Three axis portioning method

• Main Authors: RUDY NORMAN A, KIM KWANG S, WIJTS STAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.11.2010
• Subjects: BUTCHERING; CUTTING; CUTTING-OUT; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING,CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HAND CUTTING TOOLS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEAT TREATMENT; PERFORATING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH; PUNCHING; SEVERING; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING; STAMPING-OUT; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A method for portioning foodstuffs in three dimensions includes scanning the foodstuff to be portion, generating a three-dimensional map of the foodstuff, then comparing the generated three-dimensional map of the foodstuff with the desired shape which is stored in the memory of a computer. A computer then determines a particular cutting path in three dimensions in order to arrive at the predetermined shape, followed by a cutting in one direction to fix at least one dimension of the foodstuff, then determining whether the foodstuff is within the tolerance limits. The foodstuff is thereafter cut along its other dimensions to arrive at a portion trimmed along three dimensions.