SLICING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SLICING MACHINE

Abstract

A slicing machine for slicing product calibers lying parallel in different tracks into slices, and for creating portions from the slices, may comprise a cutting unit for separating the slices from the product calibers, and a feeding unit for feeding the product calibers to the cutting unit. The feeding unit may comprise a gripper unit with one gripper per track, a gripper carriage which carries the grippers, and a carriage guide along which the gripper carriage can be moved in a controlled manner in a feed direction. Each gripper is assigned an adjustment unit, by means of which the particular gripper can be moved in an actively controlled manner by a predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage in and/or against the feed direction. A method for operating a multi-track slicing machine is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A multi-track slicing machine for slicing product calibers lying parallel in different tracks into slices, and for creating portions from the slices, the slicing machine comprising: a cutting unit with a blade which is movable in a cutting plane for separating the slices from the product calibers, a feeding unit with a feed conveyor for feeding the product calibers to the cutting unit along a feed direction, and a gripper unit comprising one gripper per track, a gripper carriage which carries the grippers, a carriage guide along which the gripper carriage is movable in a controlled manner in the feed direction, and an adjustment unit assigned to each gripper, by which the gripper can be moved in an actively controlled manner by a predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage in and/or against the feed direction.

2. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined travel path is at least 50 mm.

3. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each gripper is movable by the predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage by the adjustment unit in a force-controlled and/or position-controlled manner.

4. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each gripper can be moved in an actively controlled manner independently of the other grippers by the predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage in the feed direction.

5. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each adjustment unit comprises a linear unit by which the gripper can be moved in a linear direction by the travel path.

6. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each adjustment unit comprises a drive unit which is designed as a motorized drive unit.

7. The slicing machine according to claim 6, wherein the drive unit is arranged on a side of the adjustment unit facing away from the cutting unit.

8. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each adjustment unit can be mounted on the gripper carriage and/or removed from the gripper carriage without tools.

9. The slicing machine according to claim 8, wherein each adjustment unit comprises a locking system which has a first locking means, which is designed to engage in a locked position with a second locking means arranged on the gripper carriage.

10. The slicing machine according to claim 1 wherein each adjustment unit at least partially has a profile cross section that is open at least on one side, and/or is designed substantially without undercuts.

11. The slicing machine according to claim 1 further comprising a discharge unit with a discharge conveyor for the slices.

12. A method for operating a multi-track slicing machine, the method comprising: feeding at least two product calibers on different tracks in parallel along a feed direction, cutting off slices from front ends of the product calibers a cutting unit, storing the slices for producing portions comprising one or more slices, wherein the product calibers are each held during feeding at a rear end by a gripper of a gripper unit, and wherein before feeding the product calibers to the cutting unit, each gripper is moved in an actively controlled manner by a predetermined travel path relative to a gripper carriage of the gripper unit in and/or against the feed direction, so that each gripper can grip the rear end of the product caliber assigned thereto.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined travel path is at least 50 mm.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein each gripper is movable in a force-controlled and/or position-controlled manner by the predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein each gripper is movable in an actively controlled manner independently of the other grippers by the predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage in and/or against the feed direction.

16. The slicing machine according to claim 5 wherein each linear unit comprises a linear guide.

17. The slicing machine according to claim 6 wherein each adjustment unit comprises a linear unit by which the gripper can be moved in a linear direction by the predetermined travel path, and the drive unit of each adjustment unit comprises a drive element, which is coupled to the linear unit in a manner to transmit only pressure forces.

18. The slicing machine according to claim 9 wherein, for each adjustment unit, the first locking means is pre-tensioned into the locked position.

19. The slicing machine according to claim 9 wherein, for each adjustment unit, the locking system further comprises a hook projection by which the adjustment unit can be attached to the gripper carriage so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis.

20. The slicing machine according to claim 19 wherein, for each adjustment unit, the first locking means is designed to prevent a pivoting movement of the adjustment unit about the pivot axis when the first locking means is in the locked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Embodiments in accordance with the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. In the drawings:

[0051] FIGS. 1A, B show a known slicing machine in the form of a slicer according to the prior art in different perspective views, with the feed belt folded up into the slicing position;

[0052] FIG. 2A shows a simplified side view of the slicing machine according to the prior art, loaded with a product caliber, which is in a first functional position;

[0053] FIG. 2B shows a side view according to FIG. 2A, but with the feed belt folded down into the loading position and the product caliber sliced apart from a remnant caliber piece;

[0054] FIG. 3A shows a perspective side view of a gripper carriage of a slicing machine according to the invention with adjustment units arranged thereon;

[0055] FIG. 3B shows a perspective rear view of the gripper carriage according to FIG. 3A;

[0056] FIG. 3C shows a front view of the gripper carriage according to FIG. 3A;

[0057] FIG. 3D shows a sectional view according to section A-A illustrated in FIG. 3C;

[0058] FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of an adjustment unit according to the disclosure in an extended state;

[0059] FIG. 4B shows the adjustment unit according to the invention according to FIG. 4A, but in a retracted state;

[0060] FIG. 4C shows a rear view of the adjustment unit according to FIG. 4A;

[0061] FIG. 4D shows a sectional view according to section B-B illustrated in FIG. 4C; [0062] and

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a drive unit of the adjustment unit according to the invention, which is designed as a pneumatic drive unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] FIGS. 1A, 1B show different perspective views of a multi-track slicer 1 for simultaneously slicing a plurality of product calibers Kwhich are not represented for reasons of clarityin each case on a track SP1 to SP4 next to each other, and storing them in shingled portions P each consisting of several slices S with a general direction of travel 10* through the slicer 1 from right to left.

[0065] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B showwith the caliber K inserteda side view of this slicer 1, omitting covers and other parts not relevant to the invention, which are attached to the base frame 2 in the same manner as all other units, so that the functional parts, in particular the conveyor belts, can be seen more clearly. The longitudinal direction 10 is the feed direction of the calibers K to the slicing unit 7 and thus also the longitudinal direction of the calibers K lying in the slicer 1.

[0066] It can be seen that the basic structure of a slicer 1 according to the prior art is that a cutting unit 7 with a blade 3 rotating about axis of rotation 3, in this case a sickle knife 3, is fed with several, in this case four, product calibers K lying transversely to the feed direction 10 next to one another on a feed conveyor 4, with spacers 15 of the feed conveyor 4 between them, by this feeding unit 20, from the front ends of which the rotating blade 3 cuts off a slice S with its cutting edge 3a in each case in one operation, that is to say almost simultaneously.

[0067] For slicing the product calibers K, the feed conveyor 4 is in the slicing position shown in FIGS. 1A-2A, which is oblique in side view with a low-lying front end on the cutting side and a high-lying rear end, from which it can be folded down about a pivot axis 4 extending in its width direction, the first transverse direction 11, which axis is located in the vicinity of the cutting unit 7, into an approximately horizontal loading position as represented in FIG. 2B.

[0068] The rear end of each log K lying in the feeding unit 20 is held in accordance with FIG. 2A in each case by a gripper 14a-d by positive locking with the aid of gripper claws 16. These grippers 14a-14d, which can be activated and deactivated with regard to the position of the gripper claws 16, are fastened to a common gripper slide 13, which can be tracked along a gripper guide 18 in the feed direction 10. The gripper claws 16 are attached to the gripper 14 in a movable manner, i.e. movable between an engagement position and a release position.

[0069] In this case, both the feed of the gripper carriage 13 and of the feed conveyor 4 can be driven in a controlled manner, wherein, however, the actual feed speed of the calibers K is effected by a likewise controlled driven, so-called upper and lower, driven product guide 8, 9 in the form of circulating belts, which engage on the upper side and lower side of the calibers K to be sliced in their front end areas near the cutting unit 7.

[0070] The front ends of the calibers K are each guided through a product opening 6a-d of a plate-shaped cutting frame 5, wherein the cutting plane 3 extends directly in front of the front, obliquely downward pointing end face of the cutting frame 5, in which the blade 3 rotates with its cutting edge 3a and thus cuts off the protrusion of the calibers K from the cutting frame 5 as a slice S. The cutting plane 3 extends perpendicularly to the upper run of the feed conveyor 4 and/or is spanned by the two transverse directions 11, 12 to the feed direction 10.

[0071] In this case, the inner circumference of the product openings 6a-d serves as a counter slicing edge of the slicing edge 3a of the blade 3.

[0072] Since both product guides 8, 9 can be driven in a controlled manner, particularly independently of one another and/or possibly separately for each track SP1 to SP4, these determine the (continuous or clocked) feed speed of the logs K through the cutting frame 5.

[0073] The upper product guide 8 is displaceable in the second transverse direction 12 (which extends perpendicularly to the surface of the upper run of the feed conveyor 4) to adapt to the height H of the log K in this direction. Further, at least one of the product guides 8, 9 can be designed to pivot about one of its deflection rollers in order to be able to change the direction of the strand of its guide belt resting against the caliber K to a limited extent.

[0074] Below the feed conveyor unit 20 there is usually an approximately horizontally extending remnant piece conveyor 21, which starts with its front end below the cutting frame 5 and immediately below or behind the discharge unit 17 and with its upper run thereonby means of the drive of one of the discharge conveyors 17 against the direction of travel 10*transports falling remnants to the rear.

[0075] The slices S, which are at an angle when they are separated, fall onto a discharge unit 17 which starts below the cutting frame 5 and extends in the direction of travel 10*, which in this case consists of a plurality of discharge conveyors 17a, b, c arranged one behind the other with their upper runs approximately aligned in the direction of travel 10*, of which the first discharge conveyor 17a in the direction of travel 10* can be designed as a portioning belt 17a and/or one can also be designed as a weighing unit.

[0076] The slices S can arrive at the discharge unit 17 individually and at a distance from one another in the general direction of travel 10* of the products through the machine or, by appropriate control of the portioning belt 17a of the discharge unit 17the movement of which, like almost all moving parts, is controlled by the controller 1*form shingled or stacked portions P by stepwise forward movement of the portioning belt 17a.

[0077] FIGS. 3A to 3D show a gripper carriage 13 of a slicing machine 1 according to the invention in which each gripper 14.1-14.4 comprises an adjustment unit 28.1-28.4, by means of which the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 can be moved in an actively controlled manner by a predetermined travel path V relative to the gripper carriage 13 in the feed direction 10. With the solution according to the invention, different lengths of the product calibers K to be simultaneously sliced can be compensated by means of the adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 of the particular gripper 14.1-14.4, while the grippers 14.1-14.4 are, however, still arranged on the common gripper carriage 13.

[0078] The predetermined travel path V, which is illustrated for example in FIG. 4B, can be at least 50 mm, preferably at least 100 mm, particularly preferably at least 150 mm, wherein the travel path V can preferably correspond to the maximum compensable length difference between a longest and a shortest of the product calibers K to be sliced.

[0079] In order to be able to move the grippers 14.1-14.4 by the travel path V in the feed direction 10, according to the illustrated embodiment, each adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 comprises a corresponding linear unit 30.1-30.4. The grippers 14.1-14.4 can each be attached to the front end of the particular linear unit 30.1-30.4 in the feed direction 10, as indicated by the reference numerals 14.1-14.4. However, the grippers 14.1-14.4 themselves are not shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D for reasons of better clarity since the grippers 14.1-14.4 per se can be designed substantially identically to those in FIGS. 1A to 2B.

[0080] Each gripper 14.1-14.4 can be moved by the predetermined travel path V relative to the gripper carriage 13 by means of the particular adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 in a force-controlled and/or position-controlled manner. In the case of force control, the grippers 14.1-14.4 can each be moved in the feed direction 10 before gripping the product caliber K to be sliced until a force acting on the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 or the particular adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The force can be monitored, for example, by a corresponding sensor (not shown) formed on the adjustment unit 28.1-28.4, which is connected to the controller 1* of the slicing machine 1.

[0081] If the adjustment units 28.1-28.4 each comprise, for example, an electric, in particular servomotor drive unit 32.1-32.4, additionally or alternatively only a motor current and/or motor torque of the particular electrical drive unit 32.1-32.4 can be evaluated by means of the controller 1* in order to detect whether or not the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 has reached the product caliber assigned thereto. If the drive units 32.1-32.4, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, are designed as pneumatic drive units, a pressure prevailing in a pneumatic cylinder and/or a path, i.e. a position, of the pneumatic cylinder of the particular drive unit 32.1-32.4 can alternatively also be monitored by means of the controller 1*. Reaching or exceeding a threshold value of the motor current, and/or motor torque, and/or the pressure, and/or the path can be defined by the controller 1* of the slicing machine 1 in such a way that the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 was moved up to the product caliber K assigned thereto.

[0082] Alternatively, however, it is also possible to first extend the grippers 14.1-14.4 completely by the predetermined travel path V in the feed direction 10 by means of the particular adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 and only then to move the grippers 14.1-14.4 together in the direction of the product calibers K by means of the gripper carriage 13, so that the grippers 14.1-14.4, and thus the adjustment units 28.1-28.4, are each moved back by a predetermined partial amount of the predetermined travel path V against the feed direction 10 by moving in the feed direction 10 against the particular product caliber K depending on the length differences of the product calibers K to be simultaneously sliced, until each gripper 14.1-14.4 can grip a product caliber K located on its track SP1-SP4.

[0083] In the illustrated embodiment, the drive units 32.1-32.4 are arranged on the side of the particular adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 facing away from the cutting unit 7. In order to be able to move the adjustment units 28.1-28.4 in the feed direction 10 by the predetermined travel path V, each of the drive units 32.1-32.4 can comprise a drive element 33.1-33.4, each of which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a pressure rod 33.1-33.4, wherein the pressure rod 33.1 of the linear unit 30.1 can be seen as an example in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The pressure rods 33.1-33.4 can be coupled to the particular linear unit 30.1-30.4 in a manner that transmits, in particular, only pressure forces, whereby the linear units 30.1-30.4 can be moved by the predetermined travel path V in the feed direction 10 by moving the pressure rods 33.1-33.4, but preferably not opposite to the feed direction 10, since the pressure rods 33.1-33.4 only strike a particular stop plate 38.1-38.4 and can be accordingly moved back again opposite the feed direction 10 without the particular linear unit 30.1-30.4 moving back as well.

[0084] Preferably, each linear unit 30.1-30.4 of the adjustment units 28.1-28.4 comprises a linear guide 40.1-40.4, wherein however only the linear guide 40.1 is described and shown in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, since the linear guides 40.2-40.4 are preferably designed to be identical to the linear guide 40.1.

[0085] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the linear guide 40.1 comprises two oppositely arranged guide rods 40.1a and 40.1b, on which the stop plate 38.1 is guided so as to be movable by the travel path V in and against the feed direction 10. The movement of the stop plate 38.1 in the feed direction 10 is limited by limiting rods 42.1a and 42.1b which have an enlarged diameter in relation to the guide rods 40.1a and 40.1b. The movement of the stop plate 38.1 against the feed direction 10 is in contrast limited by an end stop element 44.1. The stop plate 38.1 is mechanically connected, for example screwed, to a base body 30.1a of the linear unit 30.1 so that a movement of the stop plate 38.1 in and against the feed direction 10 leads to a corresponding movement of the base body 30.1a of the linear unit 30.1 and thus of the gripper 14.1. Finally, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a gripper actuator 46.1 can be seen which is provided for actuating, i.e. for opening or closing, the gripper claws of the gripper 14.1 and can be designed, for example, as an electric or pneumatic gripper actuator 46.1.

[0086] In order to keep downtimes of the slicing machine 1 as short as possible and to be able to remove and install the adjustment units 28.1-28.4 as quickly as possible and be able to exchange them between different tracks SP1-SP4 of the slicing machine 1, each adjustment unit 28.1-28.4, in particular each linear unit 30.1-30.4 and/or each drive unit 32.1-32.4, can preferably be mounted on the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 and/or removed from the particular gripper 14.1-14.4 without tools. For this purpose, each adjustment unit 28.1-28.4 can comprise a locking system 34.1-34.4, although only the locking system 34.1 is described and shown in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3D and 4A and 4B, since the locking systems 34.2-34.4 are preferably designed to be identical to the locking system 34.1.

[0087] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3D and 4A to 4D, a first locking means 35.1a formed on the linear unit 30.1 is provided in the form of a pawl 35.1a which, in its locked position, is designed to engage with a second locking means 13.1, in particular a projection 13.1, arranged on the gripper carriage 13 shown in FIG. 3D. The pawl 35.1a is pre-tensioned into its locked position by means of a spring 35.1b. To remove the linear unit 30.1 from the gripper carriage 13, the pawl 35.1a can be moved from its locked position into an unlocked position by actuating an actuating element 35.1c in the feed direction 10 and against the spring force of the spring 35.1b so that the pawl 35.1a and the projection 13.1 are disengaged. Since the locking system 34.1 according to the illustrated embodiment further comprises a hook projection 35.1d formed on the linear unit 30.1, by means of which the linear unit 30.1 can be attached to a mounting portion 13.2 of the gripper carriage 13 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis S1, the linear unit 30.1 in FIG. 3D can be pivoted downwards, as indicated by the pivot direction S, and then completely removed or unmounted from the gripper carriage 13.

[0088] The mounting of the linear unit 30.1 on the gripper carriage 13 can therefore be carried out substantially in the reverse order of the procedure described above. The linear unit 34.1 can first be hooked onto the mounting portion 13.2 of the gripper carriage 13 by means of its hook projection 35.1d and then pivoted upwards against the arrow direction S in FIG. 3D until the pawl 35.1a engages the projection 13.1 on the gripper carriage 13.

[0089] Analogously, a similar or substantially identical first locking means 36.1a, in particular in the form of a pawl 36.1a, can be provided on the drive unit 32.1, which is designed to engage in its locked position with a second locking means arranged on the gripper carriage 13, in particular in the form of a projection 13.3. The pawl 36.1a can also be pre-tensioned by means of a spring 36.1b into its locked position shown in FIG. 3D. The pawl 36.1a can be unlocked by actuating an actuating element 36.1c in the feed direction 10 in an analogous manner as with the pawl 35.1a.

[0090] Furthermore, a hook projection 36.1d formed on the drive unit 32.1 can be provided, by means of which the drive unit 32.1 can be attached to a mounting portion 13.4 of the gripper carriage 13 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis S2. The drive unit 32.1 in FIG. 3D can therefore be pivoted downwards analogously to the linear unit 30.1 after unlocking the pawl 36.1a and can then be completely removed or unmounted from the gripper carriage 13.

[0091] Both the linear units 30.1-30.4 as well as the drive units 32.1-32.4 can have a substantially identical locking system 34.1-34.4 as described above, which further facilitates mounting or unmounting.

[0092] In order to be able to also meet the particularly high requirements with respect to hygiene in the food industry, the adjustment units 28.1-28.4, in particular the linear units 30.1-30.4, can at least partially have a profile cross section that is open at least on one side, in particular in the height direction 12 of the product caliber K, and/or can be designed substantially without undercuts. In other words, the structure of the adjustment units 28.1-28.4 can be selected such that they are particularly easily accessible for cleaning and/or are designed to be flushable so that a cleaning agent applied to the adjustment unit, such as a cleaning fluid, can drain off by itself.

[0093] Finally, FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the drive unit 32.1 which is designed as a pneumatic drive unit 32.1. The pneumatic drive unit 32.1 can be designed as a drive unit that acts only in one direction, in particular the feed direction 10, and for this purpose can comprise, for example, a single-acting pneumatic cylinder, as can be seen for example in FIG. 3D.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0094] 1 Slicing machine, slicer [0095] 1* Controller [0096] 2 Base frame [0097] 3 Blade [0098] 3 Axis of rotation [0099] 3 Blade plane, cutting plane [0100] 3a Cutting edge [0101] 4 Feed conveyor, feed belt [0102] 4 Pivot axis [0103] 5 Cutting frame [0104] 6a-d Goggle opening [0105] 7 Cutting unit [0106] 8 Upper product guide, upper guide belt [0107] 9 Lower product guide, lower guide belt [0108] 10 Feed direction [0109] 10* Direction of travel through machine [0110] 11 1. Transverse direction (width slicer) [0111] 12 2. Transverse direction (height-direction caliber) [0112] 12* Vertical [0113] 13 Gripper unit, gripper slide [0114] 13.1 Projection [0115] 13.2 Mounting portion [0116] 13.2 Projection [0117] 13.4 Mounting portion [0118] 14.14a-d Gripper [0119] 15 Spacer [0120] 15 Support surface [0121] 15 Feed plane [0122] 16 Gripper claw [0123] 17 Discharge unit [0124] 17a, b, c Portioning belt, discharge conveyor [0125] 18 Gripper guide [0126] 20 Feeding unit [0127] 21 Remnant piece conveyor [0128] 28.1-4 Adjustment unit [0129] 30.1-4 Linear unit [0130] 32.1-4 Drive unit, pneumatic drive unit [0131] 33.1-33.4 Drive element, pressure rod [0132] 34.1-34.4 Locking system [0133] 35.1a First locking means (linear unit) [0134] 35.1b Spring (linear unit) [0135] 35.1c Actuating element (linear unit) [0136] 35.1d Hook projection (linear unit) [0137] 36.1a First locking means (drive unit) [0138] 36.1b Spring (drive unit) [0139] 36.1c Actuating element (drive unit) [0140] 36.1d Hook projection (drive unit) [0141] 38.1 Stop plate [0142] 40.1-40.4 Linear guide [0143] 40.1a Guide rod [0144] 40.1b Guide rod [0145] 42.1a Limiting rod [0146] 42.1b Limiting rod [0147] 44.1 End stop element [0148] 46.1 Gripper actuator [0149] K Product, product log [0150] KR Remnant piece [0151] S1, S2 Pivot axis [0152] R Pivot direction [0153] S Slice [0154] P Portion