Conveyor device having a linear drive and height-adjustable carriers for conveying objects

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for moving objects, comprising a plurality of individually-movable conveyor movers (29) for conveying the objects, a track system (21) for said conveyor movers (29) in which the conveyor movers (29) can be moved along at least one predetermined track in a conveyor direction (T), and a control device for controlling the movements of said conveyor movers in the track system (21), the conveyor movers (29) each comprising at least one runner (27) that interacts with said track system (21), at least one carrier (29) for objects and, mounted on said runner (27), at least one retainer (31) for the carrier (29), said carrier (29) being adjustable relative to the runner (27) between a lower conveyor position and an upper functional position and thus being guided by the retainer (31).

Claims

1. An apparatus for moving objects, the apparatus comprising a plurality of transport movers individually movable by means of magnetic conveying technology and/or linear motor technology for the transport of the objects; a path system for the plurality of transport movers in which the plurality of transport movers are movable along at least one predefined path in a transport direction; and a control device for controlling movements of the plurality of transport movers in the path system, wherein the plurality of transport movers each comprise at least one runner cooperating with the path system; at least one carrier for objects; and at least one holder attached to the runner for the carrier; wherein the carrier is adjustable relative to the runner between a lower transport position and an upper functional position and in so doing is guided through the holder; and wherein the carrier is arranged to be inserted into the holder in a plurality of different orientations and is respectively non-rotatable relative to the holder in an inserted state.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a support section of the carrier that projects laterally beyond a guide section of the carrier cooperating with the holder during adjustment of the carrier.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the support section is formed by a laterally projecting carrier section of the carrier for objects.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holder at least comprises a receiver for the carrier into which a guide section of the carrier can be inserted.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the receiver comprises an opening for a lateral introduction and removal of the carrier at at least one side.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the receiver has a device that cooperates with the carrier and that acts as movement-inhibiting and/or vibration-damping.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the device that cooperates with the carrier cooperates with the guide section of the carrier.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the carrier is rotatable relative to the holder in the inserted state.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the carrier is rotatable relative to the holder between discretely distributed angular positions.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the carrier is raisable into the functional position by cooperation with a cam contour of the path system and/or is lowerable into the transport position by the assistance of gravity.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the path system has one or more corner sections at whose inner regions a respective cam contour is located through which the carrier of a transport mover is raisable to a level not interfered with by leading and/or trailing transport movers of the plurality of transport movers.

12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one transport mover has at least two runners cooperating with the path system and the at least two runners being movable relative to one another, with the carrier being coupled to both runners via an adjustment device that is configured to convert a change of the spacing between the two runners into a change of the orientation of the carrier.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the adjustment device is configured to convert a change of the spacing between the two runners into a tilt change of the carrier with respect to the transport direction.

14. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one weighing station is provided in the path system and has at least one weighing point for a carrier raised into a weighing position.

15. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the carrier is raisable into the weighing position relative to the runner by means of the weighing station and/or by means of a separate cam contour.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one blowing station is provided in the path system that is configured to apply a blowing medium from below to the carrier and/or to the support surface of a carrier of a transport mover located at the at least one blowing station, with at least one of the carrier and the support surface of the carrier being provided with one or more upwardly open apertures for the blowing medium.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in addition to the plurality of transport movers, at least one functional module or at least one functional mover is provided that comprises at least one runner cooperating with the path system; at least one functional module; and at least one holder for the functional module attached to the runner, with the functional module being configured as compatible with the holders of the transport movers.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holder is configured for receiving a plurality of carriers adjustable and guided independently of one another.

19. A transport mover for an apparatus, the apparatus comprising a plurality of transport movers individually movable by means of magnetic conveying technology and/or linear motor technology for the transport of the objects; a path system for the plurality of transport movers in which the plurality of transport movers are movable along at least one predefined path in a transport direction; and a control device for controlling the movements of the plurality of transport movers in the path system, the transport mover comprising: at least one runner cooperating with the path system; at least one carrier for objects; and at least one holder for the carrier attached to the runner, wherein the carrier is adjustable relative to the runner between a lower transport position and an upper functional position and in so doing is guided through the holder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS

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

(2) FIG. 1 a transport mover not belonging to the invention arranged in a path section for an explanation and for an understanding of the invention;

(3) FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively, a schematic plan view of a possible embodiment of a total system in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIGS. 4 and 5 different perspective views of a part of an apparatus in accordance with the invention with a transport mover in accordance with the invention in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIGS. 6 to 8 different views of a carrier of a transport mover in accordance with the invention in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

(6) FIGS. 9 to 12 respective further developments of the invention.

(7) The embodiments of the invention described in the following are based on a drive principle for transport movers (also simply called movers in the following) in a path system by linear synchronous motors (LSM drive) such as was explained by way of example in the introductory part with reference to the transport system of the company of MagneMotion, Inc. As many movers as desired in a path system which is as complex as desired can be moved individually, i.e. independently of one another, in the path system by means of a control device and can be localized and identified by means of the control device. The movers can furthermore be moved and positioned with extremely high precision in the path system. The movement speeds and accelerations and decelerations for the movers can likewise be selected and carried out as desired and individually.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section, that is a section perpendicular to the transport direction, through a path with a mover arranged therein. The mover shown here does not belong to the invention, but rather serves for the explanation and for the understanding of the movement principle underlying the invention.

(9) A path section 41 of the path system comprises a base serving as a stator 43 of the LSM drive which also serves as a mechanical base for attaching the path section 41, for example, to a substructure or to racks or holders of any desired form.

(10) A path section of the so-called U type is shown in FIG. 1, i.e. the path section is upwardly open and the movers 19 are located above the stator 43.

(11) Guide rails 33 which are designed as angled metal sheets and which run in slits 35 which are formed at the left and right side surfaces of a runner 27 of the mover 19 serve as a guide for the mover 19 here. The guides of the path system for the movers 19 can, however, also be differently configured.

(12) The guidance of the path system provides a defined relative position of the runner 27 with respect to the stator 43. It is in particular hereby achieved that a permanent magnet arrangement M of the runner 27 observes an exactly defined spacing from the stator 43.

(13) In accordance with the LSM drive, the runner 27 provided with the permanent magnet arrangement M is movable by a corresponding control of the stator 43 by means of a control device not shown here in the transport direction along the stator 43 and thus in the path comprising the stator 43. The runner 27 is guided by the guide rails 33 during this movement.

(14) A carrier 29 is arranged on the runner 27 and provides a support surface 39, which is planar, for example, to transport food portions or other objects.

(15) The carrier 29 can be fixedly connected to the runner 27. In an alternative embodiment, the carrier 29 is releasably attached to the runner 27.

(16) A holder 31 of generally any desired design is provided between the carrier 29 and the runner 27. On a releasable attachment of the carrier 29 to the runner 27, the holder 31 can be configured as a component of a coupling or can form a coupling section which cooperates with a corresponding coupling section 37 of the carrier 29. The cooperation between the runner 27 and the holder 31 or between the holder 31 and the carrier 29 can generally take place in any desired manner. A purely mechanical connection can be provided. It is also possible that the carrier 29 is magnetically held at the holder 31 or the holder 31 is magnetically held at the runner 27. The holder 31 can also be configured to allow relative movements of the carrier 29 relative to the runner 27, for example a rotation about a vertical axis to be able to rotate or align portions in this manner.

(17) The carrier 29 can also be directly connected to the runner 27. The holder 31 between the carrier 29 and the runner 27 is then formed by the cooperating regions or coupling sections of the carrier 29 and the runner 27.

(18) As indicated in FIG. 1, a releasable attachment of the carrier 29 to the holder 31 enables a use of the runner 27 with different carriers of different sizes, for example. FIG. 1 thus shows purely by way of example a carrier 29 which is provided with a coupling section 37 and whose support surface 39 is larger than that of the carrier 29 attached to the runner 27 in FIG. 1.

(19) A total system in accordance with the invention, that is a system in accordance with the invention in which the movement apparatus in accordance with the invention or the transport system in accordance with the invention, including the path system, only represents a componentalbeit a major componentis shown in different possible embodiments in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the representation respectively taking place in a schematic and simplified manner to illustrate the possibilities in accordance with the invention.

(20) The systems respectively comprise a slicer 15 which is configured for a multi-track operation and with which a plurality of food products such as loaves of sausage or cheese can be cut into slices simultaneously at high speed by means of a circular blade or scythe-like blade revolving in planetary motion and/or in a rotating manner. The cutting speed is between several one hundred slices and some thousand slices per minute depending on the specific embodiment of the slicer 15.

(21) A respective transfer device for portions of any type, for example at least one so-called insertion belt, can optionally also be located at the respective location instead of a slicer 15.

(22) Portions which comprise a plurality of cut-off slices are as a rule formed from the cut-off slices.

(23) The systems shown each comprise a packaging machine 91 which is not explained in any more detail here and at which the portions formed from the cut-off slices are packaged. It is frequently required for this purpose to combine the formed portions on their route from the slicer 15 to the packaging machine 91 in predefined formats 49 or format sets, i.e. in matrix-like arrangements in which one or more portions are arranged after one another in a respective plurality of tracks disposed next to one another. Within a respective format 49, the portions as a rule have to have a specific relative alignment relative to one another and have to be arranged with predefined spacings from one another and both in the transverse direction and in the direction of transport T so that the portions can be discharged format set-wise to the respective downstream packaging machine 91.

(24) Such a format set-wise packaging is, however, not absolutely necessary. It is, for example, also possible to pick portions from the transport system and to place them in packs with the aid of robots.

(25) It is nevertheless in practice an object of a transport system for food portions arranged between a slicer 15 and a packaging machine 91 to influence these portions in a variety of ways. In this respect, it is not only a question of a possibly required format set formation, but, for example, also the weighing of portions and the separation of portions not suitable for packaging.

(26) A respective plurality of movers 19, each only indicated schematically as squares here, move in the path system 21 and at least some and in particular most of them are configured as transport movers for transporting food portions such as are-explained above in connection with FIG. 1.

(27) The operation of the total system is respectively monitored and controlled by a control device 25 which in particular controls the individual movements of the movers 19 in the individual paths 23 of the path system 21.

(28) Instead of a packaging machine 91, only a part of such a machine or one or more packs or parts thereof can also be provided into which the portions transported in by means of the movers 19 are placed down.

(29) In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport system in accordance with the invention is configured for four-track operation. Four paths 23 which extend in parallel and which each comprise a plurality of path sections 41 such as have been explained in connection with FIG. 1 extend between the slicer 15 and the packaging machine 91.

(30) The transport system in accordance with the invention inter alia provides that upstream of the packaging machine 91 the movers 19 carrying the portions to be packaged are present in a format 49 which comprises a row of four portions arranged next to one anotherin accordance with the number of tracks of this total system.

(31) Subsequent to the packaging machine, the four paths 23 are led together to form a single path which forms a return line 45 in which the now empty transport movers 19 are guided back to the slicer in a return direction R directed opposite to the direction of transport T. The return line 45 branches into a four-track region again in the region of the slicer 15.

(32) These transitions in the path system 21 are taken over by special functional regions which are also called branches 47 here.

(33) In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the branches 47 comprise curved path sections, that is corner sections in which the movers 19 are each moved along a curved path.

(34) The transport mover 19 respectively shown in an only partly shown path section 41 of a path system in accordance with the invention in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a frame-like holder 31 having a rectangular base surface that is oriented transversely to the transport direction T.

(35) The holder 31 is supported via a base section 59 at the runner 27 that cooperates with the path system such as was explained above in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3.

(36) Two cut-outs 57 are provided in the holder 31 that are arranged next to one another transversely to the transport direction T, that are provided as receivers, and that serve for the insertion of carriers 29 described in more detail below. The reception openings 57 have a cross-section that differs from a circular shape and is formed here as a square having rounded or chamfered corner regions.

(37) The identically configured carriers 29 each comprise a carrier plate serving as a carrier section 55 and having a planar support surface 39 for objects to be transported which are portions in accordance with a preferred application of the invention that each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product by means of a high-speed slicer.

(38) The carrier plate 55 is provided at its lower side with a centrally arranged guide section 53 projecting perpendicularly downwardly. The guide section 53 has a constant outer cross-section shape substantially over its total longitudinal extent that, corresponding to the receivers 57 of the holder 31, has a square base shape with rounded or chamfered corner regions.

(39) The guide sections 53 of the carriers 29 are each coordinated with the shape of the receivers 57. A contact between the guide section 53 and the border of the receiver 57 at all four sides is possible during the insertion, but with such an exactly fitting receiver of the guide sections 53 not being compulsory. It can be sufficient for the carriers 29 to be seated with a little clearance in the receivers 57 of the holder 31.

(40) Due to the at least substantially constant outer cross-section shape of the guide sections 53, the carriers 29 can be adjusted, moved relative to the holder 31 in the vertical direction, i.e. between a lower transport position that is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the right carrier 29 in each case and an upper functional position that the carrier 29 adopts that is respectively shown at the left in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(41) In the lower transport position, the guide section 53 is exposed at the bottom so that the lower side of the carrier plate 55 lies on the upper side of the holder 31. The regions of the carrier plate 55 projecting laterally over the guide section 53 thus form a support section 51 of the carrier 29 overall.

(42) Due to the cross-sections of the guide sections 53 differing from a circular shape and the correspondingly formed receiver openings 57, the carriers 29 cannot be rotated in the state inserted into the holder 31. The alignment or orientation of objects transported by means of the carriers 29 with respect to the transport direction T is thus maintained and cannot change unintentionally. The square basic shape of the guide sections 53 and of the carrier plates 55 and the central arrangement of the guide sections 53 at the carrier plates 55 enables the carriers 29 to be inserted into the receivers 57 of the holder 31 in any desired one of the four possible orientations without the orientation of the support surfaces 39 for the objects provided by the carrier plates 55 changing with respect to the path system or the transport direction T. It is consequently not necessary to observe a correct orientation on the insertion of the carriers 29.

(43) It can inter alia be seen from FIGS. 6 to 8 that each only show the carrier 29 in a non-inserted stand that the guide section 53 is hollow cylindrical with a circular inner contour in this embodiment.

(44) Chamfers 63 in the region of the transition of the rounded corner regions into the lower side of the carrier plate 55 make it possible that the carrier 29 can be tilted to a certain degree relative to the holder 31 in the inserted state, but in so doing is still securely seated in the holder 31 and is thereby held at the transport mover. A tilt capability of the carrier 29 can be utilized for cornering, which will briefly be looked at in more detail in the following. A canting of the inserted guide sections 53 can furthermore be avoided by chamfers or splays at the guide sections 53 and/or at the borders of the receiver openings 57.

(45) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the respective carrier 29 disposed at the left, the raising and lowering of the carrier 29 relative to the holder 31 takes place at a predefined region of the path system that has ramp-like cam contours for the guide sections 53 of the carriers 29 at the corresponding side of the respective path section 41. With an incoming transport mover 19, a ramp section 61 at the inlet side thus provides a raising of the carrier 29 that automatically moves back into the lower transport position again due to gravity on the running out of the transport mover 19 then no longer carrying any portion.

(46) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, such a cam contour 61 for raising the carrier 29 in the transport direction T is only located at the left side, viewed in the transport direction T, in the region of the path shown, while no such cam contour is provided in the shown region for the carrier 29 at the right viewed in the transport direction T. A handling device, for example a robot, can consequently pick objects from the left carrier 29 without being impeded in so doing by the right carrier 29.

(47) The control cam 61 not only effects the raising of the carrier 29, but also simultaneously provides a support of the carrier 29 over its guide section 53 such that forces applied to the carrier plate 55 by a handling device are introduced into the cam curve 61 and the actual path system and the holder 31 remain unloaded hereby.

(48) FIG. 9 shows a schematic plan view of a transport mover in accordance with an embodiment of the invention of which only the holder 31 is shown. The holder 31 comprises two receivers 57, for carriers not shown here, arranged next to one another transversely to the transport direction T.

(49) The receivers 57 are each open to the front with respect to the transport direction T. The respective guide sections 53 (cf. for example FIGS. 6-7) of the carriers can be pushed into the holder 31 and can be removed from it again via these lateral openings 65.

(50) Separate locking or securing means that prevent the carriers from accidentally slipping out of their respective receivers, for example on a braking of the transport mover, are not necessary in this embodiment since the holder 31 is provided at its inner sides bounding the receivers 57 with a respective device 67 that exerts an increased frictional or clamping force on an inserted carrier and thus holds the carrier in the receiver 57. This device 67, that can be configured as a rubber lip or as an elastomer string for example, thus inhibits a movement of the carrier relative to the holder 31.

(51) At the same time, the device 67 serves to prevent or at least to reduce the transmission of oscillations or vibrations between the carrier and the holder 31.

(52) FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an application of a cam contour 61 that is in principle active in the same manner as the one which was described above in conjunction with FIGS. 4 and 5. The cam contour 61 here also serves to raise a carrier 29, in particular to partly raise it from a receiver of the holder 31. The circumstance that at least the part of the carrier 29 or of the support section 51 laterally projecting beyond a guide section 53 (cf. in particular FIGS. 4 and 5) moves to a higher level can be utilized for cornering maneuvers of the transport movers 19, as is indicated in FIG. 10.

(53) The overlaps of the carriers 29 on the inner side of a corner section 69 of the path 23 that are indicated in FIG. 10 show that spacings of transport movers 19 traveling through the corner section consecutively that are too short bring about the risk that the carriers 29 following one another on the inner corner side interfere with one another. The carrier 29 can be raised to a level not interfered with by the other transport movers by raising the inner curve carrier 29 of the respective transport mover 19 just traveling through the corner section 69.

(54) When the support section 51, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 4 and 5, is comparatively thin, the cam contour 61 only has to effect a comparatively short lift to prevent a mutual influencing of the carriers 29 in the region of the corner section 69. The lift can if necessary nevertheless be selected to be so large by a corresponding adaptation of the cam contour 61 that the respective carrier 29 moves to a level that is still above an object that lies on the carrier 29 of a leading or trailing transport mover 19.

(55) The embodiment indicated schematically in FIGS. 11a and 11b illustrates a possibility of implementing comparatively high accelerations or decelerations without there being a risk of a sliding of a transport object 75 from the carrier 29.

(56) In this embodiment, the transport mover 19 is provided with two runners 27 that can be moved independently of one another in the path 23 such that the spacing between the two runners 27 can be changed in the transport direction T. The common carrier 29 is coupled to the two runners 27 via an adjustment device 71 that comprises a coupling member 77 in the embodiment shown here that is connected in an articulated manner between the carrier 29 and the runner 27 at the rear in the transport direction. The carrier 29 is furthermore connected in an articulated manner to a holding member 79 of the runner 27 at the front in the transport direction T. This connection of the carrier 29 to the two runners 27 movable independently of one another that is articulated due to the three axes 73 provides that the tilt of the support surface 39 of the carrier 29 can be adjusted in dependence on the spacing between the two runners 27.

(57) In FIG. 11a, the support surface 39 is downwardly inclined with respect to the transport direction T, and indeed due to the comparatively small spacing between the two runners 27. The transport mover 19 can hereby be accelerated by a comparatively high amount.

(58) The situation is correspondingly reversed in FIG. 11b. The relatively large spacing between the two runners 27 provides that the support surface 39 is rearwardly inclined with respect to the transport direction T. This enables relatively high decelerations of the transport mover 91.

(59) FIG. 12 schematically shows the integration of a weighing station 81 into the path system. A load cell respectively forming a weighing point 83 is arranged as stationary with respect to a path section at both sides of the path 23. The carriers 29 can each be released from the holder 31 and can consequently cooperate free of influence with the respective load cell 83 by raising the carriers 29 of a transport mover 19 stopping at the weighing station 81.

(60) The raising of the carriers 29 can take place, for example, by a cam contour such as was in particular explained above in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5 and in connection with FIG. 10. Such a cam contour can be positioned before the respective load cell 83 in the transport direction T and can be adapted to the height level of the load cell 83. Alternatively, the load cells 83 can themselves each be configured such that they can raise the respective carrier 29 for the purpose of a weight determination with a transport mover 19 traveling into the weighing station 81.

(61) Further possible embodiments of the invention that can optionally, but not necessarily, be combined with the above-explained embodiments and also with one another will be explained in the following.

(62) As mentioned above, the two carriers 29 can be raised alternately so that a robot can respectively better grip a portion. It is, for example, also possible that a carrier 29 is raised so far by means of a cam contour that the support surface 39 can cooperate with a cleaning device in order thus to be able to be mechanically cleaned either when traveling past or when stationary at a corresponding cleaning position within the path system.

(63) Objects or portions can also be transferred or picked by means of such a scraping principle.

(64) It is furthermore possible to propel a carrier fully upwardly by means of a cam curve, i.e. to expel it from the holder 31. Carriers propelled or expelled in this manner can be supplied to a cleaning process, for example. It is also possible that the carriers are picked by means of a robot and are transferred to a cleaning/conveying or storage apparatus. Carriers that are optionally treated or cleaned can then in turn automatically be inserted by means of a robot or also manually into the holders 31 of the transport movers 19 at another point of the path system.

(65) The guide sections 53 of the carriers 29 can each be fastened to the carrier plates 55 as separately manufactured components by suitable means. It is, however, also possible to produce the carriers 29 from one piece, which brings about advantages with respect to hygiene and cleaning ability.

(66) As already explained above, the guide sections 53 of the carriers 29 can each be coordinated with the receivers 57 in the holders 31 with respect to shape and/or size such that clearance is present to be able to tilt the inserted carriers 29 in the holder 31. Such a tiltable storage of the carriers 29 can be utilized to act on a guide section 53 from below not centrally, but rather off center or at one side, for example by means of a cam contour. It is hereby possible to slant the carrier 29 when passing through corners in the path system to compensate centrifugal force influences on a respective transported object in this manner. For this purpose, for example, the path system can be provided with a run-on chamfer that is arranged toward the respective outer corner side, whereby the carrier 29 is only raised at one side and is slanted relative to the holder 31 due to the clearance.

(67) The free ends of the guide sections 53 can, for example, be spherical or chamfered to promote a run-on at a cam contour in this manner.

(68) The support surfaces 39 of the carrier sections 55 can be smooth, grooved, wavy or provided with projections, for example nub-like projections, or with other structures. The support surfaces can furthermore have a coating.

(69) The carriers can be manufactured from a plastic that is in particular provided with a blue coloring to be able to detect lying objects particularly well with the aid of camera systems.

(70) Provision can furthermore be made that the carrier is manufactured from a plastic having metal inclusions. In this manner, parts that may have been separated from the carrier can be recognized simply with the aid of metal detectors that are anyway in particular provided in practice for so-called prepackaging.

(71) The carriers can be provided with bores or apertures at suitable points to promote a running off, for example of cleaning fluids, in all relative orientations of the carrier in space in this manner.

(72) The carriers can furthermore be provided with structures such as bores or apertures that serve to be brought into engagement with other devices, for example with a drag conveyor, e.g. in the form of a chain conveyor. Bores introduced into the carriers at suitable points can furthermore serve as a sorting and/or alignment aid. An ordering of the carriers can thereby, for example, be simplified subsequent to a cleaning process before the carriers are again supplied to the path system.

(73) Provision can furthermore be made that the carriers are regionally provided with stabilization features or reinforcement features, for example with a thicker marginal region and/or with reinforcement ribs that can, for example, have a radial arrangement.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(74) 15 slicing apparatus, slicer 19 transport mover 21 path system 23 path 25 control device 27 runner 29 carrier 31 holder 33 guide rail 35 slit 37 coupling section 39 support surface 41 path section 43 stator 45 return line 47 branch 49 format 51 support section 53 guide section 55 carrier section 57 receiver 59 base section 61 cam contour 61a section of the cam contour at the inlet side 63 chamfer 65 lateral opening 67 inhibiting and/or damping device 69 corner section 71 adjustment device 73 axis 75 object 77 coupling member 79 holding member 81 weighing station 83 weighing point 91 packaging machine T transport direction R return direction M permanent magnet arrangement