Arrangement and method for automatically removing a strip consisting of dark meat from a fish fillet

Abstract

An arrangement for automatically removing a strip of dark meat from a fish fillet has a conveying unit for transporting the fish fillet from an inlet to an outlet area in a transport direction along a transport path. Starting from the inlet area, successively along the transport path, are provided: a first means for detecting dark meat; a first cutting apparatus for removing a middle partial strip of dark meat; a means for opening up the fillet such that cut surfaces of a ventral-side partial and of a dorsal-side partial strip of dark meat point upwards; a cutting unit for removing the partial strips, the cutting unit comprising second and third cutting apparatuses for removing the ventral and dorsal-side partial strips. A control device is connected to the detecting means and the cutting apparatuses, and all cuts are based on information from the detecting means. A corresponding method is provided.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An arrangement, designed and configured for automatically removing a strip consisting of dark meat from a fish fillet, comprising:
 a conveying unit for transporting the fish fillet to be processed from an inlet area of the fish fillet into the arrangement to an outlet area of the fish fillet out of the arrangement in a transport direction along a transport path; and   starting from the inlet area in the direction of the outlet area successively along the transport path;
 a first means for detecting dark meat in the fish fillet to be processed; 
 a first cutting apparatus for removing a middle, central partial strip of dark meat from the fish fillet; 
 a means for opening up the fish fillet freed from the middle partial strip in such a manner that the cut surfaces of a ventral-side partial strip of dark meat still attached to the fish fillet and of a dorsal-side partial strip of dark meat still attached to the fish fillet, which are produced by the first cutting apparatus, point upwards away from the conveying unit; 
 a cutting unit for removing the ventral-side and the dorsal-side partial strips of dark meat from the fish fillet, the cutting unit comprising a second cutting apparatus for removing the ventral-side partial strip and a third cutting apparatus for removing the dorsal-side partial strip; 
   a control device, at least the means for detecting dark meat and the three cutting apparatuses being connected to the control device in such a manner that all cuts are made based on the data and/or information determined by the means for detecting dark meat.   
     
     
         27 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a second means for detecting remaining dark meat in the fish fillet to be processed is disposed, in the transport direction, between the means for opening up the fish fillet and the cutting unit, the second means for detecting remaining dark meat also being connected to the control device. 
     
     
         28 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a handling device for automatically aligning the fish fillet to be processed on the conveying unit is disposed, in the transport direction, between the first means for detecting dark meat, which is arranged in the inlet area, and the second cutting apparatus for removing the middle, central partial strip, the handling device also being connected to the control device. 
     
     
         29 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein the handling device comprises a robotic mechanism with an alignment tool. 
     
     
         30 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein the first cutting apparatus comprises two circular knives set in a V-shape at a fixed angle to each other and a drive for the circular knives, wherein the two circular knives are vertically and horizontally adjustable. 
     
     
         31 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a robotic mechanism, the first cutting apparatus being arranged on the robotic mechanism by means of which a position of the first cutting apparatus relative to the conveying unit is adjustable at least vertically and horizontally, wherein the robotic mechanism is also connected to the control device. 
     
     
         32 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein the second and the third cutting apparatus each comprise two circular knives set in a V-shape at a fixed angle to each other and drives for the circular knives. 
     
     
         33 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 the second and the third cutting apparatus each comprise a knife carrier to which two knife units are assigned;   each knife unit comprises a circular knife and a drive for rotationally driving the circular knife about a central axis of rotation;   the two circular knives associated with each knife carrier are set substantially in a V-shape to each other in a position enclosing an angle;   each knife carrier having an adjustable arrangement for adjusting a size of the angle;   an offset of the two central axes of rotation of the circular knives associated with each knife carrier in the transport direction is zero and the two knife units associated with each knife carrier are adjustable exclusively synchronously with each other.   
     
     
         34 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a robotic mechanism for each of the second and third cutting apparatus, wherein the second and the third cutting apparatus are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction and each on a respective one of the robotic mechanisms, wherein the robotic mechanisms are also connected to the control device. 
     
     
         35 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 the conveying unit comprises a plurality of conveying elements;
 a first one of the conveying elements is disposed in a region of the first cutting apparatus and comprises a rotationally driven double belt with a gap running centrally and parallel to the transport direction; and 
 a second one of the conveying elements is disposed in a region of the cutting unit and comprises a rotationally driven segment chain which is triangular in cross-section. 
   
     
     
         36 . The arrangement according to  claim 35 , wherein:
 the double belt and the segment chain form a continuous conveying unit along the transport path in the transport direction; and   the segment chain engages in the double belt from below through the gap, at least in a transition region from the double belt to the segment chain, for transferring the fish fillets from the double belt.   
     
     
         37 . The arrangement according to  claim 35 , wherein the segment chain forms the means for opening up the fish fillets. 
     
     
         38 . The arrangement according to  claim 35 , wherein the segment chain has spike-like protrusions on its upper side pointing in a direction of the cutting unit, for fastening the fish fillets on the segment chain. 
     
     
         39 . The arrangement according to  claim 35 , further comprising devices for holding the fish down assigned to the segment chain at least in the region of the cutting unit, in such a manner that the opened up fish fillets are fastened on both sides of the segment chain, between the devices for holding the fish down and the segment chain, at least when removing the ventral-side and dorsal-side partial strips. 
     
     
         40 . The arrangement according to  claim 35 , further comprising a fastening provided in a region of the double belt, in such a manner that the fish fillet is fastened on the double belt at least when removing the middle, central partial strip. 
     
     
         41 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a second cutting unit, corresponding to the first cutting unit, arranged downstream, in the transport direction, of said first cutting unit, the second cutting unit also comprising a second and third cutting apparatus, wherein the second cutting unit is also connected to the control device. 
     
     
         42 . The arrangement according to  claim 41 , further comprising a third means for detecting dark meat arranged downstream of the first cutting unit and upstream of the second cutting unit, in the transport direction, wherein the third means for detecting dark meat is also connected to the control device. 
     
     
         43 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a suction means for extracting the removed partial strips by suction arranged in a region of each cutting apparatus. 
     
     
         44 . A method for automatically removing a strip consisting of dark meat from a fish fillet, comprising the following steps:
 automatically transporting the fish fillet to be processed along a transport path from an inlet area to an outlet area in a transport direction by means of a conveying unit;   automatically detecting the dark meat in the fish fillet to be processed using a means for detecting dark meat;   automatically cutting a middle, central partial strip of dark meat from the fish fillet using a first cutting apparatus;   automatically opening up the fish fillet freed from the middle, central partial strip using a means for opening up, in such a manner that cut surfaces of a ventral-side partial strip of dark meat still attached to the fish fillet and a dorsal-side partial strip of dark meat still attached to the fish fillet, which are formed when removing the middle, central partial strip, point upwards away from the conveying unit; and   automatically cutting the ventral-side and dorsal-side partial strip from the fish fillet using a second and a third cutting apparatus;   wherein the cutting apparatuses are controlled using a control device based on data and/or information determined by the means for detecting dark meat.   
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein:
 the strip of dark meat is automatically cut from the fish fillet in at least three steps;
 first the middle, central partial strip is cut from the fish fillet; and 
 subsequently first the ventral-side partial strip and then the dorsal-side partial strip or first the dorsal-side partial strip and then the ventral-side partial strip of dark meat are cut from the fish fillet. 
   
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the cutting, first of the ventral-side partial strip and then the dorsal-side partial strip or vice versa, is repeated in a fourth and fifth step by additional cutting apparatuses along the transport path, wherein the dark meat in the fish fillet to be processed is automatically detected again before the fourth and fifth step using a means for detecting dark meat. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein each fish fillet is fastened to the conveying unit during the cutting of the partial strips. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein all cuts of all partial strips are made by circular knives set in a V-shape to each other. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein the partial strips removed by cutting are extracted by suction. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein the method is carried out with an arrangement  claim 26 .