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US 2007/0178819 A1Published application
Meat Sortation
AssigneeCargill, Incorporated
InventorsDavid McKenna, Paul Hiemenz, H. Dolezal, Bilynn Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for sorting animal protein is provided. The method includes determining a desired characteristic of a cut of meat from an animal portion and associating the desired characteristic with an attribute of the animal portion. The attribute is ascertained and the animal portion is sorted based on the ascertained attribute. Like animal portions are grouped together for further processing as a group.
Claims22
A method of sorting animal portions comprising:
- determining a desired characteristic of a cut of meat from an animal portion;
- associating the desired characteristic with an attribute of the animal portion;
- ascertaining the attribute of the animal portion;
- sorting the animal portion based on the ascertained attribute, wherein like animal portions are grouped together for further processing as a group;
- and
- determining generally uniform cuts of meat in the group.
3 more elements
A method of sorting animal portions comprising:
- measuring an attribute of a first carcass having a first value and measuring an attribute of a second carcass having a second value;
- determining whether each of the first value and the second value are within a predetermined range of values;
- sorting a first cut of meat of the first carcass into a first group if the first value is within the predetermined range of values and into a second group if the first value is outside the predetermined range of values;
- sorting a second cut of meat of the second carcass into the first group if the second value is within the predetermined range of values and into the second sort group if the second value is outside the predetermined range of values;
- and
- separately fabricating in batches the first group and the second group into cuts of meat smaller than each of the first cut of meat and the second cut of meat;
- wherein the smaller cuts of meat from the first group are generally uniform.
4 more elements
A meat sorting process, comprising:
- identifying at least one attribute of meat to be processed;
- determining at least one of a threshold value and a range of threshold values relating to the at least one identified attribute for sorting the meat to be processed in accordance with the at least one identified attribute;
- grouping meat that satisfies the at least one of a threshold value and a range of threshold values relating to the at least one identified attribute;
- determining generally uniform cuts of meat in the grouped meat;
- and processing the meat.
2 more elements
A method for sorting beef strip loin subprimals comprising:
- determining a desired weight and thickness of primary strip steaks from the beef strip loin subprimals;
- ascertaining a ribeye area of the beef strip loin subprimals;
- determining whether the ribeye area falls within a predetermined range;
- and
- sorting the beef strip loin subprimals based on whether the ribeye area falls within the predetermined range, wherein beef strip loin subprimals having a ribeye area within the predetermined range are grouped together for further processing into strip steaks as a group;
- and
- determining generally uniform cuts of meat in the group.
4 more elements
A system of sorting animal portions comprising:
- means for associating a desired characteristic of a cut of meat from an animal portion with an attribute of the animal portion;
- means for ascertaining the attribute of the animal portion;
- and
- means sorting the animal portion based on the ascertained attribute, wherein like animal portions are grouped together for further processing as a group;
- and
- means for determining generally uniform cuts of meat in the grouped animal portions.
3 more elements
A system of sorting animal portions comprising:
- a sensing system for ascertaining an attribute, wherein the sensing system comprises a vision grading system and wherein the sensing system is configured to provide a signal representative of the attribute to a control system;
- a control system for implementing a control program which provides output signals based on input signals, the input signals being based on the attribute and the output signals indicating a sorting decision, the sorting decision comprising a determination of generally uniform cuts of meat in a sorted group;
- wherein like animal portions are grouped together for further processing as a group.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.