Part pack optimization

Abstract

A food slicing machine is provided for slicing food products such as bacon, cheese or cooked meat for sale as groups of slices in separate packs. The food slicing machine includes a cutter for cutting slices from the food product and a controller for controlling the thickness of the slices. The machine cuts slices according to a first value of a slicing parameter until the controller determines when the amount of food product remaining to be sliced in an end portion of the food product is less than a predetermined group weight threshold. The controller causes a slice to be cut according to a second, different value of the slicing parameter from the end portion for addition to an under-weight group of slices, so that its weight at least equals the predetermined group weight threshold.

Claims

1. A food processing system for preparing groups of slices of a food product with each group having a weight at least equal to a predetermined group weight threshold, the system including: a food slicing machine for outputting groups of slices, the machine comprising (a) a cutter for cutting slices from a food product log, and (b) a slice thickness controller which controls the thickness of the slices cut by the cutter so that the machine cuts slices according to a first value of a slice size parameter, with the first value selected with the aim of each group of slices cut according to the first value having a weight at least equal to the predetermined group weight threshold; a weighing apparatus for weighing each group outputted by the slicing machine to check whether its weight either is at least equal to the predetermined group weight threshold or is below this threshold and the group is under-weight; and a make-weight apparatus including a weighing scale, wherein the weighing scale generates a request signal to request a slice to make up an under-weight group to the predetermined group weight threshold, and the weighing scale sends the request signal to the slice thickness controller of the food slicing machine, wherein the slice thickness controller: calculates in response to the request signal a second value of the slice size parameter for a single slice to be added to the under-weight group of slices so that its weight at least equals the predetermined group weight threshold; determines when an end portion of the food product log remains to be sliced which is less than the predetermined group weight threshold; and controls the cutter to cut a single slice, according to the second value of the slice size parameter, from said end portion for addition to the under-weight group of slices so that its weight at least equals the predetermined group weight threshold.

2. A system of claim 1 wherein the slice thickness controller controls the cutter to cut at least one slice from said end portion according to the first value of the slice size parameter.

3. A system of claim 1 including a conveyor for receiving slices outputted by the food slicing machine, wherein groups of slices cut according to the first value from the food product log are outputted from the food slicing machine onto the conveyor such that they are spaced apart by a first distance along the conveyor, and a slice cut from the food product log according to the second value of the slice size parameter is outputted from the food slicing machine onto the conveyor at a location spaced along the conveyor from an adjacent preceding slice in a group of slices cut according to the first value by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

4. A system of claim 1 wherein the second value of the slice size parameter is determined by the slice thickness controller in response to a plurality of the request signals.

5. A system of claim 1 wherein said slice size parameter is slice volume, weight or thickness.

6. A system of claim 1 wherein the make-weight apparatus includes an input device to enable an operator to initiate generation of the request signal upon detection, using the weighing scale, of an under-weight group of slices.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a food slicing and weighing system according to an embodiment of the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the system shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a food slicing machine 10, having a cutter 11, which outputs slices of a food product onto conveyor 12. This in turn feeds groups of slices through a weighing station 14.

(5) Groups of slices which are detected by the weighing station as meeting predetermined weight requirements are passed on to an on-weight conveyer 16 by a pivotable section of conveyor 18. Alternatively, groups of slices which fall outside the predetermined weight requirements are diverted by pivotable conveyer 18 and angled conveyor 20 on to an off-weight conveyor 22.

(6) In FIG. 2, pivotable conveyor 18 is shown in a lowered orientation, which diverts groups of slices towards the off-weight conveyor. Its alternative orientation in which groups of slices continue on to the on-weight conveyor is shown by dashed lines (18).

(7) Groups of slices travelling down the on-weight conveyor are carried to a packaging station (not shown) for sealing into respective packs. Groups of slices diverted on to the off-weight conveyor 22 are carried down to a make-weight station 24 which includes a set of weighing scales 26.

(8) Slicing machine 10 includes an inclined loading bed within a housing 30 for supporting a log of food product to be sliced. The log is fed towards a cutter 11 in the form of a rotating slicing blade located at the lower end of the loading bed. A slice thickness controller 32 is programmable to control the operation of the slicing machine. It includes a display and control panel to enable an operator to monitor its operation and enter commands as appropriate.

(9) A gripper (not shown) engages the trailing end of the food product and feeds it towards the slicing blade. The distance by which the product is fed past the blade determines the slice thickness.

(10) The slicer may be programmed to slice a given food product at a given set point. This set point is a parameter relating to the size of the slices to be cut. It may, for example, represent a desired slice thickness. Alternatively, in a system able to measure the cross-sectional area of the end face of the food product which is being cut, the set point may represent a desired slice volume or weight. On the basis of the measured cross-sectional area, the controller determines the slice thickness needed to achieve the set point volume or weight and controls the slicer accordingly.

(11) In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the weighing scales 26 at the make-weight station include a control panel or input device 27 for use by an operator 28. Using the scales, the operator is able to determine how far below the desired weight the off-weight groups of slices received are. The operator can then use the control panel 27 to request slices to make up the off-weight groups whilst minimising the amount of give-away. Request signals are then sent from the scales 26 to the controller 32 of the slicing machine. Alternatively, these scales may automatically generate request signals in response to the measured weight of off-weight groups of slices.

(12) The controller is able to determine the amount of a log of food product remaining to be sliced on the basis of the position of its gripper at the trailing end of the log. Each group of slices will include a certain number of slices sliced according to the current set point of the control 32. Accordingly, the controller is able to calculate when less than a complete group of slices remains to be sliced from a particular log. Based on the request signals received from the make-weight station, the controller causes the slicing machine to cut one or more slices from this end portion which differ from the current set point for subsequent use at the make-weight station.

(13) Each slice may be cut to match a specific slice request from the make-weight station. Alternatively, the controller may analyse a number of requests together and calculate a slice thickness which can best meet these requests whilst minimising the amount of give-away.

(14) Depending on the number of slice requests received from the make-weight station, the controller may arrange for the slicing machine to cut pan of the end portion at the set point thickness and the remainder at the thickness responding to the requests.

(15) To enable an operator at the make-weight station to readily distinguish between slices cut from the end portion which are at the set point thickness and those which are not, the slicing machine can be controlled to present the respective sets of slices on the conveyor in such a way that the operator can readily visually distinguish between them. For example, to one set of slices may be set back from the first set by a distance greater than the normal offset between adjacent slices. The set of slices cut at the set point thickness may be combined at the make-weight station with other part-packs from other end portions to create complete groups which can then be placed onto the on-weight conveyor 16 by the operator 28. Similarly, the operator is able to add the slices cut at a thickness different than the set point thickness to off-weight groups of slices which can then also be put onto on-weight conveyor 16 and subsequently packaged.

(16) It will be appreciated that operations carried out at the make-weight station could be automated to a greater extent, for example by the use of one or more robotic arms to manipulate individual slices or groups of slices to create on-weight groups and then place them on the on-weight conveyor. Furthermore, under-weight groups could remain on the conveyor 16 and be topped up by a robotic arm or arms as they travel towards, or are located in, the packaging station.

(17) In a further variation, request signals may be fed back to the controller from the weighing station 14, rather than the make-weight station, which will then be processed by the controller in the manner described above.