Automated Scanning and Butchering System and Method of Use
Patent Number: US 9538768 Grant Date: 2017-01-10 Filing Date: 2015-09-17
Overview
This patented system, filed in September 2015 and granted in January 2017, describes a fully integrated automated scanning and butchering line developed by inventors based in Amarillo, TX and assigned to Midwest Machine, LLC of Amarillo, TX. The disclosure captures system-level engineering that tightly couples a PLC with multi-head scanners, cradled conveyor transport, and one or more variable-height saw assemblies to produce consistent, data-driven cuts. The scanning subsystem constructs a 3D model of each carcass or cut, the PLC compares that model to stored templates, and the system calculates a trim line that drives servo-actuated saw positioning and conveyor sequencing. The resulting disclosure and claim set reflect careful draftsmanship in both apparatus and method claims, protecting integration points—drive assemblies with encoders, cradle fixtures, band-saw mechanics, and the PLC/scanner communication that optimizes yield and repeatability.
Key Features
- PLC-coordinated workflow linking 3D scanners to saw actuation and conveyor control
- Cradled conveyor with drive assembly, encoder, and configurable supports for different meats
- Band-saw assemblies with variable-height servo control for precise trim lines
- 3D model-to-standard comparison for automated trim-line calculation and reduced waste
- Networked data storage options for local or server-based processing
By automating scan-to-cut decisions, the invention improves throughput, yield consistency, and traceability in meat processing and offers a transferable approach for other automated material-cutting industries.
Invention Details
Abstract: An automated scanning and butchering system is disclosed. Said system having a PLC system, a scanning system and a butchering system in data communication. The butchering system comprising a one or more saw assemblies, a conveyor system, a one or more cradles, and a first end and a second end. The one or more saw assemblies are arranged between the first end and the second end of the butchering system. The conveyor system comprises a conveyor comprising the one or more cradles configured to move items from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The one or more cradles are configured to releaseably receive and hold a target object as the conveyor moves the target object from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The scanning system comprising a one or more scanners.
Summary of the Invention: A system and a method are disclosed.
An automated scanning and butchering system is disclosed. Said system having a PLC system, a scanning system and a butchering system in data communication. The butchering system comprising a one or more saw assemblies, a conveyor system, a one or more cradles, and a first end and a second end. The one or more saw assemblies are arranged between the first end and the second end of the butchering system. The conveyor system comprises a conveyor comprising the one or more cradles configured to move items from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The one or more cradles are configured to releaseably receive and hold a target object as the conveyor moves the target object from the first end to the second end of the butchering system. The scanning system comprising a one or more scanners.
A method of automatically scanning and butchering meat is disclosed. The method comprising: conveying a target object a one or more scanners on a conveyor belt of an automated scanning and butchering system, scanning the target object with a one or more scanners and creating a 3D Model thereof, identifying a trim line of the target object, conveying the target object toward the one or more saw assemblies on the conveyor belt, and cutting the target object with the one or more saw assemblies. The automated scanning and butchering system comprises a PLC system, a scanning system and a butchering system in data communication. The butchering system comprising a one or more saw assemblies, a conveyor system, a one or more cradles, and a first end and a second end. The one or more saw assemblies are arranged between the first end and the second end of the butchering system. The conveyor system comprises a conveyor comprising the one or more cradles configured to move items from the first end to the second end of the butchering system.
Patent Document
Related: Computer Science & Software | Mechanical Engineering | Robotics & Automation | Food Processing | Robotics | Software And Electronics | Testing And Measurement | Amarillo, Texas | Shannon Warren, Patent Attorney