Pasteurization, sterilization and aseptic packing procedure for meat products and machine therefor
17 claims: 17 independent, 0 dependent
- 1Procedure for meat products pasteurization, sterilization and aseptic packing, such as a ham or shoulder meat piece which having sustained deboning, different additives and/or ingredients injecting tenderizing, massing and curing processes, characterized in that it includes following steps:a) meat piece pasteurization by cooking inside rigid or semi rigid molds or containers, advantageously protected by a wrapping means, open or closed, until it reaches a temperature in the thermal center of the meat piece of 65 to 75 Degrees °C, and during an interval of time sufficient for a suitable pasteurization of the product which guaranties heating effects (value F 10°C70°C) over 30 measured at the piece thermal center.b) Withdrawal of the pasteurization meat piece from its wrapping means, exuded fluids elimination and product external surface conditioning;c) sterilization of the meat piece surface layer or stratum, submitting it to a thermal shock of high temperature during a very short interval, in accordance with a HTST technique (high temperature short time) operating in room temperature conditions directly in contact with the meat piece surface over 100ºC and the time of treatment by piece being under 15 second;d) Product re-packing in aseptic conditions, steps c) and d) being carried out by an automatic equipment by means of a nonstop process, without organoleptic and nutritious conditions impairment. Procédé de pasteurisation, de stérilisation et d'ensachage aseptique de pièces de viandes, notamment du jambon ou épaule, préalablement désossées, avec injection d'additifs et/ou d'ingrédients divers, incluant des opérations d'attendrissage, de massage et de maturation, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte les étapes suivantes: a.pasteurisation de la pièce de viande par cuisson à l'intérieur de récipients ou de moules rigides ou semi-rigides, protégée avantageusement par un moyen protecteur enveloppant, ouvert ou fermé, jusqu'à l'obtention au centre thermique de la pièce de viande, d'une température de l'ordre de 65 à 75ºC et pendant un intervalle de temps suffisant pour obtenir une pasteurisation convenable de produit qui garantit des effets de réchauffement valeur (F 10°C70°C) supérieure à 30 mesurée dans le centre thermique de la pièce;b.séparation de la pièce de viande pasteurisée de son enveloppe, élimination des fluides exsudés et préparation de la surface externe du produit;c.stérilisation de la couche superficielle de la pièce de viande soumise à un choc thermique de haute température pendant un intervalle de temps très court, selon la technique HTST (high temperature short time), dans des conditions de température ambiante, directement au contact de la surface de la pièce de viande, supérieure à 100ºC, et pendant un temps inférieur à 15 secondes par pièce traitée;d.ré-ensachage du produit dans des conditions aseptiques, en réalisant les étapes c) et d) au moyen d'un équipement automatique selon un procédé en continu, sans altérer les caractéristiques organoleptiques et nutritives du produit. Verfahren zur Pasteurisierung, Sterilisierung und aseptischen Verpackung von Fleischprodukten, bestehend aus, beispielweise, einem Schinkenstück oder -schulterblatt, welches zuvor einem Entknochungsvorgang, Einspritzen von Zusatzstoffen und/oder verschiedenen Zutaten, Weichklopf-, Massier- Pökelverfahren ausgesetzt wurde, dadurch gekennzeichnet, weil dieses Verfahren folgende Arbeitsgänge aufweist: a) Pasteurisierung des Fleischstücks mittels Kochung in starren oder halbstarren Behältern oder Formen, vorteilhaft von einem offenen oder geschlossenen Schutzmittel umhüllt, bis eine Temperatur im Wärmemittelpunkt des Fleischstückes von 65 bis 75 °C erreicht wird, innerhalb eines Zeitraumes, der ausreicht, um eine geeignete Pasteurisierung des Produktes, bei einer Wärmeeinwirkung (Wert F 10°C/70°C), größer als 30, gemessen im Wärmemittelpunkt des Fleischstückes, zu gewährleisten;b) Trennung des Fleischstücks von seinem Umhüllungsmittel, Entfernung der ausgeschwitzten Flüssigkeiten und Zubereitung der Oberfläche des Fleischproduktes;c) Sterilisierung der Oberflächenlage oder Deckschicht des Fleischproduktes, indem dieses einem Wärmestoss hoher Temperatur während eines äußerst kurzen Zeitraumes ausgesetzt wird, nach einer HTST-Technik (high temperature short time) bekannten Technik, bei welcher, bei einer Raumtemperatur von über 100 °C, die Oberfläche des Fleischstücks unmittelbar, während einer Zeitdauer von weniger als 15 Sekunden pro Fleischstück, behandelt wird;undd) Wiederverpackung des Fleischproduktes unter aseptischen Bedingungen, wobei die Arbeitsphasen c) und d) von einer automatischen Maschine in einem kontinuierlichen Verfahren, ohne Änderungen der organoleptischen und nahrhaften Bedingungen des Fleischproduktes, vorgenommen werden.
- 2Procedure, according to above claim, characterized in that the product, during the step c) is supported by conveying means having a good thermal conductivity and affecting a minimum part of the product external surface, submitted to above thermal shock allowing the meat piece whole external surface sterilization. Procédé, selon la revendication antérieure, caractérisé en ce que le produit, pendant la phase c), est supporté par des moyens de transport ayant une bonne conductivité thermique et n'étant en contact qu'avec une partie minimale de la surface externe du produit soumise au choc thermique cité permettant la stérilisation de toute la surface externe de ladite pièce de viande. Verfahren nach vorgehendem Anspruch, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Fleischprodukt während der Arbeitsphase c) von Transportmittel gehalten wird, die eine gute Wärmeleitfähigkeit und eine minimale Berührung zu der Oberfläche des Fleischproduktes aufweisen, welches dem genannten Wärmestoss ausgesetzt ist, wodurch die Sterilisierung der gesamten Oberfläche des schon erwähnten Fleischproduktes gewährleistet wird.
- 3Procedure, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the final step of pasteurized meat piece repacking, free of exudate and conditioned in its surface, includes the introduction of said meat piece in a container after sustaining said high temperature thermal shock, and the tight closing thereof for instance by stapling or heat-sealing all of it under aseptic conditions. Procédé, selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la phase finale de ré-ensachage de la pièce de viande pasteurisée, libre des matières exsudées et préparée en surface, comprend l'introduction de ladite pièce de viande dans un sac, après avoir subi ledit choc thermique de haute température, et la fermeture hermétique de celui-ci, par exemple par agrafage ou thermosoudage, et tout ceci dans des conditions aseptiques. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Endphase der Wiederverpackung des Fleischproduktes, welches schon pasteurisiert, frei von Ausschwitzungen und oberflächlich behandelt ist, darin besteht, daß besagtes Fleischstück in einen Behälter eingeführt wird, nachdem es dem Wärmestoss hoher Temperatur ausgesetzt wurde, und dieses luftdicht, beispielweise mittels Klammern oder Heissiegelung, verschlossen wird, all dies unter aseptischen Arbeitsbedingungen.
- 4Procedure, as claimed in claim 1, characterized because at the step of the pasteurized meat piece final re-packing, free of exudate and with its surface conditioned, it includes the insertion of said meat pieces in a container after sustaining said high temperature thermal shock, and the additional introduction of final conditioning products, such as for, instance coating gelatins, previously sterilized before the packing tight closing, and all of it in aseptic conditions. Procédé, selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la phase finale de ré-ensachage de la pièce de viande pasteurisée libre des matières exsudées et préparées en surface, comprend l'introduction de ladite pièce de viande dans un sac, après avoir subi ledit choc thermique de haute température et l'introduction également de produits de préparation finale, comme par exemple des gélatines de recouvrement, préalablement stérilisées avant la fermeture hermétique du sac, et tout ceci dans des conditions aseptiques. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß während der Endphase der Wiederverpackung des Fleischproduktes, welches schon pasteurisiert, frei von Ausschwitzungen und oberflächlich behandelt ist, besagtes Fleischstück in einen Behälter eingeführt wird, nachdem es dem Wärmestoss hoher Temperatur ausgesetzt wurde und, zusätzlich, Endzubereitungsmittel, wie zum Beispiel Beschichtungsgele, die vor dem luftdichten Verschluß des Behälters sterilisiert wurden, zugefügt werden, all dies unter aseptischen Arbeitsbedingungen.
- 5Automatic machine for sterilization and aseptic packing of meat products, such as a ham or shoulder piece which previously sustained deboning, additives and/or different ingredients injecting, tenderizing massing, curing and pasteurizing processes, the later stage including the piece cooking inside containers, with the interposition of an open or closed protecting or wrapping means, until reaching a temperature at the meat piece thermal canter of 65 to 75 degrees C, and during a sufficient interval of time for a suitable product pasteurization which guaranties heating effects (value F 10°C70°C) over 30, measured at the piece thermal canter, finally taking apart the pasteurized meat piece from its wrapping means, with elimination of exuded fluids and products external surface conditioning, comprising:means to introduce, at least, a meat piece, after sustaining above treatments, inside a first station for said piece surface sterilization, said first station including a chamber that can be tight closed;means for taking, holding in a stable position inside said first station, and to release said meat piece;means for tight sealing of said chamber of said first station, once the meat piece has been introduced therein, and to open the chamber after a pre-set time required for a piece surface sterilization;means for providing heat inside the inclosure of said first station, in position of tight sealing, until the internal atmosphere reaches an average temperature ranging from 100 to 160 degrees °C, with an interval of treatment time below 15 seconds;means to withdraw the sterilized meat piece from inside the chamber os the first treatment chamber, and to transfer said piece to a second station for the wrapping thereof where it is placed in a pre-set position;means for sequentially positioning tubular containers such as bags, from a storage area thereof, up to a position in said second station in which its inlet remains adjacent and facing the meat piece position in the second station;means for opening the inlet of said tubular container and keep it open, and to fix, at least two walls of said bag;means to transfer by pushing moving the meat pieces inside the containers with their inlet open;means to grip the filled containers, with their inlet still open and to move them, in said conditions up to a third station where it is proceeded to a vacuum sealing thereof;said three stations and the whole of said means remaining located except the meat piece entering means to the first station, inside a wrapping enclosure provided with an ultrafiltrate air impulsion module, constituting a laminar upright flow cabin, to guaranty the asepsis of the atmosphere in which the operation are carried out, and in that said means are synchronized for a sequential cyclic performance of the process different stages. Automatische Maschine zur Sterilisierung und aseptischen Verpackung von Fleischprodukten, beispielsweise ein Schinkenstück oder Schinkenschulterblatt, welches zuvor einem Entknochungsvorgang, Einspritzen von Zusatzstoffen und/oder verschiedenen Zutaten, Weichklopf-, Massier-Pökel- und Pasteurisierungsverfahren ausgesetzt wurde, wobei letztgenannte Arbeitsphase die Kochung des Fleischstückes in einem Behälter, mit der Zwischenlage eines offenen oder geschlossenen Schutz- oder Umhüllungsmittels, bis eine Temperatur im Wärmemittelpunkt des Fleischstückes von 65 bis 75 °C erreicht wird, innerhalb eines Zeitraumes, der ausreicht, um eine geeignete Pasteurisierung des Produktes, bei einer Wärmeeinwirkung (Wert F 10°C/70°C), größer als 30, gemessen im Wärmemittelpunkt des Fleischstückes, zu gewährleisten, umfaßt und wobei das pasteurisierte Fleischstück schließlich von seinem Umhüllungsmittel getrennt wird, dabei werden die ausgeschwitzten Flüssigkeiten entfernt und die Oberfläche des Fleischproduktes zubereitet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Maschine folgende Bauteile aufweist: - Mittel zur Einführung zumindest eines Fleischstücks, nach Erfolgung ebengenannter Behandlungen, in das Innere einer ersten Station zur Sterilisierung der Oberfläche besagten Fleischstückes, wobei diese erste Station eine Kammer beinhaltet, die luftdicht verschlossen werden kann;- Mittel, um das Fleischstück zu greifen, im Inneren besagter ersten Station stabil zu halten und loszulassen;- Mittel zum luftdichten Verschluß besagter Kammer in der schon erwähnten ersten Station, sobald in das Innere dieser das Fleischstück eingeführt wird und zur Öffnung der Kammer nach einer vorbestimmten Zeit, welche notwendig ist, um die Oberfläche dieses Fleischstücks zu sterilisieren;- Mittel zur Wärmezuführung in das Innere des Raumes genannter ersten Station, welche luftdicht verschlossen ist, bis die Durschnittstemperatur im Rauminneren zwischen 100 und 160 °C erreicht, wobei die Zeitdauer der Wärmebehandlung unter 15 Sekunden liegt;- Mittel zur Entnahme des sterilisierten Fleischstückes aus dem Inneren der Kammer der ersten Behandlungsstation und zur Weiterführung des Fleischstückes zu einer zweiten Station zur Verpackung desgleichen und wo es in einer vorbestimmten Lage abgesetzt wird;- Mittel zur sekuentiellen Positionierung von rohrförmigen Behältern, wie z.B. Säcke oder Beutel, von einem Lagerbereich dergleichen bis zu einer Position in erwähnter zweiten Station, wo deren Öffnung gegenüber der Position der Fleischstücke in dieser zweiten Station anliegt;- Mittel zur Öffnung und Offenhaltung der Öffnung des schon erwähnten rohrförmigen Behälters und zur Halterung zumindest zwei Seiten besagten Beutels;- Mittel zur Beförderung mittels Verschiebung der Fleischstücke in das Innere der Behälter mit offener Öffnung;- Mittel zur Halterung der gefüllten Behälter, mit noch offener Öffnung, und Beförderung der gleichen, in diesen Bedingungen, zu einer dritten Station, wo die Behälter luftdicht verschlossen werden, dabei befinden sich die drei erwähnten Stationen und die Gesamtheit der besagten Mittel, mit Ausnahme der Mittel zur Einführung des Fleischstückes in die erste Station, in dem Inneren eines diese umfassenden Raumes, welcher einen Abschnitt zur Zuführung ultrafiltrierter Luft aufweist, wobei dieser Abschnitt von einer Kabine für senkrecht verlaufende Luftströmung gebildet wird, so daß die Asepsie der Arbeitsumgebung gewährleistet wird, und dabei sind die ebengenannten Mittel derartig abgestimmt, daß ein sekuentieller und zyklischer Ablauf der Arbeitsphasen des Verfahrens erfolgt. Machine automatique pour la stérilisation et ensachage aseptique de pièces de viande, telles que jambon ou épaule préalablement désossées avec injection d'additifs et/ou d'ingrédients divers, des procédés de massage d'attendrissement, maturation et pasteurisation, la dernière étape comprenant la cuisson de la viande dans des récipients, avec l'interposition d'un moyen protecteur ouvert ou fermé ou enveloppant, jusqu'à arriver a une température au centre thermique de la pièce de viande de 65 à 75º C, et pendant un intervalle de temps suffisant pour obtenir une pasteurisation convenable du produit qui garantit des effets de réchauffement (Valeur F 10°C70°C) supérieure à 30, mesurée dans le centre thermique de la pièce, finalement séparant la pièce de viande pasteurisée de son enveloppe, élimination des fluides exsudés et préparation de la surface interne du produit, comprenant: des moyens pour introduire, au moins, une pièce de viande, après avoir subi les traitements précités, a l'intérieur d'une première station pour la stérilisation de la surface de ladite pièce, cette première station comprenant une chambre qui peut être hermétiquement fermée, des moyens pour saisir, retenir dans une position stable à l'intérieur de ladite première station, et pour libérer ladite pièce de viande;des moyens pour fermer hermétiquement cette chambre de ladite première station, dès que la pièce de viande a été introduite dans celui-ci, et pour ouvrir la chambre après le temps préalablement réglé nécessaire pour la stérilisation de la surface de la pièce;des moyens pour fournir de la chaleur à l'intérieur de ladite première station, en position de fermeture hermétique, jusqu'à ce que l'atmosphère intérieure arrive à une température moyenne se rangeant entre les 100 et les 160º C, avec un intervalle de temps de traitement inférieur à 15 secondes;des moyens pour retirer la pièce de viande stérilisée de l'intérieur de la chambre de premier traitement, et transporter ladite pièce à une seconde station pour y être enveloppée dans laquelle elle est placée dans une position préalablement établie;des moyens pour le positionnement séquentiel de récipients tubulaires tels que des sacs, à partir d'une zone de stockage de ceux-ci, jusqu'à une position dans ladite deuxième station dans laquelle sa sortie reste adjacente et en face de la position de la pièce de viande dans la deuxième station;des moyens pour ouvrir la sortie dudit récipient tubulaire et la conserver ouverte, et fixer au moins deux parois dudit sac;des moyens pour le transport en les poussant des pièces de viande à l'intérieur de récipients avec leur sortie ouverte;des moyens pour saisir les récipients pleins, avec leur sortie toujours ouverte et les déplacer, dans ces conditions jusqu'à une troisième station où l'on procède à leur fermeture à vide;lesdites trois stations et l'ensemble desdits moyens restant situés excepté le moyen de rentrage de la pièce de viande à la première station, à l'intérieur d'une enveloppe munie d'un module d'impulsion d'air ultrafiltré, constituant une cabine de débit vertical laminaire, pour garantir l'asepsie de l'atmosphère dans laquelle l'opération se déroule, et en ce que lesdits moyens son synchronisés pour une performance séquentielle cyclique des diverses étapes différentes du procédé.
- 6Machine as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the means to feed the meat piece to the first station include a supporting floor with a capacity for, at least, two meat pieces, and in that the means to take, hold, and release said meat piece inside the first station chamber, said meat piece withdrawal means, means for wrapping and moving up to the sealing third station, and the sealing means used allow to simultaneously handle, at least, two meat pieces. Machine tel qu'il est revendiqué dans la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que le moyen pour alimenter la pièce de viande à la première station comporte un plancher de support ayant une contenance pour au moins deux pièces de viande, et en ce que le moyen pour saisir, retenir et libérer ladite pièce de viande à l'intérieur de la chambre de la première station, lesdits moyens pour retirer la pièce de viande, des moyens pour ensacher et déplacer jusqu'à la troisième station de fermeture hermétique , et les moyens de fermeture hermétique utilisés permettent de simultanément manier, au moins, deux pièces de viande. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zur Einführung des Fleischstückes in die erste Station einen Halteboden umfassen, welcher mindestens zwei Fleischstücke aufnehmen kann und weil die Mittel zur Greifung, Halterung und Loslassung des erwähnten Fleischstückes in der Kammer der ersten Station, die Mittel zur Entnahme besagten Fleischstückes, die Mittel zur Verpackung und Beförderung zur dritten Versiegelungsstation und die benutzten Versiegelungsmittel ein gleichzeitige Handhabung von, mindestens, zwei Fleischstücken ermöglichen.
- 7Machine as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the means to enter the meat pieces inside the first station include a floor formed by a plurality of lengthwise, coplanar, parallel and equally spaced strips, which extend, overhang, remaining locked by one of their ends to a transversal support, which in turn is linked to an holding truck with revolving elements on horizontal guides integral with a frame, said guides extend in parallelism to said strips, which by the distal end to their link to said support rests on a fixed cross sectional supporting profile, of a material of low friction coefficient such as teflon, said truck being associated to pulling means designed to a to and fro run. Machine tel que revendiquée dans la revendication 6, caractérisée en ce que les moyens pour entrer les pièces de viande à l'intérieur de la première station comportent un plancher formé par une pluralité de bandes allongées, coplanaires, parallèles et également écartées, qui s'étendent, en faisant saillie , en restant fixés par une de leurs extrémités a un support transversal, qui à son tour est relié à un chariot de maintien ayant des éléments tournants sur des guides horizontales solidaires d'un bâti, lesdites guides s'étendant parallèlement à lesdites bandes qui par leur extrémité distale a leur lien à ce support repose sur un profilé de support en coupe transversale fixe, d'un matériau à faible coefficient de friction tel que du téflon, ledit chariot étant associé à des moyens d'entraînement destinés à une course d'aller et venir. Maschine nach den Ansprüchen 5 und 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zur Einführung der Fleischstücke in die erste Station einen Boden umfassen, der aus einer Vielzahl von länglichen, parallelen, auf gleichem Abstand gelegenen und auf gleicher Ebene befindlichen Leisten besteht, welche sich aneinander überhängend erstrecken und an einem ihrer Enden an einen Querträger verbunden sind;dieser Querträger ist mit einem Schlitten verbunden, welcher Rollelemente auf waagrechten Führungen, die mit einem Gestell verbunden sind, aufweist, dessen Führungen parallel zu besagten Leisten verlaufen, welche an ihrem dem Querträger entgegengesetzten Ende auf einem Stützprofil aufliegen, eines Werkstoffes geringen Reibungswertes, wie z.B. Teflon, wobei oben erwähnter Schlitten an Zugmittel verbunden ist, vorgesehen für dessen Vor- und Rückhub.
- 8Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the first station for sterilization includes a bedframe on which a receptacle is arranged which includes a fixed disc as bottom, whose periphery shows a series of equally spaced crosscuts, having a circumferential groove close to its edge to lodge a sealing gasket, whose plate is surrounded by a large diameter and C-shaped section rotatable movable ring, whose annular ribs oriented inward the disc loosely clasp its periphery and show a series of equally spaced crosscuts, equivalent to those existing on said disc constituting the receptacle bottom to allow its positioning, said ring resting on a wheel set which supports its lower edge and side wall, said encircling ring remaining associated to a fluidodynamic actuator element, such as a pneumatic cylinder with its body fixed to the bedframe and its stem linked to the cylindric wall of said ring. Machine, tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que la première station pour la stérilisation comporte un fond sur lequel est agencé un réceptacle qui comporte un disque fixe comme base, dont la périphérie possède une suite de découpures transversales également écartées, ayant une rainure de circonférence près de son bord pour loger un joint d'étanchéité, dont la plaque est entouré par une bague mobile tournante ayant un diamètre large et une coupe sous forme de C, les nervures annulaires orientées vers l'intérieur, le disque serre avec du jeu sa périphérie et possède une suite de découpures transversales également écartées, équivalant à celles qui existent sur ledit disque qui constitue la base du réceptacle pour permettre son positionnement, ladite bague reposant sur un ensemble de roue qui supporte son bord inférieur et la paroi latérale, ladite bague d'encerclement restant associée à un élément actionneur fluidodynamique, tel qu'un cylindre pneumatique avec son corps fixé à la base et sa tige reliée à la paroi cylindrique de ladite bague. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die erste Station zur Sterilisierung einen Unterbau aufweist, über welchem ein Behältnis angeordnet ist, das eine feststehende Scheibe als Boden umfaßt, deren Umfang eine Anzahl von gleich entfernten Ausschnitten aufweist und mit einer Rille am Scheibenumfangsrand zur Aufnahme eines Dichtungringes und deren Teller von einem Ring großen Durchmessers umgeben wird, Schnitt "C", welcher drehbar ist und dessen Radkranz, ins Innere der Scheibe gerichtet, weit deren Umfang umringt und eine Anzahl gleich entfernter Ausschnitte aufweist, welche denen der genannten Scheibe, die einen Boden des Behältnis bildet, entsprechen, um deren Positionierung zu ermöglichen;der erwähnte Ring liegt dabei auf einem Satz Rollen, welche dessen Unterkante und Seitenwand halten, wobei besagter umfassender Ring mit einem hydraulisch-pneumatischen Betätigungselement, wie z.B. einem hydraulischen Zylinder verbunden ist, dessen Körper am Unterbau befestigt ist, während dessen Kolbenstange mit der zylindrischen Ringwand verbunden ist.
- 9Machine tel que revendique la revendication 8 caractérisée en ce que sur le fond du réceptacle de ladite première station, il existe un plancher de support pour la pièce de viande formé par une grille constituée par une pluralité de barres parallèles à coupe rectangulaire étroite, ayant un écart et une hauteur plus grands que ceux des bandes, qui forment le plancher de support d'entrée, de telle sorte que lesdites bandes peuvent être agencées entre lesdites barres de la grille qui sont fixées à deux profilés en coupe transversale qui, à leur tour, son reliées aux deux paires de tiges verticales, l'ensemble des quatre tiges étant réuni de deux en deux, et entre eux par un profilé transversal, leur ensemble formant un H qui reste relié à un actionneur fluidodynamique tel qu'un cylindre pneumatique à axe vertical. Machine, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that over the receptacle bottom of said first station, there exists a supporting floor for the meat piece formed by a grid constituted by a plurality of narrow, rectangular section parallel bars, with a gap and height greater that those of the strips, which form the entering supporting floor, in such a way that said strips can be disposed between said grid bars which are locked to two cross sectional profiles which, is turn are linked to both pair of upright stems, the set of the four stems gathering two by two, and to each other by a cross sectional profile its assembly forming an H which remains linked to a fluidodynamic actuator such as an upright shaft pneumatic cylinder. Maschine nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sich über dem Boden des Behältnises der mehrmals erwähnten ersten Station ein Halteboden für das Fleischstück befindet, bestehend aus einem Rost aus einer Vielzahl schmaler, paralleler Stangen rechteckigen Querschnitts, deren Abstand untereinander und deren Höhe größer ist als die der Leisten, welche den Einführungsboden bilden, so daß besagte Leisten zwischen den genannten Roststangen eingreifen können;die Roststangen sind an zwei Querprofile befestigt, welche wiederum mit den entsprechenden Paaren senkrechter Zapfen verbunden sind, wobei die Gruppe der vier Zapfen paarweise untereinander von einem Querprofil eingerahmt wird, so daß die gesamte Bauanordnung ein "H" bildet, verbunden zu einem pneumatisch-hydraulischen Betätigungselement, wie z.B. ein pneumatischer Zylinder mit senkrecht wirkender Kolbenstange.
- 10Machine tel que revendique la revendication 9, caractérisée en ce que, solidaire du fond du réceptacle, il existe d'autres profilés à coupe transversale, où sont agencées des pièces sous forme de U, en matériau à faible coefficient de friction, tel que le Téflon, qui s'étend entre les barres de ladite grille, pour saisir, maintenir et libérer les pièces de viande, et elles servent pour guider les bandes du plancher, pour entrer la pièce de viande à l'intérieur de ladite première station. Machine, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, integral to the receptacle bottom, there exists other cross sectional profiles, where U-shaped parts are arranged, of a low friction coefficient material, such as Teflon, which extend between the bars of said grid, to take, hold and release the meat pieces, and they serve for guiding the floor strips, to enter the meat piece inside said first station. Maschine nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sich kraftschlüssig zu dem Boden des Behältnises der ersten Station andere Querprofile befinden, auf welchen Teile angeordnet sind, die ein U-Profil aufweisen und aus einem reibungsarmen Werkstoff, wie z.B. Teflon bestehen und zwischen die Stangen eben erwähnten Rosts fahren, um die Fleischstücke aufzunehmen, halten und loszulassen und als Führung der Leisten des Bodens zur Beschickung des Fleischstückes in das Innere besagter ersten Station dienen.
- 11Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the first station includes a covering part formed by an annular plate of a diameter smaller than the receptacle inlet delimited by the higher annular rib of the encircling ring, which is topped by a double-dome-shaped cover, whose annular plate remains linked to upright stems, guided by sets of pulleys on joists supporting the bedframe of said first station, said upright stems join each other at the lower part through a cross sectional profile which is connected to a second fluidodynamic upright stem actuator element. Machine, tel que revendique la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que la première station comporte une pièce de couverture formée par une plaque annulaire ayant un diamètre plus petit que l'entrée du réceptacle délimitée par la nervure annulaire supérieure de la bague d'encerclement, qui est couronnée par un couvercle ayant la forme d'un double dôme, ladite plaque annulaire restant reliée aux tiges verticales, guidées par des ensembles de poulies sur des solives qui supportent la base de ladite première station, lesdites tiges verticales s'unissent entre elles à la partie inférieure à travers d'un profilé à coupe transversale qui est reliée à un deuxième élément actionneur de tige verticale fluidodynamique. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die erste Station eine Abdeckung vorweist, die aus einer ringförmigen Platte besteht, deren Durchmesser kleiner ist als der Durchmesser der Öffnung, die von dem oberen Teil des Radkranzes des umfassenden Ringes begrenzt wird und welche in einer Abdeckung in Form von einer Doppelkuppel endet, deren ringförmige Platte mit senkrechten Zapfen verbunden ist, welche von einem Rollensatz in Stützträgern des Unterbaus besagter erster Station geführt werden, dessen senkrechte Zapfen im Inneren von einem Querprofil umrahmt werden, welcher mit einem zweiten pneumatischhydraulischen Betätigungselement verbunden wird.
- 12Machine, as claimed in claims 9 and 11, characterized in that the floor actuator means to take, hold and release the meat piece, in the first station, and the means to move the annular plate holding sealing cover of the receptacle of the chamber of said first station are arranged in parallelism with a slight offset. Machine, tel que revendiquent les revendications 9 et 11, caractérisée en ce que les moyens actionneurs du plancher pour saisir, retenir et libérer la pièce de viande, dans la première station, et les moyens pour déplacer la plaque annulaire maintenant le couvercle de fermeture hermétique du réceptacle de la chambre de ladite première station sont agencés parallèlement avec un léger décalage. Maschine nach den Ansprüchen 9 und 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Betätigungsmittel des Bodens zum Greifen, Halten und Loslassen des Fleischstückes, in der ersten Station, und die Mittel zur Fortbewegung der ringförmigen Platte, welche die Verschlußabdeckung des Behältnises der Kammer in genannter ersten Station trägt, parallel und leicht versetzt gegeneinander angeordnet werden.
- 13Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the annular plate the sealing cover is linked to show, a series of peripheral crosscuts equivalent to those existing on the periphery of the fixed disc, and on the protruding ribs there are detachably locked by their two faces, wedge, shaped parts in circumference sequent which correspond with wedge-shaped profiles defined on the internal lower and higher faces, of the surrounding ring C-shaped profiles. Machine, tel que revendique la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que la plaque annulaire du couvercle de fermeture hermétique est reliée pour montrer une suite de découpures transversales périphériques équivalant à celles qui existent sur la périphérie du disque fixe, et sur les nervures en saillie qui sont fixées de façon amovible par leur deux faces, pièces sous forme de coin en segment de circonférence qui correspond aux profilés sous forme de coin définis sur les faces intérieures inférieure et supérieure, des profilés sous forme de C de la bague qui l'entoure. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die ringförmige Platte, die mit der Verschlußabdeckung verbunden wird, an ihrem Umfang eine Anzahl Ausschnitte vorweist, die denjenigen der feststehenden Scheibe entsprechen, und daß an den abstehenden Radkranzvorstössen, beidseitig und abnehmbar, Teile in Form von Keilen von Kreisabschnitten vorgesehen werden, die Keilprofilen entsprechen, die an den inneren Ober- und Unterseiten des Profils in "C" des umfassenden Ringes angebracht sind.
- 14Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the means for providing heat inside the chamber of said first station, comprises nozzles to supply and suck high temperature and pressure vapour. Machine, tel que revendique la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que les moyens pour fournir de la chaleur à l'intérieur de la chambre de ladite première station, comprennent des buses pour fournir et aspirer la vapeur à température et pression élevée. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zur Wärmezuführung ins Innere der Kammer genannter ersten Station Düsen beinhalten, die für die Zuführung und Absaugung von Hochtemperatur- und Hochdruckdampf vorgesehen sind.
- 15Machine tel que revendique la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que la deuxième station d'ensachage de la pièce de viande comprend des moyens pour positionner des récipients tubulaires tels que des sacs formés par une tête basculante commandée par un cylindre fluidodynamique, muni d'un plan en saillie qui comporte des ventouses d'aspiration pour saisir au moins deux sacs et pour les déplacer sur un plancher qui est coplanaire et adjacent à la plate-forme pour retirer la pièce de viande, sur ledit plancher il existe des moyens tel qu'une fente allongée reliée aux moyens de génération de vide pour maintenir une deuxième face, opposée à la première, sur le sac. Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the second meat piece wrapping station includes means for positioning tubular containers such as bags formed by a tilting head driven by a fluidodynamic cylinder, provided with an overhanging plane which includes suck pads to grip at least two bags and for moving them on a floor which is coplanar and adjacent to the meat piece withdrawing platform, on said floor there exists means such as a lengthwise slot associated to vacuum generating means to hold a second face, opposite to the first, of the bag. Maschine nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die zweite Station zur Verpackung der Fleischstücke eine Anzahl Mittel zur Positionierung der rohrförmigen Behälter, wie z.B. Beutel, aufweist, die aus einem Schwenkkopf bestehen, welcher von einem hydraulisch-pneumatischen Zylinder gesteuert wird und der eine fliegend gelagerte Ebene aufweist, auf welcher sich eine Anzahl Saugknöpfe befinden, um zumindest zwei Beutel zu ergreifen und diese über einen Boden zu befördern, der sich auf gleicher Ebene und anliegend zur Entnahmebühne der Fleischstücke befindet, wobei dieser Boden Mittel aufweist, wie z.B. eine Längsnut, verbunden mit Mittel zur Herstellung eines Vakuums, um eine zweite Seite, gegenüberliegend zur ersten Seite, des Beutels zu ergreifen.
- 16Machine, as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the second station includes a set of side blades and lower blades to keep the container inlet open, with driving means which allow said blade rotation around shafts, the head holding the bag incorporating a third blade to keep the higher side of the bag open. Machine, tel que revendique la revendication 15 caractérisée en ce que la deuxième station comporte un ensemble de lames latérales et de lames inférieures pour conserver l'entrée du récipient ouverte, avec des moyens de commande qui permettent le pivotement desdites lames autour d'axes, la tête maintenant le sac qui comporte une troisième lame pour maintenir le côté plus haut du sac ouvert. Maschine nach Anspruch 15, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die zweite Station einen Satz seitlicher Schaufel und einen Satz unterer Schaufel aufweist, dafür vorgesehen, um die Behälteröffnung offen zu halten und welche Betätigungsmittel aufweisen, die eine Drehung besagter Schaufel um bestimmte Achsen ermöglichen;dabei weist der Haltekopf der Beutel einen dritten Schaufelsatz auf, welche von einem hydraulisch-pneumatischen Zylinder betätigt werden, um die Oberseite der Beutel offen zu halten.
- 17Machine tel que revendique la revendication 16 caractérisée en ce que les lames pour retenir le bord inférieur du sac consistent en des plaques sous forme de L fixées par une des leurs extrémités, qui a une portion coudée, à un axe tournant qui est tourné par un levier et un cylindre pneumatique reliés. Machine, as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that blades to retain the bag lower edge consist in L-shaped plates locked by one of their ends, which has an elbowed portion, to a rotatable shaft which is rotated by a lever and a pneumatic cylinder associated. Maschine nach Anspruch 16, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Schaufel zur Halterung der Unterseite eines jeden Beutels von L-förmigen Platten gebildet werden, die an ihrem einen Ende, welcher einer Abwinkelung aufweist, an eine Drehachse mittels eines senkrecht zu dieser Achse gelegenen Hebels und einem hydraulisch-pneumatischen Zylinder an diesem verbunden sind.
Independent claims17
59 paragraphs in 3 sections, as filed
<b>BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION</b>
This invention relates to a procedure for processing perishable meat products, such as a piece of ham or shoulder meat, which having sustained deboning, additives and/or ingredients injecting (auxiliary to namely coloration and taste), tenderizing, massing and curing operations, is later on submitted to a cooking-pasteurization stage, inside a rigid or semi-rigid mould protected by a continuous (open bag) wrapping, at room temperature or in vacuum, after which stage it is demolded and taken apart from that wrapping to eliminate fluids exuded during the cooking-pasteurization process and for a suitable conditioning of the product surface, being finally repacked, advantageously in vacuum in tight conditions by means of different sealing means (stapling, heat-sealing etc.).
Above procedure is mainly used to obtain high quality products, in which an exudation during the cooking-pasteurization stage is sought, in order to achieve a best development of flavour and aroma. The fact of being not necessary to prevent the juice exudation during the cooking-pasteurization, also means a lesser mechanical treatment of the meat piece during the process, which will allow to obtain a product with a best appearance, similar to the one obtained through craftsmanship.
On the other hand eliminating said juices, , is essential, mainly for the packed product suitable preservation.
Bearing in mind that after meat product cooking-pasteurization and when opening the wrapping (bag), unavoidable a product surface recontamination arises, after the final repacking a pasteurization or sterilization stage is required for a product correct preservation. In this point, the further product heating once its final packing is achieved, was up to now the most used method to significantly extend the preservation of the cooked-pasteurized products, without requiring to have recourse to other treatments, such as chemical or radiations after said final packing.
For such aim, up to this moment, several equipments were developed which generally generally include a great volume and high cost, with dilated operative times.
Document EP-A-0 128610 discloses a sterilization and stabilization process for meat analog products.
We can mention, namely, the use of autoclaves of nonstop operation. One of said equipments existing on the market includes three columns arranged one after the other for the heating-sterilization-cooling stages. The molds are automatically entered inside containing devices which passes conveyed by conveying means through said columns, the sterilizing medium being a vapour and air mixture, depending on the cases.
Another autoclave of above type includes an horizontally positioned boiler in which the containers enters through a conveying chain and a gate, either or not submitted to a rotary movement, to be pre-heated, sterilized and pre-cooled. Later on, and already outside the boiler, they finish their cooling without pressure. The sterilizing medium is water or a vapour and air mixture.
An alternative equipment includes an oven in which the products are introduced and which, after a certain period of time of heat contribution and further cooling, is unloaded, though this process makes a non-stop work difficult, as it demand loading and unloading operations of the working premise.
As it can be seen, above processes, all of them, mean in addition to a long heating time, also, necessarily, a significant cooling time.
On the other hand, said sterilization or pasteurization stage, in addition to above drawbacks, and mainly due to the long time of process with heat contribution, provokes in a number of cases an impairment of the meat piece surface colour by degradating the meat pigment, modifying therefore the appearance conditions of the end product obtained.
The invention relates to a procedure, which means first, a significant decrease of the process time with respect to the state of the art disclosed, and a guaranty of a long packed product (meat piece) preservation, thanks to an effective elimination of the microbial flora from de product recontaminated area, once the post-cooking-pasteurization stage to eliminate exudate and condition the surface of said meat piece is ended, with an utmost preservation of the organoleptic properties of the product involved.
The operative conditions of the procedure disclosed allows in addition that the plant has a smaller and less complex volume, and makes possible a nonstop treatment which encompasses the products sterilization and final packing under aseptic conditions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is on the grounds of applying a HTST (high temperature short time) sterilization technique, i.e. it consists in producing a high temperature thermal shock (of at least 100-160 degrees C), of a very short duration, to which the whole product surface is submitted after the re-conditioning stage (meat piece exudate elimination and surface conditioning) after the post-cooking-pasteurization stage, and which is followed by a final vacuum or (controlled) modified atmosphere packing, in aseptic conditions, all of it being achieved in a nonstop process.
The heat exchange process associated to the HTST sterilization techniques because of the nature of the equipment used was only applied up to now to liquids or to liquids which contained small particles. When the size of said particles is over a few mm the effectiveness of the sterilization method is lost as the particle thermal center is not reached, in addition to request complicated product conveying means through the treatment area.
However, in accordance with the principle disclosed in this invention, the HTST technique, has being found applicable and effective for meat pieces. submitting them previously to a cooking-pasteurizing i.e. it can be used in the mentioned re-packing stage, preceding the properly called packing which would be achieved later on in aseptic conditions, because in the mentioned prior reconditioning stage (meat piece exudate elimination and surface conditioning), only a superficial contamination will occur, i.e. limited to the stratum immediately close to the external face of said meat piece. This way, a HTST technique treatment, is useful and feasible, as it fully affects the product external layer, achieving, in addition a much more effective result as for microorganisms impairment and/or growth inhibition thereof, than the one resulting from applying the traditional heat contribution techniques with the meat piece located inside a tight-closed packing, obtaining a self-stable product fit for a longer duration preservation than the provided by said traditional techniques and procedures used and with a minimum organoleptic degradation.
In addition, as the high temperature thermal treatment, according to the HTST technique, only affects the meat piece surface layer or stratum, cooling said piece will occur speedier, allowing to proceed in a nonstop manner to the product final packing, in aseptic conditions.
Therefore, the procedure disclosed consists basically in following steps: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>a) meat piece pasteurization by cooking inside rigid or semi rigid molds or containers, advantageously protected by a wrapping means, open or closed, until it reaches a temperature in the thermal center of the meat piece of 65 to 75 Degrees °C, and during an interval of time sufficient for a suitable pasteurization of the product which guaranties heating effects (value F <maths id="math0001" num=""><math display="inline"><mrow><mfrac linethickness="0"><mrow><mtext>10°C</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>70°C</mtext></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math><img file="EP0506599B1_D0001.tif" /></maths>) over 30 measured at the piece thermal center;</li><li>b) withdrawal of the pasteurization meat piece from its wrapping means, exuded fluids elimination and product external surface conditioning;</li><li>c) sterilization of the meat piece surface layer or stratum, submitting it to a thermal shock of high temperature during a very short interval, in accordance with a HTST technique (high temperature short time) operating in room temperature conditions directly in contact with the meat piece surface over 100 <sup>º</sup>C and the time of treatment by piece being under 15 second;</li><li>d) product re-packing in aseptic conditions, steps c) and d) being carried out by an automatic equipment by means of a nonstop process, without organoleptic and nutritious conditions impairment.</li></ul>
With regard to the machine provided to perform steps c) and d) of the procedure according to the invention it is characterized by comprising: means to introduce, at least, a meat piece, after sustaining above treatments, inside a first station for said piece surface sterilization, said first station including a chamber that can be tight closed; means for taking, holding in a stable position inside said first station, and to release said meat piece; means for tight sealing of said chamber of said first station, once the meat piece has been introduced therein, and to open the chamber after a pre-set time required for a meat piece surface sterilization; means for providing heat inside the inclosure of said first station, in position of tight sealing, until the internal atmosphere reaches an average temperature ranging from 100 to 160 degrees °C, with an interval of treatment time below 15 seconds; means to withdraw the sterilized meat piece from inside the chamber of the first treatment chamber, and to transfer said piece to a second station for the wrapping thereof where it is placed in a pre-set position; means for sequentially positioning tubular containers such as bags, from a storage area thereof, up to a position in said second station in which its inlet remains adjacent and facing the meat piece position in the second station; means for opening the inlet of said tubular container and keep it open, and to fix, at least two walls of said bag; means to transfer by pushing moving the meat pieces inside the containers with their inlet open; means to grip the filled containers, with their inlet still open and to move them, in said conditions up to a third station where it is proceeded to a vacuum sealing thereof; said three stations and the whole of said means remaining located except the meat piece entering means to the first station, inside a wrapping enclosure provided with an ultrafiltrate air impulsion module, constituting a laminar upright flow cabin, to guaranty the asepsis of the atmosphere in which the operation are carried out, and in that said means are synchronized for a sequential cyclic performance of the process different stages; The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig.1 is an explanatory diagram of the different steps of the procedure.
Fig.2 is a general perspective view of the machine, without its upright laminar flow wrapping cabin, showing the three stations composing it.
Fig.3, is a top plan view of the machine unit.
Fig.4 is a side elevational view, with partial section showing the supporting floor conveying means to enter and withdraw the meat piece with respect to the first station.
Fig.5 is a top plan view, of part of above conveying means.
Fig.6 is a top plan view showing the means to hold the meat piece inside the chamber of the first station and the means to withdraw said meat piece, and Fig.6A shows a detail of supporting floor of the meat piece applied to the withdrawal from said first station.
Fig.7 is a side elevational view in cross-section of the ring constituting the first station chamber side wall.
Fig.8 shows the driving means for rotating said ring and one part of periphery of the bottom disc, through a cut out of the annular flange of the ring.
Fig.9 is a side elevational view with partial section disclosing the means to move the meat piece supporting grid (half left side) and the chamber sealing cover (half right side) forming the first station.
Fig.10 is a detail at larger scale of the preceding figure showing, namely the means to rotatable support the surrounding ring as well as the tight closing means between the bottom disc and the plate holding the cover. Fig.10A shows another top plan view of the revolving means used to support and guide said surrounding ring.
Figs.11 and 12 are side elevational views of the machine unit taken according to the direction of the arrow A and B of Fig.3, respectively.
Fig.13 is an elevational view taken according to the direction of the arrow C of Fig.3.
Figs.14 and 15 show the means to grip the containers with the meat piece from the first station to transfer them to the third one.
Fig.16 shows the means for lifting the unit of figures 14 and 15.
Figs. 17 and 18 show the mechanism for operating lateral blades and Fig 19 the corresponding mechanism related to central blades to keep the bag open, clamping its inlet edges when placed on the second station in order to facilitate the related meat piece entering inside thereof
Lastly Fig.20 and 21 show the mechanism for driving the clamps to grip the bags with the meat pieces to transfer them from the second station to the third one.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to above figures, and namely Fig.2, the machine concerned by the invention comprises essentially three stations: sterilizing station -1-, a bag filling station -2-, and a sealing station -3- for the bags including a meat piece.
At both sides of the first station -1- there exists units to enter the meat piece inside said station, and for withdrawing it, respectively, generically called with the letters E and 0, which essentially comprise a frame -4a-, -4b- and a movable supporting floor -5a-, -5b- formed by a plurality of strips -6a-, -6b- linked to a conveying truck constituted by a transversal joist -7-, side plates -8- supporting wheels -9- which surround horizontal guides -10-, fixed to the frame -4-. Said joist -7- has an inverted U shaped cross-section, and inside such U wheels -11- are arranged, linked to a T-shaped support - 12-which is fixed by one of its ends by a C-shaped part - 13- to a link -14- of a chain -15-, which extends between two coplanar toothed wheels -16- and -17-, one of them driven and the other controlled by a motoreducer -18-. The strips set -6- remains locked, by one of its ends, to the joist -7- and is supported, by its other end on a support - 19- fixed by a strut -20- to the frame -4a-, -4b-, said support including guides -21-.
Said sets E and O remains linked to the central station by rigid locking plates -22- in order to guaranty a suitable aligning of said strips in order to allow them interpenetrating with respect to a grid -23- of strips installed inside the chamber of station -1-.
The set O, has as single difference from the one E that enters the meat piece, in that, as shown in Fig. 6 and detail 6A, the strips -6b- show offset areas -24- to lodge cylinders -25- ending in shafts -26- which are socketed in end notches -27- of each offset, allowing its free rotation -1-, so forming a rotatable floor.
First station -1- comprises a bedframe -28- on which is defined a receptacle including a fixed disc -29-as bottom, with a basin -29a- on its periphery and a circumferential groove -30- close to its edge where a sealing gasket -31- is arranged. The disc -29- is surrounded by a ring -32- of C-shaped section inwardly oriented, rotatable movable, whose annular ribs loosely clasp the periphery of said disc -29- and having a series of equally spaced crosscuts -33-, equivalent to those -29b-existing on mentioned disc -29-, to allow its positioning, said ring resting (see fig. 10 and 10A) on a set of wheels -34a- -34b-, which are mounted on a support -35- integral with the bedframe -28-. Said ring -33- is linked to an hydraulic cylinder -36- with its body locked to the bedframe -28- and its stem linked to the ring -32- external side wall.
Above the bottom -29- there exists a supporting floor for the meat piece, formed by a grid -23- (see Figs. 3,6 and 8) whose bars are locked to two cross sectional profiles -37- which in turn remain linked to both pairs of stems -38- guided by sockets -39- fixed on a basin-shaped centre portion -29a- of the disc -29-. The stems -39- are joined to each other, in pairs, by means of profiles -40-which, in turn, remains linked by a cross sectional profile -41- (see fig. 13) forming an H which remains joined to a stem of a fluidodynamic actuator -42- with an upright stem.
Integral with the bottom -29- of the receptacle there exists three other cross sectional profiles -43-where are arranged U-shaped profile parts -44-, of a low friction coefficient material such as Teflon, acting as a guides for the strips -6a- and -6b- of the entering and extracting planes -5a- and 5-b-.
First station comprises a higher plate -45- which is topped at its center portion by a double-dome-shaped covering part -46-. The plate -45- is integral with two upright stems -47-, which in turn are guided by sets of pulleys -48- mounted on supports -49- integral with joists -50- of the bedframe -28-. The stems -47- are joined by their lower part by a bar -51- which is connected to a second fluidodynamic actuator element -52-.
The plate -45- shows a series of peripherical crosscuts -45a- equivalent to the ones -29b- existing on the periphery of the fixed disc -29-, and on the protruding ribs there is, detachably locked by their two faces, wedge-shaped in circumference segment parts -54- which correspond to wedge-shaped profiles -55- defined on the internal higher and lower faces, of the C-shaped profile of the surrounding ring -32-.
On other side, the means to provide heat inside the chamber of said first station comprise nozzles -56a-and -56b- to supply and suck high temperature and pressure vapour.
Second station (see Fig. 11) comprises a tilting head -57- by means of arms -58- rotatable articulated and driven by an fluidodynamic cylinder -59-, whose head includes an overhanging plane -60- provided with a series of suck pads -61- to grip, at least, two bags -65- each time, from a warehouse -62- of said stacked bags -65-, and for moving them onto an horizontal floor -63-, wherein there exists a transversal slot -64-, associated to vacuum generating means to retain a second face, opposite to the first one, of the bag -65- and blades -66- and -67- to lock the side parts and the lower edge of the bag inlet superposed on the table -63-, which remains coplanar with the supporting floor -5b- of the meat piece withdrawing means.
Tilting head -57- comprises a fluidodynamic actuator -57a- providing a vertical displacement, in order to take the bags -65- from the warehouse, and also has a cylinder -98- to actuate blades -99- in order to hold the upper edge of the bag inlet.
Figs. -17- and -18- show the mechanism to drive the side blades -66- which includes a set of two spindles -68- and -69- each of them ending in toothed wheels -70-, -71- geared to each other and one of them holding a shaft -72- with a driving crank -73- Associated to said spindles and guided by an intermediate guide -74-, parallel to said spindles, are arranged pairs of sliding supports, -75- and -76-, with holes threaded to one of the spindles and passing with respect to the other spindle, related two by two with bars -77- housed in rotating levers -79-, -80-mounted in said sliding supports -75-, -76-. The stem -82-of a fluidodynamic cylinder -81- is articulated to a lug - 78- of said bars -77- and said cylinder is integral with one of the sliding supports, in such a way that when said cylinder acts, a coordinated rotation of the levers -79-, -80- and through it of the lateral blades -66- occurs. The mechanism of spindle allows to suitably position said side parts depending on the width of the bag. The sliding supports -75- hold the blades of one of the sides of the two bags and the supports -76- the two blades of the other side.
On other hand, Fig. 19, shown the means to drive the blades -67- designed to hold the bag lower edge which consist in L-shaped plates locked by one of their ends to a shaft -82- which is rotated by a lever -83- and a pneumatic cylinder -84- one of the L-shaped part planes -67- can be superposed, after a 90-degree rotation on above plane -63-.
In order to transfer the meat pieces from second supporting floor -5b- onto the plane -63-, pushing means are employed consisting in a L-shaped profile -111- with one of its arms parallel and superimposed to the strips - 6b- and rotatable cylinders -25-, and the second arm linked to the stem of a fluodynamic actuator -112-.
The means applied to move the wrapped pieces up to the third station -3- comprise clamps -85- mounted with possibility of lengthwise displacement along guides -86- of an horizontal overhanging arm -87- associated to a column -88- with means for lifting and lowering said column -88-which are shown in fig. 16.
Said lifting means (Fig. 16) comprise an upright hydraulic cylinder -89- at the end of the stem thereof there is arranged a pulley -90- and around it a chain -91-extends, locked by one of its ends to a fixed point -92-and associated by its other end -93- to a support -94-uprightly guided inside a static upright support -95-.
The lengthwise movement of the clamps -85- along the arm -86- is carried out thanks to a fluidodynamic cylinder -100-.
The containers sealing station is of a conventional type and we must only emphasize that when the bag linearly moves with the product, when leaving said bags in the recess, provided with a cover -96- moved by a cylinder -97-, said bags are always left in a pre-set position to make sealing means operative.
Fig. 13 shows the cabin -97- of upright laminar flow which surrounds the set of the three mentioned stations guarantying that all the operations that are carried out sequentially, are achieved in a sterile atmosphere.
Lastly Fig. 20 and 21 describe the mechanism to actuate the clamps -85- comprising pairs of slidable support pieces -101-, -102-, which can lengthwise move along guide rods -103-, -104- and connected through levers -105-, -106- to diametrically opposed points of two rotatable discs -107-, -108-. One of the members of each pair of support pieces is attached to the stem of a fluidodynamic cylinder -109-, -110- integral with a housing of the unit. As indicate the arrows in fig. 21, when one of the slidable support pieces is pushed the other support is also moved, approaching or separating so as to open or close the clamps -85-.
The fluodynamic actuators employed can be hydraulic or pneumatic depending of the performances or the features of the plant.
The invention is described by the following claims:
Contents3
20 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4 Sheet 5 Sheet 6 Sheet 7 Sheet 8 Sheet 9 Sheet 10 Sheet 11 Sheet 12 Sheet 13 Sheet 14 Sheet 15 Sheet 16 Sheet 17 Sheet 18 Sheet 19 Sheet 20
13 members in 7 offices
Priority claims8
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9104073 | France | A | |
| 9104073 | France | – | |
| 9200642 | Spain | A | |
| 9200642 | Spain | – | |
| 9104073 | – | – | – |
| 9200642 | – | – | – |
| ES19920000642 | – | – | – |
| FR19910004073 | – | – | – |
Members13
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP0506599A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| FR2674407A1 | France | A1 | |
| EP0506599A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| JPH05103585A | Japan | A | |
| FR2674407B1 | France | B1 | |
| ES2041594A1 | Spain | A1 | |
| US5269216A | United States of America | A | |
| ES2041594B1 | Spain | B1 | |
| US5374437A | United States of America | A | |
| EP0506599B1This record | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| AT134481T | Austria | T | |
| DE69208495D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| DE69208495T2 | Germany | T2 |
33 legal events, as 3 offices reported them to INPADOC
Over the term
Point at a mark for the eventEvents
| Event | Code | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Notification of lapseLapsedST | ST | FR | |
| Nl: lapsed or anulled due to non-payment of the annual feeLapsedNLV4 | NLV4 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal feeCeasedGBPC | GBPC | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Patent ceasedCeasedPL | PL | CH | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| No opposition filedOpposition26N | 26N | EP | |
| No opposition filed within time limitOppositionORIGINAL CODE: 0009261PLBE | PLBE | EP | |
| Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patentGrantedSTATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMITSTAA | STAA | EP | |
| Fr: translation filedET | ET | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| It: translation for a ep patent filedITF | ITF | EP | |
| Corresponds to:REF | REF | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| Corresponds to:REF | REF | EP | |
| (expected) grantORIGINAL CODE: 0009210GRAA | GRAA | EP | |
| First examination report despatched17Q | 17Q | EP | |
| Request for examination filed17P | 17P | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| Search report despatchedORIGINAL CODE: 0009013PUAL | PUAL | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phaseORIGINAL CODE: 0009012PUAI | PUAI | EP |
Numbers
- Publication
- 0506599
- Publication, DOCDB
- 0506599
- Publication, EPODOC
- EP0506599
- Application
- 92500031
- Application, DOCDB
- 92500031
- Application, EPODOC
- EP19920500031
Titles3
- German
- Verfahren zum Pasteurisieren, Sterilisieren und zur aseptischen Verpackung von Fleischprodukten und Vorrichtung dafür
- English
- Pasteurization, sterilization and aseptic packing procedure for meat products and machine therefor
- French
- Procédé de pasteurisation, stérilisation et emballage aseptique pour produits à base de viande et installation à cet effet
Classification
- CPC, 2
- B65B25/067
- A23B4/0053
- IPC, 8
- A23B4 00
- A23B4 005
- A23B4 06
- A23B4 10
- A23L3 16
- A23L3 36
- A23L13 00
- B65B25 06
Designated states8
- Contracting states, 8
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Liechtenstein
- Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
