US 11,980,199 B2
Shrimp processing apparatus and methods
Elliot D. Eid, Richmond, MN (US); Roger Harkess, Willmar, MN (US); Derek Gramstad, New London, MN (US); Jeremy Imdieke, Willmar, MN (US); Robert Johnson, Litchfield, MN (US); Dana Mathew Molenaar, Pennock, MN (US); Jacob Rooney, Belgrade, MN (US); Christopher J. Stark, Willmar, MN (US); John Steckelberg, Sauk Centre, MN (US); Joseph Thiel, Litchfield, MN (US); and Marc Zinda, Spicer, MN (US)
Assigned to Nova-Tech Engineering, LLC, Willmar, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/795,587
Filed by NOVA-TECH ENGINEERING, LLC, Willmar, MN (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/016786
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/158897, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/971,653, filed on Feb. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0068182 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. A22C 29/00 (2006.01); A22C 29/02 (2006.01)
CPC A22C 29/026 (2013.01) [A22C 29/022 (2013.01); A22C 29/023 (2013.01); A22C 29/028 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shrimp peeling apparatus comprising:
a lower roller assembly comprising a first lower roller, a second lower roller, and a lower roller assembly drive operably connected to the first and second lower rollers, wherein the lower roller assembly drive is configured to rotate the first lower roller about a first lower roller axis and rotate the second lower roller about the second lower roller axis, wherein the first lower roller axis is aligned with the second lower roller axis;
an upper roller assembly comprising a first upper roller, a second upper roller, and an upper roller assembly drive operably connected to the first and second upper rollers, wherein the upper roller assembly drive is configured to rotate the first upper roller about a first upper roller axis and rotate the second upper roller about the second upper roller axis, wherein the first upper roller axis is aligned with the second upper roller axis, and wherein the first upper roller extends from a tail end to a head end along the first upper roller axis, and further wherein the second upper roller extends from a tail end to a head end along the second upper roller axis;
a roller shuttle configured to move one or both of the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly between a receiving position and an operating position, wherein the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly are located farther from each other in a direction transverse to the first lower roller axis and the first upper roller axis when the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly are in the receiving position than when the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly are in the operating position; and
a controller operably connected to the lower roller assembly drive, upper roller assembly drive, and the roller shuttle, the controller configured to:
operate the roller shuttle to move one or both of the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly between the receiving position and the operating position;
operate the lower roller assembly drive to rotate the first lower roller about the first lower roller axis over a first capture arc and rotate the second lower roller about the second lower roller axis over a second capture arc, wherein the first lower roller and second lower roller rotate in opposite directions over their respective capture arcs;
operate the roller shuttle to move the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly from the receiving position to the operating position after rotating the first lower roller and second lower roller in opposite directions over their respective capture arcs;
operate the upper roller assembly drive to rotate the first upper roller about the first upper roller axis over a first peeling arc and rotate the second upper roller about the second lower roller axis over a second peeling arc, wherein the first upper roller and the second upper roller rotate in opposite directions over their respective peeling arcs after the roller shuttle moves the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly from the receiving position to the operating position; and
operate the lower roller assembly drive to rotate the first lower roller about the first lower roller axis over a first removal arc and rotate the second lower roller about the second lower roller axis over a second removal arc, wherein the first lower roller and the second lower roller rotate in opposite directions over their respective removal arcs while the lower roller assembly and the upper roller assembly are in the operating position;
wherein the controller is configured to operate upper roller assembly drive to rotate the upper first and second upper rollers in opposite directions over their respective peeling arcs while operating the lower roller assembly drive to rotate the first and second lower rollers in opposite directions over their respective removal arcs.