# US 2021/0329930 A1 · Press for form pressing meat products, and method of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0329930 A1 - Document ID: US20210329930A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/859,133 - Filed: 2020-04-27 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-27 - Assignees: Provisur Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Provisur Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Ralph Singenberger; Marcel Twardawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210329930A1 ## CPC - A22C 7/003: {Meat-moulds} - A23P 30/10: Moulding - 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) - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS ## Abstract In an embodiment, a form press includes three die assemblies which form press a meat product along the height, width and length thereof. Each die assembly includes a single proportional directional valve which operates a hydraulic cylinder under control of a controller. The three die assemblies are first operated under position control, and are thereafter operated under force/position control. The form press has a single hydraulic circuit which operates the die assemblies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A form press configured to form press a meat product, the form press comprising: a frame having a press plate which defines a longitudinal axis; a reservoir defining a cavity having hydraulic fluid therein; a pump configured to pump the hydraulic fluid from the reservoir; a first die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a height of the meat product, the first die assembly including a first die configured to move along a first press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis; a second die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a width of the meat product, the second die assembly including a second die configured to move along a second press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis and normal to the first press axis; a third die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a length of the meat product, the third die assembly including a third die configured to move along a third press axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis; wherein the press plate and the dies define a press chamber therebetween; each die assembly comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a housing in which a piston and piston rod are movably mounted, a single proportional directional valve coupled to a bottom side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and to a rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the proportional directional valve can be moved to a neutral position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the bottom side chamber or can flow from the bottom side chamber to the rod side chamber, can be moved to a first position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the pump and into the bottom side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the reservoir, and can be moved to a second position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the pump and into the rod side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the bottom side chamber to the reservoir; each die assembly further comprising a first pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the bottom side chamber, and a second pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the rod side chamber; each die assembly further comprising a sensor configured to sense a position of a component of the die assembly relative to the frame; and a controller configured to receive information from each position sensor and from the pressure sensors to individually control movement of the dies along the press axes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initially move each proportional directional valve to the first position based upon positional values from the respective position sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to thereafter move each proportional directional valve to one of the neutral and second positions based upon pressure values from the respective pressure sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The form press of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to move each proportional directional valve to the neutral position based upon positional values from the respective position sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, further comprising a linkage coupled between the hydraulic cylinder of the first die assembly and the first die, wherein the position sensor of the first die assembly senses a vertical position of a component of the linkage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The form press of claim 4, wherein the position sensor of the first die assembly is a linear position sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The form press of claim 4, further comprising a linkage coupled between the hydraulic cylinder of the second die assembly and the second die, wherein the position sensor of the second die assembly senses a rotational position of a component of the linkage of the second die assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The form press of claim 6, wherein the position sensor of the second die assembly is an encoder. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, further comprising a linkage coupled between the hydraulic cylinder of the second die assembly and the second die, wherein the position sensor of the second die assembly senses a rotational position of a component of the linkage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, wherein the position sensor of the first and third die assemblies is a linear position sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The form press of claim 9, wherein the position sensor of the second die assembly is an encoder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, wherein the position sensor of the second die assembly is an encoder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform a referencing process for each die assembly, wherein the controller is configured to move the respective die assembly to a first predetermined position based upon information from the position sensor thereof and measure the pressure from the pressure sensors thereof and generate a value to which the respective hydraulic cylinder is to be extended, and the controller is configured to move the respective die assembly to a second predetermined position based upon information from the position sensor thereof and measure the pressure from the pressure sensors thereof and generate a value to which the respective hydraulic cylinder is to be retracted. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, further comprising: a compensator defining a cavity having air therein, the compensator being attached to the reservoir and in sealed communication with the cavity within the reservoir, wherein air from the compensator is configured to move into the reservoir and air from the reservoir is configured to move into the compensator; and a bi-directional air breather mounted on the reservoir and in communication with the cavity, the air breather being configured to open upon predetermined pressures within the reservoir. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The form press of claim 1, further comprising: a flow divider in communication with a return line of each proportional directional valve; a heat exchanger in communication with the flow divider, wherein the flow divider is configured to divert fluid from the return lines directly to the reservoir when a predetermined pressure is reached in the return lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The form press of claim 14, further comprising: a compensator defining a cavity having air therein, the compensator being attached to the reservoir and in sealed communication with the cavity within the reservoir, wherein air from the compensator is configured to move into the reservoir and air from the reservoir is configured to move into the compensator; and a bi-directional air breather mounted on the reservoir and in communication with the cavity, the air breather being configured to open upon predetermined pressures within the reservoir. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The form press of claim 15, further comprising a diffuser at an inlet to the reservoir, and a baffle plate within the reservoir, wherein the baffle plate is between the inlet and the pump. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The form press of claim 15, further comprising: a compensator defining a cavity having air therein, the compensator being attached to the reservoir and in sealed communication with the cavity within the reservoir, wherein air from the compensator is configured to move into the reservoir and air from the reservoir is configured to move into the compensator; and a bi-directional air breather mounted on the reservoir and in communication with the cavity, the air breather being configured to open upon predetermined pressures within the reservoir. ### Claim 18 A form press configured to form press a meat product, the form press comprising: a frame having a press plate which defines a longitudinal axis; a reservoir defining a cavity having hydraulic fluid therein; a pump configured to pump the hydraulic fluid from the reservoir; a first die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a height of the meat product, the first die assembly including a first die configured to move along a first press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis; a second die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a width of the meat product, the second die assembly including a second die configured to move along a second press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis and normal to the first press axis; a third die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a length of the meat product, the third die assembly including a third die configured to move along a third press axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis; wherein the press plate and the dies define a press chamber therebetween; each die assembly comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a housing in which a piston and piston rod are movably mounted, a single proportional directional valve coupled to a bottom side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and to a rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the proportional directional valve can be moved to a neutral position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the bottom side chamber or can flow from the bottom side chamber to the rod side chamber, can be moved to a first position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the pump and into the bottom side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the reservoir, and can be moved to a second position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the pump and into the rod side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the bottom side chamber to the reservoir; each die assembly further comprising a first pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the bottom side chamber, and a second pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the rod side chamber; a controller configured to receive information from the pressure sensors to individually control movement of the dies along the press axes; a compensator defining a cavity having air therein, the compensator being attached to the reservoir and in sealed communication with the cavity within the reservoir, wherein air from the compensator is configured to move into the reservoir and air from the reservoir is configured to move into the compensator; and a bi-directional air breather mounted on the reservoir and in communication with the cavity, the air breather being configured to open upon predetermined pressures within the reservoir. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The form press of claim 18, further comprising: a flow divider in communication with a return line of each proportional directional valve; a heat exchanger in communication with the flow divider, wherein the flow divider is configured to divert fluid from the return lines directly to the reservoir when a predetermined pressure is reached in the return lines. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The form press of claim 18, further comprising a diffuser at an inlet to the reservoir, and a baffle plate within the reservoir, wherein the baffle plate is between the inlet and the pump. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The form press of claim 18, further comprising a filter between the reservoir and the proportional directional valves. ### Claim 22 A form press configured to form press a meat product, the form press comprising: a frame having a press plate which defines a longitudinal axis; a reservoir defining a cavity having hydraulic fluid therein; a first die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a height of the meat product, the first die assembly including a first die configured to move along a first press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis; a second die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a width of the meat product, the second die assembly including a second die configured to move along a second press axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis and normal to the first press axis; a third die assembly mounted on the frame and configured to form press the meat product along a length of the meat product, the third die assembly including a third die configured to move along a third press axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis; wherein the press plate and the dies define a press chamber therebetween; each die assembly comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a housing in which a piston and piston rod are movably mounted, the piston defining a bottom side chamber within the housing and a rod side chamber within the housing within the hydraulic cylinder, a single proportional directional valve coupled to the bottom side chamber and to the rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the proportional directional valve can be moved to a neutral position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the bottom side chamber or can flow from the bottom side chamber to the rod side chamber, can be moved to a first position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the reservoir and into the bottom side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the rod side chamber to the reservoir, and can be moved to a second position wherein hydraulic fluid can flow from the reservoir and into the rod side chamber and hydraulic fluid can flow from the bottom side chamber to the reservoir; each die assembly further comprising a first pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the bottom side chamber, and a second pressure sensor coupled between the proportional directional valve and the rod side chamber; a controller configured to receive information from the pressure sensors to individually control movement of the dies along the press axes; a single pump and motor configured to pump hydraulic fluid from the reservoir to an input line of each proportional directional valve; a flow divider in communication with a return line of each proportional directional valve; a heat exchanger in communication with the flow divider, wherein the flow divider is configured to divert fluid from the return lines directly to the reservoir when a predetermined pressure is reached in the return lines. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The form press of claim 22, further comprising a diffuser at an inlet to the reservoir, and a baffle plate within the reservoir, wherein the baffle plate is between the inlet and the pump.