US 2001/0036807 A1 · Method and apparatus for removing fat from meat cuts

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing a portion of fat from meat cuts involves placing a meat cut on a longitudinal conveyor, pressing sensor probes into the meat cut to measure the relative thickness of fact and the location of lean in the meat, and then withdrawing the sensor probes from the meat. An electronic signal is transmitted from the sensor to a controller along with an encoder signal to determine the depth from the outer lower surface of the meat cut through a layer of fat in the meat to a layer of lean in the meat. Data taken from the foregoing step determine the desired position of the blade, which removes the appropriate amount of fat to be removed from the meat cut.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for removing a portion of fat from meat cuts, comprising,

placing a meat cut on a longitudinal conveyor,
pressing at least one sensor probe into the meat cut to measure the thickness of fat and the location of lean in the meat cut, and then withdrawing the sensor probes from the meat,
taking an electronic signal from the sensor probe and determining the depth from an outer lower surface of the meat cut through a layer of fat in the meat cut to a layer of lean in the meat cut,
taking data from the preceding step and adjusting the position of a blade to a predetermined position with respect to the meat cut to remove a portion of fat from the meat cut to expose a given area of lean, and
cutting the portion of fat from the meat cut and varying the position of the blade while the cutting of the meat cut is taking place to optimize the amount of fat portion being removed.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for removing fat from meat cuts

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for removing fat from meat cuts

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12