Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G21/00—Table-ware
  • A47G21/06—Combined or separable sets of table-service utensils; Oyster knives with openers; Fish servers with means for removing bones
  • A47G21/061—Oyster knives with openers; Shellfish openers
  • A47G21/068—Devices for piercing the upper shell of oysters; Muscle cutters for use therewith

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the opening of edible bi-valve shellfish such as clams, scallops, and in particular oysters.
• the LAUGRAUD and BIZIEN process can therefore only be used for preparing oysters before shipping, which is certainly in progress compared to the REB or COURPRON processes, but does not allow the treatment to be spread over the whole year of the huge quantities of oysters that must be on the market during the short holiday season.
• the oyster thus treated can therefore, without any risk, be returned to the ripening tank, which makes the piercing operation practically independent of the date of consumption of the oyster.
• the method according to the invention is therefore characterized in that after having pierced the upper shell of the oyster near its adductor muscle, there is an open bearing in the hole with a diameter adapted to that of the tool. opening.
• said bearing will comprise a tubular core with an external diameter at least equal to that of the hole in the shell and will have on its upper end, intended to be in service bearing on the external face of the shell, a flange or an enlarged dome ensuring that the bearing does not accidentally penetrate the interior of the shell during its installation.
• the bearing is provided with means intended to reinforce its resistance to tearing: for example the external face of the core of the bearing can be provided with juxtaposed ribs.
• the core may comprise, opposite the external flange, an internal flange or a bead intended to come into abutment against the internal face of the shell.
• the bearing will be made of a deformable food-grade material so that it can be put in place by clipping.
• tubular core of the bearing will be hollow and its internal diameter will be closely adapted to the external diameter of the rod of the opening tool.
• the tool can turn without play in the opening made in the upper shell of the oyster and thus cut the adductor muscle for sure by a simple rotation of a quarter or d 'a half turn.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an oyster in its natural state j
• Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 after drilling the hole in the upper shell;
• FIG. 3 is a partial detail view of Figure 2 after installation of a guide bearing of the opening tool, according to the invention î
• - Figure 4 is a view similar to those of Figures 1 and 2, the opening tool having been put in place in the first bearing;
• - Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a first embodiment of a bearing for the implementation of the method according to the invention;
• FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of another embodiment of the bearing in FIG. 5.
• FIGS. 7a and 7b are views respectively in vertical section and in perspective from above of a third embodiment of a bearing 1 according to the invention.
• FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a tool specially designed for the opening of oysters through the bearing of Figures 7a and 7b.
• an oyster comprises two shells, an upper shell 1 and a lower shell 2, articulated together by a ligament forming the hinge 5.
• the shells are linked together by the adductor muscle 3 which is itself surrounded by the body 4 of the oyster, this body being enveloped by a thin membrane with a ciliated outline commonly known as the mantle 6.
• the method according to the invention consists in a first step and in a manner known per se to practice on the upper shell 2 in the immediate vicinity of the adductor muscle 3 a hole 7 allowing the subsequent introduction of a tool 9 (FIG. 4) intended to cut the adductor muscle 3 with a rotational movement.
• a hole of approximately 3 to 5 mm in diameter, and preferably 3.5 to 4 mm will be drilled using '' a drill or chignole whose drill bit ensures perfect calibration of the hole and evacuation towards the outside of shell debris which cannot thus penetrate inside the oyster.
• FIG. 3 illustrates the second characteristic step of the method according to the invention, namely the installation in the hole thus made of a bearing 8 intended to perfectly guide the opening tool 9. It can be seen that thanks to this process which uses the natural capacity of the oyster to restore its watertightness itself, avoiding the use of any sealing or sealing material.
• the bearing will have the general shape of a hollow mushroom with a convex head 10, a cylindrical core 11 and means to reinforce its resistance to tearing, such as the bead 12 (FIG. 5) placed at the end. opposite the head 10 of the core 11, so as to enclose the two faces of the shell 1.
• the internal diameter of the core 11 will preferably be of the order of 2 to 2.5 mm.
• the bearing 8 will be made of a flexible food-grade plastic material so that it can be easily installed by simple clipping.
• the means for reinforcing the resistance to tearing off of the bearing 8 consist of ribs 13 arranged on the outside diameter of the core 11.
• these ribs can be constituted by vertical gadroons which are themselves striated on their external face by horizontal or oblique grooves which determines the sculptures reinforcing the adhesion of the core of the bearing 8 on the wall. of the hole 7.
• the bearing 8 may have a combination of a bead 12 and sculptures 13.
• the tool 9 is in the form of a rod 14 bent 90 e with a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the bearing 8, at least in its pivot part in the use position.
• an operating member such as a handle 15 or an eyelet.
• the bearing 8 provides the advantage of remaining in place during the insertion of the tool 9, which is not the case. case in the processes calling for plugging or sealing in which it is necessary to remove the plug or the seal of wax before being able to introduce the opening tool.
• the head 10 of the bearing is configured in a slope while the handle of the tool 9 has a lower face also in a slope 16 capable of coming to bear on the slope of the landing head.
• the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and covers many embodiments of the bearing.
• This can be a simple hollow headless rod with a length substantially equal to the thickness of the upper shell; it can have a diabolo shape, have a flat head etc.
• the application of the present invention is not limited to oysters, but may relate to all bi-valve shells, the opening of which is done by sectioning an adductor muscle.

Landscapes

• Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
• Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)
• Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9496918

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (7)

• 1996
  • 1996-10-23 FR FR9612885A patent/FR2754694B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1997
  • 1997-10-20 PT PT97911294T patent/PT934012E/pt unknown
  • 1997-10-20 ES ES97911294T patent/ES2154895T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-10-20 WO PCT/FR1997/001869 patent/WO1998017158A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1997-10-20 EP EP97911294A patent/EP0934012B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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