OA10435A

OA10435A - Method of packing meat

Info

Publication number: OA10435A
Application number: OA70047A
Authority: OA
Inventors: Carlos A L Perriera Da Silva
Original assignee: Leer South Africa Ltd
Priority date: 1996-08-02
Filing date: 1997-07-09
Publication date: 2001-12-07
Also published as: AP965A; AP9701055A0

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of packing meat and to a mould for packing meat. According to the method of the invention a mould having a block-shaped cavity is provided into which an open flexible bag is positioned. A shaping device is inserted into

Description

010435 à'

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method of packing méat and to a mould for usein such a method.

The term "méat” as used in this spécification refers to animal méat for 5 consumption such as chicken, beef, pork, lamb, mutton and the like. Theméat may be in the form of méat pièces (such as chicken portions and cubesof beef) as well as ground and minced méats. Méat is generally packed for transportation and storage by sealing the méatwithin a bag or wrapping the méat in a plastics material and thereafter 10 packing the méat into a container. Despite the packed méat being stored ina refrigerated environment the shelf-life of the méat is nevertheless limitedas air is often présent within the packing material which encourages thedégradation of the méat. 010435 2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a method of packing méatcomprising the steps of: providing a mould having a block-shaped cavity, 5 - positioning a flexible bag having an opening within the cavity of the mould, inserting a shaping device into the bag so as to arrange thebag within the cavity in a configuration generallycorresponding to the block-shaped cavity of the mould, 10 - introducing the méat into the bag through the opening so as to form a generally block-shaped body of méat within thebag, drawing a vacuum on the contents of the bag, sealing the opening of the bag while maintaining the vacuum 15 on the contents of the bag, and removing the bag from the mould.

The method may include the step of vibrating the mould during or after theintroduction of the méat into the bag.

Typically, the method includes the step of freezing the contents of the bag. 20 The method may also include the step of introducing a marinade, sauce orgelatinous substance into the bag. 3 fl 1 0435

The method of the invention may be used for packing a plurality of block-shaped, meat-filled bags in a container suitably shaped to receive the block-shaped bags.

Altematively, the block-shaped, meat-filled bags may be arranged on a5 pallet and held in position on the pallet by means of a covering being secured around the bags.

According to a preferred form of the invention, the mould comprises anopen-topped box defining a block-shaped cavity for receiving the bag, aperipheral edge defining the open top of the box, slits formed in the 10- peripheral edge on opposed sides of the box, and a lid having two sectionsmoveable between an open position in which the sections are moved awayfrom the opening and a closed position in which the sections lie across theopening, the sections in the closed position being arranged relative to oneanother so as to define a gap substantially in register with the slits and being 15 adapted to receive an end portion of the bag in a collapsed condition.

Typically, the lid sections are hingedly connected to the open top edges ofopposed sides of the box.

Preferably, the mould includes means for gripping opposite edges of the bagto cause a substantially fiat sealing surface to be formed. The means for 20 gripping is typically provided by the arrangement of the gap and the slits inthe open top of the box.

The mould may include an adjustable base for varying the volume of thecavity within the mould. 4 Π10435

The shaping device is typically a chute configured to be received within thecavity of the mould. Typically, the chute has a rectangular cross-section.Preferably, the chute is inserted into the bag within the cavity of the mouldto such an extent so as to urge the bag into the corners of the block-shaped 5 cavity.

Preferably, the flexible bag is oxygen impervious and is formed of a plasticsmater ial.

This spécification also extends to cover a mould for use in a method asdescribed above. 10 An embodiment of the invention is described in detail in the followingpassages of the spécification which refer to the accompanying drawings.The drawings, however, are merely illustrative of how the invention maybe put into effect, so that the spécifie form and arrangement of the featuresshown is not to be understood as limiting on the invention.

15 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1 to 6 illustrate the sequence of steps in one embodiment of themethod of packing méat according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a bag packed with méat according to theinvention; 20 Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pallet with a number of bags of pre- packed méat packed thereon;

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a mould with an adjustable base; and 010435 5

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of amould with an adjustable base.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The method of the invention provides a means of vacuum packing méat in 5 the shape of a block within a sealed, airtight bag. The method is describedin the spécification with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a flexible oxygen impervious bag 10is provided into which the méat is to be packed. The bag 10 has elongate 10 sides 12, a closed end 14 and an open end 16 such that the bag forms anopen pocket. The bag is formed of a barrier material which is imperviousto oxygen and the seals extending along the elongate sides 12 and the closedend 14 of the bag are also impervious to oxygen.

The shaping of the méat into a block form within the bag 10 is achieved by 15 packing the méat into the bag while the bag is positioned within a mould.The mould 20 depicted in Figure 1 is generally box-shaped having majorside faces 22, side faces 24 extending between the major side faces and base26. The mould has an open top which leads into a block-shaped cavity, theshape of the cavity determining the shape into which the méat will 20 eventually be moulded according to the method of the invention.

Arranged on opposed edges at the top of the mould are a pair of wings 30which are hinged to the top edge of the major faces 22 of the mould and areable to pivot into a closed position in which they lie across the opening of 010435 the top of the mould. Clips 18 are provided for securing the wings 30 in theclosed position. Slits 32 are also provided at the top edge of the mould.The slits 32 broaden towards the top of the mould into a v-shaped section.

Also depicted in Figure 1 is a chute 34 which has a generally rectangular5 cross-section. The cross-sectional dimensions of the chute allow it to befreely inserted into and removed from the box-shaped cavity 28 of themould 20. The chute 34 has a pair of ears 36 extending from theuppermost edge of the chute which allow it to be gripped while being inserted into and removed from the mould 20. 10 The chute 34 serves the purpose of shaping the empty flexible bag 10 withinthe mould prior to the introduction of méat into the bag. This is bestillustrated by reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.In Figure 2 the chute 34 is slid into the bag which draws the otherwisegenerally planar bag into an open shape around the chute 34. The chute 34 15 with the bag 10 arranged around it is then slid into the mould 20 until thebase edge of the chute 34 cornes to rest against the base of the cavity 28 ofthe mould. The clearance between the side walls of the chute 34 and theinner side walls of the cavity of the mould should be sufficient to receivethe thickness of the material forming the flexible bag as well as allowing the 20 chute 34 to be easily slid into and removed from the mould 20.

Once the chute 34 is in position within the mould 20, it will be appreciatedthat the bag 10 is drawn into a generally hollow block shape between thechute 34 and the mould 20. Furthermore, the lower edge of the bag isurged into the corners of the cavity of the mould. The elongate sides of the 25 bag are dimensioned such that they extend up the sides of the mould into a 010435 position intermediate the upper edge of the chute and upper edge of themould.

It will be appreciated that the sequence of positioning the chute within thebag and thereafter inserting the bag and the chute into the mould may be 5 reversed by first positioning the bag within the cavity of the mould 28 andthereafter inserting the chute into the bag. The order or sequence in whichthese steps are performed is not of critical significance, rather thesignificance lies in the generally open block shape which the bag achieveswithin the mould prior to the introduction of méat into the bag. 10 The méat to be packed into the bag 10 is introduced into the bag throughthe chute 34. As the méat is introduced into the bag the chute may eitherbe gradually withdrawn from the bag or the chute may be left in place to bewithdrawn from the bag once the required volume of méat has been packedinto the bag. 15 ' During the packing process the méat is compacted to avoid large voids forming within the body of packed méat. To assist with this compacting ofthe méat the mould 20 may be vibrated during the packing of the méat intothe bag.

At this stage in the method a marinade, sauce or gélatine may also be added 20 into the bag.

Once the required volume of méat has been packed into the bag 10 thechute 34 is withdrawn from the bag as is depicted in Figure 4 of theaccompanying drawings. As can also be seen from Figure 4, the elongate 8 0î Ο435 sides 12 of the bag 10 protrude through the slits 34 in the sides of themould. This allows the wings 30 of the mould to be pivoted across the topof the mould without significant bunching of the bag taking place in thevicinity of the wings 30.

5 The dimensions of the wings 30 are such that on being pivoted across thetop of the mould a gap remains between the adjacent edges of the opposedwings 30 through which the end of the bag 10 is allowed to protrude. InFigure 5 a diagrammatic cross-section of the bag is depicted with the upperend of the bag protruding between the gap formed by the wings 30. A 10. vacuum creating apparatus 38 and a sealing apparatus 40 are also depicteddiagrammatically in this drawing. The vacuum creating apparatus 38 drawsa vacuum on the contents of the bag such that the contents of the bag is leftessentially oxygen free with less than 0,1% by mass gaseous oxygen withinthe bag. While maintaining the vacuum on the bag, the bag is sealed along 15 its top edge by means of heat, alone or in combination with pressure.Standard heat sealing apparatus may be used for this purpose.

Once sealed, the bag is withdrawn from the mould and the compactednature of the méat within the bag and the vacuum which is drawn on thebag retains the bag and its contents in a generally block-shaped 20 configuration. At this stage in the process, the bag and its contents aretypically frozen to assist with the préservation of the méat.

The generally block-shaped configuration of the packaged méat, as depictedin Figure 7, allows relatively easy bulk handling of the méat by packing thebags of méat on a pallet 44 as depicted in Figure 8. Once positioned on the 25 pallet a net or outer wrapping 42 is drawn around the bags of méat 10 toretain them in their packed configuration on the pallet. Similarly, the 010435 block-shaped bags of méat may be packed into a suitably shaped box, theblock-shape of the bags allows the bags to be packed into the box with littlefree space. A modification which can be made to the mould is depicted in Figure 9 of5 the drawings. In this embodiment of the invention the mould 46 has anopen bottom 48 with an adjustable base plate 50. This allows the volumeof the cavity within the mould to be varied by raising or lowering the baseplate 50. The base plate is held in position by means of a pair of knurledfasteners which may be screwed in position into co-operating slots 52 10- provided in the side faces of the mould.

Figure 10 depicts a second embodiment of a mould suitable for use in themethod of vacuum packing méat described above. As with the moulddepicted in Figures 1 to 4 and 9, the mould 60 depicted in Figure 2 isgenerally box shaped, however, the sealing arrangement of the wings 62 15 differs from the previously described mould in that the wings 62 extendbeyond the side walls of the mould over a pair of C-shaped projections 64extending from the side walls of the mould 60. The use of this mould 60in the method is substantially the same as the previously described mouldwith clips 66 being provided to secure the wings 62 in the closed position 20 once the méat has been introduced into a bag located within the mould.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the mould may be varied to allow fordifferent shaped blocks of méat to be formed and as a resuit the spécifieembodiments of the invention which hâve been described above withréférencé to the accompanying drawings should not be seen as limiting on 25 the invention as they are merely illustrative of a way in which a concept of 010435 - ίο - the invention may be put into practice.

Claims

11 010435 CLAIMS

1. A method of packing méat comprising the steps of: providing a mould having a block-shaped cavity, positioning a flexible bag having an opening within the cavity5 of the mould, inserting a shaping device into the bag so as to arrange thebag within the cavity in a configuration generallycorresponding to the block-shaped cavity of the mould, introducing the méat into the bag through the opening so as10 to form a generally block-shaped body of méat within the bag, drawing a vacuum on the contents of the bag, sealing the opening of the bag while maintaining the vacuumon the contents of the bag, and 15 removing the bag from the mould.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes thestep of vibrating the mould during or after the introduction of theméat into the bag. 010435 12

3. A method according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein themethod includes the step of freezing the contents of the bag.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding daims, wherein themethod is used for packing a plurality of block-shaped, meat-filled 5 bags in a container suitably shaped to receive the block-shaped bags.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding daims, wherein themethod is used for packing a plurality of block-shaped, meat-filledbags onto a pallet and holding the bags in position on the pallet bymeans of a covering secured around the bags. 10

6. A method according to any one of the preceding daims, wherein the shaping device is a chute configured to be received within the cavityof the mould.

7. A method according to either claim 6, wherein the chute is insertedinto the bag within the cavity of the mould to such an extent so as 15 to urge the bag into the corners of the block-shaped cavity.

8. A mould for use in a method of packing méat comprising: an open-topped box defming a block-shaped cavity forreceiving a flexible bag, a peripheral edge defîning the open top of the box, 13 010435 slits formed in the peripheral edge on opposed sides of the box, and a lid having two sections moveable between an open positionin which the sections are moved away from the opening and 5 a closed position in which the sections lie across the opening, the sections in the closed position being arranged relative to oneanother so as to define a gap substantially in register with the slitsand being adapted to receive an end portion of the bag in a collapsedcondition. 10

9. A mould according to claim 8, wherein the lid sections of the mould are hingedly connected to the open top edges of opposed sides of thebox.

10. A mould according to either claim 8 or 9, wherein the mouldincludes means for gripping opposite edges of the bag to cause a 15 substantially fiat sealing surface to be formed.