DK181518B1

DK181518B1 - Meat injection device

Info

Publication number: DK181518B1
Application number: DKPA202270252A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Fenger Martin
Original assignee: Fomaco As
Priority date: 2022-05-12
Filing date: 2022-05-12
Publication date: 2024-04-02
Also published as: DK202270252A1

Abstract

An injection device (5) for injecting a liquid into meat comprising a cuboid housing (61) with a straight U-shaped channel (95) on top and a conveyor (53) arranged in the channel (95) for moving foodstuff along. A needle bridge (4) is arranged above and across the conveying surface (54) of the conveyor (53) with vertically movable hollow injection needles (12) to inject the foodstuff on the conveyor (53). A removable cover (58) is arranged on top of the housing (61) to cover the channel (95) and the needle bridge (4). The cover (58) can comprise two independently movable transparent cover elements (58A, 58B) hinged to a frame (62) to swing open and allow access to the conveyor (53) and the needle bridge (4).

Description

DK 181518 B1 1

MEAT INJECTION DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a device for injecting liquids into meat products, and more particularly to a modular meat injection device and a drive system for such a meat injection device.

BACKGROUND

The process of tenderizing or basting meat has been performed for many years to improve the taste and/or tenderness of meat products prior to consumption. In classic examples, meats were basted by applying fluids to the surface, or a hand tool such as a mallet or hammer was used having series of teeth to strike a meat product to create openings. These openings were often also used to introduce an edible fluid, such as a brine, to permeate the meat. The brine typically served to further soften the meat and also to introduce flavorings.

Automated meat injection devices are nowadays well known in the meat industry. These devices usually have a fluid manifold with fluid reservoirs and a group of injection needles associated with the reservoirs. The purpose of these machines is to inject brine into meat pieces at a pre-determined percentage rate at a larger scale, with the main purpose of improving conservation, adding flavor, and adding volume. It is further known to use needle bridges or injection heads in devices intended for injecting brine to meat pieces on a support surface of a meat conveyor. These needle bridges generally comprise a main body and a plurality of parallel hollow needles that can be retracted with respect to the main

DK 181518 B1 2 body against elastic means acting on an upper end of each needle opposite the tip thereof. In such injection devices, the bridge 1s actuated by driving means to vertically reciprocate between an upper position, in which the tip of the needles is at a distance from the support surface of the conveyor sufficient for enabling the meat pieces to pass under the needle bridges, and a lower position, in which the lower needle portions of the needles are stuck into the meat pieces located under the needle bridges. Brine supplying means are usually provided for supplying brine to an inlet opening of each needle when they are in the lower position.

CN209628573U describes a prior art meat injection device with a housing, a top surface with two support walls separated by an upwardly opening channel, and a conveyor with a conveying surface arranged in the channel for moving foodstuff along the channel. The injection device comprises a single, non- adjustable needle bridge arranged above the conveying surface, with a plurality of hollow injection needles arranged movably in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface.

Among the main shortcomings of existing meat injection devices are their large footprint both when in use and when not in use; lack of adaptability to different use cases and production layouts; difficulty of cleaning individual components after use; loss of brine material; and difficulty in filtering brine material causing a blockage of needles.

SUMMARY

It is therefore a principal object of the present disclosure to provide a meat product injection device that addresses and

DK 181518 B1 3 overcomes at least some of the above and other shortcomings of existing meat injection machines.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved by the features of the independent claim. Further implementation forms are apparent from the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

According to a first aspect, there is provided an injection device for injecting a liquid into meat comprising: a housing comprising at least two oppositely arranged lateral side walls, a bottom, and a top surface together defining an enclosure; the top surface comprising two support walls separated by an upwardly opening channel extending substantially straight between and opening to the oppositely arranged side walls; a conveyor comprising a conveying surface arranged in the channel for moving foodstuff along the channel in a conveying direction; a needle bridge arranged above the conveying surface, the needle bridge comprising a plurality of hollow injection needles arranged movably in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface; and an at least partially removable cover arranged above the channel, at least partially covering the needle bridge, the needle bridge comprising a plurality of stacked modular needle bridge blocks.

A meat injection device according to the first aspect allows for a reduced footprint both when in use and when not in use, while the removable cover enables easy access for removing

DK 181518 B1 4 and/or cleaning the components otherwise enclosed or covered, such as the conveyor and the needle bridge.

The modular design of the needle bridge allows for great variability to fit different meat sizes and conveyor dimensions. Such modular blocks are also easy to assemble and dismantle and enables more efficient cleaning of the needle bridge components. Furthermore, the modular needle blocks are simpler and more cost-effective to manufacture at scale than the complex and varying components of prior art needle bridges.

In an embodiment the channel is defined by a rectangular U- shaped cross-section at least along a portion of its length.

In an embodiment the channel is defined by a rectangular U- shaped cross-section along its entire length.

In an embodiment the channel extends horizontally, wherein the conveying surface is also arranged horizontally with the plurality of hollow injection needles arranged to be vertically movable in the needle bridge.

In an embodiment the housing is defined by a rectangular cuboid shape with four lateral side walls.

In an embodiment the cover is arranged to correspond to the outline of the top surface and to fully cover the channel.

In an embodiment the cover is arranged to fully surround the needle bridge.

In an embodiment the cover is arranged on top of and supported by the support walls.

In a possible implementation form of the first aspect the at least partially removable cover comprises a cover frame extending over the needle bridge, and at least a first cover

DK 181518 B1 element and a second cover element disposed on opposite sides of the cover frame and arranged to be independently removable from above the channel.

In an embodiment the cover frame comprises two legs, each leg 5 supported by one of the support walls.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect at least one of the first cover element and the second cover element are connected to the cover frame by at least one hinge element allowing the first cover element and/or the second cover element to be swung to an open position around the at least one hinge element to allow access to the needle bridge and/or the conveyor.

In an embodiment wherein at least one of the first cover element and the second cover element are at least partially transparent for allowing an operator to see through the cover 58 even in a closed state. In an embodiment at least one of the first cover element and the second cover element comprises thermo molded, transparent polycarbonate shells.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the conveying surface comprises an extended portion that extends from the channel in at least one direction beyond a respective side wall of the housing; wherein the conveyor comprises at least one foldable end section protruding from the side wall to support the extended portion of the conveying surface; and wherein the foldable end section is connected to the side wall through connection means allowing the foldable end section to be folded up or down for reducing the footprint of the device.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the housing comprises a removable tank for supplying brine to

DK 181518 B1 6 the needle bridge, the removable tank being arranged to fit into the enclosure with its entire volume.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the device further comprises a pump for pumping brine from the tank to the needle bridge, the pump being at least partially arranged within the enclosure.

In an embodiment the pump at least partially protrudes from the enclosure for allowing easier access for maintenance.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the device further comprises at least one particle filter arranged downstream from the pump substantially within the enclosure. This allows preventing blockage of the injection needles.

In an embodiment the filter at least partially protrudes from the enclosure through an opening allowing easier access for maintenance.

In an embodiment the filter is a fine filter arranged for filtering out particles larger than 0,5 mm in diameter to prevent blockage of injection needles 12.

In an embodiment the device further comprises a coarse filter integrated in the tank for additional filtering upstream from the pump, arranged for filtering out particles larger than 2 mm in diameter.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the device further comprises a control panel movably and/or removably connected to a side wall of the device housing, the control panel comprising a control interface allowing manual control of the device.

DK 181518 B1 7

In an embodiment the control panel is substantially wing- shaped, with a substantially rectangular middle portion comprising the control interface, and two triangular side portions arranged on opposite sides of the middle portion.

In an embodiment the control interface comprises display means, such as a touchscreen module, and/or a rotatable knob for manually and dynamically adjusting various settings during operation.

In an embodiment the control panel is arranged to be removable using bolts, allowing efficient hardware and software updates without the need for changing or transporting the rest of the device.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the housing further comprises liquid collecting means arranged within the enclosure below the conveyor for collecting brine overflowing the conveying surface, the liquid collecting means comprising at least one downward sloping guide surface for guiding the overflow brine to a trough, the trough comprising at least one opening arranged to let the collected brine to flow into the tank. This allows saving and reusing overflow brine that would otherwise be lost.

In a further possible implementation form of the first aspect the modular needle bridge blocks comprise a plurality of needle head cavities with a needle head arranged therein movably in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface, each needle head comprising at least one injection needle.

The ability to align adjacent modular needle blocks further allows for regular and specific needle patterns which can

DK 181518 B1 8 ensure uniform distribution of brine in the meat products to be injected.

In possible implementation form of the first aspect, the needle bridge blocks are manufactured as solid blocks, either by additive manufacturing such as milling, casting, molding, or 3D printing, or subtractive manufacturing; with the needle cavities and aligning means provided as cavities, protrusions, and recessions in the solid blocks.

In a further possible embodiment at least one of the modular blocks comprises a polymer selected from a group comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PETP, ertalyte TX (PETP-

TX), polyethylene (PE), polyether ether ketone (PEEK) , polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polypropylene (PP).

In a further possible embodiment at least one of the modular blocks comprises a metal selected from a group comprising

EN1.4418; EN1.4405; EN1.4401; EN1.4301; EN1.4305; and

EN1.4307.

In an embodiment the edges and/or corners of the housing are chamfered for reducing any risk of accidents and for providing a distinct appearance.

According to a second aspect, there is provided an injection device for injecting a liquid into meat comprising a housing, a conveyor comprising a conveying surface arranged for moving foodstuff between an entrance arranged at one side of the housing and an exit arranged at an opposite side of the housing; a needle bridge arranged above the conveying surface, the needle bridge comprising a plurality of hollow injection needles arranged movably in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface; and a drive system configured to

DK 181518 B1 9 move the conveying surface in at least two opposite conveying directions between the entrance and the exit.

A meat injection device according to the second aspect allows for an improved adaptability to different use cases and production layouts compared to prior art devices.

In an embodiment the drive system is configured to move the conveying surface in a direction from the entrance to the exit and also in a direction from the exit to the entrance.

In a possible implementation form of the second aspect the conveying surface is part of an endless belt arranged to be moved by at least one reversibly rotatable conveyor pulley operatively connected to the drive system.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the conveying surface is arranged to revolve around at least one conveyor pin, the at least one conveyor pin being arranged removably in the conveyor to provide tension along the opposite conveying directions and to remove the tension when the at least one conveyor pin is removed from the conveyor.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect at least one conveyor pin is arranged to be accessible and removable from at least one side of the conveyor, allowing the conveying surface to be removed from the conveyor.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the conveyor comprises at least one foldable end section arranged to be folded away into the housing once the conveyor pin is removed and tension on conveying surface is removed.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the drive system is configured to move the conveying surface in a stepped manner in at least one of the conveying

DK 181518 B1 10 directions, each step advancing the conveying surface with one step length S per stroke of the needle bridge.

In an embodiment the needle bridge comprises successive rows of needles along the conveying directions with a second distance d2 defined between the successive rows; and wherein the second distance d2 between successive rows of needle cavities in the conveying direction is equal to the step length d2 = 3S.

In an embodiment the step length is S = 33 mm.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the drive system comprises a Geneva drive comprising a drive gear driven by a reversible operation, continuously rotating drive means, the drive gear comprising a drive pin arranged to periodically engage and disengage a slot arranged in a

Geneva gear, while turning the Geneva gear at an angle defined by the radius and the number of slots of the Geneva gear, thus converting the continuous rotation of the drive means into a stepped rotation of the Geneva gear.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the conveying surface is arranged to be moved by at least one rotating conveyor pulley, and wherein the Geneva gear is operatively connected to the conveyor pulley through at least one timing belt.

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect an angular gear is further arranged between the Geneva gear and the conveyor pulley.

In an embodiment the angular gear 72 is arranged with a 1:1 ratio.

DK 181518 B1 11

In a further possible implementation form of the second aspect the device further comprises a control interface allowing manual control of the conveying direction of the conveyor.

These and other aspects will be apparent from the embodiment (s) described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed portion of the present disclosure, the aspects, embodiments and implementations will be explained in more detail with reference to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. la is a left side view of a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Fig. 1b is a front view of a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Fig. lc is a top view of a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Figs. 2a and 2b are elevated views showing the right side of a meat injection device according to the disclosure with both cover elements on and one of the cover elements removed.

Figs. 3a and 3b are elevated views showing the left side of a meat injection device according to the disclosure with both cover elements on and one of the cover elements removed.

Figs. 4a and 4b are cross-sectional views of a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a cut-away isolated view of the conveyor of a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

DK 181518 B1 12

Fig. 6a is a front view of a modular needle bridge for a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Fig. 6b and 6c are bottom views of a modular needle bridge for a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Figs. 7a, 7b, 7c are a cut-away views of a drive system for a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Figs. 8a, 8b, 8c are elevated views of different cover element arrangements for a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

Fig. 8d is an isometric view of a cover element for a meat injection device according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figs. la through 1c show different views of a meat injection device 5 according to the disclosure.

The device 5 is configured to inject a liquid, in particular brine, into foodstuff such as meat products, with the main purpose of improving conservation, adding flavor, and adding volume. The fabrication of the brine (including the recipe) and operation of the machine is the responsibility of the user.

For the quality of the end product, which correlates with the injection level in the foodstuff, it is paramount to be able to control the injection precisely i.e., that the device 5 ensures a uniform distribution and the correct amount of brine in the end product. This is ensured through a combination of brine filtration, injection pressure, injection speed, needle design, and needle bridge design. A third parameter affecting

DK 181518 B1 13 the injection level is brine temperature. This is, however, not controlled through the device 5.

The main components of the meat injection device 5, as illustrated in the figures, are the substantially box-shaped or rectangular cuboid-shaped device housing 61 enclosing the main operational components of the device 5, conveyor 53 with a conveying surface 54 for placing the foodstuff on to be conveyed into the device 5 to be injected with brine, the traveling direction of the conveying surface 54 defining an entrance 77 and exit 78 end for the conveyor 53, which may be reversed via a control interface 59 as will be explained below. The housing may have chamfered edges and corners for reducing any risk of accidents and for providing a distinct appearance.

In the housing 61, there is further integrated a removable brine tank 55 arranged to fit neatly to the box-shape and be accessible for removal from a side of the device 5, a pump 56 for pumping brine from the brine tank 55 to be injected into the foodstuff, and a fine filter 57 arranged downstream from the pump 56 for filtering out particles larger than 0,5 mm in diameter to prevent blockage of injection needles 12. For additional filtering upstream from the pump 56 the brine tank may comprise an integrated coarse filter for filtering out particles larger than 2 mm in diameter. The thus fine-filtered brine is forwarded towards a needle bridge 4 arranged below a removable cover 58, the needle bridge 4 comprising needle heads 1 with injection needles 12 through which the foodstuff is injected, as will be explained below. Both the fine filter 57 and the pump 56 is arranged to slightly protrude from the box-shaped housing 61, thereby allowing easier access for cleaning.

DK 181518 B1 14

The brine tank 55 has three different use cases. In operation the tank 55 is used for brine mixing and as the buffer tank feeding the brine to the system. The coarse filter cage in the top of the tank 55 filters off particles larger than 2 mm. During cleaning the tank 55 is used as a cleaning station to contain all parts that are dismantled from the device 5 for cleaning, such as the removable conveyor belt frame 83, conveyor belt 54, needle bridge 4 parts, injection needles 12 and needle heads 1. When the device 5 is not in operation (parked), the tank 55 is used to store the suction hose.

The device housing 61 further comprises the reversible drive system 70 for the conveyor, and liquid collection means 64 for collecting overflow brine and returning it to the brine tank 55, thereby closing the circle of liquid flow.

The device 5 is operated through a control interface 59 arranged in a wing-shaped control panel 69 at the left side of the device 5 as shown in Fig. la and 1b. The control interface 59 may comprise display means that may be a touchscreen module, as well as a rotatable knob for adjusting various settings.

The wing-shaped control panel 69 may be arranged to be removable, e.g. by removing bolts, allowing efficient hardware and software updates without the need for changing or transporting the rest of the device 5. The control panel 69 may also be connected to the side of the device 5 through adjustable connection means, such as hinges, allowing for changing the viewing angle of the control interface 59 on the control panel 69. The shape of the control panel 69 can also be different from the wing-shaped exemplary embodiment shown

DK 181518 B1 15 in Fig. la, such as rectangular, or any other shape readily conceivable for a skilled person.

To control the injection level the operator can adjust pump pressure and speed (number of strokes of the bridge per minute) on the control panel 69 through the control interface 59, Another feature of the control panel 69 is the option to save pre-defined settings of pump pressure and bridge speed (recipes).

Structures and features that are the same or similar to corresponding structures and features previously described or shown hereinbelow are denoted by the same reference numeral as previously used, not only for simplicity but also to indicate that said features solve the technical problem in an analogous way.

As shown in Fig. 2a and 2b, as well as 3a and 3b, the removable cover 58 may comprise at least two distinctly operable cover elements, e.g. a first cover element 58A and a second cover element 58B. These may be removable from the housing 61 separately, as shown in Fig. 2b and 3b, allowing access to the conveyor 53 and the needle bridge 4 for cleaning, adjusting, or removal. The cover elements 58A and 58B may also be hinged allowing rotational opening upwards or to the side of one or both elements, as shown in Figs. 8a, 8b, 8c and will be explained later.

At least one or all of the cover elements 58A and 58B may be transparent for allowing the operator to see through the cover 58 even in a closed state, and monitor the injection process, in particular to be able to see the needle bridge 4 and the conveying surface 54.

DK 181518 B1 16

As shown in the cross-sectional view of the device 5 in Fig. 4a, the conveying surface 54 may be arranged as an endless belt traveling around conveyor pulleys 75 and conveyor pins 76, with at least one conveyor pulley 75 being arranged to be driven by the reversible drive system 70 located in the housing 61.

The conveyor pins 76 are arranged to be removable to any of their sides in an axial direction, thereby removing tension from the endless belt conveying surface 54, which can subsequently be removed as well for cleaning or replacement.

Once the tension is loosened on the endless belt 54, foldable end sections 79 arranged on one or both sides of the conveyor 53 can either be removed or folded upwards or downwards so that these protruding end sections of the conveyor 53 can be packed into the housing 61, thereby reducing the footprint of the device when not in use. This allows for an approximately 1200 x 800 mm total footprint taken up by the box-shaped device 5 when stored away. The mobility of the device 5 is further enhanced by removable wheels 68, each revolving around a horizontal wheel axis and also arranged to rotate around the vertical rotational axis for better maneuverability.

As further shown in Fig. 3a and the cross-section of Fig. 4a, in the housing 61 there is further arranged liquid collecting means 64 for collecting overflow brine through the conveying surface 54, which is guided by sloping guide surfaces 65 arranged below the conveyor 53 towards a trough 66 protruding down towards the brine tank 55. Openings 67 arranged in the trough 66 lead the overflow brine to the brine tank 55, through the coarse filter as described above. The guide surfaces 65 and the trough 66 also help to visually divide the clean "food processing” area from its surroundings.

DK 181518 B1 17

Fig. 4b shows a cross-section at a pane perpendicular that of

Fig. 4a, illustrating the drive system 70 integrated into the housing 61, which will be explained in detail with respect to

Figs. 7a, 7b, and 7c. This cross-section further shows the needle bridge 4 arranged on a support plate 60 above the conveying surface 54, as will be explained in detail with respect to Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c.

Fig. 5 illustrates the reversible conveyor 53 defining a conveying surface 54, in this case an endless belt, tensioned and revolving around conveyor pins 76 and at least one conveyor pulley 75, the conveying direction itself defined by the rotational movement of the conveyor pulley 75 driven by the reversible drive system, as will be explained below. When a meat piece is placed on the conveying surface 54 from an entrance 77 (also defined by the conveying direction), it is advanced at each stroke of the conveyor pulley 75 by a step.

Needle heads 1 comprised within needle cavities 31 of a needle bridge 4, as shown in Fig. 6c below, are arranged movably in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface 54. When in use, the conveyor 53 is configured to advance in a stepped manner in a conveying direction, each step advancing one step length S, which in a particular embodiment equals a second distance d2 between two parallel rows of needle cavities 31 in a needle bridge 4 as shown in Fig. 6b. When this second distance d2 between successive rows of needle head cavities 31 in the conveying direction is equal to the step length d2 = S, the resulting pattern obtained on the injected meat is a regular and dense pattern of evenly distributed injection sites.

As further shown in Fig. 5, the conveyor may comprise a removable conveyor frame 83 arranged between the entrance 77

DK 181518 B1 18 and the exit 78 sides, which can also be removed from the device 5 once the tension on the conveyor belt 54 is loosened and the belt 54 is removed.

Fig. 6a through 6c show a particular embodiment of a needle bridge 4 that further improves the compactness and adaptability of the meat injection device 5. This needle bridge 4 comprises modular needle bridge blocks 3 arranged stacked on top of each other. The needle bridge blocks 3 are aligned by alignment means, such as protrusions and depressions arranged in corresponding surfaces of the blocks 3. The modular blocks 3 may further comprise fastening means 37, which in Fig. 6a comprises two guide channels 38, which are arranged to receive elongated fastening means, such as a threaded rod to hold stacked blocks 3 in place during operation.

As shown in Fig. 6b, the modular needle bridge blocks 3 further comprise needle head cavities 31, arranged in two rows, and extending through the lower blocks 3, to create a continuous elongated cavity within which needle heads 1 and corresponding needles 12 may travel, for example when any of the needles 12 hit a bone in the meat product on the conveyor 53. The continuity of the elongated cavity is enabled by alignment means and the fastening means 37. Needle cavities 31 are separated by a distance which is chosen to allow a maximum of needle heads 1 to fit in each block 3, while ensuring sturdiness and structural integrity of cavities 31.

Thus, needle cavities are arranged with respect to each other and the respective edges of the modular needle bridge blocks 3 such that needle head cavities 31 are spaced evenly at the same distance.

DK 181518 B1 19

Fig. 6b shows that the modular needle bridge blocks 3 may comprise two types of blocks 3, one or more first needle blocks 39 to define a lower portion of the needle bridge 4 to be placed just above the conveyor 53, with the needle head cavities 31 as described above; and a second needle block 40 arranged on top of the first needle blocks 39, comprising liquid supply means, such as a liquid inlet 43 that is configured to be connected to the downstream side of the pump 56 after the fine filter 57, for receiving filtered brine from the brine tank 55. The second needle block 40 further comprises liquid valves 44 arranged between the liquid inlet 43 and either each needle head cavity 31, or a group of such as a row of needle head cavities 31, for the independent supply of liquid to each needle head 1 or group of needle heads 1 arranged in a row.

In an embodiment the valves 44 are designed so that a small flow is allowed across the valves 44 in a closed position.

This small flow of brine across the valves ensures the needles 12 are always filled with brine. In particular, the valves 44 in this embodiment are normally-open, spring-operated spool valves. Valve strap plates connected to the pawl columns 52 shown in Fig. 6a close the valves 44 when there’s no product under the stripper plates 51. In each valve 44, channels for brine inlet and brine outlet are located directly opposite each other separated by a valve piston. The placement of the channels allows the operators to control a small flow across the valve 44 in a closed position, by carefully specified diametrical tolerances and surface roughness on the valve housing and valve piston, thus ensuring that the needles 12 are always filled with brine. Without this flow, the needles 12 would drain when the valves 44 are closed causing a delay

DK 181518 B1 20 in injection and thereby the uneven distribution of brine in the product to be injected.

As shown in Fig. 6b, in a particular embodiment the first needle bridge blocks 39 comprise two rows of needle head cavities 31 arranged to form two rows of aligned cavities 31, wherein the needle head cavities’ angle of rotation of the periphery of the cross-section in one row is substantially the same in relation to a longitudinal axis of needle bridge block 3. The cavities’ angle of rotation differs substantially by 180° between rows. This arrangement enables obtaining the regular and evenly distributed injection pattern in the meat being processed.

As Fig. 6a and Fig. 6c show the arrangement of a stack of needle bridge blocks 39 and 40 mounted on a support plate 60 which comprises cavities are arranged in a corresponding number, location, and shape to extend the needle cavities 31 of the needle bridge 4 as described above within which needle heads 1 and corresponding needles 12 are guided.

Stripping plates 51 are arranged at an extremity of pawl columns 52 to strip the meat off the needles 12 during the injection operation. The stripping plates 51 also comprise through-holes that are arranged to receive needles 12 and, thus, match the distribution of the needles 12 as described above.

In particular, when the product is advanced to position under the needle bridge 4 the stripper plates 51 will first “hit” the product and retract (spring-loaded) up in the needle bridge 4. This retraction will open the brine valves 44 and allow brine flow to the needles 12. With the stripper plate

DK 181518 B1 21 51 retracted the needles 12 will be pressed into the product and thus the brine will be deposited in the product.

The needles 12 can move freely vertically in the needle cavities 31. The hydraulic pressure from the brine on the needle heads 1 exerts force on the needle heads 1 so that the needles 12 can penetrate the product. If a needle 12 hits a bone in the product the hydraulic force is exceeded, and the needle 12 rejects up into the needle cavity 31 to prevent damage to the needle 12.

On the upstroke, the stripper plates 51 will strip off the product from the needles 12. When stripper plates 51 are seated in the bottom position the brine valves 44 will be in a closed position. If needle(s) 12 have been rejected on bones on the downstroke the brine pressure on the needle head 1 will cause the needle to return to its seating position in the bridge 4. The needle bridge 4 is then ready for the next downstroke.

In one embodiment the maximum product height that the device 5 can handle is 230 mm and the needle bridge/s 4 stroke height is 280 mm. In this case, the conveyor 53 advances one step S in the period from upstroke 230 mm above the conveying surface 54 -> needle bridge 4 top dead center 280 mm above the conveying surface 54 -> downstroke 230 mm above the conveying surface 54, This ensures that the conveying surface 54 will only advance when the needles 12 are out of the product.

After a step S advancement of the conveying surface 54, the product will be in position for the next downstroke with the needles 12 positioned where the product has not yet been injected.

DK 181518 B1 22

When the product has advanced fully through the device 5 it has been injected with a uniform needle pattern and with the operator-controlled pressure and speed. The product can then leave the device on the conveying surface 54 at the exit side 78.

The needle bridge 4 may comprise a modular stack array comprising a plurality of modular stacks arranged along a first, second and third axes x, vy, z, axes y, and z being substantially perpendicular to the first axis x. In these embodiments the modular stacks comprise stacked needle bridge blocks 3, such as first needle blocks 39 with the needle head cavities 31 as described above, with a second needle block 40 arranged on top, and the modular stack array being dimensioned to fulfill the width, length, and height requirement of the needle bridge 4 for use in the brine injecting machine 5.

It is also possible for needle bridge 4 to comprise a plurality of modular stack arrays as described above, arranged along a first, second and/or third axes x, y, z, axes y and/or z being substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the plurality modular stack arrays being dimensioned to fulfill the width, length, and/or height requirement of needle bridge 4 for use in the brine injecting machine 5.

The plurality of modular needle bridge blocks 3, such as the first blocks 39 and second blocks 40 may be dimensioned substantially equally.

In addition, the needle bridge 4 may also be split into two sections along the width of the conveyor surface 54 with separate stripper plates 51, valves 44, and needle cavities 31. The split means that only the section of bridge 4 with a product under the stripper plate 51 will open for flow through

DK 181518 B1 23 the needles 12. This prevents the unnecessary flow of brine that would aerate the brine which is undesired.

In essence, with this system of modular blocks 3 the needle bridge 4 can be fully dismantled from the device 4 for proper cleaning, while also keeping the number of device parts at the bare minimum for reduced complexity during dismantling and assembly.

Figs. 7a, 7b, and 7c illustrate the reversible drive system 70 for the conveyor 53 of the device 5 as described above, which represents a core part of the operation of the device as will be described below.

Before operating the device 5, brine is prepared in the brine tank 55. If the pump 56 is a centrifugal pump it also needs to be primed before operation. Gravity will ensure brine flows to the pump 56 and no further priming is required.

Once primed the device 5 can be started up. The control system will first start the pump 56. If it doesn’t receive feedback from a pressure sensor that the system is pressurized it will shut down the pump 56 and throw an error to be displayed on the control interface 59. This is to prevent overheating of the gaskets in the pump 56. If the system is pressurized it means that the brine is filtered through the fine filter 57 and pressurized against the valves 44 shown in detail in Fig. ba and 6b.

The device 5 will then proceed to start the motor 82 of the drive system 70 for operating the needle bridge 4 and the conveyor 53.

The operator then places the product on the conveyor surface 54, i.e. the conveyor belt on the entrance side 77, and the

DK 181518 B1 24 drive system 70 moves the conveyor surface 54 one step S per stroke of the needle bridge 4, as described above.

The stepped advancement of the conveyor surface 54 is achieved using a Geneva drive as shown in the figures, wherein the motor 82 drives a drive gear 80 with a drive pin 81, that engages a Geneva gear 71, thus converting the continuous rotation of the drive gear 80 into stepped rotation of the

Geneva gear 71. An angular gear 72 changes the orientation of the Geneva gear 71, thus enabling practical use of space within the box-shaped housing 61 below the conveyor 53. Timing belts 73 and timing belt pulleys 74 are used to connect the

Geneva gear 71, angular gear 72, and the conveyor pulley 75 which drives the conveyor surface 54. The angular gear 72 may be arranged with a 1:1 ratio, but any other configuration and ratio readily conceivable by a skilled person are possible.

Using the Geneva gear 71 and the system of pulleys and belts also enables easy reversibility of the rotation of the gears and pulleys, thus enabling to adapt the device to the circumstances of its use in different production layouts. The direction of the conveyor surface 54 can be set easily on the control interface 59 before starting up the device 5.

Figs. 8a, 8b, and 8c illustrate the different possibilities for accessing the needle bridge 4 and conveyor 53 of the device 5 through the removable cover 58. As mentioned before, this removable cover 58 may comprise at least two distinctly openable cover elements, e.g. a first cover element 58A and a second cover element 58B. These may be openable separately, as shown in Fig. 8a and 8b, or at the same time, as shown in

Fig. 8c.

DK 181518 B1 25

In an embodiment, the cover elements 58A and 58B are connected through hinge elements 63 to a central cover frame 62 allowing rotational opening of one or both elements 58A and 58B. In other words, this hinged solution allows for either opening up one of the cover elements 58A or 58B up to 180 degrees around its hinges 63 with respect to the cover frame 62, as shown in Fig. 8b, or for the opening up of both cover elements 58A and 58B up to 90 degrees around its hinges 63 with respect to the cover frame 62.

As shown in Fig. 8d, either or both cover elements 58A and 58B may be arranged to be transparent, e.g. by using thermo molded, transparent polycarbonate shells. This enables the operator to see the processing inside the device 5 from all viewing angles. This enables quick reaction if something needs attention, in contrast to prior art devices that have a limited view inside the machine.

The various aspects and implementations have been described in conjunction with various embodiments herein. However, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed subject-matter, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single needle bridge block or other unit may fulfill the functions of several claims recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

DK 181518 B1 26

The reference signs used in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this disclosure. As used in the description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up” and “down”, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, "rightwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader.

Claims

DK 181518 B1 27 PATENT CLAIM

1. Injection device (5) for injecting a liquid into meat, and which comprises: a housing (61) comprising at least two oppositely arranged lateral side walls (91), a bottom (92) and an upper surface (93) which together defining an enclosure (90); wherein the upper surface (93) comprises two support walls (94) separated by an upwardly opening channel (95) extending substantially straight between and opening into the opposite side walls (91); a conveyor (53) comprising a transport surface (54) arranged in the channel (95) for moving food along the channel (95) in a transport direction; a needle bridge (4) disposed above the conveying surface (54), said needle bridge (4) comprising a plurality of hollow injection needles (12) movably disposed in a direction perpendicular to the conveying surface (54); and an at least partially removable cover (58) disposed over the channel (95) and at least partially covering the needle bridge (4), characterized in that the needle bridge (4) comprises a plurality of stacked modular needle bridge blocks (3).

2. Injection device (5) according to claim 1, wherein the at least partially removable cover (58) comprises a cover frame (62) that extends over the needle bridge (4) and at least a first

DK 181518 B1 28 cover element (58A) and another cover element (58B) which are located on opposite sides of the cover frame (62) and arranged to be independently removable from above the channel (95).

3. Injection device (5) according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first cover element (58A) and the second cover element (58B) is connected to the cover frame (62) by at least one hinge element (63) that makes it possible to swing the first cover member (58A) and/or the other cover member (58B) to an open position around the at least one hinge member (63) to allow access to the needle bridge (4) and/or the carrier (53).

4. Injection device (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport surface (54) comprises an extended portion extending from the channel (95) in at least one direction beyond a corresponding side wall (91) of the housing (61) ); wherein the conveyor (53) comprises at least one foldable end section (79) projecting from the side wall (91) to support the extended portion of the conveyor surface (54); and wherein the foldable end section (79) is connected to the side wall (91) by connecting means enabling the foldable end section (79) to be folded up or down to reduce the footprint of the device (5).

5. An injection device (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (61) comprises a removable tank

DK 181518 B1 29 (55) for supplying salt solution to the needle bridge (4), which removable tank (55) is arranged to fit inside the enclosure (90) with its full volume.

6. Injection device (5) according to claim 5, wherein the device (5) further comprises a pump (56) for pumping salt solution from the tank (55) to the needle bridge (4), which pump is at least partially arranged inside the enclosure (90).

7. Injection device (5) according to claim 6, wherein the device (5) further comprises at least one particle filter (57) which is arranged downstream of the pump (56) 1 substantially inside the enclosure (90).

8. Injection device (5) according to any preceding claim, wherein the device (5) further comprises a control panel (69) which is movably and/or removably connected to a side wall (91) of the device housing (61), which control panel ( 69) comprises a control interface (59) that enables manual control of the device (5). 9, An injection device (5) according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing (61) further comprises a liquid collecting means (64) disposed within the enclosure (90) below the conveyor (53) for collecting saline flowing over the conveying surface (54), which liquid collecting means (64) comprises at least one

DK 181518 B1 30 downward-sloping guide surface (65) for guiding the overflowing salt solution to a trough (66), which trough comprises at least one opening (67) which is arranged to allow the collected salt solution to flow into the tank (55).

An injection device (5) according to any preceding claim, wherein the modular needle bridge blocks (3) comprise a plurality of needle head cavities (31) with a needle head (1) disposed therein, which is movable in a direction perpendicular to the transport surface (54). , where each needle head (1) comprises at least one injection needle (12).