Patent ID: 12256746

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to a shown example.FIG.1is a schematic top view for illustrating an overall image of a sausage sticking system of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.1, the sausage sticking system of the present invention mainly includes a hook conveying unit10, a stick holding unit20, and a pivoting imparting unit30. The sausage sticking system of the present invention is used to hang on a stick3a chain of sausages2whose casing1having a predetermined length is filled with ingredients by using a sausage filling machine. Here, the chain of sausages2is in which the casing1is filled with the ingredients and twisted at regular intervals so that a plurality of sausages are connected in a chain manner. The stick3on which the chain of sausages2is hung may be taken out from the stick holding unit20and transferred to a subsequent smoke treatment process or the like.

The casing1may be a natural casing made of intestines of pigs or sheep or an artificial casing made of collagen or the like. In a case of the natural casing, a length of the casing cannot be known in advance, but in a case of the artificial casing, the length of the casing can be known in advance. Either the natural casing or the artificial casing is acceptable, and as will be described later, in the sausage sticking system of the present invention, positions and intervals at which the chain of sausages2is hung on the stick3can be changed according to the length of the casing1, and thus, in the case of the artificial casing in which the length of the casing1can be known in advance, the positions and intervals can be designated in advance.

The hook conveying unit10conveys a plurality of pivoting hooks11at a predetermined speed. The plurality of pivoting hooks11are arranged at predetermined intervals. The hook conveying unit10is configured such that the loop of the chain of sausages2hooked on each of the pivoting hooks11is dropped onto the stick3passing through the loop by pivoting each of the pivoting hooks11.

The hook conveying unit10includes an endless circulation body12. The endless circulation body12is configured to move on an elliptical orbit, as illustrated inFIG.1. The endless circulation body12may be made of, for example, a chain loop or a belt loop. The endless circulation body12may be configured to travel from a position where the chain of sausages2is hooked on the plurality of pivoting hooks11, pass through a position where the chain of sausages2is dropped onto the stick3, and return to a position where the chain of sausages2is to be hooked on the empty hooks after the chain of sausages2is dropped. The stick3is arranged parallel to the endless circulation body12, and the pivoting hooks11are conveyed along the stick3. Here, the conveying of the pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10may be performed intermittently. The chain of sausages2may be sequentially hooked on the pivoting hooks11from the sausage filling machine while the conveying of the pivoting hooks11is temporarily stopped. The conveying of the pivoting hooks of the hook conveying unit10is not necessarily limited to the intermittent conveying, and may be performed continuously, and the chain of sausages2may be sequentially hooked on the pivoting hooks11in accordance with a conveying operation.

A specific configuration of the hook conveying unit10will be described with reference toFIG.2.FIG.2is a schematic side view for illustrating details of the sausage sticking system of the present invention. InFIG.2, parts having the same reference numerals as those inFIG.1represent the same objects. The plurality of pivoting hooks11are connected to the endless circulation body12at regular intervals and is conveyed along the movement of the endless circulation body12on the elliptical orbit. The chain of sausages2is hooked on each of the plurality of pivoting hooks11to form one loop2a. The loop2ais a loop formed by connecting a plurality of sausages in a chain manner, and for example, as illustrated inFIG.2, one loop2aincludes four sausages. The number of sausages forming the loop is not particularly limited to the illustrated example.

As illustrated inFIG.2, each of the pivoting hooks11includes a hook base13, a bearing14, a sausage hook unit15, and a pivoting imparting receiving unit16. The hook base13is connected to the endless circulation body12. The hook base13includes a pivot shaft13a. The pivoting hook11is configured to pivot about the pivot shaft13a. The bearing14pivotably supports the pivot shaft13a. The sausage hook unit15is formed on a lower side of the bearing14. The sausage hook unit15is a unit that hooks the loop2aof the chain of sausages2. The pivoting imparting receiving unit16is formed on an upper side of the bearing14. The pivoting imparting receiving unit16is a unit against which the pivoting imparting unit30which will be described later abuts. The pivoting hook11may be obtained by integrally forming the pivoting imparting receiving unit16and the sausage hook unit15above and below the bearing14of the hook base13. A weight balance between the sausage hook unit15and the pivoting imparting receiving unit16may be adjusted such that the sausage hook unit15goes to the lower side when the loop2ais not hooked. Here, the pivot shaft13ais oriented obliquely with respect to the stick3when viewed from above, and the pivoting hook11above the stick3is configured to pivot about the pivot shaft13adirected in an oblique direction. Accordingly, when the pivoting hook11is pivoted by the pivoting imparting unit30which will be described later, the pivoting hook11can be prevented from abutting against the adjacent pivoting hook11.

The sausage hook unit15in the illustrated example has an L shape. Specifically, the sausage hook unit15has a shape obtained by bending a plate-like body having a certain width into the L shape such that a twisted portion of the chain of sausages2is hung and the loop2ais widened laterally to make the stick3pass through the loop2a. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any shape may be used as long as the loop2ais hooked on the sausage hook unit15and the loop2acan be dropped by pivoting.

Next, the stick holding unit20holds both ends of the stick3when the chain of sausages2hooked on the plurality of pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10is to be hung on the stick3. The stick holding unit20includes a fixed arm21and a pair of actuating arms22. The fixed arm21holds the vicinity of the end of the stick3at a side farther from a conveying direction of the plurality of pivoting hooks11. Here, the side farther from the conveying direction of the pivoting hooks11is a right side inFIG.2. That is, the fixed arm21holds the vicinity of the end of the stick3on the side where the pivoting hooks11arrive later. The fixed arm21may be appropriately provided with a U-shaped groove or the like in order to hold the stick3from below. The pair of actuating arms22hold the vicinity of the end of the stick3on a side closer to the conveying direction of the plurality of pivoting hooks11. Here, the side closer to the conveying direction of the pivoting hooks11is a left side inFIG.2. That is, the pair of actuating arms22hold the vicinity of the end of the stick3on a side where the pivoting hooks11arrive faster. The pair of actuating arms22alternately perform an operation of holding the stick3and an operation of avoiding the loop2aof the chain of sausages2in order to sequentially pass the stick3through each the loop2aof the chain of sausages2hooked on the plurality of pivoting hooks11. The pair of actuating arms22may also be appropriately provided with a U-shaped groove or the like in order to hold the stick3from below.

Details of the operations of the pair of actuating arms22will be illustrated with reference toFIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.3C, andFIG.3D.FIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.3C, andFIG.3Dare schematic top views for illustrating the details of the operations of the pair of actuating arms of the stick holding unit of the sausage sticking system of the present invention. InFIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.3C, andFIG.3D, parts having the same reference numerals as those inFIG.1represent the same objects. The chain of sausages2is partially illustrated in a cross section. The pair of actuating arms22include an arm22aand an arm22b. The arms22aand22bof the pair of actuating arms22protrude below the stick3to support the stick3from below when holding the stick3, and move downward and retract when avoiding the loop2aof the chain of sausages2. As illustrated inFIG.3A, the loop2aof the chain of sausages2is conveyed by the hook conveying unit10from left to right inFIG.3A. In this case, first, the arm22bof the pair of actuating arms22performs the operation of holding the stick3. That is, the arm22bprotrudes below the stick3and holds the stick3in a manner of supporting the stick from below. On the other hand, the arm22aperforms the operation of avoiding the loop2aof the chain of sausages2. That is, the arm22ais retracted from a lower side of the stick3so as not to hit the loop2aof the chain of sausages2conveyed from the left. When the loop2aof the chain of sausages2conveyed from left to right in a manner of not hitting the arm22ais conveyed to the front of the arm22b, the arm22aand the arm22bare exchanged, and in this case, as illustrated inFIG.3B, both the arms22aand22bare temporarily operated to hold the stick3. Then, as illustrated inFIG.3C, the arm22bperforms the operation of avoiding the loop2aof the chain of sausages2. In this case, the arm22aremains in a state of holding the stick3. When the next loop2ais conveyed to the front of the arm22awhile the loop2aof the chain of sausages2conveyed from left to right in the manner of not hitting the arm22bis conveyed, the arm22aand the arm22bare exchanged, and also in this case, as illustrated inFIG.3D, both the arms22aand22bare temporarily operated to hold the stick3. Then, the arm22aperforms the operation of avoiding the loop2aof the chain of sausages2, and is in the state as illustrated inFIG.3Aagain. By repeating such operations, one of the pair of actuating arms22is in the state of holding the stick3.

Accordingly, the arms22aand22bof the pair of the actuating arms22are configured to repeat the operations of extending and contracting at predetermined timings in conjunction with the conveying operation of the pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10. Therefore, the stick holding unit20can pass the stick3through the loop2aof the chain of sausages2while always stably holding both ends of the stick3by the actuating arms22together with the fixed arm21. A distance between the arms22aand22bof the pair of actuating arms22may be wider than a diameter of the chain of sausages2, and may be narrower than a distance between the loops2aof the chain of sausages2, that is, an interval between the plurality of pivoting hooks11.

Next, the pivoting imparting unit30will be described. Referring toFIG.2again, the pivoting imparting unit30is configured to sequentially pivot the plurality of pivoting hooks11at a predetermined pivoting imparting position while moving in a direction opposite to the conveying direction of the plurality of pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10, so that the loops2aof the chain of sausages2hooked on the pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10are dropped at predetermined positions and the predetermined intervals onto the stick3. As illustrated inFIG.2, the pivoting hook11with the chain of sausages2hooked thereon is conveyed from left to right inFIG.2. In this case, the pivoting imparting unit30may, for example, wait at the predetermined pivoting imparting position, and each of the pivoting imparting receiving units16of the plurality of pivoting hooks11conveyed at the predetermined speed by the hook conveying unit10may abut against the pivoting imparting unit30, so that the pivoting imparting unit30may pivot the pivoting hooks11. The pivoting imparting unit30may not wait at the predetermined pivoting imparting position, and be moved in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the pivoting hooks11so as to sequentially abut against each the pivoting imparting receiving unit16at the predetermined pivoting imparting position. Accordingly, by pivoting the pivoting hook11by the pivoting imparting unit30, the loop2aof the chain of sausages2hooked on the pivoting hook11can be dropped onto the stick3passing through the loop2a.

In this case, the pivoting imparting position of the pivoting imparting unit30can be freely set such that the loop2aof the chain of sausages2is dropped onto the stick3at the predetermined position and the predetermined interval. That is, the positions and intervals at which the chain of sausages2is hung can be changed according to the pivoting imparting position of the pivoting imparting unit30, and the loop2aof the chain of sausages2can be hung at a desired position simply by causing the pivoting imparting unit30to abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16at the desired position.

The interval between the plurality of pivoting hooks11is a maximum interval of the predetermined intervals at the pivoting imparting position of the pivoting imparting unit30. That is, an interval for hanging a widest loop of the chain of sausages2is determined by the interval between the plurality of pivoting hooks11. For example, when the hook conveying unit10conveys the pivoting hooks11intermittently, the interval for hanging the widest loop is obtained when all the loops2afor one stick are dropped from the pivoting hooks11while the conveying of the pivoting hook11is stopped. Therefore, for example, the interval between the plurality of pivoting hook11may be adjusted to be the interval for hanging the widest loop of the chain of sausages2to be hung, that is, an interval in a case where the length of the casing1is short and the number of loops is minimum. For example, when the length of the casing1is long and the number of loops of the chain of sausages2for one stick is large, the pivoting hook11may be pivoted by the pivoting imparting unit30at the pivoting imparting position with a narrower interval than the interval between the plurality of pivoting hooks11, so that the loop2ais dropped. Accordingly, by adjusting a relation between the conveying speed of the pivoting hook11of the hook conveying unit10and the pivoting imparting operation performed by the pivoting imparting unit30, the loops2aof the chain of sausages2on one stick can be hung at equal intervals regardless of the interval between the plurality of pivoting hooks11.

As illustrated inFIG.2, the pivoting imparting unit30may include an abutting arm31, for example. The abutting arm31abuts against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16of the pivoting hook11. The abutting arm31may be extendable and retractable. For example, the abutting arm may include a cylinder or the like. The abutting arm31may be in an extended state so as to abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16when the pivoting imparting unit30moves in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the plurality of pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10, that is, from right to left inFIG.2. Then, the abutting arm31abuts against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16, and the pivoting hooks11are sequentially pivoted at predetermined positions, so that the loops2aof the chain of sausages2hooked on the pivoting hooks11may be dropped at the predetermined positions and the predetermined intervals onto the stick3. The pivoting imparting unit30is not particularly limited to the illustrated example, and may have any shape as long as the pivoting imparting unit30can abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16. In the illustrated example, the abutting arm31is in the extended state and abuts against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be configured such that a moment the pivoting hook11comes to the pivoting imparting position, the pivoting imparting receiving unit16is hit to cause the pivoting.

After all the loops2aof the chain of sausages2to be hung on one stick3are dropped onto the stick3, as illustrated inFIG.4, the abutting arm31of the pivoting imparting unit30may be in a contracted state.FIG.4is a schematic side view for illustrating details of an operation of the pivoting imparting unit of the sausage sticking system of the present invention. InFIG.4, parts having the same reference numerals as those inFIG.2represent the same objects. As illustrated inFIG.4, after pivoting the pivoting hooks11for one stick, the abutting arm31may be contracted so as not to abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16when the pivoting imparting unit30returns to the conveying direction of the plurality of pivoting hooks11of the hook conveying unit10, that is, from left to right inFIG.4. Accordingly, when the pivoting is imparted, that is, when the pivoting imparting unit30moves from right to left inFIG.4, the abutting arm31can be configured to extend to abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16to pivot the pivoting hooks11, and after the pivoting is imparted, that is, when the pivoting imparting unit30returns from left to right inFIG.4, the abutting arm31can be configured to contract and not abut against the pivoting imparting receiving unit16. The pivoting imparting unit30returns to an original position and waits to hang the chain of sausages2on a next stick3.

The illustrated example shows that the abutting arm31can be extended and contracted by the cylinder, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and any configuration may be used as long as the abutting arm is lowered to a position where the pivoting imparting receiving unit16can be abutted when the pivoting is imparted, and can rise to a position where the pivoting imparting receiving unit16is not abutted after the pivoting is imparted.

As described above, the sausage sticking system of the present invention can freely set the number of and interval between the loops2aof the chain of sausages2to be hung on one stick3. Therefore, for example, when the length of the casing1to be used is known in advance, it is possible to use the control unit40that presets the number of and interval between the loops2aof the chain of sausages2to be hung on one stick3based on the predetermined length of the casing1. For example, when an effective length of the stick3and the number of loops2aare input to the control unit40, the interval between the loops2aof the chain of sausages2to be hung on one stick3is calculated and set in the sausage sticking system. The control unit40may control the conveying speed of the hook conveying unit10, the operations of the pair of actuating arms22of the stick holding unit20, and the pivoting imparting operation of the pivoting imparting unit30based on the set number of and interval between loops2aof the chain of sausages2.

The sausage sticking system of the present invention is not limited to the above illustrated examples, and of course, various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the illustrated examples above, the endless circulation body moves counterclockwise, but may move clockwise, and accordingly, the pivoting hook, the pivoting imparting unit, and the like may also be reversed from the illustrated example.