Feeding apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding apparatus for feeding food products to a slicing unit, having a product support comprising at least one track for the reception of a plurality of products arranged one after another; and at least one product mount which comprises a holder for holding a rear end of a product viewed in a feed direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for slicing food products comprising: a product support comprising a plurality of tracks, each of the plurality of tracks for the reception of a plurality of products arranged one after another in a feed direction; at least two product mounts associated with one of the plurality of tracks and arranged to be spaced from each other in the feed direction, each of the at least two product mounts comprising a holder for holding a rear end of a product viewed in the feed direction and an abutment for a front end of a following product, at least one of the at least two product mounts being adjustable in the feed direction and out of a feed region; and a cutting blade having a cutting plane oriented non-parallel relative to the feed direction of the product, the cutting blade being arranged at an end section of the product support relative to the feed direction, wherein the at least two product mounts are movable relative to each other in the feed direction.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two product mounts are provided for all of the plurality of tracks.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one product mount is configured to fix and/or to determine the position of the following product; and/or wherein the abutment of the at least two product mounts comprising an abutment surface which is planar and/or which corresponds to the shape of the front end of the following product; and/or wherein the at least two product mounts comprise a further holder for holding a front end of the following product.

4. An apparatus for slicing food products comprising: a product support comprising a plurality of tracks, each of the plurality of tracks for the reception of a plurality of products arranged one after another in a feed direction; at least two product mounts per track, each of the at least two product mounts spaced from each other in the feed direction of each of the plurality of tracks and comprising a holder for holding a rear end of a product viewed in a feed direction, at least one of the at least two product mounts being adjustable in the feed direction and out of a feed region; and a cutting blade having a cutting plane oriented non-parallel relative to the feed direction of the product, the cutting blade being arranged at an end section of the product support relative to the feed direction, wherein the at least two product mounts can be controlled independently of one another by means of a control, wherein the at least two product mounts each comprise an abutment for a front end of a following product.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the at least two product mounts are configured to fix and/or to determine the position of the following product; and/or wherein an abutment of the at least two product mounts comprise an abutment surface which is planar and/or which corresponds to the shape of the front end of the following product; and/or wherein the at least two product mounts comprise a further holder for holding a front end of a following product.

Description

(1) The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawings. There are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a side view of an embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 a side view of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 a side view of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 plan views of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 a side view of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 a plan view of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 a front view of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention; and

(9) FIGS. 8A to 8G perspective views of a further embodiment of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the invention.

(10) First, it is found that the embodiments shown are purely of an exemplary nature. The number of the tracks and product mounts shown can in particular vary. The features of an embodiment can also be combined in any desired manner with features of a different embodiment. The product mounts and/or functionalities shown can in particular also be used in the respective other embodiments.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a feeding apparatus which feeds food products 10, 10, 10 in the feed direction Z to a cutting blade 12 having a slicing unit 14. The products 10, 10, 10 are in this respect present at a product support 16 which is shown as a conveyor belt by way of example. The products 10, 10, 10 are held at their respective ends with the aid of product mounts 18, 18. The product mounts 18, 18 are in particular configured as grippers in which the holders 20, 20 each comprise claws which engage into the ends of the products 10, 10. Alternatively to claws, the product mounts 18, 18 can also comprise a vacuum device, for example.

(12) The product mounts 18, 18 are guided at a common guide device 22. Alternatively, it is also possible that a separate guide device 22 is associated with each product mount 18, 18.

(13) The product mounts 18, 18 are preferably connected to the guide device 22 from above or from the side. The fastening of a product mount 18, 18 to a product 10, 10, 10 in particular takes place such that the product mount 18, 18 moves into a region above the product support 16 for the products 10, 10, 10 by a stroke movement, an oscillating movement, a transverse movement and/or a rotary movement and thus comes into engagement with the product 10, 10, 10.

(14) The product mount 18, 18 can equally be removed from the region above the product support 16 for the products 10, 10, 10 by a stroke movement, an oscillating movement, a transverse movement and/or a rotary movement if a held product 10, 10, 10 is completely sliced up to an end piece 34. The end piece 34 can remain connected to the holder 20, 20 and should be cast off outside the product support 16 as far as possible and should subsequently be led away. In this respect, a resulting gap in the conveyor belt can in particular be used when the product support 16 which is e.g. configured as a loading rocker is pivoted downwardly. The product mount 18, 18 can be moved against the feed direction Z in order subsequently to grip a following product 10, 10.

(15) The rear sides of the respective product mounts 18, 18 are configured as abutments 24, 24 for following products 10, 10. Each abutment 24, 24 comprises an abutment surface for a product 10, 10 detected by a following product mount 18. While the first product 10 is being sliced, the second product 10 is pressed by the product mount 18 toward the abutment 24 of the preceding product mount 18 and can thus be gripped.

(16) The rear side of the product mount 18 in this respect serves as a passive abutment 24 for the following product 10. Accordingly, the rear side of the product mount 18 in turn also serves as an abutment 24 for the further product 10.

(17) In this manner, the product starting position can be fixed so that the position, the shape and the portion division of a product 10, 10, 10 can be taken into account for the slicing mode of operation. The product 10, 10, 10 can in particular already be measured in front of the loading range in order to fix a later division into portions.

(18) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the product mount 18 comprises a cramp 26 as a holder 20. The abutment 24 of the product mount 18 consequently also has a holder for the following product 10 which acts against the feed direction Z. The abutment 24 thus not only comprises a passive abutment surface, but also a holder or at least a further holding functionality. As is shown, a system configured in such a manner can establish a connection, at least a temporary connection, between the remainder of the product 10 and the following product 10. The cramp 26 which is configured against the feed direction Z can in particular be removed from the front end of the product 10, e.g. it can be folded away or retracted in order to move the product mount 18 out of the feed region.

(19) The cramp 26 can preferably be provided at the product mount 18 between the first product 10 and the second product 10, whereas a normal product mount 18 can be inserted between the second product 10 and the third product 10.

(20) Due to the cramp-like connection in accordance with FIG. 2 between the products 10, 10, these products 10, 10 can more or less be moved as a unit.

(21) The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 comprises the product mounts 18, 18 which are configured as variable in length. The holders 20, 20 or the abutments 24, 24 can in particular be adjusted along the feed direction Z. This in particular serves for the length compensation on the removal or on the moving of the product mounts 18, 18 out of the region of the product support 16.

(22) The product mount 18, in particular the holder 20 or the abutment 24, can be retracted by a predefined dimension A. In this manner, sufficient space is provided in order to be able to remove the product mount 18 from the feed region. As soon as the holder 20 has been removed from the region of the product support 16, the following product 10 will be advanced in the feed direction Z by exactly this dimension A. The product mount 18 which is in engagement with the following product 10 can in particular for this purpose be moved apart by exactly this dimension A. The product 10 is then immediately in the correct position and can be sliced.

(23) The front end of the respective products 10, 10, 10 can preferably be sliced in a straight manner as a preparatory measure so that a reference surface arises at which the usable region of the product 10, 10, 10 starts. This reference surface can contact the rear side of the product mount 18, 18 at the associated abutment surface of the abutment 24, 24. The straight cutting off of the front end piece can, for example, take place in a peeling machine, not shown, which is arranged upstream.

(24) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, different guide devices 22, 22 are associated with the respective product mounts 18, 18. These guide devices 22, 22 are displaced in parallel to one another. Whereas, for example, the product mount 18 of the left guide devices 22 holds the first product 10 during the slicing mode of operation, the product mount 18 at the right guide device 22 already grips the end of the second product 10. As soon as the second product 10 is sliced, the left product mount 18 can be retracted. This is a kind of paddling system in which a product mount 18, 18 is always in alternating engagement with a product 10, 10, 10 and ensures the advance and/or the stabilization of the respective product 10, 10, 10.

(25) For this purpose, the respective product mount 18, 18 which becomes free is, for example, moved out of the working position by 90 so that a retraction is possible next to the product support 16. The product mount 18, 18 thus does not impede the feeding of the food products 10, 10, 10 to the cutting blade 12.

(26) In the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5, the product mounts 18, 18, 18 are made in two parts. The product mounts 18, 18, 18 in this respect comprise holders 20, 20, 20 as well as guide means 28, 28, 28. The rear sides of the holders 20, 20, 20 can also serve as abutments 24, 24, 24.

(27) The holders 20, 20, 20 are respectively connected or connectable to the guide means 28, 28, 28 via releasable connections. These connections are in turn associated with the guide device 22 which ensures the movement along the product support 16 in the feed region.

(28) The holders 20, 20, 20 remain at the products 10, 10, 10 and are transferred from a guide means 28, 28, 28 to the next respective guide means 28, 28, 28. The guide means 28, 28, 28 revolve about the guide device 22. This can in particular take place in a track-specific manner, i.e. a guide device 22 is associated with each track. If a product 10, 10, 10 is completely sliced, the holder 20, 20, 20 is again connected to the guide means 28, 28, 28 and is taken along. The end pieces 34 are then removed. The holders 20, 20, 20 are in this connection or subsequently again adjusted against the feed direction Z so that they again arrive behind a new product 10, 10, 10 and hold said product.

(29) This application is in particular suitable for the use in a magnetic conveying system. This is shown in FIG. 6. The movers 30 in this respect serve as guide means 28, 28, 28 and revolve about the guide device 22 configured as a magnetic track. The movers 30 can at least temporarily be connected to the holders 20, 20, 20 in order to hold the products 10, 10, 10.

(30) In addition to decouplable holders 20, 20, 20, holders 20, 20, 20 which are rigidly connected to the movers 30 are also conceivable.

(31) As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a plurality of product mounts 18, 18, 18 can move at a common guide device 22. These product mounts can be associated with at least one track in a feed region and can extend in parallel to said track.

(32) The guide device 22 extends substantially at the side of and/or above the product support 16 for the products 10, 10, 10. The product mounts 18, 18, 18 in the proximity of the cutting blade 10 are thus moved out of the feed region as soon as the last portion or slice is sliced. The product mounts 18, 18, 18 can subsequently again be transferred into a rear feed region in order there to take over a following product 10, 10, 10.

(33) Depending on the number of product mounts 18, 18, 18 associated with a track, the following product 10, 10, 10 can be the next, the next adjacent or the next-next adjacent product 10, 10, 10 depending on the length of the product support 16 and depending on the length of the products 10, 10, 10. More than two products 10, 10, 10 can thus also be arranged positioned in front of one another or one after another in a row on a track in the feed region. This is in particular possible when the products 10, 10, 10 are comparatively short.

(34) In accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the product mounts 18, 18 can be configured differently and at least temporarily engage at the same product 10. One of the product mounts 18 can be connected to a tractor unit 32 or can be integrated into the tractor unit 32. A further product mount 18 can, in contrast, be arranged above the tractor unit 32, for example. The product mounts 18, 18 are so-to-say configured as a halved common product mount, wherein the product mounts 18, 18 each form a half. The halves are in particular formed symmetrically to a center axis M of the product 10. Due to the compact construction, lateral space requirements are extremely small in this respect.

(35) An option is shown by dashed lines in which the product mount 18 becomes free by a pivoting out to the side. The product mount 18 can be pivoted relative to a pivot axis P which is parallel with respect to the feed direction. It is conceivable that a product mount 18 in this respect always remains in alternating engagement with the product 10 and ensures the advance and/or the stabilization of the product 10, while the other product mount 18 is moved back.

(36) The holders 20, 20 of which one side is shown in FIG. 7 can also reach up to the respective other side and engage into one another, e.g. in the manner of a rake. In this way, an end piece of the product 10 is thus also fixed over the full width when the second product mount 18 is already on the return path against the feed direction Z.

(37) In FIGS. 8A to 8G, an embodiment is shown in which the product mounts 18, 18 can be moved with the aid of linear units which are independent of one another. The holders 20, 20 are in this respect configured adjustable about a pivot axis S which extends perpendicular to the feed direction Z.

(38) In FIG. 8A a feeding system is first shown in a single-track application. The product mounts 18, 18 are in this respect each associated with a separate guide device 22, 22. While the product 10 is being sliced, the following product 10 can be loaded and can be gripped by the product mount 18. The gripping in particular takes place in that the rear product mount 18 pushes the product 10 toward the front product mount 18.

(39) The position of the product start of the following product 10 can be determined on the basis of the power increase at the drive of the rear product mount 18 without an additional sensor system being necessary.

(40) As can be seen in FIG. 8B, the product 10 is sliced until only an end piece 34 remains.

(41) It is shown in FIG. 8C that the end piece 34 is folded upwardly together with the holder 20. If the product 10 is sliced, the product mount 18 in this respect first moves a short bit against the feed direction Z and in this respect pivots upwardly by 90 clockwise about the pivot axis S with the narrow end piece 34. The holder 20 is likewise made narrow and does not impair any possible adjacent tracks.

(42) Already during the pivoting, the following product 10 can be moved forward directly to the cutting blade 10 and can be sliced there.

(43) As can be seen in FIG. 8D, the end piece 34 can now be transported by the product mount 18 against the feed direction Z above the following product 10.

(44) Finally, the end piece, as shown in FIG. 8E, is placed down on the product support 16.

(45) As shown in FIG. 8F, the product support 16 can be lowered into the horizontal for a repeat loading. In this respect, the end piece 34 can be moved to the front in the feed direction Z into a discharge chute 36. A following product 10 can subsequently be inserted into the product support 16. A pivoting of the front short product assist 28 is not required in this respect. The guidance of the products 10, 10, 10 is ensured from above by lateral separation webs 40 of the driven product support 16 as well as of a driven roller.

(46) FIG. 8G shows the application of this concept to a multi-track mode of operation. In a two-track mode of operation, four linear drives can be provided, for example. Since the product mounts 18, 18 are each associated with a single track, the feeding apparatus can be expanded by further tracks in any desired modular manner.

(47) In accordance with the invention, a quasi-continuous loading can be achieved so that only short loading pauses result. All the products are also always guided securely.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(48) 10, 10, 10 food product 12 cutting blade 14 slicing unit 16 product support, conveyor belt 18, 18, 18 product mount, gripper 20, 20, 20 holder, claw 22, 22 guide device, magnetic track 24, 24, 24 abutment 26 holder, cramp 28, 28, 28 guide means 30 mover 32 tractor unit 34 end piece 36 discharge chute 38 product assist 40 separation web Z feed direction A dimension M center axis P parallel pivot axis S perpendicular pivot axis