Abstract:
A probe for cleaning the eviscerated body cavity of an animal, including a bird, has a washer assembly rotatably mounted about a tube. The washer assembly includes a nose having apertures extending between the interior and exterior of the nose. A bore within the tube feeds fluid to the apertures in the nose. As the probe is inserted into and withdrawn from the body cavity the nose rotates and fluid washes the body cavity. Alternatively, the probe includes a helical auger mounted about the tube that rotates as the probe moves into and out of the body cavity to assist in agitating the fluid within the body cavity and to displace the leaf fat. The nose may seal the anterior opening of the bird carcass to allow the body cavity to fill with fluid and the auger to agitate the accumulated fluid.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/539,812, filed Sep. 27, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosed subject matter relates generally to a cleaning device, and in particular an apparatus inserted into the eviscerated body cavity of an animal carcass for washing the body cavity and removing debris therefrom. 
         [0003]    The automated processing of animal carcasses, including poultry, involves the removal of the head and neck portion of the animal, and evisceration of the body cavity. The resulting carcass consists of a body cavity with the thorax having an anterior opening, and the abdomen having a posterior opening. The eviscerated carcass then moves through the automated processing operation suspended from a shackle connected to a conveyor system. 
         [0004]    A subsequent step in the processing operation is the cleaning of the interior of the body cavity to remove tissue debris and contaminates generated by the evisceration process. Fluid, such as water or a cleaning fluid, is introduced into the body cavity to dislodge the tissue debris and contaminates. The tissue debris and contaminants become suspended by the fluid and are washed from the body cavity as the mixture drains from the anterior and posterior openings. Currently available devices spray fluid into the body cavity that immediately drains from the carcass through the openings without harnessing any benefits from an accumulation of the fluid. 
         [0005]    Heretofore there has not been available a bird cavity washer with the advantages and features of the disclosed subject matter. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A bird cavity washer having a rotating tubular auger expels liquid from a tubular nose as it enters and exits the body cavity of an eviscerated bird for cleaning the interior of the body cavity. The nose and auger are rotatably mounted about a metal tube and are operatively connected to a tubular sleeve above. The bird cavity washer is operably connected to a rotary carousel cleaning unit having a fixed toothed gear that interacts with cooperating ridges and notches in the sleeve causing the sleeve, auger, and nose to rotate. 
         [0007]    The auger includes a helical blade that agitates the fluid that accumulates within the body cavity, and displaces the leaf fat. The probe enters a posterior opening in the carcass and the nose seals an opposite anterior opening in the carcass allowing the fluid to accumulate within the body cavity and the auger to agitate the fluid within the body cavity to enhance removal of tissue debris and contaminants. Withdrawing the probe allows the accumulated fluid to drain from the body cavity through the anterior opening and for the auger to displace the leaf fat allowing the liquid expelled from the nose to wash the area between the leaf fat and body cavity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of the bird cavity washer being inserted into the body cavity of a bird shown in section. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the bird cavity washer fully inserted into the body cavity of a bird and sealing the anterior opening. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view of the bird cavity washer being withdrawn from the body cavity. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the bird cavity washer. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of the bird cavity washer in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of an alternative embodiment bird cavity washer being inserted into the body cavity of a bird cavity shown in section. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are described herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the disclosed subject matter, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the disclosed technology in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
         [0016]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, left, and right refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar meaning. 
         [0017]    Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-6  generally show an embodiment of a bird cavity washer  102  embodying principles of the disclosed subject matter. The bird cavity washer  102  comprises a probe  104  connected to a mount  166 . The mount  166  is connected to a cleaning unit (not shown) that inserts the probe  104  into the body cavity  192  of a bird carcass  180  as it passes through the cleaning unit. 
         [0018]    Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the probe  104  is generally an elongated tubular apparatus depending from the mount  166 . The probe  104  includes a washer assembly for cleaning the interior of a bird carcass  180 . The washer assembly is rotated by a rotational energy source. The washer assembly comprises a tubular auger  122  member rotatably mounted on a tube  152  above a nose  136  member. The tube  152  has an axial bore  154  extending between an upper end  156  and lower end  158 . Ports  155  at the upper end  156  communicate with a fluid source  164  for providing fluid to the nose  136 . A first port  160   a  and a second port  160   b  at the lower end  158  communicate with the apertures  146   a  and  146   b  in the nose  136  for discharging fluid from the probe  104  into the body cavity  192  of a bird carcass  180 . 
         [0019]    The auger  122  has a tubular body extending between an upper end  126  and a lower end  128 . A helical blade  130  projects from the exterior surface of the body and extends between the lower end  128  and the upper end  126 . The blade  130  engages and agitates the fluid within the body cavity  192 , and displaces the leaf fat  194 , both of which are discussed more fully below. 
         [0020]    The tubular nose  136  is operably connected to the auger  122 , and has an upper portion and a lower portion having a sidewall  144 . The lower portion tapers from a wide upper end  140  to a narrow lower end  142  and is dimensioned to fit in the anterior opening  190  of a bird carcass  180 . A resilient ring  138  is mounted on the nose  136  within an outwardly open circumferential channel  137  and extends outward from the channel  137  for scouring the walls of the body cavity  192 . A plurality of apertures  146   a  and  146   b  extend between the tube  152  and the exterior of the nose  136  in a spaced, radial pattern for expelling fluid from the tube  152  into the body cavity  192 . Fluid is expelled through the lower aperture  146   b  downward and away from the nose  136 , and the upper aperture  146   a  upward from the nose  136  proximal to the upper end  140 . Liquid expelled from aperture  146   a  contacts a lower face  129  of the auger  122  to deflect fluid upward and outward away from the probe  104 . A tubular neck extends upward from the upper end  140  of the nose  136  and is disposed between the tube  152  and the auger  122 . An O-ring  132  disposed within an inwardly open annular groove is located above the upper port  155 , and in the nose  136  below the lower port  160  contains fluid outside the tube  152  within a cavity  131  formed within the inner surface of the nose prior to being expelled through the apertures  146   a  and  146   b.    
         [0021]    A sleeve  108  member has a tubular body extending between an upper end  112  and a lower end  114 , and is operably connected to the upper end  126  of the auger  122  and the upper portion of the nose  136  using an alternating slot and tooth arrangement there between. A rotational energy source provides mechanical rotational energy to the washer assembly by acting on the sleeve  108 . This embodiment of the probe  104  is provided rotational energy by a gear  168  fixed to a rotary carousel cleaning unit. The probe  104  sleeve  108  has a plurality of ridges  116  projecting from the exterior surface of the sleeve  108 , and extends between the upper end  112  and the lower end  114  forming elongated notches  118  that engage teeth  170  on the gear  168 . As the probe  104  travels around the carousel against the fixed circular gear  168 , the sleeve  108  rotates about the tube  152 , and the auger  122  and nose  136  rotate about the tube  152 . A bushing disposed within a notch within the interior lower end  114  of the sleeve  108  resides between the sleeve  108  and the tube  152  providing a sealing relationship. A fastener, such as a screw  148 , is threadably received within the lower end  158  of the tube  152  for retaining the nose  136 , auger  122 , and sleeve  108  on the tube  152 . Alternatively, the fastener may be secured within the lower end  158  by an interference fit. 
         [0022]    A fastener, including a nut  162  is threadably received on the upper end  156  of the tube  152  for securing the probe  104  to the mount  166 . The tube  152  may be manufactured from metal, preferably stainless steel. The nose  136 , auger  122 , and sleeve  108  may be manufactured from a resilient material including high-density polyethylene (HDPE). 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the bird carcass  180  is suspended by its legs  186  from a shackle  176  below the bird cavity washer  102 . The ring  138  rotates with the nose  136  scouring the walls of the body cavity  192  from above. As the auger  122  rotates and fluid sprays from the apertures  146  as the probe  104  descends toward the bird carcass  180 . When viewed from above, the auger  122  is shown with blades  130  spiraling clockwise from the lower end  128  toward the upper end  126  along the body  124 . As such, the auger  122  is rotated counter-clockwise when in use to move fluid from the lower end of the probe  104  to the upper end of the probe  104 . Alternatively, the blade  130  may spiral counter-clockwise from the lower end  128  toward the upper end  126 . Thus, the auger  122  would be rotated clockwise when in use to move fluid in the body cavity  192 . As the nose  136  passes through the posterior opening  184  past the leaf fat  194  and into the abdomen  182 , the fluid washes the interior of the body cavity  192  and exits below through the anterior opening  190 . As the probe  104  advances downward through the abdomen  182  into the thorax  188 , fluid continues to flow from the nose  136  washing the interior of the thorax  188 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , as the nose  136  reaches the anterior opening  190 , the sidewall  144  makes contact with the anterior opening  190  creating a sealing relationship between the nose  136  and the body cavity  192 . This orientates the bird carcass  180  whereby the probe  104  is able to access the body cavity  192 . With the nose  136  remaining in contact with the anterior opening  190 , the probe  104  continues to rotate and fluid continues to spray from the apertures  146   a  and  146   b.  With the nose  136  blocking the anterior opening  190 , fluid accumulates within the body cavity  192  suspending tissue debris and contaminants therein, and fills toward the posterior opening  184 . The rotating probe  104  and auger  122  act upon the accumulated volume of fluid causing the fluid to form a vortex that scours the walls of the body cavity  192  further loosening the tissue debris and contaminants. Further, the moving fluid lifts the leaf fat  194  away from the body cavity  192  enabling the fluid to clean tissue debris and condiments from between the leaf fat  194  and body cavity  192 . 
         [0025]    With the probe  104  in its lowermost position ( FIG. 2 ), the nose  136  remains in the anterior opening  190  for a specified amount of time as the fluid sprays from the apertures  146   a  and  146   b,  and swirls within the body cavity  192 . When the probe  104  begins its ascent from the body cavity  192 , it continues to rotate and spray fluid. As the nose  136  is withdrawn from the anterior opening  190  fluid is again permitted to drain from the body cavity  192  through the anterior opening  190  evacuating the suspended tissue debris and contaminants. When the auger  122  encounters the leaf fat  194 , the leaf fat  194  is displaced upward due to the rotation of the auger  122  allowing the fluid sprayed from the apertures  146   a  and  146   b  to further wash the area between the leaf fat  194  and the body cavity  192  ( FIG. 3 ). After the probe  104  is withdrawn from the body cavity  192  the conveyor system moves the shackle  176  and bird carcass  180  to the next station in the process, and the probe  104  is repositioned for cleaning the body cavity  192  of another bird carcass  180 . 
         [0026]    An alternative method of using the bird cavity washer  102  is similar to above but when the probe  104  is inserted into the body cavity  192 , the nose  136  does not obstruct the anterior opening  190 . 
         [0027]    In an alternative embodiment, the bird cavity washer  202  includes a probe  204  with a tubular spacer  222  instead of an auger. The probe  204  is inserted into the body cavity  192  so that the nose  136  obstructs the anterior opening  190  as above, and fluid is allowed to accumulate without agitation before it is evacuated through the anterior opening  190  thereby removing tissue debris and contaminants therefrom. 
         [0028]    It will be appreciated that the components of the bird cavity washers  102  and  202  can be used for various other applications, and for processing other types of animals. Moreover, the bird cavity washers  102  and  202  can be fabricated in various sizes and from a wide range of suitable materials, using various manufacturing and fabrication techniques. 
         [0029]    Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to various particular embodiments, it is understood that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.