Apparatus for the track individual provision of sheet material for placing underneath

Abstract

The invention relates to an output unit for a provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple tracks, in particular beneath food portions, said output unit comprising a draw-in device that is configured to draw in individually per track a respective one material web of the sheet material per track and that in particular has at least one driven draw-in shaft and at least one draw-in pressure unit; a separation device that is configured to separate the sheet material from the material webs; and an ejection device that is configured to discharge sheet material on two or multiple tracks and that comprises a driven ejection roller and an ejection counter-unit that forms an ejection gap for the sheet material together with the ejection roller, wherein the ejection roller is jointly associated with at least two tracks.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. An output unit for a provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple tracks, said output unit comprising a draw-in device that is configured to draw in individually per track a respective one material web of the sheet material per track; a separation device that is configured to separate the sheet material from the material webs; and an ejection device that is configured to discharge sheet material on two or multiple tracks and that comprises a driven ejection roller and an ejection counter-unit that forms an ejection gap for the sheet material together with the ejection roller, wherein the ejection roller is jointly associated with at least two tracks.

22. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the ejection gap and a draw-in gap, which is formed by the at least one draw-in shaft and the at least one draw-in pressure unit, are disposed in a plane that is arranged at least substantially perpendicular in a position of use of the output unit.

23. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the draw-in device has at least two draw-in shafts, wherein one draw-in shaft is associated with a respective one material web, and/or wherein the draw-in device has at least two draw-in pressure units, wherein one draw-in pressure unit is associated with a respective one material web.

24. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the separation device comprises at least one blade unit.

25. The output unit in accordance with claim 24, wherein the separation device is configured to separate sheet material individually per track, wherein the separation device has at least two individually driven blade units, wherein one blade unit is associated with a respective one material web.

26. The output unit in accordance with claim 23, wherein the at least two draw-in shafts are coaxially arranged, and/or wherein shafts of pressure rollers of the at least two draw-in pressure units are coaxially arranged, and/or wherein blade shafts of the at least two blade units are coaxially arranged.

27. The output unit in accordance with claim 25, wherein the at least two draw-in shafts are coaxially arranged, and/or wherein shafts of pressure rollers of the at least two draw-in pressure units are coaxially arranged, and/or wherein blade shafts of the at least two blade units are coaxially arranged.

28. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the output unit is designed in a modular manner as an output module, and/or wherein the draw-in device, the separation device, and/or the ejection device is/are in each case designed in a modular manner as a draw-in module, a separation module, and/or an ejection module.

29. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the output unit, the draw-in device, the separation device, and/or the ejection device in each case comprises/comprise at least one drive unit that is configured to drive the corresponding unit.

30. The output unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the ejection device has a mechanical interface by means of which the ejection roller can be drive-effectively coupled to an external drive unit.

31. A material provision unit for a provision individually per track of material webs of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple tracks, said material provision unit comprising a material storage, comprising a common reception shaft for receiving at least two material web rolls from each of which a material web of the sheet material can be removed; and a removal device that is configured to remove material webs from the at least two material web rolls.

32. The material provision unit in accordance with claim 31, wherein the removal device has a removal shaft, which is jointly associated with the at least two material webs, and at least one removal pressure unit per material web roll, said removal shaft and at least one removal pressure unit together forming a respective one removal gap for the respective material web.

33. The material provision unit in accordance with claim 31, wherein the material provision unit is designed in a modular manner as a material provision module.

34. The material provision unit in accordance with claim 31, wherein the removal device comprises at least one drive unit for driving the removal device.

35. An underlay unit for a provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple track, said underlay unit comprising an output unit, said output unit comprising a draw-in device that is configured to draw in individually per track a respective one material web of the sheet material per track; a separation device that is configured to separate the sheet material from the material webs; and an ejection device that is configured to discharge sheet material on two or multiple tracks and that comprises a driven ejection roller and an ejection counter-unit that forms an ejection gap for the sheet material together with the ejection roller, wherein the ejection roller is jointly associated with at least two tracks; and said underlay unit further comprising: a material provision unit, said material provision unit comprising a material storage, comprising a common reception shaft for receiving at least two material web rolls from each of which a material web of the sheet material can be removed; and a removal device that is configured to remove material webs from the at least two material web rolls.

36. The underlay unit in accordance with claim 35, wherein the underlay unit comprises a sheet material detection device that is configured to detect individually per track an amount of sheet material provided by the material provision unit, in particular by means of at least one ultrasound sensor, and to regulate a provision speed of the material provision unit in dependence on the amount of sheet material provided.

37. An underlay apparatus for a provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple tracks, said underlay apparatus comprising a product feed that is configured to feed the products on two or multiple tracks to a sheet feed region; an underlay unit, said underlay unit comprising an output unit, said output unit comprising a draw-in device that is configured to draw in individually per track a respective one material web of the sheet material per track; a separation device that is configured to separate the sheet material from the material webs; and an ejection device that is configured to discharge sheet material on two or multiple tracks and that comprises a driven ejection roller and an ejection counter-unit that forms an ejection gap for the sheet material together with the ejection roller, wherein the ejection roller is jointly associated with at least two tracks; and said underlay unit further comprising: a material provision unit, said material provision unit comprising a material storage, comprising a common reception shaft for receiving at least two material web rolls from each of which a material web of the sheet material can be removed; and a removal device that is configured to remove material webs from the at least two material web rolls; and a product outfeed that is configured to lead the products away from the sheet feed region on two or multiple tracks.

38. The underlay apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the output unit, in particular the ejection device, is drive-effectively coupled to the product outfeed, and/or wherein the product outfeed is drive-effectively coupled to the output unit, in particular to the ejection device.

39. The underlay apparatus in accordance with claim 37, comprising a sensor device that is configured to detect individually per track the requirement for the provision of sheet material, in particular by a detection individually per track of products in a region of the product feed.

40. The underlay apparatus in accordance with claim 37, comprising a control device that is configured to adapt the provision individually per track of sheet material to the actual requirement.

41. An apparatus for slicing and packaging products, the apparatus comprising at least one cutting apparatus for slicing the product; an underlay apparatus for a provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath products fed on two or multiple tracks, said underlay apparatus comprising a product feed that is configured to feed the products on two or multiple tracks to a sheet feed region; an underlay unit, said underlay unit comprising an output unit, said output unit comprising a draw-in device that is configured to draw in individually per track a respective one material web of the sheet material per track; a separation device that is configured to separate the sheet material from the material webs; and an ejection device that is configured to discharge sheet material on two or multiple tracks and that comprises a driven ejection roller and an ejection counter-unit that forms an ejection gap for the sheet material together with the ejection roller, wherein the ejection roller is jointly associated with at least two tracks; and said underlay unit further comprising: a material provision unit, said material provision unit comprising a material storage, comprising a common reception shaft for receiving at least two material web rolls from each of which a material web of the sheet material can be removed; and a removal device that is configured to remove material webs from the at least two material web rolls; and a product outfeed that is configured to lead the products away from the sheet feed region on two or multiple tracks, wherein the product feed receives portions of the sliced product; and a packaging apparatus for packaging the portions underlaid with sheet material.

Description

[0069] The invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

[0070] FIG. 1 a perspective side view of an underlay apparatus with a material provision unit and an output unit in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0071] FIG. 2A a side view of an output unit in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0072] FIG. 2B a side view of an output unit in accordance with a third embodiment;

[0073] FIG. 3 a side view of an underlay apparatus with an output module and a material provision unit in accordance with a fourth embodiment:

[0074] FIG. 4 a side view of an output module in accordance with a fifth embodiment; and

[0075] FIG. 5 a perspective side view of an underlay apparatus with an output module and a material provision unit in accordance with a sixth embodiment.

[0076] FIG. 1 shows an underlay apparatus 10 for a multi-track provision individually per track of sheet material for placing beneath food portions fed on two tracks. The underlay apparatus 10 comprises a product feed 12 for transporting food portions (not shown) on a first track 14a and a second track 14b. The feed 12 comprises a transport belt, not shown. On the belt of the product feed 12, the food portions enter into a sheet feed region 16 of an underlay unit 17. In the sheet feed region 16, sheet material is fed to both tracks 14a and 14b for placing beneath the food portions. Via a product outfeed 22 (the corresponding belt is not shown), the food portions underlaid with sheet material are led away from the sheet feed region 16 and are furthermore grouped into two tracks 14a, 14b.

[0077] The underlay apparatus 10 can be included in a line for slicing and packaging food products. Such a line usually comprises at least one cutting apparatus (not shown) that is arranged upstream of the product feed 12 and that slices fed product bars such that the sliced food portions come to rest on the product feed 12 or on a conveying or sorting line arranged upstream thereof, whereupon they are fed to the underlay unit 17. High-performance slicers are frequently used as cutting apparatus and slice one or more product bars on one or more tracks. In the case of a single-track slicing, the portions can be divided over two or more tracks by a suitable sorting line.

[0078] Such a line for slicing and packaging food products can further comprise a packaging apparatus (not shown) that adjoins the product outfeed 22 and that packages the food portions underlaid with underlay sheets in an automated manner. The packaging apparatus can, for example, be a deep-draw packaging machine for a single-track or multi-track packaging of food portions. Between the product outfeed 22 and the packaging apparatus, further conveying and sorting devices can be provided that, for example, suitably group the food portions or combine individual part portions to form complete food portions before they are packaged.

[0079] The placing underneath of the sheet material takes place in the sheet feed region 16 as follows: A food product that is fed to the sheet feed region 16 on the belt of the product feed 12 first passes through a position correction 19 that optimally aligns the portion. In the adjoining sheet feed region 16, underlay sheets are guided into the transport path of the food portions, i.e. into the tracks 14a, 14b, by an underlay unit 17, which is arranged beneath the product feed belt 12 in a position of use, and indeed at just that point in time at which the correctly aligned food portions enter into the sheet feed region 16 after the position correction 19.

[0080] The fed underlay sheets are entrained by the food portions transported in the direction of the product outfeed 22 on the transition over the sheet feed region 16.

[0081] The food portions then come to rest on the underlay sheets on the product outfeed 22. For an optimal placement of the food portions on the underlay sheets, they are output by the underlay unit 17 just at the speed at which the belt of the product outfeed 22 leads the food portions away from the sheet feed region 16.

[0082] On the transition from the belt of the product feed 12 to the belt of the product outfeed 22, the food portion passes through a small step, i.e. a vertical offset is provided between the product feed belt 12 and the product outfeed belt 22 in the region of the sheet feed region 16 (see also FIG. 4). However, it is also possible to design the transition between the product feed belt 12 and the product outfeed belt 22 such that both transport belts 12, 22 are at least substantially in one plane.

[0083] The underlaying of sheet material by the underlay unit 17 is controllable individually per track by the underlay apparatus 10 shown, i.e. the provision and the underlaying of sheet material on the first track 14a are possible independently of the provision and the underlaying of sheet material on the second track 14b, and vice versa. In the following, the multi-track underleaver function individually per track is explained using the example of the two-track operation shown in FIG. 1. The underleaver shown can, however, also be operated with more than two tracks by a comparatively simple conversion. The respective operating mode is, for example, dependent on the products to be sliced, on the conveying and sorting devices connected downstream, and on the type of packaging or the packaging machine.

[0084] For each of the tracks 14a and 14b, the provision of the sheet material comprises removing material webs 24a and 24b (see, for example, FIG. 3) from a respective material web roll 26a and 26b. For this purpose, the underlay unit 17 has a material provision unit 20 for a provision individually per track of material webs 24a, 24b (see, for example, FIGS. 3, 5) of sheet material. A first material web roll 26a is associated with the first track 14a and a second material web roll 26b is associated with the second track 14b and they are stored together in a material storage 28 that is arranged beneath the product feed 12. The material storage 28 comprises a reception shaft 30 that jointly receives the two material web rolls 26a, 26b. For this purpose, the material web rolls 26a, 26 have a roll core that is configured to receive the reception shaft 30. The material web rolls 26a and 26b are rotatably supported on the reception shaft 30 in a mutually independent manner such that the removal of material webs 24a, 24b can take place completely individually per track.

[0085] For each track 14a, 14b, the removal of the material web 24a, 24b associated with the respective track from the material web roll 26a, 26b comprises the unwinding by means of a removal device 32. The removal device 32 comprises a driven removal shaft 34 that extends over the width of both material web rolls 26a, 26b and that is jointly associated with both material web rolls 26a, 26b to remove respective material webs 24a, 24b therefrom. The removal device 32 can have its own drive unit for driving the removal shaft 34. The removal shaft 34 has a rubberized surface such that a good contact with a material web 24a, 24b to be rolled off is ensured.

[0086] For the removal, which can be controlled individually per track, of the material webs 24a, 24b from the material web rolls 26a and 26b, the removal device 32 has two removal pressure units 36a, 36b of which the first removal pressure unit 36a is associated with the first material web roll 26a and the second removal pressure unit 36b is associated with the second material web roll 26b. The removal pressure units 36a, 36b each comprise a rotatably supported pressure shaft 38a, 38b, which has a rubberized surface, and a pneumatic apparatus 40a, 40b. A respective removal gap 42a, 42b, through which the respective material web 24a, 24b is guided, is defined by the removal shaft 34 and the pressure shafts 38a, 38b.

[0087] For each material web roll 26a and 26b, the removal of the respective material web 24a, 24b takes place in that the respective pressure shaft 38a, 38b is pressed against the rotating removal shaft 34 by the respective associated pneumatic apparatus 40a, 40b. The removal gap 42a, 42b is thereby reduced to such an extent that the respective pressure shafts 38a, 38b and the removal shaft 34 enter into engagement with the material webs 24a, 24b, whereby the material webs 24a, 24b are entrained by the removal shaft 34 and are thus unwound from the respective material web rolls 26a, 26b. The control of the pressing of the pressure shafts 38a, 38b can in this respect be controlled individually per track, i.e. the pressure shafts 38a, 38b can be pressed against the removal shaft 34 independently of one another such that the material web 24a and the material web 24b can be removed individually and independently of one another from the respective material web roll 26a, 26b.

[0088] The removed material webs 24a, 24b are first each guided via a dancer roller or dancing roller 44a, 44b, said dancer or dancing rollers 44a. 44b also keeping the tension of the material webs 24a, 24b constant in the case of fluctuations in the material web length and forming a store for the removed sheet material.

[0089] The provision of the sheet material for placing beneath food portions in the sheet feed region 16 of the underlay apparatus 10 comprises the outputting individually per track of sheet material by an output unit 18 such as is shown in a schematic side view in FIG. 2A. In the side view, only one material web 24, here for example the material web 24b, and the components of the output unit 18 associated with it are shown in each case. Nevertheless, the output unit 18 is configured to output two material webs 24a, 24b that will be explained in the following with reference to FIG. 2A.

[0090] The material webs 24a, 24b are removed from the associated dancer roller 44a, 44b by a draw-in device 46 and are drawn into the output unit 18. This takes place individually per track, i.e. for each track 14a, 14b and the respective associated material web 24a, 24b independently of a drawing in on the other track, and in dependence on whether and when a food portion is fed on the associated track 14a, 14b. This can be determined by suitable sensor devices. The draw-in device 46 has two draw-in shafts 48a and 48b that are associated with the material webs 24a, 24b. In the side view of FIG. 2A, only the second draw-in shaft 48b is shown. The first draw-in shaft 48a projects into the plane of the drawing and is therefore not visible. In connection with FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the three-dimensional arrangement becomes clear, however. The draw-in shafts 48a and 48b are coaxially arranged and are each individually drivable by means of a drive 50a, 50b, for example by means of an electric motor, that is coupled to the associated draw-in shaft 48a, 48b by means of a drive belt in each case.

[0091] The draw-in device 46 additionally has two draw-in pressure units 52a (not shown) and 52b that are each associated with the material webs 24a, 24b. The draw-in pressure units 52a and 52b are each arranged opposite the draw-in shafts 48a and 48b and beyond the material webs 24a, 24b and thus each define a draw-in gap 54a and 54b, through which the material webs 24a and 24b are guided, together with the draw-in shafts 48a and 48b. The draw-in pressure units 52a, 52b each comprise a rotatably supported pressure roller 56a, 56b for pressing the material webs 24a, 24b against the draw-in shafts 48a, 48b. For this purpose, a pneumatic system 58a, 58b individually per track or another suitable mechanical system is provided in each case. For an effective contact with the material webs 24a, 24b, the draw-in shafts 48a, 48b as well as the pressure rollers 56a, 56b preferably have a rubberized surface. In the embodiment example shown, the material webs 24a, 24b are each continuously pressed against the draw-in shafts 48a, 48b by means of the pressure rollers 56a, 56b. The pressure rollers 56a, 56b are coaxially arranged in the embodiment example shown.

[0092] In this case, a drawing in of the material webs 24a, 24b individually per track takes place in that, depending on food portions actually fed on the tracks 14a, 14b—which are each associated with the material webs 24a, 24b—the draw-in shafts 48a, 48b are driven as required in order to convey sheet material. Therefore, the drives 50a, 50b are intermittently operated independently of one another to draw sheet material into the output unit 18 only when necessary.

[0093] Subsequent to the draw-in device 46, the drawn-in material webs 24a, 24b pass through a separation device 60 that separates sheet material from the material webs such that individual underlay sheets for placing beneath individual food portions are obtained. The separation device 60 is also configured for an operation individually per track. For this purpose, it comprises a blade unit for each material web 24a, 24b, said blade unit comprising a respective one rotatable blade shaft 62a, 62b in the specific case. The blade shafts 62a, 62b are each intermittently drivable independently of one another by means of a drive 63a, 63b, here by means of an electric motor, when underlay sheets are to be provided on the corresponding track. A respective two separation elements 64-1a, 64-2a and 64-1b, 64-2b are arranged with an angular offset of 180° on the blade shafts 62a, 62b. In the embodiment example shown, the blade shafts 62a and 62b are coaxially arranged, wherein again only the blade shaft 62b is shown since the blade shaft 62a is arranged behind the plane of the drawing.

[0094] The separation elements 64-1a, 64-2a and 64-1b, 64-2b are knives that are configured to cut through or at least to perforate the material webs 24a, 24b such that individual underlay sheets are separated from the sheet material of the material webs 24a, 24b. At the side of the material webs 24a, 24b that is disposed opposite each of the blade shafts 62a, 62b, a respective counter-blade 66a, 66b is arranged that is intended to ensure a constant cutting result of the separation device 60. The counter-blades 66a, 66b are, for example, each configured as shafts that have plastic jackets and that, together with the blade shafts 62a, 62b, each define a separation gap 68a, 68b in which the material webs 24a, 24b are guided and separated. For an optimal cutting result, the counter-blades 66a, 66b can each be coupled to the associated blade shafts 62a, 62b, for instance, by means of a toothed wheel.

[0095] A rotation of the respective associated blade shafts 62a, 62b can be brought about by the drives 63a, 63b such that the separation elements 64-1a, 64-2a and 64-1b, 64-2b co-rotate, for example, such that they move in the conveying direction of the material webs 24a, 24b, i.e. upwardly in FIG. 2, in the region of the separation gap 68a, 68b. If the blade shaft 64-2b shown in FIG. 2A is rotated by 90° from the position shown, the knife 64-2b enters into engagement with the material web 24b that is cut through on the holding against of the counter-blade 66b.

[0096] Sheet material that has passed through the separation device 60, i.e. the finished underlay sheets, is then discharged from the output unit 18 into the sheet feed region 16 of the underlay apparatus 10 by means of an ejection device 70. The discharge by the ejection device 70 takes place simultaneously on both tracks 14a and 14b, i.e. an operation of the ejection device individually per track is not provided and not necessary.

[0097] The discharge of the sheet material by the ejection device 70 takes place by an ejection roller 74 driven by means of a drive 72, here by means of an electric motor, and an ejection counter-unit 76 that comprises a pressure roller 78 that is pneumatically pressed in the direction of the ejection roller 74 by a corresponding pneumatic system 79. The pressure roller 78 and the ejection roller 74 preferably each have a rubberized surface. The pressure roller 78 and the ejection roller 74 together define an ejection gap 80 for the sheet material of the material webs 24a and 24b, i.e. the ejection roller 74 is jointly associated with all the tracks 14a, 14b to be supplied with sheet material individually per track.

[0098] In the embodiment example shown, the pressure roller 78 is permanently pneumatically pressed against the ejection roller 74 while the ejection roller 74 is constantly operated at the belt speed of the product feed belt 12 and the product outfeed belt 22. Nevertheless, a provision individually per track of sheet material is achieved by the output unit 18 since the conveying rate individually per track is already predefined by the draw-in device 46. Even in the case of a cross-track operation of the ejection device 70, sheet material is in each case only provided on that track 14a, 14b where the draw-in device 46 has drawn in sheet material and the separation device 60 has separated underlay sheets.

[0099] The output unit 18 therefore conveys the sheet material of the material webs 24a, 24b upwardly in a perpendicular manner from beneath the product feed plane, wherein the draw-in gaps 54a, 54b, the separation gaps 68a, 68b, and the ejection gap 80 are arranged in a common plane (see FIG. 2A). This requires a very compact construction shape of the output unit 18 that is further compacted by a respective coaxial arrangement of the two blade shafts 62a, 62b, the two draw-in shafts 48a, 48b, and the associated counter-blades 66a, 66b, and pressure rollers 56a, 56b. Thus, the output unit 18 is accommodated without problem beneath the product feed belt 12 of the underlay apparatus 10 (see FIG. 1).

[0100] FIG. 2B shows an output unit 18 in accordance with a further embodiment that differs from the output unit 18 in FIG. 2A only with respect to the design of the draw-in pressure units 52a, 52b. In accordance with the embodiment in FIG. 2B, the draw-in pressure units 52a, 52b are designed in the same way as the ejection counter-unit 76 of the output unit 18. A unified control of both units is thereby provided, on the one hand, and an advantageous unification with respect to maintenance, repair, cleaning and replacement is provided, on the other hand.

[0101] The interplay of the individual above-described functional units of the multi-track underleaver having individual tracks, for example therefore the cooperation of the material provision unit 20 and the output unit 18 of the underlay unit 17 as well as the underlay unit 17 with the product feed 12 and the product outfeed 22 of the underlay apparatus 10 as well as the cooperation of the underlay apparatus 10 with functional units of a slicer and of a packaging machine, is controlled by a control device 82 (see FIG. 1) that is a central control device 82 of the underlay apparatus 10 in the embodiment shown (see, for example, FIG. 1). With respect to the underlay unit 17, it is thus so-to-say an external control device. However, the underlay unit 17 can also have an internal control device that cooperates with a control device 82 of the underlay apparatus 10 or a control device of the total line for slicing and packaging.

[0102] The control device 82 (or a higher-ranking control device) controls, among other things, the belt drives of the product feed 12 and the product outfeed 22, but also the drives of the removal shaft 34 of the material provision unit 20 and of the draw-in shafts 48a, 48b of the output unit 18, and thus ultimately determines how much material is rolled off from the material web rolls 26a, 26b per unit of time and how much material of the material webs 24a. 24b is drawn into the draw-in device 46 for which track 14a, 14b and is thus ultimately output by the output unit 18 into the sheet feed region 16.

[0103] The track-specific material requirement in the sheet feed region 16 is determined by the control device 82 and is ensured by a corresponding track-specific control of the removal device 32, the draw-in device 46, and the separation device 60. To decouple the highly dynamic output of sheet material into the sheet feed region 16 by the output unit 18 from the rolling off of material webs 24a, 24b from the relatively inert material web rolls 26a, 26b, the control device 82 also always ensures that a sufficient supply of sheet material per track 14a, 14b is stored on the dancer or dancing rollers 44a, 44b at all times to be able to provide the required sheet material on the tracks 14a, 14b at short notice.

[0104] To detect the requirement individually per track for the provision of sheet material, the underlay apparatus 10 comprises a corresponding sensor device 84 that is arranged in the region of the product feed 12 and that detects individually per track on which track 14a, 14b food portions are fed to the sheet feed region 16. For this purpose, the sensor device 84 has a respective associated suitable sensor 85a, 85b for detecting food portions for each track 14a, 14b. Based on this information of the sensor device 84, the control device 82 controls the drives of the material provision unit 20 and of the output unit 18 in a suitable manner.

[0105] The drive 72 of the ejection roller 74 is in particular controlled by the control device 82 such that the discharge of the sheet material takes place adapted to the speed of the belt of the product outfeed 22. For example, the discharge speed of the sheet material and the speed of the belt of the product outfeed 22 are substantially the same.

[0106] Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a mechanical coupling between the belt of the product outfeed 22 and the ejection roller 74 and to drive these functional units using a common drive unit. For example, this coupling can take place by means of a corresponding roller 87 or a toothed wheel of the product feed belt that is in engagement with the ejection roller 74 or a toothed wheel 87 coupled thereto (see FIG. 4). Thus, a direct mechanical coupling of the speeds of the product outfeed belt 22 and/or of the product feed belt 12 and of the ejection roller 74 is ensured.

[0107] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an underlay apparatus 10 in accordance with a further embodiment that is largely comparable to the underlay apparatus 10 in accordance with the first embodiment of FIG. 1. The material provision unit 20, the dancer rollers 44a, 44b, and the product feed belt 12 and the product outfeed belt 22 are in particular at least substantially configured as described above.

[0108] However, the output unit 18 in accordance with FIG. 3 is designed in a modular manner as an output module 18′ that has its own frame 86. The output module 18′ from FIG. 3 can be moved out of a corresponding holding apparatus of the underlay apparatus 10 in the direction of the viewer, i.e. laterally out of the underlay apparatus 10 with respect to the transport direction of the food products, whereby particularly easy access to the individual functional units of the output module 18′ is possible. FIG. 5 also shows an underlay apparatus 10 in accordance with a further embodiment comprising an output module 18′.

[0109] A detailed view of an output module 18′ is shown in FIG. 4. The functional units of the output module 18′, i.e. the draw-in device 46, the separation device 60 and the ejection device 70, are each likewise designed in a modular manner as a draw-in module 46′, a separation module 60′, and an ejection module 70′, i.e. each of the functional units is again arranged in its own frame or housing. The design and operation of the draw-in module 46′, the separation module 60′, and the ejection module 70′ at least substantially agree with the design and operation as described above with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0110] After the lateral pulling out of the output module 18′ from the underlay apparatus 10, the draw-in module 46′, the separation module 60′, and the ejection module 70′ can be removed upwardly from the output module 18′ individually after one another, for example, for cleaning or maintenance purposes. In this way, a replacement of individual defective functional units is possible in a very fast and uncomplicated manner and under certain circumstances even without the use of tools. In the event of a malfunction, the operation of the underlay apparatus 10 can thus be resumed as quickly as possible. A lateral removal can also be provided.

[0111] In general, the material provision unit 20 can also be configured as a material provision module 20′ that can be laterally pulled out and that has its own frame or its own housing to make maintenance, cleaning, and repair, or replacement of the material web rolls 26a, 26b of the underlay apparatus 10 even easier and more efficient. The removal device 32 can also be configured as a separate removal module 32′ having its own frame or as a part module of a material provision module 20′. A material storage module 28′ can likewise be configured as an independent module or a part module of a material provision module 20′.

[0112] The drive units for the draw-in module 46′, the separation module 60′, the ejection module 70′, or the removal module 32′ can generally be integrated into the respective module itself, i.e. fixedly installed in the frame of the respective module.

[0113] However, in the shown embodiment examples of FIG. 3 (see also FIG. 5), the drives 50a, 50b of the first draw-in shaft 48a and the second draw-in shaft 48b and the drives 63a, 63b of the first and second blade shafts are attached to a frame of the underlay apparatus 10. A coupling of the drives to the associated functional units takes place after the assembly of the output module 18′ by means of drive belts (see FIG. 5).

[0114] It also becomes clear from FIG. 3 that it can be advantageous if the total underlay unit 17 is configured as an underlay module 17′. An underlay module 17′ can be retrofitted in an uncomplicated manner in an existing line without an underleaver in that it is easily installed between the product feed 12 and the product outfeed 22 beneath the food transport plane. If necessary, already existing conveyor belts or sorting belts can take over the functionality of the product feed belt 12 and the product outfeed belt 22. In a line that already has an underleaver, an underlay module 17′ can, for example, be used in a particularly simple manner to extend the functionality to a multi-track underlay function individually per track or to significantly reduce the installation space of an existing multi-track underleaver. In addition, a considerably increased flexibility for the operation of a line for slicing and packaging products results through an underlay module 17′. It is in particular possible to install and remove the underlay module 17′ depending on whether an operation of the line is to take place with or without an underleaver.

[0115] FIG. 5 shows an underlay apparatus 10 that differs from the underlay apparatus 10 in accordance with FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 in that no dancer rollers 44a, 44b are provided. Instead, the material webs 24a, 24b removed individually per track from the material web rolls 26a, 26b by the removal device 32 are stored in loops 88a, 88b arranged next to one another. For the sake of clarity, only one material web loop 88a is shown in FIG. 5. In order to always have a sufficient amount of sheet material available in the loop store, it is necessary for the control device 82 to control the removal device 32 individually per track such that, after a removal of sheet material by the output unit 18 or the output module 18′, the store is again filled individually per track by the removal device 32.

[0116] To detect the material web-related unwinding requirement for sheet material, the underlay unit 10 in accordance with FIG. 5 comprises a sheet material detection device 90 that is configured to detect the loop size, and thus the material supply, individually per track. The sheet material detection device 90 comprises one ultrasound sensor 92a, 92b (not shown) per material web 24a, 24b, said ultrasound sensor 92a, 92b being directed into the material loops 88a, 88b from an upper side and always detecting the size of the material loops 88a, 88b. The information on the loop size is transmitted to the control device 82 and serves as a basis for the control device 82 for controlling the reception device 32.

[0117] Other sheet material detection devices 90 having a suitable sensor system, such as light barriers or the like, can likewise be used to monitor individually per track the storage of a sufficient amount of sheet material in the material loops 88a, 88b.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0118] 10 underlay apparatus [0119] 12 product feed [0120] 14a first track [0121] 14b second track [0122] 16 sheet feed region [0123] 17 underlay unit [0124] 17′ underlay module [0125] 18 output unit [0126] 18′ output module [0127] 19 position correction [0128] 20 material provision unit [0129] 20′ material provision module [0130] 22 product outfeed [0131] 24a first material web [0132] 24b second material web [0133] 26a first material web roll [0134] 26b second material web roll [0135] 28 material storage [0136] 30 reception shaft [0137] 32 removal device [0138] 32′ removal module [0139] 34 removal shaft [0140] 36a first removal pressure unit [0141] 36b second removal pressure unit [0142] 38a first pressure shaft [0143] 38b second pressure shaft [0144] 40a first pneumatic apparatus [0145] 40b second pneumatic apparatus [0146] 42a first removal gap [0147] 42b second removal gap [0148] 44a first dancer roller [0149] 44b second dancer roller [0150] 46 draw-in device [0151] 46′ draw-in module [0152] 48a first draw-in shaft [0153] 48b second draw-in shaft [0154] 50a drive of the first draw-in shaft 48a [0155] 50b drive of the second draw-in shaft 48b [0156] 52a first draw-in pressure unit [0157] 52b second draw-in pressure unit [0158] 54a first draw-in gap [0159] 54b second draw-in gap [0160] 56a first pressure roller [0161] 56b second pressure roller [0162] 58a first pneumatic system [0163] 58b second pneumatic system [0164] 60 separation device [0165] 60′ separation module [0166] 62a first blade shaft [0167] 62b second blade shaft [0168] 63a drive of the first blade shaft 62a [0169] 63b drive of the second blade shaft 62b [0170] 64-1a first separation element of the first blade shaft [0171] 64-2a second separation element of the first blade shaft [0172] 64-1b first separation element of the second blade shaft [0173] 64-2b second separation element of the second blade shaft [0174] 66a first counter-blade [0175] 66b second counter-blade [0176] 68a first separation gap [0177] 68b second separation gap [0178] 70 ejection device [0179] 70′ ejection module [0180] 72 drive of the ejection roller 74 [0181] 74 ejection roller [0182] 76 ejection counter-unit [0183] 78 pressure roller [0184] 79 pneumatic system of the pressure roller [0185] 80 ejection gap [0186] 82 control device [0187] 84 sensor device [0188] 85a sensor for detecting a food portion of the first track 14a [0189] 85b sensor for detecting a food portion of the second track 14b [0190] 86 frame of the output module 18′ [0191] 87 roller or toothed wheel [0192] 88a material loop of the first material web 24a [0193] 88b material loop of the second material web 24b [0194] 90 sheet material detection device [0195] 92a first ultrasound sensor [0196] 92b second ultrasound sensor