APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE BREAKAGE OF A CUTTING ELEMENT

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting the breakage of at least one cutting element disposed in a guide includes at least one sliding piece which is linearly displaceable relative to the guide and which can be connected to the cutting element for holding the cutting element. A force applying element is provided to produce a force on the sliding piece so that if the cutting element breaks, the sliding piece is displaced relative to the guide. A sensor detects such a displacement of the sliding piece relative to the guide. A system having the detection device is also provided.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for detecting a breakage of at least one cutting element disposed in a guide, the apparatus comprising: a) at least one sliding piece being linearly displaceable relative to the guide, said at least one sliding piece configured to be connected to the cutting element for holding the cutting element; b) a force applying element producing a force on said at least one sliding piece for displacing said at least one sliding piece relative to the guide if the cutting element breaks; and c) at least one sensor for detecting said displacement of said at least one sliding piece relative to the guide.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said force applying element is disposed on the guide or is part of the guide.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said force applying element is disposed on said at least one sliding piece or is part of said at least one sliding piece.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, which further comprises a signal-triggering element disposed on said at least one sliding piece and cooperating with said at least one sensor.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one sensor is a laser curtain, a light curtain, an induction sensor, a capacitance sensor, a pneumatic sensor, a hydraulic sensor or a magnetic sensor.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein: said signal-triggering element is a projection; said at least one sensor is a laser curtain with a transmitter and a receiver; and said laser curtain is adapted to detect a position of said projection relative to the guide.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said force-applying element is a spiral spring, a spiral compression spring, a plate spring, a pneumatic element, a hydraulic element or a magnetic element.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, which further comprises a stop for defining an end point of said at least one sliding piece, said at least one sliding piece being disposed in a recess of the guide.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the cutting element is a cutting wire or cutting band.

25. The apparatus according to claim 16, which further comprises a fixing device disposed on said at least one sliding piece for fixing the cutting element.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said fixing device is a tensile fixing device.

27. The apparatus according to claim 16, which further comprises: a stop defining an end point of said at least one sliding piece; said force-applying element applying a force acting on said at least one sliding piece being smaller than a tensioning force applied to said at least one sliding piece by the tensioned cutting element when the cutting element is intact, causing said at least one sliding piece to be pressed onto said stop when the cutting element is intact.

28. A system for dividing baked goods, the system comprising: at least one cutting element; and at least one detection device according to claim 16.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said at least one cutting element has two ends, and said at least one detection device includes a respective cutting element disposed on one or on both of said ends of said at least one cutting element.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein said at least one cutting element includes at least two cutting elements disposed parallel to one another in the guide.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein said at least one detection device includes at least two detection devices, and said at least one sensor is one sensor provided for said at least two detection devices.

32. The system according to claim 28, which further comprises a configuration for single or multiple angular deflection of said cutting element.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said configuration deflects said cutting element by an angle of 180? .

Description

[0022] In the following embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention are described in detail with reference to the figures.

[0023] FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention with an intact cutting element 2. The cutting element 2 is fixed by means of a fixing apparatus 9 on a linearly displaceable sliding piece 4 and clamped in a guide 1. The sliding piece 4 is arranged in a recess of the guide 1 in such a manner that it is merely movable in the direction of the cutting element 2, i.e. only has one degree of freedom. When fastening the cutting element 2, a tensioning force is preferably applied to the sliding piece 4 so that the sliding piece 4 is pressed against a stop 8 in the recess of the guide 1.

[0024] A force-applying element 5 in the form of a spiral compression spring is arranged in the guide 1 which presses the sliding piece 4 away from the stop 8. However the tensioning force of the intact cutting element 2 is higher than the force of the force-applying element 5 so that when the cutting element 2 is intact, the sliding piece 4 is pressed against the stop 8. A signal-triggering element 6 in the form of a projection is arranged on the sliding piece 4 which however in the intact, i.e. tensioned state of the cutting element 2 does not project beyond the surface of the guide 1.

[0025] FIG. 1b shows the apparatus according to the invention from FIG. 1 after breakage of the cutting element 2. As a result of the breakage of the cutting element 2, the tensioning force on the sliding piece 4 is absent and the force of the force-applying element 5 displaces the sliding piece 4 upwards. The signal-triggering element 6 is pressed upwards with the sliding piece 4 and now projects beyond the surface of the guide 1.

[0026] FIGS. 1c and 1d show the apparatus according to the invention from FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b in a further view together with a sensor 3. The sensor 3 is designed as a light curtain, optionally as a laser curtain and comprises a transmitter 10 and a receiver 7. As a result of the displacement of the sliding piece 4 in the event of a breakage of the cutting element 2, the signal-triggering element enters into the light beam between transmitter 10 and receiver 7 so that the sensor 3 detects the breakage.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a system according to the invention with a plurality of detection devices which are arranged next to one another in a frame which forms the guide 1 according to the invention. The adjacent detection devices (a), (b) and (c) are shown.

[0028] Case (a) shows the basic solution in which one end of the cutting element 2 is fixed on the guide 1 and the other end is fitted with the detection device according to the invention. In this case it is sufficient if the upper region of the guide 1 is fitted with a sensor in order to detect a displacement of the single sliding piece.

[0029] Case (b) shows a design in which both ends of the cutting element 2 are fitted with a detection device according to the invention. This allows a redundancy and higher process safety during detection since not one sensor but two sensors detect a breakage of the cutting element. In this case, sensors are arranged on the upper and lower region of the guide 1. The figure shows the case of breakage.

[0030] Case (c) shows a design in which the cutting element 2 is multiply deflected in order to achieve that a detection device according to the invention can be attached to both ends of the cutting element 2 and nevertheless only one sensor needs to be provided. In the case of breakage both adjacent detection devices react and a simple evaluation can be made with only one light beam of a single sensor.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a system according to the invention with a plurality of cutting elements 2 arranged adjacent to one another in a frame acting as a guide 1. In this exemplary embodiment a separate sensor 3 is provided for each sliding piece 4. This has the advantage that when a breakage is detected, it can be determined immediately which of the cutting elements 2 is broken.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a system according to the invention with a plurality of cutting elements 2 arranged in a frame acting as a guide 1. In this exemplary embodiment the same sensor 3 is provided for all the sliding pieces 4. This is made possible since the sliding pieces 4 and their projections serving as signal-triggering elements 6 are aligned precisely onto the position of the sensor 3 in the form of a light curtain with sensor 10 and receiver 7. If one of the signal-triggering elements 6 breaks the light beam, a wire break is detected. This has the advantages that only one light curtain must be provided.

[0033] The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments shown but covers all devices and systems within the framework of the following patent claims.

Reference List

[0034] 1 Guide [0035] 2 Cutting element [0036] 3 Sensor [0037] 4 Sliding piece [0038] 5 Force-applying element [0039] 6 Signal-triggering element [0040] 7 Receiver [0041] 8 Stop [0042] 9 Fixing device [0043] 10 Transmitter