APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING LIVER FROM POULTRY CARCASSES OR PARTS THEREOF

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for recovering liver from viscera sets of poultry carcasses, the sets including at least lungs, liver, proventriculus and gizzard, which are at least partially connected by connective tissue. The apparatus includes at least one holding element having a receiving region for receiving and for holding the viscera set. The holding element is so configured that at least the lungs are arranged above the receiving region and at least the liver is arranged beneath the receiving region. A detaching device has a detaching section including detaching means for detaching the liver, configured such that at least a connective tissue connecting the liver with the viscera set is detached in some regions from the viscera set by the detaching means. A separating device includes a separating means configured such that the liver detached from the connective tissue can be separated completely from the viscera set.

Claims

1. An apparatus, configured and adapted for the recovery of liver or parts thereof from viscera sets of poultry carcasses, wherein the viscera sets comprise at least lungs, liver, proventriculus and gizzard, which are connected together at least in part by connective tissue, comprising; a viscera conveying device, adapted to convey the viscera sets in a suspended manner along a conveying line in a transport direction, having a drive unit and a conveying element for conveying at least one holding element, wherein the at least one holding element comprises a receiving region for receiving and for holding the viscera set [[(11)]] or parts thereof, and wherein the holding element is so configured that at least the lungs are arranged above the receiving region and at least the liver, the proventriculus and the gizzard are arranged beneath the receiving region; a detaching device arranged in the transport direction along the conveying line and having a detaching section comprising a detaching means for detaching the liver, wherein the detaching device is so configured that at least a connective tissue connecting the liver with the viscera set is detached from the viscera set in some regions by the detaching means, a separating device arranged downstream of the detaching device along the conveying line in the transport direction and comprising a separating means, wherein the separating means is so configured that the liver detached from the connective tissue is separated completely from the viscera set.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least substantially only the liver is separated completely from the viscera set by the separating device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge device for discharging the separated liver arranged along at least part of the conveying line in the transport direction, in particular beneath the detaching device and/or the separating device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detaching section has an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein a part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided into the inlet side of the detaching section.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detaching means is formed of at least two detaching elements which form a detaching gap and extend at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction, through which the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detaching means is divided into a plurality of detaching segments which are arranged one behind the other and have detaching elements, in particular into from 2 to 9 detaching segments arranged one behind the other.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the detaching elements of at least one of the detaching segments is spring-mounted in a horizontal direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separating device has an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein a part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided into the separating device into the inlet side.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the inlet side and the outlet side of the separating device are arranged at different heights over a course of the transport direction along the conveying line, in particular in that the inlet side has a greater height than the outlet side.

10. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outlet side of the detaching section and the inlet side of the separating device lie at least substantially in a same plane over a course of the transport direction along the conveying line.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separating means is formed of at least two separating elements forming a separating gap and extending at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction, through which a part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the separating elements comprise two planar contact elements extending in parallel at least substantially in a same plane.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the holding element and the separating elements are arranged spaced apart in vertical alignment and with a distance between them, wherein the distance between the holding element conveyed on the conveying line and the separating elements increases over a course of the transport direction along the conveying line.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the separating elements have an upper side and a lower side, wherein the receiving region of the holding element is guided above and/or on the upper side of the separating elements and the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided beneath and/or on the lower side of the separating elements.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the separating device is so configured that the detached liver is positively guided on the lower side of the separating elements during the complete separation of the liver from the viscera set, and a remaining part of the viscera set guided beneath the receiving region is (guided through the separating gap in a direction towards the upper side.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the separating elements are in flexible form at least in some regions.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the planar contact elements are formed on the separating device to be movable perpendicularly in a direction towards an upper side at least in some regions, wherein the separating gap between the separating elements is configured to be made larger.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a size of the a detaching gap and/or of a separating gap is adjustable, wherein the size of the detaching gap is preferably between 5 and 50 millimetres and the size of the separating gap is preferably between 3 and 30 millimetres.

19. A method for recovering liver or parts thereof from viscera sets of poultry carcasses, wherein the viscera sets comprise at least lungs, liver, proventriculus and gizzard, which are connected together at least in part by connective tissue, comprising the steps: providing the viscera sets to be processed on a viscera conveying device comprising at least one holding element guided along a conveying line in a transport direction and having a receiving region for receiving and for holding the viscera set or parts thereof; positioning the viscera sets so that the lungs are arranged above the receiving region and at least the liver, the proventriculus and the gizzard are arranged beneath the receiving region; guiding the viscera sets into a detaching device arranged in the transport direction along the conveying line; detaching in some regions a connective tissue connecting the liver with the viscera set; guiding the viscera set with the liver detached from the connective tissue in a separating device arranged downstream of the detaching device in the transport direction along the conveying line; and completely separating the liver from the viscera set by means of the separating device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the detachment of the liver takes place in that the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided through a detaching section of the detaching device, wherein the connective tissue connecting the liver with the viscera set is detached, and in that complete separation of the liver takes place in that the detached liver is separated completely from the viscera set by a separating means of the separating device in that the detached liver is moved relatively between the holding element and the separating means.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least substantially only the liver is separated completely from the viscera set by the separating device.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the separated liver is discharged by a discharge device arranged along at least part of the conveying line in the transport direction, in particular beneath the detaching device and/or the separating device.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided through at least two detaching elements of the detaching means which form a detaching gap and extend at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided through two separating elements of the separating means which form a separating gap and extend at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the distance between the holding element conveyed on the conveying line and the separating elements increases over a course of the transport direction along the conveying line.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the holding element is guided above and/or on an upper side having the separating elements, and the part of the viscera set that is arranged beneath the receiving region of the holding element is guided beneath and/or on a lower side having the separating elements.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein the detached liver is positively guided on the lower side of the separating elements of the separating device during the complete separation of the liver from the viscera set, and a remaining part of the viscera set guided beneath the receiving region is moved through the separating gap in the direction towards the upper side T.sub.OS relative to the separating elements.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein the method is carried out with an apparatus according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Further expedient and/or advantageous features and further developments of the apparatus and of the method will become apparent from the description. Particularly preferred embodiments of the apparatus and the method will be explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0053] FIG. 2 is a schematic detail view of a detaching device of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[0054] FIG. 3a is a schematic detail view of a holding element of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[0055] FIG. 3b is a schematic detail view of the holding element shown in FIG. 3a with a viscera set;

[0056] FIG. 3c is a schematic detail view of the holding element shown in FIG. 3b with a viscera set as it passes through a region of the detaching device;

[0057] FIG. 4a is a schematic side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[0058] FIG. 4b is a schematic side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 with conveyed viscera sets;

[0059] FIG. 5a is a schematic side view of a separating device of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

[0060] FIG. 5b is a schematic side view of the separating device shown in FIG. 8 as viscera sets pass through.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0061] The apparatus according to the invention and the method according to the invention are described with reference to the above-mentioned figures. In order to avoid repetition, the statements made in relation to the apparatus also apply to the method according to the invention, so that statements are made hereinbelow only on selected aspects of the method according to the invention, isolated from the apparatus according to the invention.

[0062] The apparatus shown in the drawing is configured and adapted for recovering, that is to say in particular for detaching or for separating, liver or parts thereof from viscera sets of poultry carcasses. However, the apparatus can likewise be used for detaching or separating further viscera or organs from viscera sets of poultry carcasses.

[0063] The apparatus 10 shown is configured and adapted for recovering liver 12 or parts thereof from viscera sets 11 of poultry bodies—not shown in the figures, wherein the viscera sets 11 comprise at least lungs 13, liver 12, proventriculus 14 and gizzard 15, which are connected together at least in part by connective tissue, comprising a viscera conveying device 17, configured for conveying the viscera sets 11 in a suspended manner along a conveying line 16 in a transport direction T, having a drive unit 18 and a conveying element 19 for conveying at least one holding element 20, wherein the at least one holding element 20 comprises a receiving region 21 for receiving and for holding the viscera set 11 or parts thereof, and wherein the holding element 20 is so configured that at least the lungs 13 can be arranged above the receiving region 21 and at least the liver 12, the proventriculus 14 and the gizzard 15 can be arranged beneath the receiving region 21 (see FIG. 3b), a detaching device 22, arranged in the transport direction T along the conveying line 16, having a detaching section 23, comprising a detaching means 24 for detaching the liver 12, wherein the detaching device 22 is so configured that at least a connective tissue connecting the liver 12 with the viscera set 11 can be detached from the viscera set 11 in some regions by the detaching means 24, a separating device 25, arranged downstream of the detaching device 22 in the transport direction T along the conveying line 16, comprising a separating means 26, wherein the separating means 26 is so configured that the liver 12 detached from the connective tissue can be separated completely from the viscera set 11 (see FIG. 5b).

[0064] For better understanding of the invention, the anatomy of the viscera sets 11, or parts thereof, that are to be processed by means of the invention will first be described. The apparatus according to the invention is configured and adapted in particular for the automatic or semi-automatic processing of viscera sets 11, wherein the viscera sets comprise at least lungs 13, liver 12, proventriculus 14 and gizzard 15. Generally, such viscera sets further comprise heart, kidneys, gall bladder, oesophagus and intestines. In the present figures, the viscera set 11 is shown only schematically and in highly simplified form, without depicting specific anatomical features of the above-mentioned viscera. The viscera 11 are connected together by means of connective tissue, in the present figures the connective tissue is not shown in detail. Connective tissue within the meaning of the invention is to be regarded as being all connections which can occur between viscera of poultry. Connective tissues include in particular fatty tissue, cartilaginous tissue, sinews, ligaments, (blood) vessels and skin. The connective tissue connects the viscera of poultry naturally. Owing to the connective tissue that is present, it is possible to detach the viscera from the poultry as a complete viscera set 11 and transport and supply them to a processing line as a cohesive viscera set 11. In order to recover individual viscera such as the liver 12, it is accordingly necessary to detach the connective tissue between the viscera to be separated and the remaining viscera 11. Overall, the actual structure of the viscera set 11, that is to say which viscera the viscera set 11 contains, is incidental to the use according to the invention of the apparatus. However, it is important within the meaning of the invention that the part of the viscera 11 containing the liver 12 is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20, which is apparent, for example, from FIGS. 3b and 3c.

[0065] In FIGS. 3b and 3c, a viscera set 11 of a chicken is shown in stylised form, which viscera set is arranged suspended from the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20. In this case, the holding element 20 has as the receiving region 21 two clamp elements 34 (see FIG. 3a) which are movable towards one another and which are configured and adapted to receive, or clamp, the viscera set 11. The holding element 20 with the clamp elements 34 is so configured that the viscera set 11 can be so positioned that the lungs 13 are arranged above the receiving region 21 in the form of the clamp elements 34 and that at least the livers 12 are arranged beneath the receiving region 21 in the form of the clamp elements 34. However, the invention functions equally as well if further viscera, such as, for example, the heart or the oesophagus, are likewise arranged above the receiving region 21, and/or if further viscera, such as the kidneys, gall bladder, are arranged beneath the receiving region 21. It is also pointed out that, although a stylised viscera set 11 of a chicken is used as an example here, viscera sets 11 of other poultry, such as ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons or quails, can be held and processed substantially in the same manner. The viscera sets 11 can be arranged on the holding element 20 both manually and mechanically.

[0066] The features and further developments described hereinbelow constitute preferred embodiments when considered on their own or in combination with one another. It is expressly pointed out that features which are combined the description and/or the drawing or described in a common embodiment can also constitute a further development of the apparatus 10 described hereinbefore functionally independently.

[0067] As is apparent from FIG. 5b, preferably at least substantially only the liver 12 can be separated completely from the viscera set 11 by means of the separating device 25. The remaining part of the viscera set 11 is conveyed further along the conveying line 16 on the holding elements 20. Further preferably, the remaining part of the viscera set 11 is processed further on apparatuses—not shown in the drawings. As is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, a plurality of holding elements 20 each with viscera sets 11 arranged thereon are particularly preferably arranged on the viscera conveying device 17 and guided continuously or discontinuously through the respective devices on the apparatus 10.

[0068] The expression conveying line 16 refers to the line along the viscera conveying device 17 on which the devices for detaching or separating the liver 12 are or can be arranged, and ultimately describes a three-dimensional region which the viscera sets 11 cover or pass through when they are conveyed in the transport direction T. When something lies in the conveying line 16 of the viscera sets 11, for example the detaching device 22 or the separating device 25, the viscera set 11 collides therewith or comes into engagement therewith or interacts therewith. The transport direction T represents the course of the conveyed holding elements 20 on the viscera conveying device 17, and thus also the course of the viscera sets 11 that are guided, whereby the respective processing steps on the viscera sets 11 are also specified.

[0069] Preferably, a discharge device 27 for discharging the separated liver 12 is arranged along at least part of the conveying line 16 in the transport direction T, in particular beneath the detaching device 22 and/or the separating device 25. In FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the discharge device 27 is shown only beneath the separating device 25. The discharge device 27 is thus positioned in the region of the apparatus 10 in which the liver 12 is potentially separated and transferred. As is shown, for example, in FIG. 5b, the discharge device 27 is divided into separate discharge regions into each of which a separated liver 12 can be discharged. The separate discharge regions are preferably operated at the same processing speed as the viscera conveying device, so that synchronous discharge takes place. If separation of the liver 12 by means of the separating means 26 does not take place completely, the separating walls arranged between the separate discharge regions can assist complete separation of the liver 12 by an additional interaction.

[0070] Further preferably, the detaching section 23 has an inlet side LES and an outlet side Las, wherein the part of the viscera set 11 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20 can be guided into the inlet side L.sub.ES of the detaching section 23. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the inlet side L.sub.ES is preferably formed with rounded corners and/or in the form of a funnel, in order to permit simplified introduction of the viscera sets into the detaching section 23.

[0071] The detaching means 24 is preferably formed of at least two detaching elements 29 which form a detaching gap 28 and extend at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction T, through which the part of the viscera set 11 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20 can be guided. The part of the viscera set 11 with the liver 12 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element in particular is thus guided between the detaching gap 28 and thus brought into engagement with the detaching elements 29. As the viscera set passes through, the connecting tissue connecting the liver 12 with the viscera set 11 is detached at least in some regions. The operation of detaching the liver from the viscera set 11 by means of the detaching device 22 can be seen in FIG. 4b.

[0072] The detaching means 24 can preferably be divided into a plurality of detaching segments 30 which are arranged one behind the other and have detaching elements 29, in particular into from 2 to 9 detaching segments 30 arranged one behind the other. In

[0073] FIG. 1, the detaching device 22 is shown by way of example with five detaching segments 30 arranged one behind the other. In FIG. 3c, the viscera set 11 is inside a detaching segment 30, wherein detachment of the liver 12 from the viscera set takes place by detachment of the connective tissue that is present, in that the holding element 20 guides the viscera set 11 in the transport direction T between the detaching elements 29 of the detaching segment 30, wherein connective tissue that is present is cut through, for example, by means of the detaching elements 29. At least one of the detaching segments 29 can further be spring-mounted in the horizontal direction. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, all of the detaching segments are shown with an adjustable spring arrangement 35. The spring arrangements 35 are preferably configured to be adjustable in terms of spring force and the distance of the detaching elements 29 from one another, in order to adjust the deflection of the viscera set 11 which can be guided through.

[0074] The separating device 25 further preferably has an inlet side TES and an outlet side T.sub.AS, wherein the part of the viscera set 11 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20 can be guided into the separating device 25 into the inlet side T.sub.ES. The outlet side T.sub.AS is formed not only by a single local region, but can in particular represent the entire region of the separating elements 32 in which the viscera set 11 separated from the liver 12 can be guided out of the separating device 25 in the direction towards the holding element 20. The inlet side T.sub.ES is preferably formed with rounded corners and/or in the form of a funnel, in order to permit simplified introduction of the viscera sets into the separating device 25. As is shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the inlet side T.sub.ES and the outlet side T.sub.AS of the separating device 25 are arranged at different heights, for example, over the course of the transport direction T along the conveying line 16, the inlet side T.sub.ES in particular has a greater height than the outlet side T.sub.AS.

[0075] FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 show that the outlet side L.sub.AS of the detaching section 23 and the inlet side T.sub.ES of the separating device 25 advantageously lie at least substantially in the same plane over the course of the transport direction T along the conveying line 16. In FIG. 4b it will additionally be seen that, in this manner, reliable transfer of the viscera set 11 with the detached liver 12 from the detaching section 23 of the detaching device 22 to the separating device 25 takes place, whereby the liver 12 can be positioned beneath the separating elements 32.

[0076] Preferably, the separating means 26 is formed of at least two separating elements 32 which form a separating gap 31 and extend at least substantially parallel to one another in the transport direction T, through which the part of the viscera set 11 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20 can be guided. The separating elements 32 are preferably two planar contact elements 33 extending in parallel at least substantially in the same plane. Further preferably, the holding element 20 and the separating elements 32 are arranged spaced apart in vertical alignment and at a distance from one another, wherein the distance between the holding element 20 conveyed on the conveying line 16 and the separating elements 32 increases over the course of the transport direction T along the conveying line 16.

[0077] In FIG. 4b and FIG. 5b, the operation of separating the liver 12, or the arrangement and guiding of the liver in the separating device 25, is shown. FIG. 4b shows in particular that the part of the viscera set 11 with the already detached liver 12 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element is guided between the separating gap 31 and thus is in contact with the separating elements 32. As the viscera sets 11 are conveyed on the holding elements 20, the liver 12 is guided beneath the separating elements 32 in the transport direction T.

[0078] Advantageously, the separating elements 32 have an upper side T.sub.OS and a lower side T.sub.US, wherein the holding element 20 is guided above and/or on the upper side T.sub.OS of the separating elements 32 and the part of the viscera set 11 that is arranged beneath the receiving region 21 of the holding element 20 can be guided beneath and/or on the lower side T.sub.US of the separating elements 32. Further preferably, the separating device 25 is so configured that the detached liver 12 is positively guided on the lower side T.sub.US of the separating elements 32 during complete separation of the liver 12 from the viscera set 11, and the remaining part of the viscera set 11 that is guided beneath the receiving region 21 can be guided through the separating gap 31 in the direction towards the upper side T.sub.OS. As a result of the positive guiding of the liver 12 at the separating elements 32, it is guided in direct contact on the lower side T.sub.US, whereby, as the liver is conveyed further along the conveying line 16 in the transport direction T, complete separation of the liver 12 takes place.

[0079] FIG. 5 shows part of the separating device 25 in which the distance between the holding elements 20 and the separating elements 32 increases along the conveying line 16 in the transport direction T, wherein the liver 12 is separated completely from the remaining viscera set 11. The part of the viscera set 11 separated from the liver 12 thereby escapes through the separating gap 31. The separating elements 32 are for that purpose preferably in flexible form at least in some regions.

[0080] Preferably, the flat contact elements 33 are formed on the separating device 25 to be movable perpendicularly in the direction towards the upper side T.sub.OS at least in some regions, wherein the separating gap 31 between the separating elements 32 can be made larger. The movability can be generated on the one hand by a suitable choice of material for the separating elements 32 and/or the contact elements 33, and/or on the other hand by movable elements, such as, for example, spring elements, formed on the separating means 26.

[0081] For guiding the viscera set through the detaching section 23 or through the separating device, the size of the detaching gap 28 and/or of the separating gap 31 can further preferably be adjustable, wherein the size of the detaching gap 28 is preferably between 5 and 50 millimetres and the size of the separating gap 31 is preferably between 3 and 30 millimetres.