Meat grinder having a housing, at least one conveying device, and at least one cutting-unit part, and cutting-unit part for such a meat grinder

Abstract

A meat grinder, having a housing, a conveying device, and at least one cutting-unit part. A meat grinder according to the invention comprises a housing, at least one conveying device for conveying material to be ground from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, and at least one cutting-unit part arranged in the housing. At least one transponder is arranged in or on the at least one cutting-unit part and at least one communication device for communicating with the transponder is arranged in or on the housing in such a way that data exchange between the communication device and the transponder is enabled.

Claims

1. A meat grinder having a housing and at least one cutting-unit part which is arranged in the housing, wherein at least one transponder is arranged within the at least one cutting-unit part which is arranged in the housing, and at least one communication device for communicating with the transponder is arranged within the housing, in such a way that an exchange of data between the at least one communication device and the at least one transponder is made possible, wherein the at least one communication device is connected to an electronic circuit or machine controller, wherein the at least one communication device interrogates data relating to the cutting-unit part and initiates action by the electronic circuit or machine controller based on the interrogation, and wherein at least a first anti-rotation element is arranged or formed in the housing, and a corresponding second anti-rotation element is formed in the at least one cutting-unit part, in order to arrange the cutting-unit part secured against rotation in the housing, and a first of the at least one communication device is arranged in the first anti-rotation element, and a first of the at least one transponder is arranged in the second anti-rotation element.

2. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first anti-rotation element is a sliding block, and the second anti-rotation element is a groove which corresponds with the sliding block.

3. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the meat grinder has at least one of the following: a second of the at least one transponder inserted in a first opening formed in the cutting-unit part, and a second of the at least one communication device inserted in a second opening formed in the housing.

4. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged opposite one another.

5. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a first of the at least one communication device has means for transmitting data to the at least one transponder, and means for receiving data from the at least one transponder, and is connected to an electronic circuit and/or a machine controller.

6. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit and/or machine controller comprises a test module for carrying out safety-relevant and/or functional test procedures including the at least one transponder.

7. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communication device is arranged in the region of the outlet opening.

8. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein in addition at least one of the following features is present: (a) at least one transponder is arranged in an outer region of a cutting-unit part, (b) a display is provided for a user for function-relevant and/or safety-relevant information determined by means of the communication device and transponder, (c) the arrangement of the at least one transponder in the cutting-unit part, and of the at least one communication device in the housing takes place in such a way that a cutting-unit part which is not inserted correctly in the housing can be detected on the basis of the relative position of the transponder with respect to the communication device, and (d) a read-only memory and/or a telecommunication device are/is provided.

9. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one transponder is arranged directly opposite of a location of the at least one communication device.

10. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is no metal located between the at least one transponder and the at least one communication device.

11. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 10, wherein there is no solid element located between the at least one transponder and the at least one communication device.

12. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the meat grinder is arranged to have at least one conveying device for conveying material to be ground from an inlet opening to an outlet opening.

13. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein in addition at least one of the following features is present: a) the at least one cutting-unit part is arranged on a drive shaft of a conveying device for which the drive shaft is secured in the axial direction by means of a union nut, and b) the housing is arranged to partially mount therein, partially opposite at least one cutting-unit part, a conveying device that is a screw conveyor connected to a drive shaft or formed on a drive shaft.

14. A meat grinder comprising: a housing; and at least one cutting-unit part arranged in the housing, including at least one transponder arranged within the at least one cutting-unit part, wherein at least one communication device for communicating with the transponder is arranged within the housing in such a way that an exchange of data between the communication device and the transponder is made possible, wherein at least a first anti-rotation element is arranged or formed in the housing, wherein a corresponding second anti-rotation element is formed in the at least one cutting-unit part, in order to arrange the cutting-unit part secured against rotation in the housing, wherein a first of the at least one communication device is arranged in the first anti-rotation element, and wherein a first of the at least one transponder is arranged in the second anti-rotation element.

15. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first anti-rotation element is a sliding block, and the second anti-rotation element is a groove which corresponds with the sliding block.

16. A meat grinder comprising: a housing; and at least one cutting-unit part arranged in the housing, including at least one transponder arranged within the at least one cutting-unit part, wherein at least one communication device for communicating with the transponder is arranged within the housing in such a way that a wireless exchange of data between the communication device and the transponder is made possible, wherein the at least one transponder is arranged within the at least one cutting unit part opposite the at least one communication device for communicating with the transponder arranged within the housing, wherein there is no metal located between the at least one transponder and the at least one communication device, and wherein at least a first anti-rotation element is arranged or formed in the housing, and a corresponding second anti-rotation element is formed in the at least one cutting-unit part, in order to arrange the cutting-unit part secured against rotation in the housing, and a first of the at least one communication device is arranged in the first anti-rotation element, and a first of the at least one transponder is arranged in the second anti-rotation element.

17. The meat grinder as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: a first opening formed in the cutting-unit part within which a second of the at least one transponder is located; and a second opening formed in the housing within which a second of the at least one communication device is located, wherein the first opening and the second opening are closed by non-metallic materials that are safe with respect to foodstuffs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further practical embodiments are described below in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a section of a housing of a meat grinder according to some embodiments of the system described herein with an inserted cutting-unit part in a perspective illustration and a schematic connection to an electronic circuit and a machine controller; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows the region of the housing, denoted II in FIG. 1, in a cross-sectional illustration in the region of the cutting-unit part according to some embodiments of the system described herein.

(4) FIG. 1 shows a section 10, embodied in a hollow-cylindrical fashion, of a housing 12 of a meat grinder (not illustrated in its entirety). A depression (e.g., a groove) 14, in which a sliding block 18 is inserted, is formed on the upper side of the housing 12 as a depression 14. The sliding block 18 forms an anti-rotation element (e.g., a projection) 26 which protrudes with respect to the inner wall 24 of the housing 12 and serves as an anti-rotation means 26 for cutting-unit parts. A cutting-unit part 22 which is inserted and is in the form of a perforated disk, illustrated in a highly simplified form, is shown in FIG. 1.

(5) As is apparent from FIG. 2, a groove 32, which is shaped in a complementary fashion to the sliding block 18 of the housing 12, may be formed in the cutting-unit part (e.g., perforated disk) 22.

(6) The cutting-unit part 22 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 essentially may be in the form of a circular disk. The cutting-unit part 22 may have a concentrically arranged thro 30 which serves for the feeding through of a drive shaft (not illustrated). The drive shaft (not illustrated) can also be used to mount further elements of a meat grinder. The drive shaft is usually connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a screw conveyor, and projects through all the cutting-unit parts. A union nut (not illustrated) ensures there is secure abutment of the cutting-unit parts one against the other through axial pressing of the cutting-unit parts. The perforated disks and supporting crosses are usually arranged fixed to the housing and are therefore mounted in a rotatable fashion with respect to the drive shaft. Taper taps and cutting blades are usually connected to the drive shaft in a rotationally fixed fashion and are driven by the drive shaft.

(7) The sliding block 18 can extend over a relatively large longitudinal section of the meat grinder (considered in the conveying direction), in order to be able to serve for the rotationally fixed arrangement of a plurality of cutting-unit parts.

(8) It is to be noted that, in contrast to the described illustrative embodiment, one or more anti-rotation elements (e.g., projections) 26 can also be formed integrally on the inner wall 24 of a housing 12 of a meat grinder. This corresponds functionally to the arrangement of a separate sliding block 18 in a depression (e.g., groove) 14. It is also possible to arrange a plurality of sliding blocks 18 in a housing 12 and/or a plurality of projections 24 can be formed in a housing 12, for example in order to make available a corresponding projection 24 for each cutting-unit part which is to be potentially secured fixed to the housing.

(9) As is apparent from FIG. 2, in the illustrative embodiment an opening 34, into which a communication device 36 with an antenna 38 is inserted, is formed in the sliding block 18. In the cutting-unit part 22 (e.g., perforated disk) an opening 40 is also formed into which a transponder 42 is inserted.

(10) As is apparent from FIG. 2, the communication device 36 and the transponder 42 each may be introduced completely into the corresponding openings 34, 40. In the present case, the communication device 36 and the transponder 42 even may be inserted so far into the corresponding openings 34, 40 that a free space remains between the communication device 36 and the side wall 44, directed toward the conveying space, of the sliding block 18 or between the transponder 42 and the groove side 46 which points to the sliding block 18. These free spaces are filled in the embodiment shown with a material which is safe in terms of foodstuffs and is not illustrated, wherein an adhesive has been used in the present case. The transponder 42 and the communication device 36 therefore each may be surrounded, at least on the side facing one another, by an adhesive-filled gap which permits radio waves to exit.

(11) As is apparent from FIG. 2, the openings 34, 40 which are formed in the sliding block 18 and in the groove 32 of the cutting-unit part (e.g., perforated disk) 22 may lie precisely one opposite the other. The width of the openings may be between approximately 3 mm and 10 mm, in particular for communication devices 36 which operate at frequencies in the range from 865 MHz to 869 MHz.

(12) The (radial) distance between the communication device 36 and the transponder 42 may be less than 20 mm, or less than 10 mm or even less than 5 mm.

(13) As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the communication device 36 may be connected via lines 48a, 48b to an electronic circuit 50 which is illustrated by way of example. The electronic circuit 50 is connected via lines 52a, 52b to a machine controller 54 (likewise illustrated by way of example). The electronic circuit 50 and the machine controller 54 may be arranged within the housing 12 (only partially illustrated in FIG. 1) of the meat grinder.

(14) The features of the system described herein which are disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims, can be essential in some instances, either individually or in any desired combinations, for the implementation of the system described herein in various embodiments. This can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art.

(15) Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification and/or an attempt to put into practice the system disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as illustrative only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.