Device for shredding deep-frozen foodstuffs provided in block form including a tool detection device for determining whether the shredding tool is arranged as intended

Abstract

A device for shredding deep-frozen food products provided in block form comprises a tool coupled to one end of a rotatable shaft which rotates the tool about an axis of rotation and advances the tool along the axis of rotation in the direction towards the block, thereby scraping layers off the block. The tool can be uncoupled from and recoupled to the end of the shaft without using a tool. When the tool is coupled to the end of the shaft it axially abuts the shaft's end and is thereby held in a force-locking manner on the end of the shaft for the transmission of drive forces from the shaft to the tool. The device includes a tool detection device to determine whether a tool is arranged on the end of the shaft as intended so that operation can occur only when the tool is connected as intended.

Claims

1. A device for shredding frozen food products provided in block form with a tool (2) for shredding at least a part of the frozen food products block, wherein: the tool is coupled to one end (16) of a rotatable shaft (6), which during intended operation of the device rotates the tool about an axis of rotation (X) and advances the tool along the axis of rotation (X) in a direction (S) towards the frozen food products block, thereby scraping off layers of food from the frozen food products block; coupling of the tool (2) on the end of the shaft (16) is designed in such a way that the tool (2) can be removed from the end of the shaft (16) without other tools and can be recoupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended; the tool (2) when coupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended abuts axially against the end (16) of the rotatable shaft (6) and is thereby held in a force-locking manner on the end (16) of the rotatable shaft (6); the tool (2) when coupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended forms a rotational form-lock in said tool's intended direction of drive rotation with the end (16) of the rotatable shaft (6) for transmitting drive forces from the shaft (6) to the tool (2), the device comprises a tool detection device (17, 23, 24) by which it can be determined whether a tool (2) is arranged at the end of the shaft (16) as intended or not; the coupling of the tool (2) at the end of the shaft (16) is designed in such a way that the tool (2) which is coupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended is held at the end of the shaft (16) by magnetic force; and wherein the tool detection device (17, 23, 24) comprises a Hall sensor (23) with associated evaluation electronics, by which, at least in a certain axial position of the shaft (6), different characteristic magnetic field strengths can be distinguished between the tool (2) being coupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended and the tool (2) not being coupled to the end of the shaft (16), respectively, for determining whether the tool (2) is arranged on the end of the shaft (16) as intended or not.

2. Device according to claim 1 wherein at least in one axial position of the shaft (6), in which the tool (2) coupled to the end of the shaft (16) as intended has a maximum distance from the to-be-shredded frozen food products block, different characteristic magnetic field strengths can be distinguished between the tool (2) being coupled to the end of the shaft (16) and the tool (2) not being coupled to the end of the shaft (16), for determining whether the tool (2) is arranged at the end of the shaft (16) as intended or not.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the Hall sensor (17) is arranged on a stationary component (22) of the device.

4. The device according to claim 2 wherein said device is for pureeing or pacotizing said frozen food product.

5. The device according to claim 2 wherein the axis of rotation (X) is oriented vertically.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the Hall sensor (17) is arranged on a stationary component (22) of the device.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the Hall sensor is arranged in a region close to the shaft.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the Hall sensor is arranged in a region which, with the shaft being fully retracted, is near the end of the shaft which holds the tool as intended.

9. Device according to claim 6, wherein the Hall sensor (17) is arranged in a region remote from the shaft (6), and wherein a ferrite rod (24) is arranged between the Hall sensor (17) and the shaft (6).

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein substantially no ferromagnetic components are arranged between the ferrite rod (24) and the end (16) of the shaft (6) holding the tool (2).

11. Device according to claim 9, wherein ferrite rod (24) is arranged between the Hall sensor (17) and a region which, when the shaft (6) is fully retracted, is close to the end (16) of the shaft (6) which holds the tool (2) as intended.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and applications of the invention result from the now following description based on the figures. Thereby show:

(2) FIG. 1 a partially cut, perspective view of the major mechanical components of a device according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 a sectional view through the area of the device from FIG. 1, in which the lower end of the blade shaft is supported.

MODES TOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a partially cut, perspective view of the major mechanical components 1 of a device according to the invention, together with a container 12 arranged thereon in an intended location by means of which during the intended operation, the deep-frozen food products are provided as a frozen block of food products in the container 12 and in which, during the intended operation, the shredding, in particular pureeing or pacotizing, of at least a part of the deep-frozen food products block is carried out.

(5) In this device, the shredding of the frozen food products provided in block form (not shown) is carried out by rotating the multi-winged knife 2 (tool according to the claims) around a vertical axis of rotation X and thereby advancing along this axis of rotation X towards the food products block in the direction S, whereby it scrapes off fine layers from the frozen food products block.

(6) As can be seen, the device comprises a first-electric drive motor 3 and a second electric drive motor 4 for generating the rotational movement and for generating the feed movement of the knife 2. Both motors 3, 4 are separately controllable, variable speed and coupled to a stationary support structure of the device (not shown). Furthermore, the device comprises a gear arrangement 5, which is coupled with the two drive motors 3, 4 and is designed in such a way that only the first drive motor 3 serves to rotate the knife 2 and that both drive motors 3, 4 together serve to feed the knife.

(7) For this purpose, the gear arrangement 5 has a rotatable hollow shaft 6 carrying the knife 2, which is mounted in an axially displaceable manner.

(8) This hollow shaft 6 is arranged concentrically and in an axially displaceable manner in an axially stationary, rotatably mounted, longitudinally toothed drive sleeve 13, with whose longitudinal toothing it forms a rotational form-lock, such that the hollow shaft 6 can be rotated about the axis of rotation X via the drive sleeve 13 with the first drive motor 3. For this, the drive sleeve 13 has a belt wheel 14 on its outer circumference, which can be driven with the first drive motor 3 via a toothed belt 8.

(9) Concentrically arranged in the hollow shaft 6 is an axially stationary threaded spindle 7, which can be rotated around the axis of rotation X with the second drive motor 4. For this, the threaded spindle 7 has a belt wheel 10 at its free end, which can be driven via a toothed belt 9 with the second drive motor 4.

(10) The hollow shaft 6 has an internal thread section 15 which engages in the external thread of the threaded spindle 7. By this, the hollow shaft 6 and the threaded spindle 7 are coupled together in such a way that a rotation of the threaded spindle 7 relative to the hollow shaft 6 causes an axial displacement of the hollow shaft 6 relative to the axially stationary threaded spindle 7. In other words, a difference in rotational speed between the hollow shaft 6 and the threaded spindle 7 causes the hollow shaft 6 to be lowered or raised along the axis of rotation X and thereby causes the knife 2 to be advanced or retracted, respectively, in relation to the to be shredded food products block. At identical rotational speeds of the hollow shaft 6 and of the threaded spindle 7, the knife 2 is rotated without performing an axial movement along the axis of rotation X.

(11) In other words, if the set directions of rotation of the two drive motors 3, 4 are identical and if the number of revolutions of the two drive motors 3, 4 are in a certain ratio at which the rotational speeds of the hollow shaft 6 and the threaded spindle 7 are identical, the knife 2 is rotated without performing any axial movement along the axis of rotation X. If this specific rotational speed ratio is exceeded or undercut, respectively, the knife 2 is additionally advanced or retracted, respectively, along the axis of rotation X, which increases or decreases in speed, respectively, as the rotational speed ratio is exceeded or undercut.

(12) As can be seen from FIG. 2 which shows a sectional view of the area of the device in FIG. 1 in which the lower end of the blade shaft 6 is supported, the tool 2 which is made of ferromagnetic stainless steel and which is coupled to the end of the shaft 16 as intended, abuts axially against the end 16 of the shaft 6 and is thereby held at the end of the shaft in a force locking manner by a magnet 17 arranged centrally in the end of the shaft 16. The magnet 17 which is covered on its front side with a small stainless steel plate 25 is thereby located completely inside the tool 2. The drive forces are transmitted from the shaft 6 to the tool 2 by means of a helical gearing 18 between the tool 2 and the end of the shaft 16 which creates a rotatoric form-lock between them.

(13) As can be seen, the container 12 comprises a cover 19 which is penetrated by the blade shaft 6 and which, before coupling the shaft 6 to the knife 2 by inserting the end 16 of the shaft 6 into the hub 20 of the tool 2, holds the tool 2 with retaining lugs 21 on the underside of the cover 19.

(14) As can further be seen, the cover 19 seals the container 12 against a bottom housing 22 of the device, which is formed by an aluminum injection molding or a plastic injection molding.

(15) In an area away from the shaft 6 or the end of the shaft 16, respectively, a Hall sensor 23 with associated-evaluation electronics is arranged, which detects magnetic fields. A ferrite rod 24 is arranged between the Hall sensor 23 and an area which, in the situation shown with the shaft fully retracted, is close to the end 16 of the shaft 6, which holds the tool 2 as intended, which ferrite rod conducts magnetic fields from this area to the Hall sensor 23. Depending on whether or not a tool 2 is coupled to the end of the shaft 16 as intended or not, the magnetic field emitted by the magnet 17 and transmitted to the Hall sensor 23 via the ferrite rod 24 has a different characteristic.

(16) The magnet 17, the ferrite rod 24 and the Hall-sensor 23 are part of a tool detection device according to the claims of the device according to the invention, by means of which different characteristic magnetic field strengths can be distinguished in the shown axial position of the shaft 6, when the tool 2 is coupled to the end of the shaft 16 as intended and when the tool 2 is not coupled to the end of the shaft 16 or not coupled to the end of the shaft 16 as intended, respectively, for determining whether the tool 2 is arranged at the end of the shaft 16 as intended or not.

(17) If the tool detection device detects in the shown axial position of the shaft 6 that no tool 2 is coupled to the end of the shaft 16 or that at least no coupled as intended tool 2 is present, it blocks the further operation of the device as.

(18) While in the present application there are shown preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be clearly stated that the invention is not limited thereto and that it can be carried out in other ways within the scope of the following claims.