NO20221299A1 - System for singulation of fish - Google Patents

System for singulation of fish Download PDF

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Publication number
NO20221299A1
NO20221299A1 NO20221299A NO20221299A NO20221299A1 NO 20221299 A1 NO20221299 A1 NO 20221299A1 NO 20221299 A NO20221299 A NO 20221299A NO 20221299 A NO20221299 A NO 20221299A NO 20221299 A1 NO20221299 A1 NO 20221299A1
Authority
NO
Norway
Prior art keywords
singulation
fish
unit
transporter
singulation unit
Prior art date
Application number
NO20221299A
Other versions
NO347963B1 (en
Inventor
Stein Magne Kjerstad
Original Assignee
Steel Tech As
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Steel Tech As filed Critical Steel Tech As
Priority to NO20221299A priority Critical patent/NO347963B1/en
Publication of NO20221299A1 publication Critical patent/NO20221299A1/en
Publication of NO347963B1 publication Critical patent/NO347963B1/en

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C25/00—Processing fish ; Curing of fish; Stunning of fish by electric current; Investigating fish by optical means
    • A22C25/08—Holding, guiding, or conveying fish before, during or after its preparation ; Devices for sizing fish; Automatically adapting conveyors or processing machines to the measured size
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C25/00—Processing fish ; Curing of fish; Stunning of fish by electric current; Investigating fish by optical means
    • A22C25/04—Sorting fish; Separating ice from fish packed in ice
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
    • B65G47/24—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
    • B65G47/56—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from inclined or vertical conveyor sections
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
    • B65G47/68—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
    • B65G47/68—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
    • B65G47/682—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor from a single conveyor lane consisting of one conveyor or several adjacent conveyors

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)

Description

Title: System for singulation of fish
Description
The technical field of the invention
The invention relates to the treatment of fish, more specifically, the invention relates to singulation of fish before slaughtering and bleeding the fish.
Background
The catch from vessels catching fish from the sea is very varied and not homogeneous. Slaughtering and bleeding of the fish is traditionally a labor-intensive process. So far, no manufacturer has managed to develop an automatic slaughtering system for white fish (cod, haddock and pollock) that works on board fishing vessels. The fish to be slaughtered and bleeded are delivered as mixed live fish that normally come directly from receiving tanks or are pumped up from storage tanks for live fish.
An automatic slaughtering and bleeding line need a reliable vision system that is able to analyze each fish and give necessary coordinates to for instance a bleeding robot. The vision camera needs to see the whole fish to obtain a reliable production. This means that the fish need to be separated before it enters the vision system.
The purpose of the invention is to produce a system which ensures stable feeding of fish both for on-shore conditions and on board vessels under demanding operating conditions at sea.
Summary of the invention
The invention describes a system for singulation of fish, wherein the system is fed from a feeder unit. The system comprises a singulation unit having an upward angle α along a direction of transport. The singulation unit comprises a first transporter on one side of the singulation unit, and a second transporter on the other side of the singulation unit. The first and second transporter have an angle β between them to form two planes forming a V-shape.
In an embodiment of the system the first and second transporter each comprises a conveyor belt, wherein each conveyor moves in the direction of transport in a plane comprising one of the respective planes forming the V-shape.
In another embodiment of the system the first and second transporter each comprises a set of chains, wherein each set of chains move in the direction of transport in a plane comprising one of the respective planes forming the V-shape.
In an embodiment of the system the singulation unit comprises a first and second side plate positioned along the length of the singulation unit on top of the respective first and second transporter.
In yet an embodiment of the system the side plates form a part of the V-shape.
In yet an embodiment of the system the singulation unit comprises a first and second top conveyor belt configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter at a lower velocity.
In yet an embodiment of the system the singulation unit is provided with a rolling device positioned above the lower part of the singulation unit, wherein a contact surface of the rolling device is configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter, but at a lower velocity.
In yet an embodiment of the system the angle α is between 10 – 30 degrees, more preferable between 15-25 degrees. Preferably, the angle α is adjustable.
In yet an embodiment of the system the angle β between the first and second transporter is between 45 – 135 degrees, more preferable between 80-100degrees.
In yet an embodiment of the system the system comprises a second singulation unit positioned after the singulation unit, wherein the velocity V1 of the transporters in the singulation unit is smaller than the velocity V2 of the second singulation unit.
Brief description of the figures
In order to improve the understanding of the invention, some figures have been attached where the same feature has the same reference in the different figures.
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the feeder unit comprising a bulk feeding unit with a feeding conveyor.
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the system for singulation of fish comprising two singulation units.
Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the singulation unit comprising a first and second transporter and side plates.
Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the singulation unit using conveyor belts.
Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the singulation system comprising a first and second top transporter.
Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention comprising a first and second top transporter only covering a first part of the singulation unit.
Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the singulation system comprising a rolling device.
Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the singulation system having two parallel singulation units and one rolling device.
Fig. 9a and b shows two embodiments of the feeder unit comprising a chute.
Detailed description
In the following a system for singulation of fish will be described. References to position and directions will be as if the system was fully mounted in a working state.
The system for singulation of fish is designed for handling a catch comprising a multitude of fish species and fish sizes. The system for singulation of fish is fed from a feeder unit 1 and comprises a singulation unit 2 as seen in fig.1. The purpose of the feeder unit 1 is to feed the right amount of fish to a singulation unit 2. An embodiment of a feeder unit is shown in fig 1. The fish is transported to a bulk feeding unit 13, and the bulk feeding unit 13 stores a sufficient number of fish to feed the system for singulation of fish. The fish may be pumped into the bulk feeding unit or transported on a conveyor. In a preferred embodiment of the feeder unit 1 a feeding conveyor 14 is positioned inside the bulk feeding unit 13. Preferably the feeding conveyor comprises flights 17 as seen in fig.1. A combination of a steeper inclination of the feeding conveyor and flights 17 provide a fairly steady supply of fish to the singulation unit 2. Preferably the system for singulation of fish comprises a guiding device 16 positioned at the lower end of the singulation unit 2 to secure an efficient feeding of fish from the feeder unit 1 into the singulation unit 2.
As indicated in fig.7 the singulation unit 2 has an upward angle α along the direction of transport and comprises a first transporter 3 on a side of the singulation unit 2, and a second transporter 4 on the other side of the singulation unit 2. The first and second transporter 3, 4 have an angle β between them to form a V-shape as seen in fig.3. The combination of the upward angle α and the V-shape of the two transporters will cause a singulation effect on the fish. The effect depends on the friction between the fish and the transporters 3, 4 being larger than the friction between fish and fish. A fish resting in the bottom of the V-shape will experience more friction than a fish lying on top of the fish in the bottom. This is also valid for a fish lying on one side of a transporter 3, 4 and leaning against a fish resting in the bottom of the V-shape. Thus, most of the fish not resting in the bottom of the V-shape will fall rearward on the transporters due to gravity and the inclination of the singulation unit 2 until they come to rest in vacant position at the bottom of the V-shape.
In an embodiment the first and second transporter 3, 4 each comprises a conveyor belt 5 as indicated in most of the figures.
In another embodiment, also conceivable, the first and second transporter each comprises one or more chains providing a surface with sufficient friction to carry the fish up the inclined singulation unit 2.
In a preferred embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4 the singulation unit comprises a first and second side plate 7, 8 along the length of the singulation unit 2 on top of the respective first and second transporter 3, 4. Preferably the side plates 7, 8 form a part of the V-shape as indicated in fig. 3 and 5. In order to obtain the mentioned singulation effect in an embodiment comprising side plates 7, 8 the frictional force between the fish positioned in the bottom of the V-shape and the transporters 3, 4 must be larger than the gravitational pull caused by the inclination of the singulation unit. For the fish not lying in the bottom of the V-shape the gravitational pull combined with frictional forces with the side plates 7, 8 pulling the fish downward must be the larger than frictional forces from side parts of the transporters or fish lying in the bottom of the V-shape pulling the fish upward.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment comprising a first and second top conveyor belt 9, 10 configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter 3, 4, but in order to prevent more than one fish at any given position along the length of the singulation unit 2 the top conveyors 9, 10 move at a lower velocity than the first and second conveyor 3, 4 as indicated in fig. 7. This will cause the fish not resting at the bottom of the V-shape to fall rearwards until a vacant position at the bottom of the V-shape appears. The fish will then be positioned in a longitudinal direction with head or tail first. However, some overlap between fish might occur. To counter the overlap a second singulation unit 15 may be positioned after the singulation unit 2 having a slightly larger velocity as indicated in fig.2 where V1 is smaller than V2.
Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the singulation unit 2, wherein the first and second top conveyor 9, 10 only extends a part of the total length of the singulation unit 2. This might suffice because when the fish has been singulated the need for a top conveyor is not there. The overall minimum length of the singulation unit 2 is roughly 2 meters.
Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the system, wherein the singulation unit 2 is provided with a rolling device 11 position above the lower part of the singulation unit, wherein a contact surface 12 of the rolling device is configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter. Preferably, the contact surface of the rolling device moves at a lower velocity than the first and second transporter 3, 4. In an embodiment, shown in fig.7. the rolling device is provided with a brush-like surface 21 to provide flexibility when touching the fish.
In an embodiment, shown in fig. 8 the system for singulation of fish comprises two parallel singulation units 2 and one common rolling device 11.
In an embodiment of the invention, shown in fig 9 the feeder unit 1 comprises a feeding chute 18 receiving fish from a fish reservoir. Fig.9a shows a chute with a flap 19 on top of a feeding conveyor 14 and fig.9b shows an embodiment with a chute and an adjustable door 20. The dimensions of the feeding chute 18 and feeding conveyor 14 should be balanced against the capacity of the singulation unit 2.
Obviously, the angle of inclination of the singulation unit 2 and the angle between the legs of the V-shape must be chosen with care. The optimal angle of inclination for the singulation unit 2 will depend on the size and species of fish and level of friction between the fish and the transporters 3, 4. Preferably the inclination angle α of the singulation unit is adjusted according to the catch. The inventor has experienced good results with the angle α of inclination of the singulation unit 2 and the horizontal plane being between 10 – 30 degrees, more preferable between 15- 25 degrees.
The inventor has experienced good results with the angle β of the V-shape between the first and second transporter being between 45 – 135 degrees, more preferable between 80-100 degrees.
References
1 Feeder unit
2 Singulation unit
3 First transporter
4 Second transporter
5 Conveyor belt
7 First side plate
8 Second side plate
9 First top conveyor belt 10 Second top conveyor belt 11 Rolling device 11
12 Contact surface 12
13 Container
14 Feeding conveyor
15 Second singulation unit 16 Feed plate
17 Flights
18 Chute
19 Flap
20 Adjustable door
21 Brush-like surface

Claims (10)

Claims
1. System for singulation of fish fed from a feeder unit (1), wherein the system comprises:
a singulation unit (2) having an upward angle α along a direction of transport comprising:
a first transporter (3) on a side of the singulation unit (2),
a second transporter (4) on the other side of the singulation unit (2), wherein the first and second transporter have an angle β between them to form a V-shape.
2. System according to claim 1, wherein the first and second transporter each comprises a conveyor belt (5).
3. System according to claim 1, wherein the first and second transporter (3, 4) each comprises a set of chains.
4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the singulation unit comprises a first and second side plate (7, 8) positioned along the length of the singulation unit 2 on top of the respective first and second transporter (3, 4).
5. System according to claim 4, wherein the side plates (7, 8) form a part of the V-shape.
6. System according to claim 1-3, wherein the singulation unit (2) comprises a first and second top conveyor belt (9, 10) configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter at a lower velocity.
7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the singulation unit (2) is provided with a rolling device (11) position above the lower part of the singulation unit, wherein a contact surface (12) of the rolling device is configured to move in the same direction as the first and second transporter at a lower velocity.
8. System according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the inclination angle α of the singulation unit (2) is between 10 – 30 degrees, more preferable between 15-25 degrees.
9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle β between the first and second transporter (3, 4) is between 45 – 135 degrees, more preferable between 80-100 degrees.
10. System according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a second singulation unit (15) positioned after the singulation unit (2), wherein the velocity V1 of the transporters (3, 4) in the singulation unit (2) is smaller than the velocity V2 of the second singulation unit (15).
NO20221299A 2022-12-02 2022-12-02 System for singulation of fish NO347963B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20221299A NO347963B1 (en) 2022-12-02 2022-12-02 System for singulation of fish

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20221299A NO347963B1 (en) 2022-12-02 2022-12-02 System for singulation of fish

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
NO20221299A1 true NO20221299A1 (en) 2024-06-03
NO347963B1 NO347963B1 (en) 2024-06-03

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NO20221299A NO347963B1 (en) 2022-12-02 2022-12-02 System for singulation of fish

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Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SU643140A1 (en) * 1977-08-03 1979-01-25 Опытное Производственно-Техническое Объединение "Техрыбпром" Fish-sorting apparatus
JP2568970B2 (en) * 1993-03-03 1997-01-08 牧男 吉田 Fish front and rear sorter
WO2006010032A2 (en) * 2004-07-08 2006-01-26 Span Tech Llc Article singulation and reorientation system
NO328268B1 (en) * 2008-09-15 2010-01-18 Seaside As Fish processing system
CA2817300A1 (en) * 2012-06-21 2013-12-21 Laitram, L.L.C. Feed trough for a processing apparatus
WO2017040902A1 (en) * 2015-09-03 2017-03-09 F.R. Drake Company Launching system for robotic sausage loading machine

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Publication number Publication date
NO347963B1 (en) 2024-06-03

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