# US 12,213,491 B2 · System and method for processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass

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- Number: US 12,213,491 B2
- Document ID: US12213491B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/266,459
- Filed: 2021-12-10
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-18
- Assignees: Marel Poultry B.V.
- Applicants: Marel Poultry B.V.
- Inventors: Mike Christiaan Maria Mooren; Laurens Christian Philippo; Marinus Petrus Johannes Thijssen; Maurice Eduardus Theodorus Van Esbroeck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213491B2

## CPC

- A22C 21/0023: {Dividing poultry}
- A22C 21/0053: {Transferring or conveying devices for poultry}
- B65G 17/485: {the load carriers being suspended}
- B65G 2201/0202: Agricultural and processed food products
- 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)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A system and method are provided for processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass, comprising a back portion and legs, and transported by a conveyor in a suspended manner. The system comprises a back turning device, having a stationary frame and a receiving element movably connected to the frame and configured to receive at least a part of the back portion and configured to be moved in the conveying direction with at least said part of the back portion received in the receiving element during continued movement of the backhalve so as to turn the back portion upside-down; and a separation device for separating the legs from the back portion with the back portion in said upside-down orientation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass, the backhalve comprising a back portion and legs connected thereto and which backhalve is transported by a conveyor in a suspended manner in a conveying direction with the legs hanging from the conveyor in use of the system, the system comprising:
a back turning device, having a stationary frame and a receiving element which is movably connected to the frame, wherein the receiving element is configured to receive therein at least a part of the back portion and is further configured to be moved in the conveying direction with at least said part of the back portion received in the receiving element during continued movement of the backhalve in the conveying direction during use, so as to turn the back portion upside-down as a result of said movement of the receiving element; and
a separation device, provided downstream of the back turning device in the conveying direction, and configured for separating the legs from the back portion with the back portion in said upside down orientation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element has at least two elongate extension elements defining a receiving space there between for receiving at least the part of the back portion of the backhalve in the receiving space.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element is configured to lift the back portion during said movement of the receiving element in the conveying direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said movement of the receiving element in the conveying direction comprises at least a rotation movement, so as to turn the back portion upside-down as a result of said rotation movement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system according to claim 4, wherein the receiving element is rotatably connected to the frame about a rotation axis transverse to the conveying direction, and wherein said movement of the receiving element in the conveying direction comprises a rotation in a vertical plane about the rotation axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system according to claim 5, wherein the back turning device has multiple of said receiving elements, each rotatable about the rotation axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system according to claim 6, wherein the multiple receiving elements comprise three receiving elements, each fixated to and extending radially from a central base part defining the rotation axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system according claim 1, wherein the receiving element is configured to move in the conveying direction with the back portion received in the receiving element such that an upstream end of the back portion is moved in the conveying direction between and past the legs, or at least hip joints thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the back turning device has a drive unit operatively connected to the receiving element for moving the receiving element in the conveying direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, further comprising a stationary guide for keeping at least the part of the back portion of the backhalve in the receiving element during the turning of the back portion by the back turning device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting device upstream of the back turning device, for cutting connections at or at least near the hip joints.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the separation device comprises a separation conveyor supporting the back portion in its upside-down orientation downstream of the back turning device, wherein the separation conveyor, for the purpose of separating the legs from the back portion, is configured to be moved at a speed different than that of the conveyor, and/or is configured to be moved away from the conveyor, and/or wherein the system comprises a leg cutting device along the separation conveyor.

### Claim 13

A method of processing a backhalve of a slaughtered poultry carcass, the backhalve comprising a back portion and legs connected thereto, the method comprising:
transporting the backhalve in a suspended manner by a conveyor in a conveying direction, with the legs hanging from the conveyor;
receiving at least a part of the back portion in a receiving element of a back turning device, which receiving element is movably connected to a stationary frame of the back turning device;
turning the back portion upside-down while at least said part of the back portion is received in the receiving element, by moving the receiving element in the conveying direction during continued movement of the backhalve in the conveying direction; and
separating the legs from the back portion with the back portion in said upside down orientation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 13)

The method of claim 13, in which a system according to claim 1 is used.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein for the purpose of the step of turning, the back portion is lifted during the moving of the receiving element in the conveying direction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein said movement of the receiving element in the conveying direction comprises at least a rotation movement, so as to turn the back portion upside-down as a result of said rotation movement.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, wherein the receiving element is rotatably connected to the frame about a rotation axis transverse to the conveying direction and wherein for the purpose of turning the back portion upside-down, the receiving element is rotated in a vertical plane about the rotation axis.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein during the moving of the receiving element in the conveying direction with at least said part of the back portion received in the receiving element, an upstream end of the back portion is moved in the conveying direction between and past the legs, or at least hip joints thereof.