Patent Publication Number: US-2019183134-A1

Title: System and method for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses, and utensil

Description:
The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses, and utensils, wherein the utensils have a type of identification for monitoring, wherein specific data about said utensils is recorded in order to obtain traffic control and usage data of the utensils. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The market for meat production is promising and durable, but working on a slaughterhouse is a risky activity. Slaughterhouse workers are often cut off due to work-related diseases (WMSD) and repetitive strain injuries (RSI). In addition, slaughterhouse workers have higher chances of trauma (including cuts with saws and knives) of the abdomen, shoulder and arm, four times more muscle and tendon inflammation, and up to seven times more wrist injuries due to ergonomic problems. 
     In order to change this scenario, many labor laws are created in order to address the usability aspects of knifes and tools with ergonomic aspects such as handle, comfort, weight, ease of use, analysis of movements and activities, as well as constant sharpening and control and replacement systems for sharp knives. Such focus, for example, on the sharpening of knives aims at eliminating a common practice in slaughterhouses: the provision of shortened knives to increase the useful life of these products, but with negative consequences in terms of long-term ergonomic problems for workers. 
     In order to comply the process of sharpening knives to labor laws, slaughterhouses need innovations in their registration and control systems for knife sharpening. In this sense, the possibility of important technological innovations arises. 
     An example of a system that makes this interconnection is in U.S. Pat. No. 6,867,598 that relates to a system for identification and tracking of utensils in slaughterhouses for deboning purposes. The system describes that the utensils can only be a knife or a glove, and their main purpose is to control prerequisites (primarily sanitizing) by mapping the locations and periods the knife passes and comparing with a previously established protocol. In addition, the document does not mention many types of data that can be collected and aim more the theft control of utensils. 
     WO2005108183 discloses a deboning or chopping knife, comprising a blade and a handle, wherein a transponder, comprising a information storing transceiver device and unit controller, is inserted into the knife handle. The document focuses on the knife communication via RFID with any reading device, storing the information on at least one computer in the slaughterhouse where the readings are being performed. In addition, the system allows recording of multiple information, including when sanitizing occurs and when sharpening occurs, but according to the document, the recording of data is not automatic and the invention aims only to control whether the operational requirements are being followed (previously defined protocol), that is to say, whether the knife is sharpened, if sanitization is performed, who is responsible for the knife, if there were no knife disappearing in the process, etc. 
     WO2009146681 discloses a method for detecting and/or identifying a hand tool. The document looks at aspects of user controls and responsibility for knife or other utensils, especially to prevent knife theft and sabotage (such as an employee purposely putting the knife in grinders, destroying machines or causing any damage to the slaughterhouse). 
     OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a system and method for monitoring utensils for slaughterhouses capable of including recording of utensil data shareable with the various slaughterhouse plants and the knife factory itself. 
     It is also an objective of the present invention to maintain the record data of the utensils in a cloud. 
     It is yet an objective of the present invention to collect satisfaction data from utensil users. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to be able to retain control data of workers movement and work in order to effectively prevent repetitive strain injuries and thus provide a form of control and monitoring for labor laws. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method of integrating collected data from all the utensil data capture locations with the slaughterhouse and the utensil factory in order to create a data network. 
     It is a further an object of the present invention to provide a utensil with a readable medium that assists in monitoring it. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The objectives of the invention are achieved by means of a system for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses, comprising: at least one utensil comprising at least one readable medium identifying the at least one utensil; at least one reading device, in at least one specific location of the slaughterhouse, reading the at least one readable medium of the at least one utensil for collecting at least one data relating to that utensil, wherein the data collected by the reading device is stored in at least one of a hardware and a cloud database. 
     The objectives of the invention are further achieved by a utensil comprising: at least one readable medium, which identifies the at least one utensil for monitoring in the system of the present invention, wherein preferably the at least one readable medium is a radiofrequency device which is inserted inside the utensil. 
     The objects of the invention are additionally achieved by a method for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses using the system of the present invention, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
     collecting at least one data referring to at least one utensil; 
     storing the data collected on at least one of a hardware and a cloud database; and 
     providing the data for query and monitoring of the at least one utensil. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described in more detail below, based on the figures. The figures show: 
         FIG. 1 —is a floor plan of an exemplary embodiment of a slaughterhouse for deboning; 
         FIG. 2 —is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disposal device; 
         FIG. 3 —is a side cut of a preferred embodiment of a utensil; and 
         FIG. 4 —is a block diagram of the steps of the method for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses in an embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In  FIG. 1 , it is shown a floor plan embodiment of a slaughterhouse, in which the system of the present invention may be employed. 
     The system comprises at least one utensil  100 , indicated in  FIG. 3 , which in turn, comprises at least one readable medium  110  which identifies the at least one utensil  100 . The utensils  100  will be better described below. 
     The system further comprises at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 . The reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  reads the at least one readable medium  110  located on the at least one utensil  100  to collect at least one data relative to that utensil  100 . 
     The at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  is at least one of: a sharpening device  210 , a sanitizing and sterilizing device  220 , a chopping aid and support device  230 , a disposal device  240 , a passage warning device  250 , a storage  260 , a workstation device  270 , and a blade realignment device  280 . 
     The sharpening device  210  comprises sharpening means, which sharpens the utensil  100  and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil is within reach of the reading means. The sharpening device  210  is at least one of: a hand sharpener and an automatic sharpener, wherein the abrasive of the sharpeners can be made of different materials. The reading means of the sharpening device  210  may be located integrated in the devices themselves or in a movable device which is disposed in a suitable location near the sharpening devices. While the utensil  100  is sharpened, the reading means collects at least one of the data: utensil identification, start time and date of sharpening, end time and date of sharpening, time of sharpening, inclination angle of sharpening, pressure against the abrasive, type of abrasive, adjustment of the positions of the abrasive, number of sharpenings, sharpening evaluation, and other data calculated from the data initially collected. The sharpening device  210  may be located anywhere on the slaughterhouse floor. 
     The sanitizing and sterilizing device  220  comprises: sanitizing means, which sanitizes the utensil  100 , sterilizing means, which sterilizes the utensil  100  and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within the reach of the reading means. The sanitizing and sterilizing device reading means may be located integrated in the sanitizing and sterilizing device itself or in a movable device which is disposed in a suitable location near the sanitizing and sterilizing device so that while the utensil  100  is sanitized or sterilized, the reading means collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100 , sanitizing start time and date, sanitizing time, sanitizing temperature, sterilization start time and date, sterilization time and sterilization temperature. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the sanitizing and sterilizing device  220  are two separate devices, one for sanitizing and one for sterilizing, wherein each device comprises its respective reading means and collects its respective data. The sanitizing and sterilizing device  220  may be located anywhere in the slaughterhouse plant. 
     The chopping aid and support device  230  comprises: cutting support means which minimizes the loss of sharpness of the utensil  100  when both come into contact and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within reach of the reading means. The reading means of the chopping aid and support device  230  may be built-in the chopping aid and support device  230  itself or may be removable so that while the utensil  100  is used against the chopping aid and support device  230 , the reading means collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100 , reading start time and date, pressure against the cutting board  230 , number of times that the utensil  100  comes into contact with the chopping aid and support device  230 , contact total time of utensil  100  with the chopping aid and support device  230  and position of utensil  100  while a user performs his task, wherein the position of utensil  100  assists in identifying the user function of the utensil  100  at that workstation. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the reading means is located outside the cut aid and support device  230  in a movable device that is disposed in a suitable location near the chopping aid and support device  230  so that while the utensil  100  is used, the reading means collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100 , reading start time and date, and position of the utensil  100 . The chopping aid and support device  230  is preferably located in a workstation, in which the user of the utensil  100  performs his task. 
     The workstation device  270  comprises reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within reach of the reading means, wherein the workstation device  270  is located at a location where the reading means of the workstation device  270  is effectively able to read the readable medium of the utensil  110  used in the workstation. Preferably, the workstation device is located on a surface below where the utensil  100  is used or suspended above where the utensil  100  is effectively used by a user to accomplish his task. The reading means of the workstation device  270  collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100 , reading start time and date, dwell time of utensil  100  at the workstation and position of utensil  100 , wherein the position of the utensil  100  assists in identifying the function of a user of the utensil  100  at that workstation. The workstation device  270  may preferably be integrated with the deboning counter, in the form of a rug or as a device suspended over the user of the utensil  100 . In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the workstation device  270  informs the user that the utensil needs at least one of a maintenance of: sharpening, sanitizing and blade realignment, when a certain time of the last maintenance has elapsed and the utensil needs maintenance. 
     The workstation is the place where a utensil user performs its function, wherein the function is any function that a utensil user can develop in a slaughterhouse. Preferably, the workstation is where the user performs the deboning of an animal or part thereof. 
     An example of an embodiment for the disposal device  240  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The disposal device  240  comprises: user communication means  241 , utensil disposal means  242  and reading means  243 , that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within the reach of the reading means  243 , in order for the utensil  100  to be discarded, the user must inform the reason through the means of communication  241 , and if the disposal is approved, the disposal means  242  enables the disposal of the utensil  100  in which the disposal device  240  provides the user through user communication means ( 241 ): query of the history of use of the utensil, query of the amount of utensils discarded and listing of discarded utensils. The user communication means  241  is at least one of: a display, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch-sensitive device, wherein the display is preferably touch sensitive to the user and interprets the user&#39;s touch so that the disposal device  240  operates property. The reading means  243  of the disposal device  240  collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100  and time and date of disposal. The user communication means  241  of the disposal device  240  enables the user to provide at least one of: utensil sharpening evaluation, reason for utensil disposal, user&#39;s admission dates in the slaughterhouse, and user&#39;s training dates. 
     In order for the user to discard the utensil  100 , the user must provide the reason why that utensil  100  is being discarded. The disposal device  240  may have predefined disposal reasons or the user may enter the reason through the user communication means  241 . The disposal device  240  should assess whether that utensil  100  can be discarded or not and thereby enable, through the disposal means  242 , the disposal of that utensil  100 . The disposal means  242  is preferably an opening in the disposal device  240 , which should open for the user to insert the utensil  100  to be discarded. 
     The storage  260  comprises: a location suitable for storing the utensils  100  and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within reach of the reading means. The storage reading means  260  collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil  100 , time and date of storage entry or exit. The storage  260  is at least one of a collective utensil  100  storage means or an appropriate place where the user should store his individual utensils  100 . Every slaughterhouse has a different storage means for utensils. The storage means  260  may be collective or individual, thus the need for the present invention to adapt itself to every need of each slaughterhouse. The storage reading means  260  may be located at a suitable location where they are effectively stored or in the form of a passageway such as a window, whereby the utensils are returned for storage at the end of the working day. 
     The passage warning device  250  comprises: a warning device and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within reach of the reading means, the warning device emits at least one of an audible alert and a visual alert, when the reading means identifies a utensil  100  which should not to be moved through the passage device  250 . The passage warning reading means collects at least one of the data: identification of the utensil and time and date of passage of the utensil. 
     The passage warning device  250  may be located in any pass-through aperture in which a utensil  100  may pass. These apertures, which may be passage doors between the rooms of a slaughterhouse, utensil  100  delivery windows, windows of the slaughterhouse itself or entrances to the slaughterhouse. In one embodiment of the invention, the slaughterhouse has rooms for each reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  and for other purposes in general. The passage warning devices  250  are located in the pass-through apertures of the rooms, thereby controlling the flow of utensils  100  between the slaughter rooms. 
     The blade realignment device  280  comprises: blade realignment means and reading means that reads the at least one readable medium  110  while the utensil  100  is within the reach of the reading means. The blade realignment device  280  is at least one of: a manual blade realignment device and an automatic blade realignment device. In one embodiment, the realignment device  280  is fixed and automatic at a specific location in the slaughterhouse. The reading means of the blade realignment device  280  may be located integrated in the devices themselves or in a movable device which is disposed in a suitable location near the blade realignment devices so that while the utensil  100  is realigned, the reading means collects at least one of the data: utensil  100  identification, time and date of the realignment, number of times the utensil  100  was realigned and total realignment time. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the blade realignment device  280  is movable and has at least one readable medium  110  and is treated like any other utensil  100  by the reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 . In this embodiment, the user takes the realignment device  280  together to carry out his/her work. 
     The at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may also have means for inserting data. The user performs access for insertion of data through a login and password through the user communication means located in the reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 . 
     The at least one utensil  100  is at least one of: a knife, preferably for deboning, a protective glove, a meat separation aid device, an apron, a cap, a blade realignment device, a retainer device for pieces of meat, a user identification bracelet, individual protective equipment, an individual storage device among other utensils that a worker from a slaughterhouse must carry in their day to day working in the slaughterhouse. 
     In one embodiment, the slaughterhouse must choose which utensils should comprise the at least one readable medium  110 . The readable medium  110  will be read each time it passes a reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 . The present invention encompasses that each individual utensil  100  of each user working in the slaughterhouse comprises the at least one readable medium  110 . 
     In a further embodiment, all slaughterhouse utensils  100  comprise at least one readable medium  110  and the slaughterhouse selects which reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  are to collect the data of the utensils  100 . 
     The present invention comprises a combination of possibilities of readable medium in utensils  100 , wherein if it is not of interesting to the slaughterhouse, a particular utensil will not comprise the readable medium. In addition, reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  should also comprise given reading means for a given readable medium  110  and, if the slaughterhouse is interested, it should read the at least one readable medium of the given utensil  100 . 
     The at least one readable medium  110  is at least one of: a bar code, a numerical code, a radio frequency device, a Bluetooth device, an infrared device and a QRCOD. 
       FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of a utensil  100 , object of the present invention, wherein the utensil  100  is a knife, preferably for deboning. In this preferred embodiment, the at least one readable medium  110  is a radiofrequency device that is inserted into the interior of the utensil  100 . 
     In alternative embodiments, the at least one utensil  100  comprises more than one readable medium  110 , preferably at least two of: a bar code, a radiofrequency device, a Bluetooth device and an infrared device. In such embodiments, each reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may collect different data from different readable media  110 . 
     In one example of the present invention, the utensil  100  comprises only one readable medium  110 , the readable medium  110  preferably being a radiofrequency device. Each time the utensil  100  passes a reading distance of a reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 , it will collect the data of the utensil  100 . 
     In another example of the alternative embodiment of the present invention, the utensil  100  comprises a readable medium  110 , preferably a radiofrequency device, and another readable medium such as, for example, a bar code. Each reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  will have its reading means suitable for at least one of the two readable medium  110 . Thus, a sharpening device  210  may comprise reading means that collect data from the radio frequency device signal and reading means to read a bar code from the utensil  100  to collect different data from the reading means of the radio frequency device. In addition, in order to exemplify the different combinations of quantities and types of readable mediums  110  and reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  which collect data from each of the readable mediums  110  types, the same example of the previous alternative embodiment, a sanitizing and sterilizing device  220  comprises only means for reading the radio frequency device, and can thus only collect data relating to that readable medium. 
     Each slaughterhouse should define which readable medium to use, where and which reading device should collect what data pertaining to which utensil, in the way that best suits the slaughterhouse. 
     Through the present invention, data collected from at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  can be stored in one of: a hardware of each reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 , a central hardware that is interconnected between each of the at least one reading device and directly into a cloud, wherein the data stored in the cloud can be sent directly through the reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  or via a central sending device which receives data from at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  and sends these data for cloud storage. 
     Through this system, the present invention is able to interact with all data collected in order to provide usability improvement for the user (operators), the slaughterhouse and the utensil factory. The present invention enables the interaction between the utensil  100  manufacturer with the slaughterhouse, the user, the activity and maintenance of the utensil (sharpening, sanitizing and any other activity performed on the utensil). As a result, the user evaluates the utensil and the data collected by the reading devices  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 . 
     Thus, all the data collected aim to identify the factors that affect the usability of the utensil  100 , such as the human factor involved, the activity exerted, the environment of use of the utensil and the conditions of manufacture of the utensil  100 . The usability result of the utensil is measured by satisfaction of the interaction of these factors, since it records the user&#39;s evaluation, that is, momentary satisfaction with the used utensil. The usability of the utensil  100  is always something subjective and momentary being influenced by the interaction of all the data collected by the present invention, sharpening data, sanitizing data, lifespan data, the timing and reason for disposal, and the design of the product itself suitable to the user and activity. Change in any variable may be significant in the final evaluation of the utensil. 
     Additionally, in one embodiment of the invention, some data is inserted into the system to better evaluate all of the usability variables of the utensils  100 . The data may refer to the information of the slaughterhouse or utensil  100 . 
     The data to be entered relating to the information of the slaughterhouse is at least one of: the gender of the user of the utensil  100 , utility of the utensil  100 , such as, for example, whether the utensil is being used for deboning or trim, the type of meat to be to be deboned, whether the utensil is used in a slaughter area or chopping area, i.e., against cold meat or hot meat, among others. 
     The data to be entered concerning the slaughterhouse information can be linked to the utensils by at least one of: the slaughterhouse itself, when it receives the utensils  100 , the utensil factory and the user. The user or slaughterhouse can link the information when the utensil is first received. The user may also link this information at the beginning of his/her shift or when it reaches some reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 , preferably the workstation  270 . 
     The data linked to the utensil  100  are at least one of: blade design, steel type, handle type, user-performed activity. Such data linked to the utensil  100  may also be linked by the utensil factory, the slaughterhouse or the user. The information may be linked by the factory before going to the slaughterhouse, when the slaughterhouse receives the utensil for the first time, through the user at the beginning of the shift or when the user arrives at some reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 , preferably the workstation  270 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , there is shown a block diagram of the steps of the method for monitoring utensils in slaughterhouses using the system and utensil of the present invention. 
     In step  1000 , at least one data relating to at least one utensil  100  is collected through at least one reading device  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240 ,  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280 ; in step  2000 , the data collected on at least one of a hardware and a cloud database is stored; and in step  3000  the data is available for query and monitoring of the at least one utensil  100 . 
     The method may further comprise a step of: emitting  4000  at least one of an audible alert and a visual alert in at least one of the situations: when the reading means of a passage warning device  250  identifies a utensil  100  that should not move through the passage warning device  250  and when the workstation device  270  identifies that the utensil needs at least one of the maintenance of: sharpening, sanitizing and blade realignment when a certain time of the last maintenance has elapsed. 
     To assist in the utensil monitoring method, at least one of the following additional data is entered into the system: blade design, steel type, handle type, user performed activity. 
     The present invention provides a system and method of monitoring utensils and utensils that can collect multiple data from a slaughterhouse both related to the work of utensil users and the physical aspects of the utensil itself in order to create a database that can be studied both by the slaughterhouse and by the utensil factory, allowing both the slaughterhouse and the utensil factory to improve their products, services and quality, as well as to provide data to control the functional well-being of the utensil user and to avoid undesirable transit of utensils in and out of the slaughterhouse rooms. 
     Over time, new data reading devices (not mentioned herein) or utensils may appear, in which influence user satisfaction, utensil conditions and maintenance, and which may be included in the system of the present invention. 
     The embodiment example described above represents a preferred embodiment; however, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention encompasses other possible variations, and is limited only by the content of the appended claims, which include all possible equivalents.