Patent Publication Number: US-2005124276-A1

Title: Apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/519,594 filed Nov. 13, 2003 and entitled “Apparatus For Flattening And Tenderizing Meat”, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to the tenderizing of meat and, in particular, to a apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat in a single step.  
      Many cuts of meat are particularly difficult to use for certain applications because of the toughness of the muscle involved. Various prior art devices and equipment are employed for tenderizing such cuts of meat. However, such prior right devices and equipment are often difficult to use, are difficult to clean, and do not always provide meat products having a desirable appearance. The present invention comprises a variation of the known devices and equipment which includes a particular way in which rotating rollers engage the meat for both tenderizing the meat while flattening the meat to be nearly paper thin. A special combing device is employed for automatically removing the flattened, tenderized meat from the apparatus, making cleaning much easier.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly stated, the present invention comprises an apparatus or flattening and tenderizing meat including two macerating rollers. The first roller is generally cylindrical with a generally smooth circumferential outer surface and with a plurality of generally parallel, generally equally circumferentially spaced apart ridges extending outwardly from the circumferential surface by a predetermined distance along the axial length of the first roller. The second roller is generally cylindrical with a generally smooth circumferential outer surface and with a plurality of generally parallel, generally equally circumferentially spaced apart ridges extending outwardly from the circumferential surface by a predetermined distance along the axial length of the second roller. The first and second rollers are generally parallel to each other and spaced apart. The rollers are supported in a frame in an offset manner for rotation in opposite directions such that during rotation of the rollers the ridges of the first roller fall between the ridges of the second roller with a predetermined distance therebetween and the ridges of the second roller fall between the ridges of the first roller with a predetermined distance therebetween. When meat is fed into the space between the rotating rollers, the meat is gripped by the ridges and is pulled between the rollers where the meat is flattened and tenderized by the rollers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.  
      In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first roller and comb arrangement of an apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a top plain view of a portion of the apparatus showing the relative positions of the two macerating rollers;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the two rollers taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the two rollers taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a piece of meat prior to passing through the apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a flattened, tenderized piece of meat which has passed through the apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat of  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat of  FIG. 7  in a disassembled condition. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention comprises an apparatus for flattening and tenderizing meat. Virtually any kind of meat, fish, fowl, seafood or the like can be flattened and tenderized using the apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus of the present invention permits a tougher cut of meat, such as stew beef, to be flattened and tenderized and turned into a more valuable cut of meat which can be sold at a higher price.  
      Referring to the Figures, wherein the same new reference numerals are used to indicate the same components throughout the several Figures, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ,  7  and  8  a preferred embodiment of a apparatus  10  which comprises a pair of generally parallel macerating rollers  12 ,  14  which are retained by a frame  15  and which are driven to rotation in opposite directions as indicated by arrows  16  and  18 . Preferably, the present apparatus functions within a known tenderizing machine such as a Biro® Pro-9 Series Machine. However, the present apparatus could be used with other machines or equipment or other techniques could be employed for driving or rotating the rollers  12 ,  14 .  
      The parallel rollers  12 ,  14  are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Preferably the predetermined distance is in the range of about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch to about ¾ of an inch, a distance which may be adjusted for particular applications. However, other distances would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and would depend upon the size of the meat being tenderized and flattened, the desired final thickness of the meat and other factors apparent to those of skill in the art. As can be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , the purpose of the rollers  12 ,  14  is to receive an irregularly shaped piece of meat  20  ( FIG. 5 ) having an initial thickness which is substantially greater than the distance between the rollers  12 ,  14 . Upon passing between the rollers  12 ,  14 , the meat  20  is flattened and tenderized to create a generally flat, irregularly shaped, tenderized piece of meat  22  ( FIG. 6 ) having a thickness which is approximately the same as the predetermined distance between the rollers  12 ,  14 . Preferably, the thickness of the meat  22  is close to “paper thin” making the meat more desirable. An innovative feature of the apparatus  10  is that the rollers  12  and  14  include structural features (hereinafter described) which assist in pulling the meat  20  therebetween for the flattening and tenderizing step. In addition, the present apparatus  10  includes a structure (hereinafter described) which effectively, automatically removes the flattened meat  22  from the rollers  12 ,  14 .  
      As best show in  FIGS. 2, 4  and  8 , each of the rollers  12  includes a generally smooth outer circumferential surface having a plurality of generally parallel, generally equally spaced apart ridges  24  which extend outwardly by a predetermined distance along the entire axial length of the circumferential surface of each roller  12 ,  14 . The ridges  24  in the present embodiment are preferably triangular shape in cross-section (see  FIG. 4 ) and the rollers  12 ,  14  are positioned within the frame  15  so that the ridges  24  of roller  12  are offset from the ridges  24  of roller  14  and so that as the rollers  12  and  14  rotate in opposite directions  16 ,  18 , the ridges  24  of one roller fall within the area between the ridges  24  of the other roller. Preferably, the space between the outermost portion of the ridges  24  of one roller and the opposing circumferential area between the ridges  24  of the other roller is small, preferably in the range of about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch to ¾ of an inch so that the meat  20  which passes through the area between the rollers  12 ,  14  comes out very thin. As the meat  20  is fed into the apparatus  10 , the meat  20  is generally continuously engaged and gripped by one or more of the ridges on one side or the other side or both sides to pull the meat  20  into the area between the rollers  12 ,  14 . The offset ridges  24  ( FIG. 4 ) permit the rollers  12 ,  14  to be positioned very close together so that the meat passing between the rollers  12 ,  14  is simultaneously flattened, scored and perforated for tenderizing and emerges with a thickness which is close to the predetermined distance between the rollers  12 ,  14  and is almost paper thin. The thickness or depth of the ridges  24 , the spacing between the ridges  24  and the number of ridges  24  on each roller  12 ,  14  may vary for particular applications. In addition, in some applications, the ridges  24  may have a cross-sectional shape which is not triangular. For example, in some applications the ridges  24  will have a generally flat outer surface (like a truncated triangle) as opposed to coming to a point in cross-section. Other variations of the size, shape and spacing of the ridges  24  will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Preferably the circumferential portions of the rollers  12  and  14  between the ridges are generally smooth and continuous and are large enough to receive the ridges  24  of the opposing roller without actual engagement.  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  8 , each of the rollers  12 ,  14  further includes a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves  26 . Each of the grooves extends completely circumferentially around the outer surface of each of the rollers and through the ridges  24 . The grooves  26  are axially spaced apart at predetermined distances along the entire length of each of the rollers  12 ,  14 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the grooves  26  in roller  12  are generally aligned with the grooves  26  of roller  14  when the rollers  12  and  14  are installed within the frame  15 . Preferably, each of the grooves  26  is generally rectangular in cross-section and extends into the outer circumferential surface of the corresponding roller  12 ,  14  by a predetermined distance which is preferably in the range of ¼ inch to ½ inch. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the size of the grooves  26 , the spacing between the grooves  26 , the shape of the grooves  26  and the dimensions of the grooves  26  may vary in a particular application.  
      Each of the rollers  12 ,  14  when installed within the frame  15  is engaged by a comb assembly  28 . As best shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 ,  7  and  8 , each comb assembly  28  includes a base member  30  which is secured to the frame  15  at a predetermined location beneath the respective rollers  12 ,  14 . Each comb assembly  28  also includes a plurality of outwardly extending tines  32 . The number of tines  32  and the spacing of the tines  32  is selected so that each tine  32  corresponds to and is aligned with one of the roller grooves  26  as shown in  FIG. 1 . As best shown in  FIGS. 1, 3  and  8 , the distal end of each of the tines  32  is generally curved to correspond to the curvature of the roller grooves  26 . The ends of the tines  32  proximate to the base  30  are generally straight. Preferably, the tines  32  have a width and a thickness which is at slightly less than the depth and width of the roller grooves  26  so that the tines  32  may reside within the roller grooves  26  without undue friction created as the rollers  12 ,  14  rotate. The comb assembly  28 , and particularly the tines  32 , functions to effectively remove any of the flattened, tenderized meat which has passed through the area between the rollers  12 ,  14  and which may tend to stick to the ridges  24  of the rollers  12 ,  14  after flattening. Preferably, each comb assembly  28 , and particularly the tines  32 , is formed of a high strength material such as steel, stainless steel or some other metal alloy or the like. Preferably the rollers  12 ,  14  including the ridges  24  are also formed of a generally rigid high strength material such as steel, stainless steel or the like.  
      Meat products formed using the above-described apparatus  10  could be use for sauteing, grilling, stir frying, scallopini, breaded products, in casseroles, or the like. Alternatively, the flattened, paper thin, tenderized meat pieces could be mixed in a mixer to produce a meat mass which could then be formed into a restructured meat product. The apparatus  10  could be used with virtually any muscle cuts of virtually any animal, including beef, pork, chicken, lamb, veal, turkey or any other type of fowl or seafood. Alternatively, the present apparatus could be used for flattening and tenderizing vegetables, dough or virtually any other type of food product.  
      It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. For example, the shape of the ridges  24  could be varied, the number of ridges could be varied, the size of the ridges could be varied and the distance between the outer surfaces of the ridges and the opposing circumferential roller surfaces could be varied. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but is intended to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.