# US 11,998,019 B2 · Cutting system for cutting carcass parts while the carcass parts are carried by carriers connected to and moved by an overhang transport system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,019 B2 - Document ID: US11998019B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/928,909 - Filed: 2021-06-08 - Published: 2023-07-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-09 - Assignees: Marel Meat B.V. - Applicants: Marel Meat B.V. - Inventors: Jan Meerdink; Franciscus Theodorus Henricus Johannes Van Der Steen; Cornelis Joannes Janssen; Bastiaan Martinus Cornelis Albers; Heinz Madsen; Leonardus Jozephus Antonius Tiggeloven; Niels Antonio William Koster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998019B2 ## CPC - A22B 5/0029: {Cutting through or detaching portions of a carcass (splitting carcasses A22B5/20)} - A22B 5/0041: {Electronic, robotic or computer assisted cutting, dividing or deboning carcasses} - A22C 15/001: {Specially adapted for hanging or conveying several sausages or strips of meat} - A22C 15/003: {Hooks or the like specially adapted for meat or hams or part of carcasses (spreaders for cattle A22B5/06)} - A22C 17/02: Apparatus for holding meat or bones while cutting {(holding fish A22C25/06; holding meat for carving A47J43/18)} - A22B: SLAUGHTERING - A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00) ## Abstract A cutting system is provided for cutting carcass parts while the carcass parts are carried by carriers connected to and moved by an overhang transport system. A detection device is provided for determining a cutting position of an incoming carcass part. At least one cutting device having an upwardly and downwardly facing surface structure is provided and a moving mechanism is mechanically connected to the at least one cutting device for controlling the position of the at least one cutting device on the basis of the determined cutting position. A carcass displacement device is arranged to initiate displacement of the carcass part away from the at least one cutting position while the carcass part or a resulting sub-part carried by a carrier and is located between the upstream cutting edge and the downstream edge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cutting system for cutting carcass parts while the carcass parts are carried by carriers connected to and moved by an overhang transport system, the system comprising: a detection device for determining at least one cutting position of an incoming carcass part, at least one cutting device having an upwardly and downwardly facing surface structures and an upstream cutting edge and a downstream edge, a moving mechanism mechanically connected to the at least one cutting device for controlling the position of the at least one cutting device on the basis of the determined cutting position, and a carcass displacement device arranged to initiate displacement of the carcass part away from the at least one cutting position while the carcass part or a resulting sub-part carried by a carrier is located between the upstream cutting edge and the downstream edge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the carcass displacement device comprises the at least one cutting device that at least partly contribute in displacing the carcass part away from the cutting position via the moving mechanism by means of controlling height displacement of the at least one cutting device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein controlling the height displacement of the at least one cutting device is performed such that subsequent to cutting the carcass part into two pieces, a re-positioning of the at least one cutting device for a subsequent incoming carcass part is carried out in accordance to a determined cutting position for the subsequent carcass part, where the height displacement is carried out such that the upwardly facing surface structure of the at least one cutting device either temporarily acts as a support structure for the resulting first sub-piece attached to a carrier causing it temporarily lift the first sub-piece until it passes the at least one cutting device, or such that the downwardly facing surface structure at least one cutting device acts as a pusher for a second sub-piece causing it to be removed from the carcass part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the carcass displacement device comprises a guiding structure configured to side-wise guide and/or push the carcass part during the cutting so as to remove the cut carcass part, or the resulting sub-part, carried by a carrier side-wise from the at least one cutting device before the cut carcass part, or the resulting sub-part, carried by a carrier reaches the downstream edge of the at least one cutting device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting device comprises a circular rotating cutting saw positioned such that an upwardly facing side of the circular rotating cutting saw defines the upwardly facing surface structure, and a downwardly facing side of the circular rotating cutting saw defines the downwardly facing surface structure, where e.g. the circular rotating cutting saw rotates around a rotation axis, such as around vertical rotational axis or a rotation axis having an angle in relation to a vertical axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting device comprises a band saw positioned such that an upwardly facing side of the band saw defines the upwardly facing surface structure, and a downwardly facing side of the band saw defines the downwardly facing surface structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, wherein the detection device comprises one or more of the following: a three-dimensional (3D) sensor for capturing a 3D profile of the carcass parts, or a light source such as a laser light source for illuminating on the carcass parts where a cut is desired, and a sensor for capturing reflected light from the carcass parts, or a color sensor such as a Red Green Blue (RGB) sensor for capturing color differences on the surface of the carcass parts, or a X-ray apparatus for capturing X-ray image of the carcass parts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning structure configured to interact with the carcass parts while being moved and adjust their angular position such that the carcass parts have a pre-defined angular position when the carcass parts are cut. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging device for engaging with the carcass parts for maintaining the carcass parts in a stationary position relative to the carriers while the cutting takes place. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cutting system according to claim 9, wherein the engaging device comprises at least one suction device configured to engage with the carcass part by means of a suction force while the cutting takes place, and where the suction device is attached to the at least manipulation arm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cutting system according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism comprises a robotic system having at least one manipulation arm, and where the at least one cutting device is attached to the at least manipulation arm, and where the height displacement of the at least one cutting device is carried out by the at least one manipulation arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cutting system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one cutting device and the suction device are attached to different manipulation arms. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A carcass cutting system having a plurality of carriers comprising gambrel carriers, each gambrel having a first end area arranged to carry a first carcass part and an opposite end arranged to carry a second carcass part, wherein the cutting of the first and the second carcass parts is performed simultaneously with two cutting systems according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 A method for cutting carcass parts while the carcass parts are carried by carriers connected to and moved by an overhang transport system, where the cutting is performed using a at least one cutting device having an upwardly and downwardly facing surface structures, the method comprising: determining, by a detection device, a cutting position of an incoming carcass part, controlling the position of the at least one cutting device on the basis of the determined cutting position, and initiating displacement of the carcass part away from the at least one cutting position while the carcass part or a resulting sub-part carried by a carrier is located between the upstream cutting edge and the downstream edge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the carcass parts are half carcasses from a four leg animal such as beef, lamb, pork, and where the cutting position is between adjacent ribs, such as between 2nd and 3rd, between 3rd or 4th, between 4th and 5th, and/or at fore end resulting in that the fore ends define second sub-pieces and optionally a subsequent middle cut such that the middle cuts define the second sub-pieces after the fore end cuts.