Abstract
A bung driller is provided for cutting free the anal opening and rectum end of an animal carcass by cutting around the anal opening and rectum end. The bung driller includes a longitudinal, drilling tube with an open cutting end, a mandrel centralized inside the drilling tube, and a bung holder located inside of the drilling tube and surrounding the mandrel. Contamination of skin surface and meat surface by fecal matter is a problem when cutting free the anal opening and rectum end of a carcass. The bung holder located inside of the drilling tube provides a holding force to the skin surface around the anal opening and makes a volume wherein fecal matter escaping from the intestine is caught.
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A bung driller for cutting free the anal opening and rectum end of a carcass by cutting around the anal opening and rectum end, the bung driller comprising: a longitudinal drilling tube capable of holding a pressure difference relative to the outside, and with an open cutting end, a mandrel centralized inside the drilling tube, and a bung holder located inside of the drilling tube and surrounding at least a part of the mandrel.
17. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein the bung holder has holding means capable of engaging with the outside of the carcass.
18. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein the bung holder is capable of rotating around the mandrel and/or capable of rotating relative to the knife.
19. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein the bung holder can slide axial within the drilling tube or wherein the bung holder and the mandrel together can slide axially within the drilling tube.
20. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein a part of the bung holder is in contact with the mandrel and the bung holder defines a first volume inside of the bung holder.
21. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein the mandrel is a hollow circular tube and comprises openings at least in part of a region from the leading end of the mandrel to where the bung holder is in contact with the mandrel.
22. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein the bung driller further comprising suction means capable of aspirating air away from inside the mandrel and/or from inside the drilling tube and/or from inside the bung holder.
23. The bung driller according to claim 16, wherein at least one air valve is located in the bung holder between a first volume inside the bung holder and a second volume inside the drilling tube.
24. A method for cutting free the anal opening and rectum end of an animal carcass by cutting around the anal opening and rectum end with a bung driller according to claim 16, the method comprising: entering a leading end of a mandrel into an anal opening and the rectum end of an animal carcass, creating contact between a bung holder and the skin surrounding the anal opening of the carcass, drilling around the anal opening and along a part ot the rectum end of the carcass with a cutting blade of the drilling tube, at least during the drilling creating a first volume inside the bung holder and creating a second volume inside the drilling tube and outside the bung holder, avoiding faeces entering from the first volume into the second volume.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein vacuum is made inside the mandrel and/or in the second volume inside the drilling tube and/or in the first volume inside the bung holder.
26. The method according to claim 24, wherein by aspirating air out of the mandrel only vacuum is made in the volume inside the mandrel, in the first volume inside the bung holder and in the second volume inside the drilling tube.
27. A bung drilling system comprising: a robot with at least one industrial manipulator, at least one bung driller according to claim 16 connected to the at least one industrial manipulator, at least one vision system for obtaining image data of a carcass in the region of the outside of the anal opening, at least one processor for processing obtained image data and configured to compute controlling information based on information including image data, at least one controlling device configured for obtaining at least controlling information from the at least one processor, and for controlling the at least one industrial manipulator and the at least one bung driller to process at least one animal carcass.
28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the industrial manipulator is a robot capable of working in at least two degrees of freedom.
29. The system according to claim 27, further comprising at least one cleaning cabinet for cleaning the bung driller after use.
30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the at least one cleaning cabinet is connected to the at least one industrial manipulator.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0049] Embodiments of the invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art method for bung cutting,
[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a bung driller according to the present invention,
[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates the bung driller without the drilling tube,
[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates a longitudinal cut through the bung driller,
[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates the bung driller with the mandrel in a forward position,
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates the bung driller with the mandrel in a middle position,
[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates the bung driller with the mandrel in a retracted position.
[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates a bung drilling method without vacuum,
[0058] FIG. 9 illustrates a bung drilling method with vacuum.
[0059] FIG. 10 illustrates vacuum established in the bung driller and the direction of the air being vacuumed.
[0060] FIG. 11 illustrates another way vacuum can be established in the bung driller and the direction of the air being vacuumed.
[0061] FIG. 12 illustrates yet another way vacuum can be established in the bung driller and the direction of the air being vacuumed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0062] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
[0063] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art method for bung cutting. A bung driller 1 is located outside and around an anal opening 2 of a carcass 3. A front end of a mandrel 4 of the bung driller 1 is located in the intestines/rectum end 5 of an animal carcass. Inside the bung driller 1 vacuum (not illustrated) is established to secure the skin 9 of the carcass 3 is not pressed into the carcass 3 by the force applied to the skin 4 by the bung driller 1 during cutting. Normal i.e. atmospheric pressure (not illustrated) is present on the skin 9 outside of the bung driller 1 and normal pressure is also present inside the carcass 3. Due to the vacuum inside the bung driller 1, the intestinal wall 6 may be sucked into the bung driller 1 and hereby turned inside out and opened, such that manure 7 (illustrated encircled) escape from the intestine 5 and into the space inside the bung driller 1, where it contaminates the skin 9 located inside the bung driller 1.
[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a bung driller 10 according to the present invention. Illustrated is a drilling tube 11 surrounding a mandrel 12 and in between these a bung holder 13 is located. The bung holder 13 has teeth 14 capable to engage with the skin around an anal opening of a carcass. Openings 15 are located in the mandrel 12. The bung driller 10 can be mounted to a robot tool (not illustrated) at the rear end 16.
[0065] FIG. 3 illustrates the bung driller 10 of FIG. 2 without the drilling tube 11. Illustrated is the mandrel 12 with openings 15, a bung holder 13 with teeth 14. The bung holder 13 is connected to a tube-formed piston 17 positioned around the mandrel 12.
[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates a longitudinal cut through the bung driller 10 according to the present invention. Illustrated is a drilling tube 11 surrounding a mandrel 12 and in between these a bung holder 13 is located attached to a piston 17. The bung holder 13 has teeth 14 capable to engage with the skin around an anal opening of a carcass. Openings 15 are located in the mandrel 12. Illustrated is also the cutting blade 18 or edge of the drilling tube 11, a volume 19 inside the mandrel 12 and a second volume 20 inside the drilling tube 11. A first volume 21 is located inside the bung holder 13, where a vacuum preferably can be established independently of a vacuum in the second volume 20 when the bung driller is in function. The rear most openings in the mandrel (i.e. openings inside the bung holder) where the end of the mandrel is the front part, are preferably connected to the second volume 20. As described elsewhere suction means (not illustrated) can be connected to the mandrel and/or to the drilling tube aspirating air away from the volume inside the drilling tube and/or from the second volume 20 inside the drilling tube.
[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates a longitudinal cut through the bung driller 10 with the mandrel 12 in a forward position. In this position the bung driller 10 is ready to be inserted into an anal opening of a carcass, where the part of the mandrel 12 outside i.e. in front of the drilling tube 11 can the inserted into the anal opening. This is preferably performed without any vacuum in the bung driller 10. The teeth 14 if present of the bung holder 13 is in a position ready to engage with the skin surface around the anal opening of a carcass. A first volume 21 is located inside the bung holder 13, where a vacuum can be established independently of a vacuum in the second volume 20 when the bung driller is in function.
[0068] FIG. 6 illustrates the bung driller 10 of FIG. 5, with the mandrel 12 in a middle position. This is a position where the cutting blade 18 of the drilling tube 11 is cutting into the carcass around the anal opening and rectum end. Cutting is performed by rotation of the drilling 11 by a motor (not shown), and vacuum may be made in the first volume and/or in the second volume.
[0069] FIG. 7 illustrates the bung driller 10 of FIGS. 5 and 6, with the mandrel 12 in a retracted position. This is a position where the cutting around the anal opening and rectum end is finalised inside the carcass. The cut free rectum end may be dropped inside the carcass by stopping the suction (if present on the bung driller) and hereby eliminate the vacuum. However, the cut free rectum end may also be withheld inside the drilling tube 11 by the vacuum and the rectum end may be pulled out of the carcass together with the drilling tube 11 and handled outside the carcass.
[0070] FIG. 8 illustrates a bung drilling method performed without vacuum. Illustrated is a situation just before the drilling tube 11 is to start drilling into the skin 24 and thereafter into the carcass 25 around the anal opening or intestine wall 26 and the intestine/rectum end 23. In this situation the cutting blade 18 is located onto the skin 24 outside the carcass 25. The tip of the mandrel 12 is entered into the anal opening surrounded by the intestine wall 26 and into the intestine/rectum end 23 such that the teeth 14 of the bung holder 13 are located onto the outside of the skin 24 of the carcass 25. A first volume 21 is established inside the bung holder 13 towards the skin 24 and is encircling the mandrel 12. A second volume 20 is established outside the skin 24 of the carcass 25 and between the bung holder 13 and the drilling tube 11, where the drilling tube 11 surrounds the bung holder 13, hereby the second volume 20 encircles the bung holder 13 and part of the mandrel 12. There is no openings in the bung holder 13 which the fecal matter 22 can pass, and hereby the first volume 21 and the second volume 20 are separated from each other. Fecal matter 22 is illustrated by small dots inside the intestine/rectum end 23, around the tip of the mandrel 12 and in the first volume 21 established by the bung holder 13. A first function of the bung holder 13 is to perform a force to the outside of the skin 24 such that the edge of the anal opening i.e. the intestine wall 26 at the skin 24 level does not turn inside out and letting amounts of fecal matter 22 escape from the intestine/rectum end 23 by passing by the tip of the mandrel 12 and out through the anal opening. A second function of the bung holder 13 is to keep fecal matter 22 that may escape through the anal opening inside the first volume 21 such that the skin 24 area which may be contaminated by fecal matter 22 is very much reduced compared to prior art systems. Though the method is described to be performed without vacuum, it can be improved by including suction means to aspirate air away from the second volume 20. Such a vacuum created to the outside of the skin 24 increases the quality of the cut by making a cleaner cut around the anal opening and the rectum end.
[0071] FIG. 9 illustrates a bung drilling method performed with vacuum. The method with vacuum can be performed in three different ways. Illustrated is a similar situation as in FIG. 8 i.e. just before the drilling tube 11 is to start drilling into the skin 24 and thereafter into the carcass 25 around the anal opening and intestine/rectum end 23. In this situation the cutting blade 18 is located onto the skin 24 outside the carcass 25. The tip of the mandrel 12 is entered into the anal opening and into the intestine/rectum end 23 such that the teeth 14 of the bung holder 13 are located onto the outside of the skin 24 of the carcass 25. A first volume 21 is established inside the bung holder 13 towards the skin 24 and is encircling the mandrel 12. A second volume 20 is established outside the skin 24 of the carcass 25 and between the bung holder 13 and the drilling tube 11, where the drilling tube 11 surrounds the bung holder 13, hereby the second volume 20 encircles the bung holder 13 and part of the mandrel 12. There is no openings in the bung holder 13 between the first volume and the second volume where fecal matter 22 can pass, and hereby the first volume 21 and the second volume 20 are separated from each other. The mandrel 12 comprises an open inner volume 28 and openings 15 located in the mandrel 12 in the area where the mandrel is inside the bung holder 13 and where the bung holder makes up the first volume 21 by getting in contact with the outer side of the skin 24 of a carcass. A vacuum creating system (not illustrated) is part of the bung driller and is configured and controlled to make a vacuum inside the second volume 20 and/or inside the inner volume 28 of the mandrel, which is in communication with the first volume 21 due to openings in the mandrel 12 hereby also establishing a vacuum inside the first volume 21. Bung drillers may be designed without or with the inner volume 28 of the mandrel 12, such that the bung driller may be capable of producing vacuum only in the second volume 20; only in the first volume 21 or in both the first volume 21 and in the second volume 20. Fecal matter 22 is illustrated by small dots inside the intestine/rectum end 23 and in the first volume 21 established by the bung holder 13. Some of the functions of the bung holder 13 is as described in relation to FIG. 8. With the vacuum creating system it is possible to create vacuum by sucking air in the direction indicated by the arrows 27 inside the second volume 20 and/or inside the inner volume 28 of the mandrel 12 which also creates a vacuum inside the first volume 21 due to the openings 15 in the mandrel 12.
[0072] The bung holder 13 holds the skin 24 around the anal opening in position as described in respect of FIG. 8. By the vacuum created in the second volume 21 and the inner volume 28 of the mandrel 12, fecal matter 22 can be removed from the second volume 21 through the inner volume 28 of the mandrel 12 and be removed from the bung driller. The vacuum in the second volume 20 creates a counterhold on the skin 24 as explained in respect of FIG. 8. The bung drilling system hereby makes it possible to perform the counterhold on the skin 24 created by vacuum inside the second volume 20 to minimize the effect of the forces made by the drilling tube 11 during the drilling process and at the same time reducing by the bung holder 13 the skin 24 area in risk of being contaminated by fecal matter 22 and also removing at least part of the fecal matter 22 located in the first volume 21 by the vacuum established in the inner volume 28 and thus in the first volume 21.
[0073] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a bung driller where no openings in the mandrel are located inside the bung holder 13. Openings 15 are only located in front of the bung holder 13 i.e. in the part getting in contact with the rectal end of an animal. The bung driller is located with the mandrel inside the rectal end of an animal. Just prior to and during the cutting process, the skin 24 will be vacuumed towards the cutting blade 18 and the bung holder 13 establishing a closed first volume 21 inside the bung holder 13 and a closed second volume 20 inside the drilling tube, the second volume 20 surrounding the mandrel. Here ‘closed’ means the skin closes the open end of the bung holder 13 and of the drilling tube 11. Suction means (not illustrated) connected at the base part of the drilling tube 11 creates a vacuum in the volume 19 inside the mandrel hereby aspirating air through the openings 15 located inside the rectal end and the air is aspirated through the mandrel 19. Air located in the second volume 20 around the mandrel is aspirated by suction means (not illustrated) away from the front end of the bung driller. Air inside the first volume 21 is asiprated through valves 29 and into the second volume 20 and away. The arrows indicate the way the air is being aspirated. In this embodiment no openings are located between the second volume 20 and the volume 19 inside the mandrel.
[0074] FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a bung driller where openings 15 are located in the mandrel inside of the bung holder 13 between the volume 19 and the first volume 21. Suction means (not illustrated) connected at the base part of the drilling tube 11 creates a vacuum in the volume 19 inside the mandrel hereby aspirating air through the openings 15 located inside the rectal end and the air is aspirated through the mandrel 19. Air inside the first volume 21 is aspirated through openings 15 located inside the bung holder 13 and into the volume 19 inside the mandrel. Air located in the second volume 20 around the mandrel is aspirated by suction means (not illustrated) away from the front end of the bung driller. The arrows indicate the way the air is being aspirated. In this embodiment no openings are located between the second volume 20 and the volume 19 inside the mandrel.
[0075] FIG. 12 illustrates yet another way vacuum can be established in the bung driller and the direction of the air being vacuumed. Suction means (not illustrated) connected at the base part of the drilling tube 11 creates a vacuum in the volume 19 inside the mandrel aspirating air through the openings 15 from the rectal end through the mandrel 19 and also aspirating air from inside the first volume 21 through the openings located between the first volume 21 and the volume 19 located inside the mandrel. A valve 29 located between the volume 19 inside the mandrel and the second volume 20 is used to make vacuum within the second volume 20 such that air in the second volume is aspirated through these valves into the volume 19 and away. Air inside the first volume 21 is asiprated through openings 15 located in the bung holder 13 into the volume 19 inside the mandrel and away. The arrows indicate the way the air is being aspirated. It is also possible to make a bung driller only with the openings 15 surrounded by the bung holder 13 i.e. without the openings 15 which as indicated in the Figure get in touch with the inside of the rectal end of the carcass. For such embodiments different flow directions may be established when aspirating air away from the carcass and depending on if only openings are present between the first volume 21 and the volume 19 inside the mandrel, only present between the second volume 20 and the volume 19 inside the mandrel or both of these types of openings are present, and depending on the way the valves 29 are capable of letting air passing.
