fat thickness recorded.
2û
If desired, also reflection and position measurements may be performed during the insertion of the probe into the carcass.
It is also possible to detect by means of the recorded reflection values whether the tip 19 is still in posi-tion. Just before the piston reaches its bottom position, the tip 19 engages the body 20 and carries the body to the bottom position shown. In this position, the reflection measuring means registers the white colour of the body.
If the tip is absent, the body maintains its rest position at the end of the spring 21 when the piston moves to the bottom position. The measuring means 12 will then just register air in the bottom position, which the re-cording system can convert to a signal indicating that a tip has possibly been left in the carcass.
The measurement results are subject to some uncertainty, which is partly owning to the sys-tem and partly to the operator.
The invention provides a probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties in meat comprising: an insertion probe, a measuring means in a free end of said insertion probe, a double-acting drive cylinder unit for reciproca-tingly moving said insertion probe, said double-acting drive cylinder unit including a pipe, a piston rod arranged for sliding reciprocation in said pipe and extending through both ends of said pipe and having an overall length at least twice the length of its stroke, the piston rod having a front end forminy said insertion probe and a rear end, a position meter, located at said rear end of said piston rod, producing electric signals indicative of the position of the measuring means with respect to the pipe.
An advantage of the probe unit of the present invention is that it may be mounted in an automatic measuring apparatus which can perform the measurements on the supplied carcasses necessary to determine the quality properties of these without assistance from an operator. Such probe units are to enable thickness measurements with good accuracy on all oacurring types o carcasses, so as to provide reliable determination of the qualities of the individual carcasses. Since the apparatus is to accommodate a rather large number of probe units, e.g. ten, it is important that the individual unit is a compact and sturdy structure. In particular, the dimensions in the transverse ~L3~
- 2a - 22903-259 direction should be as small as possible.
The requirements are satisfied by a probe unit accordin~
to the present invention. ~'hus, ln this structure, the posi-tion meter can easiLy be kept within the transverse dimensions determined by the drive cylinder, and the simple structure makes -the unit sturdy and reliable in operation.
The present probe unit makes it possible to determine meat and fat thickness on carcasses without any need for an operator, since a suitable number of probe units mounted in a frame can automatically per~orm the necessary measurements, controlled by a control unit. When :~L3~39l3 the probes are inserted into and/or extracted from the carcass, a plurality of associated values for the light reflection and the probe position may be provided by means of the light reflection as a function of the move-ment of the probe. The meat and fat thicknesses may bedetermined directly in a computer on the basis of the representation.
Thus, the probe unit of the invention is not vitiated by the errors which occur in connection with the known instruments and which are caused by wrong calibration of the zero point of the length meters and compression of meat and fat layers because of the engagement pressure of the reference plate.
The compact structure and simple operation of the probe unit permits construction of an automatic apparatus which can perform far more measurements during the allocated period of time than the instruments served by operators.
Nevertheless, the risk of errors~is relatively small, one reason being that the measurement is not dependent upon correct positioning of a reFerence plate, and the measuring method is relatively tolerant in respect of incorrect positioning of the probe. For example, bones and cartilage which the probe might hit will immediately manifest themselves in a series of constant position measurement results. Owin9 to the small force and inertia of the probe and the piston rod when they encounter these portions, there is no risk of broken probes which are -left in the meat.
With more probe units it is also possible to perform 30~ so many thickness measurements on a carcass that it is even possible to classify the individual cuts of the carcass. Thus, the cuts need no longer be used in accor-dance with the classification of the carcass, but may instead be used according to their actual quality.
3L3~
The light reflection measuring means used is sufficiently sensitive to be able to dis-tinguish not only between fat and meat, but also between various meat qualities. It may e.g. be used for determining fat marbling or meat colour, thereby also giving information on cuts with a too high fat marbling or too light meat. Thus, it is possible in the same operation to obtain measurement results which determine the meat percentage of the carcass, while very specifically determining the usefulness of the cuts in the further processing.
.0 It is moreover possible to perform automatic thickness measurements on cuts so that these may be sorted or processed in accordance with the meat and fat thicknesses measured. For example, the knife oE trimming machines for loin cuts can be con-trolled accurately by the thickness measurements recorded in a measuring set-up to enable production of loins with a uniform thickness of fat or a thickness of fat determined by the fleshi-ness.
The position meter may be arranged in several ways. It ~ay e.g. have a coil surrounding the piston rod, or a counter-~0 coupled light detector may be provided, sensing a line division onthe piston rod. A simple and reliable embodiment of -the position meter is disclosed.
The reference means may e.g. be a potentiometer, but owing to the accuracy it is preferred that the signal generator is a pulse generator acting on a counter circuit.
The signal generator should be so arranged that it releases a pulse e.g. for each O.l mm displacement of the piston . ~
- 5 - 22g03-25g rod. Rotating pulse generators are useul for this purpose.
Pre~erably, the light reflection measuring means consists in a known manner o a light diode and a photo diode or transistor juxtaposed on a substrate with a partition between them, since this provides for a very fine detection o the txansition between the various materials. The measuring means can operate in the region for visible light or in the infrared region.
When monochromatic light or the like is used, the measuring means preferably operates in a wavelength region providing good contrast between areas with good quality properties, e.g. normal meat, and less valuable areas, e.g. fat or ligh-t meat. In the embodiment disclosed both the measuring means and the connecting lines are protected effectively.
The position meter and the rear part of the piston rod may expendiently be protected against pollution by being surrounded by a housing. This housing may suitably form an elongation of and have the same length as a corresponding housing surrounding the cylinder. The probe with the measuring means is then the only exterior movable part of the probe unit, which is thus easy to mount and clean.
Owing to the movement of the reflection measuring means, the lines to it should pass over materials tolerant to bending, such as a flexible print. This makes it even possible to establish durable line connections inside a pipe whose diameter just corresponds to the diameter of the cylinder. This can be done in that the flexihle print has been olded once and is so 3L3(:~Q3~8 - 6 - 22903-25~
secured to the end of the rod and the contact mean.s, respectively, that it is generally parallel with the piston rod inside the position housing.
~ e invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of the probe unit of the invention.
The probe unit is built around a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 1 with two connection nipples 2 and 3 for compressed air.
The cylinder consists of an interior pipe 4 and is surrounded by an outer impact resistant pipe 5. Both pipes are secured between two end members 6 and 7, which are each provided with a gaske-t 8 and 9 through which a tubular piston rod 10 can slide under -the action of a piston 11. As shown by the drawing, piston rod 10 extends through both ends of interior pipe 4.
The piston rod has a window in which a light reflection measuring means 12 is bonded by means of clear resin. The reflection measuring means consists in a known manner of a light diode and a photo diode secured to a small plate. A wall is present between the light diode and the photo diode so that the photo diode does not receive light directly from the light diode, but just light which is reflected from materials outside the window.
Conventional electric wiring or lines from the reflection measuring means are passed through the hollow piston rod to the right end of the rod, where they are connected with a printed circuit board 13 mounted on the rod and containing a pre-amplifier for the photo diode. The printed circuit board is ~L3~03~8 connected through a bent flexible electric lines 14 with contact means such as plug socket 15 mounted on the end wall of a protective housing 16. Through t'nis socket the probe unit may be electrically connected with equipment recording signals from the reflection measuring means and a position meter mounted in the housing 16.
This position meter consists of a rack 17 secured to the end member 7 and a pulse generator 18 mounted on the end of the piston rod. The pulse generator has a shaft with a toothed wheel running on the rack.
The Eree end lOa of the piston serves as a probe element and is provided with a removable tip 19 having an inclined cutting edge whose greatest transverse dimension is greater than the diameter of the piston rod. It should be clear from the drawing that the measuring means 12 is provided in the free end of insertion probe lOa. A ring-shaped white body 20 IS placed around the probe element lOa of the rod and is affected by a spring 21 positioned between the body and the end member 6.
To avoid penetration of moisture and pollutants into the ~0 probe unit, there is provided narrow channels (not shown) leading from the small space directly below each of the nipples 2 and 3 into the space which is defined by the pipes 4 and 5. Likewise, a channel leads from the latter space into the space defined by the housing 16. Thus, a slight positive pressure is maintained in the cavity of the probe unit.
The probe unit of the invention is preferabl~ used in large automatic systems Eor determination of the quality ~3~3~3 - 8 - 22gO3-259 properties of carcasses, but -the unit may also be used in auto~atic systems for determination of meat colour in loin cuts.
A plurality of probe units is mounted in such systems by fixing the housing of the cylinder, the position meter housing or the like on frames suitable for the purpose. The fra~es may be provided with adjustment devices which position the probe units correctly with respect to the carcass or the cut, depending upon its size and shape.
After -the frame with the probe units of the system has been positioned with respect to the carcass, the units are a~tivated by means of a control system. Compressed air is automatically admitted to the right chamber of the cylinder through the nipple 3, thereby causing the piston 11 to move the rod 10 with the probe to the left. When the tip 19 meets the rind surface on the carcass, it cuts a slit through which the probe unit lOa with the measuring means 12 can easily be introduced into the carcass.
The movement of the piston rod produces electric pulses in the pulse generator 1~ because of the rotation of the toothed wheel in engagement with the rack 17. The pulses are applied via the flexible electric lines 14 to outer recording equipment with a counter whose display is indicative of the position of the rod.
If the time interval between the counter pulses exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the probe has encountered bones or cartilage, and the control system causes -the compressed air supply to be switched to the left chamber of the cylinder so that the probe immediately returns to the starting position.
- ~L3Q(~
- 8a - 22903-259 Normally, the probe does not encounter bones or cartilage, and the piston will complete i-ts movement until it reaches the top far le-ft position in the cylinder 1. In this position, the probe has passed -through the inner side of the carcass so that the reflection measuring means is again disposed in air.
The control system then switches the compressed air supply to the left chamber of the cylinder so that khe probe is withdrawn from the carcass. During the movement of -the piston rod to the right, the pulse generator 18 again generates electric pulses affecting the counter of the recording equipment. From the foregoing, it should be clear that the double acting pneumatic cylinder reciprocatingly moves insertion probe lOa into and out of a carcass under the action of the compressed air.
Each time the counter display is counted up by l, a reflection measurement is performed and the reflection value is stored. This provides for a set of associated values of reflection and position for each 0.1 mm movement of the rod 10 to ~he right. First, the reflection measuring means registers air which gives no reflection, then meat which has a certain reflection, and fat which has a strong reflection, and finally again air which is per-13~
ceived black.
The reflections measured are converted to symbols indi-cative of air, fat or meat by introduction of suitable reflection limit values in the recording equipment. The equipment may then calculate the desired thickness measures for meat and fat by means of the associated position values. The measures are passed via a data transmission line to a main computer, which, depending upon the program, prints thicknesses, meat percentage and/or class and optionally controls equipment labelling the carcasses and the cuts in accordance with their qualities. The equipment may also control sorting systems which transport the carcasses and the cuts to the relevant processing locations in the slaughterhouse. Here, the cuts, etc., can be processed fully automatically or semiautomatically in accordance with the recordings, and e.g. the knife of a subsequent trimming apparatus can be controlled in response to the fat thickness recorded.
2û
If desired, also reflection and position measurements may be performed during the insertion of the probe into the carcass.
It is also possible to detect by means of the recorded reflection values whether the tip 19 is still in posi-tion. Just before the piston reaches its bottom position, the tip 19 engages the body 20 and carries the body to the bottom position shown. In this position, the reflection measuring means registers the white colour of the body.
If the tip is absent, the body maintains its rest position at the end of the spring 21 when the piston moves to the bottom position. The measuring means 12 will then just register air in the bottom position, which the re-cording system can convert to a signal indicating that a tip has possibly been left in the carcass.
Claims (6)
1. A probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties in meat comprising:
an insertion probe, a measuring means in a free end of said insertion probe, a double-acting drive cylinder unit for reciprocatingly moving said insertion probe, said double-acting drive cylinder unit including a pipe, a piston rod arranged for sliding reciprocation in said pipe and extending through both ends of said pipe and having an overall length at least twice the length of its stroke, the piston rod having a front end forming said insertion probe and a rear end, a position meter, located at said rear end of said piston rod, producing electric signals indicative of the position of the measuring means with respect to the pipe.
an insertion probe, a measuring means in a free end of said insertion probe, a double-acting drive cylinder unit for reciprocatingly moving said insertion probe, said double-acting drive cylinder unit including a pipe, a piston rod arranged for sliding reciprocation in said pipe and extending through both ends of said pipe and having an overall length at least twice the length of its stroke, the piston rod having a front end forming said insertion probe and a rear end, a position meter, located at said rear end of said piston rod, producing electric signals indicative of the position of the measuring means with respect to the pipe.
2. A probe unit according to claim 1, wherein said position meter comprises an elongated reference means firmly mounted in parallel with said piston rod and a signal generator disposed on the rear end of the piston rod cooperating with said elongated reference means.
3. A probe unit according to claim 2, and further comprising: a pulse counter, and wherein the elongated reference means is a toothed rack, and the signal generator has a toothed wheel engaging the toothed rack and adapted to generate signals in the form of pulses applied to said pulse counter.
4. A probe unit according to claim 3, and further comprising:
a plug socket on an end wall of said probe unit connected to said pulse counter, and electric wiring extending in an axially arranged hollow space inside the piston rod from the measuring means to said signal generator, and also extending from said signal generator to said plug socket in the form of flexible lines with sufficient flexibility to accommodate reciprocation of said signal generator.
a plug socket on an end wall of said probe unit connected to said pulse counter, and electric wiring extending in an axially arranged hollow space inside the piston rod from the measuring means to said signal generator, and also extending from said signal generator to said plug socket in the form of flexible lines with sufficient flexibility to accommodate reciprocation of said signal generator.
5. A probe unit according to claim 1, and further comprising:
a tubular housing firmly connected with said double-acting drive cylinder, surrounding the position meter and the rear end of the piston rod.
a tubular housing firmly connected with said double-acting drive cylinder, surrounding the position meter and the rear end of the piston rod.
6. A probe unit according to claim 5, and further comprising:
a contact means firmly mounted in an end wall of the tubular housing, and a flexible electric connection between said position meter and said contact means.
a contact means firmly mounted in an end wall of the tubular housing, and a flexible electric connection between said position meter and said contact means.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DK4247/86 | 1986-09-05 | ||
| DK424786A DK159839C (en) | 1986-09-05 | 1986-09-05 | SENSING UNIT FOR AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION OF QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1300398C true CA1300398C (en) | 1992-05-12 |
Family
ID=8131712
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000546153A Expired - Lifetime CA1300398C (en) | 1986-09-05 | 1987-09-04 | Probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties of meat |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4825711A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0259284A3 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1300398C (en) |
| DK (1) | DK159839C (en) |
Families Citing this family (60)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB9110474D0 (en) * | 1991-05-15 | 1991-07-03 | Commission Meat & Livestock | Meat quality sensing apparatus |
| FR2691543B1 (en) * | 1992-05-22 | 1995-07-07 | Sydel | MEAT QUALITY MEASURING APPARATUS. |
| US6243657B1 (en) * | 1997-12-23 | 2001-06-05 | Pii North America, Inc. | Method and apparatus for determining location of characteristics of a pipeline |
| US6391005B1 (en) * | 1998-03-30 | 2002-05-21 | Agilent Technologies, Inc. | Apparatus and method for penetration with shaft having a sensor for sensing penetration depth |
| US6243483B1 (en) | 1998-09-23 | 2001-06-05 | Pii North America, Inc. | Mapping system for the integration and graphical display of pipeline information that enables automated pipeline surveillance |
| US8641644B2 (en) | 2000-11-21 | 2014-02-04 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Blood testing apparatus having a rotatable cartridge with multiple lancing elements and testing means |
| US7025774B2 (en) | 2001-06-12 | 2006-04-11 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Tissue penetration device |
| US7981056B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-07-19 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for lancet actuation |
| US7749174B2 (en) | 2001-06-12 | 2010-07-06 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for lancet launching device intergrated onto a blood-sampling cartridge |
| ATE485766T1 (en) | 2001-06-12 | 2010-11-15 | Pelikan Technologies Inc | ELECTRICAL ACTUATING ELEMENT FOR A LANCET |
| US9427532B2 (en) | 2001-06-12 | 2016-08-30 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Tissue penetration device |
| DE60234598D1 (en) | 2001-06-12 | 2010-01-14 | Pelikan Technologies Inc | SELF-OPTIMIZING LANZET DEVICE WITH ADAPTANT FOR TEMPORAL FLUCTUATIONS OF SKIN PROPERTIES |
| US9226699B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2016-01-05 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Body fluid sampling module with a continuous compression tissue interface surface |
| US9795747B2 (en) | 2010-06-02 | 2017-10-24 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Methods and apparatus for lancet actuation |
| US8337419B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2012-12-25 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Tissue penetration device |
| US7247149B2 (en) * | 2001-12-20 | 2007-07-24 | Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. | Contact and penetration depth sensor for a needle assembly |
| US6859282B1 (en) | 2002-01-04 | 2005-02-22 | Sandia Corporation | Optical probe for determining the fat/lean interface in cuts of meat |
| US7892183B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-02-22 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for body fluid sampling and analyte sensing |
| US7175642B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2007-02-13 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for lancet actuation |
| US7229458B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2007-06-12 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7547287B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2009-06-16 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7674232B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2010-03-09 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7226461B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2007-06-05 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for a multi-use body fluid sampling device with sterility barrier release |
| US7909778B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-03-22 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US8702624B2 (en) | 2006-09-29 | 2014-04-22 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Analyte measurement device with a single shot actuator |
| US8579831B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2013-11-12 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7491178B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2009-02-17 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US8221334B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2012-07-17 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US9314194B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2016-04-19 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Tissue penetration device |
| US9248267B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2016-02-02 | Sanofi-Aventis Deustchland Gmbh | Tissue penetration device |
| US8360992B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2013-01-29 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7892185B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-02-22 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for body fluid sampling and analyte sensing |
| US7901362B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-03-08 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7976476B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2011-07-12 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Device and method for variable speed lancet |
| US7232451B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2007-06-19 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7297122B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2007-11-20 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US7331931B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2008-02-19 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US8784335B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2014-07-22 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Body fluid sampling device with a capacitive sensor |
| US9795334B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2017-10-24 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue |
| US8267870B2 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2012-09-18 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for body fluid sampling with hybrid actuation |
| US8574895B2 (en) | 2002-12-30 | 2013-11-05 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus using optical techniques to measure analyte levels |
| EP1628567B1 (en) | 2003-05-30 | 2010-08-04 | Pelikan Technologies Inc. | Method and apparatus for fluid injection |
| DK1633235T3 (en) | 2003-06-06 | 2014-08-18 | Sanofi Aventis Deutschland | Apparatus for sampling body fluid and detecting analyte |
| WO2006001797A1 (en) | 2004-06-14 | 2006-01-05 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Low pain penetrating |
| US8282576B2 (en) | 2003-09-29 | 2012-10-09 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for an improved sample capture device |
| EP1680014A4 (en) | 2003-10-14 | 2009-01-21 | Pelikan Technologies Inc | Method and apparatus for a variable user interface |
| US7822454B1 (en) | 2005-01-03 | 2010-10-26 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Fluid sampling device with improved analyte detecting member configuration |
| EP1706026B1 (en) | 2003-12-31 | 2017-03-01 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH | Method and apparatus for improving fluidic flow and sample capture |
| US8828203B2 (en) | 2004-05-20 | 2014-09-09 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Printable hydrogels for biosensors |
| EP1765194A4 (en) | 2004-06-03 | 2010-09-29 | Pelikan Technologies Inc | Method and apparatus for a fluid sampling device |
| US9775553B2 (en) | 2004-06-03 | 2017-10-03 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for a fluid sampling device |
| US7905154B2 (en) * | 2004-11-29 | 2011-03-15 | Jones Jr Arthur T | Apparatus and method of contaminant detection for food industry |
| US8652831B2 (en) | 2004-12-30 | 2014-02-18 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Method and apparatus for analyte measurement test time |
| WO2007000166A1 (en) * | 2005-06-27 | 2007-01-04 | Sfk Technology A/S | Recording of position-specific wavelength absorption spectra |
| WO2009126900A1 (en) | 2008-04-11 | 2009-10-15 | Pelikan Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for analyte detecting device |
| US9375169B2 (en) | 2009-01-30 | 2016-06-28 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Cam drive for managing disposable penetrating member actions with a single motor and motor and control system |
| US8965476B2 (en) | 2010-04-16 | 2015-02-24 | Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland Gmbh | Tissue penetration device |
| FR3009619B1 (en) * | 2013-08-07 | 2017-12-29 | Roquette Freres | BIOMASS COMPOSITIONS OF MICROALGUES RICH IN PROTEINS OF SENSORY QUALITY OPTIMIZED |
| CN104374716B (en) * | 2014-08-18 | 2017-05-17 | 浙江工商大学 | Spliced beef detection system and method |
| CN106568387B (en) * | 2016-11-04 | 2019-03-08 | 中国航空工业集团公司北京航空精密机械研究所 | A kind of big L/D ratio hollow thin-wall elongated shaft precision checking equipment and detection method |
Family Cites Families (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE66836C (en) * | A. DUFOUR in Nieder - Burbach bei Sentheim, Elsafs | Device for counting the teeth (reeds) of a reed | ||
| US3435231A (en) * | 1965-08-10 | 1969-03-25 | Instron Ltd | Optical means for following the relative movement of two marks on a specimen during tensile testing |
| US3614230A (en) * | 1969-05-08 | 1971-10-19 | Exxon Research Engineering Co | Apparatus and method for sampling and analyzing fluid solids |
| US3643508A (en) * | 1969-12-15 | 1972-02-22 | Dango & Dienenthal Kg | Device for removing gas and furnace charge probes from shaft furnaces and/or for taking temperature and gas pressure measurements in the interior space of the furnace |
| US3753405A (en) * | 1971-09-03 | 1973-08-21 | J Bryan | Spike positioning system |
| AU482112B2 (en) * | 1973-09-25 | 1977-03-23 | Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organization | Fat measurement instrument for meat carcases |
| NZ179410A (en) * | 1975-12-01 | 1978-03-06 | John Brian Hennessy | Carcase fat depth photoelectric measuring probe |
| DE2728913A1 (en) * | 1977-06-27 | 1979-01-18 | Hans Breitsameter | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLASSIFYING MEAT |
| GB1576582A (en) * | 1978-05-31 | 1980-10-08 | Pigs Marketing Board Northern | Muscle quality |
| DK167715B1 (en) * | 1978-12-08 | 1993-12-06 | Slagteriernes Forskningsinst | PROCEDURE FOR AD OPTICAL WAY TO DETERMINE THE MEAT / SPEECH RELATIONSHIP IN SUBJECTS SUCH AS ANIMAL OR PART OF ANIMALS |
| AU5547680A (en) * | 1979-02-16 | 1980-08-21 | Hennessy, J.B. | Depth indicator |
| US4387592A (en) * | 1981-07-01 | 1983-06-14 | Welker Engineering Company | Probe insertion apparatus |
| US4438649A (en) * | 1981-07-29 | 1984-03-27 | Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. | Apparatus for remotely positioning sensing devices in a reactor during operation thereof |
| US4577411A (en) * | 1985-04-15 | 1986-03-25 | Merrill David Martin | Wheel for measuring horizontal traveling strip |
| CA1270377A (en) * | 1985-07-16 | 1990-06-19 | Gert Stromfeld Christensen | Meat grader |
-
1986
- 1986-09-05 DK DK424786A patent/DK159839C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1987
- 1987-08-27 EP EP87850258A patent/EP0259284A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1987-09-04 US US07/093,418 patent/US4825711A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1987-09-04 CA CA000546153A patent/CA1300398C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DK159839B (en) | 1990-12-10 |
| DK424786A (en) | 1988-03-06 |
| US4825711A (en) | 1989-05-02 |
| DK159839C (en) | 1991-04-29 |
| EP0259284A2 (en) | 1988-03-09 |
| DK424786D0 (en) | 1986-09-05 |
| EP0259284A3 (en) | 1990-05-23 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1300398C (en) | Probe unit for automatic determination of quality properties of meat | |
| US4785817A (en) | Method and apparatus for ultrasonic grading of meat | |
| US5140988A (en) | Detection of abnormal bone structure in animals and carcasses with ultrasound | |
| US6104966A (en) | Primal tracking | |
| Houghton et al. | Application of ultrasound for feeding and finishing animals: A review | |
| US5617864A (en) | Method and apparatus for positioning an ultrasonic transducer and a display screen | |
| DK156018B (en) | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFICATION OF MEAT | |
| US5303708A (en) | Grading of poultry carcasses with ultrasound | |
| EP0321981A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for the determination of quality properties of individual cattle carcasses | |
| US5613493A (en) | Ultrasonic apparatus and method for measuring animal backfat | |
| CA2309916C (en) | Ultrasonic system for grading meat | |
| EP0816986A3 (en) | Method, apparatus and system for recognizing motions | |
| Alliston et al. | An evaluation of three ultrasonic machines for predicting the body composition of live pigs of the same breed, sex and live weight | |
| US5641907A (en) | Apparatus for examining carcasses with an ultrasound transducer | |
| DK163020B (en) | APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE THICKNESS OF THE FAT LIGHT OF SLAUGHTERED ANIMALS | |
| Kirton et al. | Predicting the fatness of lamb carcasses from carcass wall thickness measured by ruler or by a total depth indicator (TDI) probe | |
| US5717142A (en) | Ultrasound image freezing apparatus and method for animal backfat measuring instruments | |
| WO1992021025A1 (en) | Meat quality sensing apparatus | |
| Davis et al. | A comparison of ultrasonic estimates of rib-eye area and fat thickness in cattle | |
| CA2115999C (en) | Grading and evaluation of poultry with ultrasound | |
| US3602038A (en) | Measuring the tenderness of meat | |
| US3201976A (en) | Method and apparatus for determining the tenderness of meat | |
| WO1997027755A3 (en) | Arrangement of non-invasive measurement-data recording and evaluation apparatus and related process for the judging of animal carcasses for incorporation in data processing systems | |
| WO1996004551A1 (en) | Animal fat assessment | |
| CA1295045C (en) | Method and apparatus for ultrasonic grading of meat |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |