SLICING OF FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for the single-track or multi-track slicing of food products, in particular a high-performance slicer, having a product feed that feeds products to be sliced and disposed on a product support on one track or on multiple tracks in a feed direction to a cutting region in which a cutting blade moves, in particular in a rotating and/or revolving manner, in order to slice the fed products in a cutting plane, which extends perpendicular to the feed direction, at a predefined or predefinable cutting frequency by means of the cutting blade; and having a dividing device that has at least one holder, which is arranged in the region of the cutting plane, for at least one elongated separation element, which extends in a dividing plane extending in parallel with the cutting plane, and a drive for the holder by which the holder can be excited to perform to-and-fro movements perpendicular to the feed direction at a dividing frequency in order to divide the front ends of the products by means of the separation element in parallel with the feed direction so that, in a respective cutting process, a plurality of product parts are cut off from a respective front product end by means of the cutting blade, wherein a control device is provided, and wherein the drive for the holder comprises a drive that can be controlled by means of the control device, in particular a servomotor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the single-track or multi-track slicing of food products, having a product feed that feeds products to be sliced and disposed on a product support on one track or on multiple tracks in a feed direction to a cutting region in which a cutting blade moves in order to slice the fed products in a cutting plane, which extends perpendicular to the feed direction, at a predefined or predefinable cutting frequency by means of the cutting blade; and having a dividing device that has at least one holder, which is arranged in the region of the cutting plane, for at least one elongated separation element, which extends in a dividing plane extending in parallel with the cutting plane, and a drive for the holder by which the holder can be excited to perform to-and-fro movements perpendicular to the feed direction at a dividing frequency in order to divide the front ends of the products by means of the separation element in parallel with the feed direction so that, in a respective cutting process, a plurality of product parts are cut off from a respective front product end by means of the cutting blade, further having a control device, with the drive for the holder comprising a drive that can be controlled by means of the control device.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive is a servomotor.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to control the controllable drive in dependence on a respective current cutting operation.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the control device is configured to control the controllable drive in dependence on a respective current cutting operation in dependence on the cutting frequency of the cutting blade, and/or on the position of the cutting blade in the cutting plane relative to the product feed, and/or on the operating state of the product feed, and/or on whether product parts are currently being cut off or are not being cut off, and/or on data determined by means of the controllable drive and in particular relating to forces acting on the separation element.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holder can be excited to a dividing frequency of more than 300 H/min.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to excite the holder in a controlled manner such that the to-and-fro movements of the holder are synchronized with the cutting movements of the cutting blade, and/or wherein the control device is configured to excite the holder at a dividing frequency that is equal to the cutting frequency of the cutting blade, or such that the dividing frequency is a whole-number multiple of the cutting frequency of the cutting blade.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of a drive member of the drive intersects the cutting plane.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controllable drive is drive-effectively connected to the holder via a mechanical transmission.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the transmission comprises an eccentric element.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein a coupling element of the transmission is, with its one end, eccentrically connected in an articulated manner to a drive member of the drive rotating about an axis of rotation, with respect to the axis of rotation and, with its other end, engages directly or indirectly at the holder.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the eccentricity is between 2 mm and 20 mm.

12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holder is arranged at a single-part or multi-part product passage, which forms the front end of the product feed and is configured to support the front product ends, such that the holder performs the to-and-fro movements relative to the product passage, wherein the product passage has a passage for a respective front product end for the or each track and the elongated separation element traverses the or each passage.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the or each passage is formed by a circular, oval, egg-shaped, square or rectangular opening that is bounded by an interrupted or uninterrupted peripheral support surface for a respective front product end in order to support a respective product end all around, with or without interruptions in the peripheral direction.

14. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the product passage is arranged in front of the cutting plane, viewed in the feed direction, and/or wherein the product passage is configured as a counter-blade for the cutting blade that cooperates with the cutting blade for the cutting off of the product parts from the front product ends.

15. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the elongated separation element extends within the product passage so that the elongated separation element traverses the or each passage, viewed in the feed direction, between an entry plane into the passage and an exit plane from the passage.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the or each passage is traversed by a plurality of elongated separation elements that extend at an angle different from zero to one other and in dividing planes spaced apart in parallel from one another.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein, in a multi-track design, the product passage has a passage for each track and all the passages are traversed, on the one hand, by a common elongated separation element extending in a first direction and each passage is additionally traversed by a further elongated separation element extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a first holder part having at least a first elongated separation element and a second holder part movable relative to the first holder part and having at least a second elongated separation element that does not extend in parallel with the first elongated separation element.

19. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein both holder parts are arranged at a product passage, wherein the product passage forms the front end of the product feed and is configured to support the front product ends, such that the holder performs the to-and-fro movements relative to the product passage, wherein the product passage has a passage for a respective front product end for the or each track and the elongated separation element traverses the or each passage.

20. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the two holder parts are mechanically coupled to one another such that a to-and-fro movement of the one holder part taking place in a first direction is converted into a to-and-fro movement of the second holder part taking place in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

21. The apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the first holder part is excited by means of the drive to perform the to-and-fro movement, in particular horizontal to-and-fro movement, taking place in the first direction that is converted into the to-and-fro movement of the second holder part taking place in the second direction.

22. A method for the single-track or multi-track slicing of food products by means of a slicing apparatus, in particular configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in which the products to be sliced and disposed on a product support are fed by means of a product feed on one track or on multiple tracks in a feed direction to a cutting region in which a cutting blade moves in order to slice the fed products in a cutting plane, which extends perpendicular to the feed direction, by means of the cutting blade, wherein a dividing device is provided that has at least one holder, which is arranged in the region of the cutting plane, for at least one elongated separation element that extends in a dividing plane extending in parallel with the cutting plane, wherein the holder is excited by means of a controllable drive to perform to-and-fro movements perpendicular to the feed direction at a dividing frequency in order to divide the front ends of the products by means of the separation element in parallel with the feed direction so that, in a respective cutting process, a plurality of product parts are cut off from a respective front product end by means of the cutting blade.

23. The method in accordance with claim 22, in which the controllable drive is controlled in dependence on a respective current cutting operation by means of a control device, and/or in which the to-and-fro movements of the holder are synchronized with the cutting movements of the cutting blade.

Description

[0061] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

[0062] FIG. 1 schematically, in a side view, a high-performance slicer in accordance with the invention with a dividing device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

[0063] FIGS. 2 to 7 different views of a possible embodiment of a dividing device in accordance with the invention for attachment to a high-performance slicer for a multi-track slicing of food products.

[0064] The high-performance slicer in accordance with the invention, schematically shown in a side view in FIG. 1, comprises a frame 55 for support on the ground. A product feed 13 of the slicer 13 comprises a product support 14 that extends inclined to the horizontal, and thus to the ground, and that is formed here by an endless conveyor belt. Alternatively, a stationary support surface—for example a stainless steel sheet—can serve as a product support 14. Furthermore, the product feed 13 comprises a product holder 53, also designated as a gripper, that grips a respective product 11 to be sliced, for example a sausage bar having a circular cross-section, at the rear end and feeds the product 11 to a cutting region in a feed direction F during the operation of the slicer.

[0065] The slicer can be designed with one track or multiple tracks. In a multi-track design, a plurality of products 11 to be sliced are disposed next to one another, wherein a separate product holder 53 is provided for each product 11, wherein the product holders 53 can be operated independently of one another.

[0066] A variety of designs of such high-performance slicers are generally known to the skilled person. The dividing device 19 in accordance with the invention, which will be looked at in more detail below, can be provided at slicers of very different designs. For example, at least a part of the product support 14 can be pivotable and can, for example, be configured as a so-called loading rocker (not shown) to be able to load the product support 14 more easily in a lowered state. In addition, an upper conveyor, in particular in the form of an endless conveyor belt, can be provided for a respective product 11 and acts on the respective product 11 from above (not shown). A passive hold-down device for the product 11 can also be alternatively or additionally provided.

[0067] The front end of the product support 14 is formed by a product passage 47, which—as initially mentioned—is also designated as cutting spectacles and has a passage 49 in the form of an opening for the product 11 or—in a multi-track design—for each product 11, through which opening the respective product 11 is guided during operation. At the boundary of this opening 49, the front product end is supported all around.

[0068] The product passage 47 is configured as a counter-blade for a cutting blade 15, for example configured as a circular blade or scythe-like blade, that moves in a cutting plane 17. During the cutting operation, product parts 27 are continuously cut off from the front end of the product conveyed in the feed direction F by means of the product feed 13, wherein the cutting blade 15 and the product passage 47 cooperate for this purpose. The cut-off product pieces 27 fall onto a portioning belt 59 and form a portion 57 there. As soon as a portion 57 meeting predefined criteria has been completed, it can be transported away. During this transport away, the product 11 is not fed, i.e. the product feed 13 is temporarily inactive, so that the cutting blade 15, which continues to move, performs so-called blank cuts.

[0069] Such a cutting operation is generally known to the skilled person so that it does not have to be looked at in more detail here. The cutting frequencies possible with such a slicer, i.e. the possible blade rotation speeds, have already been looked at in the introductory part to which reference is hereby made.

[0070] For a respective cutting frequency of the cutting blade 15, the thickness of the cut-off product parts 27 depends on the feed speed of the product feed 13. In typical applications, the products 11 are cut into comparatively thin slices. However, it is also possible to cut off thicker product pieces.

[0071] As will be explained in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 2 to 7 with reference to a specific embodiment, a dividing device 19 is integrated into the product passage 47 in accordance with the invention, of which dividing device 19 only a first holder part 21 and a second holder part 23 are shown schematically in FIG. 1 that are each carried by the product passage 47 and displaceably supported at the product passage 47. Furthermore, the two holder parts 21, 23 are movable relative to one another, wherein a first holder part 21 can be excited to perform to-and-fro movements by means of a drive that is described in more detail below and that is not shown in FIG. 1. This is indicated in FIG. 1 in that the first holder part 21 is connected to a control device 29 that also controls the cutting operation and for this purpose is inter alia connected to a drive for the cutting blade 15 and to a drive for the product holder 53, as is indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1. The second holder part 23 is mechanically coupled to the driven first holder part 21 such that the second holder part 23 also performs to-and-fro movements. This concept is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 2 to 7.

[0072] The opening 49—in a multi-track design, each opening 49—is traversed by two elongated separation elements 31, 33 that can e.g. be configured as a knife, a blade, a saw blade, or a wire. A horizontal separation element 31 is fastened to the first holder part 21 that traverses all the openings 49 in the horizontal direction in a multi-track design. A separation element 33 is fastened to the second holder part 23 for each opening 49, said separation element 33 extending perpendicular to the horizontal separation element 31 and therefore—despite the arrangement of the product feed 13 inclined to the horizontal and therefore despite the orientation of the cutting plane 17 inclined to the vertical—being designated as a vertical separation element 33 within the framework of the present disclosure for the sake of simplicity, as likewise already mentioned in the introductory part.

[0073] The horizontal separation element 31 and the vertical separation elements 33 thus extend in dividing planes that are spaced apart in parallel and that each extend in parallel with the cutting plane 17 and perpendicular to the feed direction F.

[0074] Due to this mutually crossing extent of the separation elements 31, 33 in each passage 49, a respective product is divided at its front product end within the opening 49 in a direction in parallel with the feed direction F so that no complete slices or pieces, but rather four individual product parts 27, are cut off from the front product end by means of the subsequently effective cutting blade 15. In other words, the products 11 are quartered here, i.e. a so-called “quartering” of the products 11 takes place.

[0075] The embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 7 only shows the cutting region of a high-performance slicer in accordance with the invention that is otherwise not shown, wherein its cutting blade is also not shown. A carrier 61 is supported at the frame of the slicer, which is likewise not shown, and serves as a base for a product passage 47 that is, for example, made entirely from stainless steel and that is configured as a counter-blade for the cutting blade, not shown. The slicer is formed with four tracks, i.e. four openings 49—one for each track—are formed at the product passage 47, which is also designated as cutting spectacles in the following, and are each designed with an egg shape in the embodiment shown here (cf. in particular FIG. 6).

[0076] As can in particular be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, which each show a perspective view obliquely from the rear at the top, the openings 49 adjoin a front part of the product support 14, wherein this front part is configured as a removable belt unit, which is generally known so that it is not necessary to look at this in more detail.

[0077] A dividing device 19 in accordance with the invention (cf. in particular FIG. 2) is integrated into the cutting spectacles 47 such that a first holder part 21 and a second holder part 23 are each displaceably supported at the cutting spectacles 47.

[0078] For this purpose, the first holder part 21 is formed in the manner of a hoop or a frame and comprises a horizontal section extending above the cutting spectacles 47 and two lateral vertical sections that are connected to one another by an upper guide rod 65 and a lower guide rod 65, wherein these horizontal guide rods 65 are guided through the cutting spectacles 47 above or below the openings 49. Due to this rod guide, the first holder part 21, which engages over the cutting spectacles 47 from above in the manner described, is movably guided in the horizontal direction relative to the cutting spectacles 47.

[0079] As in particular FIGS. 4 and 5 show, the second holder part 23 comprises a horizontally extending horizontal section that is connected to two lateral guide rods 65 and a central guide rod 65, wherein these guide rods 65 extend in the vertical direction and are likewise—like the guide rods 65 of the first holder part 21—guided through the cutting spectacles 47.

[0080] Viewed in the feed direction F, the second holder part 23 is located in front of the first holder part 21 so that the guide rods 65 of the first holder part 21, on the one hand, and the guide rods 65 of the second holder part 23, on the other hand, extend in planes that are spaced apart in parallel and that each extend in parallel with the cutting plane, not shown.

[0081] Between the two vertical sections of the first holder part 21, an elongated separation element 31 is clamped that extends approximately centrally through all the openings 49 (cf. in particular FIG. 6), i.e. that transverses all the openings 49, and that can—as already mentioned—be configured, for example, as a knife, a blade, a saw blade, or a wire.

[0082] The second holder part 23 is provided with four vertical elongated separation elements 33 that are each clamped between the horizontal section of the second holder part 23 extending above the cutting spectacles 47 and a lower section, not shown, of the second holder part 23. The vertical separation elements 33, which are likewise, for example, configured as a cutting edge, as a blade, as a saw blade or as a wire, each extend centrally through a respective opening 49, i.e. each opening 49 is traversed horizontally by the common separation element 31 and vertically by a respective separate separation element 33.

[0083] The two holder parts 21, 23 together with their separation elements 31, 33 consequently form a grating whose movability will be looked at in more detail below and by which four products 11 to be sliced can each be quartered simultaneously. In FIG. 6, this is indicated at the left opening 49. The front product end is quartered by the separation elements 31, 33 extending perpendicular to one another, i.e. is divided into four product parts 27 that are cut off from the front product end by means of the cutting blade, not shown.

[0084] The first holder part 21 can be excited to perform horizontal to-and-fro movements by means of a servomotor 35 forming a controllable drive. For this purpose, an output shaft (not shown) of the servomotor 35, which rotates about an axis of rotation 37 when the servomotor 35 is running, is connected to an eccentric element 41 to which a coupling rod 43 is connected in an articulated manner. The eccentric element 41 and the coupling rod 43 form a transmission 39, namely a thrust crank drive, between the servomotor 35 and the first holder part 21, wherein the servomotor 35 and the transmission 39 together form the drive 25 for the first holder part 21.

[0085] The eccentricity of this thrust crank drive is determined by the spacing between the axis of rotation 37 and the eccentric axis 63 of the eccentric element 41 about which the coupling rod 43 can be rotated with its one end due to the articulated connection. This eccentricity is comparatively small and can—as already mentioned in the introductory part—be between 2 and 15 mm, for example.

[0086] With its other end, the coupling rod 43 is connected in an articulated manner to one of the two lateral vertical sections of the first holder part 21. With this servomotor drive 25, the first holder part 21 can consequently be excited to perform periodic to-and-fro movements at a dividing frequency determined by the rotational speed of the output shaft of the servomotor 35, wherein the horizontal stroke of this to-and-fro movement of the first holder part 21 amounts to twice the eccentricity mentioned and is therefore between 4 and 30 mm in the embodiment described here.

[0087] As can in particular be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, the point of engagement 45 of the coupling rod 43 at the first holder part 21 is somewhat lower than the axis of rotation 37 (cf. FIG. 2) of the output shaft of the servomotor 35. Furthermore, this axis of rotation 37 does not extend exactly in parallel with the feed direction F. The positioning and orientation of the servomotor 35 relative to the cutting spectacles 47 and thus to the first holder part 21, which is excited directly by means of the servomotor 35, can in particular be varied in accordance with the respective requirements.

[0088] The excitation of the second holder part 23 does not take directly by means of the servomotor 35, but by the first holder part 21. As can in particular be seen from FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, the two holder parts 21, 23 are mechanically positively coupled to one another by two slot guides 51. Each slot guide 51 comprises an elongated hole which is formed at the horizontal section of the second holder part 23 and into which a section of the first holder part 21 acting as a sliding block projects.

[0089] Due to these slot guides 51, the horizontal to-and-fro movements of the first holder part 21 are converted into to-and-fro movements of the second holder part 23 perpendicular thereto. The transmission ratio can be predefined by the design of the slot guides 51. For example, the transmission ratio can amount to i=2 so that the stroke of the second holder part 23 amounts to half the stroke of the first holder part 21.

[0090] With regard to the possible values for the cutting frequency of the cutting blade 15 (cf. FIG. 1) and the dividing frequency of the to-and-fro movements of the two holder parts 21, 23 that can be generated by means of the servomotor 35 and with regard to the advantageous possibilities that can be realized by using a controllable drive—here the servomotor 34—for the dividing device in accordance with the invention, reference is also made to the explanations in the introductory part.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0091] 11 product

[0092] 13 product feed

[0093] 14 product support

[0094] 17 cutting blade

[0095] 17 cutting plane

[0096] 19 dividing device

[0097] 21 holder part

[0098] 23 holder part

[0099] 25 drive

[0100] 27 product part

[0101] 29 control device

[0102] 31 separation element

[0103] 33 separation element

[0104] 35 servomotor

[0105] 37 axis of rotation

[0106] 39 transmission

[0107] 41 eccentric element

[0108] 43 coupling element, coupling rod

[0109] 45 point of engagement

[0110] 47 product passage, cutting spectacles

[0111] 49 passage, opening

[0112] 51 slot guide

[0113] 53 product holder

[0114] 55 frame

[0115] 57 portion

[0116] 59 portioning belt

[0117] 61 carrier

[0118] 63 eccentric axis

[0119] 65 guide rod

[0120] F feed direction