METHOD FOR SEPARATING PORTIONS OF A FOOD MASS

Abstract

A method for separating portions of a food mass (3) from a film tube (1), which is continuously advanced along a tube-conveying path (9) at belt-running speed and is filled with the food mass, in particular with processed cheese (3), wherein the film tube filled with the food mass (2) is initially formed into a band of defined thickness by means of a pair of calibrating rollers, and wherein, in order to form separate food portions (3), the food mass is then displaced, by means of a pair of displacement rollers acting upon one another, out of displacement regions (2) extending transversely across the film tube, wherein the displacement rollers are driven by means of a drive, which is controllable in terms of the running thereof, in a manner decoupled from the belt-running speed.

Claims

1. A method for separating portions of a food mass (3) from a film tube (1), which is continuously advanced along a tube-conveying path (9) at belt-running speed and is filled with the food mass, in particular with processed cheese (3), wherein the film tube filled with the food mass (2) is initially formed into a band of defined thickness by means of a pair of calibrating rollers, and wherein, in order to form separate food portions (3), the food mass is then displaced, by a pair of displacement rollers having displacement webs (26) acting upon one another, out of displacement regions (2) extending transversely across the film tube, wherein the displacement rollers are driven by a drive, which is controllable in terms of the running thereof, in a manner decoupled from the belt-running speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displacement rollers are controlled with specifiable rotation characteristics by means of a computer program, which implements timing.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displacement rollers are controlled by a computer program in correlation with a sensor signal, wherein the sensor signal correlates with a detectable pattern on the film tube.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises: detecting a defined part (5) of a pattern provided on the film tube (1) via a sensor (6), operating the displacement rollers (8) in a manner dependent on the detection of the defined part (5) of the pattern such that the food mass (2) is displaced out of the film tube (1) in a displacement region at a predetermined distance from the defined part (5) of the pattern,

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein on the basis of the position (x′) of the defined part (5) along the tube-conveying path (9) and on the basis of the time (t′) of the detection of the mark (5), a displacement time (t″) is determined, at which the displacement rollers (8), with the displacement webs thereof, are brought into displacing contact with the tube (1).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transverse sealing seam (10) is produced in the displacement region (2) after the food mass (3) was displaced out of the displacement region (2).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a contour cut (15) on a longitudinal edge (17) of a film, which forms the film tube (1), for forming tear-open tabs (16) on the finished package is synchronized, at least indirectly, with the displacement rollers (7) and/or the transverse sealing rollers.

8. A device for separating portions of a food (3) from a film tube (1), which is continuously advanced along a tube-conveying path (9) and is filled with a food mass, in particular with processed cheese (3), wherein, in order to form separate food portions, displacement rollers (7) are provided for displacing the food mass (3) out of a displacement region (2), wherein a drive, which is controllable in terms of the running thereof is provided for driving the displacement rollers that is decoupled from the belt-running speed.

9. The device according to claim 8 further comprising a computer program for controlling the displacement rollers in correlation with a sensor signal and/or in correlation with a timing.

10. The device according to claim 8 further comprising conveyor belts (24), for guiding the film tube (1) along a tube-conveying path (9), a sensor (6) for detecting a defined part (5) of an embossed or printed pattern on the film tube (1), or of a recess in the film tube, a controller for controlling the servo drive (11) in a manner dependent on a signal generated by the sensor (6) in order to displace the food mass (2) out of the film tube (1) at a predetermined distance from the defined part (5) of the printed pattern or the recess.

Description

[0017] The invention is explained in greater detail in the following with reference, wherein

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a device for implementing the method according to the invention [0019] a) in a top view, without a depiction of tools, [0020] b) in a side view;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the course of the speed of a displacement roller for each of the cases, in which [0022] a) the separation between two displacement surfaces is equal to the separation between two displacement regions, [0023] b) the separation between two displacement surfaces on the periphery of the displacement roller is greater than the separation between two displacement regions on the tube, [0024] c) the separation between two displacement surfaces on the periphery of the displacement roller is less than the separation between two displacement regions on the tube;

[0025] FIG. 3 a) shows the device according to FIG. 1a) with a product film having a contour cut on one side or both sides, on the longitudinal side of the film, [0026] b) shows a completed package having tear-open tabs, in the cross section along the line of cut B-B according to FIG. 3a).

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a production device comprising a device for implementing the method according to the invention.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a film tube 1 during the method according to the invention. The film tube 1 is guided along a tube-conveying path 9 by non-illustrated guide means. It is filled with a processed-cheese mass 3, wherein the processed-cheese mass packaged in the film tube is separated to form individually packaged slices. At the end of the method, individually packaged cheese slices of a certain size are, wherein any length of the slices can be set (even while the operation is underway) by means of the device according to the invention, but the width is predetermined by the film tube. In the present exemplary embodiment, every package is provided with an image 14, which comprises a logo and product information in text form and is centered exactly on the package.

[0029] Each image 14 has a pattern mark 5, which is detected by a sensor 6. A displacement region 2 is defined at a defined distance from the pattern mark 5, onto which displacement rollers 8, 12 are set in order to displace the processed cheese out of the displacement region 2. When the sensor 6 detects the pattern mark 5, the displacement region 2 is located at a location x′ at the time t′ of the detection. On the basis of the constant conveyance speed v of the tube 1, it is then possible to calculate a displacement time t″ at which the displacement region 2 is disposed at a location x″ along the conveyance path 9, at which a displacement is then carried out by means of the displacement rollers 12. The displacement surfaces 13 on the displacement rollers 12 are moved toward one another by means of rotation and pinch the film tube 1 there in order to displace the processed cheese 3 out of the displacement region 2. The processed cheese 2 is thereby portioned into individual cheese slices 4.

[0030] Next, the tube 1 is sealed in the region of the displacement region 2 by means of a transverse sealing tool 7 comprising transverse sealing rollers. The individual slices can be separated later by means of a transverse cutting in the sealed regions 2, for example, by means of a device of the type described in WO 2008/119633 A1.

[0031] Therein, it is necessary that the displacement surfaces 13 be moved, at time t″ at location x″, at a peripheral speed u that correspond to the conveyance speed v of the tube 1. FIG. 2a shows a speed diagram in which the peripheral speed u of the displacement surfaces 13 is identical to the conveyance speed v. This is possible when the displacement regions 2 of the tube 1 have a separation between one another that corresponds to the peripheral separation between two adjacent displacement surfaces 13. The displacement surfaces 13 can then roll on the tube at a constant peripheral speed without sliding. It is assumed that the conveyance speed v of the tube 1 is constant.

[0032] If the separation between two adjacent displacement regions 2 is greater than the peripheral separation between two adjacent displacement surfaces 13, however, the speed of the displacement roller 12 must be reduced between the individual displacement steps in order to prevent the displacement regions 2 from being “outstripped” by the displacement surfaces 13. It is further provided, however, that the peripheral speed u of the displacement roller 12 still corresponds to the conveyance speed v of the tube 1 during the displacement time t″, in order to 1 prevent the tool 12 from sliding on the tube. The wave-shaped course shown in FIG. 2b therefore results, which, on average, is less than the conveyance speed of the tube 1, however, and is implemented by the control of the servo motor 11.

[0033] For the case in which the separation between two adjacent displacement regions 2 is less than the peripheral separation between two adjacent displacement surfaces 13, the speed of the displacement roller 12 must be increased between the individual displacement steps in order to conversely prevent the displacement surfaces 13 from being “outstripped” by the displacement regions 2. In this case as well, the peripheral speed u of the displacement roller 12 still corresponds to the conveyance speed v of the tube 1 during the displacement time t″, in order to prevent the tool 12 from sliding on the tube 1. The wave-shaped course shown in FIG. 2c therefore results, which, on average, is greater than the conveyance speed of the tube 1, however, and is implemented by the control of the servo motor 11. The downstream sealing rollers 27 (FIG. 4) undergo a corresponding control at a another, corresponding, time t′″ and at another location x′″.

[0034] Due to the invention, it is now possible to flexibly implement any separation between displacement regions 2 without the need to retrofit the device used for the displacement. To this end, all that is required is either an adjustable timing of the displacement and sealing, or a pattern mark 5 is identified on the tube, which is detectable by a sensor and is always disposed at a predetermined distance from the desired displacement region. It is also possible, for example, to easily switch to different distances between the displacement regions 2 simply by changing the timing and/or the distances between the pattern marks. A reliable synchronization of the displacement rollers 8 with the image printed on the tube or with other markings, in particular, is thereby achieved. It is hereby made possible for the first time to provide packages having exactly one processed-cheese slice with an image that is centered on the package.

[0035] A further possible application is explained with reference to FIG. 3. The film forming the tube 1 has a serrated pattern 15 on one or both longitudinal edges. In the completed tube 1, the serrated pattern 15 then extends over the longitudinal sealing seam 17 such that tear-open tabs 16 extend beyond the longitudinal sealing seam 17. The tear-open tabs 16 are fully exposed and can be gripped individually by the end user and pulled apart from one another in order to open the package. The pattern mark 5 is synchronized with the serrated pattern 15. One cheese slice 4 is therefore separated out of the processed-cheese mass 3 by means of the synchronization of the displacement rollers 8 with the pattern mark 5, which is oriented with respect to the serrated pattern 15 and, therefore, the tear-open tabs 16. It is not necessary for the displacement rollers 8 and the transverse sealing tool 7 to act across the entire width of the film and can, instead, omit the region of the tear-open tabs 16.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a schematic depiction of a production line 18 for producing individually packaged cheese slices, which is suitable for the device of the method according to the invention. Melted, flowable processed cheese 3 is supplied via a supply nozzle 19 in the upper region. At a shaped projection 20, tube film 21, which is still flat when initially advanced, is wrapped around the supply nozzle 19 in a “U” shape. The longitudinal edges of the tube film, which come to lie one on top of the other due to V-shaped arrangement, are sealed in a downstream longitudinal sealing unit 22, thereby producing the continuous longitudinal sealing edge 17 (FIG. 1a). The film tube 1 is thereby produced.

[0037] Downstream thereof, the film tube 1 filled with processed cheese 3 passes two oppositely rotating calibration rollers 23, by means of which the slice thickness of the processed-cheese slices 4 is set. Two downstream conveyor belts 24 clamp the filled film tube 1 between themselves. By means of a tension force, which the conveyor belts 24 apply onto the film tube, said film tube is held taut in the region above the conveyor belts 24 and is conveyed further downward. In another embodiment, the conveyor belts 24 can also be mounted underneath the displacement and sealing tools. The conveyor belts 24 ensure that the film tube 1 is brought to a desired conveyance speed, which is a necessary prerequisite for the function of the displacement rollers. An optical sensor 6 detects the pattern marks or other patterns on the film tube 1.

[0038] The displacement rollers are provided downstream of the conveyor belts 24. In this case, in deviation from the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, these are embodied as three successively disposed pairs of ribbed conveyor belts 25, which are provided with webs 26 oriented transversely to the conveyance direction. The webs 26 form the displacement surfaces 9 in a manner analogous to the displacement rollers 12 according to FIG. 1 and can likewise displace processed-cheese mass 3 out of the regions of the tube 1. During the displacement, the webs 26 are operated at the peripheral speed u, which corresponds to the conveyance speed v of the tube. Two pairs of transverse sealing rollers 27 are provided downstream thereof, in the conveyance direction, which transversely seal the tube film in the displacement regions 2. The function of the ribbed conveyor belts 25 and the transverse sealing rollers 27 is analogous to the function of the corresponding elements of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Next, the tube 1 passes through a cooling water bath 28, thereby cooling the newly formed individual slices of processed cheese.

[0039] The two method steps are synchronized with a printed and/or embossed surface due to the use of the displacement and sealing centered with respect to the pattern mark (or centered with respect to another mark). It is therefore possible to place the displacement and the transverse sealing so as to be centered between the printed images. Synchronization with the image printed on the film is therefore possible due to the drive of the displacement and transverse sealing tools according to the invention. The drive further makes it possible to switch to any slice lengths within a specified range, even during the operation, without changing tools, which is suitable, in particular, for films that are unprinted or are printed by means of scatter printing. The device according to FIG. 1 can be easily installed in the production device according to claim 4, as a replacement for corresponding units shown in FIG. 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0040] 1 tube [0041] 2 displacement region [0042] 3 processed cheese [0043] 4 cheese slice [0044] 5 pattern mark [0045] 6 sensor [0046] 7 transverse sealing tool [0047] 8 displacement tool [0048] 9 tube-conveying path [0049] 10 transverse sealing seam [0050] 11 stepper motor [0051] 12 displacement roller [0052] 13 displacement surface [0053] 14 image [0054] 15 serrated pattern [0055] 16 tear-open tab [0056] 17 longitudinal sealing seam [0057] 18 production machine [0058] 19 supply nozzle [0059] 20 shaped projection [0060] 21 tube film [0061] 22 longitudinal sealing unit [0062] 23 rollers for calibration [0063] 24 conveyor belts [0064] 25 ribbed conveyor belts [0065] 26 webs [0066] 27 transverse sealing rollers [0067] 28 cooling water bath [0068] x position along the tube-conveying path [0069] t time [0070] v conveyance speed of the tube [0071] u peripheral speed of the displacement surfaces