GRIPPER COMPRISING AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for slicing one or more food products, in particular sausage, ham, and/or cheese, wherein a track is provided for each food product, along which track the food product is transported in the direction of a moving blade, which cuts off food slices from the front end of the food product.

Claims

1. A device for slicing a food product, in particular sausage, ham and or cheese, the device comprising: a moving blade; a track along which the food product is transported in a direction of a moving blade, which cuts off food slices from a front end of the food product, and a gripper that grips a back of the food product before or during the food slices being cut off, wherein the gripper has an ultrasonic sensor.

2.-10. (canceled)

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor determines a distance between the gripper and the back of the food product.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a regulating system that receives a signal from the ultrasonic sensor and, in dependence on the signal, regulates a drive of the gripper.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of tracks, and in each of the tracks, and independently of other tracks, the food product is sliceable, wherein each of the tracks has a gripper that is respectively engaged with a back of the food product and independently of other grippers.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor determines whether the gripper is in contact with the food product.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripper has an ejector for a remnant of the food product, and wherein in the ultrasonic sensor checks whether the remnant is ejected.

16. A method for slicing a food product with the device of claim 1, the method comprising determining a distance between the gripper and the hack of the food product with the ultrasonic sensor, and regulating a drive of the gripper with a regulating system in dependence on a signal from the ultrasonic sensor.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein on the basis of the signal from the ultrasonic sensor, it is determined whether the food product is present in the track.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method comprises: slicing the food product, and releasing a remnant of the food product from the gripper after the slicing, wherein, on the basis of the signal from the ultrasonic sensor, it is determined whether the releasing has taken place.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a position of the gripper after gripping of the food product is used to regulate a slicing of the food product.

Description

[0027] In the following the invention is explained on the basis of FIGS. 1 and 2. These comments are merely exemplary and do not restrict the general inventive concept. The comments apply equally to all subjects of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows the slicing device according to the invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the gripper of the slicing device.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a slicing device o according to the invention. The slicing device 5 has a cutting blade 11, which cuts a food product 2 into food slices 12. To this end, each food product 2 is transported with a conveying means 4, here two conveyor belts 4, continuously or intermittently in the direction of the cutting plane 6 of the blade 11. The lower conveyor belt 4 is at the same time a product support. The cutting blade 11 is fastened to a rotating blade holder 3 and cooperates in cutting arrangement with a cutting edge 9, which is provided, for instance, at the front end of a product support 4 and which, jointly with the cutting blade, defines the cutting plane 6. Present between the blade Ii and the cutting edge 9 is a so-called cutting gap, which should be as small as possible, yet sufficiently large that the blade does not touch the cutting edge. This cutting gap must be regularly adjusted. This can be realized by a movement of the blade and/or of the cutting edge. Moreover, the cutting edge must be oriented parallel to the blade. After having been cut off, the food slices generally fall onto a depositing table 1, which is provided with transport means, for instance conveyor or transport belt, on which they are configured to form respectively a portion 14, here a stack. The finished portions 14 are then evacuated from the cutting blade region and afterward packed. Under the transport means of the depositing table can be provided an underlying sheet, which in particular prevents an excessive elongation of the transport means. The slice thickness derives from the length of feed of the food product between two cuts. At constant blade rotation speed, the regulation of the slice thickness is realized via the feed rate of the food product The slicing device has per feed line a gripper 8, which grips the rear end 13 of the food product 2 before or during the slicing and stabilizes it during the slicing, in particular toward the end of the slicing, and disposes of the end piece, which cannot be sliced. Each gripper is preferably provided on a gripper carriage (not represented), which moves the gripper forward and back, in particular parallel to the direction of feed of the food product. The gripper 8 preferably has a contact surface for the back of the food product and/or nippers 10, which are movably provided to reversibly penetrate into the food product and thereby produce a form and/or force closure between the gripper and the food product.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the nippers 10 in their closed, i.e. gripping position. Before or after the start of the slicing, the gripper is brought into engagement with the back, i.e. the end lying opposite the front end, of the food product. For this, the gripper is moved, for instance out of a position in which it is found during the loading of the device, by a drive in the direction of the back of the food product. According to the invention, the gripper now has an ultrasonic sensor, which is preferably located in the region of the contact surface of the back of the food product and, on the basis of its signal, the distance between the gripper, in particular the ultrasonic sensor, and the back of the food product is determined. This distance measurement can be made one or more times. The time intervals and/or physical spacings at which a measurement is made can be equidistant or different. For instance, the frequency of the measurements can increase when the gripper gets close to the back of the food product. On the basis of the measurement(s), the movement of the gripper in the direction of the back of the food product is controlled and/or regulated. The regulation is here realized in particular such that the food product, upon the contact with the gripper, is altered as slightly as possible, preferably not at all in its shape, i.e. for instance compressed, and/or in its position, for instance pushed in the direction of the cutting blade. The ultrasonic sensor can also be used to check whether a food product is present in the respective track, and/or whether, after the end of the slicing, the remaining remnant has been successfully discharged.

[0032] Preferably, the slicing device is of multitrack design, that is to say that a plurality of food products 2 are sliced by a blade, in particular at least sometimes simultaneously or at least sometimes sequentially. For this the device has for each food product an own track 7 along which it is transported in the direction of the blade 11. In each track is provided a gripper, which preferably is movable at least partially independently of the other grippers. Each gripper preferably has an ultrasonic sensor, which is connected to the control system and/or regulating system. Preferably, the ultrasonic sensors can be operated independently of one another, for instance with respect to the frequency at which signals are sent to the control/regulating system and/or the frequency and/or amplitude of the emitted ultrasonic waves.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0033] 1 depositing table [0034] 2 food product [0035] 3 blade holder [0036] 4 support surface, transport means of a track 7 [0037] 5 slicing device [0038] 6 cutting plane [0039] 7 track [0040] 8 gripper [0041] 9 cutter bar, cutting edge [0042] 10 gripping nippers [0043] 11 blade, cutting blade circular blade sickle blade [0044] 12 food slices [0045] 13 back of the food product [0046] 14 portion, food portion [0047] 15 contact surface for the back of the food product 2