A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

A deagglomerator for use in resizing masses of cells is disclosed. The deagglomerator may include a plurality of apertures defined by a plurality of front and back edges. The masses of cells may be passed through the plurality of apertures from the front to the back, and from the back to the front, repeatedly. The deagglomerator may also include a plurality of blades that may aid in the deagglomeration of the cell masses. The deagglomerator may be configured between two syringes so that the tissue may be passed back and forth from the first syringe through the device to the second syringe, and then back again from the second syringe through the device and to the first syringe. In this way, the masses of cells may be properly deagglomerated.

The calibrating system 100 includes a conveyance system 102 for carrying work products 104 arranged in multiple lanes extending along the conveyor to be trimmed and/or cut into portions P. A scanner 110 scans the work product and a cutter system 120 consisting of one or more cutters are arranged in an array or series of cutter assemblies for cutting the work products into end pieces P of desired sizes or other physical parameters. A processor/computer 150, using a scanning program or portioning program, determines how the work product may be portioned into one or more end piece product sets. The processor/computer using the portioning software then functions as a controller to control the cutter system 120 to portion the workpiece 104 according to the selected end product/pieces P.

A deagglomerator for use in resizing masses of cells. The deagglomerator may include a plurality of apertures defined by a plurality of front and back edges. The masses of cells may be passed through the plurality of apertures from the front to the back, and from the back to the front, repeatedly. The deagglomerator may also include a plurality of blades that may aid in the deagglomeration of the cell masses. The deagglomerator may be configured between two syringes so that the tissue may be passed back and forth from the first syringe through the device to the second syringe, and then back again from the second syringe through the device and to the first syringe. In this way, the masses of cells may be properly deagglomerated.

A blade assembly includes a blade support frame, and a plurality of V-shaped blades removably fastened to the blade support frame. The blade support frame has a food flow path extending downstream, and a plurality of blade mounts distributed around the food flow path. Each V-shaped blade has a first end portion connected to one of the blade mounts, a second end portion connected to another of the blade mounts, and an intermediate portion extending from the first end portion to the second end portion into the food flow path. At the first and second end portions of each V-shaped blade, a respective one of the blade mounts overlies both the upstream edge and the downstream edge of the V-shaped blade to inhibit the V-shaped blade from rotating when impacted by food.

A cutting assembly for use in a hydro-cutting system in which water and food products are conveyed through tubes and the food products are sliced into smaller pieces. The cutting assembly includes multiple disks and U-shaped blades. Legs of the blades are mounted between the substantially parallel disks on opposite sides of the disks, thereby holding the blades in place. A rotationally-driven motor driveshaft extends through the assembly and the assembly is mounted in a tube. When the water and food products are conveyed into the cutting assembly, the rotating assembly slices pieces from the food product, and the pieces are separated from the water for later use or processing. The water can be used in another slicing cycle.

An apparatus for delivering a discrete cord having a fluid flow, a deployed cord supply, a transfer member having a first surface having one or more apertures, and a cutting apparatus having a cutting implement enabled to sever the deployed cord supply to form a discrete cord. The transfer houses a carrier that is aligned with the aperture and enabled to cross the aperture path. The fluid flow directs the deployed cord supply towards the transfer member first surface. The transfer member first surface abuts the cutting apparatus.

A food product cutting system can include a food product carrier for carrying food product circumferentially around an axis of rotation, where the food product carrier includes food cutters each having a knife and a corresponding pusher. Each knife is for receiving and engaging with food product, and each pusher is slidably coupled with a knife and movable for pushing food product out of engagement with the food cutter. The food product cutting system can also include a track oriented generally circularly with respect to the food product carrier. The track can be arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with followers. Each follower can be connected to a corresponding pusher. In operation, food product moved into the knife of a food cutter and carried around the axis of rotation is incrementally pushed out of engagement with the food cutter by the corresponding pusher.

A blade assembly includes a blade support frame, and a plurality of V-shaped blades removably fastened to the blade support frame. The blade support frame has a food flow path extending downstream, and a plurality of blade mounts distributed around the food flow path. Each V-shaped blade has a first end portion connected to one of the blade mounts, a second end portion connected to another of the blade mounts, and an intermediate portion extending from the first end portion to the second end portion into the food flow path. At the first and second end portions of each V-shaped blade, a respective one of the blade mounts overlies both the upstream edge and the downstream edge of the V-shaped blade to inhibit the V-shaped blade from rotating when impacted by food.

A food product cutting system can include a food product carrier for carrying food product circumferentially around an axis of rotation, where the food product carrier includes food cutters each having a knife and a corresponding pusher. Each knife is for receiving and engaging with food product, and each pusher is slidably coupled with a knife and movable for pushing food product out of engagement with the food cutter. The food product cutting system can also include a track oriented generally circularly with respect to the food product carrier. The track can be arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with followers. Each follower can be connected to a corresponding pusher. In operation, food product moved into the knife of a food cutter and carried around the axis of rotation is incrementally pushed out of engagement with the food cutter by the corresponding pusher.