System and method for inspecting poultry slaughter products

A system for inspecting products including poultry slaughter products, comprising

• a supply transport line comprising successive first product carriers;
• at least two inspection lines comprising successive inspection product carriers;
• at least one discharge transport line comprising successive second product carriers, wherein each of said first, second and inspection product carriers are configured to carry and transport a respective one of the products;
• a first product transfer system for successively transferring the products from the first product carriers of the supply transport line to the inspection product carriers while distributing the products over the at least two inspection lines according to a predetermined manner;
• an inspection station along each of the at least two inspection lines, each inspection station arranged for inspecting the products passing said inspection station while being transported by a respective one of the at least two inspection lines during use;
• and
• a second product transfer system for successively transferring the products from inspection product carriers to respective second product carriers of the at least one discharge transport line;
• a control system having a processor and a memory element for storing thereon data relating to an individual product carried by a specific first product carrier of the supply transport line, the control system being operatively connected to the first and second product transfer systems, and arranged for associating said data to a specific inspection product carrier of the inspection line to which said product is transferred by the first product transfer system, and for associating said data to a specific second product carrier of the at least one discharge transport line to which said product is transferred from said inspection product carrier by the second product transfer system.

A method of inspecting poultry slaughter products, the method comprising the steps of:

• supplying the products to be inspected using a supply transport line comprising successive first product carriers;
• successively transferring the products to at least two inspection lines using a first product transfer system including a first carrousel rotating for transferring the products from the first product carriers of the supply transport line to the inspection product carriers while distributing the products over the at least two inspection lines according to a predetermined manner;
• inspecting the products at an inspection station located along each of the at least two inspection lines as the products are transported along the at least two inspection lines;
• successively transferring the products, which have been inspected, from the at least two inspection lines to at least one discharge transport line using a second product transfer system, including a second carrousel rotating for transferring the products from the inspection product carriers to respective second product carriers of the at least one discharge transport line;
• wherein the supply transport line operates at a supply transport line speed greater than an inspection line speed of at least one of the two inspection lines.