APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHAPING A STRAND-SHAPED FOODSTUFF

Abstract

A method and apparatus for shaping a strand-shaped foodstuff such as a piece of meat are disclosed. A pressing chamber is delimited by walls, at least one of which is movable by a pressing device and is configured as a ram. The pressing chamber is transitioned from an initial state with a first enclosed volume into a final state with a second enclosed volume. The apparatus is suitable for integration into a transport system by way of a feed device, by which the foodstuff is fed through a first opening cross-section to the pressing chamber, and a discharge device, by which the foodstuff is discharged from the pressing chamber through a second opening cross-section, are provided, wherein the first opening cross-section is opposite the second opening cross-section so that the foodstuff is be fed and discharged in the same direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for shaping a strand-shaped foodstuff comprising a piece of meat, the apparatus comprising: a pressing chamber which is delimited by walls, at least one of which is movable by a pressing device and is configured as a ram, whereby the pressing chamber is transitioned from an initial state with a first enclosed volume into a final state with a second enclosed volume; a feed device, by which the foodstuff is configured to be fed to the pressing chamber through a first opening cross-section; and a discharge device, by which the foodstuff discharged from the pressing chamber through a second opening cross-section, wherein the first opening cross-section is opposite the second opening cross-section so that the foodstuff is configured to be fed and discharged in the same direction.

2. A method for shaping a strand-shaped foodstuff, comprising a piece of meat, the method comprising: a) opening a pressing chamber delimited by walls in such that at least one of the walls is moved relative to at least one other of the walls, whereby an opening cross-section is uncovered; b) introducing the foodstuff through the opening cross-section into the pressing chamber, c) closing the opening cross-section of the pressing chamber again, and the foodstuff is transitioned from an unshaped state into a shaped state by moving walls of the pressing chamber; d) uncovering an opening cross-section of the pressing chamber, and the shaped foodstuff is discharged from the pressing chamber through this opening cross-section; wherein the feed of the unshaped foodstuff into the pressing chamber and the discharge of the shaped foodstuff from the pressing chamber take place on opposite sides of the pressing chamber by moving the foodstuff in the same direction.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the unshaped foodstuff is fed to the pressing chamber by a transport belt, that extends into the pressing chamber and at least partially covers a wall of the pressing chamber and runs around the wall of the pressing chamber.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the shaped foodstuff is discharged from the pressing chamber by a transport belt, which preferably extends into the pressing chamber and at least partially covers a wall of the pressing chamber and also runs around a wall of the pressing chamber.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the feed of the unshaped foodstuff into the pressing chamber and the discharge of the shaped foodstuff from the pressing chamber take place by the same transport belt.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein a temperature of the foodstuff is lower at least in edge regions than a temperature of the foodstuff in a core region.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein, during the introduction of the foodstuff into the pressing chamber, at least one wall configured as a ram (29, 30) is moved perpendicularly and/or in parallel to a movement direction of the foodstuff in which the foodstuff is fed to the pressing chamber in the movement direction or perpendicularly thereto, so that a distance between the wall and an opposite wall of the pressing chamber is reduced.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0032] The invention described above is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the figures.

[0033] Shown are:

[0034] FIG. 1: a perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention,

[0035] FIG. 2a: a vertical section through the apparatus of FIG. 1,

[0036] FIG. 2b: like FIG. 2a, wherein an opening cross-section of a pressing chamber is identified,

[0037] FIG. 3: like FIG. 2a, wherein a ram of the pressing chamber is displaced,

[0038] FIG. 4: like FIG. 3, wherein a further ram is displaced,

[0039] FIG. 5: a further vertical section through the apparatus of FIG. 1,

[0040] FIG. 6: like FIG. 5, wherein a further ram is displaced,

[0041] FIG. 7: a schematic representation of a foodstuff in an unshaped state, and

[0042] FIG. 8: like FIG. 7, wherein the foodstuff is present in a shaped state.

[0043] An exemplary embodiment that is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 comprises an apparatus 1 according to the invention for shaping a strand-shaped foodstuff 2 in the form of a piece of meat 3, wherein the piece of meat 3 has a non-uniform surface contour which is to be corrected by means of the apparatus 1. The piece of meat 3 in an unshaped state is shown in FIG. 7.

[0044] The apparatus 1 according to the invention comprises a housing 4 which encloses an interior 5 and which is provided with a respective closable opening 7 on two opposite side walls 6. The openings 7 form a feed opening 8 and a discharge opening, wherein only the feed opening 8 is shown in the figures. A respective transport belt 9 is arranged at the openings 7, wherein only the transport belt 9 associated with the feed opening 8 is shown in the figures. The transport belt 9 is here provided for the initial placement of the foodstuff 2. In order to here ensure a positioning, suitable for a subsequent shaping and cutting process, of the foodstuff 2 on the transport belt 9, the apparatus 1 is provided with a stationary positioning device 10 in the form of a guide rail, which transfers the placed foodstuff 2 into an initial position in which it rests centrally on the transport belt 9. A movement direction 11 of the transport belt 9 is here oriented in parallel to a front side 12 of the apparatus 1, wherein the movement direction 11 of the transport belt 9 defines an X-direction 13. Upon placement of the foodstuff 2 onto the transport belt 9, the foodstuff 2 is conveyed in the X-direction 13 to the feed opening 8. In the event that, the foodstuff 2 does not already rest centrally, relative to a width 14 of the transport belt 9, on the transport belt 9 here, a correction of the position takes place by means of the positioning device 10 in that the foodstuff 2 slides along the positioning direction 10 during the movement and is thereby displaced transversely to the movement direction 11 and oriented. A bearing of the positioning device 10 relative to the transport belt 9 is adjustable so that the position of the foodstuff 2 can be corrected depending on a width of said foodstuff 2.

[0045] Moreover, the apparatus 1 according to the invention has a feed device 15 as well as a discharge device 16 in the form of a single transport belt 17 running through the interior 5 of the apparatus 1, wherein, by means of the transport belt 17, the strand-shaped foodstuff 2 can be fed to a pressing chamber 18 arranged in the interior 5 of the apparatus 1 and can be discharged from the pressing chamber 18. A movement direction 19 of the transport belt 17 likewise runs in the X-direction 13 here.

[0046] By means of the third transport belt, which is arranged at the discharge opening, the foodstuff 2 can be conveyed to a cutting device (likewise not shown in the figures) which divides the shaped foodstuff 2 into slices.

[0047] The foodstuff 2 is transferred from the first transport belt 9 to the second transport belt 17, from which the foodstuff 2 is transferred to the last transport belt, wherein a respective width 14 of the transport belts 9, 17 coincides. The first transport belt 9 here extends partially into the interior 5 of the apparatus 1 so that a transfer of the foodstuff 2 takes place in the interior 5 of the apparatus 1. A feed of the foodstuff 2 into the pressing chamber 18 and a discharge of said foodstuff 2 thus take place on two opposite sides of the pressing chamber 18. Here, the foodstuff 2 is moved continuously in the X-direction 13 so that the initial position of the foodstuff 2, relative to the width of the transport belts 9, 17, coincides with an end position of the same after passing through the apparatus 1, so that the initial position can also already be substantially prespecified for the subsequent cutting device upon placement onto the first transport belt 9. All three transport belts run in the horizontal direction, and surfaces of the carrying runs are located at the same level in the Z-direction.

[0048] The pressing chamber 18 is arranged in the interior 5 of the apparatus 1, said pressing chamber 18 consisting of six walls 20, four of which are designed as rams 28, 29, 30, 31 and are respectively movable in different directions by means of an associated pressing device 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0049] A wall 20 forming a front side 25 of the pressing chamber 18 and a wall 20 forming a bottom 26 of the pressing chamber 18 are here fixedly connected to the apparatus 1 and the machine frame thereof, whereas the remaining walls 20 form movable rams 28, 29, 30, 31 which are respectively displaceable in one direction relative to the machine frame and to the foodstuff 2. For this purpose, the rams 28, 29, 30, 31 are respectively coupled to a pressing device 21, 22, 23, 24 respectively in the form of an electromechanical cylinder which is driven by a servomotor. By means of the pressing devices 21, 22, 23, 24, a pressure-controlled movement of the associated rams 28, 29, 30, 31 takes place, wherein the movement is automatically ended upon reaching a prespecified final pressure. A thickness of the wall 20 forming the front side 25 of the pressing chamber 18 is here designed to be adjustable to adapt to a cutting cross-section of the apparatus 1 so that the pressing chamber 18 can be adapted to a width of the foodstuff 2 to be shaped.

[0050] The wall 20 forming the bottom 26 of the pressing chamber 18 is here fixedly mounted in the machine frame and covered with the second transport belt 17, wherein the bottom 26 is enclosed between a carrying run 32 and a return run 33 of the second transport belt 17. A width 14 of the second transport belt 17 is here larger than a width 34, measured transversely to the movement device 11 of the transport belt 17, of the pressing chamber 18 in a final state, which is described in detail in conjunction with FIGS. 2 to 6. The bottom 26 of the pressing chamber 18 is consequently completely covered by the transport belt 17 so that pressing forces introduced in the Z-direction into the foodstuff 2 during the shaping process are transmitted from the foodstuff 2 via the transport belt 17 into the bottom 26.

[0051] The fourth ram 31 forming a rear side 35 of the pressing chamber 18 is movable in a Y-direction 36 running perpendicularly to the X-direction 13, wherein the first ram 28 forming an upper side 37 of the pressing chamber 18 is movable in a Z-direction 38 which is oriented perpendicularly to the X-direction 13 and to the Y-direction 36. The upper side 37 of the pressing chamber 18 is here designed in the shape of a circular arc as viewed in a vertical cross-section. The second and third rams 29, 30 forming the two remaining sides 27 of the pressing chamber 18 are movable in the X-direction 13 or counter to the X-direction 13, wherein the same with their pressing devices 22, 23 are coupled to the first ram 28 and its associated pressing device 21 in such a way that they also move in the Z-direction 36 given a movement of the upper side 37. Furthermore, the respective ram 29, 30 has a contact element 42 which is arranged on an end facing the foodstuff 2. In the final state of the pressing chamber 18, the contact element 42 forms a contact surface which is in contact with the foodstuff 2. The respective contact surface 41 of the second and third rams 29, 30 is here designed to be variable in size. The contact element 42 is designed as a folded metal sheet, which is fastened movably by means of a spring on the respective ram 29, 30 on the one hand and fixedly on the first ram 28 on the other hand so that a relative movement between the respective ram 29, 30 and the first ram 28 is enabled. Here, the first ram 28 is, with its pressing device 21, respectively coupled by means of a linear guide to the second and third rams 29, 30 and the associated pressing device 22, 23. In the initial state of the pressing chamber 18, the spring is deflected by the respective ram 29, 30 due to gravity in such a way that a segment of the contact element 42 projects beyond a surface of the respective ram 29, 30. In an initial state of the pressing chamber 18 which is shown in FIG. 2a, said pressing chamber 18 has a first enclosed volume, wherein the initial state is present when the rams 28, 29, 30, 31 are retracted in such a way that feeding the foodstuff 2 into the pressing chamber 18 is enabled. The volume enclosed by the pressing chamber 18 is here enclosed by planes which correspond to an imaginary extension of the walls 20 of the pressing chamber 18.

[0052] As a result of a translational displacement of the four rams 28, 29, 30, 31, the pressing chamber 18 can be transitioned from its initial state into a final state in which it has a second enclosed volume. The walls 20 of the pressing chamber 18, which walls are designed as rams 28, 29, 30, 31 and overall form a “half chamber,” are moved relative to the foodstuff 2. The final state of the pressing chamber is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.

[0053] In order to shape the foodstuff 2, the pressing chamber 18 is first transitioned into its initial state in that the pressing chamber 18 is opened. For this purpose, the first ram 28 of the pressing chamber 18 is moved with the second and third rams 29, 30 counter to the Y-direction 36 so that an opening cross-section 40 is uncovered, which can be clearly seen in FIG. 2b. The opening cross-section 40 of the pressing chamber 18 exceeds a cross-section of the foodstuff 2 so that the latter can be fed to the pressing chamber 18.

[0054] The foodstuff 2, which has been tempered for better shaping capability in such a way that a temperature, at least in edge regions of the foodstuff 2, is reduced in comparison to a temperature of the foodstuff 2 in a core region, is subsequently introduced by means of the first transport belt 9 into the pressing chamber 18. The foodstuff 2 has here been placed by means of the positioning device 10 onto the first transport belt 9 in such a way that, upon being introduced into the pressing chamber 18, it rests close to the wall 20 forming the rear side 35, as shown in FIG. 2a. In the course of the introduction of the foodstuff 2 into the interior 5 of the apparatus 1, a length measurement of the foodstuff 2 takes place by means of a light barrier (not shown in the figures).

[0055] As soon as the foodstuff 2 is arranged centrally in the apparatus 1, the feed opening 8 is closed again by means of a closure element, and the foodstuff is transferred to the second transport belt and is oriented relative to the pressing chamber centrally of the latter. The second and third rams 29, 30 are here already moved in the X-direction 13 and counter to the X-direction 13 so that a distance between the two rams 29, 30 is reduced in such a way that said distance substantially corresponds to, preferably slightly exceeds, a length of the foodstuff 2. The second conveyor belt 17 is stopped. Subsequently, as is readily apparent in FIG. 3, the ram 31 forming the rear side 35 of the pressing chamber 18 is moved in such a way that it comes into contact with the foodstuff 2. As a result of pressing forces which are exerted on the foodstuff 2 by the ram 31 forming the rear side, the foodstuff 2 escapes in the X-direction 36 and in the Z-direction 38. Analogously, the first ram 28 is brought into contact with the foodstuff 2 by means of a movement of the former in the Z-direction 38, as is readily apparent in FIG. 4. In the course of the movement of the first ram 28 in the Z-direction 38, the ram 28 comes into contact with the foodstuff 2. The contact element 42 is are here initially still deflected. Given a further exertion of pressure, the second and third rams 29, 30 come into contact with the transport belt 17. The linear guide, in conjunction with the spring, then enables the first ram 28 to be further displaced in the Z-direction 38 in that the contact element 42 is displaced in the Z-direction 38 so that the contact surface 41 of the respective ram 29, 30 is reduced in size. The foodstuff 2 is consequently compressed in the Z-direction 38, whereby an increased extension of the foodstuff 2 in the X-direction 13 and counter to the X-direction 13 is brought about, while a cross-section of the foodstuff 2 parallel to a Y/Z-plane already corresponds to a “final cross-section” of the pressing chamber 18. Likewise, the rams 29, 30 forming the sides 27 of the pressing chamber 18 are moved in the X-direction 13 or counter to the X-direction 13 in order to come into contact with the foodstuff 2, as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The pressing chamber 18 is consequently in its final state, in which all walls 20 of the pressing chamber 18 are in contact with the foodstuff 2 and pressing forces are introduced by the rams 28, 29, 30, 31 into the foodstuff 2. The foodstuff 2, which is enclosed in an interior 39 of the pressing chamber 18, is thereby transitioned into a shaped state, which can be seen in FIG. 8 and should be approximated optimally well to a cuboid.

[0056] Subsequently, the walls 20 designed as rams 28, 29, 30, 31 are removed in reverse order from the foodstuff 2, wherein the latter remains substantially in its shaped state.

[0057] Lastly, the foodstuff 2 is conveyed by means of the second transport belt 17 in the X-direction 13, out of the pressing chamber 18 and the interior 5 of the apparatus 1. The first ram 28 of the pressing chamber 18 is moved again with the second and third rams 29, 30 counter to the Y-direction 36 so that a second opening cross-section opposite the first opening cross-section 40 is uncovered, which second cross-section exceeds a cross-section of the foodstuff 2 so that the latter can be discharged from the pressing chamber 18. Finally, the foodstuff 2 is transferred to the third transport belt, by means of which the foodstuff 2 can be transported to the cutting machine.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0058] 1 Apparatus [0059] 2 Foodstuff [0060] 3 Piece of meat [0061] 4 Housing [0062] 5 Interior [0063] 6 Side wall [0064] 7 Opening [0065] 8 Feed opening [0066] 9 First transport belt [0067] 10 Positioning device [0068] 11 Movement direction [0069] 12 Front side [0070] 13 X-direction [0071] 14 Width [0072] 15 Feed device [0073] 16 Discharge device [0074] 17 Transport belt [0075] 18 Pressing chamber [0076] 19 Movement direction [0077] 20 Wall [0078] 21 First pressing device [0079] 22 Second pressing device [0080] 23 Third pressing device [0081] 24 Fourth pressing device [0082] 25 Front side [0083] 26 Bottom [0084] 27 Side [0085] 28 First ram [0086] 29 Second ram [0087] 30 Third ram [0088] 31 Fourth ram [0089] 32 Carrying run [0090] 33 Return run [0091] 34 Width [0092] 35 Rear side [0093] 36 Y-direction [0094] 37 Upper side [0095] 38 Z-direction [0096] 39 Interior [0097] 40 Opening cross-section [0098] 41 Contact surface [0099] 42 Contact element