STACKING APPARATUS

Abstract

A stacking apparatus for preparing food portions comprises at least one product support movable between a feed position and a depositing position, wherein, in the feed position of the product support, a part portion of the food portion to be prepared can be conveyed along a conveying direction onto a support surface of the product support, and wherein the stacking apparatus is configured to place the part portion conveyed onto the product support beneath the product support by moving the product support into the depositing position, in particular to stack the part portion conveyed onto the product support on a previously placed part portion. In the product support, at least one pneumatic channel is furthermore formed that can be connected to a device for generating a pressure difference and that has at least one orifice into the support surface.

Claims

1-33. (canceled)

34. A stacking apparatus for preparing food portions, said stacking apparatus comprising at least one product support movable between a feed position and a depositing position, wherein, in the feed position of the product support, a part portion of the food portion to be prepared can be conveyed along a conveying direction onto a support surface of the product support, and wherein the stacking apparatus is configured to place the part portion conveyed onto the product support beneath the product support by moving the product support into the depositing position, and wherein, in the product support, at least one pneumatic channel is formed that can be connected to a device for generating a pressure difference and that has at least one orifice into the support surface.

35. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the pneumatic channel has a connection for the device for generating a pressure difference to the product support and, starting from the connection, extends in the interior of the product support, between the support surface and a lower side of the product support opposite the support surface, to the at least one orifice.

36. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the orifice of the pneumatic channel is at least one of oriented inclined to the support surface or oriented in the direction of a central section of the support surface.

37. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the orifice is formed as at least one of a shallow depression, a shallow funnel, or a trough.

38. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the orifice merges into a shallow groove formed at the support surface.

39. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the pneumatic channel has a plurality of orifices into the support surface.

40. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 39, wherein the pneumatic channel has a connection section for connecting the pneumatic channel to the device for generating a pressure difference, a supply section, and a plurality of work sections branching off from the supply section, wherein the supply section forms the connection section or merges into the connection section, and wherein each of the work sections leads to at least one respective orifice into the support surface.

41. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 39, wherein the orifices are arranged closer to one another in a marginal section of the support surface than in a central section of the support surface.

42. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the product support is connected at an outer side to a rotatable shaft, wherein the product support can be pivoted from the feed position into the depositing position by rotating the shaft, wherein at least one pneumatic line is formed in the rotatable shaft, via which pneumatic line the at least one pneumatic channel can be connected to the device for generating a pressure difference.

43. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein, in the product support, at least a first pneumatic channel is formed that can be connected to a compressed air device for generating compressed air and that has at least one compressed air orifice into the support surface, and wherein, in the product support, at least a second pneumatic channel is formed that can be connected to a vacuum device for generating a vacuum and that has at least one vacuum orifice into the support surface.

44. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 43, wherein the at least one compressed air orifice is oriented inclined to the support surface and wherein the at least one vacuum orifice is oriented perpendicular to the support surface.

45. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the stacking apparatus comprises a control device for controlling the device for generating a pressure difference.

46. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 45, wherein the control device is configured to control the device for generating a pressure difference during the conveying of the part portion onto the product support to first apply compressed air to the at least one pneumatic channel and to then suck in air through the at least one pneumatic channel.

47. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 45, wherein the stacking apparatus comprises a measurement device for detecting the part portion conveyed on the product support, wherein the control device is configured to control the device for generating an air flow in dependence on a signal of the measurement device.

48. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the stacking apparatus comprises at least a first product support and a second product support that are aligned in parallel with one another in the feed position and together form the support surface, wherein the first product support and the second product support are connected to a respective shaft at mutually opposite outer sides, and wherein the first product support and the second product support can be pivoted from the feed position into the depositing position by an opposite rotation of the shafts.

49. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein the device for generating a pressure difference comprises at least one device for generating compressed air disposed remotely from the product support and at least one vacuum generator that is disposed in the region of or directly at the product support, that is connected to the device for generating compressed air and to the pneumatic channel formed in the product support, and that is configured to generate a negative pressure by means of the supplied compressed air.

50. A stacking apparatus in accordance with claim 49, wherein the vacuum generator comprises at least one Venturi nozzle.

51. A product support for a stacking apparatus for preparing a food portion, said product support comprising at least one pneumatic channel that is formed in the product support, that can be connected to a device for generating a pressure difference, and that has at least one orifice into a support surface of the product support.

52. A product support in accordance with claim 51, wherein the product support is manufactured by a 3D printing process.

53. A method of preparing a food portion by means of a stacking apparatus, in which a part portion is transported along a conveying direction to the stacking apparatus and is conveyed onto a product support of the stacking apparatus, wherein, on the conveying of the part portion through a pneumatic channel formed in the product support, at least one of an air flow directed along a support surface of the product support is generated or air is sucked in through the pneumatic channel, and wherein the part portion conveyed onto the product support is placed beneath the product support by moving the product support away.

54. A method in accordance with claim 53, wherein, for conveying the part portion, a compressed air flow is first generated along the support surface and air is then sucked in at the support surface.

Description

[0079] THERE ARE SHOWN:

[0080] FIGS. 1A and 1B a perspective front view and a front view of a stacking apparatus for preparing food portions with a first and a second product support in a feed position in which a part portion may be conveyed onto a support surface formed by the first product support and the second product support;

[0081] FIGS. 2A and 2B a perspective front view and a front view of the stacking apparatus, wherein the product supports are moved into a depositing position in which a part portion conveyed onto the product supports may be placed beneath the product support;

[0082] FIG. 3 a rear view of the stacking apparatus;

[0083] FIGS. 4A to 4D a plan view of the first product support, a plan view of the first product support with a transparent upper side, a cross-sectional representation of the first product support, and a bottom view of the first product support;

[0084] FIG. 5 a longitudinal sectional representation of the first product support; and

[0085] FIG. 6 a view corresponding to FIG. 1A (detail) of a further embodiment.

[0086] FIGS. 1A to 2B show a stacking apparatus 11 for preparing a food portion 67 that comprises a first product support 51 and a second product support 53 that are movable between a feed position Z shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and a depositing position A shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In the feed position Z, the product supports 51 and 53 are aligned in parallel with a conveying direction F so that when the product supports 51 and 53 are in the feed position Z, a part portion 63 may be conveyed along the conveying direction F onto a support surface 15 formed by the product supports 51 and 53 (cf. in particular FIG. 1B). This may, for example, take place by means of a conveyor belt, not shown, connected upstream of the stacking apparatus 11 against the conveying direction F. By moving the product supports 51 and 53 into the depositing position A, the part portion 63 conveyed onto the product supports 51 and 53 may, in contrast, as FIG. 2B shows, be placed beneath the product supports 51 and 53, wherein the part portion 63 falls down along an arrow P after the movement of the product supports 51 and 53.

[0087] The stacking apparatus 11 further has a frame 71 by means of which the product supports 51 and 53 are held and are positioned above a transport belt 69. The part portions 63 may thereby be placed on the transport belt 69 and may be stacked thereon to prepare a complete food portion 67. The complete food portion 67, in particular a stack of a plurality of part portions 63, may then be fed by means of the transport belt 69 to further processing steps and, for example, to a packaging machine.

[0088] To enable the movement of the product supports 51 and 53 between the feed position Z and the depositing position A, the product supports 51 and 53 are connected at their outer sides 55 and 57 to a respective shaft 41 so that the product supports 51 and 53 may be transferred from the feed position Z into the depositing position A by an opposite rotation of the shafts 41 about 90 degrees (cf. FIGS. 1A to 2B). To transfer the product supports 51 and 53 into the feed position Z again, the direction of rotation of the shafts 41 may, for example, be changeable and the product supports 51 and 53 may again be moved into the feed position Z by a rotation the shafts 41 about 90 degrees. However, provision may also be made that the direction of rotation of the shafts 41 is not changeable and/or is changed so that the product supports 51 and 53 may be transferred from the depositing position A back into the feed position Z by a further rotation of the shafts 41 about 270 degrees to pick up a subsequent part portion 63. Furthermore, a plurality of product supports and, for example, four product supports offset from one another by 90 degrees in each case may generally also be fastened to the shafts 41 so that, by moving a product support from the feed position Z into the depositing position A, a product support following against the direction of rotation may automatically move into the feed position Z.

[0089] To drive the shafts 41, a common motor 59 is, as FIG. 3 shows, provided at a rear side of the stacking apparatus 11 and is connected to the shafts 41 via a strap 61. The strap 61 runs over two deflection rollers 73 and is thereby guided around the shafts 41 such that they may be set into a rotation in opposite directions to one another by means of the common motor 59.

[0090] The motor 59 may in particular further be connected to the shaft 41 via a friction clutch, not shown, to limit the torque that may be transmitted to the shaft 41. It may thereby be achieved that the shafts 41 are stopped when a user reaches into the stacking apparatus 11 during the operation and blocks the product support 51 or 53 so that an injury to the user is prevented. By connecting the shafts 41 via the strap 61, the transmission of torque to the shafts 41 may also be synchronously interrupted when one of the product supports 51 and 53 is blocked so that the shafts 41 or the product supports 51 and 53 may be moved further in a mutually synchronous rotational position after the interruption has ended.

[0091] Such a stacking apparatus 11 may in particular be provided as part of a processing line to assemble a food portion 67 from a plurality of previously prepared part portions 63, said food portion 67 then, for example, being able to be transferred to a packaging machine for a joint packaging of the food portion. For example, such an approach may be provided for part portions 63 that were prepared by a slicing machine for food products and that comprise a plurality of slices of a meat or cheese product, wherein food portions 67 comprising a plurality of such part portions 63 may be jointly packaged, for instance, as an offer for bulk buyers from the catering industry. To be able to separate the individual part portions 63 from one another again and to be able to remove them from the package, a so-called underleaver—a piece of paper or a film—may also be arranged below each part portion 63 for such products by means of a slicing machine.

[0092] A problem with such stacking apparatuses 11 is often that the part portions 63 have to be positioned as exactly as possible on the support surface 15 and have to be placed as precisely as possible to be able to prepare a desired food portion 67. In conventional stacking apparatuses 11, the part portions 63 are, however, usually transferred to the stacking apparatus 11 only by means of a conveyor belt connected upstream, which is not shown in the Figures, and are so-to-say pushed onto the product supports 51 and 53, wherein unwanted deflections of the part portion 63 and incorrect positionings may occur due to the friction between the product supports 51 and 53 so that the part portions 63 may not be stacked exactly on top of one another, for example.

[0093] To counter this problem, a respective first pneumatic channel 17 and a respective second pneumatic channel 19 are formed in the product supports 51 and 53 of the stacking apparatus 11 shown here, wherein the pneumatic channels 17 and 19 may be connected to a device 65 for generating a pressure difference (cf. in particular FIGS. 4B, 4C, and 5). The respective first pneumatic channel 17 has a plurality of compressed air orifices 21 into the support surface 15 and the respective second pneumatic channel 19 has a plurality of vacuum orifices 23 into the support surface 15 (cf. FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5). In the following, the configuration of the product supports 51 and 53 will be explained in more detail by way of example with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5 for the first product support 51.

[0094] As FIG. 4A shows, the compressed air orifices 21 leading into the support surface 15 are arranged in a plurality of rows 37 offset in parallel from one another along the conveying direction F, wherein the rows 37 extend along a transverse direction Q oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction F. In each of the rows 37, four compressed air orifices 21 are arranged by way of example so that four compressed air orifices 21 offset from one another along the transverse direction Q lead into the support surface 15 in each of the rows 37.

[0095] Furthermore, the plurality of vacuum orifices 23 into the support surface 15 are also arranged in a plurality of rows 37 aligned in parallel with one another and extending along the transverse direction Q, wherein each of the rows 37 of vacuum orifices 23 have two vacuum orifices 23. In this regard, the product surface 51 shown here comprises twice as many compressed air orifices 21 as vacuum orifices 23. The compressed air orifices 21 and the vacuum orifices 23 are circular, wherein the vacuum orifices 23 have a larger cross-sectional surface than the compressed air orifices 21. Alternatively thereto, the compressed air orifices 21 and/or the vacuum orifices 23 may, however, also have a different cross-sectional shape, for example, elliptical, rectangular, or square. Furthermore, the compressed air orifices 21 and the vacuum orifices 23 may generally also have an identical cross-sectional surface and/or a different cross-sectional shape from one another.

[0096] FIGS. 4B and 4C show the first pneumatic channel 17 formed in the interior of the product support 51 and the second pneumatic channel 19 formed in the interior of the product support 51. Both the first pneumatic channel 17 and the second pneumatic channel 19 have a respective connection 32 to be able to be connected to the device 65 for generating a pressure difference. The connections 32 are arranged at an outer side 55 of the product support 51 facing the shaft 41 so that the pneumatic channels 17 and 19 may be connected to the device 65 for generating a pressure difference by respective pneumatic lines—not shown in the Figures—extending within the shafts 41.

[0097] Furthermore, the connections 32 form one end of a respective connection section 31 of the pneumatic channel 17 or 19 that extends along the transverse direction Q and that is connected to a supply section 33 aligned in parallel with the conveying direction F. Respective work sections 35, which are aligned in parallel with one another and which are oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction F, branch off from the supply sections 33. Each of the work sections 35 leads to a respective row 37 of compressed air orifices 21 or vacuum orifices 23 so that the compressed air orifices 21 and the vacuum orifices 23 may be connected to the device 65 for generating a pressure difference via the respective pneumatic channel 17 or 19. Furthermore, the connection section 31 of the first pneumatic channel 17 is likewise connected to a row 37 of compressed air orifices 21 and the connection section 31 of the second pneumatic channel 19 is connected to a row 37 of vacuum orifices 23 so that, in the embodiment shown, the connection sections 31 also function as work sections 35.

[0098] As can further be seen from FIG. 4B, the vacuum orifices 23 are in alignment with the respective associated work section 35 of the second pneumatic channel 19 perpendicular to the support surface 15 so that the vacuum orifices 23 are also oriented perpendicular to the support surface 15. In contrast, outlets of the compressed air orifices 21 are arranged offset from the respective associated work sections 35 along the conveying direction F so that the compressed air orifices 21 are oriented inclined to the conveying direction F. With such an orientation of the compressed air orifices 21, a straight-line extension V of the compressed air orifices 21 intersects the conveying direction F at an acute angle, as FIG. 5 shows, so that an air flow exiting from the compressed air orifices 21 has a component in the direction of the conveying direction F. As will be explained in more detail below, the conveying of the part portion 63 onto the product support 51 may in particular be assisted by such an air flow.

[0099] As can in particular be seen from the representation of FIG. 4D, which shows a lower side 27 of the product support 51, the pneumatic channels 17 and 19 extend completely in the interior of the product support 51—between the support surface 15 and the lower side 27—from the connection 32 to the compressed air orifices 21 and the vacuum orifices 23. To achieve such a configuration of the product support 51 with pneumatic channels 17 and 19 extending in the interior, the product support 51 may in particular be produced by a 3D printing process. By means of such a 3D printing process, a generally arbitrary number of pneumatic channels may be formed in the interior of a product support 51 in a simple manner, wherein their course may also be changed as desired by a corresponding adaption of the model on which the process is based. For example, provision may be made to guide the respective supply sections 33 at the center of the product support 51, wherein the work sections 35 may, for example, branch off from the supply sections 33 at both sides in such a configuration. Furthermore, product supports may be formed with more than two pneumatic channels extending in the interior.

[0100] Furthermore, the product supports 51 and 53 are formed with continuous holes 49, whereby the friction between the product supports 51 and 53 and the part portions 63 may be reduced during the placement. Respective openings 75 are furthermore formed at the outer sides 55 and 57 of the product supports 51 and 53, through which openings 75 the product supports 51 and 53 may be connected to the respective shaft 41 and may in particular be plugged onto the shafts 41 (cf. FIGS. 4A to 4D). This may enable a tool-free connection of the product supports 51 and 53 to the shafts 4 and a tool-free removal of the product supports 51 and 53 in order, for example, to be able to remove them quickly and in an uncomplicated manner for a cleaning process and to be able to mount them at the shafts 41 again after the cleaning.

[0101] The pneumatic channels 17 and 19, which extend in the interior of the product supports 51 and 53 and which open with a plurality of compressed air orifices 21 or vacuum orifices 23 into the support surface 15, in particular make it possible to precisely convey the part portions 63 onto the support surface 15 and/or to stop them in a desired position on the support surface 15. Furthermore, the placement of the part portions 63 may be assisted by a corresponding control of the device 65 for generating a pressure difference.

[0102] For example, provision may be made, during a conveying of a part portion 63 onto the product supports 51 and 53, to first generate a compressed air flow in the first pneumatic channel 17 by means of the device 65 for generating a pressure difference so that compressed air exits from the compressed air orifices 21 of the support surface 15 and forms an air cushion for the part portion 63 conveyed onto the product supports 51 and 53 in order to assist the conveying of the part portion 63. To achieve as precise as possible a positioning of a part portion 63 on the support surface 15, a braking effect may further be developed by generating a vacuum in the second pneumatic channel 19 and by sucking in air through the vacuum orifices 23 in order to decelerate and to position a part portion 63 conveyed onto the support surface 15. During a placement of a part portion 63, a friction between the part portion 63 and the product supports 51 and 53 may, for example, also be reduced by generating a compressed air flow in the first pneumatic channel 17 in order, for instance, to prevent a slipping of the part portion 63 during the placement.

[0103] During the conveying of the part portions 63 onto the product supports 51 and 53, the first pneumatic channel 17 may thus in particular first have compressed air applied to it, whereupon air may be sucked in through the second pneumatic channel 19 and the part portion 63 may be decelerated. To enable such a control, the stacking apparatus 11 has a control device 43 that is configured to control the device 65 for generating a pressure difference. The control device 43 may also be configured to temporally vary the air flow generated in the first pneumatic channel 17 and/or the second pneumatic channel 19 and in particular the strength of the air flow. Furthermore, the control device 43 may be configured to adapt a strength of the respective air flow in dependence on a property of the part portion 63, in particular its weight.

[0104] Furthermore, the stacking apparatus 11 has a measurement device 45 that is configured here as a light barrier and that emits a light beam L. The measurement device 45 is arranged above the support surface 15 and at its center so that it may be detected by means of the measurement device 45 when a part portion 63 has been conveyed up to the center of the support surface 15. The control device 43 may, for example, be configured, as a result of a signal of the measurement device 45 that indicates the reaching of the center of the support surface 15 by a part portion 63, to suck in air from the support surface 15 through the second pneumatic channel 19, instead of a compressed air flow in the first pneumatic channel 17, so that a deceleration and a positioning of the part portion 63 may take place instead of the conveying effect to be achieved by applying compressed air to the first pneumatic channel 17. Furthermore, the stacking apparatus 11 may generally also have a plurality of measurement devices 45 to be able to exactly determine the position of a part portion 63 on the support surface 15 and to be able to precisely control the device 65 for generating a pressure difference in dependence on this position.

[0105] Provision may furthermore be made that the control device 43 is configured to control the device 65 for generating a pressure difference to apply compressed air to the first pneumatic channel 17, but to suspend the subsequent sucking in of air through the second pneumatic channel 19 when a defective and, for example, underweight portion 63 is conveyed to the stacking apparatus 11. For this purpose, the product supports 51 and 53 and/or the shafts 41 may in particular be arranged offset downwardly at the stacking apparatus 11 with respect to the position shown in FIGS. 1A to 3 so that such a defective part portion 63 may be moved beyond the support surface 15 in the conveying direction F and may, for example, be fed to a conveyor belt, not shown in the Figures, that is arranged behind said support surface 15 and that guides the part portion 63 to an expulsion section. There, the part portion 63 may, for example, be checked and/or manually completed. Alternatively thereto, an expulsion means may also be movable and, for example, pivotable in below the product supports 51 and 53 to be able to collect a defective part portion 63 and to feed it to an expulsion section.

[0106] In the embodiment illustrated by means of the Figures, the device 65 for generating a pressure difference is shown by way of example as part of the stacking apparatus 11. However, provision may also be made that the stacking apparatus 11 and/or the product supports 51 and 53 is/are selectively connectable to such a device 65 for generating a pressure difference. Furthermore, provision may be made that the device 65 for generating a pressure difference is configured both to apply a compressed air flow to the first pneumatic channel 17 and to suck in air through the second pneumatic channel 19 through the vacuum orifices 23.

[0107] Alternatively thereto, a separate compressed air device and a separate vacuum device may, however, also be provided to be able to generate the corresponding air flows at the support surface 15.

[0108] Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the compressed air orifices 21 and the vacuum orifices 23 are arranged uniformly distributed at the support surface 15. However, provision may also be made that, for example, more compressed air orifices 21 are arranged in a respective marginal section facing the outer side 55 or 57 of the product supports 51 or 53, wherein the compressed air orifices 21 may in particular also be oriented in the direction of the respective opposite inner side of the product supports 51 and 53 in this case. Such an orientation and arrangement of the compressed air orifices 21 may in particular make it possible to center the part portions 63 on the support surface 15. Furthermore, provision may be made to arrange a higher density of compressed air orifices 21 in a region at which the part portions 63 are taken over by a device connected upstream or a conveyor belt to intentionally assist the conveying of the part portions 63 along the product supports 51 and 53 in this region.

[0109] The embodiment of FIG. 6 shows, among other things, that the stacking apparatus 11 may also be formed with two tracks, wherein, in the state shown here, the product supports 51, 53 of the left track are in the feed position and the product supports 51, 53 of the right track are in the depositing position.

[0110] In this embodiment, in each case only a deceleration of the part portions takes place by applying a negative pressure to a plurality of vacuum orifices 23, here in each case four arranged in a central row, via a pneumatic channel 17, indicated by dashed lines here, that is connected to a respective vacuum generator 81 that is in turn connected via a compressed air hose 83 to the respective shaft 41 that is connected to a compressed air source (e.g. the device 65 in accordance with the previously described embodiment; not shown here).

[0111] The vacuum generator 81 may e.g. be a vacuum ejector such as has been described elsewhere in this disclosure and that has one or more Venturi nozzles by means of which a negative pressure is generated in the pneumatic channel 17 from the supplied compressed air and air is thus sucked in through the vacuum orifices 23.

[0112] The vacuum generators 81 are each of such a compact design that they may be attached to the respective product support 51, 53 and may be directly connected with their downwardly facing vacuum connection to a suction opening leading to the pneumatic channel 17 or forming the start of the pneumatic channel 17.

[0113] Such a decentralized on-site vacuum generation directly at the respective product support 51, 53 requires little installation space and makes long vacuum lines and powerful central vacuum sources, e.g. in the form of expensive vacuum pumps, superfluous, wherein energy is also saved since power losses due to long suction paths are avoided. Furthermore, an adaptation to the respective structural conditions may take place in a simple manner since the vacuum generators 81 may also be attached to a different position of a respective product support 51, 53 if the suction opening associated with the respective pneumatic channel 17 is positioned accordingly. However, the connection of a vacuum generator 81 to the suction opening of the pneumatic channel 17 does not have to take place directly, but may alternatively take place via a vacuum line such as a flexible hose.

[0114] A vacuum generator 81 does not have to be directly attached to a respective product support 51, 53, but may also be positioned at another position of the stacking apparatus 11, preferably in the vicinity of the respective product support 51, 53, so that only a relatively short vacuum line is required. For this purpose, the decentralized vacuum generation by means of the individual vacuum generators 81 provides a high degree of flexibility.

[0115] To be able to mount the product supports 51, 53 at the respective shaft 41 without tools, two quick release fasteners 85 are provided in each case.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0116] 11 stacking apparatus [0117] 15 support surface [0118] 17 first pneumatic channel [0119] 19 second pneumatic channel [0120] 21 compressed air orifice [0121] 23 vacuum orifice [0122] 27 lower side [0123] 31 connection section [0124] 32 connection [0125] 33 supply section [0126] 35 work section [0127] 37 row [0128] 41 shaft [0129] 43 control device [0130] 45 measurement device [0131] 49 hole [0132] 51 first product support [0133] 53 second product support [0134] 55 outer side [0135] 57 outer side [0136] 59 motor [0137] 61 strap [0138] 63 part portion [0139] 65 device for generating a pressure difference [0140] 67 food portion [0141] 69 transport belt [0142] 71 frame [0143] 73 deflection roller [0144] 75 opening [0145] 81 vacuum generator [0146] 83 compressed air hose [0147] 85 quick release fastener [0148] A depositing position [0149] F conveying direction [0150] L light beam [0151] P arrow [0152] Q transverse direction [0153] V extension [0154] Z feed position