Patent Application
20230026243
This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for processing meat. More specifically, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses. This disclosure also relates to systems and methods for producing and storing chum.
Fishers often have waste fish carcasses to dispose of at a dock. Laws and regulations often prohibit their dumping the fish carcasses into the water at the dock or otherwise near the shore (e.g., less than three miles from the shore). Systems and methods for receiving, processing, and storing such waste fish carcasses are desirable.
To reduce the time and expense of transporting fish carcasses to a processing facility, it is further desirable to provide such systems and methods that can be used at or near a dock. Conditions at a dock are not favorable for known methods of processing fish carcasses. Docks are outside and may lack indoor space for a processing system. Docks also often lack reliable power sources. Docks also are often distant from large-scale processing plants that could be used to package chum for sale. Docks also are often distant from large-scale rendering plants that could use the processed fish carcasses to make pet food or fertilizer.
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses. In a first embodiment, a system for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses is provided and comprises: a conveyor apparatus configured to receive the carcasses; a grinding apparatus configured to receive the carcasses from the conveyor apparatus, wherein the grinding apparatus is configured to grind the carcasses into chum; a tank configured to receive the chum from the grinding apparatus; a container configured to substantially contain the tank, wherein the container is a substantially closed box; a refrigerating apparatus configured to refrigerate the contents of the container; and a power source configured to power the grinding apparatus and the refrigerating apparatus.
In a second embodiment, a system for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses is provided and comprises: a conveyor apparatus configured to receive the carcasses; a grinding apparatus configured to receive the carcasses from the conveyor apparatus, wherein the grinding apparatus is configured to grind the carcasses into chum; a tank configured to receive the chum from the grinding apparatus; a container configured to substantially contain the tank, wherein the container is a substantially closed box; a refrigerating apparatus configured to refrigerate the contents of the container; and a power source configured to power the grinding apparatus and the refrigerating apparatus, wherein the power source comprises at least one solar panel.
In a third embodiment, a system for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses is provided and comprises: a conveyor apparatus configured to receive the carcasses; a grinding apparatus configured to receive the carcasses from the conveyor apparatus, wherein the grinding apparatus is configured to grind the carcasses into chum; a tank configured to receive the chum from the grinding apparatus; a container configured to substantially contain the tank, wherein the container is a substantially closed box; a refrigerating apparatus configured to refrigerate the contents of the container; a payment apparatus coupled to the conveyor apparatus and to the grinding apparatus and configured to receive payments; and a power source configured to power the grinding apparatus, the refrigerating apparatus, and the payment apparatus.
In a fourth embodiment, a method of receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses is provided and comprises: receiving carcasses at a conveyor apparatus in a loading position; receiving carcasses from the conveyor apparatus at a grinding apparatus coupled to the conveyor apparatus; by the grinding apparatus, grinding carcasses into chum; receiving the chum at a tank coupled to the grinding apparatus; and, by a refrigerating apparatus, refrigerating the chum in the tank in a container configured to substantially contain the tank, wherein the refrigerating apparatus is coupled to the container.
In a fifth embodiment, a method of receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses is provided and comprises: receiving payment from a customer at a payment apparatus coupled to the conveyor apparatus; receiving carcasses at a conveyor apparatus in a loading position; receiving carcasses from the conveyor apparatus at a grinding apparatus coupled to the conveyor apparatus; by the grinding apparatus, grinding carcasses into chum; receiving the chum at a tank coupled to the grinding apparatus; and, by a refrigerating apparatus, refrigerating the chum in the tank in a container configured to substantially contain the tank, wherein the refrigerating apparatus is coupled to the container.
The above summary presents a simplified overview to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The following drawings are attached to—and form a portion of—this disclosure:
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) in this disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of this disclosure. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined otherwise in this disclosure. For brevity or clarity, well known functions or constructions may not be described in detail.
The terms “about” and “approximately” shall generally mean an acceptable degree of error or variation for the quantity measured in light of the nature or precision of the measurements. Typical, exemplary degrees of error or variation are within 20 percent (%), preferably within 10%, more preferably within 5%, of a given value or range of values. Numerical quantities given in this description are approximate unless stated otherwise, meaning that the term “about” or “approximately” can be inferred when not expressly stated.
The terminology used throughout the disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The terms “first,” “second,” and the like are used to describe various features or elements, but these features or elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one feature or element from another feature or element. Thus, a first feature or element discussed below could be termed a second feature or element, and similarly, a second feature or element discussed below could be termed a first feature or element without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Likewise, terms like “top” and “bottom”; “front” and “back”; and “left” and “right” are used to distinguish certain features or elements from each other, but it is expressly contemplated that a top could be a bottom, and vice versa.
The term “consisting essentially of” means that, in addition to the recited elements, what is claimed may also contain other elements (steps, structures, ingredients, components, etc.) that do not adversely affect the operability of what is claimed for its intended purpose as stated in this disclosure. This term excludes such other elements that adversely affect the operability of what is claimed for its intended purpose as stated in this disclosure, even if such other elements might enhance the operability of what is claimed for some other purpose.
The terms “connected to,” “coupled to,” “coupled with,” “in connection with,” “in operative communication with,” “in communication with,” or “connecting” include any suitable connection, coupling, or communication, including mechanical connection, electrical connection (e.g., one or more wires), or signal-conducting channel (e.g., Bluetooth®, Near-Field Communication (“NFC”), or other inductive coupling or radio-frequency (“RF”) link).
The term “processor” may include one or more processors having processing capability necessary to perform the processing functions described herein, including but not limited to hardware logic, computer readable instructions running on a processor, or any suitable combination thereof. A processor may run software to perform the operations described herein, including software accessed in machine readable form on a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium, as well as software that describes the configuration of hardware such as hardware description language (“HDL”) software used for designing chips.
The term “signal” means any suitable signal, for example a voltage, a current, a duty cycle, a frequency or amplitude of electrical, electromagnetic, or optical oscillation, or a mechanical signal (e.g., pressure, vibration, a tap, or other mechanical signal) in some embodiments.
It is to be understood that any given elements of the disclosed embodiments of the invention may be embodied in a single structure, a single step, a single substance, or the like. Similarly, a given element of the disclosed embodiment may be embodied in multiple structures, steps, substances, or the like.
The following description illustrates and describes the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure. The disclosure shows and describes only certain embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings disclosed; but as mentioned above, it is to be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure are capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and are capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the teachings of this disclosure, commensurate with the skill and knowledge of a person having ordinary skill in the relevant art.
The embodiments described are further intended to explain certain preferred modes of practicing the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the teachings of the disclosure in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses. Accordingly, the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the embodiments and examples disclosed herein. Any section headings herein are provided only for consistency with the suggestions of 37 C.F.R. § 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set forth herein.
Systems and methods have been developed and are herein described at least: for receiving, processing, and storing fish carcasses; for producing and storing chum; for producing and storing chum in a transportable container; and for transporting systems for accomplishing the foregoing. In addition to the description herein and in the accompanying drawings, additional detail is contained in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/225,690—titled “FISH GRINDER AND REFRIGERATOR” and filed on Jul. 6, 2021—which is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification in its entirety.
The conveyor apparatus 10 is configured to receive carcasses (not shown). The conveyor apparatus 10 is a chute through which carcasses move. As carcasses pass through the conveyor apparatus 10, the carcasses pass through the grinding apparatus 20. The grinding apparatus 20 is configured to receive carcasses from the conveyor apparatus 10. The grinding apparatus 20 is configured to grind or pulverize the carcasses into small pieces (“chum”). The grinding apparatus 20 comprises a grinder 21 and a motor 22 configured to drive the grinder 21. A power source 60 supplies power to the motor 22. The power source 60 may be any suitable power source. The grinder 21 may be any suitable meat grinder or other grinder. Some examples of a grinder 21 include the TASKMASTER series of grinders available from Franklin Miller, Inc. The motor 22 may be any suitable motor. The motor 22 may be an alternating-current—driven motor or a direct-current—driven motor.
After the grinding apparatus 20, the chum is moved (e.g., by gravity or by the grinding apparatus 20) through the remainder of the conveyor apparatus 10 to the tank 30. The tank 30 is coupled to the conveyor apparatus 10. The tank 30 may be removably and repeatably coupled to the conveyor apparatus 10 by a hose 33. The tank 30 and hose 33 may be attached together by a quick-release attachment mechanism (not specifically shown). The tank 30 is configured to receive and hold chum 31. The tank 30 may be any suitable tank. The tank 30 may be a plastic tank. The tank 30 may be configured to hold up to approximately one-thousand gallons of chum. The tank 30 may be of any suitable size or capacity. The tank 30 may comprise or be adapted to attach to at least one skid 32 (e.g., two skids 32 as shown in
The container 40 is configured to substantially contain the grinding apparatus 20 and the tank 30. The container 40 partially contains the conveyor apparatus 10. The container 40 is a substantially closed box. The container may be approximately ten feet tall, approximately twelve feet long, and approximately eight feet wide. The container 40 may be any suitable container of any suitable size or capacity. The container 40 has a hole 41 through which the conveyor apparatus 10 passes and through which the carcasses move as they move on the conveyor apparatus 10.
The refrigerating apparatus 50 is configured to refrigerate the contents of the container 40. For example, the refrigerating apparatus 50 is configured to refrigerate the tank 30 and chum 31. The refrigerating apparatus 50 is configured to refrigerate the contents of the container 40 to a temperature that will slow or prevent spoilage of the chum 31, including microbial spoilage of the chum 31 due to bacteria (aerobic and anaerobic), yeasts, and molds. The refrigerating apparatus 50 may be configured to refrigerate the contents of the container 40 to a temperature below approximately 47 degrees Fahrenheit, for example to a temperature between approximately 32 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 47 degrees Fahrenheit. In some embodiments, the refrigerating apparatus 50 is configured to refrigerate the contents of the container 40 to a temperature between approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature may be selected to slow or prevent spoilage of the chum 31 without causing freezing of the chum 31. The refrigerating apparatus 50 is an air-conditioning apparatus mounted to an external side of the container 40. Examples of a refrigerating apparatus 50 includes the FUSION-TEC line of exterior wall-mount air-cooling systems available from Bard Manufacturing Company, Inc. The refrigerating apparatus 50 may be any suitable refrigerating apparatus and may be coupled to the container 40 at any suitable position and by any suitable coupling. The power source 60 supplies power to the refrigerating apparatus 50.
In the loading position 102, the conveyor apparatus 10 is configured such that a loading end 12 of the conveyor apparatus 10 is in a position to receive carcasses. For example, as shown in
The conveyor apparatus 10 is hinged at a hinge 14 around which the external chute 13 pivots between the conveying position 101 and the loading position 102. An electric cylinder or other suitable actuator (not specifically shown) is coupled to the power source 60 (see
The payment apparatus 70 may comprise payment-processing hardware and/or software that receives or retrieves a user's payment information—for instance from a user's payment device (e.g., card or mobile device)—then transmits the information to a merchant payment provider. The payment provider may then transmit the information to a payment-card network/issuer. Then the payment-card provider makes a payment in a merchant's bank account and charges the amount, e.g. to the user's credit card bill or as a withdrawal from a user's account (e.g., a bank account, VENMO account, or PAYPAL account). The payment apparatus 70 may be physically integral with the container 40 or it may be separate from the container 40.
The power source 60 may comprise at least one solar panel 61. The solar panels 61 may be positioned on the top 43 of the container 40. The solar panels 61 may be configured to be the primary source of power to the system 1. The solar panels 61 may be configured to be a secondary (or back-up) source of power to the system 1. The solar panels 61 are configured to supply enough power to power the refrigerating apparatus 50. The solar panels 61 may be configured to supply enough power to power the conveyor apparatus 10 (see
Some embodiments of the method 1000 may also comprise one or more of the steps 1100, 1300, 1800, and/or 1900. Step 1100 comprises receiving a payment from a customer at a payment apparatus 70 (see
The method 1000 may comprise Step 1910 and/or Step 1920 following the final of Steps 1700, 1800, and 1900. Step 1910 comprises cycling to the beginning of the method by returning to the initial of Steps 1100 and 1200. Step 1920 comprises terminating the method 1000.
While the foregoing specification has described specific embodiments of this invention and many details have been put forth for the purpose of illustration or example, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/225,690, titled “FISH GRINDER AND REFRIGERATOR” and filed on Jul. 26, 2021; the specification, drawings, and claims thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63225690 | Jul 2021 | US |
