DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CUTTING A FOOD PRODUCT STRAND

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for cutting a food product, in particular a food product strand, into portions, in particular into strips or cubes, comprising the following method steps: a) The food product is advanced to a cutting device (2) by means of an advancing device (12). b) Successive portions are cut off from the food product from an end of the food product which faces the cutting device (2) by means of at least one cutting element (3), wherein the cutting element (3) is guided by means of a disc-shaped cutting element carrier (4), on which the cutting element (3) is arranged, wherein the cutting element carrier (4) is rotated about a drive axis (10) which is oriented at least substantially parallel to an advancing direction (7) of the advancing device (12). c) During one-time guiding of the cutting element (3) past the end of the food product, a multiplicity of strip-shaped portions are produced. In order to provide a method, by means of which it is possible to produce cube-shaped portions in a particularly rapid manner, according to the invention the portions which are being produced are cut to size by means of at least one length cutting device (5) after the cutting by means of the at least one cutting element (3). The present invention further relates to a corresponding device.

Claims

1. The present invention relates to a method for cutting a food product, in particular a food product strand, into portions, in particular into strips or cubes, comprising the following method steps: a) The food product is advanced to a cutting device (2) by means of an advancing device (12). b) Successive portions are cut off from the food product from an end of the food product which faces the cutting device (2) by means of at least one cutting element (3), wherein the cutting element (3) is guided by means of a disc-shaped cutting element carrier (4), on which the cutting element (3) is arranged, wherein the cutting element carrier (4) is rotated about a drive axis (10) which is oriented at least substantially parallel to an advancing direction (7) of the advancing device (12). c) During one-time guiding of the cutting element (3) past the end of the food product, a multiplicity of strip-shaped portions are produced. In order to provide a method, by means of which it is possible to produce cube-shaped portions in a particularly rapid manner, according to the invention the portions which are being produced are cut to size by means of at least one length cutting device (5) after the cutting by means of the at least one cutting element (3). The present invention further relates to a corresponding device. characterized in that

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the food product is moved towards the cutting arrangement (2) in increments.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that portions that are being made are being deflected during cutting so that a movement direction of a respective portion includes at least a movement component that is parallel to a feed direction (7) of the food product, wherein the portions are advantageously deflected by the cutting arrangement.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the portions are only cut to length after being deflected by the at least one length cutting arrangement (5), wherein a cutting plane (9) of the length cutting arrangement (5) is advantageously oriented perpendicular to the feed arrangement (7) of the food product.

5. The method according to one of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the at least one length cutting arrangement (5) is rotated about a drive axis (11), advantageously about the same drive axis (10) about which the cutting element carrier (4) is rotated, wherein the length cutting arrangement (5) is advantageously configured disc shaped.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the length cutting arrangement (5) and the cutting arrangement (2) are rotated in opposite directions.

7. The method according to one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that cutting the food product includes measuring at least one residual section of the food product and adapting a feed of the food product based on captured data so that an end piece of the food product is cut by a last cut of the cutting arrangement (2) at least essentially completely, advantageously cut completely.

8. A device (1) for cutting a food product in particular a food strand in portions, in particular in strips or cubes, the device comprising at least one feed arrangement (12), and at least one cutting arrangement (2), Wherein the food product is feed able in feed direction (7) towards the cutting arrangement (2) so that successive portions are cut able by the cutting arrangement (2) from an end of the food product that is oriented towards the cutting arrangement (2), Wherein the cutting arrangement (2) includes at least one cutting box (13) which includes at least one transversal cutting edge (14) and a plurality of longitudinal cutting edges (15), Wherein the transversal cutting edge (14) is arranged in a first cutting plane (16) which is oriented at least essentially parallel to a cutting surface of the food product, wherein the longitudinal cutting edges (15) are respectively arranged in cutting planes (17) which are not oriented in parallel with the cutting plane (16) of the transversal cutting edge (14), so that the food product is cut able in at least 2 cutting planes (16, 17) that are oriented in different direction, wherein the cutting box (13) is rotate able about a drive axis (10) which is oriented at least essentially parallel to the feed direction (7), characterized by at least one length cutting arrangement (5) by which portions cut by the cutting arrangement (2) are cut able to length.

9. The device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the length cutting arrangement (5) is configured as a rotate able length cutting disc (27) which advantageously includes a plurality of length cutting edges (18), wherein a drive axis (11) of the length cutting arrangement (5) is advantageously oriented parallel to the drive axis (10) of the cutting arrangement (2), further advantageously the drive axes (10, 11) of the length cutting arrangement (5) and of the cutting arrangement (2) coincide.

10. The device (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the cutting planes (17) of the longitudinal cutting edge (15) are oriented at least essentially perpendicular to the cutting plane (16) of the transversal cutting edge (14), wherein advantageously all cutting boxes (13) include a transversal cutting edge (14) that is oriented parallel to the cutting surface of the food product and a plurality of the additional longitudinal cutting edges (15) that are perpendicular to the transversal cutting edge (14) and parallel to each other and adjacent to each other.

11. The device (1) according to one of the claims 8-10, characterized in that the the cutting arrangement (2) advantageously includes at least one cutting box (13), at least one support channel (20) by which a portion that is being made is deflectable so that a movement direction of the respective portion after deflection includes at least a movement component that is perpendicular to the feed direction (7) of the food product.

12. The device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that support channel has a circular arc shape, wherein the circular arc advantageously extends over a deflection angle (8) of at least 70, advantageously at least 80, further advantageously at least 90.

13. The device (1) according to one of the claims 8-12, characterized in that the cutting arrangement (2) includes at least one opposite cutting edge (22) on a side that is oriented away from the food product wherein the opposite cutting edge is configured to cooperate with the length cutting arrangement (5), wherein a distance between the opposite cutting edge (22) and the length cutting arrangement (5) is variable.

14. The device (1) according to one of the claims 8-13, characterized by at least one stop element (24) which protrudes beyond the cutting plane (14) of the transversal cutting edge in the feed direction (7) so that a section of the food product that is being cut off is at least partially supportable by the stop element (14).

15. The device (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that the cutting arrangement (2) includes at least one displacement arrangement (30) by which the stop element (24) is displace able so that a collision between the stop element (24) and the cutting box (13) is avoid able.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] Further advantages can be derived from the dependent patent claims, the description and the drawing figure, wherein:

[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a device according to the invention;

[0061] FIG. 2 illustrates the device according to the invention according to FIG. 1 however from another viewing angle;

[0062] FIG. 3 illustrates a device according to the invention in a cross section that is supported parallel to a feed direction of the food product;

[0063] FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of a cutting arrangement and a length cutting arrangement of the device according to the invention in a cross sectional view;

[0064] FIG. 5 illustrates a detail of a cutting box of the device according to the invention;

[0065] FIG. 6 illustrates the cutting box according to FIG. 5 however in a cross sectional view;

[0066] FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative cutting box in a cross sectional view; and

[0067] FIG. 8 illustrates a cutting box arranged on a cutting element carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0068] The embodiment that is illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 includes a device 1 according to the invention that includes a feed arrangement 12, cutting arrangement 2 and a length cutting arrangement 5. The feed arrangement 12 includes a product shaft in which a respective food product that is to be cut up is feed able into a feed direction 7. For this purpose the feed arrangement 12 includes a feed plunger 25 which pushes the respective food product from a side that is oriented away from the cutting arrangement 2 towards the cutting arrangement 2. Additionally the feed arrangement 12 includes a fixing arrangement 23 by which the food product is fixable laterally within the feed arrangement 12. The fixing arrangement 23 is formed by a side wall that is move able transversal to the feed direction 7 wherein the side wall is move able perpendicular to the feed direction 7 by a drive that is not illustrated. At a side that is oriented away from the food product the fixing arrangement 23 includes a cylindrical transmission element by which a drive force is transferable from the drive to the side wall.

[0069] As evident in particular from FIG. 3 the feed plunger 25 includes a telescope portion 33 that is move able in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction 7 relative to the feed plunger 25. The telescope element 33 is thus configured so that it can move into a contact plate 34 of the feed plunger 25. This relative move ability of the telescope portion 33 facilitates clamping the fixing arrangement 23 relative to the feed direction 7 without binding the feed plunger 25. The feed arrangement 12 includes a pass through opening 26 at an end that is oriented towards the cutting arrangement wherein the food product is push able out of the feed arrangement 12 towards the cutting arrangement 2.

[0070] Proximal to the pass through opening 26 the feed arrangement 12 furthermore includes a stop element 24 in the illustrated embodiment the stop element is arranged on a left side of the pass through opening 26 relative to the feed direction 7. The stop element 24 is configured so that it protrudes axially beyond the remainder of the feed arrangement 12 viewed in the feed direction 7, so that a respective section of the food product to be cut that protrudes beyond the feed arrangement 12 is support able by the stop element 24. The arrangement of the stop element 24 already indicates that the cutting arrangement 2 which is subsequently described in detail is rotated counter clock wise in the feed direction 7. The stop element 24 is thus used to react cutting forces that are imparted upon the food product by the cutting arrangement 2 or by the cutting elements 3 of the cutting arrangement 2 and can be reacted into the feed arrangement 12.

[0071] In the illustrated embodiment the stop element 24 is provided with a spring mechanism so that the stop element 24 is move able parallel to the feed direction 7 and relative to the feed arrangement 12. Put differently the stop element 24 can be retracted. This move ability has the background that the stop element 24 should be configured to move away from a respective cutting element which is moved along the pass through opening 26 so that a collision between the cutting element and the stop element 24 is avoided. Ideally the respective cutting element or another component of the device 1 includes a displacement device 30 by which the stop element 24 is move able for example against a spring force of a reset spring temporarily and can move away from a respective cutting element in this manner. Thus it is appreciated that this escapement should only be performed when the stop element 24 has performed it's primarily function of reacting cutting forces into the feed arrangement 12.

[0072] In order to support the stop element 24 the feed arrangement 12 has a short cantilever plate 41 in the illustrated embodiment by which the stop element 24 is supported laterally adjacent to the pass through opening 26 of the feed arrangement 12. In order for the stop element 24 to be able to escape parallel to the feed direction 7 the cantilever plate 41 has a cut out 28 on a back side. The cut out facilitates that the stop element 24 can exit from the back side of the cantilever plate 41 and facilitates a movement relative to the remaining feed arrangement 12 for the stop element 24. A described displacement arrangement 30 can be derived in particular from FIG. 8. The displacement arrangement 30 described there in includes 2 opposite inlet portions 21 which are arranged at opposite sides of the respective cutting element 3. The inlet portions 21 are configured wedge shaped so that they can displace a stop element 24 that collides with the displacement arrangement 30 particularly easily. Thus it is appreciated that a pointed end 39 of the respective inlet portion 21 contacts the stop element 24 when the illustrated displacement arrangement 30 engages a stop element 24. Due to further movement of the cutting arrangement 2 relative to the feed arrangement 12 or the stop element 24 the inlet portions 21 are then run further along the stop element 24. As soon as the stop element 24 has arrived at an end 40 of a respective inlet portion 21 it has been displaced at least far enough so that the cutting element 3 that is formed by a cutting box 13 in this embodiment can be run past the stop element 24 without colliding. As soon as the cutting element 3 has passed the stop element 24 the displacement arrangement 30 terminates which is implemented in that a recess is arranged laterally adjacent to the cutting element 3 wherein the recess enables the stop element 24 to transition back into an extended position. In this extended position the stop element 24 is configured again to support the food product to be cut up and an end section of the food product which shall be cut up during the subsequent contact with a cutting element 3.

[0073] The cutting arrangement 2 includes a cutting element carrier 4 which is formed herein by a cutting disc 19. The cutting disc is configured circular wherein a thickness of the cutting disc 19 is much less than its diameter. The cutting arrangement 2 includes a plurality of cutting element 3 on its cutting element carrier 4. The cutting elements 3 are respectively configured as cutting cassettes 13. The cutting cassettes 13 are subsequently describe in detail and can be derived in particular from FIGS. 5-7. The cutting boxes 13 radially arranged on the cutting disc 19 so that a longitudinal axis 31 of a respective cutting box 13 is oriented in a direction of a center point of the cutting disc 19. The cutting boxes 13 are configured to cut a plurality of portions from the food product simultaneously in a single pass along the food product to be cut up.

[0074] Furthermore the cutting boxes 13 are configured to deflect the individual portions while they are cut off from the uncut food product and to impart a desired movement direction upon the portions. In order to operate the cutting arrangement 2 the cutting element carrier 4 is rotated about a drive axis 10 together with the cutting cassettes 13 arranged thereon, wherein the drive axis 10 is oriented parallel to the feed direction 7 of the food product. This way a cutting plane is generated at the food product wherein the cutting plane is in turn oriented perpendicular to the feed direction 7.

[0075] In particular it is possible to feed the individual portions that are generated by the cutting elements 3 in a controlled manner to the length cutting arrangement 5 which is arranged in the feed direction 7 on a side of the cutting arrangement 2 that is oriented away from the food product. The length cutting arrangement 5 in the illustrated embodiment is configured rotate able and includes a length cutting disc 27. The length cutting disc 27 is configured circular like the cutting disc 19 of the cutting arrangement 2. A diameter of the length cutting disc 27 is slightly smaller than a diameter of the cutting disc 19 of the cutting arrangement 2. A drive axis 11 of the length cutting arrangement 5 is identical to the drive axis 10 of the cutting arrangement 2. The length cutting arrangement 5 includes a plurality of length cutting edges 18 which are radially arranged on the length cutting disc 27. This means that a respective longitudinal axis 32 of a length cutting edge 18 is oriented so that it intersects a center axis of the length cutting edge 27. Cutting edges of the length cutting edges 18 are arranged in a common cutting plane 9 of the length cutting arrangement 5. Thus the cutting plane 9 of the length cutting arrangement 5 is arranged parallel to a cutting plane of the cutting arrangement 2 or of the cutting edges of the cutting elements 3.

[0076] In the illustrated embodiment the cutting disc 19 and the length cutting disc 27 of the cutting arrangement 2 or of the length cutting arrangement 5 are positioned relative to one another so that they are on the one hand side arranged directly behind one another and on the other hand side rotate able about the same drive axis 10, 11. During operations of the device 1 according to the invention the cutting disc 19 of the cutting arrangement 2 is rotated about its drive axis 10, while the length cutting disc 7 of the length cutting arrangement 5 is rotated about its drive axis 11. The two drive axes 10, 11 coincide in the illustrated embodiment. Furthermore the drive axis 10, 11 are oriented parallel to the feed direction 7 as described supra. The cutting arrangement 2 and the length cutting arrangement 5 are rotated about their drive axes 10, 11 in opposite directions, this means that the length cutting arrangement 5 is rotated clock wise relative to the feed direction 7 whereas the cutting arrangement 2 is rotated counter clockwise. This geometric arrangement of the feed arrangement 12, the cutting arrangement 2 and the length cutting arrangement 5 causes the food product to be successively cut up in a direction perpendicular to its feed direction 7.

[0077] This has the effect that a cut surface of the food product is oriented at least essentially perpendicular to the feed direction 7. This is caused by the fact that the individual cutting elements 3 of the cutting arrangement 2 are supported in a cutting plane that is orthogonal to the feed direction 7. This cutting plane is parallel to a plane of the cutting disc 19. During a movement of a cutting element 3 along the uncut food product an end of the food product that is oriented towards the cutting arrangement 2 is cut off therefrom and sliced into portions. Thus a length of the uncut food product is continuously reduced whereas portions are simultaneously continuously formed. The individual portions are completed in that they are cut to length by the length cutting arrangement device 5. The individual portions are completed in that they are cut to length by the length cutting arrangement 5 after being separated from the food product and thus get their final shape. The cutting by the length cutting arrangement 5 thus represents a cut in a third linear independent cutting plane so that the device 1 according to the invention facilitates defining the portions in their 3 dimensions (length, width and height). As already described supra the cutting elements 3 are respectively formed in the instant embodiment by a cutting cassette 13. From FIGS. 5-7 it is evident in particular in which way a cutting cassette of this type can be configured. The illustrated cutting cassettes respectively include a transversal cutting edge 14 and a plurality of longitudinal cutting edges 15. The longitudinal cutting edges 15 are arranged perpendicular to the transversal cutting edge 14 so that a cutting plane 16 of the transversal cutting edge 14 is oriented perpendicular to the individual cutting planes 17 of the respective longitudinal cutting edges 15. The cutting edges 15 protrude beyond the transversal cutting edge 15 of the movement direction of the cutting box 13 so that the longitudinal cutting edges 15 and thereafter the transversal cutting edge 14 comes into cutting contact with the food product first when the cutting box 13 comes in contact with the food product to be cut up.

[0078] The longitudinal cutting edges 15 are respectively arranged parallel to each other and oriented relative to each other so that they penetrated into the uncut food product simultaneously. It is appreciated that a plurality of initial strip shaped portions is generated simultaneously when the cutting box 13 is run along a cutting surface of the food product to be cut once, wherein a respective portion is defined in its width by 2 adjacent longitudinal cutting edges 15 an in its height by the transversal cutting edge 14. This applies initially for a center portion 6 of the cutting box 13 which is typically in full contact with the food product. This means that the food product is cut up at least by the center portion 6 of the cutting box 13 typically by the entire cutting box 13 so that the generated portions respectively have at least 3 cut sides which are caused by a cutting engagement with the longitudinal cutting edges 15 and the transversal cutting edge 14. Put differently a cutting engagement is not performed in the illustrated embodiment through which a strip shaped portion is only formed by a single longitudinal cutting edge 15 and the transversal cutting edge 14 at least in the center portion 6 of the cutting box. While running the cutting box 13 along the food product the portions that are being made are introduced into the cutting box 13 due to the movement of the respective cutting box 13 relative to the food product. Within the cutting box 13 the portions are then deflected by support channels 20. A respective support channel 20 is laterally defined between 2 adjacent longitudinal cutting edges 15. Furthermore a support channel 20 is defined in downward and upward direction geometrically by wall elements 35, 36 of the cutting box 13. This has the consequence that the portions that are being made are deflected within the cutting box 13 by a deflection angle 8 since they do not have any other movement option. Put differently the portions that are being made are forced in a predetermined direction within the cutting box 13 and within the respective support channel 20. The support channels 20 respectively have a flattened length of approximately 20 cm. The support channels 20 respectively have a width of 1.0 cm so that a ratio of width to flattened length of a respective support channel 20 is 0.083. In the illustrated embodiment the deflection angle 8 is approximately 90 so that the portions have a movement direction after being cut off from the cutting surface of the food product and after exiting on a back side 37 of the cutting box 13 wherein the movement direction is at least essentially parallel to the feed direction 7 of the food product. This way the individual portions can be fed to the length cutting arrangement 5 described in a particularly simple manner since the length cutting arrangement adjoins at the side of the cutting arrangement 2 which is oriented away from the food product in the feed direction 7 of the food product. The support channels 20 consequently have a circumference of approximately 48 cm and a radius of approximately 7.6 cm. Thus a camber of the support channels 20 is approximately 0.3 and is therefore in an advantageously range between 0.1 and 0.3.

[0079] The cutting boxes 13 are respectively connected at the cutting element carrier 4 by a plurality of attachment elements 29. The cutting box 13 has an opposite cutting edge 22 on a back side 27. The opposite cutting edge 22 is configured to cooperate with the length cutting edges 18 of the length cutting arrangement 5. This is implemented in that the individual portions which shall be cut to length by the length cutting edges 18 are supported at the opposite cutting edge 22 so that a respective portion of the cutting force which is imparted by the respective cutting edge 18 onto the portion cannot move out. Since the length cutting edges 18 and the opposite cutting edges 22 of the cutting boxes 13 are run past each other at a minimal distance, there is a risk that a collision occurs between a length cutting edge 18 and an opposite cutting edge 22 due to fabrication tolerances during a movement of the length cutting arrangement 5 and the cutting arrangement 2 relative to each other.

[0080] In order to prevent this there is an option to change a position of a respective opposite cutting edge 22 relative to the length cutting arrangement 5. A change of this type can be accomplished in a simple manner in that an attachment of the respective cutting edge 13 at the cutting element carrier 4 is provided by spacer elements so that a position of the respective cutting box 13 is adjustable relative to the cutting disc 19 of the cutting arrangement 2. This way it is possible to adjust a cutting box 13 and consequently its opposite cutting edge 22 with respect to its position parallel to the feed arrangement 7 of the food product so that a distance between the opposite edge 22 and the length cutting edges 18 of the length cutting arrangement 5 is adjustable in an optimum manner.

[0081] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate 2 alternative embodiments of longitudinal cutting edges 15 of a cutting box 13. In a first variant that is illustrated in FIG. 6 the longitudinal cutting edges 15 respectively have a small length so that the longitudinal cutting edges starting from a cutting edge 38 only extends into the associated support channel 20 by a small amount. This has the consequence that the portions that are laterally cut by the longitudinal cutting edges 15 can come in direct contact with each other within the support channel 20 behind the longitudinal cutting edges 15. This contact is without problems in particular when the food product to be cut up is provided in a partially frozen or completely frozen condition. In these cases the individual portions do not tend to adhere to each other and to form a conglomerate. When a soft food product is to be cut by the device 1 it is helpful to use cutting cassettes 13 according to another embodiment. This embodiment is illustrated in an exemplary manner in FIG. 7. It is visible in this variant that the longitudinal cutting edges 15 respectively extend over and entire length of its support channels 20. This has the consequence that the portions that are formed by the cutting cassette remain insulated from each other over an entire length of the support channels 20 so that a direct contact of the individual portions within the cutting cassette 13 is prevented.

[0082] In particular FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the device according to the invention respectively in an exploded view. Therefore the individual components of the device 1 are not directly adjacent to each other in this embodiment. It is appreciated that the features that are described supra in a context with the embodiment do not have to be associated with each other. Instead it is also conceivable to implement the individual features independently from each other in a device according to the invention as deemed fit by a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS

[0083] 1 device [0084] 2 cutting arrangement [0085] 3 cutting element [0086] 4 cutting element carrier [0087] 5 length cutting arrangement [0088] 6 center portion [0089] 7 feed direction [0090] 8 deflection angle [0091] 9 cutting plane [0092] 10 drive axis [0093] 11 drive axis [0094] 12 feed arrangement [0095] 13 cutting box [0096] 14 transversal cutting edge [0097] 15 longitudinal cutting edge [0098] 16 cutting plane [0099] 17 cutting plane [0100] 18 length cutting edge [0101] 19 cutting disc [0102] 20 support channel [0103] 21 inlet portion [0104] 22 opposite cutting edge [0105] 23 fixing arrangement [0106] 24 stop element [0107] 25 feed plunger [0108] 26 pass through opening [0109] 27 length cutting disc [0110] 28 recess [0111] 29 attachment element [0112] 30 displacement arrangement [0113] 31 longitudinal axis [0114] 32 longitudinal axis [0115] 33 telescope element [0116] 34 contact plate [0117] 35 wall element [0118] 36 wall element [0119] 37 back side [0120] 38 cutting edge [0121] 39 end [0122] 40 end