GB2468855A

GB2468855A - Meat pattie conveying and packaging

Info

Publication number: GB2468855A
Application number: GB0904940A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Declan Arthur Mcdonnell
Original assignee: Devrone Ltd
Current assignee: Devrone Ltd
Priority date: 2009-03-23
Filing date: 2009-03-23
Publication date: 2010-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-23
Also published as: GB0904940D0; GB2468855B

Abstract

Frozen meat patties 1 are conveyed from a freezer 3, and passed through several transport and processing operations to finally produce individually packaged and stacked patties 80. Major stages in the processing include flow wrapping 36, cutting to individual wrapped portions 37, heat shrinking of wrapper 45, grouping 50,55, and stacking 80. The invention claims the processing line as a whole, including all of its many different subassemblies in combination. The processing line may also reject defective patties to bins for recycling 21, 22.

Description

"A process"

Introduction

The invention relates to a process for handling and packaging frozen meat patties.

The handling and packaging of frozen meat patties on a factory scale is time consuming, highly labour intensive and requires a large area of factory floor for performing required operations.

Various attempts have been made to automate some of the stages in production however to date such automation has not been entirely successful due to difficulties in handling frozen products at high speed without blockages.

There is a need for a process which will address these issues.

Statements of Invention

According to the invention there is provided a process for handling meat patties comprising the steps of:- .. leading rows of meat patties on a freezer conveyor through a freezer; * I I...

* I. delivering the frozen patties from the freezer conveyor into a hopper having a * top inlet and a lower outlet; delivering individual frozen patties from the hopper outlet into one of a 30 plurality of pattie-receiving pockets in a lifting conveyor having a plurality of lanes; directing the patties from the lifting conveyor onto a transfer conveyor having a plurality of lanes; dividing patties from the transfer conveyor into separate streams; directing the streanis of patties through a control station having normally closed gates, one gate being associated with each stream; leading each stream fiom the control station to a wrapping line for wrapping the patties in a plastic sleeve; shrinking the plastic sleeve around the patties; packing the sleeved patties; and opening a gate at the control station to temporarily direct a stream of frozen patties away from the wrapping line in response to a control signal.

In one embodiment the process comprises dividing the patties into two separate streams; separately wrapping the streams; * * * ** S * S..

* .. 25 separately packing the wrapped patties; and S. *S * * S * *. opening a gate associated with one stream in response to a control signal from S..

wrapping or packing the patties to temporarily direct the stream away from the S... . associated wrapping station. S. *

* *. 30 S S. The process may comprise stacking wrapped pattie-containing sleeves prior to packing. A single pattie may be wrapped in a sleeve.

Alternatively the process comprises the step of stacking groups of frozen patties prior to dividing the patties into separate streams.

In one embodiment the process comprises leading rows of frozen meat patties from the freezer conveyor to a hopper transfer conveyor; and sweeping the patties from the transfer conveyor into the hopper inlet.

In one case the process comprises deflecting the frozen patties as they fall through the hopper by leading the patties against plastics deflector plates.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof, given by way of example only, in which:-Fig. 1 is a plan view of a frozen meat pattie handling system of the invention; Fig. 2 is an isometric view of frozen patties being transferred from a freezer conveyor into a transfer hopper; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the transfer hopper; Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a control station forming part of the system of the : invention; * * **** Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a single frozen meat pattie; Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating wrapping of patties;

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30 Fig. 7 is a plan view of an individual sleeved frozen meat pattie; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the pattie of Fig. 7 with the sleeve shrunk; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a stacking system used in the invention; Fig. 10 is an isometric view of a dampening system at the inlet to the stacker; Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the dampening system of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a plan view of frozen meat patties being grouped for stacking; Fig. 13 is an elevational view of the grouping system of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is an isometric view of a single pocket of the grouping system of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a plan view of stacks of frozen meat patties being prepared for packing; and Fig. 16 is an elevational view of stacks of the meat patties of Fig. 15.

Detailed Description

Meat patties are prepared on a large factory scale by first tempering blocks of frozen meat products at about -18°C to a temperature of about -4°C over a period of at least 8 * : hours. The tempered blocks are conveyed to a coarse grinder in which the blocks of *.*.

meat are ground to meat pieces of a size of typically from 25 to 30mm. The ground pieces of meat are then conveyed to a mincer in which the meat pieces are minced to a * S * * *. size of typically from 5 to 6mm. The minced meat is then delivered into a blender in 5*S which the meat is blended with additional ingredients such as spices and flavouring.

* * The blended minced meat is then conveyed to a former in which rows of minced meat *...

** 30 patties are produced. Meat patties at about -2°C are formed in the former.

The formed patties are then led through an impingement freezer tunnel to freeze the patties to a pattie temperature of about -18°C. The residence time in the impingement tunnel freezer is typically about 2 to 3 minutes. The temperature in the impingement freezer tunnel is maintained at about -46°C. The conveyor travels through the tunnel in a substantially straight line to maximise speed of production.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a frozen meat pattie handling system according to the invention. Rows of frozen patties 1 exit a freezer 3 on a freezer conveyor 2. The patties 1 are transferred into an inlet 5 of a hopper 6. The hopper 6 has a lower outlet 7 from which single frozen patties 1 are discharged into individual pockets defined by upstands 10 in a multi lane lifting conveyor 11. The lifting conveyor 11 delivers the frozen patties into individual lanes 12 in a multilane collating conveyor 13. Guide arms extending upwardly of the lanes of the lifting and collating conveyors 11, 13 ensure that the patties 1 remain in their respective lanes to prevent blockages.

Frozen patties 1 from the freezer conveyor 2 are discharged onto a transfer conveyor from which they are swept into the hopper inlet 5 by a translatable sweeper arm 16 as illustrated particularly in Fig. 2. As the individual frozen patties 1 fall through the hopper 6 they impinge against a number of axially spaced-apart deflector plates 18 which extend transversely across the hopper 6. The deflector plates 18 are directed downwardly to break the fall of the patties 1 whilst directing them through the hopper 6 to the hopper outlet 7. The deflector plates 18 are each of high density polyethylene : material which has the advantages of being non-stick, does note damage the patties, *...

and minimises the sound generated as the patties strike the plates 18 on passage through the hopper. *S.

Frozen meat patties from the collating conveyor 13 are then delivered onto a transfer :r conveyor 20 and are divided into two separate single lane streams 21, 22 by divider ** 30 plates 23, 24. A control station 25 is provided on the transfer conveyor 20 at the location where the frozen patties are divided into two separate streams 21, 22. The divider walls 23, 24 each have an associated control gate 26, 27 respectively. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 4 one or both of the gates 26, 27 may be opened in response to a control signal to direct the patties 1 away from the streams 21, 22. The deflected patties 1 are shown in Fig. 4 exiting into a recycle bin 30 for illustrative purposes. They may be deflected onto a separate recycle conveyor.

The stream 21 of frozen meat patties is sleeved, sealed and shrunk for delivery of individually sleeved patties 30 (Fig. 8) to a first inlet 31 of a stacking system 32. In a first stage the streani 21 of individual patties is encased in a sleeve 35 (Fig. 6) using a flow wrapping machine 36. The sleeve 35 is then cut into individual pockets 38 (Fig. 7) at a cutting station 37. The cut ends 39 of the sleeve 35 are sealed in a sealing unit to form individual closed sleeves around an individual pattie 1. The individual sealed sleeves 38 are then delivered to a sleeve shrinking unit 45 which uses heat to cause the sleeve 38 to shrink around the pattie 1 as illustrated in Fig. 8 to form a pack 30. In this way the sleeve 38 is made as small and tight fitting as possible to aid further handling.

The stream 22 of individual frozen patties is handled using similar equipment (identified by the same reference numerals) as the stream 21 and the individually sleeved patties 30 are delivered to a second inlet 47 to the stacker 32.

Referring especially to Figs. 10 and 11 just prior to delivery to the stacker inlets 31, 47, the individual sleeved patties pass under a damping plate 46 having an upwardly inclined leading end 48 to dampen movement of the sleeved patties on the associated S...

* conveyor. The damping means 46 ensures that the sleeves are presented to the stacker I..

.... 25 inlets 31, 47 in a fixed position.

SI S. *

* At the stacker 32 patties from the first inlet 31 are arranged in a first group 50 which is *,* picked up by a pick-up head 51 of an operating arm 52 of a robot 53 and moved onto a stacking conveyor 54, layers of groups being placed on top of one another to form a stack. Similarly patties from the second inlet 47 are arranged in a second group 55 which is picked up by a pick-up head 56 of an operating arm 57 of a robot 58 and moved onto the stacking conveyor 54. The robots are used to sequentially pick up first and second groups 50, 55 to form a stack 80 which may for example be 5 high.

Referring particularly to Figs. 9 and 12 to 14 a group 50 of patties is formed by presenting a first pocket 60 to the inlet 31 to the stacker 32. Single sleeved patties 30 are delivered into tI1e first pocket 60. In this case two sleeved patties 30 are delivered into the pocket. The pocket 60 is then advanced in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 12 and 13 and a following second pocket 61 is presented to the inlet 31. Two sleeved patties 30 are led into the second pocket 61 which is in turn advanced. A third pocket 62 is presented to thç inlet 31 and two sleeved patties 30 are led into the pocket 62.

These steps are repeated for two further pockets to generate a group 50 of 5 pockets, each containing two sleeved patties 30.

The group 55 is formed in a similar way to the group 50 using separate pockets which are presented to the second inlet 47.

The pockets 60, 61, 62 are provided on a segmented delivery conveyor 68 which presents the pockets sequentially to the stacker inlet 47. The pockets are defined between a pair of spaced-apart upstanding projections 69 on some of the segments 70 of the conveyor 68.

The stacking conveyor 54 presents the stacks to an outfeed conveyor 79 from which the stacks are presented to pockets 76 for final packaging. The stacks may be bunched together to prevent toppling over by using controlled differential speeds between the I. stacking conveyor 54 and the outfeed conveyor 79, S...

S * .**

4... In the event of a fault arising downstream of the control station 25 a control signal is used to open one or both of the gates 26, 27. In this way, patties which continue to *..

arrive at the transfer conveyor 20 from the freezer are directed for recycling until the blockage is cleared. The gates may be triggered by a fault at one or more of the flow *.* 30 wrapping, cutting, end sealing, heat sealing, stacking, or packaging machines.

In some cases frozen patties may stick to freezer belts which can prevent consistent transfer of meat patties from the freezer. This in turn leads to random alignment of the meat patties on conveyors. This problem is avoided using the handling system of the invention.

The bypass system used in the invention ensures that quick action can be taken to prevent further build-up of meat patties on the line as quick action can be taken to divert the meat patties. Such blockages can occur for example, in the event of non-uniform patties (e.g. burrs or protrusions) exiting the freezer. Such irregularities can render movements difficult and stacks unstable. In the invention, any such blockages can be readily and efficiently dealt with minimum downtime.

The invention provides a highly efficient process for handling and stacking frozen meat patties at a high speed, typically up to 1000 patties per minute. To further increase capacity the system illustrated for one line exiting the freezer 2 may be duplicated for a second freezer outlet line 85.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. * *. Se I 515. * I Sels S. 55 * I S

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S a.. *..I

S S... S. * . . S,

Claims

Claims 1. A process for handling meat patties comprising the steps of:-leading rows of meat patties on a freezer conveyor through a freezer; delivering the frozen patties from the freezer conveyor into a hopper having a top inlet and a lower outlet; delivering individual frozen patties from the hopper outlet into one of a plurality of pattie-receiving pockets in a lifting conveyor having a plurality of lanes; directing the patties from the lifting conveyor onto a transfer conveyor having a plurality of lanes; dividing patties from the transfer conveyor into separate streams; directing the streams of patties through a control station having normally closed gates, one gate being associated with each stream; leading each stream from the control station to a wrapping line for S..' .. : wrapping the patties in a plastic sleeve; S... * * S...shrinking the plastic sleeve around the patties; *.* packing the sleeved patties; and S...* : . opening a gate at the control station to temporarily direct a stream of frozen patties away from the wrapping line in response to a control signal.
2. A process as claimed in claim 1 comprising:-dividing the patties into two separate streams; separately wrapping the streams; separately packing the wrapped patties; and opening a gate associated with one stream in response to a control signal from wrapping or packing the patties to temporarily direct the stream away from the associated wrapping station.
3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 comprising stacking wrapped pattie-containing sleeves prior to packing.
4. A process as claimed in claim 3 comprising wrapping a single pattie in a sleeve.
5. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 comprising the step of stacking groups of frozen patties prior to dividing the patties into separate streams.
6. A process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 comprising leading rows of frozen .. : meat patties from the freezer conveyor to a hopper transfer conveyor; and * *** * ..* sweeping the patties from the transfer conveyor into the hopper inlet.

*
7. A process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 comprising deflecting the frozen patties as they fall through the hopper by leading the patties against plastics deflector plates. ** * * * * * **
8. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. Meat patties when processed by a process as claimed in any of claims ito 8. * S. U. S *.. * U S...S S..S S... 0**S * .. S **