A Method for Grasping a Row of Multiple Blocks of Frozen Food Originating from a Plate Freezer, and Various Uses Thereof

Abstract

A method for grasping a row of multiple separate blocks of frozen food originating from a plate freezer, the row extending in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the plate freezer, includes the steps of grasping the row of blocks along its opposing lateral edges by closing a clamp (1) having two grasping elements (2, 20) that extend along the opposing lateral edges of the row, wherein at least one of the grasping elements along its length includes multiple separate pinching elements (4, 40), each element for pinching one or more of the blocks, the pinching elements being individually movable with respect to the at least one grasping element in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this grasping element, the method further including adjusting the lateral position of each pinching element when closing the clamp, by individually moving each pinching element.

Claims

1. A method for grasping a row of multiple separate blocks of frozen food originating from a plate freezer, the row extending in a longitudinal direction corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the plate freezer, the method comprising the steps of: grasping the row of blocks along opposing lateral edges thereof by closing a clamp having two grasping elements that extend along the said opposing lateral edges of the row, wherein at least one of the grasping elements along a length thereof comprises multiple separate pinching elements, providing that each pinching element is adapted for pinching one or more of the blocks, individually moving the pinching elements with respect to the at least one grasping element in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of this grasping element, and adjusting a lateral position of each pinching element when closing the clamp, by individually moving each pinching element with respect to the at least one grasping element to evenly pinch the blocks.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein both grasping elements along their respective length comprise multiple separate pinching elements that are individually movable with respect to the corresponding grasping element in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this element.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein each pinching element has a dimension in the said longitudinal direction corresponding to at most three blocks.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each pinching element has a dimension in the said longitudinal direction corresponding to at most one block.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein each pinching element has a surface for grasping the one or more blocks, and wherein the surface is roughened.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the surface comprises macroscopic teeth.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein each pinching element is spring loaded with respect to the corresponding grasping element.

8. A method for unloading a row of multiple blocks of frozen food from a vertical plate freezer, the blocks forming a row of separate frozen units extending in a longitudinal direction of the plate freezer, the method comprising the steps of forcing the row of blocks at least partly out of the plate freezer and grasping the row of blocks using a method according to claim 1.

9. A method for filling and unloading a vertical plate freezer for freezing liquid food, the plate freezer comprising multiple vertically arranged parallel plates, positioned interdistantly to leave a row of multiple freezing compartments between the plates, the method comprising the steps of: taking a clamp having two grasping elements that extend in parallel along a length of the clamp, grasping a hopper with the clamp, filling the hopper with liquid food, transporting the hopper to a dosing site above the freezer, dosing the liquid food into the freezing compartments by releasing the liquid food from the hopper, freezing the food in the compartments, thereby forming a row of multiple blocks of frozen food, transporting the hopper away from the freezer, releasing the hopper from the clamp, transporting the clamp back to the freezer and grasping the row of blocks by closing the clamp along opposing lateral edges of the row of multiple blocks of frozen food.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein multiple vertical plate freezers are used, the method comprising the steps of: consecutively filling the multiple plate freezers by transporting the hopper while grasped by the clamp to each of the freezers, and after the food is frozen, consecutively unloading the freezers using the clamp for grasping at each freezer, the opposing lateral edges of the row of multiple blocks of frozen food.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the clamp along a length thereof comprises multiple separate pinching elements, each element for pinching one or more blocks, comprising the steps of: individually moving the pinching elements with respect to the at least one grasping element in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this grasping element, according to claim 1.

12. A clamp for grasping a row of multiple blocks of frozen food originating from a plate freezer, the clamp comprising two grasping elements that extend along a length of the clamp, wherein at least one of the grasping elements along a length thereof comprises multiple separate pinching elements, each element for pinching one or more blocks, the pinching elements being individually movable with respect to the at least one grasping element in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of this grasping element.

13. A system for filling and unloading a vertical plate freezer comprising multiple vertically arranged parallel plates, positioned interdistantly to leave a row of multiple freezing compartments between the plates for freezing liquid food to form a row of multiple blocks of frozen food corresponding to the multiple freezing compartments, the system comprising: a hopper for dosing liquid food into the compartments of the freezer, a clamp having two grasping elements that extend in parallel along a length of the clamp, the clamp being devised to grasp the hopper, a transport to transport the clamp, while grasping the hopper, to the freezer, an arrangement to release the hopper from the clamp, and an arrangement for grasping the row of multiple blocks of frozen food by forcing the grasping elements to grasp opposing lateral edges of the said row.

14. A hopper for use in the method according to claim 9, wherein the hopper comprises a longitudinal dosing opening with a length that corresponds to a length of a vertical plate freezer to be filled, the opening being provided with a rotatably arranged cylinder that closes the longitudinal dosing opening, the cylinder being provided with at least one longitudinal slot to receive liquid food when directed to an interior of the hopper and, after rotation of the cylinder, to release the liquid food from the hopper when directed to an exterior thereof.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a clamp for use in the invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a pinching element of the clamp of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a hopper for use in the invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a closing cylinder of the hopper of FIG. 3.

[0025] FIG. 5 schematically shows the hopper of FIG. 3 carried by the clamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1

[0026] FIG. 1, composed of sub-figures a and b, is a schematic view of a clamp 1 for use in the invention. As depicted in FIG. 1a, basically the clamp 1 comprises two elongated grasping elements 2 and 20, of which only the sides are shown in FIG. 1a. These elements have a typical length (in the direction of view) of 3 to 6 meters, corresponding to the length of typical (vertical) plate freezers. The grasping elements are hinged around hinge elements 3 and 30 respectively. By using hydraulic cylinders 5 and 50, the grasping elements can be moved, such that the pinching elements 4 and 40 can be moved in a direction C, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of each grasping element. In FIG. 1a only one pinching element per grasping element is shown.

[0027] However, in the longitudinal direction, in this embodiment 20 of these pinching elements per meter of length are provided. This can be seen in more detail in FIG. 1b. In this figure, it can be seen that each of the elongated grasping elements comprises multiple pinching elements (the details of which pinching elements can be seen in more detail in FIG. 2). Each of these pinching elements is spring loaded with respect to a bar like member (only member 200 is shown in FIG. 1b), part of the elongated grasping element.

[0028] In FIG. 1a it is shown that the clamp 1 also comprises a sprocket 6. This sprocket can be used to drive an external mechanism, in particular the mechanism of a hopper when carried by the clamp (see FIG. 5). The clamp is provided with chains 7 to hang the clamp from a rail system to transport the clamp through the open space.

FIG. 2

[0029] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a pinching element 4 of the clamp of FIG. 1. In this view only one of the multiple neighbouring pinching elements 4 is depicted. This element is restricted in its side-way movement using blocks 42 and 43. It is noted that this side-way movement is the longitudinal direction of the clamp and grasping element 2, of which latter element part of longitudinal bar member 200 is shown in FIG. 2. The pinching element 4 can move individually with respect to the bar 200 (part of the grasping element 2) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this bar. For this, each pinching element is spring-loaded with a spring 41 with respect to bar 200. Each spring pushes the corresponding pinching element forward until an equal counter force is reached upon sufficiently pinching a block of frozen food. In this particular embodiment the pinching elements 4 are dimensioned in the longitudinal direction of the clamp such that each individually spring loaded pinching element can only grasp one block at a time.

[0030] This way, by individually moving the pinching elements with respect to the bar 200 of grasping element 2, the lateral position of each pinching element when closing the clamp is individually adjusted to enable and evenly pinch all the blocks in the row. The surface of the pinching elements is roughened by providing macroscopic teeth 45. Such teeth, in this case pivoted slightly upwardly, improve the grip the pinching elements have on the blocks of frozen food.

[0031] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), three elements 4 as shown in FIG. 2 are connected at their back using a small sub-bar. This sub-bar is then spring-loaded with respect to bar 200. This combined three-way pinching element is one element that can be individually moved in the sense of the present invention. In this embodiment the dimension of the pinching element in the longitudinal direction of the clamp may correspond to multiple blocks, for example to three blocks. This means that each pinching elements pinches up to three blocks at a time.

FIG. 3

[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a hopper 100 for use in the invention. This hopper consists of a main unit 101, which unit is open at its top end (for filling purposes) and has an opening 102 that is closed by cylinder 103 at its bottom. The opening 102 is in fact a longitudinal rectangle that extends over the full length of the hopper (in the direction of view of FIG. 3). The cylinder first this opening and slidably closes it so that the contents of the hopper cannot freely run out of it. A slight leaking of fluid may arise. Hence the presence of tray 108 underneath the hopper. This tray is for collecting fluids that leak from the hopper (if any) during transport. Using arm 109, the tray can be moved away from the actual opening 102 of the hopper when the hopper is used for filling the pockets of a plate freezer (as shown in FIG. 3).

[0033] The hopper is provided with an upper frame 110 to provide for dimensional strength and a surface for clamp 1 to carry the hopper (see FIG. 5). Also provided is a series of sprockets 105, 106 and 107 to rotate the cylinder 103, needed for dosing the contents of the hopper through its opening 102 to a plate freezer underneath the hopper (see FIG. 4 for details of the dosing slots in the cylinder 103).

[0034] Although not visible in FIG. 3, the interior of the hopper is provided with multiple transversely positioned plates to provide for adequate stiffness. This may be relevant to make sure the cylinder and opening keep their mutual (liquid tight) arrangement, depending i.a. in the thickness of the wall of the hopper and the material to be fed. These transverse plates have one or more holes to enable the liquid food to be distributed automatically over the length of the hopper (e.g. based on gravity alone, optionally helped with a distributing means such as a scraper).

FIG. 4

[0035] FIG. 4, comprised of figures A (side view) and B (birds eye view), is a detailed view of a closing cylinder of the hopper of FIG. 3. As can be seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cylinder is provided with multiple longitudinal slots 115 slot. Each of these slots is for receiving the liquid food when directed to the interior of the hopper and, after rotation of the cylinder 103, for releasing the liquid food from the hopper through opening 102 (see FIG. 3) when directed to this opening.

FIG. 5

[0036] FIG. 5 schematically shows the hopper 100 of FIG. 3 carried by the clamp 1 of FIG. 1. In this view it can be seen that the hopper, with its frame 110 rests on grasping elements 2 and 20 at locations indicated with A and B respectively. The hopper can be released by opening the clamp, for example when the hopper is situated while resting on a supporting structure (not shown).

[0037] As can be seen in FIG. 5, when the hopper is carrier by the clamp, the sprocket 6 of the clamp meets the upper sprocket 105 of the hopper. This way, by rotating sprocket 6 using a motor (not shown) present on the clamp, the opening/closing cylinder 103 of the hopper can be actuated.

[0038] In practice, in a freezer facility up to 10 plate freezers may be filled and unloaded using one clamp and corresponding hopper. In a filling station, the hopper while lying stationary on a supporting structure is filled with liquid food sufficient to fill the 10 plate freezers. Thereupon, the clamp is transported (via a rail system attached to the roof of the facility) to the hopper and the filled hopper is grasped by the clamp as shown in FIG. 5. Then, the hopper is transported to the first plate freezer. When the hopper is situated exactly in line with the plate freezer, the tray 108 is taken away from the opening and the dosing of the liquid food into the pocket starts by rotating the dosing cylinder 103. When the pockets of the freezer are all filled the rotating and therewith the dosing of the liquid food is halted. Tray 108 is moved back in front of the hopper opening to prevent even the slightest spilling of liquids from the hopper to the floor of the facility. The hopper, still being carried by the clamp is then transported to the next plate freezer. This process is repeated until all freezers are filled with the liquid food. As soon as the last freezer is filled, the blocks of food in the first freezer have become adequately frozen. The clamp releases the hopper at its supporting structure and is now used for unloading the blocks from the first freezer. After the blocks have been pushed partly out of the freezer, the row of blocks is taken from the freezer in line with the current invention and carried towards a downstream processing station (as known in the art). The other freezers are unloaded the same way, in the same order as they have been filled. Thereafter, the whole cycle may be repeated to provide another 10 rows of blocks of frozen food.

[0039] For the present invention to be advantageously used, there is no explicit need to fill all pockets of the plate freezer and unload them with one and the same clamp. It is for example envisioned that two or more clamps are being used (or the same clamp multiple times to unload the freezer), for example when the plate freezer is extremely long. Any other reason however for which a clamp is used that does not have the same length as the freezer (and thus optionally a hopper that does not have the same length as the freezer) may be present. These variations are also covered by the appended claims.